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Researchers and innovators from Georgia will now be able to participate in Horizon 2020, the EU's framework programme for research and innovation, under the same conditions as their counterparts from EU Member States and other associated countries. The agreement associating Georgia to Horizon 2020 was signed today on behalf of the European Commission by Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, and Tamar Sanikidze, Georgian Minister for Education and Science. Commissioner Carlos Moedas said: "I am very pleased to welcome Georgia into Horizon 2020 , the world's largest public funding programme for research and innovation. EU research, science and innovation is open to the world for collaboration and we value working together with our partners to invest in knowledge and innovation for the future. Georgia's association will bring a diversity of expertise and ideas, enriching our international research cooperation." Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations said: "The full association of Georgia into Horizon 2020 will allow its enterprises and research institutions to become even more competitive and resilient. Georgia is an important partner for the EU and a frontrunner of the Eastern Partnership: extending Horizon 2020 to Georgia is a further, concrete sign of our commitment to closer political association and economic integration with the country." This Agreement allows for Georgia's enhanced cooperation with the EU in research and innovation, which are vital for successful and modern economies. It shows the commitment of the Union to develop the scientific and innovation capacity of its associated partners. It also represents another step towards reaching the EU goal of opening research and innovation to the world. Georgian research institutes, universities and individual researchers will now have access to all opportunities offered by Horizon 2020 that funds diverse scientific areas, from blue sky research to demonstration projects. Georgian SMEs and businesses will also be able to benefit from increased support to develop new ideas and bring products and services to the market. Background With a budget of €77 billion for 2014-2020, Horizon 2020 is the largest multinational programme dedicated to research and innovation. Until now, Georgia participated in Horizon 2020 as a third country. Association covers the years 2016-2020 and opens up new opportunities to the country's universities, research institutions and enterprises. In the Seventh framework programme (2007-13), which preceded Horizon 2020, Georgian organisations participated in 49 signed projects. In Horizon 2020, they already participate in eight projects. The EU is increasingly supporting Georgia in its commitment to reforms, with the assistance to Georgia now around €100 million a year (for a total of up to €410 million of bilateral assistance for the 2014-2017 period). EU support focuses on agriculture and rural development, public administration and justice. EU-Georgia agreements, visa liberalisation process and civil society are also supported. The 2015 EU assistance package to Georgia contained two major sectoral support programmes in the areas of Public Administration Reform and the 2nd phase of the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD). Under the incentive based approach, Georgia has also benefitted every year since 2012 from additional funds under the 'More for More' umbrella fund, from which in 2015 Georgia received an additional allocation of €10 million. other Horizon 2020 associated countries.
Welcome to our series On the Verge, where our contributors highlight comedians they feel are ready for their next big break. Whether they’re already working in television or still waiting to land their breakout gig, these are just some of the comedians we’d like to see more of over the coming years – ideally with a show, film, or other comedy project of their very own. Austin’s huge comedy scene doesn’t get a lot of respect from larger markets, but between improv and standup popping up in practically every building in the city, more and more talents are rising from its homegrown community. Though she recently transplanted to LA, the latest Austin comedian getting (and deserving) that spotlight is Maggie Maye. The Harlingen, Texas native started doing standup at Austin open mics in 2009 and quickly became a favorite performer around the city. Since then, many a list of up-and-coming comedians has included her as “one to watch,” and it’s understandable why. A punchy observer of others’ foibles, prone to covering topics from Harry Potter to the ways trashy white guys can ruin a woman’s credit score, Maye’s brainy, geek-inflected style leaves audiences all over the country doubled over. Maye is often described as “sassy,” though that doesn’t track with her actual comedic style. She writes geeky jokes with a smartass edge and has the intelligence to root out hypocrisy on the fly. Many of her bits focus on the real meaning behind things, including dictionary definitions — she even has a joke on the meaning of the word sassy. And if I had to go the way of comparisons, her act feels like more like a millennial Joan Rivers. Maye possesses that same blunt punch Rivers was known for, and she pulls off the ninja feat of making her self-deprecation charming and, crazier than that, utterly confident. She’ll make fun of herself, poking fun as her own fashion sense. As she explains it, “I have a unique sense of style. I like dressing like a five-year-old whose dad has her for the weekend.” If something is nonsensical in the world, Maye will surely point it out. In another bit, she takes on the idea of what is or isn’t considered racist: “How is it racist for white people to do ‘black people stuff,’ and not racist to think there’s ‘black people stuff’? No one ever says, ‘She came up with 200 uses for the peanut? She’s acting black!’” Maye’s been known as a standout standup for some time — she’s been a finalist in the competitive Funniest Person in Austin contest (which now has around 250 entrants every year) something like five times. Not that Maye is egotistical or even keeps track of such things — when I asked her, she had to look it up. In the last year or two, you may have caught her on Conan, Gotham Comedy Live, or Last Call with Carson Daly or touring clubs and comedy fests around the country. All of which easily could have not happened at all. Maye wrote jokes for some time before gathering the hutzpah to get on stage. As she told me, “I’d write a set and convince myself it wasn’t good enough, so I’d throw it in the pile of things to fix later. But one day a thought popped into my head, loud as hell, that if I didn’t do it now I never would.” She called The Velv, Austin’s famous standup room, that day, got on the open mic, and just kept going despite the nerves. “I nearly threw up the first couple of times,” she said. What’s especially enjoyable about Maye’s sets is her mastery of words and the way she invites an audience into her brain with a dazzling smile that invites viewers into her worldview. Her sets feel almost like she’s the smart bored kid in school making cracks under her breath when the teacher’s not paying attention. But while her writing skills have always been strong, recently she’s really come into her own as a performer. She has a relaxed presence to match, commanding the stage without trying too hard. As she’d found her voice, her jokes had gotten even tighter, and more so, she looked truly relaxed and in charge on stage. More than one to watch, she’s one that’ll make you laugh even in the worst moments. Photo by Kim Newmoney. Erica Lies is a writer and comedian in Austin, TX. Her work has appeared in Bitch, Paste, The Hairpin, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency.
State of emergency declared in parts of North Island after rivers burst banks amid extreme winds brought by tail-end of ex-cyclone Debbie New Zealand towns hit by 'once in 500-year flood' as storm system sweeps in A “once in 500-year” flood is swallowing up large parts of the east coast of New Zealand, as the tail-end of ex-cyclone Debbie sweeps east after devastating large parts of Australia. States of emergency have been declared in numerous regions in the North Island, after rivers burst their banks following two days of heavy rain and gale-force winds. Thousands of people have been evacuated in the Bay of Plenty, on the east coast of the North Island, and welfare centres established to feed and house those whose homes are now under water. The town of Edgecumbe appears to be the worst affected, with brown water up to two metres high engulfing the town, after the Rangitaiki river burst its banks on Thursday morning. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Children being evacuated from flooded Edgecombe, New Zealand, after ex-cyclone Debbie passed through. Photograph: Tautini Hahipen Whakatane mayor Tony Bonne told Radio New Zealand the flood was a “once in 500-year” event. “There is danger, with the huge volumes of water coming down the river, we have grave concerns for the town of Edgecumbe,” he said. “This has all happened really quickly ... there is a wall of water going through Edgecumbe at the moment.” Tractors, farm trucks and speed boats were being used to evacuate 2,000 residents from the stricken town, as flood water rose so quickly normal vehicles were unable to get in or out. Deeana Tubb told the New Zealand Herald the water in Edgecumbe was already waist-deep this morning, with the river not expected to peak till mid afternoon Thursday. “I went right through the cordons at Matata – nothing was stopping me getting to my babies,” she said. “When I got home the water was already waist-deep in the streets. I managed to get some valuable documents out of the house and everyone else and we headed to Awakeri.” “Now it looks like we’re about to lose everything.” The New Zealand Defence Force and Red Cross has arrived to provide relief and assistance to local authorities, who have been working non-stop for days, sandbagging properties and key infrastructure, and clearing debris from roads to make way for emergency vehicles. Power outages, major landslides and roads are closed right across the North Island, including in Auckland, which received a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours, and where many roads remain closed due to surface flooding. Numerous flights out of Wellington, Auckland and regional North Island centres have also been delayed or diverted due to the conditions, with passengers bunking down in the airport after being unable to find accommodation in the city. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A flooded street in Edgecumbe on Thursday. Photograph: Tautini Hahipene The South Island east coast town of Kaikoura, which is still recovering from November’s earthquake, has once again been cut off, after five mud and rock slides on State Highway One blocked access to the coastal town. Drivers across the South Island are being asked to take care, with surface flooding, fallen trees and landslips widely reported. Canterbury and Christchurch in the South Island were expected to bear the brunt of ex-cyclone Debbie, with rain expected to ease in the North Island later on Thursday.
Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment July update includes increased level cap, 30 hours of additional play time New quest, areas, bosses, weapons, and more. Bandai Namco are planning a major Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment update set to launch in Japan this July. The PS Vita action RPG launched last Thursday, April 24 in Japan and is planned for release in North America via PlayStation Network this summer. The July update, which will presumably come with or be later added to the English version, will include: Level cap increase from 200 to 250. A Grand Quest that will help players understand the “Secret Mystery.” With the addition of the Grand Quest, the control ward provision field and new areas “Snowy Mountains” and “Volcano” will be open for exploration. A new dungeon is also being added. Players will be able to enjoy a date with Sachi at the “Garden” (also a new area). Added events featuring new CG. New weapon models. A powerful new boss monster (pictured above). Argo can battle with players as a partner character. Faster item use speed. Difficulty and various system adjustments. New costume for Philia. The update is said to add 30 hours of new content. Users can also share what kind of new content they want via a survey on the game’s official site. You’ll need to have purchased the game and have an access key to participate, however. Here’s a look at the new Garden area and Philia’s new costume: Additionally, Bandai Namco announced a lineup of free downloadable content coming to the Japanese version throughout the month of May: May 1 – Adventurer Support Weapon Set Treasure Chest May 7 – Auto-Attack Support Set Treasure Chest May 15 – Black Two-Handed Sword Treasure Chest, Avatar (Spriggan Kirito Face), and “Fairy Dance” Kirito Transformation Set May 22 – Hollow Mission “Remains of the Nightmare King” and Yuuki’s Sword Treasure Chest May 29 – Avatar (Spriggan Kirito Hair (Final)) and “ALFheim Online” Special Set Thanks, Dengeki.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Darren Partington admitted possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply Darren Partington, a member of 1980s and '90s acid house pioneers 808 State, has been jailed for 18 months for dealing heroin and crack cocaine. The group were known for hits like Pacific 707, The Only Rhyme That Bites and In Yer Face at the height of the Madchester era. The 45-year-old DJ and keyboardist was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court. Partington was arrested last July after police stopped him with wraps of heroin and crack cocaine and £145 in cash. The court was told how he was pressured into dealing after getting into debt with his own dealer, the Manchester Evening News reported. Partington was a recreational drug user and owed £300 to his dealer, who then threatened him and persuaded him to work it off by dealing himself, according to the paper. The musician, from Miles Platting, Manchester, admitted possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply.
Obama: Pot users not 'top priority' President Obama (Photo11: Carolyn Kaster, AP) President Obama says the federal government will not target recreational users of marijuana in states that have now legalized pot. "We've got bigger fish to fry," Obama told Barbara Walters of ABC News, in his first public comments on the topic since Colorado and Washington voted to legalize marijuana on Nov. 6 referendums. "It would not make sense for us to see a top priority as going after recreational users in states that have determined that it's legal," Obama said. The government takes a similar approach in the 18 states where medicinal marijuana is legal. Walters' interview of Obama airs Friday night on ABC's 20/20. Obama also told Walters he does not "at this point" support widespread legalization of marijuana. "This is a tough problem, because Congress has not yet changed the law," Obama said. "I head up the executive branch; we're supposed to be carrying out laws. And so what we're going to need to have is a conversation about, how do you reconcile a federal law that still says marijuana is a federal offense and state laws that say that it's legal?" Also from ABC News: "Obama wrote in his 1995 memoir, Dreams from My Father, that he would smoke pot regularly with his high school buddies who formed a 'club of disaffection.' The group was known as the 'Choom Gang,' says Obama biographer David Maraniss. "'There are a bunch of things I did that I regret when I was a kid,' Obama told Walters. 'My attitude is, substance abuse generally is not good for our kids, not good for our society. 'I want to discourage drug use,' he added." Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/Rt6zdq
Updated: Friday, 2/14/2104 – 10:00 a.m. EST NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia on Thursday became the first state in the South to have its same-sex marriage ban overturned, with a late-night federal court ruling that declared the voter-approved amendment unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen issued a stay of her order while it is appealed, meaning that gay couples in Virginia still won’t be able to marry until the case is ultimately resolved. Both sides believe the case won’t be settled until the Supreme Court decides to hear it or one like it. Allen’s decision echoes recent rulings elsewhere in the U.S. and is the strongest foothold yet in the South for the gay-marriage movement. On Wednesday, a judge declared that Kentucky must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, but didn’t rule on the constitutionality of whether such marriages can be performed in the state. Decisions similar to that of the Virginia judge have been issued in in Utah and Oklahoma federal courts. The office of newly elected Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring took the unusual step of not defending the law because it believes the ban violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. In her ruling, Wright Allen agreed. “The court is compelled to conclude that Virginia’s Marriage Laws unconstitutionally deny Virginia’s gay and lesbian citizens the fundamental freedom to choose to marry. Government interests in perpetuating traditions, shielding state matters from federal interference, and favoring one model of parenting over others must yield to this country’s cherished protections that ensure the exercise of the private choices of the individual citizen regarding love and family,” Wright Allen wrote. The plaintiffs’ lead co-counsel, Theodore B. Olson, said in a statement: “Through its decision today, the court has upheld the principles of equality upon which this nation was founded.” Wright Allen’s stay was requested by the Virginia Attorney General’s Office to avoid a situation similar to what happened in Utah after that state’s ban on gay marriages was declared unconstitutional. More than 1,000 gay and lesbian couples were married in the days after the ruling until the U.S. Supreme Court granted the state an emergency stay, halting the weddings and creating a cloud of uncertainty for the status of the married couples. Soon after, a federal judge also declared Oklahoma’s ban unconstitutional. That ruling also is on hold while it is appealed. “The legal process will continue to play out in the months to come, but this decision shows that Virginia, like America, is coming to a better place in recognizing that every Virginian deserves to be treated equally and fairly,” Herring, a Democrat, said in a statement. Supporters of the state ban on same-sex marriages issued statements decrying Wright Allen’s ruling. “It appears that we have yet another example of an arrogant judge substituting her personal preferences for the judgment of the General Assembly and 57 percent of Virginia voters,” said Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council. “Our nation’s judicial system has been infected by activist judges, which threaten the stability of our nation and the rule of law.” Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, called the ruling “another example of an Obama-appointed judge twisting the constitution and the rule of law to impose her own views of marriage in defiance of the people of Virginia.” “There is no right to same-sex ‘marriage’ in the United States constitution,” Brown said. “In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court has said that states have the pre-eminent duty of defining marriage. The people of Virginia did just that in voting overwhelmingly to affirm marriage as the union of one man and woman. That decision should be respected by federal judges and we hope that the U.S. Supreme Court end s up reversing this terrible decision.” In a movement that began with Massachusetts in 2004, 17 states and the District of Columbia now allow gay marriage, most of them clustered in the Northeast. None of them is in the old Confederacy. The Virginia case centered on a gay Norfolk couple, Timothy Bostic and Tony London, who were denied a marriage license by the Norfolk Circuit Court on July 1, shortly after the Supreme Court struck down parts of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Since then, a Chesterfield County couple, Carol Schall and Mary Townley, have joined the case. The couple married in California in 2008. They have a teenage daughter and want Virginia to recognize their marriage. In her ruling, Wright Allen said the lesbian couple “suffer humiliation and discriminatory treatment on the basis of their sexual orientation.” “This stigmatic harm flows directly from current state law.” Opponents of the Virginia ban say the issue resonates i n Virginia in particular because of a landmark 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision involving a Virginia couple and interracial marriage. Mildred and Richard Loving were married in Washington, D.C., and lived in Virginia when police raided their home in 1958 and charged them with violating the state’s Racial Integrity law. They were convicted but prevailed before the Supreme Court. During verbal arguments in the gay marriage case, Virginia Solicitor General Stuart Raphael said that ban is legally indistinguishable from the one on interracial marriage. He said the arguments used to defend the ban now are the same ones used back then, including that marriage between two people of the same sex has never been historically allowed. Wright Allen concurred with that assessment in her ruling. “Tradition is revered in the Commonwealth, and often rightly so. However, tradition alone cannot justify denying same-sex couples the right to marry any more than it could justify Virginia’s ban on interracial marriage,” she wrote. Raphael also said supporters have failed to prove how allowing gay marriage would make heterosexual couples less likely to marry. In defending the law, the attorney for the Norfolk clerk said the issue is best left for the General Assembly and the voters to decide. Nationwide, there are more than a dozen states with federal lawsuits challenging state bans on same-sex marriage. © 2014, Associated Press, All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This Story Filed Under
Travel price checking website will continue to be managed separately from biggest Chinese online travel company, say buyers Three Manchester University graduates who founded travel search website Skyscanner are set for a windfall of up to £400m after the firm was bought by Chinese tourism group Ctrip.com for £1.4bn. Dozens of staff who own much smaller stakes in the Edinburgh-based firm are also in line to make thousands of pounds each if they decide to sell their shares. Skyscanner’s chief executive, Gareth Willams, 47, said the firm remained “very much a British company” and that none of its 500 UK-based staff would lose their jobs. But the sale will raise concerns about foreign takeovers, coming just a day after the chancellor, Philip Hammond, promised to stem the flow of British firms being sold to foreign investors before reaching their full potential. Williams came up with the idea for Skyscanner in 2001 while working as a computer programmer when he grew frustrated at comparing flight prices for a ski holiday. Fifteen years on, he and co-founders Barry Smith and Bonamy Grimes stand to pocket hundreds of millions of pounds in cash and stock by selling their shares to Ctrip. A Skyscanner spokesperson refused to confirm the exact value of the stakes that the co-founders had agreed to sell, but documents filed at Companies House show that they and family members own nearly 30% of the firm between them, suggesting a combined windfall of about £400m on paper. 10 of the best travel apps … that you'll actually use Read more Sources familiar with the deal said the exact figure could vary because some of the payment would be in Ctrip shares that can rise or fall in value, while some is contingent on performance. Skyscanner, which provides price comparison data on hotels, flight and car hire for 60 million customers, has been rumoured to be considering a stock market float for several years. But executives from the firm have also been in touch with Ctrip for several years and the Chinese firm is understood to have suggested a takeover earlier this year. The deal was announced less than 24 hours after Hammond used his first autumn statement to lament the trend of British technology champions selling out to foreign predators. Hammond announced £400m of funding for startups to combat the “long-standing problem of our fastest growing technology firms being snapped up by bigger companies, rather than growing to scale”. Anxiety about takeovers from abroad has been fuelled by the £24bn takeover of semiconductor firm ARM Holdings earlier this year by Japan’s Softbank. Other controversial foreign takeovers in recent years include the £12bn sale of Cadbury’s to US snacks firm Kraft in 2010 and the sales of department store House of Fraser and toy emporium Hamley’s to Chinese investors. Williams said: “We’re very much still a UK company. Skyscanner was born in Edinburgh and we remain completely committed to our offices here. “We’re operationally independent; we’ve simply gained access to fantastic insights and technologies from a world leading online travel agency, which will make this proudly British company even stronger and even more successful.” Williams added that Ctrip’s size and technological prowess would help expand the company, which pulled in revenues of £120m and made a profit of £17.5m last year. Nick Thomas, partner at investment firm and Skyscanner shareholder Baillie Gifford, said: “We would have been happy to support Skyscanner’s further growth as an independent company, but we are reassured that it has been acquired by Ctrip, a business with a strong reputation, in which we already invest for our clients.” Skyscanner was valued at £1.2bn during a £30m fundraising effort earlier this year but the £1.4bn deal price paid by Ctrip values it at 80 times its annual profit. While Williams and his co-founders will sell their shares, the deal hinged on the blessing of the largest investor, venture capital firm Scottish Equity Partners. SEP will sell its one-third stake for more than £465m, having already sold a tranche of shares earlier this year to make room for new investors. The sale will crystallise a huge return on the £9m that the company invested in Skyscanner in 2007. Skyscanner’s current management team will continue to be in charge of its operations independently after the close of the deal which is expected to be completed by the end of 2016 Nasdaq-listed Ctrip, partly owned by the Chinese search company Baidu, provides online booking for airline and railway tickets as well as hotels and describes itself as China’s largest travel company. It generated more than 350bn yuan (£41bn) of online sales in 2015, according to the company website. The Chinese firm will pay for most of the deal in cash, with the rest in Ctrip shares and loan notes. Ctrip’s co-founder and executive chairman Liang Jianzhang said: “This acquisition will strengthen long-term growth drivers for both companies. Skyscanner will complement our positioning at a global scale.” The deal, already approved by boards of both firms, is still subject to customary closing conditions.
Welcome to our coverage of the Dutch election, with news, views and reactions to the divisive race. Prime Minister Mark Rutte's center-right VVD party has fended off populist leader Geert Wilders in parliamentary elections that have garnered international attention. With over 90 percent of the vote counted Thursday morning, Rutte has clearly won the largest share of seats. The VVD are predicted to gain 33 seats, followed by Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) in second with 20 seats. The Christian Democrats (CDA) and the D66 emerged in a two-way tie for third with 19 seats each. The Green-Left significantly boosted their representation by winning 14 seats. The social democratic Labor Party (PvdA) suffered a massive loss of seats, leaving them with only nine. Various other smaller parties also captured single-digit seat counts. Six main parties will enter parliament: the ruling VVD, Wilder's PVV, the centrist D66, Green-Left, the Socialist Party and the PvdA. In a diplomatic spat that reportedly led to increased popularity for the VVD, Turkey accused Netherlands of Nazi practices and of being responsible for the 1995 Srebrenica genocide. Read: What you need to know about the Dutch elections All updates in Central European Time (CET) 08:00 Thanks very much for staying with us. We'll have more reaction throughout the day on dw.com. 06:06 European leaders have taken to social media to congratulate Rutte on his victory as well as the hail the election results as a significant step against the rise of European populism. 06:05 With just over 90 percent of the vote counted, Wilders and the PVV have shifted into second place with 20 seats, still well behind Rutte. His VVD party won the largest share of the vote, gaining 33 seats. The D66 and the CDA scored 19 seats each, and the Green-Left party took 14. The PvdA seat count has remained the same throughout the night at nine seats, a drop of 29 for the social-democratic party. Turnout was over 80 percent. 03:06 The projected seat count has shifted slightly with 54 percent of the vote counted: VVD takes 32 seats, PVV, D66 and CDA take 19 each, the Green-Left gained 14, and PvdA plummets to nine from the 38 seats they achieved in 2012. 02:35 Geert Wilders has congratulated Mark Rutte on the VVD's election victory. "Congratulations to Prime Minister Rutte," Wilders told reporters in the Hague. The leader of the PVV said he would be ready to work with the new government, if invited to do so. However, other Dutch parties have promised not to cooperate with the PVV. Though the PVV landed a distant third, the populist party picked up seats in comparison to the last elections in 2012. The PVV also won the largest share of votes in Maastricht as well as in Wilders' hometown of Venlo. 01:11 Here are the preliminary results: 00:47 As of the first hours of Thursday morning, the national news agency ANP has completed 10.3 percent of an unofficial partial vote count. Rutte's VVD is projected to take 32 seats total while Wilders' PVV will pick up 20, a fair bit shy of the 30 plus seats some analysts expected the far-right politician to gain. D66 and the Green-Left are expected to earn 17 and 15 seats respectively, while the PvdA is predicted to drop into the single digits with nine seats. 00:33 Lodewijk Asscher, whose PvdA party suffered a bruising election outcome with a 29-seat loss, thanked the party's supporters, workers and volunteers. He described the results as "a disappointing, traumatic evening." The current Deputy Prime Minister promised to keep working towards the party's social-democratic ideals. Because the PvdA only secured nine seats, they are not likely to enter Rutte's cabinet. 00:24 Green-Left leader Jesse Klaver, whose party scored the largest seat increase, called the results a "first win for everyone." The 30-year-old politician congratulated the other parties on their results. Klaver noted the international media attention given to the Dutch election. They asked one question, Klaver said: will populism win the day in the Netherlands? The crowd of supporters then chanted a resounding "No!" before Klaver answered himself, saying populism has not broken through in Europe today. Thursday, March 16 - 00:06 As the Netherland's election day - considered a bellwether for the strength of populism in Europe - drew to a close, the leaders of the Dutch political parties have made speeches to their supporters and to the nation via live TV. The triumphant Rutte, whose party captured the most seats in parliament, congratulated his supporters for making the VVD the biggest party for the third time in a row. The acting Prime Minister hailed the election results as a vote against extremism. "It is also an evening in which the Netherlands after Brexit, after the American elections said stop to the wrong kind of populism," Rutte said. He described the VVD as the means, and not the goal itself, to ensure government stability and continued prosperity for the Netherlands, and promised to work hard for the benefit of the Dutch people. 23:42 DW's correspondent in the Hague Oliver Sallet has reported on what the poll results mean for the different political parties in Europe. According to Sallet, Prime Minister Rutte's clear victory and resulting 10-seat margin over Wilders' far-right challenge was due in part to undecided voters swinging to Rutte in the final days. 23:37 France's foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has congratulated the Dutch people for "stemming the rise of the far-right." The top diplomat's Tweet also stated "willingness to work for a stronger Europe." 23:39 Merkel has phoned Rutte to congratulate him on his win. The Chancellor promised to work together with the Dutch leader going forwards. With Germany facing its own national elections in September 2017, many analysts feared a Wilders victory could have fed support for Germany's own populist party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD). 22.50 More reactions have been coming in from some of the winners and losers of tonight's election. Tamara van Ark, campaign leader for Rutte's victorios VVD, said she was "so proud" of her party's victory and "happy that we have been given the trust again." Marjolein Meijer, chairwoman of the Green Left party, which enjoyed a huge leap in seats, going from four to 12, said: "This is a fantastic result for us, a historic victory." The result, she said, showed that there is "very fertile ground in the Netherlands for change and a positive and hopeful story." Finally, Sharon Dijksma, a junior Cabinet minister for the left-wing PvdA, which suffered a crushing defeat, losing 29 seats, described the result as "an enormous slap for us." After four years of helping push through strict austerity packages as the junior coalition partner in Rutte's government, the party appeared to have suffered the wrath of Holland's left leaning voters. The Labor Party is the party of Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Dutch Finace Minister and chairman of the eurogroup, the group of eurozone finance ministers. However, the PvdA unlikely to be part of a new coalition, it appears that Dijsselbloem will be unable to hold on to his postion in Brussels. "I think that all social democrats this evening have a scratch on their soul," Dijksma said. 22.35 The financial markets are reacting to news of Rutte's (effectively assured) victory. The euro has rallied in the late hours of trading, touching its highest level in over a month. Bloomberg reported that the shared currency could be headed for its biggest advance since June. 22.10 The head of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office, Peter Altmaier, has congratulated Prime Minister Mark Rutte on his election victory. "Netherlands, oh Netherlands, you are a champion," he tweeted in Dutch. "Congratulations on this terrific result." 22.00 DW's Rebecca Staudenmaier spent election day in Geert Wilders' hometown of Venlo, where support for the PVV leader proved surpriisingly hard to find. Post-Brexit and Trump, were we too wary of a populist surge? "Outside the main train station, around the polling stations, in the streets downtown - there was nary a campaign poster to be found supporting Wilders or the PVV on Wednesday. Indeed, the PVV was only mentioned on a sticker telling people not to vote for the party." 21.52 Germany's Foreign Office has welcomed the result. 21.50 DW's Fanny Facsar has been speaking to (relieved) Dutch voters: 21.45 Geert Wilders have taken to Twitter to thank his supporters and fire a warning at the Prime Minister. Wilders tweeted: "PVV voters - thank you. We won seats. First gain is secured. And #Rutte hasn't gotten rid of me yet!" 21.40 Green Left party appears to have made the biggest gains, winning a projected 16 seats, 12 more than in 2012. DW's Andrea Lueg is at the viewing event; party members appear to be pleased with the result. 21.30 The second exit poll also projects the Rutte's VVD claiming the most seats. 21.25 Former Dutch D66 lawmaker and MEP Lousewies van der Laan sees a four-party coalition made up of the VVD, D66, the Christian Democrats and the Green Left as the most likely outcome. 21.22 Tied in second place with Wilders' PVV are the Christian Democrats and the liberal D66 party. Lodewijk Asscher's socialist PvdA, meanwhile, has taken a severe beating, winning only five seats, a staggering loss of 29 seats. That defeat, however, paves the way for a new voice on the left, the Green Left party. 21.20 A more accurate projection of tonight's results is expected to be released at 9.30 pm. 21.15 Gert Wilders' anti-Islam PVV tied with two other parties in second place, taking just over 12 percent of the vote and 19 seats. 21.10 Exit polls show Prime Minister Mark Rutte's liberal VVD party leading the Dutch parliamentary elections, taking a projected 31 seats. It looks like a victory for the incumbent, but the party will have to reckon with 10 fewer seats in the 150-member lower house. 21.01 Dutch PM Rutte's VVD emerges top in first exit poll, Wilders' PVV win 19 seats 21.00 The polls are officially closed. First exit polls results to follow shortly. 20.25 Only 30 minutes to go! Here's what happens after the polls close at 9pm: 20.10 Ipsos reported just before 8pm that the turnout rate was 73 percent - that's considerably higher than at the same time in 2012 (60 percent) but slightly lower than in 2006 (70 percent). DW's Bernd Thomas Riegert reports that turnout could now reach well above 80 percent. 20.00 Only an hour to go before voting closes and the first exit poll results are released! We'll keep you updated here through the evening and into night, as will all our correspondents reporting from the Netherlands. 19.35 DW Brussels correspondent Alberto Fernandez managed to get snap of incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte arriving at the VVD headquarters for tonight's viewing party. First exit polls are expected at 9pm. Are they keeping the champagne on ice? 19.30 Polling stations were set up on the uninhabited man-made archipelago of Marker Wadden, so that visitors who wanted to make the most of Wednesday's beautiful weather wouldn't miss the chance to vote. Around 1,300 people cast their ballots on the sandy island, according to the Dutch nature preservation society, Natuurmonumenten. 18.15 With most people now leaving work, queues outside of polling stations are only getting longer. Ipsos now estimates the turnout rate to reach at least 80 percent. It seems unlikely, however, that a new participation record will be set this year. That record honor belongs to the 1977 elections, which saw a record 88 percent turnout. That year, the Labor Party managed to win the most seats in the lower house but failed to form a coalition. More than 200 days of negotiations later, the Christian Democrats and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy finally managed to form a government, with Dries van Agt taking over as Prime Minister. 18.00 Turnout hits the 55 percent mark, Dutch public broadcaster NOS reports. The high turnout has forced the city of Amsterdam to print 25,000 additional ballots. 16.55 More high turnout number coming in as The Hague, the seat of the Dutch government, reports a 44.6 percent turnout rate, up from 36.4 percent recorded at the last election. 16.30 Dutch Green party leader Jesse Klaver tells DW that he has reason to remain confident: "Geert Wilders is losing momentum in the polls, while we're gaining momentum." Klaver says that these elections can send a message to the rest of Europe: You can stop populism. 16.00 Reseach bureau Ipsos, which is gathering polling data, reports that turnout reached 43 percent by 3:45 pm local time, up from 37 percent in 2012. 15.30 DW's Rebecca Staudenmaier reporting from Venlo noted that no-one she had talked to would admit to supporting Wilders, but that immigration was an issue for many of them. "There are modest lines at the polling stations but it's been a pretty steady stream coming in all day especially to the old city hall in Venlo," Staudenmaier said. "A small majority of people I've spoken with say they think the Turkey spat will help Wilders, but the rest think Rutte will come out stronger because of his response." "A majority brought up immigration as an issue, saying they think some people aren't integrating and that they think it is unfair that immigrants receive state money rather than that money going to the Dutch people," Staudenmaier added. 14.07 Voter turnout is expected to be far higher than the last election. Pollsters Ipsos put voter turnout at 15 percent at 10:30 am (0930 GMT), up from 13 percent five years ago, with mild weather playing a part. In The Hague, the seat of government, the figure was above 23 percent at noon, up from 19 percent in 2012. High figures were recorded in Rotterdam and Utrecht as well. 12.52 National daily "Der Volksrant" is reporting high voter turnouts at several municipalities. In Enschede at 11:00 20 percent of eligible voters had already cast their vote, compared to 16 percent five years ago. In Rotterdam at 10:00 13 percent had voted compared to 10 percent last time. 12.35 Send more boats! Voters (and boaters) have descended en masse to a polling booth on the newly built island of Marker Wadden for their first chance at visiting the man-made island. Access to the ecological project is normally restricted. 12.16 Rutte says the elections can send a message to the world. "We have the upcoming French and German elections. And this is a chance for a big democracy like the Netherlands to make a point - to stop this toppling over of the domino stones of the wrong sort of populism," he said. 12.08 Tabloid "Algemeen Dagblad" released preliminary exit poll results from the "most average" electorate in the Netherlands, putting Rutte at a healthy 26 percent, followed by D66 at 12 percent. Bear in mind their sample size was just 154 people. 12.02 Peilingwijzer, a site that collates major polls, has published its final tally. It predicts Rutte's VVD party will wub between 24 and 28 seats in the 150-seat lower house, with Wilders' party in second place at 19 to 23 seats, narrowly ahead of the Christian Democrats at 19 to 21 seats. Rutte's junior coalition partner since 2012, the Labor Party, is projected to take 10-12 seats, well below the 38 seats the party won four years ago. 11.43 Here's another picture of the Trudeau doppelgänger in charge of the Green-Left party. 11.41 An Ipsos poll found voter turnout is higher than at the last election. At 10.30 voter turnout was at 15 percent, compared to 13 percent in 2012. 11.26 Jesse Klaver is a rising starfrom the Green-Left, but most of his headlines come from how much he looks like Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. He tells DW correspondent Bernd Thomas Riegert he lacks the muscles to make a fair comparison. 11.24 Many voters are complaining about the sheer size of the ballot papers - about 900 names from 28 parties are on the paper, the Telegraaf reported. 11.09 DW reporter Thessa Lageman says many people she spoke to in The Hague voted for Wilder's Party for Freedom. 10.50 The VVD-aligned cycling enthusiast dubbed "Netherland's fastest mayor" by Dutch media is riding to all 29 polling stations in his electorate to deliver cookies and raise support. 10.38 Mark Rutte cast his vote at a school in the Hague, telling Dutch people to go and vote too, saying it was a right that people had fought hard for. Mark Rutte is hoping to return for a third term 10.35 An election eve debate between Dutch political leaders was by far the most-watched show that night with nearly 3.3 million people tuning in, according to The Viewing Research Foundation. Netherlands has a population of about 17 million. 10.18 Pro-Erdogan hackers took over several Twitter accounts of high-profile European CEOs, publishers and government agencies, using them to spout anti-Nazi messages in Turkish with the hashtags #Nazialmanya or #Nazihollanda. European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said he was "scandalized" by the comparisons. 10.05 Populist candiadte Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom gained significant support throughout his controversial campaign, but is now running slightly behind Prime Minister Mark Rutte's VVD party. --- Pollsters I&O said Wilders' dip in support hours ahead of polls opening was due to Rutte's decision to prevent Turkish officials from campaigning for a nationwide referendum that could consolidate President Recep Tayyep Erdogan's powers. Rutte is bidding for a third term as premier of the country of 17 million people - one of the largest economies in the eurozone and a founding father of the EU. Final polls appeared to show Rutte pulling away from Wilders, crediting the VVD with coming top with 24 to 28 seats - but down on its 40 seats in the outgoing parliament. Dutch economic boom and the rise of populism Europe's model country? The Netherlands, a founding member of the European Union and its forerunner the European Economic Community (EEC), is a dynamic economy, with stable GDP growth, low unemployment rate and a market-friendly economic model. Still, right-wing populists are expected to perform well in the coming elections. What are the reasons behind this trend? Dutch economic boom and the rise of populism The simplifier Political and socio-economic problems are growing in complexity in an increasingly globalized world. Many are feeling overwhelmed as a result. Seeing this as a chance, Dutch populists are pushing hard for a breakthrough at the ballot box. Their leader is Geert Wilders, of the Party for Freedom (PVV), who with his simple answers to complicated issues seems set for a dramatic electoral performance. Dutch economic boom and the rise of populism Broken promises When he took over the reins of his country, Prime Minister Mark Rutte promised solid economic growth and rising prosperity. He has delivered on these fronts: the economic data appear unambiguously positive. But the problem is that the growth and prosperity have not affected many Dutch from lower and middle classes, whose living standards haven't improved over the past five years. Dutch economic boom and the rise of populism Losing confidence Rutte had also pledged not to pour Dutch taxpayer money into bailing out fellow eurozone economies. The PM, however, had to backpedal on this pledge immediately after taking office and grant an aid package for Greece. The move undercut Dutch voters' trust in his government. Decisions like rising the retirement age to 67 and slashing the social benefits have not helped either. Dutch economic boom and the rise of populism Who benefits from the boom? The Dutch soon realized that they have actually been paying a hefty price for the boom. They have had to take cuts to their unemployment benefits and reduce spending on healthcare. The fruits of economic expansion haven't reached the ordinary citizen. While the jobless rate has dropped, many Dutch workers are still finding it difficult to earn enough to maintain their living standards. Dutch economic boom and the rise of populism 'Our house is full' Under these circumstances, it's unsurprising that nationalist sentiment is on the rise – even in Dutch society whose liberal values have served as an ideal for many other European nations over the years. In response, the Netherlands has turned against taking in asylum seekers. The prevailing national mood favors Geert Wilders electorally. Dutch economic boom and the rise of populism Fearful of migrants Wilders' campaign rhetoric focuses on migrants, particularly Muslims. He seldom appears in public without warning that his country faces the "threat of Islamization." Similar to Donald Trump's strategy of blaming Mexicans for every US woe, Wilders points to "Moroccans" for the Netherlands' problems. Dutch economic boom and the rise of populism A radical agenda Islam is most visible in Europe through its places of worship, and many people simply do not want any more of them - another reflex that Wilders exploits. He calls for a nationwide ban on mosques and the Koran, argues against the "Islamic ideology," criticizes the euro and challenges the survival of the EU. He does this while promising the voters better elderly care and a hike in pensions. Dutch economic boom and the rise of populism 'We must protect ourselves' Wilders has been able to score points amid growing voter dissatisfaction. But parties with radical agendas in the Netherlands have so far failed to turn their good poll ratings into votes. Still, the argument that the country needs to build high barriers seems to be gaining traction; to protect itself from the waters of the North Sea and, for Wilders' followers, against migrants and refugees. Author: Dirk Kaufmann (sri) Polls show four other parties are expected to gain more than 10 seats, including the centrist D66, Green-Left, the Socialist Party and the social democrat Labor Party (PvdA). The CDA and D66 would be natural coalition partners for Rutte, both of whom have refused to work with Wilders. Labor appears to be sinking this year, while the left-wing GroenLinks and its young leader Jesse Klaver are enjoying a boost, expected in some quarters to win 16 to 18 seats, possibly making him in a powerful kingmaker. The 30-year-old Klaver said: "What I would say to all my left-wing friends in Europe: don't try to fake the populace. Stand for your principles. Be straight. Be pro-refugee. Be pro-European." He added: "We're gaining momentum in the polls. And I think that's the message we have to send to Europe. You can stop populism." Nearly 13 million Dutch citizens are eligible to vote, according to official figures. Polls close at 21:00 with exit polls expected shortly after. Watch video 26:04 Share Han ten Broeke on Conflict Zone Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2Yquk Will populism win in the Netherlands? aw,ls,jbh,dm/bw,rc (AP, dpa)
Cape Town. 240316. Briton Lee Tucker who is wanted on charges of of paedophilia is seen leaving the Cape Town Community Court after his appearnce. He was arrested at his Green Point home last weekend. Picture Leon Lestrade. Story Caryn Dolley. Cape Town - A suspected serial sex offender wanted in Britain, who has been living in Cape Town for nearly 15 years, was cleared to remain here by local police just a day before he was arrested. It emerged in court this week that less than a month after British authorities told their South African counterparts they planned to try to extradite Lee Tucker, 52, he was given police clearance when applying for a visa to remain in South Africa. Police have since deemed Tucker a fugitive. Read: British paedo fugitive nabbed in Cape Town Officers swooped on him at his Green Point home last Friday and arrested him using a warrant authorised by a magistrate in Pretoria. Tucker, a commercial pilot, made his first court appearance on Tuesday. During his second appearance on Thursday in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court sitting in the community court, he was expected to have applied for bail. Instead, his legal team argued whether the charges he faced were in fact crimes in South Africa and whether these charges still stood given the amount of time that had lapsed since Tucker allegedly committed them. Read: British paedo fugitive appears in Cape court In October 2000, at the Swansea Crown Court, Tucker was convicted in absentia and sentenced to an effective eight years in jail for sexual crimes involving young men he allegedly carried out in the 1980s. He appealed against this while he was out of the country; a judgment said Tucker insisted his solicitors appeal it even though they did not know where he was. Two years after being found guilty the convictions were quashed. But a retrial was ordered and Tucker, who was still out of the country, was ordered to remain in custody pending this. Tucker’s version is that his father had called to tell him about the acquittal, not the retrial. An affidavit by Willem Jacobus van der Merwe, a police warrant officer stationed at Interpol’s extradition desk in Pretoria, was handed up to the court on Thursday. It said Tucker was wanted on 42 counts of indecent assault in the UK. In the affidavit, Van Der Merwe said it was not in the public’s interest to release Tucker on bail. “It is submitted (he) is a fugitive from justice and has been such for the past 15 years... “It is submitted that (he) is a flight risk.” It was expected that Tucker would try to flee again. “(Tucker) previously fled when he saw the writing on the wall and harsh sentence awaiting him upon his return to the United Kingdom.” Van Der Merwe said Tucker also had previous convictions, relating to indecent acts performed with children, from a 1993 case in Portugal. During Thursday’s proceedings Tucker’s legal representative, Reuben Liddell, instructed by attorney Leon van der Merwe, denied his client was a fugitive. He said it appeared Tucker was wanted in the UK on 42 counts of indecent assault, but this was no longer a classified type of crime in South Africa. Indecent assault is now classified as sexual assault. “The first hurdle the State must cross is that… there is no punishment without a law,” Liddell said. He argued that because more than 20 years had lapsed since the alleged crimes were committed, they had become prescribed. Liddell said it was expected that Home Affairs would now label Tucker an “undesirable”. But he said Tucker had a business in South Africa registered in his name. Liddell referred to a letter from the UK, dated February 25, saying authorities there planned to try to extradite Tucker. He said that on January 16 this year, while applying for a spouse visa for himself via an immigration practitioner, Tucker had been told he needed two documents for this – a police clearance and proof that he had a spouse. The immigration officer applied for the police clearance for Tucker. “It was received on March 17, the day before his arrest,” Liddell said. The case has now been postponed to next month. Until then, Tucker will be detained at the Sea Point police station. What Tucker is charged with: The crimes Lee Tucker is accused of are detailed in an affidavit by Willem Jacobus van der Merwe, a police warrant officer stationed at Interpol’s extradition desk in Pretoria. It says that in the early 1980s Tucker and at least three other young men frequented a home opposite a school in South Wales. In 1999 two of the three alleged they were sexually abused, while a third became Tucker’s co-accused. This co-accused was later found guilty. Included in the incidents detailed in the affidavit was that Tucker allegedly had sex with one of the complainants, who was also “given drink and drugs” and made to have anal sex with another young man. This complainant was also allegedly “traded” with another boy over a few weeks. Another document handed up in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, sitting in the community court, said Tucker was found guilty of crimes including indecency with a child and taking indecent photographs of children in Portugal in 1993. He was banned from Portugal for seven years. [email protected] Weekend Argus Use IOL’s Facebook and Twitter pages to comment on our stories. See links below.
Continuous deployment guides frequently focus on the culture and adoption aspects. What’s less common to see is how teams have addressed practical nuts-and-bolts issues. Work smarter, better, and faster with weekly tips and how-tos. In this post, I’ll talk about the hurdles my team had to jump while transitioning to continuous deployment: workflow stuff, tools stuff, and a bunch of “gotchas”. And for those of you looking to convince a reluctant boss, I’ll describe how continuous deployment has benefited our team – spoiler alert: all the effort was worthwhile. (I also presented this info at an Atlassian User Group in London – slides available here.) What is continuous integration vs. continuous delivery vs. continuous deployment? Before we dive in, let’s define what we mean by continuous integration, continuous delivery, and continuous deployment. The terms are often used interchangeably, but they have different meanings which is kind of important for purposes of this post. Continuous integration Continuous integration (CI) is the process of automatically building and testing your software on a regular basis. How regularly this occurs varies. In the early days of agile, this meant daily builds, But with the rise of tools like Bamboo, this can be as often as every commit. In the business systems team we builds and runs a full suite of unit and integration tests against every commit. (And because most commits happen on dev branches, we take advantage of Bamboo’s branch builds feature.) Continuous delivery Continuous delivery (CD) is the logical next step from continuous integration. If your tests are run constantly, and you trust your tests to provide a guarantee of quality, then it becomes possible to release your software at any point in time. Note that continuous delivery does not always entail actually delivering as your customers may not need or want constant updates. Instead, it represents a philosophy and a commitment to ensuring that your code is always in a release-ready state. If a guide to continuous delivery is really what you were looking for, head to The Pipeline – a guide to continuous delivery using Jira, Bitbucket, and Bamboo. Continuous deployment The ultimate culmination of this process is continuous deployment (CD): the actual delivery of features and fixes to the customer as soon as the updates are ready. Continuous deployment is usually practiced in the SaaS world, as hosted services are easiest to silently update in the background. But some desktop software offers this in the form of optional beta and nightly updates such as Mozilla’s beta and aurora Firefox channels, for example. In practice, there’s a continuous spectrum of options between these techniques, ranging from just running tests regularly, to a completely automated deployment pipeline from commit to customer. The constant theme through all of them, however, is a commitment to constant QA and testing, and a level of test coverage that imbues confidence in the readiness of your software for delivery. How to do continuous deployment: workflow steps Everything here should be treated as a starting point rather than a set of rules. My team iterates on this workflow as our needs change, and yours should too. Because process should serve your goals – not the other way around. Continuous deployment implies a clear development process, with your main release branch always being in a releasable state. There are any number of methodologies that allow this and I won’t cover them all here, but if you want a deep dive into them I would recommend the book “Continuous Delivery” by Jez Humble and David Farley. The model we follow is “release by feature”: every distinct change we wish to make results in a separate release, containing only that change. Here is our current workflow and the tools we’re using to enable it. While we’re using Atlassian tools wherever possible (naturally), all of this can be done with other tools. Our tools do have some nice integrations that make CD a little easier, however, so I’ll point these out as we go along. #1: Use an issue tracker for everything For every development task – bug, feature request, whatever – we create a unique issue to track it. Long-running projects have an “epic” issue that all the discrete task issues link to. Obviously all this is best practice anyway, mostly because you can use each issue’s unique ID to track the change from concept to deployment. Having a single reference point makes it easier to track the state of work, and enables some of the tool integrations I’ll describe below. As you may have guessed, we use Jira for this purpose. #2: Create a separate branch for this work, tagged with the issue number In your version control system, create a branch which contains the issue number and a short description of the change – I’m on the Business Platform team, so our branches have names like “BIZPLAT-64951-remove-smtp-logging”. It should go without saying at this point that you should be using a distributed version control system (DVCS) such as Git. Older version control systems like Subversion handle branching ok, but really make merging difficult (which effectively makes branching workflows a non-starter). Without the ability to separate work into streams, keeping the main branch releasable becomes untenable. We use Git for version control, and Bitbucket to manage our repositories. Jira has a useful integration point here: from within the tracking issue we created in step 1 we can just press a button and Bitbucket will create a branch for us. Sourcetree also has the ability to pick up and checkout these new branches. Then Jira will query Bitbucket and list all branches associated with a given issue in the issue itself, along with number of commits to the branch. This turns Jira into a convenient dashboard for the state of your development. #3: Develop on your branch, including continuous integration Git allows you to easily make many commits on a branch, and then only merge when ready. But that doesn’t mean you should skimp on continuous integration. We run our full integration test suite against every commit on all active branches. We use Bamboo to do this, taking advantage of its branch builds feature to automatically create the build configs for each branch. Again, there are useful integration points here. One is that, as with the branches and commits, Jira can display the state of any branch plans associated with tickets, creating an at-a-glance view of the feature development. But a more powerful one (in my opinion) is that Bamboo can also inform Butbucket of the state of builds for a branch. The importance becomes evident when we come to pull requests, down in step #4… #3a (optional): Push your changes to a rush box Rush boxes are used as staging servers for ongoing work that is not yet ready for QA or staging. This step is particularly useful when you have a customer or internal stakeholder involved in the development of the feature. By pushing out work in progress to a viewable stage environment you give them visibility of changes and allow them to review. You can do this automatically using the same infrastructure and tooling you use to perform other deployments. #4: When ready, create a pull request for the branch Pull requests are the DVCS world’s version of code review. Inexperienced developers tend to dislike the idea, but many experienced developers love them, as they provide a safety net when working on critical code and infrastructure. On our team we have a “no direct merge/commit to master” rule that we enforce through Bitbucket’s branch access controls. This means that all merges must come through a pull request. On top of this we define a couple of extra quality rules: All pull requests must have approval from at least one reviewer. The Bamboo tests for this branch must pass. Both of these are enforced by Bitbucket. In particular, the second one is enforced by the Bamboo to Bitbucket pass/fail notification mentioned in step #3. #5: Merge and package as a release Once the pull request has passed, the merge to the release branch can be performed. At this point, we perform full release of the software. We use a separate dedicated Bamboo build plan for this, which first runs the full test suite before incrementing the version and pushing to our build repository. #6: Deploy to staging Because we’re talking about continuous deployment, this stage is also fully automated. (In a continuous delivery context, this step may be push-button instead of triggered automatically.) Building a released version of the software triggers an automatic deployment to our pre-production staging servers. This allows additional QA to be performed on it, and possible review by customers or other interested parties. More on the actual nuts and bolts of how we perform these deployments is below in the Managing Deployments section. #7: Promote to production One of our rules is that we never push builds directly out to production. The binaries that go to production must first go through QA on our staging servers. Thus, we don’t so much “release” to production as “promote” once we’re happy with the quality. Again, the mechanics of this will be covered in more detail below, but suffice to say that we use Bamboo to manage which builds are deployed where, and Bamboo communicates this information back to Jira where it’s displayed inside the issue tracking that piece of work. A deep-dive into managing deployments So now you have your release being built and deployed to development, staging, QA, and production environments – but how do you know which versions of the software are deployed where? How do you arrange the promotion of QA and staging builds up to production? And how do you ensure only certain users can perform these promotions? Tracking versions through environments Early on, we used bastardized build plans to deploy versioned, packaged binaries. But when Bamboo added specific deployment capabilities, we replaced these with the new deployment environments. These look a lot like standard build plans in that they’re composed of stages and tasks, but they support concepts necessary for effective deployments. In particular, they support the idea that a single build may be deployed to multiple locations (e.g., QA and staging), and then migrated onto other locations (e.g., production). The UI shows you which versions are live on each environment. Or you can flip that and view things through the lens of the version: namely, which environments is this version running on right now? Like the other stages of the build pipeline, deployment environments have their own integration and feedback points. Notably, the original Jira issue can display which environments the code for that issue has been deployed to. Going the last mile with Ansible and Bamboo Something I seldom see addressed is how to actually get the software onto your servers. It’s assumed that if you’re doing continuous deployment, you already have the “deployment” part taken care of. But even if this is the case, your existing tools may not necessarily fit with a fully automated deployment pipeline – especially if you’ve historically been on a fixed-window schedule. This is known as the ‘last mile’ problem, and it’s one of the hurdles we encountered on the Business Platform team. We had a set of Python tools that had been in use for several years which performed upgrades on our hosts. However, they were not end-to-end automated, and had no concept of cross-host coordination. Rather than perform a rewrite of these scripts, we decided to look around for newer options. In simple single-server cases, it’s possible to use your Bamboo (or Jenkins, etc.) agents themselves as the last mile system. By placing an agent on the target servers and binding that to that server’s deployment environment, you can script the deployment steps as agent tasks. When consulting with your sysadmin team, the immediate temptation will probably be to use Puppet or Chef to perform the upgrades, as software configuration management. But these didn’t suit our team because they work on the model of eventual convergence – i.e., they’ll eventually get to the state that you desire, but not immediately. In a clustered system, however, you usually need events to happen in the correct order and be coordinated across hosts. For example: Take server A out of the balancer pool Upgrade A Check that A is operational Put A back into balancer pool Take B out of the balancer pool And so on… This is difficult to do with configuration management tools (yes, even in 2017). Luckily, a lot of work has been done in this area by the DevOps community over the last few years. Going into a full review of the options would make this already-too-long post even longer. Suffice to say that we trialled a few options and eventually settled on Ansible for automation. The deciding factor was that it has explicit support for a number of tools we already use including Hipchat and Nagios, and that it was explicitly designed to perform rolling upgrades across clusters of servers. Ansible uses YAML playbooks to describe sequences of operations to perform across hosts. We maintain these in their own Git repository that we pull as a task in the deployment environment. In total, our deployment environment task list looks like: Download the build artifacts from Bamboo Fetch Ansible from our Git repo Fetch Ansible playbooks from Git Run the necessary playbook That said, we do use Puppet for the base-line configuration of the hosts, including the filesystem permissions and SSH keys that Ansible uses. Personally, I’ve never understood the Puppet/Chef vs. Ansible/Salt/Rundeck dichotomy – I see them as entirely complementary. For example, I use Ansible to create clusters of AWS servers, place them in the DNS and behind load-balancers, and then bootstrap Puppet on the host to manage the OS-level configuration. Once that’s complete, Ansible is then used to manage the deployment and upgrade of the application-level software. Preventing continuous downtime with clustering and failover Continuous deployment also comes the possibility of continuous downtime. If you’re releasing infrequently, you can get away with the occasional outage for upgrades. But if you get to the point where you’re releasing features several times a day, this quickly becomes unacceptable. Thus continuous deployment goes hand-in-hand with a need for clustering, failover, and other high-availability infrastructure. We went through this process, too. Earlier versions of the Business Platform team’s systems were running as a single instance, largely for historical reasons. Prior to moving to the new development model, we had been following a weekly release cycle, with the deployment happening on a Monday morning. This infrequency, along with the fact that the deployment happened during Australian business hours, meant that this didn’t affect most customers unduly. Not that we were proud of this downtime, mind you. But it was never so painful for us that we wanted to invest in turning it into a clustered system. But the move to continuous deployment meant we had to address this deficiency, splitting out the stateful parts of the order system (such as batch-processing) and clustering the critical parts. A note about continuous deployment tools In case you’re not taking notes on the side, the tools my team uses for our continuous deployment workflow include: Jira Software for issue tracking Git for version control Bitbucket for repository management Bamboo for build, test, and deploy automation Ansible for cross-host coordination Nagios for monitoring While I’ve pointed out a number of places where Atlassian products integrate together, our “open company, no bullshit” value compels me to point out that these integration points are available to other tools, as well. The interoperability is enabled by REST APIs that are documented online, so it’s perfectly possible enable these features with a little work, possibly via curl. For example, if you’re using Bitbucket for Git management and Jenkins for CI, you can still enable the build status integration mentioned in step #3 by calling out to Bitbucket’s build status API. Procedural considerations There are some additional management-flavored questions to take into account. What these are will depend a lot on your organization. For us, the big issues were around security and separation of duties. Deployment security Most of our systems share a common Bamboo server with a massive array of build agents, managed by a dedicated team. Per our “open company, no bullshit” philosophy, we extend a lot of trust internally and assume all employees are acting in the best interests of the company. This means we grant developers privileges to create and administer their own build plans. However, the company is growing and we went public in late 2015. And regulatory bodies tend to have a less trusting attitude toward such things. In particular, the software we produce modifies the company financials, and so must have strict access controls associated with it. Although we investigated methods of remaining open-but-secure, in the end we decided that we should err on the side of safety. We identified all systems subject to Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance, and placed them into a dedicated build environment separated from the more liberal policies of the master Bamboo server. Separation of duties Historically, the Business Platform team has been quite self-sufficient. In some ways, we were doing DevOps before the idea came to wider recognition. However, SOX contains some strict rules about separation of duties. In particular, the implementers of a software change are subject to oversight and cannot themselves sign off on the deployment to production. Our solution to this was to hand off the production deployments to our team of business analysts. The analysts are almost always involved in the triage and specification of software changes, and are therefore in a good position to judge the readiness of features. to be deployed. And the use of automated deployment, in particular Bamboo’s deployment environments, makes this role available to them rather than just sysadmins. In practice, we use the the deployment environment permission system to restrict production deployments to specific group of users within Bamboo. We can then add and remove members as required. So, why should you do continuous deployment? As you can see, there’s a metric tonne of considerations around continuous deployment and a lot of work required up front. When bringing up the subject adoption, there will inevitably (and rightly!) be questions about what the benefits are. For my team, the main drivers were: Moving to feature-driven releases rather than a weekly “whatever happens to be ready” release. This is allows faster and finer-grained upgrades, and assists debugging and regression detection by only changing one thing at a time. The weekly release process was only semi-automated. While we have build tools such as Maven to perform the steps, the actual process of cutting a new release was driven by developers, following instructions on a Confluence page. By automating every step of the process, we make it self-documenting and repeatable. Similarly, the actual process of getting the software onto our servers was only semi-automated. We had detailed scripts to upgrade servers, but running these required coordination with the sysadmin team (who had quite enough work already, thanks). By making the deployment to the servers fully automated and driven by Bamboo rather than by humans, we created a repeatable deployment process and freed the sysadmins of busywork. By automating the release and deployment process, we can constantly release ongoing work to staging and QA servers, giving visibility of the state of development. But these benefits are driven by our internal processes. When advocating for adopting continuous deployment, you’ll often receive requests for justification from other stakeholders in your company. Continuous deployment benefits them, too: Customers : By releasing features when they’re ready rather than waiting for a fixed upgrade window, customers will get them faster. By releasing constantly to a staging server while developing them, internal customers have visibility of the changes and can be part of the development process. : By releasing features when they’re ready rather than waiting for a fixed upgrade window, customers will get them faster. By releasing constantly to a staging server while developing them, internal customers have visibility of the changes and can be part of the development process. Management : When we release more often, managers will see the result of work sooner and progress will be visible. : When we release more often, managers will see the result of work sooner and progress will be visible. Developers : This removes the weekly/monthly/whatever mad dash to get changes into the release window. If a developer needs a few more hours to make sure a feature is fully working, then the feature will go out a few hours later, not when the next release window opens. : This removes the weekly/monthly/whatever mad dash to get changes into the release window. If a developer needs a few more hours to make sure a feature is fully working, then the feature will go out a few hours later, not when the next release window opens. Sysadmins: Not only will sysadmins not have to perform the releases themselves, but the change to small, discrete feature releases will allow easier detection of what changes affected the system adversely. The last point should probably be expanded upon, as it is such a powerful concept. If your release process bundles multiple features together, it becomes much harder to nail down exactly what caused regressions in the system. Consider the following scenario… On a Monday, a release is performed with the changes that were made the previous week. Shortly afterwards, however, the sysadmin team notices a large increase in load on the database server. While triaging the issue they notice the following changes were included: Developer A added a new AJAX endpoint for the order process. added a new AJAX endpoint for the order process. Developer B added a column to a table in the database. added a column to a table in the database. Developer C upgraded the version of the database driver in the application. Identifying which one is the cause would require investigation, possibly to the point of reverting changes or running git bisect. However, if each change is released separately, the start of the performance regression can be easily correlated with the release of each feature, especially if your release process tags each release in your monitoring system. Continuous deployment means continuously improving Continuous deployment as a practice is so broad, a single blog post can’t do it justice. Each team’s recipe for continuous deployment will vary based on their existing tech stack, customers’ needs, and team culture. (For that matter, the same is true of continuous integration and continuous delivery.) The important thing is to start somewhere and keep iterating. Continuous improvement for the win! Although I’ve only scratched the surface here, I hope this post has answered some of the questions your team is facing around continuous deployment. I’ll leave you with a few bits of further reading that dive into greater detail on various facets of the practice. If you’re interested in (or already using) Atlassian tools, check out The Pipeline: a guide to continuous delivery with Jira, Bitbucket, and Bamboo Browse continuous delivery articles on The Pipeline
Part one is right here if you haven't seen it already!And here's Part two! www.youtube.com/watch?v=edJDVm… Anyways! So, This (these) tutorials aren't an in depth how to or give a lot of detail in specifics or step by step processes in different aspects of art. This is me just giving certain key points and factors that I personally use in the process of how I go about my digital paintings, and show step by step on how I do, and what to look out for on the way.I don't know if this is any good, and I deeply apologize if it is too long and too boring to sit through, but I tried my best! And being as this was just a very general tutorial on little aspects I do in my art, And NOT anything detailed and super specific on how I do things, if this(these) vids were at all somewhat helpful, and you guys would like to see a tutorial on more specific things, such as lighting, blending, faces, etc, I could do that and those tutorials would be so much easier to make, much more detailed and in depth with explanations, and most likely shorter being as it would only have one focus.I hope you guys like! I tried my best
The report says low carbon technologies could fuel the economy The government must act faster if the UK is to fully benefit from low carbon technology, a report by MPs has warned. The Energy and Climate Change Committee said in 2008 there were 881,000 green sector jobs - but with extra funding that could rise by 44% by 2015. But it criticised slow uptake of carbon capture systems, electric cars and home insulation, calling on the government to invest more in the technologies. The Department of Energy and Climate Change said it was taking clear action. Committee acting chairman Paddy Tipping MP said: "Investment in low carbon technologies must be seen as key to economic recovery. "These technologies have the potential to reduce the carbon intensity at every stage of the energy supply chain, resulting in lower emissions, many new jobs and growth for the economy." The government have a vital role in the move towards a green economy Paddy Tipping MP The committee found that, while developing low carbon technologies would require government support, they have the potential to create jobs. Mr Tipping added: "The government should increase the proportion of public money spent on the uptake of low carbon technologies because they have a vital role in the move towards a green economy." The government has previously said it plans to generate one-third of UK electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Meanwhile the private sector continues to invest in low carbon technologies, with General Electric announced 1,900 jobs building wind-turbines in Britain last week. A Department of Energy and Climate Change spokesman said: "We agree that the low carbon sector offers huge opportunities for economic growth and employment in the UK. "Government's policies are designed to enable the UK to seize the benefits of that growth." He added: "The government is taking clear action to drive the move to a low carbon economy."
When people think of the rivalry between Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact, they tend to think about two Major League Soccer playoff series in the past two years and some insults traded via signs in the stands. But Richard Legendre will tell you this competition, which rivals the much, much older Toronto Maple Leafs-Montreal Canadiens enmity when it comes to intensity, goes back further. That is why it is a real rivalry, what the executive vice-president of the Impact defines as "a natural rivalry." "It's based on some epic games, historical moments throughout the last 10 years, even before Major League Soccer," Legendre said in advance of the first league game of the MLS season between the teams, at Montreal Stade Saputo on Sunday. "You know, if there is a rivalry and nothing happens in the rivalry it can fade away. But we went from historical game to historical game." Story continues below advertisement Historical games for the current players and management of Toronto FC mean the MLS playoff games with the Impact dating to 2015 when the Montrealers embarrassed the Reds in their first playoff appearance. Then there was the epic Eastern Conference final last November when the Impact won the first game and then TFC came back to win the series with two extra-time goals in the second game. Players, coaches and managers will tell you rivalries need intense playoff series to burn brightly. And Legendre speaks of playoff battles that go back to 2008 when TFC was in its second MLS season. At the time, the Impact was still in the second-tier United Soccer League and hoping to make the jump to MLS as an expansion team, which it accomplished in 2012. On July 22, 2008, the Canadian Championship game, the winner of which would advance to the CONCACAF Champions League the following year, was played between the Reds and the upstart Impact at BMO Field. "To say we were not the favourite was an understatement. It was an amazing game," Legendre said. The game ended 1-1, with the Impact just stopping a seemingly sure TFC goal near the end of the game. The tie gave the Impact the championship and the team went on to another improbable feat, getting as far as the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League. In 2009, TFC returned the favour. It played Montreal again in the Canadian Championship but needed to win by at least five goals to get the title. TFC humiliated the Impact 6-1 on its own field and as far as Legendre is concerned, the rivalry was in full swing. While none of the current TFC players was around for those games, to a man they say the Impact is the team they want to beat more than any other. "I've played in some big rivalries," said veteran TFC defender Drew Moor, a Dallas native whose antennae nonetheless is acute in his two years in Toronto. "I played in the FC Dallas-Houston rivalry and the Colorado-Salt Lake rivalry. But there's something different about this one. "I can't put my finger on it. I think it's not just a rivalry in sports, it's a rivalry in politics, it's a rivalry in languages. You can just tell, maybe not that both cities hate each other, but both cities have something that I don't quite understand. It's almost an eerie feeling when I'm walking on the streets of Montreal and I pass some Impact fans." Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement Add the elements of language, culture, an existing hockey rivalry and last year's epic MLS conference final with two large groups of passionate fans for both teams and it's no surprise the rivalry burns as hot as Leafs-Habs. But as Moor noted, there is more cheek than hate in the interaction between the Impact and TFC supporters groups despite the fact the Impact had to sanction some fans for a profane sign during the first game of the Eastern Conference final in 2016. Some Impact fans held up a three-tiered sign before the first game of the series, which drew a crowd of 61,004 to Montreal's Olympic Stadium. The English translation of the sign was "What people think, we dare say aloud. F--- Toronto." The Impact went on to win 3-2. The next week in Toronto, TFC supporters responded with their own sign: "We Dare Say What Everyone Thinks – Quebexit." TFC responded as well, scoring two goals in extra time to win the second game 5-2 and the series by a 7-5 aggregate score, which sent the sellout crowd of 36,000 at BMO Field into a frenzy. TFC gained another leg up on the rivalry in June when it beat the Impact in the Canadian Championship final, and it reigns in first place in the MLS this season while the Impact, thanks to a slow start, is fighting to get into a playoff spot. But the Impact has its own MLS wins over TFC. In 2015, when TFC was supposed to be turning itself around, the Reds lost the last regular-season game to Montreal to give the Impact the home field for a sudden-death playoff game. This was the Reds' first playoff appearance since joining MLS in 2007 but a few days later they were humbled 3-0 by Montreal. Before that game, TFC head coach Greg Vanney said, "I would have said from our perspective we wouldn't have looked at it as much of a rivalry yet. Then they knock us out and we feel an emotion of pure disappointment, embarrassment in some ways. Then the next year comes an epic series that knocks them out. Those type of things add to the [rivalry]." While there is an intense mutual dislike on the part of the players – borne out by a physical Canadian championship series that left TFC defender Steven Beitashour seriously injured – there is respect on all levels, including management. Story continues below advertisement "[Impact owner] Joey Saputo and I were chatting at the all-star game," TFC president Bill Manning said. "We were saying how we respect each other as franchises but we want to beat the hell out of each other. "As franchises, we do work with them on some things, collectively our TV deals and sponsorships and stuff." But the business deals are forgotten when the games start. "If you're calling me and I don't have a story [about an epic game] then the rivalry falls flat," Legendre said. "That's not the case here. Almost every year there is something major happening between the teams – 2015 was amazing and 2016 was even more amazing. "That keeps the fire burning."
Even the American Civil Liberties Union applauded the selection of Mueller, while noting that it sued the FBI several times under his leadership. Republicans joined in the parade of praise for Mueller, undoubtedly relieved that Rosenstein’s decision would lift at least part of Trump’s political burden from their shoulders. GOP lawmakers have been hounded by reporters in recent days seeking their reactions to the latest bombshell media reports, and Mueller’s appointment allows them to defer to an investigation that now has bipartisan credibility. Representative Jason Chaffetz of Utah, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, called Mueller “a great selection” with “impeccable credentials.” Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said the former FBI chief “has a strong reputation for independence, and comes with the right credentials for this job.” Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado said Mueller had “an incredible reputation.” “It’s the right decision,” he said Thursday morning at an event hosted by The Atlantic. “Let’s get the facts, let’s get the information, and let us proceed with all haste.” Trump, too, was unusually restrained in his response. “As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know—there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity,” the president said in a written statement. “I look forward to this matter concluding quickly.” House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell each signaled their support for Rosenstein’s decision while vowing that the separate congressional investigations would continue. Upcoming testimony by Comey and other officials will certainly capture headlines and sway public opinion, but Republicans will face less pressure on Capitol Hill as long as Mueller’s probe maintains credibility. As for Trump, the president faces the same risk he did before: criminal prosecutions that could imperil his presidency and perhaps lead to his impeachment. But the potential reward is greater, too. Exoneration by an impartial investigator who has won bipartisan buy-in would do far more to lift the cloud hovering over the White House than the result of any GOP-led probe in Congress. To the extent the Justice Department’s announcement generated any criticism, it came from House Democrats who have called not only for a special counsel but for the creation of a fully independent, bipartisan commission modeled on the panel that investigated the 9/11 attacks. “A special prosecutor is the first step, but it cannot be the last,” Pelosi added in her statement. “Director Mueller will still be in the chain of command under the Trump-appointed leadership of the Justice Department. He cannot take the place of a truly independent, outside commission that is completely free from the Trump administration’s meddling.” A truly independent commission, however, would take an act of Congress, and Republicans in control of both the House and Senate now have less of an incentive to support such a panel with the appointment of a special counsel. And Democrats in the Senate have been hesitant to call for a new outside committee, knowing that it would take months to staff up and its probe could drag on for years. For the moment, the one thing both parties seem to agree on is that Robert Mueller is the next best thing. We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.
Posted by Amie You're in a restaurant, out for a special dinner, and you decide you want fish. Staring at the menu you have your choice of shrimp, salmon, Chilean seabass ("bar du chili" en francais), or whole red snapper ("vivaneau"). The mango and pineapple salsa sounds good with the salmon, but shrimp cocktail is classic...but maybe you should spring for the roasted whole red snapper that doesn't even have a price listed because, after all, it's a special occasion. You know that the Chilean seabass isn't sustainable, though, so you can pat yourself on the back for not ordering that one. Except the red snapper (if it is snapper at all - it could really be rockfish, mullet, porgy, or sea bream) is over-fished and bottom-trawled - a type of fishing that tears up the ocean floor; the salmon is probably Atlantic which means it's farmed and bathed in all sorts of delicious chemicals and fed other unsustainably-farmed or wild-caught fish; and the shrimp probably come from Thailand where life-preserving mangroves were destroyed so that farms could be set up for a decade or so until they become unable to support the amount of antibiotics used in the shallow waters in which locals will no longer swim. With so many factors involved, how can you remember which fish is sustainable when you're out for a meal? Sustainable seafood organization, Seachoice, wants you to pull out your handy wallet-sized, colour-coordinated list of green "best choices", yellow fish with "some concerns", and red fish "to avoid", or check their iPhone app - two "special evening out" actions that may seem like the equivalent of whipping out your pocket protector and saying, "Hey! Check this out!" You know, in the old days when people used pens. Most consumers would make a sustainable seafood choice if they could, and a lot would even pay extra money for it. It's the latter that convinced METRO grocery stores to start indicating Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification of sustainable fish on their products. The fact that people care (and that Greenpeace picketed METRO grocery stores one at a time until they got their message across/caused enough disruption of business to warrant a policy change) made them take frozen, fresh, canned, and salted versions of seven threatened species, including Atlantic cod, bluefin tuna, orange roughy, Chilean seabass, New Zealand hoki, skate and shark from their shelves, coolers and freezers. Loblaws (the owners of Provigo and Dominion) and Walmart have also promised to sell only sustainable seafood by 2013. That's a huge step! Now retailers will actually have to know what they're selling you, which is a bit more complicated in Quebec since a lot of the documentation on sustainability is in English and comes from the west coast of Canada. Fortunately, OceanWise has teamed up with L'Aquarium du Quebec to create a French version of the wallet guide called "Menu Bleu Marin." And you can find farmed, sustainable seafood in Quebec. According to OceanWise representative Teddy Geach, "Generally, these fish are farmed in either raceways or land-based closed system tanks which have less of an environmental impact than open-net pen farming. Closed containment systems such as these allow for treatment of effluent water before discharge, the risk of escape of farmed fish is reduced as well as the risk of parasite and disease transfer." At Quebec's Ferme Piscicole Les Bobines, both trout and char are farmed (they're fed grain meal), providing local, antibiotic-free fish to Quebec restaurants and consumers. And two weeks ago at the "Charlevoix at Jean-Talon Market weekend" for the Festival en Lumiere, fish farm Les Pecheries Daniel Girard gave a cooking demonstration and samples of their smoked salmon. According to their website they produce Quebec eel, smelt, capelin, herring and sardines, though the salmon, trout, black sturgeon, and scallops that they smoke in-house actually come from other countries. (They don't mention the sustainability of these products on the website. They do talk a whole lot about "terroir", though.) Most of the Quebec eel population is also exported to Europe and Asia, and the eel that gets shipped back to the province as frozen teriyaki-sauced unagi for sushi is unfortunately not sustainable. Unsustainable Salmon and Tuna Sushi The Quebec farmed fish above are hard to track down at poissoneries and restaurants in Montreal. Finding a source for wild fish - and trusting that the stocks can support commercial sales - is even more difficult. According to Joebeef owner David MacMillan, the smaller fish just won't sell on a menu. He supports east coast oysters and mackerel (a firm, white-fleshed fish with enough fat - like salmon - to make it juicy and sweet), as great sustainable seafood alternatives. Matane or Nordic shrimp are the local, mangrove-free shrimp option, though research into the stocks is lacking. These are not what are found at most restaurants, however, because the price tag is higher than for imported jumbo tiger prawns. McMillan wouldn't allow the prawns on his menu anyway, even if they were deemed "green" by Seachoice, arguing that, "if it's on a plane, how is it sustainable?" (Not local) Portuguese and Greek Sardines Portuguese restaurants can get away with an inexpensive grilled or broiled sardine appetizer, but just try putting capelin or smelt on the menu. First of all the entire kitchen would smell and then imagine all the couples out on dates picking bones out of their teeth. Some people think that's sexy, but maybe there's a reason my seafood dinner dates are few and far between... Sardines at Poissonerie La Mer If you feel like a romantic at-home dinner for one where nobody will judge your table manners or the kitchen smell, finding sustainable fish at Montreal poissoneries still isn't easy. If you do find sardines, they're often from Europe, which would break McMillan's sustainability rule. The Long Island New York wild porgies (dorade grise) on sale at La Mer this week aren't listed on the seachoice website or iPhone app at all. The fresh whole fluke is, however, and it's very much not sustainable. La Mer only currently indicates Seachoice sustainability green, yellow, and red choices on their fish for their wholesale operations, so hunting through their retail outlets requires asking a few questions to which the fishmongers may not have immediate answers. Not Sexy Grilled Sardines For One All the city's fish shops are going to sell unsustainable fish, since that's what customers want. The Atlantic salmon is cheaper than the Pacific salmon (though not even the "organic" kind is necessarily sustainable). You can find Atlantic salmon at every poissonerie in the city, salmon tartar seems to be an appetizer at half the city's restaurants, and almost every sushi restaurant is serving the same pre-frozen slices of unsustainable sashimi. Sorry to all lovers of SushiShop or your neighbourhood all-you-can-eat, but that stuff is killing the oceans. An all-you-can-eat sushi dinner shouldn't be taken as a personal challenge to stuff as much unsustainable fish into yourself before it disappears forever. Imagine a world where everyone told their fishmonger they would only purchase sustainable fish. Imagine if the fishmonger listened and bought only MSC- or Seachoice-certified fish. Bring on the fish fry, right? Except, MSC messes up sometimes. During a "Take A Pass On Chilean Sea Bass" boycott, some of the fish somehow gained MSC certification. And a small sticker on a tuna filet doesn't justify a certification - the stickers don't tell you how the fish was caught, where it's from, or if it's wild or farmed. That's similar to not indicating whether a chicken is organic and free-range or the caged, non-organic, broiler type (as delicious as Romados is...), but in the case of fish there are more antibiotics involved. There's also the possibility of affecting wild stocks and the fact that anywhere from 1kg to 9kg of wild fish may be used to create 1kg of farmed fish, according to Canada's other major sustainable seafood organization, OceanWise. Seachoice even says that for a top of the food chain species such as bluefin tuna, up to 50kg of wild fish may be used to produce 1kg of farmed. The other big problem with grocery store certification is that if everyone starts buying up MSC-certified frozen wild Alaskan salmon dinners, suddenly that fishery won't be quite so sustainable either. The MSC has been accused of using its certification to offer consumers the best of the bad options. The MSC may not be great, but compared to letting bottom-trawled fisheries and mangrove-wrecking farms go unchecked, they're not that bad. And really it's only a small percentage of the certified fish that's questionable. If all the environmentalists pounced on the MSC they'd just have to create a new organization from scratch. So the MSC lives on with seafood lovers hoping to change it from inside. The key to eating sustainably with the information that we have now is to diversify, eat lower on the sea-food-chain, and enjoy in moderation. The above-mentioned mackerel, sardines, and oysters, but also mussels, clams (not the dredged Atlantic arctic surf kind, including the rubbery-tasting sushi called hokkigai), haddock (but not the trawled Atlantic kind), herring, and scallops (but, again, not the Atlantic dredged kind) are generally safer bets, at least until more information is provided on the package label or your fishmonger/restaurant server can answer all your annoying questions (I seem to have a hard time making friends with the people who sell me fish for some reason...). Simply "picking up some fish for dinner" is a hard task. If you end up in a restaurant with a little symbol next to one or two of the seafood dishes on the menu and you somehow find the indication at the bottom of the page that it means the fish in that particular dish is certified by Oceanwise as "sustainable" you can feel almost guilt-free about ordering it. Restaurants in the city with that accreditation, however, don't need all the fish on their menu to be sustainable to be called an Oceanwise-accredited restaurant, so if you think you're safe opting for the un-marked scallops to start, you might want to double check with your server. Every six months the accredited restaurant is required to remove one unsustainable menu item until there are none, but some restaurants that support sustainable fish don't sign on to the Oceanwise program because they don't want to be associated with restaurants serving unsustainable fish. Still, the accreditation is handy if you don't want to call around to ten places before making a reservation for a sustainable seafood dinner for two. Just as I don't have too many fishmonger friends anymore, you won't be making friends with the servers/host/hostess/manager if you have an endless supply of questions you really be asking such as: "Where is this fish from?" "How are the stocks?" "How was it caught?" "Is it farmed?" If it was farmed, "What did it eat?" If it was fed other fish, "Where did that fish come from?" (Repeat questions 1 through 4) I might not want to be my friend either... ...but I'm still going to ask before I tuck into my next sustainable seafood meal or purchase something from my friendly neighbourhood poissonerie. Sexier Sardines For One: On a bed of wild mushroom risotto with thyme Top photo by chefdeck on the Midnight Poutine Flickr Pool
Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom is the fourth main game in the Wing Commander science fiction space combat simulator video game series, produced by Origin Systems and released by Electronic Arts for the PC in 1996 and the Sony PlayStation in 1997 (the game was also released on the North American PlayStation Network Store in 2009). The first game set after the end of the Terran-Kilrathi War, Wing Commander IV depicts a galaxy in the midst of a chaotic transition, with human civilians, Kilrathi survivors and former soldiers on both sides attempting to restabilize their lives. A novelization, by William R. Forstchen and Ben Ohlander, was published on October 1, 1996. Gameplay [ edit ] The game includes a large number of branching conversations in which the players must choose what response their character, Christopher Blair, will give; the choice may affect the other person's attitude toward Blair, the morale of the entire crew, the player's next assignment and even the game's ending. As the man giving the orders, Blair often gets to choose what ship he will fly, what missiles it will carry, and what wingman (or wingmen) he will take with him. Plot [ edit ] The war between the alien Kilrathi Empire and the Terran Confederation has been over for several years. Confed is attempting to stabilize its economy and social structure. The Kilrathi survivors, now led by Melek nar Kiranka, retainer to the late Prince Thrakhath, are having greater problems than they had during the war, since their racial and societal makeup revolves around hunting and killing. Tension between the Confederation and the Union of Border Worlds has deepened, most recently with an attack on an unarmed medical transport. This transport is destroyed by a wing of mysterious fighters equipped with a new anti-ship weapon that incinerates the target's contents, leaving only a burning shell behind. James 'Paladin' Taggart (John Rhys-Davies), a senior governor of the Assembly, declares that the Assembly must cast a vote on whether or not to declare war on the Border Worlds, with Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn (Malcolm McDowell) assigned to a fact-finding mission which will essentially decide the issue. Colonel Christopher 'Maverick' Blair (Mark Hamill), retired, is trying to make out a living on a desert world as a farmer, when he is recalled to active military service by Tolwyn. Within five minutes of Blair taking the cockpit, the station he's heading to is attacked by an Avenger-class fighter claiming Border Worlds allegiance. Border World claims that similar strikes that have occurred on their ships are ignored. Tolwyn assigns Blair to the TCS Lexington with the task of unraveling these tensions and getting to the bottom of the story. Blair is reunited with Lexington's new captain, William Eisen (Jason Bernard), Major Todd 'Maniac' Marshall (Tom Wilson), and Lieutenant Winston 'Vagabond' Chang (François Chau). Blair also meets Lieutenant Troy 'Catscratch' Carter (Mark Dacascos), a Kilrath-o-phobe who joined the military a couple of years too late. Blair can find no concrete evidence, and no one can positively identify the harassing ships. Tolwyn transfers a new officer to the Lex, Captain Hugh Paulsen (John Spencer), who replaces Eisen in command. After flying sorties under Paulsen's command, Blair either heads to the officer's lounge with Maniac or ventures down to the flight deck without proper authorization. If Blair heads to the lounge, Maniac abruptly leaves him at the lounge bar remembering "something he has to do." If Blair sneaks onto the flight deck, he witnesses Seether (Robert Rusler) arriving in a shuttle and meeting Paulsen. Soon after, Paulsen calls Blair and Chang in for a surprise mission briefing: Eisen has defected to the Border Worlds and is fleeing in a shuttle, with Maniac piloting. Once in space, Vagabond announces that he is going to follow Eisen over. If Blair does not defect, he returns to the Lexington to meet a new cadre of pilots brought in by Paulsen. Blair flies with them for several missions before being confronted with a Border Worlds attack, led by Maniac, who gives Blair another chance to come over. If Blair defects with Vagabond, he arrives with Eisen, Maniac, Vagabond and Catscratch at the BWS Intrepid, an old Durango-class carrier that has recently suffered damage from a Confed attack. Much of the senior staff has been killed, including Eisen's contact (and old friend) Captain Dominguez. The two officers currently sharing the command, Colonels Jacob 'Hawk' Manley (Chris Mulkey) and Tamara 'Panther' Farnsworth (Elizabeth Barondes), assign Blair as Wing Commander for the flight group, and Eisen becomes her captain. Other Intrepid natives include Chief Technician Robert "Pliers" Sykes (Richard Riehle), Colonel John 'Gash' Dekker (Jeremy Roberts), head of the ship's contingent of Marines; and communications technician Lieutenant Velina Sosa (Holly Gagnier), whom Catscratch quickly takes a shine to. Eisen confides that he's been in touch with connections back on Earth, and it seems that the nascent Confed-Border Worlds war is being instigated by elements within Confed. He defected so that he could hunt for proof of this. Blair and Maniac succeed in downing the Lexington, though Paulsen escapes in a shuttle with Seether. Seether kills Paulsen for his failure. Pliers comes up with a jerry-rigged cloaking device and a "Manned Insertion Pod"—a coffin-sized torpedo that can be used to land ground troops. Blair takes them in against a communications station in the Orestes System, where Sosa and Vagabond collect valuable data on the conspiracy. Vagabond is killed in the gunfight. Blair picks up a distress signal from the Kilrathi Melek and rescues the convoy. Melek brings flight recorder data of the sleek black ships using their incineration weapon against a Kilrathi transport. One of the ships pulls a move that Blair saw in the attack on the space port, using the ship's afterburners to supercharge and detonate an explosive mine which pushes the ship away at a faster rate. Hawk tells them that when he signed on with Confed, there was a rookie pilot on his ship, call sign 'Seether', who could pull off the maneuver. He also informs them that there was some talk of a 'G.E.' program, but that he never found out what it was, and Seether was transferred from the flight roster to Confed Intelligence Operations. Eisen leaves the Intrepid, intent on returning to Earth and delivering the information to friends in high places; he leaves Blair as acting captain reporting to Border Worlds Rear Admiral Eugene Wilford. Finally, the Intrepid catches wind of a secret Confed freighter sneaking through the area. Blair subdues it so that Dekker and his boys can capture it. Pliers, clambering aboard in the aftermath, discovers a squadron of sleek black fighters and a single example of their incendiary weapon, called "Dragons" and "Flash-Paks" respectively. The Telamon system is under biological attack. The vast majority of the colony, particularly Planet FT957, has died. Few survive the attacks, hale and untouched, evidently due to an innate immunity. The survivors at the colony recount that visiting Dragons dropped canisters containing a biological weapon. Blair traces the attacking Dragons to the Axius System, which he infiltrates. There he discovers a secret starbase, guarded by the TCS Vesuvius, and manned by thousands of black-clad soldiers, including Seether, collectively known as the Black Lance. Blair learns that their leader is Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn, who is instigating a war between the Border Worlds and Confed, with the goal being constant war-driven evolution of tactics and technology, to prepare the Confederation to meet the next hostile alien race. The Gen-Select Bioweapon, recently tested at Telamon, is the next obvious step in the plan: a virus that kills off all but the most genetically superior. Blair is spied by Seether and forced to fight his way out. The Intrepid, pursued by the Vesuvius and Tolwyn's Black Lance pilots, makes a run toward Earth, intending to stop Tolwyn from addressing Congress. Though helped by the intervention of the TCS Mount St. Helens, sister ship to the Vesuvius, and its new captain, Eisen, the Intrepid is unsuccessful in stopping Tolwyn. Blair duels Seether one-on-one above Earth and then lands at the Congressional Building. Tolwyn delivers his report on the Border Worlds and Blair slips in. If Blair makes a silent entrance, Tolwyn alerts the chamber guards to arrest Blair and he is not given a chance to speak, instead being executed. If Blair instead chooses to make a dramatic entrance, Paladin gives him the chance to speak before the Assembly. Blair baits Tolwyn into revealing his true agenda and admitting his crimes. If the player scores enough points against Tolwyn, the Senate votes against war. Tolwyn is then indicted and convicted for his actions; lacking an appeal, he hangs himself in his jail cell, rather than be executed. Blair will either regain his rank as Colonel and be seen helping Panther train new pilots at the Academy or using Black Lance assets to crush rebellions with Hawk at his side as the new Admiral, depending on the general tone of his choices throughout the game. If the player makes the wrong choices facing Tolwyn, Blair is convicted of treason and executed as the war begins. This also happens if at any time Blair is captured by Confederation forces after his defection. If Blair fails enough missions before his defection, he is simply sent back to his farm. Development and release [ edit ] Initially targeted for a December 1995 release (thus giving the game an aggressive 12-month development schedule), the game was ultimately released on February 12, 1996 for MS-DOS PCs. WCIV was produced on the then-unheard-of-for-a-video-game budget of $12 million USD.[1] The majority of this budget went into the production of the game's full motion video scenes, which were shot on actual sets instead of a greenscreen and using 35mm film instead of digital capture.[2] The original MS-DOS edition shipped on six CD-ROMs. Origin later released a native-client for Windows 95. The Windows client added a deinterlace-option to improve the appearance of the cutscenes, but was identical to the original MS-DOS game in all other respects. In 1997, a special DVD-ROM edition of the game was released. In this edition, the cutscene video was upgraded to full DVD quality (made possible due to the fact that the scenes were originally shot on film). As most PCs of the time were insufficiently powerful to play the MPEG2 DVD video, the game client relied on Windows 95's multimedia player to stream the video from DVD to a hardware decoder. This dependency on external hardware rendered the game unplayable outside Windows PCs equipped with the correct decoder board. Hence, the game was strategically bundled with DVD-ROM kits that included the necessary decoder hardware. Later, the gaming community developed fan-made patches to allow this version to play on more modern hardware where no hardware-based MPEG2 decoding was available (or necessary).[3] There was also a separate DVD release which lacked the enhanced video, and was hence playable on all PCs capable of playing the original CD-ROM release. Unlike Wing Commander III, the PlayStation version of Wing Commander IV was not a direct port; much of the graphics were redone, the collision detection was modified, and the controls were simplified by making certain actions automated,[2] though a control scheme similar to that of the PC version is also an option.[4] In addition, in order to fit the game on four CDs (as compared to the six CDs of the PC version), some of the transitional FMVs were cut.[2] On April 3, 2012, the DVD quality version of the game was made available as a digital download at Good Old Games.[5] [6][7] First lines of the WC4 source code as it became available to the WC community in 2012. Also in April 2012, the source code was handed to the game community by a former developer for the purpose of long-time preservation.[6] Reception [ edit ] Sales [ edit ] PC Data, which tracked computer game sales in the United States, ranked Wing Commander IV at #1 for the month of February 1996.[8] It was the 11th-best-selling game of 1996's first six months,[9] but was absent from the year-end top 20, according to Computer Games Magazine.[10] The game sold above 200,000 units across Europe by February 1997,[11] and ultimately received a "Gold" award from the Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland (VUD) in August 1998,[12] for sales of at least 100,000 units across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.[13] In the United States, PC Data reported that the game earned $7.9 million and sold roughly 170,000 copies by October 1999.[14] According to CNET Gamecenter's Mark Asher, the game "made back its $10 million development, but barely."[15] Critical reviews [ edit ] Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom for the PC was well received by critics. Computer Gaming World had it as a runner-up for the "Space Simulation Game of the Year" award, adding that it was the best yet attempt at creating an 'interactive movie'.[27] In GameSpot's 1996 annual awards, the game placed second in the category "Best Story".[28] Daniel Jevons of Maximum opined that "Wing Commander IV makes huge leaps and bounds in the interactive movie stakes, seamlessly blending impressive interactive cinematic sequences with slick and exciting SVGA battle sequences."[22] A reviewer for Next Generation criticized that the interactive portions are essentially unchanged from Wing Commander III: "... with $10 million [the game's budget], you'd think the programmers could have optimized the code. They could have added tons of features: replays, multiplayer support, more ships, or even more interactivity. ... the actual gameplay, which runs on exactly the same engine as WCIII (with only a few improvements), runs almost half as fast at even the lowest resolution - with all the details turned off." However, he assessed this as more of a lost opportunity than an actual problem, since "WCIII was a great game, and it's nice to get more of the same."[23] Bob Strauss in Entertainment Weekly gave the game an A-.[21] Wing Commander IV was nominated as Computer Games Strategy Plus's 1996 "Science-Fiction Simulation" of the year, although it lost to Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri.[29] It won the 1996 Spotlight Award for "Best Use of Video" from the Game Developers Conference,[30] and was a nominee in the "Best Script, Story or Interactive Writing" category.[31] Inside Mac Games named it 1996's best space simulation.[32] Reaction to the PlayStation version was more mixed. Critics generally approved of the cutscenes, praising the story,[4][20][33] acting,[4][20][24] and full motion video quality,[4][24][33] but assessed the gameplay as average at best.[4][20][24][33] The chief complaint was that the sensitivity of the controls makes it excessively difficult to track enemies or fine-tune the ship's heading.[20][24][33] Trent Ward noted in GameSpot that though the control is dramatically improved when using the PlayStation Analog Joystick, this controller was not due to be released in the U.S. for another two months.[20] Both Ward and the review team for Electronic Gaming Monthly argued that the gameplay issues are irrelevant due to the quality of the cutscenes;[4][20] Shawn Smith of EGM remarked, "WC4 is an example of packaging done so well, that you can't help but enjoy the game underneath."[4] In contrast, Next Generation and Toxic Tommy of GamePro said that while the cutscenes are excellent of themselves, they ultimately detract from the game due to their excessive length, forcing the player to spend a large share of their time watching video instead of playing the game.[24][33] Next Generation summarized the game as "a last gasp of the failed FMV subgenre."[24] Crispin Boyer of EGM devoted his entire PlayStation version review to the quality of the conversion, commenting that whereas Wing Commander III was a straight port, Wing Commander IV had been effectively redesigned to accommodate the hardware, in particular simplifying the control scheme and redrawing the HUDs so that they can be read on the lower resolution of a TV monitor.[4] Next Generation, however, contended that the 3DO and PlayStation versions of Wing Comander III had had much better tuned controls.[24]
US Navy seals. wikipedia In Africa, a Glimpse of Obama’s New War on Terror But the shutdown might undermine his new love of commandos Joshua Foust Blocked Unblock Follow Following Oct 8, 2013 by JOSHUA FOUST Back in May, Pres. Barack Obama gave a landmark speech at National Defense University, where he said “the use of force must be seen as part of a larger discussion about a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy.” He laid out a compelling new vision: abandoning the conflict model (exemplified by the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force against Al Qaeda), while moving toward a future marked by more collaboration with governments, more training and state-building, and a limited use of force. This past weekend, we saw one way that new model for countering terror will work out. In two simultaneous raids, U.S. Special Operations Forces tried to grab senior terrorist figures in Libya and Somalia. The raid into Libya worked, and now one of the architects of the 1998 embassy bombings in Nairobi, Kenya and Daar es Salaam, Tanzania, is sitting on a U.S. Navy vessel being interrogated for information. The raid into Somalia did not go as planned, and Navy SEALs had to withdraw after a fierce firefight. Both raids mark a dramatic departure from Obama’s first term of counterterrorism, which was defined more by a focus on killing than on anything else. Even the vaunted turn to population-centric counterinsurgency in Afghanistan resulted in sharply increased civilian casualties, U.S. soldier deaths, and the degradation of Afghanistan’s own security forces (the “green-on-blue” incident, wherein an Afghan soldier attacks and kills coalition forces on their own bases, is now so common it’s barely backpage news). Yet Obama faces significant political obstacles to achieving his new vision. The AUMF remains stubbornly in place, the move to repeal it overtaken by Edward Snowden’s revelations about NSA surveillance and the government shutdown. Drone strikes are still routine occurrences in Yemen and Pakistan. Guantanamo is still open. And the budget crisis is imperiling any effort to expand stability operations, capacity building, or democracy promotion. So what can we expect to see moving forward? Undoubtedly, drones are going to continue being a major part of the arsenal — especially should research in lethal autonomy continue and actually create workable war robots. As the Air Force gets better and better at rapidly deploying small, portable drone bases-in-a-box, drone deployment will expand to new regions where instability is breaking out. In some circles, the “Phase 0” counterterrorism operations are taking shape in surprising ways. AFRICOM, arguably the front line of this new counterterrorism approach, is seeing the idea of prophylactic counterterrorism campaigns take hold as countries with no Al Qaeda presence are nevertheless lavished with arms deals, military training, humanitarian aid, and institutional support in a bid to prevent them from “falling off the cliff” into a terror haven. This vision, of small training efforts supporting governance work and enforced by the occasional commando raid or drone strike, is deeply appealing to many in the Obama administration. But whether it can actually come to fruition depends on the gridlock in Washington coming to an end. Since the raids this weekend took place despite the shutdown, that seems unlikely to be a driving factor in ending the shutdown: no one seems to care very much that 70 percent of the intelligence workforce is currently furloughed (including the operations people who will plan and carry out future capture or kill raids). If the country is lucky, the shutdown will end before any foreign policy disaster strikes a U.S. outpost or asset. And if that luck holds, then a new, innovative era of counterterrorism is going to unfold across Africa and, possibly, beyond. Subscribe to War is Boring here.
Schematic figure of Maxwell's demon thought experiment. Maxwell's demon is a thought experiment created by the physicist James Clerk Maxwell in 1867 in which he suggested how the second law of thermodynamics might hypothetically be violated.[1] In the thought experiment, a demon controls a small door between two chambers of gas. As individual gas molecules approach the door, the demon quickly opens and shuts the door so that only fast molecules are passed into one of the chambers, while only slow molecules are passed into the other. Because faster molecules are hotter, the demon's behaviour causes one chamber to warm up and the other to cool down, thereby decreasing entropy and violating the second law of thermodynamics. This thought experiment has provoked debate and theoretical work on the relation between thermodynamics and information theory extending to the present day, with a number of scientists arguing that theoretical considerations rule out any practical device violating the second law in this way. Origin and history of the idea [ edit ] The thought experiment first appeared in a letter Maxwell wrote to Peter Guthrie Tait on 11 December 1867. It appeared again in a letter to John William Strutt in 1871, before it was presented to the public in Maxwell's 1872 book on thermodynamics titled Theory of Heat.[2] In his letters and books, Maxwell described the agent opening the door between the chambers as a "finite being". William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) was the first to use the word "demon" for Maxwell's concept, in the journal Nature in 1874, and implied that he intended the mediating, rather than malevolent, connotation of the word.[3][4][5] Original thought experiment [ edit ] The second law of thermodynamics ensures (through statistical probability) that two bodies of different temperature, when brought into contact with each other and isolated from the rest of the Universe, will evolve to a thermodynamic equilibrium in which both bodies have approximately the same temperature.[6] The second law is also expressed as the assertion that in an isolated system, entropy never decreases.[6] Maxwell conceived a thought experiment as a way of furthering the understanding of the second law. His description of the experiment is as follows:[6][7] ... if we conceive of a being whose faculties are so sharpened that he can follow every molecule in its course, such a being, whose attributes are as essentially finite as our own, would be able to do what is impossible to us. For we have seen that molecules in a vessel full of air at uniform temperature are moving with velocities by no means uniform, though the mean velocity of any great number of them, arbitrarily selected, is almost exactly uniform. Now let us suppose that such a vessel is divided into two portions, A and B, by a division in which there is a small hole, and that a being, who can see the individual molecules, opens and closes this hole, so as to allow only the swifter molecules to pass from A to B, and only the slower molecules to pass from B to A. He will thus, without expenditure of work, raise the temperature of B and lower that of A, in contradiction to the second law of thermodynamics. In other words, Maxwell imagines one container divided into two parts, A and B.[6][8] Both parts are filled with the same gas at equal temperatures and placed next to each other. Observing the molecules on both sides, an imaginary demon guards a trapdoor between the two parts. When a faster-than-average molecule from A flies towards the trapdoor, the demon opens it, and the molecule will fly from A to B. Likewise, when a slower-than-average molecule from B flies towards the trapdoor, the demon will let it pass from B to A. The average speed of the molecules in B will have increased while in A they will have slowed down on average. Since average molecular speed corresponds to temperature, the temperature decreases in A and increases in B, contrary to the second law of thermodynamics. A heat engine operating between the thermal reservoirs A and B could extract useful work from this temperature difference. The demon must allow molecules to pass in both directions in order to produce only a temperature difference; one-way passage only of faster-than-average molecules from A to B will cause higher temperature and pressure to develop on the B side. Criticism and development [ edit ] Several physicists have presented calculations that show that the second law of thermodynamics will not actually be violated, if a more complete analysis is made of the whole system including the demon.[6][8][9] The essence of the physical argument is to show, by calculation, that any demon must "generate" more entropy segregating the molecules than it could ever eliminate by the method described. That is, it would take more thermodynamic work to gauge the speed of the molecules and selectively allow them to pass through the opening between A and B than the amount of energy gained by the difference of temperature caused by this. One of the most famous responses to this question was suggested in 1929 by Leó Szilárd,[10] and later by Léon Brillouin.[6][8] Szilárd pointed out that a real-life Maxwell's demon would need to have some means of measuring molecular speed, and that the act of acquiring information would require an expenditure of energy. Since the demon and the gas are interacting, we must consider the total entropy of the gas and the demon combined. The expenditure of energy by the demon will cause an increase in the entropy of the demon, which will be larger than the lowering of the entropy of the gas. In 1960, Rolf Landauer raised an exception to this argument.[6][8][11] He realized that some measuring processes need not increase thermodynamic entropy as long as they were thermodynamically reversible. He suggested these "reversible" measurements could be used to sort the molecules, violating the Second Law. However, due to the connection between thermodynamic entropy and information entropy, this also meant that the recorded measurement must not be erased. In other words, to determine whether to let a molecule through, the demon must acquire information about the state of the molecule and either discard it or store it. Discarding it leads to immediate increase in entropy but the demon cannot store it indefinitely: In 1982, Charles Bennett showed that, however well prepared, eventually the demon will run out of information storage space and must begin to erase the information it has previously gathered.[8][12] Erasing information is a thermodynamically irreversible process that increases the entropy of a system. Although Bennett had reached the same conclusion as Szilard’s 1929 paper, that a Maxwellian demon could not violate the second law because entropy would be created, he had reached it for different reasons. Regarding Landauer's principle, the minimum energy dissipated by deleting information was experimentally measured by Eric Lutz et al. in 2012. Furthermore, Lutz et al. confirmed that in order to approach the Landauer's limit, the system must asymptotically approach zero processing speed.[13] John Earman and John D. Norton have argued that Szilárd and Landauer's explanations of Maxwell's demon begin by assuming that the second law of thermodynamics cannot be violated by the demon, and derive further properties of the demon from this assumption, including the necessity of consuming energy when erasing information, etc.[14][15] It would therefore be circular to invoke these derived properties to defend the second law from the demonic argument. Bennett later acknowledged the validity of Earman and Norton's argument, while maintaining that Landauer's principle explains the mechanism by which real systems do not violate the second law of thermodynamics.[16] Recent progress [ edit ] Although the argument by Landauer and Bennett only answers the consistency between the second law of thermodynamics and the whole cyclic process of the entire system of a Szilard engine (a composite system of the engine and the demon), a recent approach based on the non-equilibrium thermodynamics for small fluctuating systems has provided deeper insight on each information process with each subsystem. From this viewpoint, the measurement process is regarded as a process where the correlation (mutual information) between the engine and the demon increases, and the feedback process is regarded as a process where the correlation decreases. If the correlation changes, thermodynamic relations as the second law of thermodynamics and the fluctuation theorem for each subsystem should be modified, and for the case of external control a second-law like inequality[17] and a generalized fluctuation theorem[18] with mutual information are satisfied. These relations suggest that we need extra thermodynamic cost to increase correlation (measurement case), and in contrast we can apparently violate the second law up to the consumption of correlation (feedback case). For more general information processes including biological information processing, both inequality[19] and equality[20] with mutual information hold. Applications [ edit ] Real-life versions of Maxwellian demons occur, but all such "real demons" or Molecular demons have their entropy-lowering effects duly balanced by increase of entropy elsewhere[21]. Molecular-sized mechanisms are no longer found only in biology; they are also the subject of the emerging field of nanotechnology. Single-atom traps used by particle physicists allow an experimenter to control the state of individual quanta in a way similar to Maxwell's demon. If hypothetical mirror matter exists, Zurab Silagadze proposes that demons can be envisaged, "which can act like perpetuum mobiles of the second kind: extract heat energy from only one reservoir, use it to do work and be isolated from the rest of ordinary world. Yet the Second Law is not violated because the demons pay their entropy cost in the hidden (mirror) sector of the world by emitting mirror photons."[22] Experimental work [ edit ] In the February 2007 issue of Nature, David Leigh, a professor at the University of Edinburgh, announced the creation of a nano-device based on the Brownian ratchet popularized by Richard Feynman. Leigh's device is able to drive a chemical system out of equilibrium, but it must be powered by an external source (light in this case) and therefore does not violate thermodynamics.[23] Previously, researchers including Nobel Prize winner Fraser Stoddart, created ring-shaped molecules called rotaxanes which could be placed on an axle connecting two sites, A and B. Particles from either site would bump into the ring and move it from end to end. If a large collection of these devices were placed in a system, half of the devices had the ring at site A and half at B, at any given moment in time.[24] Leigh made a minor change to the axle so that if a light is shone on the device, the center of the axle will thicken, restricting the motion of the ring. It only keeps the ring from moving, however, if it is at A. Over time, therefore, the rings will be bumped from B to A and get stuck there, creating an imbalance in the system. In his experiments, Leigh was able to take a pot of "billions of these devices" from 50:50 equilibrium to a 70:30 imbalance within a few minutes.[25] In 2009 Mark G. Raizen developed a laser atomic cooling technique which realizes the process Maxwell envisioned of sorting individual atoms in a gas into different containers based on their energy.[6][26][27] The new concept is a one-way wall for atoms or molecules that allows them to move in one direction, but not go back. The operation of the one-way wall relies on an irreversible atomic and molecular process of absorption of a photon at a specific wavelength, followed by spontaneous emission to a different internal state. The irreversible process is coupled to a conservative force created by magnetic fields and/or light. Raizen and collaborators proposed using the one-way wall in order to reduce the entropy of an ensemble of atoms. In parallel, Gonzalo Muga and Andreas Ruschhaupt independently developed a similar concept. Their "atom diode" was not proposed for cooling, but rather for regulating the flow of atoms. The Raizen Group demonstrated significant cooling of atoms with the one-way wall in a series of experiments in 2008. Subsequently, the operation of a one-way wall for atoms was demonstrated by Daniel Steck and collaborators later in 2008. Their experiment was based on the 2005 scheme for the one-way wall, and was not used for cooling. The cooling method realized by the Raizen Group was called "single-photon cooling", because only one photon on average is required in order to bring an atom to near-rest. This is in contrast to other laser cooling techniques which use the momentum of the photon and require a two-level cycling transition. In 2006, Raizen, Muga, and Ruschhaupt showed in a theoretical paper that as each atom crosses the one-way wall, it scatters one photon, and information is provided about the turning point and hence the energy of that particle. The entropy increase of the radiation field scattered from a directional laser into a random direction is exactly balanced by the entropy reduction of the atoms as they are trapped by the one-way wall. This technique is widely described as a "Maxwell's demon" because it realizes Maxwell's process of creating a temperature difference by sorting high and low energy atoms into different containers. However, scientists have pointed out that it is not a true Maxwell's demon in the sense that it does not violate the second law of thermodynamics;[6][28] it does not result in a net decrease in entropy[6][28] and cannot be used to produce useful energy. This is because the process requires more energy from the laser beams than could be produced by the temperature difference generated. The atoms absorb low entropy photons from the laser beam and emit them in a random direction, thus increasing the entropy of the environment.[6][28] In 2014, Pekola et al. demonstrated an experimental realization of a Szilárd engine.[29][30] Only a year later and based on an earlier theoretical proposal,[31] the same group presented the first experimental realization of an autonomous Maxwell’s demon, which extracts microscopic information from a system and reduces its entropy by applying feedback. The demon is based on two capacitively coupled single-electron devices, both integrated on the same electronic circuit. The operation of the demon is directly observed as a temperature drop in the system, with a simultaneous temperature rise in the demon arising from the thermodynamic cost of generating the mutual information.[32] In 2016, Pekola et al. demonstrated a proof-of-principle of an autonomous demon in coupled single-electron circuits, showing a way how to cool critical elements in a circuit with information as a fuel.[33] Pekola et al. have also proposed that a simple qubit circuit, e.g., made of a superconducting circuit, could provide a basis to study a quantum Szilard's engine.[34] As metaphor [ edit ] Daemons in computing, generally processes that run on servers to respond to users, are named for Maxwell's demon.[35] Historian Henry Brooks Adams in his manuscript The Rule of Phase Applied to History attempted to use Maxwell's demon as a historical metaphor, though he misunderstood and misapplied the original principle.[36] Adams interpreted history as a process moving towards "equilibrium", but he saw militaristic nations (he felt Germany pre-eminent in this class) as tending to reverse this process, a Maxwell's demon of history. Adams made many attempts to respond to the criticism of his formulation from his scientific colleagues, but the work remained incomplete at Adams' death in 1918. It was only published posthumously.[37] Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu incorporated Maxwell's demon into his work, "Raisons Pratiques" as a metaphor for the socioeconomic inequality among students, as maintained by the school system, the economy, and families. In fiction [ edit ] A machine powered by Maxwell's demon plays a role in Thomas Pynchon's novel The Crying of Lot 49. The demon is mentioned several times in The Cyberiad, a series of short stories by the noted science fiction writer Stanisław Lem. In the book the demon appears both in its original form and in a modified form where it uses its knowledge of all particles in the box in order to surmise general (but unfocused and random) facts about the rest of the universe. The demon is implied in Larry Niven's short story "Unfinished Story Nr 2", within the context of a world of magic, depending on local concentrations of 'manna', a prerequirement for magic such that magic is no longer possible after manna has been locally depleted. See also [ edit ] Notes [ edit ] References [ edit ]
Advertisement The world's largest airplane - which can hold the equivalent of ten British battle tanks and has twice the wing area of a Boeing 747 - is making the long journey from Central Europe to the Australian Outback. The six-engine, 600 tonne aircraft - which once was used to transport a Soviet space shuttle on its roof - took off from Gostomel airport in Ukraine on Tuesday and will land in front of a huge crowd of aviation enthusiasts in Perth at 10am on Sunday morning. Designed and built in Ukraine in the 1980s, the immense 'Antonov An-225 Mriya' will have to pass through a number of refuelling stops across Eurasia, India and South East Asia before its 42 tyres hit the tarmac and drop off its precious cargo - an enormous 117 tonne power generator. Scroll down for video The Ukrainian-built Antonov An-225 Mriya aircraft is making the long journey from Central Europe to the Australian Outback The six-engine, 600 tonne aircraft was initially built to transport the Soviet space shuttle 'the Buran' in the late 1980s Capable of carrying the the equivalent of ten British battle tanks, the aircraft will transport a 117 tonne electric generator to a mining company in Perth Due to its heavy load, the aircraft will have to make a number of refuelling stops across Eurasia, India and South East Asia (flight path pictured) The electric generator was picked up from the Czech Republic and will be delivered to West Australian aluminium-ore mining company Worstely Alumina, where it will be likely be used to power large drills and excavating machinery. Measuring in at 84 metres long and with a wingspan of 88 metres - almost twice the width of a traditional football field - the plane has acted as a commercial transporter of oversized payloads for over two decades. Without a load, the colossal Antonov An-225 Mriya (Ukrainian for 'dream') can fly for up to 18 hours without stopping to refuel. The unloading phase of the generator on board could take up to 10 hours. The Antonov An-225 has twice the wing area of a Boeing 747, and its wingspan spreads the width of nearly two football fields Pictured is the Antonov An-225 Mriya (Ukrainian for 'dream') carrying 'the Buran' Soviet space shuttle, on display at the Paris Air show in 1989 Without a load, the colossal aircraft can fly for up to 18 hours without stopping to refuel Global logistics company DB Schenker, hired to facilitate the challenging resource shipment, said the plane would spend two days at the international terminal before taking off again. 'The excitement and expectations around the imminent arrival of the Mriya are high. We are delighted to lead this impressive and thrilling project,' said Frank Vogel, Director of Oil and Gas Projects at DB Schenker. Perth Airport are anticipating a crowd as large as 50,000 could come to watch the historic moment, and have prepared accordingly with a number of designated viewing zones near the main runway where the plane will touch down. Perspective: The world's largest plane has 42 tyres and a wingspan of 88 metres - over 20 metres wider than the Boeing 747 The Antonov An-225 is a strategic airlift cargo aircraft that was originally designed by the then Soviet Union's Antonov Design Bureau in the 1980s Powered by six engines it is able to take off with a maximum weight of 600 tons Perth Airport are anticipating a crowd as large as 50,000 could come to watch the historic moment when the world's largest plane touches down
Scientists have successfully reversed the aging process in mice according to a new study just released. Human trials are to begin next, possibly before the year is over. The study was published in the peer reviewed science journal Cell after researchers from both the U.S and Australia made the breakthrough discovery. Lead researcher David Sinclair of the University of New South Wales says he is hopeful that the outcome can be reproduced in human trials. A successful result in people would mean not just a slowing down of aging but a measurable reversal. The study showed that after administering a certain compound to the mice, muscle degeneration and diseases caused by aging were reversed. Sinclair says the study results exceeded his expectations, explaining: I’ve been studying aging at the molecular level now for nearly 20 years and I didn’t think I’d see a day when ageing could be reversed. I thought we’d be lucky to slow it down a little bit. The mice had more energy, their muscles were as though they’d be exercising and it was able to mimic the benefits of diet and exercise just within a week. We think that should be able to keep people healthier for longer and keep them from getting diseases of ageing. The compound the mice ate resulted in their muscles becoming very toned, as if they’d been exercising. Inflammation, a key factor in many disease processes, was drastically reduced. Insulin resistance also declined dramatically and the mice had much more energy overall. Researchers say that what happened to the mice could be compared to a 60 year old person suddenly having the muscle tone and energy of someone in his or her 20s. What’s more, say the researchers, these stunning results were realized within just one week’s time. The compound raises the level of a naturally occurring substance in the human body called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. This substance decreases as people age, although those who follow a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise do not suffer the same level of reduction in the substance as do people who do not exercise. This may explain why people who remain fit into their senior years often enjoy better health than others. Scientists who participated in the study say that poor communication between mitochondria and the cell nucleus is to blame for the aging process. The compound the researchers have developed cause the cells to be able to “talk” to each other again. They compared the relationship between the nucleus and the mitochondria to a married couple; by the time the couple has been married for 20 years, “communication breaks down” and they don’t talk to each other as much. Just like a marriage, this relationship and communication within it can be repaired, say the researchers. Aging has successfully been reversed in mice, but Sinclair says he needs to raise more money before he can commit to a date when trials may begin in humans. The results of this initial study in mice are very promising and may pave the way for similar results in humans. By: Rebecca Savastio Sources: ABC News Science Direct Huffington Post
It's been almost two years since Jay Mariotti last wrote a sports column or appeared on ESPN. In that time, sports media's ur-controversialist—a pioneer of the sportswriters-being-dicks-on-television genre—has pleaded no contest to misdemeanor stalking and assault-related charges stemming from a hair-pulling fight with an ex-girlfriend he will only identify as Allison W. He has spent hours upon hours cleaning up beaches to satisfy the terms of his probation. He has done a handful of forgettable podcasts and radio interviews. He is still aimlessly tweeting his opinions to his 800 or so followers about sports scores and other sports media issues. He's also written an e-book, The System, available on Amazon, first published in February 2011 and then updated during the first half of 2012. Why, I recently asked him via email, did he go this route? He explained that the e-book was a way of letting friends, family members, and media members know the truth about his case. "I couldn't have been more precise and meticulous in explaining everything," he told me in an email. What I really wanted to know, though, was what Jay Mariotti was doing with his life now. The other day, he tweeted: But for whom? Last September, we had a few conversations about his doing some work for Deadspin. I dangled the (faint) possibility of full-time employment. The discussion went nowhere (we'll get to his version of our chat and mine later on), and he never wound up writing anything for Deadspin. Or for anyone else, for that matter. What follows is my attempt, based on a few increasingly hostile exchanges and a close reading of his terrible book, not only to examine why Mariotti is currently jobless but to explain why, in a sane world, he should forever remain that way. I present this as a cautionary tale for other sportswriters, both young and old. There is much we can learn from the biggest asshole in media. Advertisement Lesson No. 1: Facts Sometimes Obscure The Truth Facts are very important to Jay Mariotti. He has faith in facts, as you'll see. Facts inoculate. The System (an e-book available on Amazon) was initially and briefly marketed by the author as a meticulously detailed account of the facts surrounding his domestic violence case (from his side) and the crumbling state of sports media (also from his side), cobbled together over the months when he was no longer working for his previous employers AOL Fanhouse and ESPN, both of which parted ways with Mariotti after he was accused of assaulting Allison W. The facts presented in The System contend that Allison W. was a distraught individual from the moment he met her, prone to binge-drinking and carousing and manic outbursts unbecoming of a 40-year-old woman. But he still dated her for eight months because, he claims, he felt ending the relationship would put his career as a sports entertainer in jeopardy. She regularly abused him and once even punched him in the chest 22 times. (From the book: "This is a woman who once punched me 22 straight times in the chest during a meaningless discussion—I am a heart attack survivor with a stent—and I counted each punch aloud.") It was indeed an abusive relationship, Mariotti writes, only he was the victim. These are just some of the facts that Jay Mariotti claims were overlooked or misrepresented in his case. He writes in the book that at one hearing, he counted 35 lies while Allison W. was on the stand. Jay Mariotti is lied to, and lied about, by many, he claims, both in and out of The System. Advertisement A brief list of others who have lied to him: The police Allison W.'s lawyer AOL Writers at the Chicago Sun-Times Deadspin Luckily, we have this space here to address some of the facts about Deadspin that Jay Mariotti presented in his updated version of The System, an e-book available on Amazon, meticulously written to present the facts: But then sports people have to deal with Deadspin. Long operated by maggots who aren't taken seriously by those who are serious, Deadspin represents everything that is sick and psychotic about sportswriting. In late summer of 2011, I decided, on a whim, to play a little game with the Web site that had lied so much about my case and declared I was going to jail for 12 years. The editor at the time, A.J. Daulerio, put out word through Fox Sports' Jason Whitlock that he was interested in hiring me. Preferring to slurp blood from a rotted snake carcass, I had zero interest, even if he was paying millions—when, in truth, his site barely could pay nickels. But while visiting New York with a friend, I agreed to meet with Daulerio just to look the creep in the eye. Advertisement Facts: Deadspin never reported, even from a secondary source, that Jay Mariotti was "going to jail for 12 years." I did not "put out word to Jason Whitlock" that I wanted to hire Jay Mariotti. Whitlock contacted me first and suggested I reach out to Mariotti because he felt that there was a chance he would (and should, according to Whitlock) write for us. We offered Mariotti $1,000—20,000 nickels—per column. Lesson No. 2: Be Brash, Be Aggressive, But Be Humble Most of us who've followed sports media are familiar with Mariotti's shtick, both as a columnist (contrarian agitator) and as a shouty head on ESPN's Around the Horn ("annoyed know-it-all," as he generously describes himself in his e-book). If you plan to go this route in the industry, please be acutely aware of the implications—namely, that you will no longer be a journalist; you will be, effectively, an entertainer, an actor playing a part. This will hinder your ability to be taken seriously (by those who are serious) but you will convince yourself otherwise. You will mistake your own ubiquity for something more meaningful. Being emptily and loudly provocative is lucrative work for some, but not many, and it's becoming less and less interesting as sports media evolve. Advertisement Jay Mariotti has had many bosses throughout his now-dead career, and the ones I talked to all spoke highly of his work ethic and occasional graciousness. But most were also aware of his stupefying arrogance and politely summed it by saying things like, "It's only black and white with Jay—there's no gray." Be gray. Gray is good. Gray keeps you grounded and human and prevents you from responding to normal questions by emailing delusional, "Baby's First Noir Screenplay" shit like this: Don't you get it? I covered 14 Olympics, 24 Super Bowls, every sports event imaginable many times over. I've been to every continent but one. I had more frequent-flyer miles than Clooney in the movie. I worked in a city with neurotic fans, corrupted media people and crooked publishers and editors. What's wrong with a break? If I wanted to be working, I'd be working. I needed some time off, and I love living here, riding my bike, soaking in SoCal, hanging out with trusted friends and a good, honest girl. I write every day, rooftop doors whipped open to the beach breezes, no bad deadlines, no bogus headlines, no asshole sports owners trying to sabotage me. Life's great. Really. Advertisement I responded with more questions, explaining that I was writing something about his current state of affairs. He made vague noises about a libel suit. I said I had a hunch he couldn't afford a lawsuit. He responded thus: Hunches don't work. Facts do. I have more $ than you'll see in your lifetime. Don't push it. Lesson No. 3: Never Write An E-Book Trashing Ex-Employers, Most Of Your Industry, And An Ex-Girlfriend Who Accused You Of Ripping Out Her Hair Extensions It's tacky and weird and even though Mr. Mariotti claimed in an email that there was an "e-book craze" at the time he published The System, an e-book available on Amazon, it has probably come and gone already, if it ever existed in the first place. Advertisement Plus, even in a meticulously fact-filled e-book such as Mariotti's, you still run the risk of publishing dogshit like this: "[Tim Armstrong] was about to sell AOL, which was trying to rebound as a content-based company after a dramatic free-fall in the previous decade, to media mogul Arianna Huffington for $315 million." ( Fact: AOL acquired the Huffington Post in an effort to rebound as a content-based company. Not the other way around.) AOL acquired the Huffington Post in an effort to rebound as a content-based company. Not the other way around.) "How dare AOL tell dozens of writers, many with families, that the sports operation was a long-term project, only to turn around and quickly dump it. Had I known at the time, I would have fought the company legally and launched a crusade for those writers, many of whom had come to me when offered positions and asked if the operation was legit" ( Fact: Jay Mariotti was not in a position to launch a crusade against AOL in the name of FanHouse's writers, having been charged the previous fall with two counts of domestic violence, two counts of domestic violence with injury, one count of grand theft, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of vandalism.) Jay Mariotti was not in a position to launch a crusade against AOL in the name of FanHouse's writers, having been charged the previous fall with two counts of domestic violence, two counts of domestic violence with injury, one count of grand theft, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of vandalism.) "I was becoming a foodie: Osteria Mozza, MB Post, Hungry Cat, Cut, vintage burger places, Roy Choi joints, Gjelina and Tasting kitchen in my neighborhood. One night, we saw the Red Hot Chilli Peppers perform in a downtown club." ( Fact: Christ, Jay Mariotti sounds like an asshole.) Christ, Jay Mariotti sounds like an asshole.) "I should have gone straight home on Aug. 20 [after his initial fight with Allison W., but before the altercation in which he pulled out her hair extensions] and moved on to a life of more stable companions. But knowing she was intoxicated that night and had talked of suicide, I was worried about gang members and homeless people who sometimes lingered not far from her Venice apartment. ..." ( Fact: This is the same man who claims he was repeatedly bruised and bullied by a 40-year-old woman. Somehow I don't see him holding off the Shoreline Crips.) This is the same man who claims he was repeatedly bruised and bullied by a 40-year-old woman. Somehow I don't see him holding off the Shoreline Crips.) "Thousands of miles from daughters, parents and friends, I often felt like Chevy Chase in the movie when he was an invisible man." ( Fact: This guy was a professional writer, once upon a time. "I often felt like Macaulay Culkin in the movie when he was home alone." "I often felt like Steve Martin in the movie when he was a lonely guy." "I often felt like Billy Bob Thornton in the movie where he wasn't there.") This guy was a professional writer, once upon a time. "I often felt like Macaulay Culkin in the movie when he was home alone." "I often felt like Steve Martin in the movie when he was a lonely guy." "I often felt like Billy Bob Thornton in the movie where he wasn't there.") "People deserve honest, high-quality competition and entertainment, and my aim has been to crusade for the commoner's interests. That mission should never change for any of us." (Fact: FUCK YOU in the face, Jay.) Advertisement Lesson No. 4: Jay Mariotti Is Not Only a Detestable Human Being for Many Reasons; He Is Also A Worthless, Incompetent Sports Media Creature And Should Never Be Emulated By Anyone, Let Alone Hired By Any Media Company At This Time, Even For Nickels Here's a recent addition to The System, a meticulously crafted e-book that, gravid with facts, tells Jay Mariotti's side of everything and is available on Amazon: As we sat down at a midtown restaurant, my agent inspected him and whispered, "He's stoned. I think he's on heroin." My agent was dead-serious. We talked, and Daulerio had little to say except to mumble that he wanted me to author a three-part series that would destroy ESPN, his longtime punching bag and psychopathic obsession. When I said no, he then suggested I be the site's media critic. That actually interested me for a nanosecond — but only if I could critique Deadspin, too. That seemed to perplex him further, and while he said he'd have no problem with my criticism of his site, the discussion went nowhere. Advertisement Here are some facts: As we sat down at a midtown restaurant (The Dream Hotel, a second choice after the Carnegie Deli), Jay Mariotti was introduced to me by his then-agent, Reed Bergman of Playbook Inc., who struck me not so much as a person but a bad toupee with a human attached. Reed sat next to me the whole time, so I presume the whispering occurred while I was in the bathroom. I now know what Mariotti was thinking at the time, or at least what he claims to have been thinking. He was thinking, or he claims to have been thinking, that he'd rather "eat alien vomit" (as he put it in an email to me) than write for Deadspin; that he'd rather "slurp blood from a rotted snake carcass" (as he put it in his e-book); that he'd rather "eat snail snot" (as he put it on Twitter). If he was thinking any of this when we met, it didn't show. All I saw was a guy dressed in a blazer and jeans, the standard uniform of the middle-aged white guy in transition, though on him the effect was more "hungover community-college theater instructor." I had spoken with Reed and Jay over the phone, and the agent picked up where our conversations had left off, emphasizing that he thought Jay Mariotti and Deadspin would be a good partnership and that we shared a lot of the same ideals. He said that the purpose of today's meeting was to discuss the initial freelance work, but that he hoped it would lead to negotiations about something more long-term. Ahem. My initial pitch to Jay over the phone was for him to write like a human being, for once, and chronicle the challenge of reinventing himself and saving his career. I was hoping for self-awareness and honesty. I thought maybe he'd been put in the frame of mind to take proper stock of himself and his work. Mariotti felt that he'd already done so in The System, the meticulously fact-stuffed e-book available on Amazon, and so when I proposed the ESPN posts in our meeting, they were, to me, a backup plan. We had agreed that ESPN's place in journalism was wobbly, and that the bigger the company became, the less it would be able to call itself a journalistic entity. This idea morphed into a possible role as a media critic, and he did snicker when he asked if he could write about Deadspin in that capacity. Yes, I said, reluctantly, but I could tell we were headed nowhere fast—not because Deadspin was or is beyond criticism, but because it was becoming clear Mariotti hadn't changed at all. He was totally oblivious to how useless his skillset had become. Advertisement "You want page hits?" he said, as if he had an idea of what that term meant. "I'll get you page hits." Jay proposed a bigger role at Deadspin. "I could post other blogs," he said, as if he had posted many blogs before. When I asked him what kind of blog he would post, Mariotti had an answer. He picked up a copy of that day's New York Times. He leaned over and showed me the front page. He rapped his fingers on the bottom half of page one, where a story about the Boston Red Sox was featured. "Look at this," he said. "The Red Sox are featured on the front page of The New York Times." He looked shocked, disgusted, even. "That's something I could post a blog about." Advertisement Imagine the page hits, his look said. This is when I realized that Jay Mariotti was fucking hopeless—more hopeless than any of those "dead-tree" sportswriters he'd spent the last few years of his career pitying and heckling for their inability to adapt to the new media landscape, as he had supposedly done. Nothing has changed since our conversation. He is as appalling as ever. Just a week ago, he felt compelled to tweet that Tim Sullivan, the recently fired San Diego Union Tribune columnist, lost his job because "he wrote like an old fart. Got to stay young." This is my plea to the world—to sports journalists and editors and radio show producers and podcasters and itinerant vacuum cleaner salesmen, to everyone, young and old. Do not employ Jay Mariotti. Do not let him write for you. Do not let him talk on your show or your podcast. Do not let him sell your vacuum cleaners. Let us do everything in our power to ensure that Tim Sullivan makes more money than Jay Mariotti for the rest of his life. That mission should never change for any of us. Advertisement Photo via Getty
Next season’s playoff race begins this spring as all 32 teams retool their rosters, so it’s time to take a look at what each franchise must do for a better season in 2016. Next up: the Bills, who should enter the spring with some urgency to get things right after falling short of expectations in Rex Ryan’s first year in town. Check back for our other 31 off-season outlooks, which we will be rolling out in reverse order of finish over the coming weeks leading up to free agency and the draft. Key free agents LT Cordy Glenn, WR Percy Harvin, OG Richie Incognito, OLB Nigel Bradham, SS Bacarri Rambo. Players that must be re-signed Glenn, Incognito: Glenn was the mainstay of Buffalo’s vastly improved offensive line, allowing just two sacks, two hits and 23 hurries in 1,079 snaps all season. And for all the trouble he’s caused in other spots throughout his collegiate and NFL career, Incognito was a model citizen in Buffalo, helping the Bills lead the league with 2,432 rushing yards. If the Bills cannot retain both of them, things could get bad pretty quickly. Eric Wood is a really good center, but the right guard and right tackle positions are undefined at this point. And according to Football Outsiders’ opponent-adjusted metrics, Buffalo’s excellence on the ground was more about its backs than its blockers. It’s a tough spot, because the Bills are going to have to part with some veterans just to make it under the cap (they’re at about $167 million right now), and Glenn and Incognito will likely earn lucrative contracts somewhere—especially Glenn, who has no off-field baggage to explain. Most important position to improve Linebacker: After Kiko Alonso’s 2014 injury and ’15 trade to Philadelphia, it was thought that Nigel Bradham could replace Alonso with aplomb as he did under the direction of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz in ’14. But Bradham regressed in Rex Ryan’s defense and suffered his own injuries. Second-year middle linebacker Preston Brown had his own disappointing season after a solid rookie campaign, and he was one of several Bills defenders who called out the coaching staff during the season—a highly unusual occurrence. It’s not that the Bills need new personnel here as much as it is that the coaching staff needs to find ways to put good players in the right positions. Subscribe Get the best of Sports Illustrated delivered right to your inbox The SI Extra Newsletter Other positions to improve Offensive line, defensive line, receiver: Most likely, the Bills will lose either Glenn or Incognito, unless general manager Doug Whaley does a ton of creative cap-managing. The departure of one or both would raise problems along that line that are not easily solved. The defensive line is one of the league’s best in theory, but a closer look shows some potential damage. Mario Williams had a disappointing season overall, and he is due a $19.9 million cap hit in 2016. His release seems a fait accompli. The team can save $12.9 million in cap space by releasing him. Tackle Kyle Williams, who generally plays at an All-Pro level when healthy, wasn’t in ’15. He missed 10 games, and the knee injury that put him on injured reserve in early December could keep him out of all off-season activities. Losing Kyle Williams was a big reason the Bills’ run defense regressed so much. Tackle Marcell Dareus and edge rusher Jerry Hughes are the stalwarts, but after that, things get a bit iffy. Corbin Bryant and Alex Carrington filled in ably—Bryant was especially good—but the Bills will have to solve a lot of problems on both lines, most likely through the draft. Sammy Watkins is the ideal No. 1 receiver the Bills wanted, and he proved that as quarterback Tyrod Taylor grew into a breakout season. But after that? Percy Harvin was an afterthought, Robert Woods and Chris Hogan were pretty productive, and tight end Charles Clay had a good season, though maybe not in line with the five-year, $38 million deal the Bills gave him last March. To fill out that passing game and help Taylor take it to the next level, Buffalo needs another receiver who can mix it up with more aggressive cornerbacks and create yards after the catch. Overall priority this off-season Get Rex Ryan and the defense on the same page. Ryan has been one of football’s best defensive minds for a good long time, and no matter what you think of his attendant personality quirks, the football side has never been in question. Which made the schism between Ryan and his defensive players so odd last year. No, Ryan didn’t actually run the defense—he delegated that responsibility to defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman—but the disconnect between the coaching staff and the players was highly unusual, to say the least. The Bills dropped from second to 24th in Defensive DVOA last year, and no defense had ever fallen that far in the efficiency rankings in the year after Ryan took over. After a loss to the Bengals last October, Mario Williams expressed frustration with schemes that had him dropping into coverage more than ever, and the front wasn’t always aggressive. That was the game in which the Bills lost Kyle Williams to injury, as well. Hughes and Dareus have also said things, and in December, Ryan fell on the grenade, shouldering the blame for a disappointing first year. Adding brother Rob to the coaching staff may help, but something has to change. Rex is too good a coach, and the Bills are too stocked with quality personnel, for this slump to go on.
This article originally appeared on The Tyee. At least seven of 51 large dams built by the province’s shale gas industry in northeastern B.C. were not safe and required “enforcement orders” to comply with the law. Almost six months after an independent report raised serious questions about the legality and safety of earth dams built to hold water for the fracking industry, the province’s energy regulator now reports it is taking action. The Oil and Gas Commission recently issued a bulletin saying it had inspected 51 dams northwest of Fort St. John last May and found “some issues” at seven different structures. These issues included water spilling over their top, erosion at the base and potential failure representing a hazard to the environment, First Nations and energy workers, according to the orders issued by the commission. The commission ordered Progress Energy to reduce water volumes by 50 per cent at five dams containing between 4.4 million and 26 million gallons of water. The commission says it has identified 51 water storage sites holding more than 2.2 million gallons that qualify as regulated dams under B.C.’s Dam Safety Regulation. The dams are operated by 10 oil and gas companies. The industry funded energy regulator also ordered ConocoPhillips to empty all the water from two dams deemed unsafe and insecure. Both ConocoPhillips enforcement orders noted “that allowing the structure to fill with water above the native grade elevation creates a potential for failure of the dam and a large release of material downslope.” Inspectors also found a variety of problems at five dams built by Malaysian-owned Progress Energy, including erosion, slumping and water overflowing the top of the dam. In one case water levels came to within 50 centimetres of the top of the dam during a recent storm, “creating risk of overtopping.” In addition, “the existing closed-culvert spillway on the structure is insufficient to provide adequate outflow in the event of a large inflow from a storm rainfall event,” inspectors found. In July the commission ordered Progress Energy to reduce water volumes in the structure because if it was more than half full there was “potential for structure failure.” The OGC says the company has complied with the order at all five dams. In 2015 Progress Energy triggered a 4.6 magnitude earthquake, one of the largest earthquakes attributed to the brute force technology of hydraulic fracturing, while injecting 35 million gallons of water, chemicals and sand over a three-week period in 132 stages. Each stage creates fractures in rock deep underground, allowing gas to flow to wells. Increasing volumes of water have been used in fracking in the north Montney shale gas basin. Between 2012 and 2015 the mean amount used per well increased 62 per cent to 3.6 million gallons, the commission told The Tyee. The regulator is also playing catchup in terms of providing legal authorization for the structures. Location of 12 Progress Energy dams. Dams under review at the time of Ben Parfitt's original story on unauthorized dams in May 2017 are marked red. Yellow indicates existing Progress Energy dams that were constructed in advance of the company's water licence applications submitted in December of 2016. The OGC’s recent bulletin asks “the operators of water storage structures to submit the necessary applications, including assessments and any necessary design modifications done by qualified engineers.” As companies submit their designs, the commission says that it is “working to review all of them to ensure timely decisions are made in accordance with applicable regulatory and legal requirements.” It has hired more staff to address safety at the dams — a subject that now has its own OGC website. But The Tyee has learned that OGC only released its bulletin and the enforcement orders to the public on Sept. 29, five days after Parfitt filed a freedom of information request on the same topic to the OGC. “It is deeply troubling that orders to companies on structures showing signs of failure are not issued publicly at the time, but only five days after a freedom of information request,” said Parfitt in an interview. “Why didn’t the OGC publish their enforcement orders when they issued them back in May? I think there is a problem with transparency and integrity here,” added Parfitt. Parfitt’s original report on the proliferation of unauthorized dams to store water for fracking operations was released last May by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The document reported that many of the dams were unauthorized and that at least one had failed during extreme weather. The OGC denies that its recent bulletin or publication of enforcement orders has anything to do with Parfitt’s reporting or queries. “The Commission has been working on a compliance and enforcement webpage for a few months — it was ready to put in production in late September,” said Phil Rygg, director of public and corporate relations. Rygg also denied that the CCPA report prompted the commission to inspect the dams. “Once we were granted the authority to inspect dams under the Water Sustainability Act last year, we started working with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development to determine the number, location and owners of dams used in the oil and gas sector, and notified industry,” said Rygg in an email. “Due to snowpack levels, we weren’t able to investigate each dam until the snow had fully receded in the northeast earlier this year, which was mid-May in the Montney region, and mid-June in the Horn River Basin area.” But Parfitt says that’s not true. “The suggestion that it was the enactment of the Water Sustainability Act that compelled the OGC to move is a smokescreen,” he said. “The dams were all built when the old water act was in place, and many of them were built in contravention of that act because many of them impounded freshwater.” “Both the OGC and the companies and [the lands ministry] for that matter seem to want to hide behind the ‘oh, the legislation changed’ argument. That’s clearly false,” added Parfitt. Parfitt also found it “stunning” that the OGC would claim that a flyover of the 50 dams was delayed because of snow. An unauthorized Progress Energy dam where millions of gallons of freshwater was found impounded in early April. It is among “dozens” of unpermitted dams spread across northern B.C. Photo © Garth Lenz, all rights reserved. His report came out on May 3. On May 10 the commission issued a statement warning companies of potential problems due to extreme heavy rains. “A week later they do the flyover and find troubles at seven of 50 dams, or 14 per cent of all facilities investigated,” said Parfitt. Seismic experts, such as Gail Atkinson, a professor at Western University, also expressed alarm at the ad-hoc construction of dams in an area experiencing a sustained rise in man-made earthquakes due to hydraulic fracturing. Atkinson says earthquakes triggered by hydraulic fracturing can exceed the natural quake hazard, posing unanticipated risks to dams and other infrastructure. “Any unauthorized dam of significant size is a source of concern,” Atkinson told The Tyee. “Dams are supposed to be highly regulated for a reason,” she said. “The Canadian Dam Safety Association puts out extensive guidelines on the engineering requirements for such structures — though they note that the standards do not actually have the force of law.” (Water and dams are provincially regulated.) “I would expect the province to take a firm stand on authorized dams of significant size that could pose a safety or environmental hazard,” Atkinson said. “To use an analogy, if you constructed a five-storey building without getting a building permit, how would that go over?” In a related development the provincial Environmental Assessment Office announced that it is now considering an unusual request from Progress Energy to exempt two large dams, the Lily and Energy Town structures, that the company built in 2012 and 2014, from provincial environmental assessments. The Lily dam is seven storeys high while the Energy Town structure is five storeys high. The Environmental Assessment Act clearly states that the EAO must assess all major projects before they are built, and not after the fact. The CCPA report found due to their size the two dams should have triggered an automatic review by the province’s Environmental Assessment Office before construction. But Parfitt found that the province failed to conduct a review before the dams were built. In a recent submission to the Environmental Assessment Office Parfitt noted “the applications for an exemption from an environmental assessment were received in July 2017, more than five years after the Oil and Gas Commission gave relevant approvals for the projects, more than five years after the completion of the Town dam, and roughly three years after completion of the Lily dam.” “B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Act does not contemplate a situation in which projects are illegally built and an exemption is subsequently sought,” he added. In a Sept. 21 letter, Ecojustice, representing the Sierra Club of British Columbia Foundation, also argued that proper environmental certificates for the dams “should have been sought, environmental assessments conducted, appropriate conditions and mitigation required, and EACs [Environmental Assessment Certificates] granted prior to construction, if construction was allowed at all.” Ecojustice has asked the Environmental Assessment Office to deny the exemption request and refer the matter directly to the environment minister. Image: Progress Energy Lily Dam is the largest dam in northeastern B.C. According to the company the dam has a berm height of 22.89 metres. Progress Energy has 29 dams in B.C, the average height of which is reportedly 5.33 metres. Photo: Progress Energy
Radical anti-war revolutionary turned education advocate Bill Ayers said Tuesday he believed President Barack Obama should be charged with war crimes. Ayers, who co-founded the far left revolutionary Weather Underground group, told Tom Bevan and Charlie Stone of Real Clear Politics that Obama’s use of targeted drone strikes was “absolutely” a form of terrorism. “Every president in this century should be put on trial for war crimes,” he said. “Absolutely. Every one of them goes into an office dripping with blood and then adds to it. And yes, I think these are war crimes. I think they’re acts of terror.” Ayers said he would give Obama a failing grade as president, though he was admittedly fond of his curious and intellectual personality. The purported friendship between Ayers and Obama was viciously attacked during the 2008 presidential campaign. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin infamously questioned why Obama was “palling around with terrorists” and Fox News host Sean Hannity frequently used Ayers as proof Obama was a radical socialist. Ayers has said Obama was nothing more than an neighborly acquaintance, whom he only interacted with through their mutual involvement in charitable organizations and the University of Chicago. Watch video, courtesy of Real Clear Politics, below: – – [Image via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons licensed]
This is the actual boarding pass I got from Delta. It's a nightmare. Note all the random alignments and spacing issues. Update on Sunday, January 3, 2010 at 1:40PM by on Sunday, January 3, 2010 at 1:40PM by Tyler Thompson Here is an Illustrator file template with some of the elements and text, the fonts most likely wont come across unless you have them installed ( Titling Gothic and Gotham Book ) but it should help speed up mocking things up. Update on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 6:51AM by on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 6:51AM by Tyler Thompson A great point was brought up by Samuel about the fact that boarding passes are printed with thermal printers. This would, in effect, ruin the colored designs, although you can print one other color besides black via thermal printers, most commonly red. Here is some more info on thermal printers. Update on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 7:07AM by on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 7:07AM by Tyler Thompson Here is a shot of a Virgin Airlines boarding pass. I would settle for an offset printed backside and a better thought out thermal printed front side. Update on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 10:38AM by on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 10:38AM by Tyler Thompson Matt Davey ( @mattdavey ) gives us our first foreign attempt. Apparently, foreign flights have huge ass barcodes. Nice and straight forward, thanks Matt. It's interesting to note that the foreign pass he shows has knocked out text on black and an image behind it. So either this isn't thermal printed or it is pre-printed then thermal printed. Update on Friday, January 8, 2010 at 9:11AM by on Friday, January 8, 2010 at 9:11AM by Tyler Thompson Yoni De Beule has compiled almost every point into this beautiful example. I think I would add the boarding time, but other than that, this looks great. Update on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 11:00AM by on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 11:00AM by Tyler Thompson Designer Designer Louie Manta gives us his attempt. Update on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:14AM by on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:14AM by Tyler Thompson JJ sent this shot of a current Air New Zealand boarding pass. Update on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:18AM by on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:18AM by Tyler Thompson Great redesign by JJ at Graphicology (Squarespace site!). He takes into account the printing restrictions and adds a human touch. This is a really, really interesting approach. Update on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:25AM by on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:25AM by Tyler Thompson From Brent Gentile. He puts emphasis on the phonetics of your name and the airport codes. I think the phonetics part is important given the rich diversity of most airport travelers. Update on Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 7:56AM by on Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 7:56AM by Tyler Thompson "Hi, I loved your blog about boarding passes, and here is my idea. You know, I think having a "vertical" orientation will give it a lot more clarity, like when you need to know quickly what a book is about, and you start reading from the top certain words. I tried to take the thermal printing into consideration when designing. " - Julian Montoya Update on Monday, January 18, 2010 at 8:55AM by on Monday, January 18, 2010 at 8:55AM by Tyler Thompson Wallet sized pass from Davin Yoon This all started on a recent flight aboard a Delta Airlines plane. I was heading back from New York where I had met up with fellow designer Dustin Curtis . If you are not aware of Dustin's take on American Airlines, go read this . Anyway, I was inspired by Dustin and his attitude towards shittily designed things, to say the least. I was bored so I started rummaging through my stuff trying to find something to read when I grabbed my boarding pass. So I stared at it for a while. Rubbed my eyes, then stared at it some more.It was like someone put on a blindfold, drank a fifth of whiskey, spun around 100 times, got kicked in the face by a mule (the person who designed this definitely has a mule living with them inside their house) and then just started puking numbers and letters onto the boarding pass at random (yes, I realize that a human didn't lay this out, if a human had, judging by the train-wreck of design, they would have surely used papyrus). There was nothing given size or color importance over anything else, it was a mess. So I took out my Moleskine and started sketching. I tried to remember my previous trip through John F. Kennedy Airport and when and why I needed to reference my boarding pass. It seemed like I first needed to know which flight I was on. I put the gate right next to this, but made the flight number first because gates tend to change quite often. Next came my seat which I always look at a few times while boarding the plane. After that I put the zone, which is how they board the airplane initially and always seemed like the biggest cluster-fuck of people not knowing what zone they were in or how to find it on their pass. I also did something with the time I think might help, when it was a P.M. time, it was white text on a black box and when it was A.M. it was black text on a white box. Below is what I initially came up with.After looking at my initial design for a while I really wanted to add some color. This would be a great way to help add some branding and give some instant visual recognition of which carrier you are on.Once I added some branding I thought this layout could work for basically every airline. Below is Jetblue. I haven't researched many other boarding passes, international boarding passes etc. So please feel free to sprinkle the comments with any knowledge, insight etc on the issue.Here is another design I came up with as well.If anyone has any ideas on how to make this better, please put together a design and email it to me here: t at squarespace dot com. If I get some interesting or good designs, I will update this post with them.
If today was any indication of the relaxing times I can look forward to in the week ahead, I may well need a hiatus from my hiatus… — Went over the rough cut footage from the gag reel. Lots of funny bits. Now it’s just a matter of selecting the best and choosing the order. — Went over the visual effect shots for a bunch of episodes. It’s all looking fantastic. Kudos to VFX Supervisor Lawren Bancroft-Wilson and his various teams. Eye-popping stuff. — Reviewed budgets for the show’s first two seasons, and prospective third. — Reviewed a couple of terrific special features. — Completed the beat sheet for our season 3 premiere: a tease, a tag, and five action-packed, character-driven, twisty-turns acts! — Did a little work on my new pilot script and am a little over halfway done. It’s pretty different from what I usually write, more in the realm of military SF, but still the character-driven, action-fueled story-telling with that underlying humor I love so much. Coming soon to a screen near you? I’m counting on late 2017! Today’s intriguing screen shot comes from…some episode in Dark Matter’s second season. But what IS going on here? Guesses? Modeling the Hyperion-8 detention facility – Dark Matter (Darkroom Digital Effects, CG Supervisor: Craig VanDenBiggilaar, Modeling Supervisor – Brendon Morfitt. Fancy light-up corporate name plate c/o Roxanne Borris. Incoming transmission! Trivia time! More often than not, whenever a character is watching, reacting, or conversing with an onscreen display, said display is often a “burn-in” meaning the actor is not playing to a live-feed but a blue screen. The actual onscreen elements are “burned in” later in post-production. And a little something for the Stargate fans, from the archives… Architecture designs – “The Other Guys”. Wraith mask – James Robbins. Wraith warrior chest plate – James Robbins. Share this: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print More Tumblr WhatsApp Pocket LinkedIn Reddit Like this: Like Loading...
As The U.S. Empire Spreads Abroad It Becomes A Police State At Home by Sherwood Ross As America’s empire spreads abroad, it becomes ever more the police state at home. The methods used for the suppression of foreigners by military force and violence are eventually mirrored in the “homeland.” In an article last September 25th titled “It Is Official: the US Is A Police State,” author Paul Craig Roberts, Assistant Treasury Secretary during the Reagan years, wrote, “’Violent extremism’ is one of those undefined police state terms that will mean whatever the government wants it to mean. In this morning’s FBI foray into the homes of American citizens of conscience it means antiwar activists, whose activities are equated with ‘the material support of terrorism’…” The FBI raids at home are reminiscent of U.S. military raids overseas. In Iraq, for instance, labor union offices were raided and rifled and labor leaders imprisoned by the Occupation forces. Their “crime” was to oppose sweetheart contract deals with private oil firms. The vast U.S. prison system, which houses 2.4 million Americans, may be compared with the Gulag the U.S. has built abroad. America today is the World’s Jailer. As Allan Uthman reported on AlterNet, in 2006 the Bush regime began building “detention centers” to warehouse inmates for unspecified “new programs” when the Army Corps of Engineers gave Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg Brown & Root nearly $400 million. What we do abroad, we do at home. Adopting police state tactics on Americans the U.S. Empire first used on subjects abroad has a long history. When Filipinos rebelled against U.S. rule after their country was “liberated” from Spain, captured resistance fighters were subjected to water torture. Twenty years later, imprisoned American pacifists who opposed the Wilson administration’s entry into World War One were hung by their hands, and had running hoses shoved in their faces. In its editorial of July 25th, The Nation magazine denounces America’s use of “secret armies, covert operations…offshore torture centers, out-of-control armed corporations, runaway military spending, wars by fleets of robots, wars by assassination—and all the other features of the imperial presidency…” The magazine has long sought to end these practices. It’s still a great idea but now it’s a tad late. The Reactionary Elite that runs America is powerful. Congress rubber-stamps President Obama’s five wars of aggression abroad and enacts laws at home that scorch individual liberty. The result is the emergent police state. The other day I watched people entering a bus station in Orlando, Florida, submit to a body scan by two security officers who had no probable cause whatever to search them. Americans boarding trains and planes now accept such scans routinely. In area after area, Americans are accepting violations of their privacy in the name of “national security” with hardly a murmur of dissent. The Bush regime created “watch”(75,000 names) and “no fly”(45,000 names) lists that restrict individuals’ air travel–and those searched and/or stopped from flying can complain all they like because it won’t do them any good. Robert Johnson, an American citizen, Naomi Wolf reports in her book “The End of America”(Chelsea Green), described the humiliation factor of being strip searched when he attempted to board an airplane: “I had to take off my pants. I had to take off my sneakers, then I had to take off my socks. I was treated like a criminal.” This has now become a commonplace ordeal for countless numbers of Americans. Even at the height of World War Two, such invasions of personal rights would have been unthinkable. Fear of government, unlike anything I have ever known in my lifetime, appears widespread. How do I know people are fearful? Because many readers call me “courageous” (which I definitely am not) for challenging the government, revealing that they truly do fear to speak out. David Cole, a professor at Georgetown Law School, writes in The Nation that Congress last May reauthorized provisions of the misnamed “Patriot Act” that “permit the government to obtain ‘roving’ wiretaps without identifying the person or the phone to be tapped, (to)demand records from libraries and businesses without establishing any reason to believe the target is involved in criminal, much less terrorist, activity; and (to)use surveillance powers initially restricted to agents of foreign governments or terrorist organizations against ‘lone wolves’ not affiliated with any such group or government.” This is an echo of the ECHELON system the U.S. and its British Commonwealth allies have employed since World War Two to eavesdrop on the entire planet, track dissenters, and steal business secrets. Cole also writes Attorney General Eric Holder will now allow FBI agents “to rummage through citizens’ trash, conduct searches of computer databases and repeatedly use surveillance squads to track people without any suspicion of individual wrongdoing or court approval.” (Just like the body searches at the bus terminal.) The absence of court approval is significant in that a court is the only legal bulwark a citizen has against unbridled police power. And now that’s gone. The peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq have suffered far worse at the hands of American-led military. The fact is, when the Empire goes to war, the life of its individual citizen is devalued and degraded—not only on the battlefield, where it is often sacrificed for all the wrong reasons, but at home as well. It’s happening here. The right to form unions freely is scrapped in defiance of the vast majority of workers who want one. The public treasury is looted by Congress to bail out the bankers over the 100-to-one protests of constituents. Foreign wars are waged over the wishes of the popular majority who want them ended. As liberty after liberty is being circumscribed or eliminated, the common man and woman are being reduced to the common serf. Harold Laski, a former chairman of the British Labor Party, once noted, “We live under a system by which the many are exploited by the few, and war is the ultimate sanction of that exploitation.” Imperialism—whether practiced by Spain in the 16th century, England in the 18th century, Soviet Russia, Imperial Japan, and Nazi Germany in the 20th century, or America today—is a gangrene that expands tyranny at home with the equivalent velocity that it spreads war abroad. About the Writer: Sherwood Ross is director of the Anti-War News Service. He formerly worked as a columnist for daily newspapers and wire services. All donations to his news service cheerfully accepted. Reach him at [email protected]
In this week’s #SkepticalTuesday post, I take a look at the facts of farmed vs. wild-caught salmon and ask: “what’s the difference?” * Last week a Quartz.com article found its way, as things do, into my Facebook feed. Called “Here’s Why Your Farmed Salmon Has Color Added To It”, the article answers a question you probably never thought to ask, because, like most people, you probably didn’t know your farmed salmon has color added to it. Turns out, farmed salmon isn’t naturally pink like its wild equivalent, because their diet is different. So companies like Hoffman-Laroche and DSM have produced an additive to give the farmed whitish-grey salmon it’s familiar pinkish hue. It’s an interesting bit on the way our expectations shape market forces — if salmon isn’t pink like we expect, it’s very hard to sell. Oh how I wish it had been written objectively, though. Much of the article gives off the reek of frankenfood scaremongering, from the choice to mention that the yeast in farmed salmon feed is “genetically engineered,” to the scare-quotes around the word “naturally” when describing the process of adding ground up krill to the feed to give the salmon its pink hue (without using those dreaded “petrochemicals”). But what really stuck in my craw was this statement: Wild salmon—which is tastier, more nutritious and can cost two to three times that of farmed salmon (which is usually $6-10 per pound)—serves as the aesthetic standard as well. Aside from the logical flaw that insists that the reason we prefer pink salmon to white is “the fact of its being wild” rather than “the fact of its being what we’re used to,” there are a few claims in there that made me wonder: is that actually true? Sure, I’ll believe wild-caught salmon is more expensive, that’s a no-brainer. But is wild salmon really tastier? And more importantly, is it really more nutritious? As for taste, well, it’s pretty subjective. A lot of websites will tell you farmed salmon tastes better, but in at least one blind taste-test farmed salmon has come out on top. Wild salmon has less fat, smaller flakes, and a denser texture, but whether you prefer the taste of that over slightly fattier fish is a little like debating whether you prefer Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. They’re different, but people like both. But the nutrition angle can be actually quantified, and, unsurprisingly enough, has been. And, in a way sure to prevent the story from ever hitting the traditional news media, the results are mixed. Salmon — all salmon — is both good for you and bad for you. It’s got a lot of great stuff in it: fatty acids (those omega-3s people are always talking about, as well as EHA and DHA), protein, minerals. But salmon meat also suffers from a fairly high level of environmental contamination: PCBs, dioxin and dioxin-like chemicals. The long and short of it is that while farmed salmon have higher levels of those healthful fatty acids, they also contain higher levels of environmental contaminants. What makes the situation more murky, too, is that not all farmed salmon is created equal. Treating all farmed salmon as the same is a mistake. This study in the journal Aquaculture in 2006 found similar levels of vitamin D in both farmed and wild, and higher levels of fatty acids in the farmed salmon. Although it has a small sample size, it’s interesting because both farmed and wild samples were Atlantic salmon. This is important because you rarely eat wild Atlantic salmon — the fisheries have been sorely depleted — so almost all comparisons are between wild Pacific salmon and farmed Atlantic salmon, making it very hard to tell what differences are due to the farming and what are due to the species. This study from the Journal of Nutrition in 2005 attempts to calculate both cancer and noncancer risk-to-benefit ratios for Pacific wild caught salmon and Atlantic farmed salmon. It finds that the risk-to-benefit ratio is better in the wild Pacific, but not by a huge margin — especially when considering different farming areas: “Regional patterns in the benefit-risk ratio for carcinogens mirror those of the benefit-risk ratio for noncarcinogens with wild salmon, salmon from Chilean and Washington farms, and farmed salmon from retail markets in the United States providing the highest benefit per unit risk. These farmed salmon provide benefits per unit carcinogenic risk on a par with some wild salmon, indicating high concentrations of beneficial fatty acids and relatively lower concentrations of carcinogenic contaminants in these fish.” Farmed salmon from Europe scored lower. So what’s the answer: is wild salmon really “more nutritious”? It depends on what you mean. If fatty acids are your thing, it’s farmed salmon, hands-down. But if you want to limit your exposure to contaminants, then some farmed salmon is probably as good, but probably not all. And Pacific might (and I stress might) be better than Atlantic. Maybe. And that’s why nobody will report on it: because the truth is rarely simple, rarely sensational, and rarely clear. * Richard Ford Burley is a doctoral candidate in English at Boston College, where he’s writing about remix culture and the processes that generate texts in the Middle Ages and on the internet. He was recently saved from a promising career as a hikikomori by a brilliant renaissance woman who swept him off his feet, and now he lives with her and their completely mental cat in Brighton.
LEXINGTON, Ky., Jan. 14 (UPI) -- A bill requiring doctors to show ultrasound images of their fetuses to all women seeking abortions advanced Thursday in the Kentucky Legislature. A Senate committee approved Senate 38 unanimously, The (Louisville) Courier-Journal reported. That allows it to go to the Senate floor for a vote. In the past, bills attempting to reduce the number of abortions in Kentucky have stalled in the House after passing the Senate. Republican state Sen. Elizabeth Tori said the bill goes further than a similar one she sponsored last year. The current measure requires doctors to explain the details of the ultrasound to women, including showing them how many fetuses are involved and pointing out visible body parts such as arms and legs. Robert Castagna, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky, called abortion a "life-changing and life-ending procedure." "Good public policy demands that before a woman gives truly informed consent and allows an irreversible procedure to be performed on herself and her unborn child, she should be fully informed by the most complete and current information," he said.
This past weekend, Ted Cruz put out a political ad that was actually good and funny. The ad first aired in Iowa during a broadcast of “Saturday Night Live,” a fun take on their ad parodies. You can watch it here: It features Cruz reading to his family such festive and timeless classics as “How Obamacare Stole Christmas” and “Rudolph the Underemployed Reindeer.” It’s well written and well produced, so of course some people got upset. But no one got quite as upset as Ann Telnaes, an editorial cartoonist whose work is frequently featured at The Washington Post. So mad, in fact, that she inexplicably portrayed Cruz as an organ grinder whose children were monkeys on leashes. To make a long story short, The Washington Post ended up pulling the cartoon, which was actually an animated GIF for the full “Ted Cruz’s children are monkeys!” effect. As @AnnTelnaes now realizes with perhaps some small regret, @GPollowitz: The Internet is forever. pic.twitter.com/738xxsWyJU GuardAmerican (@GuardAmerican) December 23, 2015 There are so many things wrong with Telnaes’ cartoon and the subsequent defense of it that it’s hard to know where to begin, but let’s just dig in. 1) All Politicians Put Their Families In Their Ads Telnaes is a Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist, so I’m surprised she didn’t know this, but something approaching 100 percent of all politicians feature family members in political ads. So unless Telnaes was born on Saturday, there is no excuse for being ignorant of this. Maybe she should read her own newspaper for an explanation of this thing she thinks Cruz invented: A Washington Post story from 2012 on Obama using his kids as a “political asset” in ads: https://t.co/knlasRbO8I pic.twitter.com/34FkcRQyzs Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) December 23, 2015 2) Children Are Off Limits You don’t have to abide by these rules, of course, but one key rule governing civilized behavior by the media is that kids are off limits. Many hours before anyone had noticed Telnaes’ cartoons (her cartoons are boring and usually not worth paying attention to), she tweeted out a pre-emptive defense and pre-emptive justification for why she broke this rule. Ted Cruz has put his children in a political ad- don’t start screaming when editorial cartoonists draw them as well. https://t.co/7hafBacOiK Ann Telnaes (@AnnTelnaes) December 22, 2015 Again, I believe this was many, many hours before the cartoon was noticed by anyone — perhaps before it was even published — so the defensiveness on display was probably some vestigial conscience showing up. She was also quoted by CNN as saying she thought that the kids were, and I quote, “fair game” because of the ad that showed them being cute and funny. Since all politicians put their kids (and grandkids!) in ads, and this was just a particularly effective featuring of the same, this makes you wonder just how ideologically blinded Telnaes might be. Gabriel Malor had an interesting series of tweets on this matter that I will condense here: The core problem here is that Ann Telnaes has no moral foundation. She knows there are rules, but she doesn’t know why there are rules. So Telnaes simply thought she could reason her way to an exception to the rule: kids are off limits. But her reasoning — Cruz did it, so they’re fair game — does not actually address the reason for the rule. The reason, in case you were wondering, why kids are off limits is because they lack culpability AND the capacity to respond. That Cruz cast his children in a good light does not mean that Telnaes is relieved of the rule protecting them from being cast negatively. Telnaes doesn’t understand this bc, again, she doesn’t know why we have the rule, only that there is one. She lacks a moral foundation. Just because the Cruz kids are adorable and funny doesn’t mean you can go after them any more than you can go after Sasha and Malia for being adorable when pulled out on stage at political events either. 3) Monkeys? Really? As if going after children weren’t enough, Telnaes thought it would be a grand idea to portray the daughters of the first Hispanic senator from Texas as monkeys. I’m not sure if the dehumanization was done because of that, because of their father’s politics or some other reason, but it compounds the error in ways that make you wonder how in the heck the cartoon received editorial approval from The Washington Post. @MZHemingway “His kids were in ads so I can portray them as dancing monkeys. I seriously don’t see the problem.”-@AnnTelnaes Just wow. CDB (@quietnolonger) December 23, 2015 I’m not a Ted Cruz apologist, but could you imagine if Sasha and Malia were depicted this way? Not cool. https://t.co/CCPjA42S3J Ellen L. Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) December 22, 2015 Just in general, journalists should avoid portraying and mocking the kids of politicians, including the kids of Hispanic politicians, as dancing monkeys. Does this really need to be said to Pulitzer Prize-winning elites? I guess so. 4) It’s Not Funny This is actually quite important. The Washington Post has always been a bad page for editorial cartooning. For something like 60 years they featured the ghastly work of HERBLOCK, whose distinctions were drawing like a particularly uncreative five-year-old and labeling literally everything in said drawings. Partly he needed to label because he lacked any imagination at all and kept pushing out the same clichéd metaphor for…everything. Partly, some suspected, it was because he was huffing airplane glue. If you’d like some delicious take-downs of HERBLOCK (his name was Herbert Block, so this all-block-letter-combo-name thing gives you an indication of his dazzling intellect), I’d recommend “Cartoons Without Humor: The underwhelming oeuvre of Herblock, America’s worst political cartoonist” and “Washington’s Blockheads: The perpetual adulation of Herblock.” From the latter, by the great Andy Ferguson: Vampire bats sweep across a skyline, their bellies covered in writing: “takeover tactics,” “raiders,” “greenmail specialists,” “junk bond finances,” and “stock manipulations.” (This must be Wall Street!) And there’s always a caption, too, another 15 or 20 words. “If you don’t get my meaning,” Block seems to be saying to his reader, “I’m going to make you sit here until you do.” It was his politics, mostly, that lifted Herblock above his lack of technical skill to the Pulitzers and the medals and the honorary degrees. His ideas were as simple as his draftsmanship, and perfectly matched to the prejudices of the powerful journalists he hoped to please. All of which to say, Telnaes reminds me a lot of HERBLOCK. She can draw better than he could (all humans can), but her ideas are just as predictably progressive, clichéd, hyper-partisan, and so on. She obsesses over the same, few causes (supporting abortion is her favorite and disdaining Christians is right up there, too). In fact, her attacks on pro-lifers are so hackneyed that nobody will be surprised that she’s been given awards by the country’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. (Interestingly, this pro-abortion cartoon, which passes for perceptive at The Washington Post, also features children on strings, which says nothing about pro-lifers but a great deal about Telnaes.) 5) It’s Overexplained Another way that Telnaes is as bad as HERBLOCK is the way she has to explain her cartoons. The cartoon makes no sense on its own because normal people know that all politicians have their kids help them pardon turkeys, appear in campaign ads, and whatnot. So she kept trying to explain it in all of these tweets and remarks she made. If your cartoon doesn’t work on its own, scrap the idea. Also if it’s racist, scrap it. 6) Did Any Other Politicians Feature Children In Their Campaigns Yesterday? Wait, what’s this? Meanwhile, in the category of ‘candidates using their family in political situations’… https://t.co/6McIVMPD02 pic.twitter.com/0KaiIVCpQd Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) December 23, 2015 Oh, Hillary Clinton put out a picture of herself with her older grandchild (the second one is due this summer) as part of a campaign called “7 things Hillary Clinton has in common with your abuela”? I can’t wait for Telnaes to take her to task for exploiting these grandchildren! is Hillary clinton’s grand-baby now “fair game”? Bear in mind she’s currently running a #JustLikeYourAbuela campaign. @anntelnaes The Scandalous DJT (@AceofSpadesHQ) December 23, 2015 7) It’s The Ghastly Double Standards Last year, a low-level Capitol Hill staffer made some critiques on Facebook of how Obama’s daughters were handling themselves during a political event. The Washington Post more or less lost its mind. I wrote about it a few days after the story broke in the piece, “Dear Media, This Nonsense Is Why Everybody Hates You.” They had already run something like 14 stories on the matter, including having a reporter dig up dirt from the staffer’s adolescence. It was disgusting. As I wrote then: I’d like someone to go ahead and circle back with [Post Executive Editor Martin] Baron and have him explain himself. In what world — in what mother-freaking world — does he justify taking a foreign affairs reporter and having him dig up dirt on a low-level former staffer who said nothing worse about presidential children than the Post’s own columnists did in the Bush era? One of the items linked above is a Ruth Marcus column where she bashes this low-level staffer for critiquing the daughters, then notes she herself did it to the Bush girls –including attacking them for showing so much “cleavage,” being churlish, and their speaking style — but that it was OK because she did it under the guise of parody and they had notable busts. I’m not joking. You can read it for yourself. As John Podhoretz said, “Ruth Marcus’s double standard FOR HERSELF is absolutely astonishing.” It’s so tiring, so unbelievably tiring. Everyone knows that there is one standard for how you may treat the children of Democratic candidates and an entirely separate and unrelated one for how you treat the children of Republican candidates. The disparity of standards is even more dramatic for progressive versus conservative candidates and their families. 8) Media Coverage Another tiring thing is the frame offered by the media for covering this. When a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist with media elite friends pens a cartoon portraying the children of a Hispanic senator as dancing monkeys, what should the headline and lede be? CNN went with “Washington Post pulls cartoon depicting Ted Cruz’s daughters.” I guess they thought adding the words “as monkeys” would have made it too descriptive. But note the lede: Yes, the newsworthy thing is that Cruz obtained new ammo to shoot at the media. Wait, what? I…I… I…honestly don’t know what to say to this. Also, in what sense are they portrayed as “monkey-like” creatures and not “monkeys”? I have no idea what is meant by this, although the reporter goes on to describe them as being portrayed as “two hatted creatures,” which is, again, quite weird. Many media outlets were reticent to mention the monkey problem. For example: No. It retracts cartoon that DEPICTS THEM AS MONKEYS!! https://t.co/qAJcCBTY9S Ron Coleman (@RonColeman) December 23, 2015 .@TedCruz lashes out at Washington Post cartoonist for drawing his daughters https://t.co/Ev7oln4at3 \| Getty pic.twitter.com/CZY0qYll7K POLITICO (@politico) December 22, 2015 Why would Cruz be upset at a cartoonist for drawing his daughters? Oh, she caricatured them crudely as “chained dancing apes“? Why, that changes everything and should probably be what you lead with, eh? (In Politico’s defense, they later updated the story to not only mention the monkeys, unlike the first version online, but to emphasize it.) In any case, this focus on Cruz being inexplicably upset (or is it “gaining ammo”?) instead of on the fact that a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist portrayed his children as chained monkeys is part of a pattern of disparity. The initial story should be the fact of the cartoon running, not Cruz’s reaction to it. 9) Ridiculous Defenses Telnaes was deleting tweets last night as she managed to convince no one of her cause (I’m sure Vox or Salon or The New Republic are working on it as we speak), but she put a note on Facebook telling people to stop complaining about the cartoon. And she put these tweets on Twitter: Um, no. The lower tweet looks like an attempt to portray herself as a victim, something made ever-so-slightly difficult by going after a pre-schooler and a seven-year-old in that day’s work. The upper is so stupid — yet presented as if it’s somehow informative if not erudite — as to be hilarious. But perhaps more disconcerting is the editor’s note for why they pulled the cartoon: Editor’s note from Fred Hiatt: It’s generally been the policy of our editorial section to leave children out of it. I failed to look at this cartoon before it was published. I understand why Ann thought an exception to the policy was warranted in this case, but I do not agree. What’s this “I understand why Ann thought an exception to the policy was warranted” business? That’s, again, just stupid. Politicians feature their children in ads all the time, as the easy-to-find examples of Obama and Clinton demonstrate above. What is there to “understand” about Ann’s perspective, exactly? What the hell is that? He understands ??? https://t.co/IkBmCFPSlr J.B. White (@RattlerGator) December 23, 2015 Further, is the only thing worth noting about this cartoon that it went after children? I mean, the same editorial page wrote a story just a few short months ago about how it was pretty sure Cruz was using a racial dog-whistle in an ad, although it couldn’t quite figure out exactly how. (I’m actually making the editorial seem like it made more sense than it did.) It said the ad only seemed to be about terrorism but was probably also a racist attack on Latino immigrants, Syrian refugees, or Iranian Muslims. They didn’t know which, but they were pretty sure that it was one of them enough to call the ad “revolting.” But portray some Latino kids as dancing, chained monkeys and the only thing you can say is “leave children out of it”? Really? Such funny dog-whistle-hearing capabilities at the Post there, eh? Almost seems to fit a pattern, no? I’ll only add that a search for “dog whistle” on the Post’s search mechanism returns more than 500 results since 2005 alone. 10) Problems At The Washington Post In Hiatt’s odd note that raises more questions than it answers, left unnamed are the editors who did look at it prior to publication. I have no reason to doubt Hiatt that he didn’t personally review the cartoon before it ran. Sometimes editors can’t review everything. But some editors reviewed it before it ran, even if they aren’t named Fred Hiatt. Presumably many eyes were on that cartoon before it ran. The @washingtonpost editorial process giving rise to @anntelnaes cartoon, illustrated with monkeys. pic.twitter.com/lFpoRPDqdx Festive Holiday Hat (@Popehat) December 23, 2015 Was there no one to say, “Maybe we shouldn’t publish the racist thing”? Is everyone reviewing what goes up so far left that they didn’t see the problem with this unfair attack on the Cruz family? Is everyone so stupid and uninformed to not know that 100 percent of all politicians feature family members in ads?
Watkins faces media, talks about suspension David Hood by Senior Writer - CLEMSON – Sammy Watkins Sammy Watkins So. Wide Receiver #2 6-1, 200 Fort Myers, FL View Full Profile met with the media late Friday evening to talk about his two-game suspension, and he answered the questions and faced the scrutiny the same way he faced opposing defenses last season - head on and with no punches pulled. It was announced during Clemson’s initial practice of the 2012 fall season that Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney Dabo Swinney Head Coach View Full Profile had suspended the Tigers’ star receiver for the first two games of the season. Clemson opens the season against Auburn in the Georgia Dome, and returns to Death Valley for the home opener against Ball State a week later. Watkins admitted that he let a lot of people down with his May arrest, but said the person he let down the most is someone he sees every morning when he looks in the mirror. “Truly, I hurt myself the most,” Watkins said. “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I let the players, the coaches and my family down. But I am a very humble guy and I will learn from it.” Watkins said he will be the same person throughout his suspension, and that people shouldn’t be upset with Swinney for the suspension. “I am pulling for my teammates and coaches in the games I will miss,” he said. “As far as how many games it is, I am fine with the punishment. I didn’t care how many games I was being suspended for, I just want to serve my sentence and come back and make a contribution. I am the one that messed up, no one else. I am taking the blame for it. That is my coach and I stand by his decision.” He said he will continue to work hard so he can be back at 100 percent for the Furman game in week three. “I have confidence in my team and my coaches,” he said. “I am going to continue to work hard and do the same things I have been doing – work hard in the meetings and do the right things off the field. If I do that, then everything will be alright.” He said he also hopes that now the announcement has been made, he can put the issue behind him and move forward. “I have to miss a couple of things, but I know I have to suffer the consequences,” he said. “It is now in the past and I will move on. I am fine with it. I am going to come to work every day, look at coach Dabo the same, look at the coaches the same and look at the team the same.” Tajh Boyd RS Jr. Quarterback #10 6-1, 225 Hampton, VA View Full Profile Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd said he thinks something good can come out of Watkins’ suspension. “Coach Swinney said he thought long and hard about the decision,” Boyd said. “Sammy is one of the most down-to-earth, most humble guys. This is a tough situation to handle, but at the same time this is a lesson learned for the whole team. But I will feel like something good will come out of it, because this gives guys the opportunity to step up and make plays. It’s an unfortunate situation, but I am excited about having him back for the third game. For right now, we have to continue to work hard and improve.” TIGER POLL Too harsh Too harsh About right About right Not enough Current / Previous Submit your own Poll What do you think about the 2 game suspension for Sammy Watkins?
By now, most of you are aware of Six Mile Bridge's "Big Five Series" beers. If you aren't aware, we wrote about them a few weeks ago when they were announced and you you can check that out here. If you're one of the folks that are aware, then you've been waiting for this post to arrive. Tomorrow marks the release of their first 750ml bottle of beer and they definitely know how to make an entrance. The Reverent is a 13% ABV Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels on Indian vanilla beans. With a beer that big, the black rhino featured on the label seems more than appropriate. We chose Indian vanilla beans because the aromas are more earthy than the Madagascar variety and we feel they pair well with the bourbon. When we picked up the barrels, they were emptied that morning and we filled them that night. The vanilla flavor is easier to get as the beer warms up but it's always perceptible on the nose. At 13% ABV, the alcohol is very smooth so it's deceptive. We didn't touch the beer for three months, letting it sleep and have some of those big bourbon flavors settle. After that rest, we tasted it often for 5 months, waiting until we thought it was ready. It's right where we want it to be. - Ryan Sherring, Owner/Head Brewer at Six Mile Bridge This one goes on sale at the brewery at 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 27th and those that reserved bottles in advance can pick them up at that time. If you don't have any bottles reserved, you may be in luck. A limited number of bottles will be available to-go and the beer will be flowing on draught during the release. Justin was lucky enough to try the beer in advance. Check out his thoughts down below. Cheers!
Zuma: We can't allow racists to take our country backwards President Jacob Zuma says it’s sad that the racist onslaught has become more direct and they are no longer hidden as was the case in the early years of democracy. JOHANNESBURG – President Jacob Zuma has urged South Africans not to allow and assist racists to take the country backwards, saying that last week’s marches against him demonstrated the resurgence of racism. Zuma addressed the 24th anniversary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Chris Hani’s death in Boksburg on Monday. The struggle icon was shot dead outside his Boksburg home in the run-up to the first democratic elections. “The marches that took place last week demonstrated that racism is real.” As opposition parties prepare to march against President Zuma on Wednesday, he is warning South Africans against falling into the trap of helping racists. “We can’t allow and assist racists to take our country backwards.” He says people must learn from Hani, who even when disagreeing with leaders, did so respectfully. “Even when he disagreed, and he disagreed with many because he was an independent thinker, but no one will feel offended when Chris Hani disagreed with you. If anything, you’d persuaded to see the truth.” The president says it’s sad that the racist onslaught has become more direct and they are no longer hidden as was the case in the early years of democracy. At the same time, Save SA says President Zuma is disingenuous to say that last week’s anti-Zuma marches had an element of racism. But Save SA’s Lawson Naidoo has hit back at the president, saying his statements are just an attempt to belittle public opinion about him. “What a serious accountable leader ought to do to engage with those views that have been raised and expressed by people rather than seeking to once again belittle and undermine the democratic rights of South Africans who protested against him.” Naidoo says the posters only reflected how far the president’s image has decayed. “We were not aware of any posters that displayed any racist writing. We’d have had them removed immediately had we seen them. I think the fact is, the president has indeed lost the respect for the people of South Africa.” WATCH: Zuma's reaction to #AntiZumaMarches (Edited by Leeto M Khoza)
Before I had kids I thought I knew everything. I had plans for what type of parent I was going to be. I had seen the TV shows, read the articles on Facebook, and heard the sage advice of the other childless people I knew. My wife and I were confident we knew better and wouldn’t make the same mistakes our parents had made. We were convinced we could do it better. There was more information and we knew more, had better resources, and most of all WANTED to do better. You couldn’t have told us we weren’t ready Then I found out my wife was pregnant, Now eight years later I have realized something. I was not very bright before I had kids. I had misjudged the parents of the past in so many ways. Let me tell you about some of my mistakes. 7. Before I had Kids – My children will eat what I cook – No junk food for my kids. I will teach my children to appreciate all cuisine. They will have expansive pallets and enjoy trying new foods as much as I do. But most importantly, they will eat what I put in front of them because I’m the parent and what I say goes. The Truth – “Please eat. Please, I don’t care what. Just a few bites. We have been sitting at this table for over an hour. Please eat something.” Yes, that is every night no matter what I make. I long ago gave up on the fancy dishes I enjoyed. Now I make whatever the kids want if it will just make them eat. Hot Dogs and Pop-tarts for every meal? Fine. I don’t care anymore. I just don’t want to fight. 6. Before I had Kids – My children won’t be lied to – I’m not going to lie to my children. I will be honest with them. I don’t want them to lie to me so I won’t lie to them. Why wouldn’t you intentionally mislead someone you love? Besides what good can come out of a lie? The Truth – I lie every day, in every situation. Why can’t we go to McDonald’s? It’s closed. ( I don’t want to pay for it) Can I have a snack? No, it’s almost dinner time (in 4 hours). Can I play with your iPhone? Sorry buddy but the battery is dead. (I’m afraid you will call China, or mess up MY game.) Why do I lie? Because sometimes a quick lie will save hours of arguments and explanations. Sometimes one lie will get me an hour of quiet, and trust me it’s worth it 5. Before I had Kids – My children won’t eat fast food – The food served to my kids will be organic and healthy. We will take the time to cook good foods and my children will not become part of the raging obesity epidemic sweeping the nation. The Truth – Do you have any idea how many things we have to do every night? It isn’t uncommon for me to have to decide to swing through a drive-through. It’s that or let them go hungry. So Unless you are planning on coming over here to cook, I don’t want to hear it. Also, please re-read number 7. I don’t have time to type it twice. 4. Before I had Kids – My children won’t destroy my things Look how hard could it possibly be to teach a kid a little respect for someone else’s property? My children will and will not break things. They will respect their own as well as other people’s property handling any items with care. The Truth – My kids break everything they touch. The only thing I own that they haven’t broken. Are the things high shelves and the things they haven’t gotten to yet. As a side note, my wife is short too so I use those high shelves to hide any cookies or candy I don’t want to share. 3. Before I had Kids – My children won’t be attached to their screens. – My children will play outside like I did. The amount of time they spend with TV’s, video games, iPads, phones, and other such electronic devices will be very limited. Their imaginations will be their entertainment fostering a growing imagination and creativity. Plus the exercise will do them good. The Truth – As we watch the same show for the 1,000th time I have to admit might I let this one get away from me. But I have a reason! Sometimes turning on the TV is the only thing that can stop the fighting and get 5 minutes of quiet, or be able to go to the bathroom alone!. For the readers who don’t have kids, this might not seem like a big deal. But the parents understand. A solo trip to the bathroom can feel like a vacation when the kids are being bad. But some good has come from this. When we travel the IPad is a must-have item. Both my girls use a few learning apps that have helped them lead their class in both reading and matching pieces of candy so they disappear. 2. Before I had Kids – My children will respect and listen to me – I am the parent and I will be respected by my offspring. I will teach my children about listening to and respect adults. They will not talk back or scream like those hooligans I saw at the store crying. The mom should have just told them to stop and save all of us in the store the hassle of dealing with that noise. The Truth – First, to that lady in the store, I’m sorry. I now know your pain. Kids don’t listen. I tried, I really did. First I asked politely. Then I asked sternly. There was begging and crying. No matter what they didn’t listen. The other day when I was standing behind them I tried to tell them something. No one answered. I was less than a foot away they claim they can’t hear me. It makes me wonder, with excuses are they are dumb enough to think this will work. Or do think I am dumb enough to buy it? 1. Before I had Kids – My children will keep the house clean. – Ever see those pictures of some one’s house being absolutely trashed? That isn’t going to be my place. From birth I will teach my children to put things away they will be responsible for their belongings. No piles of clothing on the floor, or finding a lego at 3 am with my bare foot. They will know I am not a maid and won’t be cleaning up after them. The Truth I ‘m dumb. Sharing is caring!
The violence is the latest to rock the divided country since the toppling of long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. Since then, radical Islamists have clashed with western-backed authorities. The death toll from intense clashes between government forces and militias in the Libyan capital has risen to 78, with as many as 1,000 injured, the government's health ministry reported Saturday. The fighting broke out in Tripoli Friday between forces loyal to the UN-backed unity government and a rival militia loyal to an Islamist government that preceded the current one. Khalifa Ghweil seized power in mid-2014 but was toppled in March 2016 by the unity government led by Fayez Serraj. Libya was thrown into chaos after a NATO-backed uprising brought down long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The latest clash started when the militia loyal to Ghweil, the self-appointed prime minister, attacked facilities manned by forces aligned with Serraj's Government of National Accord (GNA), according to Libyan media reports. Advertisement Fighting broke out in a residential neighborhood, around a complex of luxury villas that, until March, had served as the headquarters for militias loyal to Ghweil. There were reports of explosions and artillery fire in the Abu Slim, Al-Hadhba and Salaheddin districts in the south of the city. Tripoli had been relatively calm since, but dozens of armed groups still operate there. The United Nation's Libya envoy Martin Kobler appealed for a halt to the latest fighting. Now live 00:57 mins. TOP STORIES \| Government troops battle "IS" militants "Voices of reason should prevail for the benefit of the country," he said. "Political aims must not be pursued through violence. Civilians must be protected." Tanks and artillery Witnesses said tanks were deployed during the fighting. British ambassador Peter Millett tweeted that he could hear explosions and artillery in south Tripoli. Related Subjects Libya Tripoli He condemned "action by these militias who threaten security" ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins on Saturday in Libya. Meanwhile, GNA forces seized a prison holding senior officials from the Gadhafi regime. Guards at the al-Hadhba prison were forced to withdraw after the attack. The GNA's interior and justice ministries issued a joint statement saying that all the prisoners had been handed over to them and were "in good health." Now live 26:00 mins. Conflict Zone \| Martin Kobler on Conflict Zone Those imprisoned include more than 30 senior officials from the toppled regime, including Gadhafi's last prime minister, Baghdadi al-Mahmudi, and his former intelligence chief, Abdullah Senussi. Both men were sentenced to death in 2015. The GNA blamed Ghweil and Salah Badi, both leaders of the Fajr Libya coalition of militias which took power in Tripoli in 2014, for the latest violence and vowed to "retaliate mercilessly." They "have exceeded all limits... Nothing stops them, not faith, not law, not custom and not morals," it said. "This is their gift to the people for the month of Ramadan," the statement said. bik/rc (dpa, AFP, AP)
The Florida Gators got a player in 2014 guard Zack Hodskins (Alpharetta, GA), and being a player is the only thing Hodskins has ever wanted. Excelling as a high school basketball star can earn one a lot of attention. Supplement that talent with the unavoidable fact that Hodskins only has one hand – he was born without a forearm or hand on his left arm – and the rush of recognition has become overwhelming, especially since August when Florida was the first Division I program to offer him a role with its basketball team. It did not take long for Hodskins to realize that he belonged with the Gators, which are interested in him solely because of his on-court ability – equal to that of other players – rather than the story of how he has overcome adversity and come close to achieving his dream despite working with a perceived limitation. “They made it clear, first of all, that I’m a player for them. They see me as a player in every aspect,” Hodskins told OnlyGators.com in an exclusive interview Monday night. “I have every opportunity to earn a scholarship. It’s not just because of who I am. It’s because they see me as a player. “That’s what they want people to know. I know Billy Donovan wants a lot of people to know that, and I want people to know that. That’s the main thing. That’s what they told me. I’m just like any other player that got recruited for them. It’s just a different type of offer. That’s it.” That is why Hodskins committed Saturday to join the Florida basketball program in 2014 without a scholarship but rather in a preferred walk-on role. Since Gators assistant coach John Pelphrey first offered Hodskins, enthusiasm for his services has exploded. Other walk-on offers arrived at his doorstep, Western Kentucky showed a great deal of interest, and Kentucky head coach John Calipari also called to discuss a potential opportunity without officially offering one. After speaking with coaches at other schools, Hodskins believed he would have been in line for even more preferred walk-on opportunities and likely a few Division I scholarship offers while being evaluated during his senior season of high school. But he also felt like some of the programs he spoke with – he chose not to disclose which ones – were more interested in the narrative of having a one-handed player on their team rather than banking on his talent and giving him a chance to contribute. “I did get that vibe from very few schools,” he said cautiously, “but all the other schools I got attention from seemed [legitimately interested] because I’m there as a player.” In the end, it did not matter if any other program reached out to Hodskins. The only offer of consequence to him was Florida’s – and not just because it was the first. “Once I got that Florida offer, it really did open up some other schools to, ‘Wow, maybe this kid isn’t just a good story. He is a player.’ It opened up the eyes of a lot of colleges around the area and people like WKU. They really admired me and saw me as a player at that point,” he explained. “But nothing compared to Florida. Even if it was just a preferred walk-on spot. Nothing compared to the future I’m going to have after going there, all the education, playing for Coach Donovan and his team. It’s going to be an amazing experience.” It only took Hodskins about two months to make his decision, but it likely would have come even quicker had he been able to visit Gainesville, FL, sooner to ensure that he wanted it to be his future home. Hodskins was in Gainesville this past weekend to meet with Donovan, tour the campus and check out a Gators basketball practice in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Suffice to say, he came away impressed. “We went down there, and I had seen a lot of pictures on the internet of the campus and also just [read up about] Florida. Everyone who came out of there, all the great people that come out of there. The great vibes you hear about the program. That really pushed me towards there,” he said. “Then when we got down there to the campus, I was just amazed. The campus was beautiful. The people were awesome. Just everything. “Then I had a meeting with Coach Donovan, a really good meeting, really long. We talked about everything. After that meeting, I really knew that I was there – I really wanted to go there for sure. Coach Donovan made me feel so comfortable. The fact that he told me I’m there as a player first was the only thing I needed to hear. That’s when I told him I’m definitely coming here and made the decision to commit.” Hodskins (6-foot-4, 185 pounds) bought in immediately when he heard Donovan discuss Florida’s camaraderie, communication, and the program’s family atmosphere. He said he felt welcome as a part of Gator Nation and had no reason to continue putting off a decision that had already been made. “I did think about it for a long time. Every day I just felt like God pushed me closer and closer to Florida. I just knew it. I didn’t care about any other program. I didn’t care. I just really wanted to go to the Gators no matter what over any offer. I told Billy that. I didn’t care what offer came my way. I wanted to go to the Gators and that’s what I’ve always known. I don’t think I ever hesitated pulling the trigger on Florida,” Hodskins said. As it turns out, despite first living in Tennessee before moving to Georgia, Hodskins has always been a UF fan and calls the opportunity to play for his favorite team a “dream come true.” He recalled watching the Gators play in person a few years ago and getting a chance to speak with one of the players he admired most after the game. “Before this I was living in Nashville, Tennessee, and Florida came down to play Vanderbilt. Me and my dad got front row tickets to that game, used all our money just so we could see them,” he said. “At the game, Corey Brewer came in just to spectate and see his team play. After the game, I got to get Chandler Parsons’s autograph after he was done playing, and I got to talk to him for a minute. After that game, I really looked up to him and followed him ever since, still follow him on the [Houston] Rockets today.” Having now made one of the biggest decisions he has faced in his young life, Hodskins can focus on finishing up high school, improving as a basketball player and gaining some much-needed weight. He said Florida already has a plan in place to help him bulk up and “get ready for the big leagues.” He will also do his best to keep the distractions at bay. Minutes after the conversation with Hodskins concluded, ESPN requested that he go live on SportsCenter for an interview, one of many national broadcasts he has participated in since first being offered by the Gators. News crews are even attending his practices. But he luckily has a great support system in place to keep him in line as he remains laser focused on his career and eventual move to Gainesville. “My parents and my teammates have really humbled me for sure, always having me keep a level head with all this attention,” he explained. “It’s tough but you got to be real organized. You got to be motivated to stay on task, stay on goal, don’t think too far ahead. I still got practice to go in high school. I still got my whole senior season. “We got all these people talking about me being a Gator already. It’s my junior year. I still got a whole high school year to go. I’m just staying on task and staying on goal, remaining humble.” That does not mean Hodskins is any less excited about his future. Not in the least. He related that Florida fans have already been letting him know via social media how happy they are to have him as the newest member of Gator Nation. “I’m ready to be a Gator. I have to thank all these fans for the love and support they have given me, all the messages that I’m getting. Go Gators,” he exclaimed. The hard part is now over for Hodskins. The attention may be relentless and the stories plentiful. And he will continue to participate because his tale is certainly one worth telling. It may very well inspire some and force others to take a second look at what they perceive to be impediments only to realize that opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. In his mind, though, he’s not concerned about being a story or an inspiration, does not see himself as either disadvantaged or someone in need of special treatment. How could he be when he taught himself how to tie his own shoes at five, dominates on the monkey bars, does more pull-ups than many of his friends, and participates in any sport he can from baseball to wakeboarding? He’s on his way to being the only thing he’s ever wanted, the only thing Florida is interested in helping him become – a basketball player. ADAM SILVERSTEIN: When were you first aware that Florida was interested in you as a player and considering recruiting you? ZACH HODSKINS: “It was just kind of a random thing. I was playing in an AAU tournament here locally in Suwanee and I had a really good game in front of a bunch of college coaches, caught the eye of a couple of them and one of them was Florida. After the game, somebody that was sitting close to John Pelphrey came up to me and told me John Pelphrey was talking to him about maybe offering me a preferred walk-on spot for the team. At the time, the coaches couldn’t talk directly to the players. At first I was kind of skeptical, thinking hopefully this will go through. A couple weeks passed and I got in contact with Florida and it kind of went down from there.” AS: I would imagine that when teams game plan for you defensively, they do whatever they can to force you left. How are you able to combat that and still thrive on the court? ZH: “When I was coming up playing when I was little, we always knew – me, my father and my coaches – we talked about kids, when they guard me, forcing me left no matter what. So we just came up with tons of different moves and things to have me go left, to beat the defender left. Now that I’m older, I have so many just little moves that I can do to go left, get around the defender.”
Concealed just beneath Pier 63 on the Seattle waterfront, Rob and Lonnie await in the open 16 foot aluminum boat. Between them face down on the boat’s floor is the mock bride, a mannequin wearing a white wedding dress slowly absorbing the moisture of the inch and half puddle it lies in. Lonnie looks at the mock bride, the veil and the blond wig fluttering in a cool breeze. A bouquet of spring flowers, freesias, peonies and daisies, is duct taped to her rigid right hand, the best they could do to make the flowers appear they are being held. She wears a pair of scuffed white leather pumps. Within the fiberglass body of the bride is a six -gallon polypropylene bladder full of Trader Joe’s brand tequila mixed with red dye and corn syrup, based on a recipe Lonnie used twenty-five years earlier for the blood needed for a community theatre production of Sweeny Todd. Three leftover bottles of tequila lie in the puddle beside the bride. Beneath the tequila-filled bladder, in the mannequin’s lower torso is a jumbled pile of twenty-one and a half pounds of turkey kielbasa, also bought at Trader Joe’s, a decent enough imitation of entrails for the Wedding. Unseen overhead, the thousands of people in the waterfront crowd here for the Wedding can be heard as a muffled roar. Lonnie, wearing a zipped black windbreaker, sits stiffly upright at the bow with his right hand holding tightly to the nylon line tied in a half-hitch around a barnacle-encrusted piling. He fidgets with his left hand, running his fingers back and forth across his thumb. A taut stern line is tied to another piling, with both lines holding the boat in place, gently rocking side-to-side with the small waves lapping against the hull. Beside the shut-off outboard motor with its black dented shell, Rob lays across the boat with his back on the seat, one leg hanging over the gunnel, the other knee bent and foot flat. He wears a white T-shirt beneath an unbuttoned red flannel shirt, and a blue Seattle Mariners baseball cap. He hasn’t shaved in days, and he was already drunk when they got into the boat. Rob smokes a cigarette pointing straight up, nearing its filter with a teetering column of ash. Beside him is a cheap Styrofoam cooler filled with ice and cans of beer. Sunlight comes through the gaps of the pier’s decking as bright stripes over the boat and the two men, and dance over the ripples in the gray-green water. Out beyond the pier, mounted on pilings are a pair of huge video screens and banks of speakers facing the shore. The screens show the view of a camera scanning the crowd, couples kissing as they see themselves on screen, excited families with kids wearing green masks with a beard of tentacles waving at the camera, sullen teenage boys seeing themselves on the screen and then turning their heads pretending not to notice their magnified images. Almost everyone in the crowd holds a clear plastic cup holding a red beverage, either fruit punch or the traditional cocktail of tomato juice and tequila, a Bloody Maria. To go with the tequila is another tradition, the mariachi music emanating loudly from the speakers. Rob, still lying on the stern seat, carefully lifts his cigarette butt, with its tower of ash, over his head and drops into the water. Lonnie frowns. “Those things do not decay. It will float around and wash up on some distant beach and still be there when the Old Ones go away and come back again.” “Whatever,” says Rob. Something knocks against the boat with a thud, rocking it slightly. It happens again. Rob sits up. “Fuck, I knew it. You shouldn’t have mentioned them.” Coming out of the water is the triangle tipped tentacle of an Elder Thing, the pillar-like body, half the length of the boat, barely visible beneath the water, its wings gently undulating. It pokes two of its five eye stalks out of the water, and points the red eyes at Rob. The eyes blink a few times as their stalks gesture back and forth. Rob grunts and yells, “Go and get it!” He grabs a beer out of the cooler and throws it fifteen feet from the boat. The Elder Thing gracefully glides away from the boat towards the sinking can. Before it reaches it, another Elder Thing breaks the surface, grabbing the can with a tentacle. The first Elder Thing, shoots a tentacle over to the other one, and for a few seconds they grapple, splashing water that hits Lonnie in the face. Rob says, “All right, there’s enough for everyone.” He grabs another beer and throws it at the skirmish. For a second the tussle intensifies, splashing even more, then they suddenly part and sink beneath the water. Rob yells at the ripples they left behind. “Fucking alkies!” Lonnie licks his lips, wet and salty from the splash, and says, “When I taste the ocean, I think of the eons of rainfall before mankind existed, the rivers running over bare rocks, leaching out the minerals to salt the ocean.” “You wanna beer?” says Rob. He pulls a can out of the cooler, holds it underhand and motions it up and down as an offer to Lonnie. Lonnie licks his lips again to taste the ocean and says, “I’ll have one.” Rob tosses the beer over the mock bride and Lonnie brings both hands together to catch it. Lonnie slowly lifts up the can’s tab, waits for the end of the hiss of carbonation to escape, then clicks open the tab. He stares down though the opening to the bubbling amber liquid, then quickly brings it up to his mouth. He lets the fizzy bitterness roll over his tongue, and he swallows. He has never liked the taste of beer. He and Lonnie have a history. They had shared their first taste of beer, during one of their frequent elementary school weekend sleepovers, Rob sneaking a can to the bedroom as they sipped and kept themselves up far beyond their parents’ prescribed lights out as Lonnie retold his grandmother’s dread-inducing tales of the Old Ones and their imminent return. But by high school, Rob’s interest in baseball, girls, and beer took precedence over talk of the Old Ones, leaving Lonnie to grieve the loss of the one friend he thought had appreciated the terrible world to come. The roar of the impatient crowd is getting louder. Rob says, “The big guy’s taking his time this year.” Lonnie wishes Rob would show more respect and not call Cthulhu “the big guy”, but he doesn’t want to rehash an old argument with him. The mariachi music fades out. It is time. The screens show a map of the Pacific Ocean. From the speakers the emcee booms, “He has made his way around the Pacific Rim! Nagasaki! Vladivostok! Anchorage! Vancouver!” Each city lights up on the map as its name is spoken. “And now its Seattle’s turn for our annual gift to Cthulhu! As it is said in the old tongue, ‘Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn!’ Brought to you this year by Jose Cuervo tequila and Rainier beer.” The screens show on either side the Jose Cuervo and Rainier marques. The crowd roars. The Star Spangled banner starts and the screens show a waving American flag overlaid by views of members of the crowd, standing, holding up high their red-filled cups, mouthing the words of the anthem. “The time has come!” continues the emcee. “Cthulhu no longer dreams in his city of R’lyeh. He awakes!” The screens alternatively flash in bold red letters “CTHULHU” and “AWAKES!” and the crowd chants the words over and over together. The theme from Jaws starts as the chanting of “CTHULHU AWAKES!” continues. Something large and dark can be seen gliding under the surface of the bay. The water roils in front of the pier. In the pier’s shadow, Rob and Lonnie await in the boat with the mock bride. The emcee bellows, “Bow down to Cthulhu! Bow down!” One screen continues flashing “CTHULHU” and “AWAKES” and the other shows the crowd, about a quarter bothering to get on their knees. There’s a line of kneeling pot-bellied shirtless men, their faces and bodies painted green, each with one letter of Cthulhu written in dripping red on their chests, their bellies jiggling as they bow up and down with arms extended, exposing each letter in synchronized succession repeatedly spelling out C-T-H-U-L-H-U C-T-H-U-L-H-U C-T-H-U-L-H-U. Cthulhu begins his rise from the bay. The music switches to Holst’s “Mars, Bringer of War.” The dark green twenty-foot wide forehead with furrowed brow breaks the surface, and the crowd’s cheers become deafening. Next, black eyes appear, dark three-foot wide pits absorbing the sight of those gathered on the waterfront. The entire head pops out of the water, and it shakes, the tentacles dangling from the awful mouth whip back and forth flicking sprays of seawater into the crowd. In one quick shocking movement, Cthulhu’s raises his body from the bay’s floor and stands up to the full height of 150 feet, sending three foot high waves in all directions. Rob and Lonnie brace themselves as the waves rock the boat, then bounce off the seawall behind them and rock the boat again. The crowd’s roar gets even louder. A rain of seawater sheds off Cthulhu’s scaly hide, gnarled and fouled with algae and barnacles. The immense wings stretch. Every year they are more torn and tattered. This year there is a 20 foot gaping hole in the right wing. The arms extend and hands open wide, showing foot long claws and the end of the fingers. In the water around the thick dark legs, a group of Elder Things splash about, their stalked red eyes pointing up at Cthulhu, waiting. Lonnie tries to bring back his fervor and deep stomach churning-dread when he first witnessed Cthulhu rise from the water years ago. But now there’s almost nothing. All he has left is memories of that feeling and a seething resentment as he thinks of the children that now hug their plush stuffed Cthulhus as they fall asleep while their parents read them Goodnight Cthulhu. On the screens the true bride stands at the edge of the pier. She’s in her wedding dress and white pumps, a duplicate bouquet of spring flowers, freesias, peonies and daisies in hand. Two tall men in dark suits and sunglasses stand beside her, gripping her upper arms, and she turns and twists as if she is struggling to escape. Her headset microphone can be seen on the screen; her amplified screams pierce the air. Looking up, Rob and Lonnie watch the shadows of the bride’s struggle through the gaps of the decking. The volume of the bride’s screams are turned down, and the emcee announces, “And now we offer Your Bride.” She stops screaming and the men release her. “For the eighth time, the beautiful Sheila White takes her vows.” She gives a smile and waves to the crowd as they applaud. She resumes her screaming and the men grab her arms again. The emcee continues, “Brought to you by our sponsor Jose Cuervo, here is our sacrifice to protect our insignificant and meaningless lives from Your unspeakable horrors. Everyone hold your drink high for the toast.” The homily prompts Rob and Lonnie to lay the mock bride’s stiff form face up across the gunnels, her feet and head hanging over the water. They stand and wait. The music switches to the traditional wedding march of Wagner’s Bridal Chorus and Cthulhu takes one step forward, now standing between the two screens showing the screaming bride. Cthulhu extends an arm towards her, the clawed hand as tall as the bride. The men in dark suits and sunglasses release the bride and quickly step away. The screens overlay the view with the flashing words “I DO!” Cthulhu wraps fingers around the bride, just beneath her arms, and picks her up, leaving behind one white shoe and scattered petals. The screams lose their volume for a moment before the bride readjusts the headset that had turned askew as she was lifted. The music changes again, to the opening strumming guitar and handclaps of The Champs’ “Tequila” Cthulhu tilts his hand back, spreads his tentacles, exposing his mouth and opens his maw wide exposing his teeth, pointed, crooked and chipped, and his sickly gray tongue. As the guitar and sax of “Tequila” continues, the screaming bride is dangled by her feet over the mouth, the tentacles writhing out towards her. Cthulhu’s other hand wraps around her completely, enclosing her in a fist. Cthulhu raises his empty hand toward the sky, flicking his fingers. Then Cthulhu does the transfer. The hand holding the bride drops beneath the pier, turning so the she is upright. Rob steps aside as Cthulhu gently deposits the true bride beside him. The bride still performs her screams into the headset. Cthulhu reaches under the supine mock bride. The hand cradles the mannequin, and pulls it out from under the pier. The true bride keeps up her screaming. She covers the microphone with one hand, turns to Rob and says, “Hey, babe.” “Hey, Sheila,” says Rob. He puts an arm around her waist and bumps his hip against hers. “Hey, Lonnie,” says Sheila. Lonnie looks down and says, “Hey.” She uncovers the microphone and continues her screaming. On the video monitors, Rob and Lonnie watch Cthulhu bring the mock bride up to his tilted back head and wide open mouth. One hand grips her at the waist, the other hand at the shoulders. As the one lyric in the song, “Tequila!” shouts from the speakers, there’s a crack, the screaming abruptly stops and the mannequin is snapped in half, tearing open the bladder full of tequila-based stage blood. As it pours into Cthulhu’s mouth, leaving red stains on the torn remnants of the wedding dress, the crowd gives their simultaneous toast, bringing their cups to their lips and gulping their Bloody Marias and fruit punch. The kielbasa doesn’t tumble from the bottom half of the mannequin’s torso as expected. Cthulhu shakes it over his maw, and it still doesn’t come out. He shakes it one more time, unsuccessfully, then releases both halves of the mock bride to plummet into the bay. The Elder Things at Cthulhu’s feet splash and fight over the kielbasa-filled half of the mannequin, and it is pulled beneath the water. The top half of the mannequin, with the red-stained wedding dress, remains, bobbing in the waves. Sheila sits down on the stern bench and sees the leftover bottles of Tequila. “You guys are such cheapskates. I hope he doesn’t care the tequila is from Trader Joe’s and isn’t Cuervo.” Lonnie stares straight at Sheila and says, “We purposefully tempted Cthulhu at our own risk to further the deep foreboding of our inevitable doom.” Sheila scoffs and looks over at Rob. “Yeah,” says Rob. “What he said.” As “Tequila” finishes, the emcee announces, “And now the Rainier beer for the post-wedding dance party!” From the speakers come, “Everybody dance now!” as the infectious beat of C+C Music Machine’s “Gonna Make You Sweat” begins. The screens show the pier with a Rainier branded tanker truck, and men holding three fire hoses. Lonnie can’t take it any more. “The time has come to leave,” he shouts over the music. “Now.” He unties the bow line from the piling. Rob tugs at the outboard’s pull cord and starts the motor, then unties the stern line. He sits next to Sheila, grabs the tiller and opens up the throttle fully, drowning out the music. They shoot out from beneath the pier heading north, bouncing across the waves. From the bow, Lonnie looks back at the receding Cthulhu doing a lumbering dance of gyrating hips, twirling tentacles and flapping wings as the three fire hoses on the pier shoot streams of beer shoot at his mouth, suds dripping down his body to the water. Lonnie grunts and turns away. After a minute, Rob kills the motor, and as the boat glides to a stop and rocks, he stands up on the seat and starts urinating over the stern. Sheila shakes her head and makes her way up to the bow to sit next to Lonnie. “You doing okay?” she asks him. He can hear the beat of the dance music behind him, but he looks forward, off to the distance. “I remember the days when men had harrowing dreams of unspeakable horrors and indescribable monsters.” While urinating and without turning his head, Rob says, “We’re not kids any longer. Things change. Cthulhu gets what he wants. The people get what they want. Everyone’s happy.” Lonnie turns briefly towards the now stumbling Cthulhu, then looks away. He hangs his head down. Sheila gently puts an arm around him and says, “Lonnie, what do you dream of these days?” Rob turns his head and interjects, “What about me, babe? Why don’t you ask me about my harrowing dreams?” Sheila rolls her eyes. “Okay, Rob, tell me about your harrowing dreams.” He zips up, sits back down and scratches his chin. “My harrowing dreams? Well, there’s unspeakable horrors. But there’s no indescribable monsters.” He pauses, then lets out a small chuckle. “Sorry, Lonnie, but now that I think about it, my dreams are probably the same as the big guy’s now.” Rob gives a dismissive nod over his shoulder towards the teetering Cthulhu. “In my dreams…” He stops because he sees Lonnie’s shoulders fall. Lonnie knows what Rob is going to say. A moment passes and Sheila looks at Rob waiting for him to finish. “In your dreams, what?” she says. “People.” He looks away from Lonnie and quickly says, “In my dreams, there are only people.” Lonnie lets out a mournful sigh. Rob starts the motor and they head north across the bay. Douglas Rudoff Banner Image: Seattle waterfront – Pixabay.com
Nude and revealing photos of more than 700 women from "Brisbane and surrounding areas" have been shared online but Queensland police can't act without a complaint. The mass upload comes after the sharing of hundreds of images of South Australian women, including some allegedly under age, sparked outrage last week. 'If Amazon did that they'd go out of business': Digital Transformation Office CEO Paul Shetler. Credit:Gabriele Charotte The latest batch of nudes was shared on a forum under the banner "Brisbane girls" on Friday, linking through to a New Zealand-based online storage service with hundreds of pictures available to browse and download. Each folder of women from "Brisbane and surrounding areas" named the woman whose nude pictures were supposedly available and in many cases even listed the area she lived in.
Get the biggest Arsenal FC stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Arsenal will step up their attempts to get Arsene Wenger to sign a new three-year contract after their progression in the Champions League. Negotiations have been going on since the summer and Mirror Sport revealed in October that a £24million offer is on the table. But the Gunners' boss insisted he wanted to delay signing until after they had reached the Champions League's last 16. Wenger, 64, has made it plain that he only wants to stay if he feels he can keep the fans happy with a new era of success, and he sees European football as being central to his vision. The Arsenal hierarchy, led by majority shareholder Stan Kroenke, want the Frenchman to stay and are confident he will sign in the next few weeks. Wenger, now the longest-serving manager in the Premier League following Alex Ferguson's retirement, has enjoyed a terrific start to the season, going five points clear at the top. And even though Arsenal face a hugely difficult tie, they are in the knock-out stages of the Champions League once again. They are also set to make more signings after landing German star Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid for a club-record $42million in the summer. Meanwhile, the Gunners are boosted by the return of Bacary Sagna for the weekend's massive trip to title rivals Manchester City after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury.
By Scott Strasser, February 2 2017 — The University of Calgary will exempt application fees for prospective students from the seven countries included in the United States’ recent travel ban. The university confirmed on Feb. 2 that application fees will be waived for students from the affected countries applying for undergraduate and graduate programs at the U of C. The exemption applies to both international applicants and those currently in the U.S. who wish to transfer to the U of C or continue their studies as a visiting student. For international undergraduate and graduate students, an application to the U of C normally costs $145. The U of C’s announcement came after a Jan. 27 executive order from U.S. president Donald Trump that prohibited nationals from seven predominantly-Muslim countries from entering the U.S. While a Seattle-based federal judge blocked the executive order on Feb. 3, the Trump administration has stated they will appeal the decision. The countries on the ban list include Libya, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Syrians were to be banned from the U.S. indefinitely, while the other six countries were to be banned for a period of 90 days. The executive order also prohibited political refugees and green card holders from entering the U.S. for 120 days. Trump justified the ban, saying it would help “keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States.” Shortly after the executive order was announced, the U of C issued a statement saying the university is committed to welcoming students, faculty and staff from around the world, including refugees. “Our university is based on diversity, inclusivity and the free exchange of scholarship and ideas across international boundaries,” U of C president Elizabeth Cannon said. “These values are the foundation of great universities worldwide. Any restriction that prevents students and scholars from going abroad for study, teaching or research is deeply concerning and has a profound impact not only on scholarship but also on family relationships of our university community members.” U of C Faculty of Graduate Studies dean Lisa Young wrote a similar statement on the graduate studies website. She said the university would work to provide financial assistance to U of C graduate students who had to cancel research or conference travel to the U.S. because of the ban. “The recent executive order restricting travel to the United States has an immediate impact on many members of our graduate student community and on the broader scholarly community to which we belong,” Young wrote. “I share the concern expressed by University of Calgary President Elizabeth Cannon in her statement to the campus community.” The University of Alberta will also exempt application fees for prospective graduate students from the seven countries until further notice. The U of A currently also exempts the $100 international application fee for prospective students from the 51 least developed nations in the world.
How to be a Man is a series exploring masculinity and the challenges facing men in Ireland today As a child what did masculinity look like? I remember the first time we got a television… Muhammed Ali or Cassius Clay, as he then was, had just beaten Sonny Liston and was roaring `I oughta be the king of the world.' And I think that was what a man was. A man was ‘king of the world’. There was a definite sense that men had privilege and being man was better than being a woman and being a boy was better than being a girl. Was masculinity something you found difficult to fit in with? One of the first things I remember actually [was] we were out at Seapoint beach in Dublin.. I was going into the sea and I didn’t want to go into the sea. And it was nothing to do with the sea, it was the fact that my mother had put me in a bathing costume that was slightly frilly. I remember vividly it was a green thing… and it had frills. And I was embarrassed because it was a girl’s costume and I had this hideous sense of embarrassment… And I was two. There was no mystery about it. You were told every day what boys did and what girls did. There was a kind of certain grey zone up to about seven when boys could play with girls if there were no other boys around [but] seven was the age of reason in the Catholic Church so by the time you were seven, you had to become a little man. [From then on] you didn’t play with girls, you didn’t mix with girls, you certainly didn’t play with girl’s toys and you didn’t cry… You reached this point where showing emotion, certainly showing any tender emotion, was a female thing and it was shameful for a boy to be doing that. It showed you hadn’t developed properly. Was there a distinctly Irish form of manliness? The extra layer in Ireland was the sheer number of priests and Christian brothers … Being celibate was very definitely a way to be a man and in a peculiarly Irish sense it was the best way to be man because you didn’t have to deal with women at all. The ultimate man was the parish priest and the only female he had to deal with was the housekeeper who served the tea. And you can’t separate from the models of masculinity that were around when I was a kid, the absolute terror of homosexuality…. probably the worst thing you could be was a girl, but since you obviously weren’t [a girl] the next worst thing you could be was queer… I’d say 95 per cent of the insults when I was a kid were accusations of homosexuality. Your masculinity was very much shaped by not just being a man, but being the kind of man who was different from some imagined homosexual…. There was so little outward homosexuality. You had a vague notion of John Inman from Are You Being Served on the television and that was about it. A homosexual was an effeminate man and therefore effeminacy itself was tied up with perversion, with lack of normality, with inferiority. There was no question – this wasn’t difference, this was a sense of being a pariah and nobody wanted to be like that. How did feminism affect your life? If I were a believer, I would get down on my knees and thank god for feminism… You had this bundle of weird, unresolved, contradictory neurotic notions of masculinity and then feminism came along and said ‘actually these things are all invented – it doesn’t have to be like this.’ Feminism was the greatest liberation for men of my generation because it meant you could start to question these roles and all of these ideas you had been given. Particularly if you didn’t feel comfortable with those ideas. I mean, I was never much of a manly man anyway, so feminism was a great relief apart from anything else. It meant you didn’t have to try to live up to this stereotype that you were not very good at. How was your life different from your father’s? Feminism in Ireland wasn’t just theoretical. It meant that things like contraception [were] available which completely revolutionised sexual behaviour. It meant you could have sexual relationships without the absolute terror of pregnancy. I think feminism, apart from anything else, gave people permission to talk about their sexuality, to talk about their feelings and to talk about who they were and what they wanted. So, I imagine [our] relationships were an awful lot more open than our parents were. And there were things that people don’t associate with feminism at all that were utterly mind-blowing, like actually being at the birth of your children. It was inconceivable that a proper man would be anywhere near the birth of the child [previously]. To be part of the process of your children being born, what more profound thing can happen to anybody? None of that would have happened without feminism. How were you with nappy changing and housework? Well I suppose in any relationships you would get two very different versions of this but I think I was great [he laughs]. I wouldn’t have dreamt of not changing nappies. Nature has this joke which is played more on middle-class parents than on working-class parents, which is called “breastfeeding”. Breastfeeding imposes on young mothers a very particular set of obligations which can’t be taken away.... But you try to do as much as you can. And you hope you did your bit. Politics is still very male dominated… It’s not just politics…. We in the media like to point quite rightly at the Dail and talk about at the huge underrepresentation women, but if you go to a literary festival with well-thinking people who would all think of themselves feminists, how many panels are there where there’s not even a token woman? I still haven’t had the courage to go to one of those things and say ‘I’m just not doing this.’… Maybe that’s the point we have to reach. Do you ever feel unmanly? No…. The way you could be unmanly was to do with your body. It was to do with being crap at sports and I was never very good at them anyway, so you kind of get used to that. But also as you get more middle aged you just don’t care about those things anymore… You’re just in this sort of dying animal anyway. It’s probably just as true for women as it is for men at this age. Do you ever envy younger men? Maybe everyone looks back at their own time and thinks that their age was better, but I actually think [my generation] went through a fairly privileged time… That first wave of feminism was really, really liberating. There’s been a huge backlash [against feminism]. There’s been an enormously structured, serious, well-funded, well-coordinated backlash that’s done through advertising, through movies to undo a lot of the work that was done challenging gender roles Now, if I was gay, you’d have a totally different perspective on this because undoubtedly for gay or lesbian or transgender people there’s been an enormous change and it has been largely change for the better. But looking at my own kids, I think that when they were in college things were so much more sexualised and so much more neurotic around gender roles, particularly for women, of course, but you can’t have women stuck in these gender roles without men, even in a slightly more privileged way, also having to deal with them. What’s the worst male trait? The worst most damaging masculine trait is violence… the fact is, men hit people more than women do… Men are still encouraged in all sorts of ways to express themselves violently and that’s not just physical violence, it's psychological violence, it’s through domination. It’s through the idea that you can’t be a man unless you’re in some sort of dominant position. That’s innately violence. It produces not just the desire but perhaps the need to be in charge of someone else, particularly women. Is there such a thing as a ‘new man’? I think there is such a thing as a new man, actually. I do think if you look back at the mainstream of masculinity, probably most men do behave differently… They probably are more thoughtful and considerate around others and think about their relationship with women in different ways… But I don’t think the broader expectations have actually left us. Until we start changing the way we work and the way we reward work, we’re really not going to get over those ludicrous gender stereotypes that we’re stuck with. How do you balance family and work? Are you ever asked that? I don’t think I’ve ever been asked the question of how you balance your responsibilities as a father with your work. But every single woman in a position I’m in will be asked it all the time. There’s still this huge burden of care that’s placed on women that men can avoid and that changes everything about work and ambition and career and about power and domination. And, you know, until we get to a point where those sorts of questions are as normal for prominent men as they are for prominent women, we certainly can’t be too smug about how much things have changed. Is there a picture of you in that swimming suit? I’ll ask. When you get to my age you’ve no shame left. If you would like to add your voice to this series email howtobeaman@irishtimes.com
Habib gets his Australian passport back Posted Former Guantanamo Bay detainee Mamdouh Habib is no longer a security risk and has been granted a passport, Australia's spy agency has confirmed. The Sydney father of four has been granted an Australian passport for the first time since it was cancelled after his 2005 release from the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Mr Habib says he now has his dignity back. "I have received money, I have received a passport, I have received everything, my dignity back," he said, adding he had no further comment to make because of an exclusive media deal with a television channel, believed to be the Ten Network. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) yesterday confirmed it had approved the new passport. "An ASIO non-adverse security assessment was issued to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in respect of Mr Habib's March 2011 passport application," an ASIO spokeswoman said. "This was not a recanting of its previous assessment but rather a new assessment based on new information, circumstances and factors relevant to the issue of whether Mr Habib currently poses a risk to Australia's security." It comes after Prime Minister Julia Gillard in January ordered an inquiry into Australia's role in Mr Habib's arrest, amid claims Australia had been complicit in his 2001 CIA rendition to Egypt, where he was detained and tortured. Ms Gillard's move followed a secret federal payout to Mr Habib, reportedly triggered by witness statements implicating Australian officials in his detention in a Cairo military prison. Egyptian-born Mr Habib was detained in Pakistan as a suspected terrorist in October 2001, before being held in Egypt, Afghanistan, and then Guantanamo Bay. In 2006, the then foreign minister, Alexander Downer, refused to issue Mr Habib a new passport, based on an adverse security assessment by ASIO. Despite having never been charged, Mr Habib was unable to travel because ASIO continued to maintain he was a threat to national security. Mr Habib has previously said this caused him to miss four overseas funerals of family members, including his mother, father and sister. The inquiry into Mr Habib's arrest will review thousands of national intelligence agency documents relating to the case, as well as documents from Mr Habib's civil case against the Commonwealth. It is due to be completed by the end of 2011, although Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland has said only parts of the findings would be made public. - AAP Topics: security-intelligence, defence-and-national-security, law-crime-and-justice, rights, human, sydney-2000, australia, nsw, egypt
The mobile App to remix songs from the Remidi Contributors community The MIDI editor to fully integrate the Remidi T8 with any MIDI music software Combines with dedicated software ReRoute ReMix WEARABLE INSTRUMENT FOR CREATORS Create music in the most powerful and intuitive way REVOLUTIONARY SOUND Your hand is your instrument. The 8 pressure sensitive pads and an endless encoder bring the possibilities of expression to a new level. *Artist rendering PLAY & SHARE ON-THE-GO The Remidi iOS App allows you to remix and perform music everywhere, then share with followers and friends. AIR-MODULATION Motion tracking and gesture recognition allow control of any parameter: delay, glide, filter, release and more. IN STUDIO & ON STAGE The Remidi macOS App gives pros limitless custom settings and connects the T8 to any music software. Join a community of producers, artists, Djs and performers who dare to inspire View more The most intuitive remixing tool available, for free Featured Video FEATURED ON
In what has to be the most hilarious and the grossest story of 2012 thus far, the Pizza Ranch restaurant is preparing to name a salad after GOP Presidential candidate and serial homophobe Rick Santorum. Every Republican candidate has visited a Pizza Ranch establishment in Iowa this campaign season. But none of the businesses have sought to name a dish after Rick Santorum, until now. The owner of the restaurant, Keith Prange, hopes Santorum will try the salad. If he likes it, the dish will be hereafter known as the Santorum Salad. My question is, has Mr. Prange ever googled Rick Santorum? I honestly could never order a salad called a Santorum Salad after that. For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, columnist Dan Savage organized a contest asking people to come up with a definition for ‘santorum’ in response to anti-gay comments said by Rick Santorum in which he compared homosexuality to bestiality. A winning definition was chosen and it has followed Santorum since with comedians such as John Stewart and Stephen Colbert referencing it often. If you google Santorum, you get the following definition: Santorum 1. The frothy mix of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the byproduct of anal sex. I get it now. It must be the dressing, right? The Santorum Salad is a salad I can live without, but it sure is funny. So Rick, if and when you try the Santorum Salad, just remember what your last name means.
Following an upset loss to lowly Newcastle a few weeks back, the Raiders were able to recover in recent weeks with wins over Parramatta and the Sydney Roosters, but on a Sunday afternoon at Brookvale Oval, the pause button was once again pushed on their campaign to replicate their amazing high-flying achievements of last season. “We’re nowhere near where we will get to … nowhere near where we want to be,” a brave Raiders coach Ricky Stuart shared with the media following the match. The Raiders’ heartbreaking 21-20 loss in golden point extra-time, which ended with a field goal by Manly half Daly Cherry Evans, was tough to cop for Stuart, and was the second loss to the Sea Eagles this season following Manly’s upset win in Canberra back in round eight. Manly’s four tries to three win on Sunday came on the back of just one win from their first five games at Brookvale in 2017. However, the faith which Stuart has in his players was well and truly spelt out by the veteran coach following the game. “As a committed bunch of footy players, as a courageous team, we showed a lot of mental strength. Manly at Brookie, in front of a really big crowd, is a daunting challenge,” Stuart shared. “To be down 20-6, the way they came back … We just had to fight and fight and fight. Manly knew we were on our way back. As soon as we scored that first try in the second half, from our vantage point, the support staff, were all confident we were going to be able to get back into the game. To be able to say that, is a good feeling, knowing you have that in your team.” The Raiders, who now find themselves in ninth position with six wins and seven losses - equal with the struggling Penrith Panthers - take on the mountain men this week in Penrith’s annual trip to Bathurst. (Header image by Getty Images)
I absolutely agree, OP. Don't ask me why, lol, but I've spent a good amount of time reading posts on subreddits like The Red Pill and Red Pill Women and both groups tend to vilify this concept of Alpha Fux/Beta Bux. Basically, it's the idea that women will sleep around with alphas in their youth and later settle with a beta they're not that attracted to as they get older and more desperate for marriage and stability. Men on The Red Pill tend to view women who do this with disdain whereas Red Pill Women tend to advise women to go for 'high betas' -- basically nice, family-oriented men who have leadership qualities -- but to not sleep with too many Alphas because it'll supposedly make them less attractive as marriage partners (as if people don't lie about their sexual history all the time...). The Red Pill men-folk, on the other hand, say that sleeping with alphas and marrying betas is a problem because women tend to end up feeling resentful of their beta husbands and aren't sexually attracted to them. Those guys love to tell women how they feel... I think both groups, at their core, are obsessed with reigning in female sexuality. But I agree with you that alphas are not marriage material, and it's mainly because they have access to too many women. Most men will get married, but alphas have no incentive to stay faithful; they have too many options. The main mistake women make is trying to reform alphas and turn them into nice family men. The reality is that alphas should be for sex only. They won't change and if they do, they'll change in their own time when they see fit, not when a woman sits around waiting for them to. The problem starts when women get attached to them or start trying to change alphas because they see their ~potential. Growing up, my mom always emphasized the difference between Men You Marry and Men You Have Fun With. Similar to how men separate women into categories of women they f*ck and women they marry. I think it would behoove most women to do the same. Stop looking into alpha eyes and seeing fairytales and potential and see them for what they are: good times and that's it. Click to expand...
BMW entered the M2 Coupe at the One Lap of America event and came away with a first place victory. Mike Renner and Steve Maguire drove the new M2 to 1st place in the Stock Touring and SSGT1- Small Bore Classes and 10th overall. The newest M performance sports car was sponsored by BMW M Performance Parts and IHG Rewards Club. A wild and wacky event The BMW M2 Coupe competed with vehicles like the Nissan GT-R, Mitsubishi Evo IX, Chevrolet Corvette, Acura NSX and an Ariel Atom. One Lap of America took place in the Eastern and Midwestern US states visiting tracks along the way for the wild and wacky completion. The event takes place over a period of eight days and covered over 2,800 miles. Competitions include skid pads, autocross and drag racing on six race tracks during the event. One Lap of America brings lots of completion from cars like the Nissan GT-R, Chevy Corvette, Dodge Viper, Porsche of various other sports cars including a 918 Spyder and plenty of other BMW’s. M2 gets M Performance upgrades The M2’s lightweight aluminum subframe and suspension components under the widened bodywork was fitted with an Active M Rear Differential. BMW says the M2 was further enhanced for One Lap duty with BMW M Performance Accessories, including carbon fiber front and rear spoilers, carbon fiber rear diffuser, M Performance coil-over suspension and sport exhaust system. The 2016 BMW M2 Coupe entered its first-ever One Lap of America competition and wins the Stock Touring and SSGT1- Small Bore Classes. It beat cars like the 2012 BMW 335i, 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS63, 2016 Scion FR-S and 12 Mini Clubman Retro Car. It’s a testament to the M engineers who developed the new M2 and to Mike Schnell Renner’s driving talent. Source: BMW Image source: BMW
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said during a trip to Iowa on Tuesday that he is not running for president of the United States. “No,” the mayor said, as reported by The Washington Post. “I’m not running for president.” ADVERTISEMENT De Blasio, who just easily won reelection in New York City, was in Des Moines to speak to Progress Iowa. Visits to Iowa can often lead to speculation over politicians’ presidential aspirations. The state is the first to vote in the primaries in presidential election years with the Iowa caucuses. De Blasio, in an interview with the newspaper, said he has just over four more years of being New York City’s mayor and said he is focused on that for now. “Look, seriously, mayor of New York City is one of the best public service jobs in the nation,” the mayor told the newspaper. “I can do big things, and do them quickly. I’ve got four years and 13 days left.” The Washington Post added that De Blasio is putting his efforts behind helping Democrats across the nation win elections "with a focus on economic populism."
Address on resume — yes or no? It’s a smart question to ask. Here’s what I know: When you put your address on your resume, recruiters know exactly where you live. This matters because a person with a one-hour commute has to earn 40% more money to be as happy with life as someone who walks to the office. Recruiters Calculate How Long Your Commute Is You might not have thought about it, but in-house recruiters know that people with long commutes have more stress and often eventually quit “because of the commute.” If you quit, they don’t look good, and they have to replace you. That’s more work, with no more money, for them. So — address on resume? They do the math. If you live too far away, you don’t get an interview. The Fix Instead of giving your address on your resume, give your current or most recent employer’s city location, like this: The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, GA (if you work at the mother ship) or The Coca-Cola Company, Oakland, CA (if you work at a branch office) Sharing your employer’s location places you in a broad metropolitan area. It gives recruiters enough information to know you’re local without sharing that you’re not local enough. Note: Per a helpful comment below, you can see how this looks on actual resumes here. More Beyond the push to get a job, think about the stats in this post’s opening paragraph when you decide where to live and where to apply for work. Working close to home can make you and your family happier and prevent you from looking like a job hopper on your resume. * I write executive resumes and LinkedIn profiles. Save time. Look good. Get hired. Click to learn more about my executive resume writing service or email me. * Featured on LifeHacker, Fast Company, and Smart Brief Image: Fotolia/rocketclips Updated February 2019 © 2014 – 2019, Donna Svei. All rights reserved. Follow AvidCareerist & Subscribe:
The speed of sound is the distance travelled per unit time by a sound wave as it propagates through an elastic medium. At 20 °C (68 °F), the speed of sound in air is about 343 meters per second (1,234.8 km/h; 1,125 ft/s; 767 mph; 667 kn), or a kilometre in 2.9 s or a mile in 4.7 s. It depends strongly on temperature, but also varies by several meters per second, depending on which gases exist in the medium through which a soundwave is propagating. The speed of sound in an ideal gas depends only on its temperature and composition. The speed has a weak dependence on frequency and pressure in ordinary air, deviating slightly from ideal behavior. In common everyday speech, speed of sound refers to the speed of sound waves in air. However, the speed of sound varies from substance to substance: sound travels most slowly in gases; it travels faster in liquids; and faster still in solids. For example, (as noted above), sound travels at 343 m/s in air; it travels at 1,480 m/s in water (4.3 times as fast as in air); and at 5,120 m/s in iron (about 15 times as fast as in air). In an exceptionally stiff material such as diamond, sound travels at 12,000 metres per second (27,000 mph);[1] (about 35 times as fast as in air) which is around the maximum speed that sound will travel under normal conditions. Sound waves in solids are composed of compression waves (just as in gases and liquids), and a different type of sound wave called a shear wave, which occurs only in solids. Shear waves in solids usually travel at different speeds, as exhibited in seismology. The speed of compression waves in solids is determined by the medium's compressibility, shear modulus and density. The speed of shear waves is determined only by the solid material's shear modulus and density. In fluid dynamics, the speed of sound in a fluid medium (gas or liquid) is used as a relative measure for the speed of an object moving through the medium. The ratio of the speed of an object to the speed of sound in the fluid is called the object's Mach number. Objects moving at speeds greater than Mach1 are said to be traveling at supersonic speeds. History [ edit ] Sir Isaac Newton computed the speed of sound in air as 979 feet per second (298 m/s), which is too low by about 15%,.[2] Newton's analysis was good save for neglecting the (then unknown) effect of rapidly-fluctuating temperature in a sound wave (in modern terms, sound wave compression and expansion of air is an adiabatic process, not an isothermal process). This error was later rectified by Laplace.[3] During the 17th century, there were several attempts to measure the speed of sound accurately, including attempts by Marin Mersenne in 1630 (1,380 Parisian feet per second), Pierre Gassendi in 1635 (1,473 Parisian feet per second) and Robert Boyle (1,125 Parisian feet per second).[4] In 1709, the Reverend William Derham, Rector of Upminster, published a more accurate measure of the speed of sound, at 1,072 Parisian feet per second.[4] Derham used a telescope from the tower of the church of St Laurence, Upminster to observe the flash of a distant shotgun being fired, and then measured the time until he heard the gunshot with a half-second pendulum. Measurements were made of gunshots from a number of local landmarks, including North Ockendon church. The distance was known by triangulation, and thus the speed that the sound had travelled was calculated.[5] Basic concepts [ edit ] The transmission of sound can be illustrated by using a model consisting of an array of spherical objects interconnected by springs. In real material terms, the spheres represent the material's molecules and the springs represent the bonds between them. Sound passes through the system by compressing and expanding the springs, transmitting the acoustic energy to neighboring spheres. This helps transmit the energy in-turn to the neighboring sphere's springs (bonds), and so on. The speed of sound through the model depends on the stiffness/rigidity of the springs, and the mass of the spheres. As long as the spacing of the spheres remains constant, stiffer springs/bonds transmit energy quicker, while larger spheres transmit the energy slower. In a real material, the stiffness of the springs is known as the "elastic modulus", and the mass corresponds to the material density. Given that all other things being equal (ceteris paribus), sound will travel slower in spongy materials, and faster in stiffer ones. Effects like dispersion and reflection can also be understood using this model.[citation needed] For instance, sound will travel 1.59 times faster in nickel than in bronze, due to the greater stiffness of nickel at about the same density. Similarly, sound travels about 1.41 times faster in light hydrogen (protium) gas than in heavy hydrogen (deuterium) gas, since deuterium has similar properties but twice the density. At the same time, "compression-type" sound will travel faster in solids than in liquids, and faster in liquids than in gases, because the solids are more difficult to compress than liquids, while liquids in turn are more difficult to compress than gases. Some textbooks mistakenly state that the speed of sound increases with density. This notion is illustrated by presenting data for three materials, such as air, water and steel, which also have vastly different compressibility, more which making up for the density differences. An illustrative example of the two effects is that sound travels only 4.3 times faster in water than air, despite enormous differences in compressibility of the two media. The reason is that the larger density of water, which works to slow sound in water relative to air, nearly makes up for the compressibility differences in the two media. A practical example can be observed in Edinburgh when the "One o' Clock Gun" is fired at the eastern end of Edinburgh Castle. Standing at the base of the western end of the Castle Rock, the sound of the Gun can be heard through the rock, slightly before it arrives by the air route, partly delayed by the slightly longer route. It is particularly effective if a multi-gun salute such as for "The Queen's Birthday" is being fired. Compression and shear waves [ edit ] Pressure-pulse or compression-type wave ( longitudinal wave ) confined to a plane. This is the only type of sound wave that travels in fluids (gases and liquids). A pressure-type wave may also travel in solids, along with other types of waves ( transverse waves , see below) any direction which is at right-angle to the direction of wave-travel (only one shear direction is shown here, at right angles to the plane). Furthermore, the right-angle shear direction may change over time and distance, resulting in different types of polarization of shear-waves Transverse wave affecting atoms initially confined to a plane. This additional type of sound wave (additional type of elastic wave) travels only in solids, for it requires a sideways shearing motion which is supported by the presence of elasticity in the solid. The sideways shearing motion may take place indirection which is at right-angle to the direction of wave-travel (only one shear direction is shown here, at right angles to the plane). Furthermore, the right-angle shear direction may change over time and distance, resulting in different types ofof shear-waves In a gas or liquid, sound consists of compression waves. In solids, waves propagate as two different types. A longitudinal wave is associated with compression and decompression in the direction of travel, and is the same process in gases and liquids, with an analogous compression-type wave in solids. Only compression waves are supported in gases and liquids. An additional type of wave, the transverse wave, also called a shear wave, occurs only in solids because only solids support elastic deformations. It is due to elastic deformation of the medium perpendicular to the direction of wave travel; the direction of shear-deformation is called the "polarization" of this type of wave. In general, transverse waves occur as a pair of orthogonal polarizations. These different waves (compression waves and the different polarizations of shear waves) may have different speeds at the same frequency. Therefore, they arrive at an observer at different times, an extreme example being an earthquake, where sharp compression waves arrive first and rocking transverse waves seconds later. The speed of a compression wave in a fluid is determined by the medium's compressibility and density. In solids, the compression waves are analogous to those in fluids, depending on compressibility and density, but with the additional factor of shear modulus which affects compression waves due to off-axis elastic energies which are able to influence effective tension and relaxation in a compression. The speed of shear waves, which can occur only in solids, is determined simply by the solid material's shear modulus and density. Equations [ edit ] The speed of sound in mathematical notation is conventionally represented by c, from the Latin celeritas meaning "velocity". For fluids in general, the speed of sound c is given by the Newton–Laplace equation: c = K s ρ , {\displaystyle c={\sqrt {\frac {K_{s}}{\rho }}},} where K s is a coefficient of stiffness, the isentropic bulk modulus (or the modulus of bulk elasticity for gases); is a coefficient of stiffness, the isentropic bulk modulus (or the modulus of bulk elasticity for gases); ρ is the density. Thus the speed of sound increases with the stiffness (the resistance of an elastic body to deformation by an applied force) of the material and decreases with an increase in density. For ideal gases, the bulk modulus K is simply the gas pressure multiplied by the dimensionless adiabatic index, which is about 1.4 for air under normal conditions of pressure and temperature. For general equations of state, if classical mechanics is used, the speed of sound c is given by c = ( ∂ p ∂ ρ ) s , {\displaystyle c={\sqrt {\left({\frac {\partial p}{\partial \rho }}\right)_{s}}},} where p is the pressure; is the pressure; ρ is the density and the derivative is taken isentropically, that is, at constant entropy s. If relativistic effects are important, the speed of sound is calculated from the relativistic Euler equations. In a non-dispersive medium, the speed of sound is independent of sound frequency, so the speeds of energy transport and sound propagation are the same for all frequencies. Air, a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, constitutes a non-dispersive medium. However, air does contain a small amount of CO 2 which is a dispersive medium, and causes dispersion to air at ultrasonic frequencies (> 28 kHz).[6] In a dispersive medium, the speed of sound is a function of sound frequency, through the dispersion relation. Each frequency component propagates at its own speed, called the phase velocity, while the energy of the disturbance propagates at the group velocity. The same phenomenon occurs with light waves; see optical dispersion for a description. Dependence on the properties of the medium [ edit ] The speed of sound is variable and depends on the properties of the substance through which the wave is travelling. In solids, the speed of transverse (or shear) waves depends on the shear deformation under shear stress (called the shear modulus), and the density of the medium. Longitudinal (or compression) waves in solids depend on the same two factors with the addition of a dependence on compressibility. In fluids, only the medium's compressibility and density are the important factors, since fluids do not transmit shear stresses. In heterogeneous fluids, such as a liquid filled with gas bubbles, the density of the liquid and the compressibility of the gas affect the speed of sound in an additive manner, as demonstrated in the hot chocolate effect. In gases, adiabatic compressibility is directly related to pressure through the heat capacity ratio (adiabatic index), while pressure and density are inversely related to the temperature and molecular weight, thus making only the completely independent properties of temperature and molecular structure important (heat capacity ratio may be determined by temperature and molecular structure, but simple molecular weight is not sufficient to determine it). In low molecular weight gases such as helium, sound propagates faster as compared to heavier gases such as xenon. For monatomic gases, the speed of sound is about 75% of the mean speed that the atoms move in that gas. For a given ideal gas the molecular composition is fixed, and thus the speed of sound depends only on its temperature. At a constant temperature, the gas pressure has no effect on the speed of sound, since the density will increase, and since pressure and density (also proportional to pressure) have equal but opposite effects on the speed of sound, and the two contributions cancel out exactly. In a similar way, compression waves in solids depend both on compressibility and density—just as in liquids—but in gases the density contributes to the compressibility in such a way that some part of each attribute factors out, leaving only a dependence on temperature, molecular weight, and heat capacity ratio which can be independently derived from temperature and molecular composition (see derivations below). Thus, for a single given gas (assuming the molecular weight does not change) and over a small temperature range (for which the heat capacity is relatively constant), the speed of sound becomes dependent on only the temperature of the gas. In non-ideal gas behavior regimen, for which the van der Waals gas equation would be used, the proportionality is not exact, and there is a slight dependence of sound velocity on the gas pressure. Humidity has a small but measurable effect on the speed of sound (causing it to increase by about 0.1%–0.6%), because oxygen and nitrogen molecules of the air are replaced by lighter molecules of water. This is a simple mixing effect. Altitude variation and implications for atmospheric acoustics [ edit ] Density and pressure decrease smoothly with altitude, but temperature (red) does not. The speed of sound (blue) depends only on the complicated temperature variation at altitude and can be calculated from it since isolated density and pressure effects on the speed of sound cancel each other. The speed of sound increases with height in two regions of the stratosphere and thermosphere, due to heating effects in these regions. In the Earth's atmosphere, the chief factor affecting the speed of sound is the temperature. For a given ideal gas with constant heat capacity and composition, the speed of sound is dependent solely upon temperature; see Details below. In such an ideal case, the effects of decreased density and decreased pressure of altitude cancel each other out, save for the residual effect of temperature. Since temperature (and thus the speed of sound) decreases with increasing altitude up to 11 km, sound is refracted upward, away from listeners on the ground, creating an acoustic shadow at some distance from the source.[7] The decrease of the speed of sound with height is referred to as a negative sound speed gradient. However, there are variations in this trend above 11 km. In particular, in the stratosphere above about 20 km, the speed of sound increases with height, due to an increase in temperature from heating within the ozone layer. This produces a positive speed of sound gradient in this region. Still another region of positive gradient occurs at very high altitudes, in the aptly-named thermosphere above 90 km. Practical formula for dry air [ edit ] The approximate speed of sound in dry (0% humidity) air, in meters per second, at temperatures near 0 °C, can be calculated from c a i r = ( 331.3 + 0.606 ⋅ ϑ ) m / s , {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {air} }=(331.3+0.606\cdot \vartheta )~~~\mathrm {m/s} ,} where ϑ {\displaystyle \vartheta } is the temperature in degrees Celsius (°C). This equation is derived from the first two terms of the Taylor expansion of the following more accurate equation: c a i r = 331.3 1 + ϑ 273.15 m / s . {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {air} }=331.3~{\sqrt {1+{\frac {\vartheta }{273.15}}}}~~~~\mathrm {m/s} .} Dividing the first part, and multiplying the second part, on the right hand side, by √273.15 gives the exactly equivalent form c a i r = 20.05 ϑ + 273.15 m / s . {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {air} }=20.05~{\sqrt {\vartheta +273.15}}~~~~\mathrm {m/s} .} which can also be written as c a i r = 20.05 T / K m / s {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {air} }=20.05~{\sqrt {T/K}}~~~~\mathrm {m/s} } where T denotes the thermodynamic temperature. The value of 331.3 m/s, which represents the speed at 0 °C (or 273.15 K), is based on theoretical (and some measured) values of the heat capacity ratio, γ, as well as on the fact that at 1 atm real air is very well described by the ideal gas approximation. Commonly found values for the speed of sound at 0 °C may vary from 331.2 to 331.6 due to the assumptions made when it is calculated. If ideal gas γ is assumed to be 7/5 = 1.4 exactly, the 0 °C speed is calculated (see section below) to be 331.3 m/s, the coefficient used above. This equation is correct to a much wider temperature range, but still depends on the approximation of heat capacity ratio being independent of temperature, and for this reason will fail, particularly at higher temperatures. It gives good predictions in relatively dry, cold, low-pressure conditions, such as the Earth's stratosphere. The equation fails at extremely low pressures and short wavelengths, due to dependence on the assumption that the wavelength of the sound in the gas is much longer than the average mean free path between gas molecule collisions. A derivation of these equations will be given in the following section. A graph comparing results of the two equations is at right, using the slightly different value of 331.5 m/s for the speed of sound at 0 °C. Details [ edit ] Speed of sound in ideal gases and air [ edit ] For an ideal gas, K (the bulk modulus in equations above, equivalent to C, the coefficient of stiffness in solids) is given by K = γ ⋅ p , {\displaystyle K=\gamma \cdot p,} thus, from the Newton–Laplace equation above, the speed of sound in an ideal gas is given by c = γ ⋅ p ρ , {\displaystyle c={\sqrt {\gamma \cdot {p \over \rho }}},} where γ is the adiabatic index also known as the isentropic expansion factor . It is the ratio of specific heats of a gas at a constant-pressure to a gas at a constant-volume( C p / C v {\displaystyle C_{p}/C_{v}} is the adiabatic index also known as the . It is the ratio of specific heats of a gas at a constant-pressure to a gas at a constant-volume( p is the pressure; is the pressure; ρ is the density. Using the ideal gas law to replace p with nRT/V, and replacing ρ with nM/V, the equation for an ideal gas becomes c i d e a l = γ ⋅ p ρ = γ ⋅ R ⋅ T M = γ ⋅ k ⋅ T m , {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {ideal} }={\sqrt {\gamma \cdot {p \over \rho }}}={\sqrt {\gamma \cdot R\cdot T \over M}}={\sqrt {\gamma \cdot k\cdot T \over m}},} where c ideal is the speed of sound in an ideal gas; is the speed of sound in an ideal gas; R (approximately 8.314,5 J · mol −1 · K −1 ) is the molar gas constant(universal gas constant); [8] (approximately ) is the molar gas constant(universal gas constant); k is the Boltzmann constant; is the Boltzmann constant; γ (gamma) is the adiabatic index. At room temperature, where thermal energy is fully partitioned into rotation (rotations are fully excited) but quantum effects prevent excitation of vibrational modes, the value is 7/5 = 1.400 for diatomic molecules, according to kinetic theory. Gamma is actually experimentally measured over a range from 1.399,1 to 1.403 at 0 °C , for air. Gamma is exactly 5/3 = 1.6667 for monatomic gases such as noble gases and it is approxemately 1.3 for triatomic molecule gases; (gamma) is the adiabatic index. At room temperature, where thermal energy is fully partitioned into rotation (rotations are fully excited) but quantum effects prevent excitation of vibrational modes, the value is for diatomic molecules, according to kinetic theory. Gamma is actually experimentally measured over a range from 1.399,1 to 1.403 at , for air. Gamma is exactly for monatomic gases such as noble gases and it is approxemately 1.3 for triatomic molecule gases; T is the absolute temperature; is the absolute temperature; M is the molar mass of the gas. The mean molar mass for dry air is about 0.028,964,5 kg/mol ; [ citation needed ] is the molar mass of the gas. The mean molar mass for dry air is about ; n is the number of moles; is the number of moles; m is the mass of a single molecule. This equation applies only when the sound wave is a small perturbation on the ambient condition, and the certain other noted conditions are fulfilled, as noted below. Calculated values for c air have been found to vary slightly from experimentally determined values.[9] Newton famously considered the speed of sound before most of the development of thermodynamics and so incorrectly used isothermal calculations instead of adiabatic. His result was missing the factor of γ but was otherwise correct. Numerical substitution of the above values gives the ideal gas approximation of sound velocity for gases, which is accurate at relatively low gas pressures and densities (for air, this includes standard Earth sea-level conditions). Also, for diatomic gases the use of γ = 1.4000 requires that the gas exists in a temperature range high enough that rotational heat capacity is fully excited (i.e., molecular rotation is fully used as a heat energy "partition" or reservoir); but at the same time the temperature must be low enough that molecular vibrational modes contribute no heat capacity (i.e., insignificant heat goes into vibration, as all vibrational quantum modes above the minimum-energy-mode, have energies too high to be populated by a significant number of molecules at this temperature). For air, these conditions are fulfilled at room temperature, and also temperatures considerably below room temperature (see tables below). See the section on gases in specific heat capacity for a more complete discussion of this phenomenon. For air, we introduce the shorthand R ∗ = R / M a i r . {\displaystyle R_{}=R/M_{\mathrm {air} }.} In addition, we switch to the Celsius temperature ϑ {\displaystyle \vartheta } = T − 273.15, which is useful to calculate air speed in the region near 0 °C (about 273 kelvin). Then, for dry air, c i d e a l = γ ⋅ R ∗ ⋅ T = γ ⋅ R ∗ ⋅ ( ϑ + 273.15 ) , {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {ideal} }={\sqrt {\gamma \cdot R_{}\cdot T}}={\sqrt {\gamma \cdot R_{}\cdot (\vartheta +273.15)}},} c i d e a l = γ ⋅ R ∗ ⋅ 273.15 ⋅ 1 + ϑ 273.15 , {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {ideal} }={\sqrt {\gamma \cdot R_{}\cdot 273.15}}\cdot {\sqrt {1+{\frac {\vartheta }{273.15}}}},} where ϑ {\displaystyle \vartheta } (theta) is the temperature in degrees Celsius(°C). Substituting numerical values R = 8.314 510 J / ( m o l ⋅ K ) {\displaystyle R=8.314\,510~\mathrm {J/(mol\cdot K)} } for the molar gas constant in J/mole/Kelvin, and M a i r = 0.028 964 5 k g / m o l {\displaystyle M_{\mathrm {air} }=0.028\,964\,5~\mathrm {kg/mol} } for the mean molar mass of air, in kg; and using the ideal diatomic gas value of γ = 1.4000, we have c a i r = 331.3 1 + ϑ 273.15 m / s . {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {air} }=331.3~~{\sqrt {1+{\frac {\vartheta }{273.15}}}}~~~\mathrm {m/s} .} Finally, Taylor expansion of the remaining square root in ϑ {\displaystyle \vartheta } yields c a i r = 331.3 ( 1 + ϑ 2 ⋅ 273.15 ) m / s , {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {air} }=331.3~(1+{\frac {\vartheta }{2\cdot 273.15}})~~~\mathrm {m/s} ,} c a i r = ( 331.3 + 0.606 ⋅ ϑ ) m / s . {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {air} }=(331.3+0.606\cdot \vartheta )~~~\mathrm {m/s} .} The above derivation includes the first two equations given in the "Practical formula for dry air" section above. Effects due to wind shear [ edit ] The speed of sound varies with temperature. Since temperature and sound velocity normally decrease with increasing altitude, sound is refracted upward, away from listeners on the ground, creating an acoustic shadow at some distance from the source.[7] Wind shear of 4 m/(s · km) can produce refraction equal to a typical temperature lapse rate of 7.5 °C/km.[10] Higher values of wind gradient will refract sound downward toward the surface in the downwind direction,[11] eliminating the acoustic shadow on the downwind side. This will increase the audibility of sounds downwind. This downwind refraction effect occurs because there is a wind gradient; the sound is not being carried along by the wind.[12] For sound propagation, the exponential variation of wind speed with height can be defined as follows:[13] U ( h ) = U ( 0 ) h ζ , {\displaystyle U(h)=U(0)h^{\zeta },} d U d H ( h ) = ζ U ( h ) h , {\displaystyle {\frac {\mathrm {d} U}{\mathrm {d} H}}(h)=\zeta {\frac {U(h)}{h}},} where U ( h ) is the speed of the wind at height h ; ( ) is the speed of the wind at height ; ζ is the exponential coefficient based on ground surface roughness, typically between 0.08 and 0.52; is the exponential coefficient based on ground surface roughness, typically between 0.08 and 0.52; dU/dH(h) is the expected wind gradient at height h. In the 1862 American Civil War Battle of Iuka, an acoustic shadow, believed to have been enhanced by a northeast wind, kept two divisions of Union soldiers out of the battle,[14] because they could not hear the sounds of battle only 10 km (six miles) downwind.[15] Tables [ edit ] In the standard atmosphere: T 0 is 273.15 K (= 0 °C = 32 °F ), giving a theoretical value of 331.3 m/s (= 1086.9 ft/s = 1193 km/h = 741.1 mph = 644.0 kn is (= ), giving a theoretical value of (= = = = T 20 is 293.15 K (= 20 °C = 68 °F ), giving a value of 343.2 m/s (= 1126.0 ft/s = 1236 km/h = 767.8 mph = 667.2 kn is (= = ), giving a value of (= = = = T 25 is 298.15 K (= 25 °C = 77 °F ), giving a value of 346.1 m/s (= 1135.6 ft/s = 1246 km/h = 774.3 mph = 672.8 kn In fact, assuming an ideal gas, the speed of sound c depends on temperature only, not on the pressure or density (since these change in lockstep for a given temperature and cancel out). Air is almost an ideal gas. The temperature of the air varies with altitude, giving the following variations in the speed of sound using the standard atmosphere—actual conditions may vary. Effect of temperature on properties of air Temperature T (°C) Speed of sound c (m/s) Density of air ρ (kg/m3) Characteristic specific acoustic impedance z 0 (Pa·s/m) 35 351.88 1.1455 403.2 30 349.02 1.1644 406.5 25 346.13 1.1839 409.4 20 343.21 1.2041 413.3 15 340.27 1.2250 416.9 10 337.31 1.2466 420.5 5 334.32 1.2690 424.3 0 331.30 1.2922 428.0 −5 328.25 1.3163 432.1 −10 325.18 1.3413 436.1 −15 322.07 1.3673 440.3 −20 318.94 1.3943 444.6 −25 315.77 1.4224 449.1 Given normal atmospheric conditions, the temperature, and thus speed of sound, varies with altitude: Altitude Temperature m/s km/h mph kn Sea level 15 °C ( 59 °F ) 340 1,225 761 661 11,000 m − 20,000 m (Cruising altitude of commercial jets, and first supersonic flight) −57 °C ( −70 °F ) 295 1,062 660 573 29,000 m (Flight of X-43A) −48 °C ( −53 °F ) 301 1,083 673 585 Effect of frequency and gas composition [ edit ] General physical considerations [ edit ] The medium in which a sound wave is travelling does not always respond adiabatically, and as a result, the speed of sound can vary with frequency.[16] The limitations of the concept of speed of sound due to extreme attenuation are also of concern. The attenuation which exists at sea level for high frequencies applies to successively lower frequencies as atmospheric pressure decreases, or as the mean free path increases. For this reason, the concept of speed of sound (except for frequencies approaching zero) progressively loses its range of applicability at high altitudes.[9] The standard equations for the speed of sound apply with reasonable accuracy only to situations in which the wavelength of the soundwave is considerably longer than the mean free path of molecules in a gas. The molecular composition of the gas contributes both as the mass (M) of the molecules, and their heat capacities, and so both have an influence on speed of sound. In general, at the same molecular mass, monatomic gases have slightly higher speed of sound (over 9% higher) because they have a higher γ (5/3 = 1.66...) than diatomics do (7/5 = 1.4). Thus, at the same molecular mass, the speed of sound of a monatomic gas goes up by a factor of c g a s , m o n a t o m i c c g a s , d i a t o m i c = 5 / 3 7 / 5 = 25 21 = 1.091 … {\displaystyle {c_{\mathrm {gas,monatomic} } \over c_{\mathrm {gas,diatomic} }}={\sqrt {{5/3} \over {7/5}}}={\sqrt {25 \over 21}}=1.091\ldots } This gives the 9% difference, and would be a typical ratio for speeds of sound at room temperature in helium vs. deuterium, each with a molecular weight of 4. Sound travels faster in helium than deuterium because adiabatic compression heats helium more since the helium molecules can store heat energy from compression only in translation, but not rotation. Thus helium molecules (monatomic molecules) travel faster in a sound wave and transmit sound faster. (Sound travels at about 70% of the mean molecular speed in gases; the figure is 75% in monatomic gases and 68% in diatomic gases). Note that in this example we have assumed that temperature is low enough that heat capacities are not influenced by molecular vibration (see heat capacity). However, vibrational modes simply cause gammas which decrease toward 1, since vibration modes in a polyatomic gas give the gas additional ways to store heat which do not affect temperature, and thus do not affect molecular velocity and sound velocity. Thus, the effect of higher temperatures and vibrational heat capacity acts to increase the difference between the speed of sound in monatomic vs. polyatomic molecules, with the speed remaining greater in monatomics. Practical application to air [ edit ] By far the most important factor influencing the speed of sound in air is temperature. The speed is proportional to the square root of the absolute temperature, giving an increase of about 0.6 m/s per degree Celsius. For this reason, the pitch of a musical wind instrument increases as its temperature increases. The speed of sound is raised by humidity but decreased by carbon dioxide. The difference between 0% and 100% humidity is about 1.5 m/s at standard pressure and temperature, but the size of the humidity effect increases dramatically with temperature. The carbon dioxide content of air is not fixed, due to both carbon pollution and human breath (e.g., in the air blown through wind instruments). The dependence on frequency and pressure are normally insignificant in practical applications. In dry air, the speed of sound increases by about 0.1 m/s as the frequency rises from 10 Hz to 100 Hz. For audible frequencies above 100 Hz it is relatively constant. Standard values of the speed of sound are quoted in the limit of low frequencies, where the wavelength is large compared to the mean free path.[17] Mach number [ edit ] [18] U.S. Navy F/A-18 traveling near the speed of sound. The white halo consists of condensed water droplets formed by the sudden drop in air pressure behind the shock cone around the aircraft (see Prandtl-Glauert singularity ). Mach number, a useful quantity in aerodynamics, is the ratio of air speed to the local speed of sound. At altitude, for reasons explained, Mach number is a function of temperature. Aircraft flight instruments, however, operate using pressure differential to compute Mach number, not temperature. The assumption is that a particular pressure represents a particular altitude and, therefore, a standard temperature. Aircraft flight instruments need to operate this way because the stagnation pressure sensed by a Pitot tube is dependent on altitude as well as speed. Experimental methods [ edit ] A range of different methods exist for the measurement of sound in air. The earliest reasonably accurate estimate of the speed of sound in air was made by William Derham and acknowledged by Isaac Newton. Derham had a telescope at the top of the tower of the Church of St Laurence in Upminster, England. On a calm day, a synchronized pocket watch would be given to an assistant who would fire a shotgun at a pre-determined time from a conspicuous point some miles away, across the countryside. This could be confirmed by telescope. He then measured the interval between seeing gunsmoke and arrival of the sound using a half-second pendulum. The distance from where the gun was fired was found by triangulation, and simple division (distance/time) provided velocity. Lastly, by making many observations, using a range of different distances, the inaccuracy of the half-second pendulum could be averaged out, giving his final estimate of the speed of sound. Modern stopwatches enable this method to be used today over distances as short as 200–400 meters, and not needing something as loud as a shotgun. Single-shot timing methods [ edit ] The simplest concept is the measurement made using two microphones and a fast recording device such as a digital storage scope. This method uses the following idea. If a sound source and two microphones are arranged in a straight line, with the sound source at one end, then the following can be measured: The distance between the microphones (x), called microphone basis. The time of arrival between the signals (delay) reaching the different microphones (t). Then v = x/t. Other methods [ edit ] In these methods, the time measurement has been replaced by a measurement of the inverse of time (frequency). Kundt's tube is an example of an experiment which can be used to measure the speed of sound in a small volume. It has the advantage of being able to measure the speed of sound in any gas. This method uses a powder to make the nodes and antinodes visible to the human eye. This is an example of a compact experimental setup. A tuning fork can be held near the mouth of a long pipe which is dipping into a barrel of water. In this system it is the case that the pipe can be brought to resonance if the length of the air column in the pipe is equal to (1 + 2n)λ/4 where n is an integer. As the antinodal point for the pipe at the open end is slightly outside the mouth of the pipe it is best to find two or more points of resonance and then measure half a wavelength between these. Here it is the case that v = fλ. High-precision measurements in air [ edit ] The effect of impurities can be significant when making high-precision measurements. Chemical desiccants can be used to dry the air, but will, in turn, contaminate the sample. The air can be dried cryogenically, but this has the effect of removing the carbon dioxide as well; therefore many high-precision measurements are performed with air free of carbon dioxide rather than with natural air. A 2002 review[19] found that a 1963 measurement by Smith and Harlow using a cylindrical resonator gave "the most probable value of the standard speed of sound to date." The experiment was done with air from which the carbon dioxide had been removed, but the result was then corrected for this effect so as to be applicable to real air. The experiments were done at 30 °C but corrected for temperature in order to report them at 0 °C. The result was 331.45 ± 0.01 m/s for dry air at STP, for frequencies from 93 Hz to 1,500 Hz. Non-gaseous media [ edit ] Speed of sound in solids [ edit ] Three-dimensional solids [ edit ] In a solid, there is a non-zero stiffness both for volumetric deformations and shear deformations. Hence, it is possible to generate sound waves with different velocities dependent on the deformation mode. Sound waves generating volumetric deformations (compression) and shear deformations (shearing) are called pressure waves (longitudinal waves) and shear waves (transverse waves), respectively. In earthquakes, the corresponding seismic waves are called P-waves (primary waves) and S-waves (secondary waves), respectively. The sound velocities of these two types of waves propagating in a homogeneous 3-dimensional solid are respectively given by[20] c s o l i d , p = K + 4 3 G ρ = E ( 1 − ν ) ρ ( 1 + ν ) ( 1 − 2 ν ) , {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {solid,p} }={\sqrt {\frac {K+{\frac {4}{3}}G}{\rho }}}={\sqrt {\frac {E(1- u )}{\rho (1+ u )(1-2 u )}}},} c s o l i d , s = G ρ , {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {solid,s} }={\sqrt {\frac {G}{\rho }}},} where K is the bulk modulus of the elastic materials; is the bulk modulus of the elastic materials; G is the shear modulus of the elastic materials; is the shear modulus of the elastic materials; E is the Young's modulus; is the Young's modulus; ρ is the density; is the density; ν is Poisson's ratio. The last quantity is not an independent one, as E = 3K(1 − 2ν). Note that the speed of pressure waves depends both on the pressure and shear resistance properties of the material, while the speed of shear waves depends on the shear properties only. Typically, pressure waves travel faster in materials than do shear waves, and in earthquakes this is the reason that the onset of an earthquake is often preceded by a quick upward-downward shock, before arrival of waves that produce a side-to-side motion. For example, for a typical steel alloy, K = 170 GPa, G = 80 GPa and ρ = 7,700 kg/m3, yielding a compressional speed c solid,p of 6,000 m/s.[20] This is in reasonable agreement with c solid,p measured experimentally at 5,930 m/s for a (possibly different) type of steel.[21] The shear speed c solid,s is estimated at 3,200 m/s using the same numbers. One-dimensional solids [ edit ] The speed of sound for pressure waves in stiff materials such as metals is sometimes given for "long rods" of the material in question, in which the speed is easier to measure. In rods where their diameter is shorter than a wavelength, the speed of pure pressure waves may be simplified and is given by: c s o l i d = E ρ , {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {solid} }={\sqrt {\frac {E}{\rho }}},} where E is Young's modulus. This is similar to the expression for shear waves, save that Young's modulus replaces the shear modulus. This speed of sound for pressure waves in long rods will always be slightly less than the same speed in homogeneous 3-dimensional solids, and the ratio of the speeds in the two different types of objects depends on Poisson's ratio for the material. Speed of sound in liquids [ edit ] Speed of sound in water vs temperature. In a fluid, the only non-zero stiffness is to volumetric deformation (a fluid does not sustain shear forces). Hence the speed of sound in a fluid is given by c f l u i d = K ρ , {\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {fluid} }={\sqrt {\frac {K}{\rho }}},} where K is the bulk modulus of the fluid. Water [ edit ] In fresh water, sound travels at about 1481 m/s at 20 °C (see the External Links section below for online calculators).[22] Applications of underwater sound can be found in sonar, acoustic communication and acoustical oceanography. Seawater [ edit ] In salt water that is free of air bubbles or suspended sediment, sound travels at about 1500 m/s (1500.235 m/s at 1000 kilopascals, 10 °C and 3% salinity by one method).[23] The speed of sound in seawater depends on pressure (hence depth), temperature (a change of 1 °C ~ 4 m/s), and salinity (a change of 1‰ ~ 1 m/s), and empirical equations have been derived to accurately calculate the speed of sound from these variables.[24][25] Other factors affecting the speed of sound are minor. Since in most ocean regions temperature decreases with depth, the profile of the speed of sound with depth decreases to a minimum at a depth of several hundred meters. Below the minimum, sound speed increases again, as the effect of increasing pressure overcomes the effect of decreasing temperature (right).[26] For more information see Dushaw et al.[27] A simple empirical equation for the speed of sound in sea water with reasonable accuracy for the world's oceans is due to Mackenzie:[28] c ( T , S , z ) = a 1 + a 2 T + a 3 T 2 + a 4 T 3 + a 5 ( S − 35 ) + a 6 z + a 7 z 2 + a 8 T ( S − 35 ) + a 9 T z 3 , {\displaystyle c(T,S,z)=a_{1}+a_{2}T+a_{3}T^{2}+a_{4}T^{3}+a_{5}(S-35)+a_{6}z+a_{7}z^{2}+a_{8}T(S-35)+a_{9}Tz^{3},} where T is the temperature in degrees Celsius; is the temperature in degrees Celsius; S is the salinity in parts per thousand; is the salinity in parts per thousand; z is the depth in meters. The constants a 1 , a 2 , ..., a 9 are a 1 = 1 , 448.96 , a 2 = 4.591 , a 3 = − 5.304 × 10 − 2 , a 4 = 2.374 × 10 − 4 , a 5 = 1.340 , a 6 = 1.630 × 10 − 2 , a 7 = 1.675 × 10 − 7 , a 8 = − 1.025 × 10 − 2 , a 9 = − 7.139 × 10 − 13 , {\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}a_{1}&=1,448.96,&a_{2}&=4.591,&a_{3}&=-5.304\times 10^{-2},\\a_{4}&=2.374\times 10^{-4},&a_{5}&=1.340,&a_{6}&=1.630\times 10^{-2},\\a_{7}&=1.675\times 10^{-7},&a_{8}&=-1.025\times 10^{-2},&a_{9}&=-7.139\times 10^{-13},\end{aligned}}} with check value 1550.744 m/s for T = 25 °C, S = 35 parts per thousand, z = 1,000 m. This equation has a standard error of 0.070 m/s for salinity between 25 and 40 ppt. See Technical Guides. Speed of Sound in Sea-Water for an online calculator. (Note: The Sound Speed vs. Depth graph does not correlate directly to the MacKenzie formula. This is due to the fact that the temperature and salinity varies at different depths. When T and S are held constant, the formula itself it always increasing.) Other equations for the speed of sound in sea water are accurate over a wide range of conditions, but are far more complicated, e.g., that by V. A. Del Grosso[29] and the Chen-Millero-Li Equation.[27][30] Speed of sound in plasma [ edit ] The speed of sound in a plasma for the common case that the electrons are hotter than the ions (but not too much hotter) is given by the formula (see here) c s = ( γ Z k T e / m i ) 1 / 2 = 9.79 × 10 3 ( γ Z T e / μ ) 1 / 2 m / s , {\displaystyle c_{s}=(\gamma ZkT_{\mathrm {e} }/m_{\mathrm {i} })^{1/2}=9.79\times 10^{3}(\gamma ZT_{e}/\mu )^{1/2}~\mathrm {m/s} ,} where m i is the ion mass; is the ion mass; μ is the ratio of ion mass to proton mass μ = m i / m p ; is the ratio of ion mass to proton mass ; T e is the electron temperature; is the electron temperature; Z is the charge state; is the charge state; k is Boltzmann constant; is Boltzmann constant; γ is the adiabatic index. In contrast to a gas, the pressure and the density are provided by separate species, the pressure by the electrons and the density by the ions. The two are coupled through a fluctuating electric field. Gradients [ edit ] When sound spreads out evenly in all directions in three dimensions, the intensity drops in proportion to the inverse square of the distance. However, in the ocean, there is a layer called the 'deep sound channel' or SOFAR channel which can confine sound waves at a particular depth. In the SOFAR channel, the speed of sound is lower than that in the layers above and below. Just as light waves will refract towards a region of higher index, sound waves will refract towards a region where their speed is reduced. The result is that sound gets confined in the layer, much the way light can be confined to a sheet of glass or optical fiber. Thus, the sound is confined in essentially two dimensions. In two dimensions the intensity drops in proportion to only the inverse of the distance. This allows waves to travel much further before being undetectably faint. A similar effect occurs in the atmosphere. Project Mogul successfully used this effect to detect a nuclear explosion at a considerable distance. See also [ edit ]
It's true that such restrictions would reduce the availability of guns for above-board purchasers, people who did nothing wrong. But should that really be a higher priority than the interdiction of weapons to criminals? Gun-rights groups warn that such restrictions, no matter how many lives they may save, could lead us down a slippery slope toward a disarmed American society. But the strength of the NRA and the unwillingness of Congress to provoke their wrath make it extremely unlikely that, as these groups warn, all assault weapons could be criminalized and seized. When it comes to guns, there's more at stake than just gun rights. Redesigning our regulations of assault weapons could allow the U.S. an opportunity to rethink a range of issues and create some coherence. Why is it, for example, that multiple handguns sales are reported to the ATF, while multiple long gun sales are not? In testimony before the Oversight Committee, Special Agent Peter Forcelli, the senior ATF group supervisor in the Phoenix Field Division, drew the parallel to purchases of Sudafed, which are monitored because Sudafed is used to make methamphetamine. "Not everybody who buys more than one gun is a criminal," said Forcelli, "but it would give us an indicator that, hey, why is this person buying seven AKs? Maybe that's somebody we want to speak to." A broader conversation about arms control in America could actually benefit American firearms enthusiasts. For example, currently, at least ten key parts of imported rifles must be American-made in order to escape the "sporting purposes" test, an odd law initially enacted to keep cheap Chinese-made AK-47s out of circulation. Instead, importers bring stripped-down weapons into the country, add American-made parts, and make other minor modifications. For this, American gun owners pay a premium and must then be careful not to swap those parts out for foreign-made parts. By aligning firearms import laws with domestic gun laws, there would be fewer hoops to jump through. There is a real human cost to the government's choice to allow purchases of unlimited assault weapons. While the individual right to own firearms has been settled by the Supreme Court, there is little guidance on the type of weapons the government must allow the individual to keep or how often the individual may purchase them. Given the high death tolls and the lives shattered, the desires of a few legitimate enthusiasts to acquire arsenals of AR-15s and of firearms manufacturers and dealers to protect their business interests do not outweigh the fact that a number of purchasers of these weapons are criminals and terrorists. There's little that the U.S. can easily do about the guns already in circulation; stemming the future tide is far more practical. Unfortunately, the political will is lacking, and while Fast and Furious provides an excellent backdrop against to act, the start of campaign season suggests this will be a crisis wasted.
Look up, “Deductive fallacy.” (TITP is against thin privilege & thin people have thin privilege -/-> TITP is against thin people) Also, look up “social privilege.” Also, you might want to read the blog first. And other SJ blogs, as you seem to assume that talking about other privileges means disliking groups with privilege. Additionally: why in the world would you ever ask someone else if they thought you were a bad person? Trust me, external validation isn’t all it’s made out to be. You can be a compassionate person and still focus on yourself. Try it, you might like it. Lastly: I find it rather hilarious that someone with so many privileges must still get validated in spaces not made for her. Are you really that entitled? I mean, you get how that proves how privileged you are, right? -ATL
July 8, 1930 OBITUARY Conan Doyle Dead From Heart Attack Wireless to The New York Times LONDON, July 7.--Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes and a noted spiritist, died today at his home, Windlesham, in Crowborough, Sussex. He was 71 years old. Sir Arthur had been ill from heart trouble for two months, but was making good progress against the malady until last Saturday, when a return of the heart attacks prostrated him. At his bedside when he died were Lady Doyle, his two sons and one daughter. Sir Arthur's illness was attributed to his work in Scandinavia last October, when he gave a series of lectures on spiritism. Although Sir Arthur had been in failing health for some time, that did not deter him from his work. Up to the end his enthusiasm for psychic investigation was unflagging. Only last March he caused a sensation by resigning from the Society for Psychical Research, of which he had been a leading member for thirty-six years. His letter of resignation was written from his sickbed. Told of Spirit Talks Sir Arthur claimed to have had conversations with the spirits of many great men, including Cecil Rhodes, Earl Haig, Joseph Conrad and others. Adrian Conan Doyle, the novelist's son, said today the whole family believed Sir Arthur would continue to keep in touch with them. "I know perfectly well I am going to have conversations with my father," he said. In his later years Sir Arthur often expressed a wish that he should be remembered for his psychic work rather than for his novels. When he celebrated his seventy-first birthday on May 22 he confessed he was tired of hearing about his celebrated character, Sherlock Holmes. "Holmes is dead," he said. "I have done with him." Ten of Sir Arthur's sixty books are about spiritism. For years Lady Doyle was his constant companion, accompanying him on all his travels. It was to her the dying novelist spoke his last words. "You are wonderful," he said with a smile. He died peacefully. Lady Doyle had nursed him through his illness to the end. Family Awaits a Message LONDON, July 7 (AP).--The family of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle today expressed the belief he would communicate with them from the spirit world as he had promised. Adrian Conan Doyle, a son of the novelist and spiritist, asked if his father had spoken of communicating with his family after his death, said: "Why, of course, my father fully believed that when he passed over he would continue to keep in touch with us. All his family believe so, too. "There is no question that my father will often speak to us, just as he did before he passed over. We will always know when he is speaking, but one has to be careful because there are practical jokers on the other side, as there are here. "It is quite possible that these jokers may attempt to impersonate him. But there are tests which my mother knows, such as little mannerisms of speech which cannot be impersonated and which will tell us it is my father himself who is speaking." Adrian paid tribute to his celebrated father. He said: "He was a great man and a splendid father and he was loved--and was happy because he knew it--by all of us. "My mother's and father's devotion to each other at all times was one of the most wonderful things I have ever known. She nursed him right through his illness to the end. Smiled in His Suffering "His last words were to her, and they show just how much he thought of her. He simply smiled up at her and said, 'You are wonderful.' He was in too much pain to say a lot. His breathing was very bad, and what he said was during a brief flash of consciousness. I never have seen any one take anything more gamely in all my life. Even when we all knew he was suffering great pain he always managed during times when he was conscious to keep a smile on his face for us." Sir Arthur during the latter part of his life presented an heroic and at the same time somewhat tragic figure. For the past few years he had devoted virtually all his time to the propagation of spiritism, and was recognized as one of the great leaders of the world in that belief. Because of his association with this crusade which he himself characterized as an unpopular one, he gradually lost some of his old-time literary friends who saw no virtue in spiritism and were inclined to look upon him as an eccentric. Sir Arthur was grieved because his friends could not see eye to eye with him, but he never wavered in his pursuit of the cause in which he believed. He even opened a "psychic bookshop" and spiritist museum in Victoria Street in the shadow of Westminster Abbey. Here he created a centre for spiritistic literature and distributed much of it throughout the world. Spent Thousands on Venture Sir Arthur once told the writer that he spent thousands of dollars of his own money to keep the shop and the museum open. Still this adventure did not worry him. "I am in a position to do it," he said with a smile. "I might play with a steam yacht or own race horses. I prefer to do this." There was no doubt in Sir Arthur's mind about the existence of spirits. One of his proofs that spirits exist was a huge photograph of himself which depicted the face of his dead son looking over his shoulder. He showed this picture to the correspondent and remarked, simply: "I handled the plate for that picture myself. Nobody else touched it. How can people doubt when they have such proof as that?" Not long ago Sir Arthur said: "I pledge my honor that spiritism is true, and I know that spiritism is infinitely more important than literature, art, politics, or in fact anything in the world." Twice Revived Sherlock Holmes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gained universal fame as one of the greatest writers of detective stories through the criminological feats of his master sleuth, Sherlock Holmes. Perhaps Holmes himself was even better known than his creator and the fictional address of the former's chambers on Baker Street in London have been sought out by countless visitors to London who were bitterly disappointed when they were informed that Sherlock Holmes had never existed in the flesh. Twice after his career had been definitely terminated by his author, Sherlock Holmes was brought back to fictional life, so avid was the appetite of the public for the narratives of the solution of crime by minute deductive reasoning. The first time was in 1904, with "The Return of Sherlock Holmes," after he had apparently been killed in the last preceding tale; and the second was with the publication of "The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes," in 1927. On the latter occasion Sir Arthur announced that under no circumstances would the great detective ever appear again. Although Sherlock Holmes was the source of Sir Arthur's world-wide fame and the name of the detective became a by-word throughout the world, these stories, of which there were a total of sixty-eight, were never considered the most important part of his work by the author himself. Furthermore, they did not win immediate recognition, and although the first Sherlock Holmes volume appeared in 1887, it was through "Micah Clarke," a historical novel which appeared the following year, that he gained his first literary recognition. Historical novels Sir Arthur always regarded as a more serous part of his work, and he was the author of several others, including "Sir Nigel" and "The White Company," the latter considered his finest work of the kind. He also devoted much energy to work of a journalistic character, including two books explaining England's position in the Boer War, for which he received his knighthood, and a quantity of work of similar character during the World War. But of all his varied labors, Sir Arthur himself regarded his devotion to spiritism, which occupied most of his time after the war, as the most important effort of his life. Sir Arthur was born in Edinburgh in 1859. His father, grandfather, and uncle were all artists and caricaturists of considerable note. He was interested in writing almost from infancy, despite the fact that he was educated as a physician and practiced for several years. First Book at Age of Six His first book was written at the age of six and illustrated by the author. After that there was apparently less written material, but throughout his school years he was known among his fellows as a great story teller. He would invent a character at the beginning of a term, and keep up a marvelous list of adventures which would hold his character on the stage until vacation arrived. His first published story was during his years as a medical student, and the three guineas he received for it gave him the necessary conviction that he could write things which people would pay for. With such a promising background as a narrator, his youth passed with little more direct development in that direction. It was not until he was a practicing physician at Southsea that he turned seriously and industriously to writing in the unwelcome leisure of a young physician at the outset of his practice. But the half dozen preceding years had produced much experience which was to prove valuable to him as an author. In the first place, they had brought him into close contact with the man who became the prototype of Sherlock Holmes. This was Dr. Joseph Bell, a distinguished Scotch surgeon and Sir Arthur's professor in the Edinburgh University medical school. Dr. Bell had remarkable powers of observation and deduction, through which he was able to diagnose almost on sight. It was these same abilities, turned to crime, that later produced Sherlock Holmes. Sir Arthur's family did not have abundant funds, and the young medical student worked as an assistant during his Summers to help defray the cost of his professional medical education. Work in the slums of large cities brought diversified contacts which all proved fodder for the author's imagination later. A trip as surgeon on a whaling ship during one Summer and a trip to Africa as a ship's surgeon after he had taken his medical degree, contributed further broadening. Began Writing in Spare Time Settled at Southsea, with few patients in his first days of practice, Sir Arthur went at writing seriously. Short stories anonymously published proved no royal road to literary fame, but kept all his leisure well occupied. This period produced the first Sherlock Holmes stories, published in book form as "A Study in Scarlet," in 1887. It culminated the following year with the publication of "Micah Clarke," which was refused by several publishers before Andrew Lang read it as reader for Longmans. The career of a physician, in which he was gaining some success, was abandoned for the next two years, which were devoted to the writing of "The White Company." After its completion he turned around and abandoned literature for medicine, devoting some time to further study to equip himself as an eye specialist, and establishing himself in London. Leisure time, however, found him writing again and his health soon began to suffer under the severe regimen of mornings of private practice, afternoons of hospital works, and nights, or a good part of them, devoted to writing. Accordingly, he was again faced with the dilemma of choosing between two promising careers, and he definitely abandoned medicine. His only return thereafter was during the Boer War, when he served as the head of a British hospital. On two occasions Sir Arthur carried his proclivities for crime detection into the world of realities. In both cases his purpose was to right a miscarriage of justice, and in both instances he succeeded in exonerating a man who had been convicted and sentenced to a long term at hard labor. The beneficiaries were Adolph Beck, a Swede by birth, whose conviction for swindling resulted from mistaken identity, and George Edalji, a young lawyer whose father was an East Indian, whose conviction for maiming animals was apparently brought about through manufactured evidence inspired by the local unpopularity of the victim. Sir Arthur was first married to Louise Hawkins of Minsterworth in 1885. She died in 1906, leaving a son and a daughter. He was married again to Miss Jean Leckie of Blackheath in 1907 and the couple had three children. His son by his first wife was killed in the World War, and it was this tragedy which was largely responsible for Sir Arthur's almost exclusive interest in spiritism during his later years.
Any urinary tract infection is bad, but some are getting worse. Along with the burning, piercing pain that typically accompanies a UTI, these infections pose another challenge: They’re getting much harder to treat. For the past 20 years, doctors have been tracking a troubling rise in antibiotic-resistant UTIs, which primarily affect women. There are an estimated 8 million UTIs in the United States each year, and though most of these infections are still treatable with more powerful antibiotics, some otherwise healthy patients find themselves in need of IV treatment — and in some cases can develop deadly bloodstream infections. “You don’t have a normally healthy 30-year-old woman come in, who’s never been in a hospital, with a resistant urinary tract infection that’s moved to her blood,” Elizabeth DuPreez, an infectious disease pharmacist who helped treat cases in Flagstaff, Ariz., explained FRONTLINE. “Where did she get that organism from?” Dr. Lance Price, a George Washington University microbiologist working in Flagstaff, believes that in some cases, the answer is supermarket meat. Watch the video: After testing more than 1,200 samples from Flagstaff-area infections, Price says he’s genetically linked more than 100 of them to supermarket meats. A quarter of those were resistant to several antibiotics. Price’s work hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed, but he shared his preliminary findings with FRONTLINE for The Trouble With Antibiotics, airing tonight on PBS (check local listings). While Price and his team can’t conclusively connect the Flagstaff infections to antibiotic use on the farms where supermarkets get their meat, he believes his use of sophisticated whole-genome sequencing points back toward the farm. “When we see this, when we see such genetic relatedness like this, the alternative explanations become, you know, impossible,” he told FRONTLINE.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would upgrade its ties with the 28-member NATO military alliance by opening a permanent mission to its Brussels headquarters. "I declare that Israel will accept the invitation and open an office, in the near future," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting. "The countries of the world want to cooperate with us because of our determined fight against terror, our technological know-how, our intelligence network and other things," his office quoted him as saying. The Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement late Tuesday that NATO had invited the Jewish state to "open an office at NATO headquarters in Brussels and complete the process of accrediting its representatives to NATO." An Israeli expert told AFP that the invitation was a result of pressure by other NATO members on Turkey, which joined in 1952, to drop its veto on closer alliance ties with its former ally. "It's a Turkish confidence-building measure vis-a-vis Israel," said Tommy Steiner, an expert on NATO-Israel ties at the Institute for Policy and Strategy near Tel Aviv. "Since the introduction of the new (NATO) partnership policy in 2014 Israel was formally invited," he said. "But Israel never did that because there was a Turkish veto on such a measure." Turkey was a key regional ally of Israel until it cut ties with the Jewish state in 2010 over the infamous Mavi Marmara incident, in which Turkish ships tried to breach the naval blockade on Gaza. Turkish extremists attacked IDF soldiers who were forced to board the ship as it refused orders to turn around, leading the wounded soldiers to open fire to save their lives and in the process kill ten attackers. Israel and Turkey held secret talks in December on a rapprochement, with another round taking place in February in Geneva, although it appears a fallout with Russia is largely fueling Turkey's desire for normalization, even as it refuses to remove Hamas's headquarters from Istanbul. Steiner said that the geographically and politically diverse NATO alliance would not invite Israel into a full-fledged mutual-defense pact. "Israel is not going to be a full member, it's not on the cards," he said. "Israel will be officially accredited to NATO, it will have a permanent mission at NATO headquarters as a partner." Israel already participates in military exercises with NATO members other than Turkey, notably the United States. AFP contributed to this report.
A federal judge is trashing UMG Recordings' claim that it retains perpetual ownership of promotional CDs it sends out before an album's release. The case was brought by the recording label against a California man who was auctioning off the promo discs on eBay. The music concern claimed Troy Augusto was violating its copyright because the discs were labeled with messages that they could not be resold. But U.S. District Judge James Otero said the so-called "first sale" doctrine applied because persons in lawful possession of copyrighted material, whether they paid for it or whether it was gifted, have the right to sell the material. The decision set aside UMG's claim that recipients of the promotional CDs were not even free to throw them away. "UMG's distribution of promo CDs provides the recipient with many critical rights of ownership, including the right to perpetual possession and the freedom from obligations to UMG," the judge ruled Tuesday. The judge said the distribution of the promotional CDs "is properly characterized as a gift or sale, not a license, and title to the CDs transferred." The Electronic Frontier Foundation said a contrary ruling could have given copyright owners too much power. "This is a very important ruling for consumers, and not just those who buy or sell used CDs," said EFF attorney Corynne McSherry. "The right of first sale also protects libraries, used bookstores, and businesses that rent movies and videogames." See Also:
Fresh from a trip to England and Italy in search of marquee talent, Toronto FC manager Ryan Nelsen says his MLS club is feeling optimistic about the future. Nelsen was accompanied overseas by general manager Tim Bezbatchenko and Tim Leiweke, the president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. "We talked to a number of players, a number of friends," Nelsen said after practice Wednesday. "Hopefully we can get something done as soon as possible. Story continues below advertisement "But I know — having been in the middle of this myself before — it does take time. But it was a really productive trip. That's all I can really say. "Let's just say I came back very excited." Leiweke has said that the club hopes to sign two designated player strikers in the January transfer window. While Nelsen did not detail his itinerary, his travels took him to his former club Tottenham where talented striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been surplus to requirements this season. But the 29-year-old Togo international reportedly makes north of 125,000 pounds a week (C$210,000 or close to $11 million a year). That's rich — for MLS and MLSE. Former French international Thierry Henry of the New York Red Bulls leads the league salary table at $4.35-million, according to figures released by the MLS Players Union. Adebayor, who once cost Manchester City 25 million pounds ($42-million), may also not tick off all the boxes expected of a DP by Leiweke. Toronto's immediate future, however, is its regular-season finale Saturday against a motivated Montreal Impact team. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement The visiting Impact (14-12-7) currently stand third in the East with 49 points. A win over Toronto (5-17-11) and Montreal automatically qualifies for the playoffs. New York and Sporting Kansas City have already earned two of the five playoff berths in the East. That leaves Chicago (49 points), Houston (48), New England (48) and Philadelphia (46) chasing Montreal. If Montreal ties or loses to Toronto, it will need help from its rivals in a convoluted playoff scenario further complicated by the Impact's 1-5-1 record in recent weeks. Should the Impact fail to win Saturday, it will have to wait on its fate until Chicago, Houston and New England play Sunday. Montreal has never won at BMO Field since entering the MLS, with an 0-2-2 record in all competitions. In the clubs' previous meetings this season, the Impact won 2-1 in Montreal on March 16 and there was a 3-3 draw in Toronto on July 3. Story continues below advertisement NOTES — Toronto striker Justin Braun trained separately after taking a knock in a reserve game. Midfielder Darel Russell continues to nurse a muscle strain. On the plus side, Bobby Convey is back training and fellow midfielder Jeremy Hall is back from suspension.
The April 17 explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, that killed 15 people and injured 200 was perhaps one of the most severe chemical accidents of its kind in recent memory, but it was by no means the first. Earlier this month, for example, Tyson Foods and its affiliates agreed to a $4 million civil settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Justice Department for violations of the Clean Air Act at 23 facilities in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri where the toxic chemical anhydrous ammonia was released during several occasions between 2006 and 2010, causing property damage, multiple injuries to workers and one death. The Tyson incidents did not involve a massive explosion like the disaster in Texas, but the accidents have one potentially deadly element in common: anhydrous ammonia. Investigators now believe that large stores of ammonium nitrate caught on fire and caused the explosion at the West plant. But the plant also held two 12,000-gallon tanks of anhydrous ammonia that could have exacerbated the disaster in Texas if they leaked or exploded, according to the Center for Effective Government (CEG). Anhydrous Ammonia Accidents During the past 15 years, 1,000 accidents have occurred nationwide at chemical facilities that hold large quantities of anhydrous ammonia, according to data recently compiled by CEG. Anhydrous ammonia is a poisonous gas that, like ammonium nitrate, is used to make fertilizer. The chemical is also used as an industrial refrigerant. The EPA considers anhydrous ammonia to be “extremely hazardous” and the chemical can explode if heated. Exposure to low levels of the chemical can cause burning of the eyes and exposure to higher levels can cause blindness, chemical burns and even death. Currently, about 8,000 facilities nationwide store 10,000 or more pounds of anhydrous ammonia and are required to submit risk management plans to the government. Another 2,000 have deregistered from the government’s list, possibly because they hold less than 10,000 pounds, but may still store the chemical. In the past 15 years, 1,000 accidents have occurred at 678 of these facilities, and multiple accidents have occurred at 133 facilities, according to CEG. Many of the accidents directly involved anhydrous ammonia releases, spills and fires. Like the West plant that destroyed dozens of homes when it exploded, many of these facilities are located near residential communities. A Dow Chemical Facility in Freeport, Texas, for example, is located within a mile of the city of Oyster Creek, which has a population of about 1,100 people. The facility has reported 15 accidents in the past decade and a half. The accidents led to 19 injuries, forced the evacuation of 130 people and caused more than $11 million in property damage, according to an interactive map released this week by CEG. In all, the 1,000 reported accidents at facilities holding large quantities of anhydrous ammonia resulted in 19 deaths, 1,651 injuries, and nearly $350 million in property damage. A total of 63,676 people in the facilities and surrounding communities and neighborhoods had to be evacuated when accidents occurred. “We hope people will use our new interactive map to find out what’s around them and then ask their local public officials if they’ve seen risk management plans and related reports for their areas,” said Sean Moulton, a policy director at CEG. “We all need to make sure our communities and emergency service providers are prepared.” Tougher Regulations? Last year, the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC), a federal advisory group to the EPA, wrote a letter to former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson asking the EPA to address “specific threats” to communities near chemical facilities by toughening security and storage standards and asking facilities to use less toxic chemical alternatives. Truthout asked the EPA if any progress had been made with regard to this request from NEJAC, but a spokesperson for the agency did not issue a response by the time this article was published. According to a Congressional Research Memo prepared for Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-New Jersey), there are 6,985 chemical facilities across the country that fall under federal monitoring criteria because, under a “worst-case scenario,” an accident at these facilities could impact populations of 1,000 people or more. Accidents at 90 of the facilities on the list would put populations of over 1 million in danger. On April 10, Lautenberg reintroduced the Safe Chemicals Act, which would reform federal regulations and bolster EPA chemical safety programs. Lautenberg has been pushing for reforms to federal chemical safety regulations since 2005.
Tiger Woods joined social media’s furious reaction to the controversial conclusion of the first female major of the season on Sunday night, as Lexi Thompson was hit with a retrospective four-shot penalty spotted by a TV viewer almost 24 hours later, which ultimately cost her the ANA Inspiration championship. Tiger Woods joined social media’s furious reaction to the controversial conclusion of the first female major of the season on Sunday night, as Lexi Thompson was hit with a retrospective four-shot penalty spotted by a TV viewer almost 24 hours later, which ultimately cost her the ANA Inspiration championship. Thompson was two ahead after completing the 12th hole at the Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs, California when she was approached by two rules officials. They told her what those watching on television already knew. That an unnamed person had emailed in during the final round to say that Thomson had broken the rules during Saturday’s third round. It was a full day on from when the infraction had occurred but that only meant the penalty would be even more severe. Thompson had missed a birdie putt on the 17th green, leaving it about two feet short. The 22-year-old American appeared about to finish it off, but stopped and decided to mark it. Replays showed that when replacing the ball she obviously did so in the wrong place, if only a centimetre from its original position. However, when the referees watched it back on Sunday after being alerted, there would inevitably only be one verdict. A two-shot-shot penalty for the offence and a two-shot penalty for signing for a wrong score. Viewers at home should not be officials wearing stripes. Let's go @Lexi, win this thing anyway. — Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) April 3, 2017 Thompson’s reaction when being informed as she walked towards the 13th tee, was naturally one of incredulity. “Is this a joke?” she asked. When realising it was deadly serious, the tears started to flow. From being two ahead of her playing partner, Sweden’s Suzann Pettersen, she now found herself two behind. Yet somehow Thompson, still crying, managed to birdie the 13th and then birdie the 15th and with Pettersen seemingly more affected in a playing sense than the crestfallen world no 4, Thompson took the lead again. Lexi Thompson was assessed a 4-shot penalty for an incorrect marking of a ball and signing an incorrect card yesterday at #ANAInspiration pic.twitter.com/6pNJ5haql9 — Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) April 3, 2017 Read more: Comment - It's time for golf to gag eagle-eyed TV viewers and second guessers However, up ahead the Korean So Yeon Ryu was finishing off on 14-under, meaning Thompson needed to birdie the last for a play-off. Thompson did so, after missing a makeable eagle putt from 20 feet, with the crowd chanting “Lexi, Lexi”. By then, Woods had signalled his support by tweeting: “Viewers at home should not be officials wearing stripes. Let's go ‪@Lexi, win this thing anyway.’ In the event, a still emotional Thompson could only par the first play-off hole, as Ryu birdied. And as the Korean celebrated with the traditional leap into Poppy’s Pond by the side of the 18th, the sport began one of its depressingly familiar inquests. During the final round of last year’s US Open, Dustin Johnson was told he might be subject to a penalty at the end because of his ball moving on the green, meaning that nobody on the course, including Johnson, knew exactly where they stood on the leaderboard. Eventually Johnson was hit with a two-shot penalty, but it did not matter as the US big-hitter had compiled a big enough advantage to win anyway. This situation felt much worse and way more farcical. There can be no doubt Thompson broke the rules and looking back at the tapes one does wonder if the ball did roll into a pitch mark and question why Thompson paused before deciding to mark it. However, it was the timing which grated. The third round was long over when the penalty was called, but still the officials were obliged to act. Under the old rules, Thompson would have been disqualified for signing an incorrect card. Under the proposed rules set to be introduced in January 2019, she will only have been hit by a two-shot sanction and may still have won. For her part, Thompson took it stoically thanking the galleries for their support. "It's great to have the fan base that I do," Thompson said. "They got me through the whole round. It's unfortunate what happened. I did not mean that at all. I didn't realise I did that [improperly replaced her ball]. I fought strong through the finish and it was great to see the fans behind me." It all seemed extremely hard on Ryu, especially with the moral majority saying the “proper” winner had been denied - even though Thompson had plainly infringed. ''I just cannot believe the situation,'' Ryu said. ''I didn't even check the leaderboard. I thought Lexi played really, really well. I didn't expect what happened to Lexi. It's a very unfortunate situation. I didn't expect it. I thought I'm well behind, so all I wanted to do was play my game.'' Online Editors
Thank you for your help! What was mispronounced? Optional: help us by adding the time Fears of a renewed global property bubble are rising as prices and yields hit records last seen before the financial crisis, according to new data. The pricing of real estate around the world had become “increasingly aggressive”, research company MSCI said. This is particularly the case in the US, where investors’ returns from rental income are now lower than before 2008, when a crash in massively overleveraged property triggered an international banking slump. Globally, property generated total average returns of 9.9 per cent in 2014 thanks to rapid capital value appreciation, MSCI found — the best performance since 2007 and the fifth consecutive year of increasing returns. The spiralling price of property assets in the world’s biggest investment markets was raising “increasing concerns over its sustainability”, said Peter Hobbs, research managing director at MSCI. “Most global markets are at or close to historic low [yield] levels,” he said. The yield expresses rental revenue as a proportion of a property's value. As values rise, yields fall. The main factor behind the pricing is “exceptionally low” bond yields, which made property much more appealing to investors in relative terms, Mr Hobbs said, citing “frenzied buying”. Jonathan Gray, global head of real estate for Blackstone, the world’s largest private real estate investor, said on Wednesday he was confident the market was not nearing a bubble. “Are we at top peak bubble? I don’t think so,” he told a conference in New York. “I think today we’re firmly in the middle of the real estate cycle. We’re only about half way to the ‘06, ‘07 activity, but clearly we’re past the distress from 2009.” Mr Gray just made a $26.5bn bet on the global property market with the acquisition of GE’s commercial real estate portfolio, with assets ranging from shopping centres in Mexico to joint venture assets in Bulgaria. The deal “made a lot of strategic sense for us”, he said. Are we at top peak bubble? I don’t think so. I think today we’re firmly in the middle of the real estate cycle He said he saw values continuing to grow but at a more moderate pace than that of the past few years, in light of expected interest rate rises in the US. MSCI found listed real estate companies had also significantly outperformed the world’s booming equity markets. Globally equities generated a 10.4 per cent return, but property stocks returned 19.5 per cent. The findings will add to fears that central banks’ quantitative easing programmes are fuelling price bubbles in a number of asset classes. European quantitative easing was likely to boost real estate prices further, Mr Hobbs warned. “QE is sucking in real estate capital because debt finance is so cheap,” he said. A combination of QE, a lack of other high-yielding investment classes and the prospect of rising rents is set to fuel the trend further, Mr Hobbs predicted. “We are pretty close to the previous market top in terms of pricing, but rental income growth has not really come through yet so that could support further growth in the coming years,” he said. “If the US keeps doing what it has been doing for the past five years and Europe catches up, then we are set for another strong year [in 2015].” The renewed boom first appeared in high-quality assets in leading US cities and in London. UK real estate returned 17.9 per cent in 2014 while the US returned 11.5 per cent. In London returns topped 20 per cent. Several of London's biggest buildings have changed hands in the past year for record prices, including the Gherkin and the HSBC Tower in Canary Wharf. London also saw a close-fought power struggle over the Canary Wharf estate itself, which resulted in the Qatar Investment Authority and Canadian investors Brookfield winning control. Although these markets are still seeing exceptionally strong investor demand and consequently asset prices and income yields are back at historic record levels, the voracious spending — dubbed a “wall of capital” — has now spread out into riskier markets. “People are moving up the risk curve into riskier locations and taking on higher levels of debt and more challenging development activity,” Mr Hobbs said. “When you’re at or near the top of the cycle that is not necessarily a good thing to be doing.” In the past year investment cash has poured into continental Europe — particularly the periphery — MSCI found. After a record slump, sharp price rises in Dublin drove the total return in its real estate markets to hit a record 44.7 per cent — the best performer of all world cities in MSCI’s analysis.
LabourList readers are confident that Labour can win the Mayor of London election for the first time in 12 years this May. Three out of four readers (73%) who took part in our end of year survey said they were confident about Sadiq Khan’s chances of beating Zac Goldsmith to become London Mayor, with 20% saying they are “very positive” about the campaign, and 53% saying they are “quite positive”. Just 18% said they felt negatively about Khan’s prospects, including only 4% who said they felt very negatively about the election. (Click to enlarge) Khan was selected as Labour’s candidate in September with 59% of the vote in a fifth round victory over Tessa Jowell. Early polls have shown him edging ahead of Tory Goldsmith a head-to-head battle. However, he could face a tough battle: Labour have not won the Mayor of London election since 2004. 2,822 people voted in our survey. Thank you to everyone who took part.
In 1854, Francisque Bouillier published the first edition of his magisterial two-volume Histoire de la philosophie cartésienne. It was an exhaustive study of Descartes's philosophy and its influence. Bouillier begins with Descartes's "precursers" in late medieval and Renaissance thought; surveys the main themes in Descartes's own writings; follows the dissemination of Cartesianism in France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, England and elsewhere; studies the philosophy's many partisans and critics; and finally traces the steps to its ultimate downfall. The scope of Bouillier's work is spectacular. He covers two centuries and an entire continent, and he leaves the reader with a rich and detailed picture of the great diversity among Descartes's followers, as well as their philosophical, religious and political opponents and the passions and controversy that Cartesian philosophy generated right from the beginning. Tad Schmaltz's aim in this book is, by his own account, much more modest. His study is limited to two countries: France and the Dutch Republic (the United Provinces of the Netherlands), without question the most important domains for Cartesian philosophy in the early modern period (and the two countries that can both legitimately claim to have been Descartes's "home"). Moreover, most of Schmaltz's attention is focused on the seventeenth century, although he covers some material that extends into the eighteenth century. Still, while Bouillier may take the prize for geographical and chronological scope and a larger cast of characters, Schmaltz cedes little when it comes to thematic breadth. As for philosophical depth, here Schmaltz surpasses his nineteenth-century predecessor. Both the title and subtitle give away much of his thesis. One question (and several sub-questions) sums up the motivating problem behind Schmaltz's book: What did it mean to be a Cartesian in the seventeenth century? Is it a matter of starting one's philosophizing with the cogito? Did one have to identify body with extension or adopt Descartes's account of the "beast machine" (whereby non-human animals do not have souls but are merely parcels of matter operating according to the principles of the mechanical philosophy)? Did one have to believe that the eternal truths were created by God with an arbitrary will? Was a commitment to occasionalism required? Schmaltz doubts that any of these items is necessary. He is skeptical "that there is any set of principles that all and only recognized members of the 'Cartesian sect' adopted during the early modern period" (137). In fact, for Schmaltz there was no single thing that could be called "Cartesianism" in the seventeenth century -- not in or near Descartes's lifetime, and certainly not in the second half of the century. Contrary to what Leibniz would have us believe, the Cartesians -- for Schmaltz's purposes, Descartes's French and Dutch disciples -- were not just offering paraphrases of their philosophical mentor. There was great variety in what they chose to keep and what they chose to discard from Descartes's epistemology, metaphysics, and science. According to Schmaltz, being a Cartesian in the seventeenth century was not so much a matter of accepting certain required paradigmatic features of Descartes's system, but rather a matter of sharing a particular historical and philosophical pedigree or line of dissent (much in the way, Schmaltz suggests, in which the members of a biological species are united). To be a Cartesian was also to belong to a particular social and intellectual network that self-identifies with Descartes himself, in part by self-consciously continuing his general philosophical project, albeit not always in ways which Descartes would recognize or even sanction. The goal was to complete, modify and/or correct Descartes's philosophy -- above all, to salvage it as it faced condemnation and competition throughout the rest of the century and especially into the next. So much for the Cartesianisms. The operative word in the subtitle is 'constructions'. For as Schmaltz shows, the varieties of Cartesianism in the period are generated by the creative ways in which later figures built on their philosophical inheritance. "What matters is not so much what Descartes himself intended to say but how others received and transformed what he had to say" (11). Cartesianism was not simply passed on or adopted by Descartes's partisans. Rather, they constructed it, and the results often differed in significant respects. Schmaltz begins with an overview of the tricky theological terrain Descartes and Cartesians had to navigate. The problems came from both the Catholic and the Protestant sides. Catholic theologians (and their academic and political allies) were especially concerned with the apparent incompatibility of the Cartesian account of body with the real presence of Christ's body in the transubstantiated Eucharistic host. If matter is nothing but extension and all the properties of body are simply modes of extension that are inseparable from the extended substance to which they belong, then how is it possible for the "accidents" of bread and wine (color, taste, odor, etc.) to remain after the bread and wine have been consecrated and their substance replaced by the substance of Christ's body and blood? Protestant theologians were less concerned about this -- since they did not accept the "real presence" of Christ in the host anyway -- than they were with the problem of liberty. Descartes at times appears to allow that human beings, through the exercise of free will, were responsible not only for epistemic errors but moral ones as well. Allowing human sin or salvation to rest on human freedom, unaided by divine grace, was anathema to Calvinists. At the same time, Catholic theologians were afraid that Descartes's account of the will left it insufficiently free, thus appearing to concede too much to the Calvinist view. It is quite a trick to be able to cause consternation to both Catholics and Calvinists on one and the same issue, but the complexities of Descartes's somewhat reluctant explanation of Eucharistic transubstantiation and the ambiguities in his views on freedom had just this virtue (and they continue to puzzle scholars today). Later Cartesians had to wrestle with these questions, as well as with Descartes's peculiar views on the status of the eternal truths, and did so in diverse, often incompatible ways, depending upon where they were operating. The controversy over Cartesian teaching in Louvain in the early 1660s (leading to Descartes's works being placed on the Catholic Church's "Index of Prohibited Books" in 1663) was very different from the stiff opposition the philosophy faced in Paris in the early 1670s. Cartesians also dealt with Descartes's relationship to the "old" philosophy -- especially Aristotelianism -- in different ways, depending upon the obstacles that they faced in disseminating his ideas. Schmaltz shows how they chose different strategies in France and the Netherlands according to the nature of the challenge. In the Netherlands, where academic Cartesians were seeking to reform the Scholastic curriculum from within, they relied on an "insider" strategy, portraying Descartes's philosophy as continuous with that of the "ancients". By contrast, in France, where Cartesian thought was initially "ignored in the French schools", they opted to bypass academic authorities by "appealing directly to the common person" (69). Thus, in Utrecht and Leiden, the Cartesians began insinuating themselves into university faculties, whereas in Paris and elsewhere they were based mainly in salons and private academies. With these matters of historical-political-theological context and strategy out of the way, Schmaltz turns in the rest of book to particular Cartesians and Cartesianisms. Rather than organizing these chapters by person or geography, however, as Bouillier did, Schmaltz opts for a thematic approach. This serves him and the reader well. In the chapter "Augustinian Cartesianisms", Schmaltz takes up the challenge posed by Henri Gouhier and, more recently, Stephen Menn of determining just how much Descartes's philosophy owes to or has in common with that of Augustine. Schmaltz notes that Descartes himself "appears to have had no sense that his search for metaphysical foundations was specifically Augustinian in nature" (126). However, what he is especially interested in is the extent to which disputes among later Cartesians are informed by just this question as they confronted "difficulties that emerged from the attempt to negotiate an alliance between Augustine and Descartes" (122). Indeed, the greatest Cartesian event of the second half of the seventeenth century -- the bataille royale between Antoine Arnauld and Nicolas Malebranche -- was in good part a debate over the proper way to interpret and integrate the two philosophies. In "Cartesian Occasionalisms", on the other hand, the focus is on the early modern attempts to fix the Cartesian philosophy itself -- in particular, making sense of natural causation as consistent with both Descartes's metaphysics of mind and matter and a proper understanding of God's role in creation. Schmaltz is a superb guide to the dialectic here, offering a fine nuanced view of the varieties of occasionalisms among more or less orthodox Cartesians. We are now far from the old textbook account that seventeenth-century occasionalism was simply an ad-hoc response to a mind-body problem bequeathed by Descartes, as well as the view that one was either an occasionalist or one was not. There were thoroughgoing occasionalists, such as Malebranche, Géraud de Cordemoy and, arguably, Arnold Geulincx; partial occasionalists -- that is, occasionalists in one domain or another (mind to body, body to mind, body/body) -- like Arnauld and Louis de la Forge; and those who have often been taken for occasionalists but in fact were not, such as Johannes Clauberg. Through a careful examination of the different kinds of arguments at work in occasionalist texts, Schmaltz is able to shine some light on who rightly or wrongly deserves to be counted among the ranks of occasionalists and to what degree. As he puts it, These Cartesians were no more unified around a particular form of occasionalism than other early modern Cartesians were unified with respect to several major issues broached in Descartes's writings. What united the various Cartesian occasionalisms was rather a concern to develop and integrate certain themes from Descartes in a way that allows for the survival of a defensible Cartesian theory of causation. (227) The chapter on occasionalism is followed by a pair of more narrowly focused (thematically and geographically) chapters. Schmaltz's examination of Cartesianisms in Dutch medicine begins with Descartes's own mechanist physiology and scientific method, and then considers the legacies in such Dutch Cartesians as Henricus Regius, Johannes De Raey, and Burchard de Volder, as well as the Frenchmen Pierre-Sylvain Regis and Robert Desgabets. The final chapter is devoted to Cartesianisms in French physics, with appearances by Regis, Jacques Rohault and Malebranche as well as the French critics of Cartesian physics. These last two chapters present the more empirical side of the science found in both Descartes and his followers. The end of the story is well known, of course, since Newtonianism slowly but surely won the day (although France, naturally, was the last holdout). There are some lacunae in this book, as there will be in any study with so broad a scope. Schmaltz's discussion of the Arnauld-Malebranche debate, as good as it is, curiously leaves out its most important aspect -- the disagreement over the nature and operation of divine grace. After all, the famous exchanges over the metaphysics and epistemology of ideas were only a prelude to the more important battle over God's modus operandi in the realms of nature and grace -- does God act by particular or general volitions? -- the efficacy of divine volitions, and the relationship among God's attributes. I also missed a discussion of Cartesian moral philosophy, something that is quite relevant to the occasionalism of Geulincx. Schmaltz briefly mentions the Stoic background to Geulincx's views on the will's power over the body, but that is about it for ethics in this book. Schmaltz could also have provided more than the brief mention he makes of the way in which Malebranche's occasionalism forced the Oratorian to modify Descartes's physics, especially the laws of motion. This would have been a valuable addition to the chapter on Cartesian physics. These are very minor criticisms, however. Overall, Schmaltz succeeds admirably in complicating -- and I mean this in a good sense -- our view of early modern Cartesianism. The story he tells, with great scholarly care, adds nuance to our understanding of what was happening in the seventeenth century when we turn our attention from marquee figures like Spinoza, Locke and Leibniz and consider the philosophical journeymen who worked hard to keep Descartes's system -- if not in all its details -- vital.
That said, my first pass at what we can learn from these internal migration data is below the fold. Happily, Statistics Canada started publishing data on migration flows between Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) and between non-CMA regions in its Cansim Table 051-0065 . It's still not as good as the county-to-county migration flows data published by the US Census Bureau , but it's a start. Moreover, the series begin in 2011, so there's a limit to the information you can extract from them. Discussions about demographics are typically focused on trends in fertility/morbidity and immigration/emigration, and these are what matter at the national level. But at the local level, trends on internal migration are also important. Statistics Canada has been publishing data on inter-provincial migration for years, but there's only so much you can get out of them. Migration trends within large provinces such as Ontario and Quebec may be more important for local service providers than inter-provincial trends. This table shows the average annual internal migration flows for the three years that are available. These exclude immigration and emigration flows to and from Canada, so net internal migration for Canada as a whole is zero. There are 47 regions, one for each CMA, and for non-CMA regions in each province. (Ottawa-Gatineau is broken out into its Ontario and Quebec components.) Average annual internal migration flows: 2011-2014 Region Persons Per cent of 2011 population Inflows Ouflows Net flow Inflows Outflows Net flow St John's 6,375.3 4,530.3 1,845.0 3.148 2.237 0.911 Rest of NL 6,389.0 7,809.0 -1420.0 1.981 2.421 -0.440 PEI 2,371.3 3,189.3 -818.0 1.646 2.214 -0.568 Halifax 12,461.7 11,805.0 656.7 3.097 2.933 0.163 Rest of Nova Scotia 9,365.3 13,009.7 -3,644.3 1.728 2.400 -0.672 Moncton 5,498.3 4,695.3 803.0 3.921 3.348 0.573 Saint John 2,439.3 3,472.0 -1,032.7 1.897 2.700 -0.803 Rest of New Brunswick 9,042.0 11,683.0 -2,641.0 1.858 2.400 -0.543 Saguenay 3,152.7 3,233.7 -81.0 1.978 2.029 -0.051 Quebec City 16,760.0 14,850.0 1910.0 2.158 1.912 0.246 Sherbrooke 7,099.0 6,288.7 810.3 3.468 3.072 0.396 Trois-Rivières 5,064.0 4,509.7 554.3 3.304 2.943 0.362 Montreal 44,045.7 57,941.3 -13,895.7 1.134 1.491 -0.358 Gatineau 9,046.0 9,665.0 -619.0 2.841 3.036 -0.194 Rest of Quebec 53,664.3 52,817.7 846.7 2.139 2.105 0.034 Ottawa 26,498.7 24,209.3 2,289.3 2.784 2.543 0.241 Kingston 6,960.3 5,950.3 1,010.0 4.231 3.617 0.614 Peterborough 4,426.7 4,247.3 179.3 3.623 3.476 0.147 Oshawa 15,822.3 12,506.0 3,316.3 4.308 3.405 0.903 Toronto 66,725.3 92,419.3 -25,694.0 1.156 1.602 -0.445 Hamilton 22,381.3 19,803.0 2,578.3 3.014 2.667 0.347 St. Catharines 9,598.0 8,589.7 1,008.3 2.384 2.134 0.250 Kitchener 15,221.7 15,277.7 -56.0 3.088 3.099 -0.011 Brantford 5,114.7 4,457.3 657.3 3.669 3.198 0.472 Guelph 6,699.0 6,074.0 625.0 4.600 4.171 0.429 London 13,543.0 13,033.0 510.0 2.767 2.663 0.104 Windsor 6,671.7 6,711.0 -39.3 2.032 2.044 -0.012 Barrie 10,560.0 9,110.0 1,450.0 5.478 4.726 0.752 Sudbury 4,288.7 4,428.7 -140.0 2.595 2.680 -0.085 Thunder Bay 3,102.3 3,048.0 54.3 2.483 2.439 0.043 Rest of Ontario 70,402.3 71,244.0 -841.7 2.643 2.674 -0.032 Winnipeg 13,948.3 17,096.3 -3,148.0 1.870 2.292 -0.422 Rest of Manitoba 11,506.7 13,715.3 -2,208.7 2.360 2.812 -0.453 Regina 7,728.7 6,976.3 752.3 3.550 3.204 0.346 Saskatoon 11,235.0 9,104.7 2,130.3 4.158 3.369 0.788 Rest of Saskatchewan 15,197.0 17,936.7 -2,739.7 2.627 3.101 -0.474 Calgary 44,970.7 30,291.3 14,679.3 3.557 2.396 1.161 Edmonton 46,206.7 29,996.3 16,210.3 3.831 2.487 1.344 Rest of Alberta 50,364.3 47,378.7 2,985.7 3.816 3.590 0.226 Kelowna 9,659.7 7,343.0 2,316.7 5.263 4.001 1.262 Abbotsford 8,191.0 8,233.0 -42.0 4.699 4.723 -0.024 Vancouver 36,270.3 41,106.7 -4,836.3 1.528 1.732 -0.204 Victoria 13,758.3 10,977.7 2,780.7 3.908 3.118 0.790 Rest of BC 40,317.0 38,912.0 1,405.0 2.847 2.748 0.099 Yukon 1,366.3 1,276.3 90.0 3.859 3.605 0.254 NWT 1,739.7 2,228.0 -488.3 3.999 5.122 -1.123 Nunavut 848.7 917.7 -69.0 2.482 2.684 -0.202 Canada 794,098.3 794,098.3 0 2.312 2.312 0 The scale of the gross flows (2.31% of the population) strikes me as large, but they're almost the same size as the state-to-state migrations in the US (2.37% of the population). The size and direction of the net flows are consistent with the story that is usually told about Canadians moving from east to west. But what I find interesting are the data on the region-to-region transitions, which you can look at for yourself in this excel spreadsheet. There are 47 regions, which makes for 2209 transitions. Surprisingly enough, there are only 35 cells that show no transitions during these three years. When scaled by the population of the region of origin, these flows can be interpreted as a transition matrix for a Markov chain. And once that idea got into my head, I couldn't resist the idea of finding out the stable distribution of the population across the regions. (If you know what the stable distribution of a Markov chain is, you can skip the next two paragraphs). Suppose that there are two regions, Loserville and Winningtown, each with a population of 3 million people. Suppose also that 2% of the people in Loserville move to Winningtown in each period, and 1% of the people in Winningtown move to Loserville. When you apply these exit rates to populations of 2 million, that works out to 60,000 people moving from Loserville to Winnertown, and 30,000 making the reverse trip. Winningtown ends up gaining 30,000 people at the expense of Loserville. Suppose that these rates are sustained, so that Winningtown continues to send 1% of its (rising) population to Loserville, and Loserville continues to send 2% of its (falling) population to Winningtown. But since Winningtown is growing and Loserville is shrinking, the net flows get smaller over time. When the populations of Winningtown and Loserville reach 4 million and 2 million, respectively, the net flows will stop: the 40,000 people leaving Loserville (2% of 2 million) will offset the 40,000 people leaving Winningtown (1% of 4 million). The distribution 4 million/2 million is the stable distribution: the transitions do not affect the distribution of people between Winningtown and Loserville. The stable distribution from the matrix of internal transitions is a long-term projection of regional populations if internal migration was the only force at work. So it's not a forecast - it excludes immigration and natural increase - so much as a measure of the direction and size of the effects of internal migration. The difference between the current and stable distributions can't always be inferred from the net flows in the preceding table. For example, Quebec City was a net beneficiary from internal migration over 2011-2014, but its 'stable' population is almost 20% less than what it was in 2011. It turns out that the regions from which Quebec City draws its internal migrants - mainly elsewhere in Quebec - are also losing population. This chart compares the 2011 population with the stable distribution. It shows that Quebec is by far the biggest loser from internal migration, much more than Atlantic Canada. The relative stability of the population of the Atlantic provinces is driven by the net population flows to Newfoundland and Labrador. (Explanations for why people were moving to NL during 2011-14 are solicited in the comments.) It's often been remarked that Quebec's demographic challenges have less to do with fertility rates and immigration than with Quebec's difficulty in retaining the people who are already here. This chart underlines just how strong those headwinds are. If internal migration were the only factor at work, and if current trends held, Quebec would eventually be the fourth most populous province in Canada, behind Alberta and BC. (The relative stability of the Manitoba-Saskatchewan total is a bit misleading: it masks the gains in Saskatchewan and the losses in Manitoba.) This table compares the actual and stable distributions for all 47 regions: Actual and 'stable' populations: 2011 Region Persons Variation Actual population Stable population Per cent of 2011 population St John's 202,533 310,112 53.12 Rest of NL 322,504 334,343 3.67 PEI 144,038 114,282 -20.66 Halifax 402,433 401,289 -0.28 Rest of NS 542,036 422,140 -22.12 Moncton 140,228 140,597 0.26 Saint John 128,605 85,434 -33.57 Rest of NB 486,697 372,817 -23.40 Saguenay 159,383 115,842 -27.32 Quebec City 776,821 632,937 -18.52 Sherbrooke 204,709 163,382 -20.19 Trois-Rivières 153,247 122,169 -20.28 Montreal 3,885,709 2,348,554 -39.56 Gatineau 318,392 246,158 -22.69 Rest of Quebec 2,509,395 1,777,350 -29.17 Ottawa 951,840 982,586 3.23 Kingston 164,492 187,640 14.07 Peterborough 122,197 120,164 -1.66 Oshawa 367,266 383,617 4.45 Toronto 5,769,759 4,315,604 -25.20 Hamilton 742,498 743,779 0.17 St. Catharines 402,563 421,485 4.70 Kitchener 492,961 462,893 -6.10 Brantford 139,388 152,022 9.06 Guelph 145,637 145,751 0.08 London 489,461 489,353 -0.02 Windsor 328,321 319,554 -2.67 Barrie 192,777 195,607 1.47 Sudbury 165,253 153,034 -7.39 Thunder Bay 124,952 128,484 2.83 Rest of Ontario 2,664,179 2,531,759 -4.97 Winnipeg 746,059 590,563 -20.84 Rest of Manitoba 487,669 390,941 -19.83 Regina 217,710 286,308 31.51 Saskatoon 270,226 399,897 47.99 Rest of Saskatchewan 578,413 658,069 13.77 Calgary 1,264,460 2,380,555 88.27 Edmonton 1,206,040 2,357,392 95.47 Rest of Alberta 1,319,691 2,003,690 51.83 Kelowna 183,524 333,439 81.69 Abbotsford 174,321 217,242 24.62 Vancouver 2,373,045 2,728,221 14.97 Victoria 352,072 574,077 63.06 Rest of BC 1,416,177 1,981,679 39.93 Yukon 35,402 46,415 31.11 NWT 43,501 41,537 -4.51 Nunavut 34,196 32,029 -6.34 It's a bit surprising to see Toronto as a large net loser to internal migration, although a glance at its housing market probably goes a long way to explaining it. (On the other hand, what about Vancouver?) Perhaps the lesson to be drawn here is that Toronto's population growth is heavily dependent on inflows of immigrants from abroad. As I said, this is a rough first pass. But these data on internal migration flows should help us get a better understanding of an important dimension to the debates about demographic trends in Canada.
I remember when I was in high school, and virginity was everything. It wasn’t a universal positive to be a virgin, of course, but it was an axis around which the rest of your social life and reputation was going to turn. There was scorn heaped on girls on both sides of the divide, but it was important that you stake your claim. If you were a virgin, you were destined to be a “prude” whose inability to get laid almost certainly stemmed from your A) Chronically closed (and therefore useless) legs, or B) Complete physical undesirability. There was something humiliating about still being a virgin, especially when you were with a boyfriend and thus assumed to be unwilling to “put out.” It was your duty, after all. Then, if and when you lost your virginity — and it always became known, in some way or another — you were tainted. You had let some guy get into your panties and, unless the sex was in the most ideal circumstances, surrounded by white rose petals and with the boy you had been dating for the past two years without pause, it was dirty. Immediately, aside from the long line of suitors who assumed that you were indiscriminate about your sexual dalliances once you had been “opened for business,” a thousand assumptions were made about who you were. Err too far to one side or the other of the path of sexual acceptability, and you were swiftly labeled a slut. We were kids, and kids are cruel. That’s true. The labeling and categorizing and prying is certainly not as open or as intense as it was when all of you were locked up in the same building five days a week, but it is still palpable. The underlying perceptions that drove the tense social games surrounding sex at 16 are still in effect at 24, if only more insidiously. I remember the way it made me hate other women. The thing was that, the higher the premium on all of our individual sexuality at that age, the more intense the competition for male approval. I let the cruelly judgmental words “slut,” “whore,” or “loose” slip from my mouth like a kind of poison, hoping it would settle on the girls whose morals felt too far out of line for the tastes of teenage politics. She kissed my boyfriend, she slept with every guy in the group, she did it in the back of her car parked in front of the school. These were all indiscretions which we felt, on some inexplicable level, offended us personally and eroded our collective image. I still fight the reflex, from time to time, to judge another woman for how she enjoys and expresses her sexuality. I still wonder, when someone asks my number (even though it is clearly none of their business) if it is sufficiently low, or if I should try to adjust it. I still hesitate before I talk about things which have to do with sex and my body, because we learned that it’s not really a woman’s place to be revealing those things. They are skins we must shed, cocoons we must emerge from as much more evolved, compassionate human beings. And we are working actively on getting rid of the words that underscore them. We know what slut-shaming is, and why it’s bad. This is good, and a step in the right direction. But the words are, at a certain point, just words. There are much more powerful concepts which lie beneath them, ideologies which make a woman her own harshest critic. Even if we can teach one another not to call another girl nasty names, or convince her that there is no such thing as having too much sex (as long as it’s healthy and consensual), how do we make her feel that she is in charge of her own body? Because the truth is that “slut” and the ideas that surround it only exist in girls who are insecure, at the end of the day, with themselves. When you hear the word hissed across a bar as another girl parades by in a red dress and full confidence, it is not really this woman that the speaker hates. It is herself. She was raised to believe that her worth is tied into that woman’s, and that wearing too tight of a dress or drinking one drink too many was going to erode it. Getting women to see one another as free agents who can do whatever they like, as long as they aren’t hurting others, and be free of moral judgments is one thing. But the beginning of that really lies in getting women to see their bodies as something that is alive and vibrant and deserves every bit of happiness and pleasure that it wants to seek out. We must learn that sexuality and joy are not some finite quantities that we won’t have enough of if another woman takes too much. We can create our own, and transform it, and make enough for everyone we fall in love with (even for just one night). Seeing ourselves as the source of our own pleasure and guides of our own journey through sexual development is the start to the end of “slut,” because the word doesn’t mean anything if it is not used as a value judgment. When every woman is happy with what sex means to her, there will be no use for such a concept, but not before. There is no way to not be a slut. There is only a way to embrace sex on your own terms, to the point where you are no longer offended by someone else choosing a different path. If I could go back today and talk to my 16-year-old self, terrified by sex and not sure of what could possibly be expected of her, I would tell her to forget about what boys want. I would tell her to forget about what other girls are going to say, because any who will talk are only unhappy about themselves (just as she is). I would tell her to focus on making strong friendships, and being closer with her family, and taking her time in anything she wants to do. Because the only cure to “being a slut” is happiness, and only because it makes us realize that such a silly thing doesn’t exist in the first place. TC Reader Exclusive: The Patron Social Club gets you invited to cool private parties in your city. Join here.
The 76-year-old, a top adviser to Pope Francis, is accused of multiple historical sexual offences relating to incidents that allegedly occurred long ago. He is the most senior Catholic cleric to be charged with criminal offences linked to the church's long-running sexual abuse scandal. The exact details and nature of the allegations against Pell have not been made public, other than they involve "multiple complainants". ANALYSIS: Charges against Cardinal Pell bring taint of scandal to the top of the Catholic Church Pell has not had to enter a plea yet, but at his first appearance at the Melbourne Magistrates Court in July he instructed his lawyer to make clear he intended to plead not guilty. "For the avoidance of doubt and because of the interest, I might indicate that Cardinal Pell pleads not guilty to all charges and will maintain the presumed innocence that he has," barrister Robert Richter said at the time. A frail-looking Pell returned to the same court Friday for a largely administrative hearing in which March 5 was set for the start of a four-week committal hearing to decide if there is enough evidence from the prosecution for the case to go to trial. Many of the details from Friday's hearing cannot be reported for legal reasons, but Magistrate Belinda Wallington said all witnesses would be allowed except five, meaning up to 50 could be called. Pell, a former Sydney and Melbourne archbishop, returned from Rome in July to fight the charges. At his first court appearance, he had to battle through a crush of national and international media as he walked the short distance from his barrister's office to the court's main entrance. Leave of absence Hunched over and looking weary, Australia's most powerful Catholic made the same slow trek to and from the court on Friday but with a much heavier police presence and less media, making no comment. He did not react as several protesters called out abuse on his way in. He was also heckled with screams of "nowhere to hide" as he left. Pell was not required to attend the hearing, but Australia's most powerful Catholic again opted to appear, having previously vowed to defend himself and clear his name after a two-year investigation led to him being charged on June 29th. He has been granted a leave of absence by the Pope, who has made clear the cardinal would not be forced to resign his post as head of the Vatican's powerful economic ministry. But the scandal has rocked the church. Australia's Catholic leaders have previously spoken out in support of him, describing Pell as a "thoroughly decent" man. Supporters have set up a fund to help him pay his court costs, according to the Institute of Public Affairs, a high-profile conservative Australian think tank. The allegations coincide with the final stages of Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, ordered in 2012 after a decade of pressure to investigate widespread allegations of institutional paedophilia. The commission has spoken to thousands of survivors and heard claims of child abuse involving churches, orphanages, sporting clubs, youth groups and schools. Pell appeared before the commission three times, once in person and twice via video-link from Rome. By Daniel De Carteret
US weekly jobless claims continued to decline, falling a modest 9,000 to 363,000 last week, the Labor Department said Thursday. New claims for unemployment insurance benefits in the week to October 27 — an indicator of the pace of layoffs — came in below the four-week moving trend of 367,250. The fresh number was largely in the range of where the data has been since the beginning of 2012, though the trend has clearly been lower in the past four months. On Friday the government releases it report on the national unemployment and jobs generation situation for October, data widely awaited as it comes just before the November 6 election which sees President Barack Obama fighting to defend his record in bringing back the economy from recession. Economists believe the numbers will show a slight uptick in the jobless rate to 7.9 percent from 7.8 percent in September.
We ran this story nine years ago, but it becomes germane once again since the subject, Former Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, has been anointed as the vice-presidential candidate to run with Hillary Clinton. Sadly, the Democrat Party is proving once more the saying from Proverbs: “As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool returns to his folly.” And if there was ever an example of vomitus that should have long since been cleaned out by the party, it is this former governor and mediocre hack. It’s not that he’s any worse than many of the others Clinton might have chosen, but here at Gates of Vienna we take particular offense at seeing Islam-seeking candidates on a campaign ticket. Kaine will certainly get what there is of the Muslim vote. In this country, in certain states (Michigan is one), that will be significant. Don’t forget: a candidate can win the popular vote and still lose the electoral college vote count. To see what a sticky wicket that can be, hark back to the Bush-Gore count in Florida with all those hanging chads. It took the Supreme Court to finally resolve that one, and conforming to pattern, President Bush used the strength of his incumbency to win a second term. As did his successor, the estimable Barack Hussein Obama. Somehow I don’t think this choice bodes well for the Democrats. Generally speaking, when a party has been in office for eight years in the United States the electorate is ready to flip to the other side of the coin. In this case, it won’t be the usual flip, since Trump is the quintessential RINO — Republican In Name Only — and all over the map in his policies. But he’s not the faux conservative as represented by the personae of Bush and Romney. He’s a one-of-a-kind, with a magnetic personality, drawing enthusiasts and haters alike: Donald “Lightning Rod” Trump. So far, his promise to build The Wall at our southern border has electrified people who usually don’t vote. In particular he is likely to bring out the disenfranchised white men who feel powerless in this cowardly brave new century. The ones who didn’t bother to show up at the polls for Mitt Romney are almost certain to be there for Trump, while the young black voters, so enthusiastic for Obama, are likely to ignore the familiar ol’ lady and her cracker white vice-presidential pick and take their turn staying home. We’ll see: there is money to be made getting out the black vote in the major urban centers. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, the leopard from 2007 hasn’t changed his spots. Take a look at him back then. Note: This post originally mirrored a piece published at the CVF website back in 2007. Since the CVF site is defunct now, and the domain name has been gobbled up by spammers or pr0n people, I’ve left out the old link. Governor Tim Kaine surrenders Virginia to Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, receives nice dinner as payment [Originally posted at Gates of Vienna on May 23, 2007] This last weekend, the Commonwealth of Virginia was signed over to the Muslim Brotherhood, care of the Muslim American Society (MAS). Kaine must be hoping for a VP nomination from Obama — after all, if the Democrat Party presidential ticket needs a Southerner, he’d better prove his dhimmitudiness early in the game. He gave the keynote speech at the local Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation dinner. A real team player, he’s just following Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) game plan from her Syria visit, and Steny Hoyer’s (D-MD) charm offensive with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. With very little effort, his staff could have researched the connections of the MAS to the Muslim Brotherhood and some extreme jihadist doctrine. We have to assume this is a choice, not a mistake. Good to get to know you, governor… Here’s some background on the Muslim American Society for Virginians. We live in occupied territory in this information war, and it’s about time we began winning some of it back from the occupiers: A Chicago Tribune ( subscription required ) article describes the Muslim Brotherhood deciding to operate in the U.S. as the Muslim American Society: Shaker Elsayed, a top MAS official, says the organization was founded by Brotherhood members but has evolved to include Muslims from various backgrounds and ideologies. “Ikhwan [Brotherhood] members founded MAS, but MAS went way beyond that point of conception,” he says. Way beyond indeed. The Brotherhood probably thought they wouldn’t get Virginia for another decade or two, but then they hadn’t planned on this level of help from Kaine. A Weekly Standard article “MAS’s Muslim Brotherhood Problem,” quotes from MAS curricula. Although MAS has removed the links in that article, the same curricula are still available here at the San Diego MAS website — including as part of the Level I MAS required reading, the Muslim Brotherhood Project document, Milestones by Sayyid Qutb. Visit the link before they hide it again…Here, from the Weekly Standard article — a position that Kaine apparently has adopted as part of the 2008 Virginia Democratic Party platform: For example, MAS requires all its adjunct members to read Fathi Yakun’s book To Be a Muslim. In that volume, Yakun spells out his expansive agenda: “Until the nations of the world have functionally Islamic governments, every individual who is careless or lazy in working for Islam is sinful.” And also on that MAS curricula, the writings of Imam Hassan Al-Banna, who teaches the following (and yes, it will be on the final exam for All governors aiming for Democrat Party President/VP primaries, not just early adopters of salafism like Tim Kaine): Reforming the government so that it may become a truly Islamic government, performing as a servant to the nation in the interest of the people. By Islamic government I mean a government whose officers are Muslims who perform the obligatory duties of Islam, who do not make public their disobedience, and who enforce the rules and teachings of Islam. There is no problem if the Islamic government utilises the services of non Muslims when necessary, so long as they do not offer them positions of leadership. Islam is flexible as to shape and detailed structure of the government, but it must be in agreement with the general principles of the Islamic ruling system. Or this letter to the Washington Post by the head of MAS, Esam Omeish, praising the Muslim Brotherhood: The influence of Muslim Brotherhood ideas has been instrumental in defining our understanding of Islam within the American and Western context… At least now Kaine can deliver the Red House, Virginia Jamaat ul Fuqra vote in the 2008 election. Here’s the press release in its entirety: In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Governor of Virginia Gives Keynote Speech at MAS Freedom Foundation Standing for Justice Award Dinner WASHINGTON, DC — May 21, 2007 (MASNET) Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia gave the keynote address for the 5th Annual Muslim American Society (MAS) Freedom Foundation ‘Standing for Justice Dinner’. The governor, joined by members of his cabinet, spoke individually with Muslim community leaders during a special leadership reception. The reception was followed by the Freedom Foundation Award Dinner. In an occasion marking the first public speech to a Muslim gathering by a Virginia governor, he acknowledged the civic work and civil rights accomplishments of the Freedom Foundation, and stressed the need for people of all faith traditions to work together to overcome intolerance and bigotry. Imam Sheikh Rashid Lamptey of the Muslim Association of Virginia (MAV) gave a powerful inspirational address that stressed civic participation as an essential dimension of the Muslim faith and our contribution to the larger society. The 2007 MAS Freedom Foundation awards and their recipients included: Lifetime Achievement Award Dr. Maher Hathout, Muslim Public Affairs Council ahijah Abdus-Salaam Imam Abofazl Nahidian, Manassas Mosque Sister Sharifa Al Khatib Award Maryam Funches (posthumously) Humanitarian Award Asma Hanif, Coordinating Council Muslim Organizations of DC/MD/VA Human & Civil Rights Award Reverend Graylan Scott Hagler, Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ Dalia Hashad, Amnesty International Ibrahim Abdil-Mu’id Ramey Media Excellence Award Afaq Khiyali, Pakistan Post Hassanah I. Tauhidi, Inner-Attainment Television, Inc. Labor & Justice Award Joslyn N. Williams, AFL-CIO Peace & Justice Award Dr. Imad Damaj Reverend C. Douglas Smith, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy Rabbi Arthur Waskow, The Shalom Center The evening ended with the presentation of a free Hajj package and entertainment by Preacher Moss of the Allah Made Me Funny comedy tour. ——————————————————— The Freedom Foundation is the public affairs arm of the Muslim American Society (MAS), a national grassroots religious, social, and educational organization. MAS is America’s largest grassroots Muslim organization with over 50 chapters nationwide. Learn more at www.masnet.org ——————————————————— MAS Freedom Foundation 1050 17th Street NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036
FREMONT — Facebook has embarked on a major expansion of its Bay Area operations and marked its first foray into Fremont by leasing two big office buildings in Fremont’s Ardenwood district with room enough for hundreds of workers. Related Articles Why this proposed San Jose hotel has gotten even bigger Sephora is opening a store in this East Bay city More than 100 residences, plus a restaurant, are headed to this downtown San Jose site Big deal for landmark Pruneyard office towers Google reaped millions of tax breaks as it secretly expanded its real estate footprint across the US The tech titan has leased a total of 190,000 square feet in the East Bay city, Alameda County property records and property brochures show. People familiar with the transactions also confirmed Thursday that Facebook has signed leases for the expansion. The buildings have enough space for the social networking giant to move in around 950 Facebook employees, based on typical ratios of employees and office space. The Fremont buildings are near the eastern end of the Dumbarton Bridge. Much of the tech company’s previously announced expansion on the Peninsula is in Menlo Park, at the western end of the same bridge. Facebook leased the two buildings from The Sobrato Organization, county files show. One building that Facebook leased totals 100,000 square feet at 6530 Paseo Padre Parkway. The other building totals 90,000 square feet at 6422 Commerce Drive. Reading this on your phone? Stay up to date with our free mobile app. Get it from the Apple app store or the Google Play store. “This is great news,” Kelly Kline, Fremont’s economic development director, said Thursday. “This is the first Facebook operation in Fremont.” Through a spokesman, Facebook said it had no comment about the situation. “This makes a lot of sense for Facebook,” Kline said. “Anecdotally, we know that this location is close to a big chunk of Facebook’s workforce and just a few minutes from their headquarters.” Facebook has rapidly expanded its Bay Area operations in recent years. In July, Facebook revealed plans for a vast expansion of its presence in Menlo Park, where it has its headquarters. The new Willow Campus in Menlo Park would include several office buildings, hundreds of homes, retail, a grocery store, and parks and plazas. At the Willow Campus, Facebook intends to develop 1.75 million square feet of offices, 1,500 housing units, 125,000 square feet of retail space including a pharmacy, and a cultural and visitor center. As many as 8,700 Facebook employees could work at the Willow Campus offices. When Facebook unveiled the Willow Campus plan, it said it hoped to spur a revival of transit and transportation upgrades, including greater use of the Dumbarton transit corridor, potentially running shuttle buses across the Bay that could connect to BART. As for its Fremont plans, Facebook indicated in the Alameda County documents that it had no immediate intention to purchase the two buildings that it is leasing, but the wording did leave the door open for a possible purchase at some point. Chase Lyman, vice president of leasing and acquisitions with Sobrato, would not comment on any transaction at the project. Lyman said Sobrato no longer has any of its buildings in Fremont’s Ardenwood district available for lease. Earlier this year, Palo Alto-based Tesla leased two buildings in Fremont’s Ardenwood area a short distance from Facebook’s future Fremont operations. Tesla is undertaking a major renovation of the buildings, which total 235,000 square feet. Fremont officials believe more tech firms could be enticed by Ardenwood. “We positioned Ardenwood to be more able to attract tech-related businesses,” Kline said. “Those strategies appear to be paying off.”
Posted on by Chris Brennan --- In episode 57 astrologers Kelly Surtees, Austin Coppock, and Chris Brennan look at some of the major transits and alignments for the year ahead, and give an overview of the astrology of 2016. This episode takes the place of our usual monthly forecast, although we still touch upon some of the major themes for January. Since this episode covers the entire year I decided not to include any auspicious electional dates for the month ahead, but if you are looking for dates for January you should read my electional column in this month’s issue of The Mountain Astrologer magazine. This episode was recorded live in front of an audience of our Patreon supporters through our monthly webinar format, and both an audio as well as a video recording of the episode are available below. Below you will find an outline of some of the different topics that we touched on during the course of the show, followed by links to download or stream the recording. News and Announcements Topics Covered in the 2016 Forecast Here are a few of the topics we covered during the course of the episode: Mercury stations retrograde square Mars right at the beginning of January. Mercury is mainly retrograde in earth signs this year. Saturn-Neptune square. Exact aspect dates: June 18 @ 12 Sagittarius/Pisces. September 11 @ 10 Sagittarius/Pisces. Mars retrograde in Sagittarius and Scorpio. Rx station @ 8 Sagittarius. Direct station @ 23 Scorpio. Jupiter moves from Virgo into Libra in September. Saturn trine Uranus, especially later in the year. Video Version of the 2016 Forecast Episode You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: 2016 Astrological Forecast Video Audio Version of the 2016 Astrology Forecast You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your computer by using the buttons below: Share this: Facebook Twitter Reddit Email
OAKLAND — Dozens of Oakland hills residents were erroneously charged for past fire inspections, prompting confusion and outrage and sending the city scrambling to correct the error. Due to a fire department snafu, an estimated 1,000-plus invoices for reinspections dating back to 2012 — at $303 apiece — began arriving in mailboxes of hills residents the past few weeks. But the residents, many who took to neighborhood sharing site NextDoor to vent, said the inspections either never took place or the city never sent them prior documentation. The mass mailing was prompted by previous city audits that found an inept vegetation inspection and abatement collection system by the Fire Prevention Bureau. Fire officials acknowledged this week they found errors in data entry and were attempting to inform some residents that their fees due May 17 will be voided. On Thursday, officials planned to extend the deadline to July 20 and conduct an audit of all invoices to figure out which ones should be voided, Vice Mayor Annie Campbell Washington said. After years of failing to bill for inspections, the city stepped up its effort this year to collect an estimated $400,000 in back fees from noncompliant property owners, money that could help the fire department expand its fire inspection unit in the wake of the deadly Ghost Ship fire in December. Mayor Libby Schaaf’s proposed budget for the next two years calls for increasing the number of inspectors from eight to 20. But earlier this week, Oakland Fire Marshal Miguel Trujillo said about 20 percent of the bills were sent in error. Trujillo, speaking at a city meeting, said “we did find some errors in our data entry” in the department’s maligned OneStep software. That program has been cited in numerous fire department complaints for creating confusion over inspection referrals to failures to track inspections. Trujillo did not reply to an email asking for more comment. But the mistake could strip the fire department of its billing authority sooner than later. Schaaf and her fire task force had earlier recommended relieving the department of that responsibility. “From what I can see so far, it is further evidence that we need to move the billing and collections function out of the fire department and into the revenue division,” Schaaf said. The city administrator’s office late Thursday acknowledged that the billings “caused a great deal of concern and confusion,” for many residents and asked the community to support the fire department’s efforts to improve hills vegetation inspections. One resident who posted on NextDoor said a city form indicated an inspection took place around midnight and others said the city never previously notified them of the inspections until the invoices arrived. Barbara Levy, who lives in Redwood Heights, is one of several residents who said they received two invoices, for a total of $606. One of Levy’s inspections was said to have occurred at 6:53 a.m. and she doubted it ever took place. The city eventually voided her two bills after one inspector looked and saw the database’s notes indicated they should not be billed for a reinspection, she said. Fire officials told her they did not take the notes section into consideration before mailing out the invoices. Evelyn Sinclair owns two properties near Shepherd Canyon Road and said she has no records that align with the two reinspections in 2016 for which she was billed. So far her emails to the city haven’t been returned. “What’s really disheartening to me is if I failed an inspection, this is actually important for safety reasons. You would think they would inform me. Wouldn’t that be the point?” she said. A November 2013 city audit found problems with the fire department’s collection process for vegetation inspections, abatement and reinspections. The issues had not been fixed by the time by City Auditor Brenda Roberts conducted a follow-up audit in December 2015. In that report, Roberts recommended ensuring the fire department “invoices noncompliant property owners for all abatement costs, re-inspection fees and administrative costs annually.” She also recommended improving the department’s billing system and for firefighters to team with the city’s Revenue Division to create a collections process to recover abatement costs. Between January 2011 and August 2015, the fire department did not submit a single vegetation management invoice to the collections unit, according to the audit. In fiscal year 2014-15, of the $150,000 in invoices mailed by the fire department, only $33,000 had been collected, the audit found. It was worse in fiscal year 2012-13, when $105,000 of the $127,000 invoiced had gone uncollected.
Professional athletes don't get to the top by accident. It takes superhuman levels of time, dedication, and focus—and that includes paying attention to what they put in their bellies. In this series, GQ takes a look at what pro athletes in different sports eat on a daily basis to perform at their best. Here's a look at the diet of Eugene "Pobelter" Park, professional gamer Since 2014, over 65 million individual people have played League of Legends, a real-time strategy game by Riot Games, every month. Sixty-five million people. That’s 1 million shy of the population of France. ESPN has even added an “eSports” vertical, and though there’s a healthy mix of titles, League of Legends dominates the coverage. Now most eSports are geographically popular—Counterstrike, for example, is widely played in North America and not so much on other continents. But League of Legends is a rare title with global appeal, massively popular in North America, Europe, and Asia. There are regional championships in each area, but the best in the world take home a $1 million price and a 70-pound trophy called the Summoner’s Cup. Gunning for that Cup this year is the newest team to join the North American League Championship series, Immortals, a team made up of players culled from other teams that never managed to bring out their full potential. For context: League of Legends involves two five-player teams, each player leveling up a character in the match, and then attempting to pummel each other. Eugene “Pobelter” Park is the mid laner for Immortals, taking a position in the middle of maps. “It’s the most versatile role,” he says, “so it requires a lot of experience. My job in the game can range from protecting my other teammates and making sure that they can beat the enemy team, or trying to do damage myself, so it’s a role with a bit of variety.” Like most professional gamers, Park is college-aged (20) and, like most professional gamers, fitness has never been his primary focus. Immortals performance coach Robert Yip says that keeping the team in shape is uber-important and can counteract the mental dulling that comes from the fatigue of spending eight hours in front of a screen on any given day. “The big focus is on helping to make behavioral changes and not spoon-feeding them,” says Yip. “These are your college years. If you ask anyone that age, this would be a dream job and they would jump at the chance, but it’s exceedingly stressful.” Basic fitness helps to keep concentration strong, but other fine-tuning (like the core or auxiliary muscles like the delts and upper back) also help. The real obstacle though? Most gamers are underweight. “During the course of each day they usually eat a calorie deficit, even if they’re having one huge meal a day,” says Yip. “When players are hungry or tired or sick, they tend to play worse, and their stress management is a lot more difficult, they get more irritable.” “Throughout high school I ran track and field,” says Park, “and I would say I definitely eat more now and I’m still at a calorie deficit. Honestly, I was pretty miserable and I never knew why, so I just stopped running track and field.” Park still struggles to eat up to his coach-approved 2,300 calories a day, but the efforts from the coach and team seem to be kicking in. While League of Legends games can last up to an hour, Immortals has already scored two under-20 minute wins, one against last year’s North American League champions, Cloud9. And while Immortals are prepping for big prize money and even bigger numbers of viewers, a few of us—this writer included—are still struggling to learn just how the game works. “No worries. That was me [Sunday] watching the Super Bowl,” says Park. “I was saying, ‘I don’t even know what any of these initials stand for.’” Breakfast Eggs, sausage, toast Lunch Lemon and garlic chicken and rice
In Search of Carbon Planets The first generation of stars in the universe began to shine in an era when chemical elements like carbon and oxygen were not available. It was the explosion of these early stars in supernovae that began the process of enrichment, with heavier elements fused in their cores now spreading into the cosmos. Lower-mass stars and planetary systems began to appear as heavier elements could form the needed dust grains to build planetary cores. Avi Loeb (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics) and grad student Natalie Mashian have been looking at a particular class of ancient stars called carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars. Here the level of iron is about one hundred-thousandth as high as our Sun, a clear marker that these stars formed before heavy elements were widely distributed. These stars are interesting because despite their lack of iron and other heavy elements in comparison to the Sun, they are rich in carbon, an excess that leads to the possibility of planets forming around them out of clumping carbon dust grains. The new paper on this work looks at the possibility of carbon planet formation, pointing to early work that has simulated such planets, and observational indications of planets with carbon-rich atmospheres (WASP-12b) and carbon-rich interiors (55 Cancri e). If they’re out there, finding such planets — made of graphite, carbides and diamond — around CEMP stars could be a productive exercise. “These stars are fossils from the young universe,” explains Loeb. “By studying them, we can look at how planets, and possibly life in the universe, got started.” Image: In this artist’s conception, a carbon planet orbits a sunlike star in the early universe. Young planetary systems lacking heavy chemical elements but relatively rich in carbon could form worlds made of graphite, carbides and diamond rather than Earth-like silicate rocks. Blue patches show where water has pooled on the planet’s surface, forming potential habitats for alien life. Credit: Christine Pulliam (CfA). Sun image: NASA/SDO. Loeb and Mashian point out that the planetary system with the lowest metallicity we’ve yet detected is around the K-class star BD+20 24 57, which shows levels of metals below what was once considered the critical value for planets to form. While CEMP stars are extremely iron-deficient, their carbon abundances make the formation of solid carbon exoplanets a real possibility. Differentiating them from water or silicate worlds could be difficult, but the paper argues that spectral studies of planetary atmospheres could supply the needed markers: At high temperatures (T ≳ 1000 K), the absorption spectra of massive (M ∼ 10 – 60 M ⊕ ) carbon planets are expected to be dominated by CO, in contrast with the H 2 O-dominated spectra of hot massive planets with solar-composition atmospheres (Kuchner & Seager 2005). The atmospheres of low-mass (M ≲ 10 M ⊕ ) carbon planets are also expected to be differentiable from their solar-composition counterparts due to their abundance of CO and CH 4 , and lack of oxygen-rich gases like CO 2 , O 2 , and O 3 (Kuchner & Seager 2005). So carbon monoxide and methane in the atmosphere could help us tell carbon worlds of similar mass and physical size apart from iron and silicate worlds like the Earth. Detecting carbon planets around ancient stars could provide us with a window into planet formation in the early universe, with implications for where life could form. The paper calls for an observational program using transit methods to search for planets around CEMP stars. Says Mashian: “This work shows that even stars with a tiny fraction of the carbon in our solar system can host planets. We have good reason to believe that alien life will be carbon-based, like life on Earth, so this also bodes well for the possibility of life in the early universe.” The paper is Mashian and Loeb, “CEMP stars: possible hosts to carbon planets in the early universe,” accepted at Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (preprint).
Mormon Underwear THE SACRED UNDERWEAR OF MITT ROMNEY Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings, Ensign (CR), May 2001, p.32 Elder Russell M. Nelson, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles The latter- day restoration of temple ordinances included instructions concerning the wearing of the garment of the priesthood. Members of the Church who receive their endowments in the house of the Lord (1) covenant to wear sacred priestly undergarments throughout their lives. The undergarments have symbolic marks of spiritual (2) significance to the wearer. These garments are manufactured and distributed by an agency of the (3) Church. In a letter dated 10 October 1988, the First Presidency wrote: “Practices frequently observed among the members of the Church suggest that some members do not fully understand the covenant they make in the temple to wear the garment in accordance with the spirit of the (4) holy endowment. “Church members who have been clothed with the garment in the temple have made a covenant to wear it throughout their (5) lives. This has been interpreted to mean that it is worn as underclothing both day and night. The promise of protection (6) and blessings is conditioned upon worthiness and faithfulness in keeping the covenant. “The fundamental principle ought to be to (7) wear the garment and not to find occasions to remove it. Thus, members should not remove either all or part of the garment to work in the yard or to lounge around the home in swimwear or immodest clothing. Nor should they remove it to participate in recreational activities that can reasonably be done with the garment worn properly beneath regular clothing. When the garment must be removed, such as for (8) swimming, it should be restored as soon as possible. “The principles of modesty (9) and keeping the body appropriately covered are implicit in the covenant and should govern the nature of all clothing worn. Endowed members of the Church wear the garment as a (10) reminder of the sacred covenants they have made with the Lord and also as a (11) protection against temptation and evil. How it is worn is an outward expression (12) of an inward commitment to follow the Savior.” Observations of Mormon Rules Concerning Their Sacred Underwear (1) Mormons pledge allegiance to wearing sacred underwear in their temples. (2) Temple Mormons view their sacred underwear with spiritual significance. (3) Mormons can only purchase their sacred underwear through the LDS church. (4) Mormons are to view their sacred underwear as a holy covenant with their god. (5) Mormons are to wear their sacred underwear throughout their lives. (6) Protection from evil and blessings is conditioned on their sacred underwear. (7) Mormons must wear their sacred underwear at all times including work and play. (8) However, Mormons may remove their sacred underwear for swimming. (9) Wearing sacred underwear will keep Mormons modest. (10) Mormons are reminded of their sacred covenants via their sacred underwear. (11) Mormons look to their underwear for protection against temptations and evil. (12) Mormons view their sacred underwear as a commitment to their god. Keep it covered Parents shop around, set rules and even add layers to help daughters dress modestly for school By Magdalena Wegrzyn Publish Date: 8/20/2009 Longmont Times-Call LONGMONT — There’s a steadfast rule in the Miller family when it comes to clothes. It’s called the “head, shoulders and knees” rule. “Basically, if you raise your hands, it has to cover your stomach,” said Angela Miller, the mother of five children — two of them teenage daughters. “And if you bend over, I don’t want to see anything hanging out.” Finding trendy and modest clothing is a constant struggle, said Miller, a Mead resident. She orders the bulk of her daughters’ clothing online at boutiques like DownEast Basics and Modbe Clothing. The Utah-based companies sell basics the Millers layer under revealing tops. “Our closets are packed to the gills,” Miller said, explaining that for most outfits, the girls need modifiers — shrugs, jackets, wraps, shawls, cardigans, tank tops and undershirts. Most immodest clothes can be layered to be suitable for teens, but Angela said buying inappropriate clothes and altering them is like “voting with our wallets” and sending a message to designers that their clothes are acceptable. Alyssa Miller, a junior at Skyline High School, estimates her closet contains nearly 30 undershirts. It’s a staple for almost every outfit, the 16-year-old said. “I like to have self-respect,” she said. “What you wear changes how you act.” Brynne Miller, 14, conveniently has a “modesty mole” that serves as a guide for plunging necklines. “I have a mole here, so that’s as far as I go,” said Brynne, a freshman at Mead High School, pointing to a dark brown spot on her left clavicle. At Kohl’s Department store in Longmont last week, the Miller girls and their friends filled out the rest of their back-to-school wardrobes. “You’d have to get a bigger size,” said Angela Miller as Alyssa modeled a form-fitting button-down shirt. “I don’t like how tight it is.” Alyssa protested, tugging the shirt down and promising to wear a tank top underneath, but it was a fruitless effort. Mom’s raised eyebrow and stern look prevailed. As her daughter trudged back into the dressing room, Angela sighed. “It’s hard when they have their peers buying things that aren’t appropriate,” she said. When Alyssa pranced out in the same shirt, one size bigger, Angela nodded in approval. “Oh, see, now that one’s cute,” she said. The Millers, a Mormon family, hold modesty in high esteem. Part of the reason Angela said she insists on modest clothing is that endowed members of the Mormon church wear undergarments that need to be covered by their regular clothing. Although her daughters have not yet been endowed — something that usually occurs at marriage or before a mission — Angela said she wants to prepare them for the day when they will be. Alyssa Olson, a Skyline High junior and good friend of Alyssa Miller, said that in high school, wearing “sluttier” clothes is one way to attract a certain type of attention. The Olsons are not Mormon, but strict rules, like the “two-finger rule” for tank top strap width, are still enforced, said Alyssa’s mom, Sandy Olson. Sandy recently refused to let her 16-year-old daughter buy a T-shirt with a Tootsie Blow Pop on it. “You don’t wear anything that somebody could look at and take the wrong way,” she said. The St. Vrain Valley School District’s dress code draws the line at “clothing that bares or exposes traditionally private parts of the body.” Enforcement and any additional criteria is up to each individual school. But the Millers and Olsons take it a step further, policing their children each morning at breakfast. “To me, that’s our way of controlling our kids’s environment,” said Angela Miller. “If my kids are dressing certain ways, they’re portraying themselves a certain way.” And although the Miller sisters won’t be attending the same high school this year, Alyssa said she gave Brynne some helpful advice when it comes to clothes: “If a guy only notices you for how you look, he’s not gonna be worth it,” she said. Dressmaker creates dream gowns for Mormons - sleeves included by Jaimee Rose - Dec. 20, 2008 The Arizona Republic Mormons hate talking about their underwear. They're as uncomfortable talking about their underwear as they are wearing their underwear. A symbol of their faith, the to-the-knee, sleeved underwear is bunchy and billowy and decidedly not modern. But eventually it must be discussed because they don the church-designed underwear every day. And while they sleep. And on special occasions - even on their wedding day. And to the anguish of Mormon brides, most wedding dresses don't come with sleeves. Suzanne Novak watches the brides as they sift through the racks of silk and chiffon in her Gilbert bridal shop, their hope dwindling as they try on dress after impossible dress. She watches them fall in love with ivory strapless lace, with sleeveless satin and rhinestones, with spaghetti straps of all sorts, some crafted entirely out of beads. Novak, owner of Suzanne's Bridal Boutique, sees the corners of their mouths drop when they find the small rack of dresses they can wear tucked away in the back of her shop: high-necked, high-backed, sleeves to the elbows. Dowdy and Matronly Row, Novak says. The dresses all look alike, very '80s prom, deeply Cinderella chic. But brides today don't want to look like Cinderella, Novak says. They want to look like Heidi Klum. "I'll fix it, honey," she promises the brides who prance about the store wearing strapless gowns, desperately twining stray sashes around their arms. "We can fix it." Novak is the sleeve goddess of Gilbert. Her name is whispered among Mormon brides as a miracle worker, a seamstress divine, who can conjure fabric from the ether and turn a trendy strapless dress into a gown both modern and Mormon-approved. She sews sleeves on almost 200 wedding dresses a year, about a third of the dresses she sells. She sits in the back room of her sunny Gilbert shop for up to 14 hours a day, sewing barefoot, a collection of pens stuck through the graying dark bun piled on top of her head. She is 56 and Hawaiian. She feeds the strip-mall cat, has been known to fetch her UPS man lunch and will bead sleeves until her eyes are blurry to make her brides happy. She loves almost all of them - "Sometimes, we get a stinker," she says - and they love her. Novak can fix anything. She knows how to drape chiffon just so around the shoulders, how to turn tank-style tops into elbow sleeves. She orders fabric from the dress manufacturers to get the match just right. She can craft white bodysuits to wear beneath tulle and plays patchwork with lace. She folds damask into sleeves so intricate it's impossible to believe they weren't there before. She has brides try on sleeve templates, just to catch the vision. Then she draws the imaginary gown, sticks her pen in her bun and heads to the workroom to bring it to life. Bodice wrangling As a Christian, Novak has never worn Mormon underwear, but she has the contours down pat. The sleeves on women's underwear measure 5inches from the tip of the collarbone downthe arm, the lace-trimmed V-neck hits just at the top of the decolletage and the shorts go to the knee. The guys have it easier: Their underwear looks like a T-shirt and boxers, only longer, and a tuxedo disguises all. The ladies must wear their underwear beneath pantyhose and even bras, and they scour malls for clothes to cover them, hoisting up low-rise jeans, bemoaning every tank top in sight. The underwear comes in fabrics such as cotton, nylon and polyester. Some, Novak says, work better than others. "Honey, you're wearing the wrong ones," Novak tells 20-year-old bride Afton McAferty one evening. McAferty had fallen in love with a gown with spaghetti straps, and her friends had shared the legend of Novak: She won't ask you to explain the underwear; she'll just work around it. "The cotton is all bunchy, and that's why you can't move your arms," says Novak, who cut the bodice off McAferty's dress and started over. "Try the silky ones next time you come, OK? They fit a little closer to the body." Sometimes, Novak will put sleeves on a gown and watch a Mormon bride get a little wistful. "They fell in love with the dress the way it was for a reason," she says. It's hard for them, sometimes, to resist the gowns they see on everyone else, say, the strapless Ariana with the whipped-cream bottom. Sometimes, Novak says, "It depends on whether the mother's with them or not" - a bride might wish out loud that she could wear a strapless dress. She admires their dedication to their faith and the underwear that it implies. "They know they have to deal with it," Novak says, "and they do." Promises and princesses The "garments," as they call the underwear, are among the most sacred traditions held by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons. When faithful church members reach adulthood, they are eligible to attend Mormon temples, a building separate from regular church meeting houses. Inside, weddings and other sacred covenants take place. After members attend the temple for the first time, the underwear is worn every day as a reminder of the covenants made within. The official church statement on garments goes like this: "Garments are worn beneath street clothing as a personal and private reminder of commitments to God. Garments are considered sacred by Church members and are not regarded as a topic for casual conversation." The underwear hasn't evolved much in silhouette since 1979, but wedding dresses have. The '80s were good to Mormon brides: the days of puffed sleeves, Dallas and Princess Diana. The '90s were harder, when less became more, when Vera Wang and Calvin Klein put lace and beads upon skewers, and brides wanted the slinky sleeveless gown of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. Now, the bridal trends are just plain Mormon torture: strapless, sleeveless, backless, cut-to-there, even see-through tummies. Brides want red carpet, not castle. In the latest issue of Martha Stewart Weddings, there are 154 dresses. Three of them would cover Mormon underwear. Novak thinks about this a lot. She calls manufacturers and begs them to stop sending such Disney-like dresses. "No one wants 'em. Just because you want to be modest and covered up doesn't mean you want dowdy and matronly," Novak says. "They want to look pretty." I feel pretty It's not so hard, Novak thinks, to pacify this one little corner of the female psyche. You listen. You linger. You invoke the word "beautiful" as many times as necessary. You watch their faces for the moment when it clicks, when they feel pretty, too. She has been calming the addled panic of dress-seeking females for more than 30 years, outfitting eight years of Miss Arizonas, spending decades in Valley bridal shops. For the past seven years, she has presided over her own, where the motto is "happy brides." She has always loved weddings. She grew up poor, she says. "We didn't have dolls. We didn't have toys," she says. "My mom says now I'm just playing with my life-sized dolls." She just married off her only daughter, and while she sews and beads at her shop, she plays mom to the pack of young salesgirls who flit about. ("What did I tell you about marriage and compromise?" she tells them. "You're the woman. You're going to be making a lot of compromises. It's usually us.") But a wedding dress, Novak thinks, should be sacrosanct from compromise. She thinks she can fix this, too. Sometimes, Novak daydreams about designing her own line of Mormon-friendly gowns: pre-sleeved, but glamorous, too. There's a market for it: More than 361,800 Mormons live in Arizona. Today is Emily Streeter's last fitting. She's wearing a lacy strapless gown that Novak nipped into a mermaid style to show off Streeter's tiny physique. The dress started strapless but now boasts sequined lace sleeves, a high Victorian collar and a long row of tiny buttons down the back. "I feel magic," says Streeter, 22, of Tempe. "Your fingers are magic, Suzanne," a salesgirl whispers. Novak beams. "Suzanne reminds me of, like, an aunt - an aunt that takes care of you," says Streeter, who doesn't want to take her dress off. She can't wait to show her sister. "My sister can't believe I want to cover up," Streeter says. But hard as they are to dress around, the Mormon underwear has its bonus, she says. Streeter watched her sister wrestle with her own wedding dress on the big day. She did not marry in the temple and was in full strapless regalia, yanking, tugging and wiggling all day to keep her dress up where it belonged. The sleeves Novak added to Streeter's gown will knock out all such nonsense. "The temple is a really sacred place to me, so it's important to wear what's appropriate," Streeter says. "When you're going, you want to be able to be focused on feeling (God's) spirit, and not, say, falling out of your dress." Airman says commander told him to remove Mormon undergarments SALT LAKE CITY A Mormon airman claims his Air Force commander threatened to kick him out of his entertainment unit unless he removed his sacred undergarments. Airman First Class Andrew Howells of Salt Lake City says the commander complained that the garments, worn by observant Mormons, showed through his uniform. Howells told the church-owned Deseret Morning News that he finds the situation ironic because he's in the military "to defend religion and freedom." Mormons are instructed to wear the white garments, which are symbolic of purity, at all times and remove them only for very specific activities. Utah Congressman Matheson has filed an inquiry on Howell's behalf with the Air Force Congressional Liaison Office. Latter-Day Sportswear Do Mormon athletes wear the temple garment under their uniforms? By Michelle Tsai March 16, 2007 On Thursday night, Brigham Young University's men's basketball team was narrowly defeated in its first NCAA tournament game in three years. Do athletes from the Mormon school wear temple garments during games? No. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints allows athletes to forego the traditional underclothes during games because they're impractical. Mormons are encouraged to wear the temple garments at all times, although they can swap them out if they're playing sports or going for a swim. (Hall of Fame quarterback and devout Mormon Steve Young used to take off his temple garments before each 49ers game.) In situations where the garments might draw attention or mockery—like an army barracks, for example—Mormons can also put on regular underwear. Those willing to field questions from curious bunkmates, though, can pick up a set of brown, military-style temple garments. Not everyone on the BYU team wears the temple garments when they're off the court. Only church members who have gone through a ritual of commitment called endowment can don the special clothes. In this ceremony, members are washed, anointed, and dressed in ceremonial clothing before they are ushered through re-enactments of the Lord's creation of the world. Members make formal promises and learn about sacred signs during this rite, which usually takes place before a Mormon goes on a two-year mission for the church or when a woman gets married. The basketball team probably has both players who have and have not been endowed. According to Mormon doctrine, the garments are reminders of each person's covenant with God. In fact, they're so sacred that they can't be discussed in casual conversation, and you can buy them only from the church's Beehive Clothing stores with proof of church status. (Occasionally an anti-Mormon will sell garments on eBay.) The white, sleeved undergarments come in a one-piece suit or a shirt and shorts made from cotton, nylon, or fabrics that wick moisture. The design covers the torso and extends to the knee. Men's shirts commonly feature scoop necks, while women's shirts often have cap sleeves and lace trimming and are to be worn under bras. Embroidered symbols called the "compass" and the "square" decorate each side of the chest, while single embroidered lines grace the navel and right knee. Each of these marks serves as a witness to the covenant. The line at the knee, for instance, is a Biblical reference to Philippians 2:10-11: "Every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Explainer thanks Kim Farah of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Carri Jenkins of Brigham Young University, David Knowlton of Utah Valley State College, and Arlene White. The Sacred Garment of Mormon Theology Beehive Standard Weekly The Temple Garment: A Symbol of Progression in Spiritual Matters It is true that some Mormons wear an undergarment unique to the Mormon faith. As a curious reader, you should know that the "garment" as Mormons refer to the article of clothing is sacred and in the Mormon faith is believed to be representative of the covenants God made with man since Adam and Eve. As such, those who mock or ridicule the garment are not only inconsiderate of the faith and beliefs of others, but strike at one of the most sacred items within the Mormon belief system. In short, having a knowledge of the garment should help others recognize what the article of clothing is and how to interact with Mormons when the topic comes up in discussion. In general, the garment is obtained through a process of obedience to commandments and knowledge of Mormon doctrine. Where the entrance to the Mormon faith is baptism by immersion in the name of "the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost," the garment is representative of a higher level of commitment to establishing the Kingdom of God upon the earth. To understand how the garment fits into a person's spiritual progression, it would be helpful to start at the beginning and follow a standard course of a convert. Let's first assume that a person decides that the Mormon faith is true and correct and they join the church. They would first be baptized and then they would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Baptism is accomplished by going into a pool of water and then being fully immersed in the water by someone having authority from Christ to perform the ritual. The next step is to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. In the Mormon faith, the Holy Ghost is believed to be a member of the Godhead and a personage of spirit that can enter into the physical soul of man to testify of truth. In other words, when the message of Christ is shared with another person, the Holy Ghost enters into the soul of that man or woman and there is a confirmation of the truth of the message by the workings of the Holy Ghost. It is a physical manifestation of truth. Every soul upon the earth is entitled to this physical manifestation of the Holy Ghost or special witness in order to help them find truth, or more specifically, to find the message that Christ is the Son of God and Redeemer of mankind. After about a year after baptism and the receipt of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, adult men receive the priesthood so they can begin to minister in supporting roles in the church. The Mormon faith has a lay clergy, or rather, they do not have paid ministers or pastors. Women do not receive the priesthood in the Mormon faith, but are vital in their leadership and service in the church. After a full year, women have had many opportunities to serve and contribute to their congregations as well. In each case, after a full year of activity in the church, the man or woman should have had many experiences to help confirm their faith and advance the work of Christ upon the earth. At this point, those who desire to enter the LDS Temples to make a higher level of commitment to Christ are typically given the opportunity -- especially married couples. It is within the Mormon Temples that the most sacred covenants between mankind and God are made. But Isn't Baptism Enough? Many would ask at this point, why is anything other than baptism necessary for salvation? It is a valid question. Baptism is for the individual and one of the most important steps in one's progression. In truth, baptism is the entrance to the Kingdom of God and is essential. It does not, however fully define God's realm. Higher covenants are reflective of the commitment one makes to a spouse, a person's family and to God. Mormonism's first prophet and founder, Joseph Smith, taught that marriage is a sacred ordinance and covenant, just like baptism. When a man marries a woman, that union is just as important as the baptismal covenant because it allows a man and a woman to participate together in the Kingdom of God as servants with Christ. in Mormon theology, this marriage covenant is essential to one's eternal progression. Through marriage, men and women become part of the hierarchy and government of the Kingdom of God. They are primarily responsible for their children and families, but also share the responsibility to share the gospel and care for the entire human family. So where baptism is relevant to one's personal salvation, the covenants in the temple represent one's commitments to others, first to God, then one's spouse, then children, then the other Children of God upon the face of the earth. That commitment, along with a showing of obedience, qualifies a person to participate at a higher level within the gospel. On a side note, some would argue that one cannot be saved by works and Mormons would not argue against this point. They would, however, state that without works their faith would be dead and as such the covenants they make to work in the Kingdom of God upon the earth simply illustrates their level of faith. Mormons believe that you are saved by "grace" after all you can do. A Symbol of Commitment to Others Mormon marriages are performed in the holy temples. Before a man or woman marry each other, they enter into covenants with God to honor the pledges to be made in the marriage. These covenants state that they will respect the marriage covenant into which they will be entering as well as follow the commandments of Christ. During the process of taking on these covenants, men and women are clothed in garments which represent these higher covenants and commitments. In essence, the garment reflects the promise to each other and to God to obey God's laws for their own benefit, for the benefit of their marriage and ultimately for their families. Those married in the temple are significantly more likely to stay married than those married outside of the LDS temples. At one time, the divorce rate was only ten percent, though this figure has been increasing in recent years. Eternal marriage also allows the woman to participate in the priesthood covenants of her husband without directly receiving the priesthood. In a similar fashion, by example, a queen shares the royal privilege of the king, who may have the authority to reign in a kingdom. Through marriage and the sharing of the covenants made in the temple, woman are entitled to the same blessings as their husbands, nothing more and nothing less. The men, however, by receiving the priesthood directly are responsible for the administrative affairs and church governance. Now, let's return to the discussion of the garment. The Mormon Garment is not worn in such a manner as to display the covenants made by the individual to the world. Where a pastor or preacher might wear a white collar or robe to indicate authority and covenants to God, Mormons are very personal in their commitments and wear the garment under their clothing. In short, it is a statement that the covenants established are between that person and God and the opinions of others don't count. There is no show-and-tell because the covenants are sacred, and because of their personal nature, secret. It is somewhat like medical records or financial information. It is not something that is considered appropriate for public disclosure. As they say, it is what you do when people are not watching that really matters. The Garment and Society It is inevitable with millions of Mormons in the United States, that everyone will at some point encounter a Mormon wearing the garment. Between locker rooms, gyms, public pools, dressing rooms, hospitals and the like, it is almost unavoidable. This is especially true in the military where general housing of troops will most certainly reveal the differences in under-attire during the course of a day. So how does one react when it is clear that the person dressing next to you is wearing the garment? First, the Mormon man or woman is already aware that they stick out like a neon light in a mine shaft, so bringing additional attention to that fact doesn't really help matters. In truth, Mormon men and women probably won't think much about it if you don't say anything. Just don't stare. Mormons get enough of that already. Go on about your business as if they were wearing BVDs or Fruit of the Looms. If for any reason you needed to handle the garment, such as in an emergency at a hospital, understand that the garment should not touch the floor. If ever you come into possession of a garment, you should place the garment into a plastic sack and give it to a loved one or church leader, even if it is soiled. There is a proper procedure for destroying the garment that should be respected. The garment is not like "underwear" to Mormons. They reverence the garement like a soldier would respect the American flag. To see the garment treated like Fruit-of-the-Loom briefs would be offensive to Mormons. In terms of when the garment is to be worn, Mormons are counseled by their leaders to wear the garment as often as possible; however, there are times and places where it would be inappropriate. For instance, in a football game or at a gym, where a great deal of activity would be exerted by its bearer (the garment is not suitable for athletics). Likewise, a stage performance where the bearer might subject the garment to ridicule or scorn would also be inappropriate. Despite the exceptions, the garment is intended to be worn while sleeping or lounging about the home, during work - even construction type jobs, and play, such as going to the park or easy hikes. Some may wonder if the garement interferes with normal marital relations. It would be unusual for Mormon couples to wear the garment during intimate encounters. Ultimately, when to wear the garment is a personal decision, though it is clear that the leadership of the Church would prefer it be worn most of the time, both day and night. The Mormon Mafia Mormons have a little secret. It is the way Mormons identify other temple-worthy Mormons. Non-Mormons can identify Mormons the same way, or at least the worthy Mormons who have entered into the temple covenants. The temple garment usually has a t-shirt like appearance under one's shirt. For men, this is not a tell-tale sign as many men wear t-shirts underneath their dress shirts and even casual shirts; however, for women, it is a little more obvious. For women, the garment is often trimmed in lace. To see if a person you know is Mormon, man or woman, look for an undergarment "line" stopping at or about the knee. If you see such a line, you are probably talking to a temple-worthy Mormon. Young women in the Mormon faith who want to know if a Mormon man is worthy to marry them in the temple will often let their hands "accidentally" rest on the man's knee to see if they can feel the garment below. If it is not present, the dating might take a quick step back as the man has not yet established his worthiness to marry in the temple -- an all important step in Mormon culture. Men don't have the same advantage. In Mormon culture, men receive their garment shortly after receiving the ministering priesthood, before they go on two year missions for the church. This is at about the age of nineteen. Women normally receive their garment immediately before being married. As such, Mormon men have no excuse to touch the knees of their dates. Of course, peer pressure can cause unworthy persons to go through the temple simply for the appearance of worthiness, so the garment is only a single step in determining another person's dedication to the faith. A person inquiring into the worthiness of a Mormon would typically consider other factors such as whether a person is from a family of actively attending members, whether the person has gone on a mission (both men and women can go on missions), what position of responsibility the member has held in the volunteer oriented church, whether they regularly read the scriptures or pray frequently, etc. Of course, with great scrutiny can also come great deception, so Mormons look upon these conditions as guide posts, not facts of worthiness and dedication. Some call this screening activity the basis of a "Mormon Mafia" a humorous reference to a secret society of harmeless do-gooders. It is the functional equivalent of the Little Rascals Club Super Secret Code Word. It might get you in the club house, but after you are in, it is all cheese and crackers. Of course, like any major movement, just because a person claims to be a Mormon and wears the garment doesn't mean that they are honorable or trustworthy. In fact, Mormons and Non-Mormons alike should be very cautious of those who are engaging in irregular behavior who are wearing the garment. If they can't live up to the covenant of their God and spouse, to what degree should they be fully trusted? This, of course, is an oversimplification. Some men struggle with alcohol or tobacco addiction who have made the commitment to live at a higher level and are having a tough time staying away from old habits. Such addictive behavior is hardly a commentary on trustworthiness, but rather human frailty and imperfection; however, seeing a man or woman in a strip club is an entirely different matter as the covenants Mormons make deal directly with sexual purity. Sexual promiscuity is considered a major sin in the Mormon faith. Seeing a person wearing garments should be a sign of trustworthiness, but it is not a guarantee. In other words, Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware). Culture Lesson To Non-Mormons the garment should never be used as a ego lesson to demean another person. For instance, in an argument, a person who would use the garment as a means to prove a point or win a battle of words is shallow and base. For instance, let's assume that you have had a disagreement with a general contractor who you know is Mormon and is wearing the garment. To say to him in heated discussion "I can't believe you would wear your holy garment and then lie to me to my face," is a pretty low blow. A difference of opinion or even a human frailty is common to all men -- including Mormons. The garment and what it represents is between that man or woman and their God. Trying to use that to your advantage in a dispute or argument is a classless act. Even Mormons in the most heated disputes would not sink that low. Don't use your knowledge of the garment as a way to get leverage over Mormons. That would simply be improper. It doesn't mean that you can't challenge the person to do the "right thing." That works much better on Mormons as they are typically grilled by spiritual leaders to conduct themselves honorably in business and their personal lives. Voyeurs Not Welcome There are those who want to find out every little detail about the Mormon garment for mere voyeuristic curiosity. There is not a single website on the Internet sponsored or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ that exists that describes the garment in detail. The reason, of course, is that the garment and what it represents is sacred to Mormons. Of course, that won't stop thousands from satisfying their carnal desire to take a peak at unofficial, and often times slanderous, websites that demean and poke fun at the religious beliefs of Mormons. For those seeking such religious pornography, the information is there for the taking, though you might consider taking a shower after reading some of the articles. The temple garment is unique to the Mormon faith and even within the faith. Children do not know the meaning of the garment until they go through the temple as adults. It is a rite of passage and in a perfect world, should be an expression of worthiness. The garment is rarely discussed, even in church settings among those who wear it. Those who are not familiar with the concepts underlying the garment should refrain from discussing it in detail out of respect for those who have made the commitments and hold the garment sacred. One of the basic tenants of the Mormon faith is to respect and show tolerance for others and their beliefs. Mormons only ask the same in return. At the Beehive Standard Weekly, our Internet analysis tools allow us to see what some people are searching for on search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and the like. Time and again, we see searches for "Mormon Underwear" coming up in our keywords section. There appears to be some appetite for those who are curious as to the undergarment that some Mormon men and women wear. Rather than the void being filled with some anti-Mormon lunatic or those who might only desire to ridicule, we thought it would be appropriate to give a discrete response to those who might be genuinely curious, but who don't want to read the bigoted slander that exists on the world wide web. Webmaster Note: Mormons demand respect and tolerance but rarely show those qualities when questioned about their beliefs and religious practices. Rick Majerus: Is Nothing Sacred? Not Even Underwear?! Mar 25, 2008 Back in January Rick Majerus offended local Catholics (and particularly Archbishop Raymond Burke) when the Saint Louis University basketball coach publicly stated his support of stem-cell research and abortion rights. SLU coach Rick Majerus prefers Hawaiian shirts to "magic underwear." Now it seems Majerus has insulted yet another religious populace: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Speaking on the syndicated radio program The Dan Patrick Show last week, Majerus opined that nothing -- not even Mitt Romney or Mormons' "magic underwear" -- would help Brigham Young University defeat Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament. The comments came at the close of a ten-minute interview on Monday, March 17, in which host Dan Patrick asked Majerus to quickly provide his picks for the tourney. "Let me run down the list," said Patrick. "You just say who you like. You don't have to tell me why unless it's a really insightful comment that the listeners will say, 'Damn, that was insightful.'" When asked about the BYU-Texas A&M matchup, Majerus responded, "A&M. I don't like BYU from my Utah days. The magic underwear Mitt and those guys send themselves." Huh? During his tenure at University of Utah, Majerus apparently learned quite a bit about the Mormon culture, including the practice of wearing temple garments under their clothes. The garments -- often referred to as "Mormon underwear" -- are traditionally worn by adherents as a reminder of their promise to live a virtuous life. Though as Slate reported prior to BYU's entrance in last year's tournament, few Mormons wear the garments while competing in sports. In response to Majerus' comment, a laughing Patrick quickly changed the subject: "You're going to get me put on probation." But not everyone was willing to forgive and forget so quickly. Posting last week on the sports site bleacherreport.com, blogger Andrew Perkins compared Majerus' comment to Don Imus' ill-fated musings on Rutgers' women's basketball team last year. "Whether or not he has any love towards Mormons is not the issue," wrote Perkins. "The issue is that Majerus said something that is discriminatory and disrespectful to a specific group of people." Perkins isn't the only one whose shorts are bunched over the remarks. Responding to Perkins' blog post, a reader named Tracy Hall commented, "If Majerus had made a derogatory comment about a Jewish player's 'magic beanie,' he would have been fired on the spot. It's time to realize that anti-Mormons and anti-Semites belong to the same Klan." No matter whom you support -- the SLU coach or the Mormons -- you can't argue with the coach's pick. The ninth-seeded Aggies beat number-eight seed BYU 67-62. MAIN INDEX BIBLE INDEX HINDU INDEX MUSLIM INDEX MORMON INDEX BUDDHISM INDEX WORD FAITH INDEX WATCHTOWER INDEX MISCELLANEOUS INDEX
Summary: zato-apitest, a newly released tool lets everyone test their APIs in a human-friendly way, in plain English, with no programming needed. Plenty of features out of the box, built-in demo mode, screenshots and heaps of documentation await on GitHub. Installation: $ sudo pip install zato-apitest Here's a screenshot of a demo executed with apitest demo running against a live test server: What it can do: Invoke HTTP APIs Use JSON Pointers or XPath to set request's elements to strings, integers, floats, lists, random ones from a set of values, random strings, dates now/random/before/after/between. Check that JSON and XML elements, exist, don't exist, that an element is an integer, float, list, empty, non-empty, that it belongs to a list or doesn't. Set custom HTTP headers, user agent strings, method and SOAP action. Check that HTTP headers are or are not of expected value, that a header exists or not, contains a value or not, is empty or not, starts with a value or not and ends with a value or not. Read configuration from environment and config files. Store values extracted out of previous steps for use in subsequent steps, i.e. get a list of objects, pick ID of the first one and use this ID in later steps. Be integrated with JUnit Be very easily extended in Python Note that zato-apitest is meant to test APIs only. It's doesn't simulate a browser nor any sort of user interactions. It's meant purely for machine-machine API testing. Originally part of Zato - open-source ESB, SOA, REST, APIs and cloud integrations in Python. In addition to HTTP Zato itself supports AMQP, ZeroMQ, WebSphere MQ, including JMS, Redis, FTP, OpenERP, SMTP, IMAP, SQL, Amazon S3, OpenStack Swift and more so it's guaranteed zato-apitest will grow support for more protocols and transport layers with time. More details on GitHub. Now, is that cool or is that cool? :-)
Spain’s anti-austerity Podemos party has vowed to press ahead with a vote of no-confidence against the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, warning that the latest corruption allegations involving his governing People’s party (PP) have crossed “red lines” and risk jeopardising the rule of law. Podemos’s leader, Pablo Iglesias, said his party had an “ethical obligation” to hold Rajoy to account after Ignacio González, a former PP president of the Madrid region, was arrested as part of an investigation into alleged embezzlement at a state-owed water company. Evidence has also emerged to suggest that the chief anti-corruption prosecutor intervened in the case in an alleged attempt to block a line of inquiry. “What’s happened over the past two weeks is another step over the red lines by the People’s party,” said Iglesias. “The anti-corruption prosecutor is trying to do the opposite of fighting corruption; he’s trying to stop prosecutors who are fighting corruption from doing their job. “It means that the People’s party is behaving like a parasite when it comes to institutions; it’s not just looting them to get richer, it’s also risking citizens’ safety by trying to ensure that the police, the guardia civil, judges and prosecutors don’t go after people who are corrupt.” Iglesias said the party would go ahead with the rarely used no-confidence motion, which has only been used twice since Spain’s 1970s return to democracy, despite the fact that it is unlikely to succeed. The Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE) dismissed the move as irresponsible political “fireworks” while the centre-right Ciudadanos (Citizens) party called it a “circus stunt”. The Podemos leader denied suggestions that he was using the vote to divide the PSOE, which has been leaderless since Pedro Sánchez stepped down last year after refusing to back Rajoy’s return to office following 10 months of political stalemate. “We’re not the ones responsible for what’s happened in the past two weeks,” said Iglesias, adding: “We didn’t create that reality but it’s the reality that people are finding out about through the media and thanks to the brave guardia civil and police officers and prosecutors. That is the reality of Spain, and it’s much more important than what happens in any political party.” Sánchez, who is hoping to win back his old job, has called for Rajoy to resign but has accused Podemos of letting the PP back into power by failing to support his attempts to form a socialist-led government last year. The PP has been mired in a succession of damaging, high-profile corruption scandals in recent years and Rajoy has been called to testify as a witness in a case involving senior PP members who are alleged to have taken bribes in return for contracts. Such scandals, however are not confined to Madrid. The PP president of the south-eastern region of Murcia was forced to resign last month over alleged corruption, while the son of former Catalan regional president Jordi Pujol was sent to prison last week on suspicion of hiding €30m (£25m) during an investigation into alleged money laundering. Fernando Jímenez, a professor of political science and administration at the University of Murcia, said Spain suffered from a particular kind of corruption. “Public services here work pretty efficiently and without any corruption,” he said. “What we have is grand corruption at high levels and it’s linked to high-level contacts between senior party members and powerful businesspeople.” Jímenez said that while people had turned a blind eye to corruption during Spain’s building boom – “it wasn’t tolerance of corruption so much as indifference” – the economic crisis in 2008 had changed attitudes and helped to create new parties such as Podemos and Ciudadanos. Victor Lapuente, associate professor of political science at the University of Gothenberg, said that Spain’s old two-party system had made it difficult for voters to punish corruption – especially when both the PP and the PSOE were tainted. He said the main problem remained the politicisation of local, regional and central administrations. “You’re not exactly creating an boys’ club, but you are definitely creating a group of people at the top of local, regional or central administrations who all share a similar electoral interest,” he added. Manuel Villoria, professor of political science at Madrid’s King Juan Carlos University, said although the PP was increasingly paying the price for the post-crisis shift in attitudes to corruption in Spain, its leader was safe for now. “For a long time now, Rajoy has been touched and wounded by a lot of corruption allegations but he’s immensely lucky because the Socialist party is in the state it’s in and … Podemos could be seen as a party that’s too radical to form a government in Spain,” he said. “That’s why he’s still alive. Any other advanced democracy wouldn’t be able to carry on like this. Thanks to these games and the state of the other parties, he’s still alive.”
Attention all parents: Disney, the company that wants to absorb all childhood happiness, both past and present, is planning to replace you with robots. Unsatisfied with the secondary love and attention they receive from controlling your favorite characters and cartoons, Disney means to spend quality time with the world’s children in an attempt to feel what it’s like to have a child of its own. (No, having subsidiaries like ABC and ESPN doesn’t count.) Although the Mom-and-Pop-a-Tron 5000 isn’t ready to hit the street yet, Disney's making serious progress. For example, the robotics experts at Disney’s lab in Pittsburgh have created a humanoid robot that can play a game of catch. When I say “play a game of catch”, I don’t mean it an ultra-efficient robot kind of way. This guy can lob a ball to you and, when you throw it back, can find, register, and catch it. The robot uses a Kinect to sense and track the trajectory of an object thrown directly at it, adjusting so that it can catch it with one hand. The creepy part? When the robot catches the ball, it looks down at its hand, as if it were tracking the ball with its eyes. If it misses the catch, the robot will react, looking around for the ball or shaking its head in dismay. The robot is very attentive: It has sensors to track and follow the direction of whomever it’s playing with, so it will turn and face its partner if they move out of the way. This may not seem remarkable at first glance — most robots do things better than most people — begging the question: Why would you bother making it? The answer is, of course, that Disney means to get in on the time-honored American pastime of catch between parent and child. This article originally published at Geekosystem here
Image copyright AFP Image caption The Kurdish Peshmerga, many of them veterans, are spearheading the defence against IS militants in Iraq The Peshmerga, whose name translates as "those who face death", are the Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq. In recent weeks, they have been fighting Islamist militants of the Islamic State - formerly known as Isis - who seized large swathes of territory in the north. Now thought to number around 190,000, the Peshmerga have their roots in groups of loosely organised tribal border guards in the late 1800s, but were formally organised as the national fighting force of the Kurdish people after the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the wake of World War One. As the Kurdish nationalist movement grew, so too did the identity of the Peshmerga as a key part of Kurdish culture - evolving from tribal defenders to nationalist fighters for an independent Kurdish state. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Following the 1991 uprisings in Iraq, the Peshmerga succeeded in pushing out Iraqi forces from the north Image copyright Getty Images Image caption In 1992 the rival Kurdish KDP and PUK factions established the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government When did the Peshmerga force begin? The modern-day Peshmerga are mostly veterans from the fighting against Iraqi government forces, and from infighting between Kurdish factions. After World War One the region of Kurdistan, previously a strategic buffer area between the Ottoman and Persian empires, began to see itself as one of several nation states newly created in the region, carved out from the remains of the Ottoman Empire - Iraq, Syria and Turkey. The regional disarray left a power vacuum, and Kurds began vying for an independent state of their own. Disputed areas in Iraq's Kurdish region The Iran-Iraq War By the 1970s, Kurds had become divided between two factions controlling the north and south of Iraqi Kurdistan. However, they both soon came into conflict against the Iraqi state - rival Kurdish tribes united and the movement for independence was strengthened. By the time of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s the Peshmerga had developed into an effective guerrilla fighting force. Many Kurdish fighters were defectors from Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army, and when the Peshmerga united across tribes to claim territory in Iraqi Kurdistan, Saddam Hussein decided to act. Halabja attack of 1988 Image copyright IRNA/AFP Image caption The 1988 Halabja attack became known as the worst chemical weapons attack in modern history Some Kurdish fighters had previously fought alongside Saddam Hussein's forces in the war against Iran, but many Peshmerga then allied with Iranian troops in order to bring more areas in Iraqi Kurdistan under their control. Saddam Hussein then began a campaign of collective punishment known as the "Anfal" against the Kurds, for fighting with Iranian forces and for seeking more territory. The most notorious event in the Anfal campaign was the 1988 Halabja chemical weapons attack, in southern Kurdistan. An estimated 5,000 people, mostly women and children, were killed when Iraqi jets dropped poison gas on the town. Thousands of inhabitants choked on a mixture of mustard gas and nerve agents. As a result, the Peshmerga were forced to cease operations as more than a million Kurds were displaced, and hundreds of thousands killed throughout the Anfal campaign. Conflict with Saddam Image copyright AP Image caption Elite units of female Peshmerga fighters have been trained by SWAT teams to fight IS militants in Iraq Throughout the 1990s and in the aftermath of the Anfal campaign, despite huge losses the Peshmerga continued to battle Iraqi forces against the backdrop of the First Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm. However, internal tensions continued to build and turned to war between the two rival Kurdish factions, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) led by Massoud Barzani, son of the Kurdish nationalist leader Mustafa Barzani and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) led by Jalal Talabani, who would eventually become Iraqi president. During this period, female fighters were also incorporated into the Peshmerga to bolster the forces' numbers in the fight against Saddam Hussein. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani led the KDP, succeeding his father Mustafa Barzani Image copyright AFP Image caption Jalal Talabani of the PUK, became the sixth President of Iraq, and the first Kurd to hold that office Co-operation with the CIA After reconciliation between the two opposing Kurdish factions was sealed by the 1998 Washington Agreement, the US Special Forces deployed CIA agents to Kurdistan, the start of a relationship of co-operation between the Peshmerga and the US, both pitted against Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government. The role of the Peshmerga was key in the eventual toppling of Saddam Hussein. After his Baathist government was dismantled, US forces continued to work with the Peshmerga, training fighters and holding joint operations throughout the area. When the PUK's Jalal Talabani was elected as the sixth president of Iraq, and the KDP's Massoud Barzani was elected president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Kurdish hopes for self-determination continued to grow.
“Obviously it’s very concerning that we have not found the ship and not had communications with the ship." Conspiracy theorists have long hinted at supernatural occurrences in the Bermuda Triangle in regard to missing aircraft and ships, but this most recent disappearance might have something to do with Hurricane Joaquin. Gawker reports that authorities are searching for a 790-foot container ship called El Faro, which disappeared somewhere between Florida and Puerto Rico as the Category 4 storm passed through the Atlantic Ocean. The ship left Jacksonville, Florida on Thursday and was headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico before reportedly losing power and taking on water while sailing through 20 to 30-foot waves. Before losing contact with the ship, officials say the crew of 38 reported they were successfully pupping out water and managed a listing of 15 degrees, but has lost propulsion. “Obviously it’s very concerning that we have not found the ship and not had communications with the ship,” Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Commander Gabe Somma told the New York Post on Saturday. “There’s an operating limit to what we can go out in, and we were pushing the envelope [on Friday night]. We were just fighting to get to the scene.” The Coast Card was called in to search around 850 miles of ocean but have only found a life ring so far. More from Complex
The George Washington Bridge scandal has subtly reshaped the contest for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, hurting New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s chances and leaving the field without a clear front-runner. The pack is now huddled in the low teens, according to polls of GOP voters. How rare is such an evenly divided field? I checked polling since 1976, the first year in which both the Republican and Democratic nominations were decided completely by voters and not by party leaders. It’s rare. In surveys conducted from January through March of the preceding midterm election year (so for the 2012 election, we’re looking at polls from Jan. 1 through March 31 of 2010), the Republican atop the polls has always averaged at least 23 percent of the vote. But not this year. Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and a presidential aspirant in 2008, leads current polling with 14.8 percent. Even if we include Democratic nomination contests, 14.8 percent basically ties for the lowest leader on record (right near the 15 percent Mario Cuomo had in 1992). The table below shows the top five potential candidates by election year according to polling averages from the first three months of the preceding midterm year. Some candidates were only included in some of the nomination polls conducted during that period. (For some early years, we have only one or two polls. The years left blank for either party represent cycles when there was no polling data.) GOP candidate Incl./ Tot. Polls Avg. DEM candidate Incl./ Tot. Polls Avg. 1976 Gerald Ford (1/1) 24.0 Ted Kennedy (2/2) 31.5 Ronald Reagan (1/1) 20.0 George Wallace (2/2) 20.0 Nelson Rockefeller (1/1) 18.0 Henry Jackson (2/2) 12.0 John Connally (1/1) 9.0 Edmund Muskie (2/2) 9.0 Charles Percy (1/1) 8.0 George McGovern (2/2) 6.0 1980 Ronald Reagan (1/1) 45.0 Ted Kennedy (1/1) 36.0 Gerald Ford (1/1) 35.0 Jimmy Carter (1/1) 29.0 Howard Baker (1/1) 7.0 Jerry Brown (1/1) 12.0 John Connally (1/1) 5.0 Walter Mondale (1/1) 8.0 George Bush / Bob Dole (1/1) 2.0 Henry Jackson (1/1) 5.0 1984 Ted Kennedy (1/1) 32.0 Walter Mondale (1/1) 20.0 John Glenn (1/1) 13.0 Jerry Brown (1/1) 7.0 Robert Byrd (1/1) 5.0 1988 George H.W. Bush (2/2) 31.0 Gary Hart (2/2) 32.1 Bob Dole (2/2) 12.5 Mario Cuomo (2/2) 14.8 Howard Baker (2/2) 11.9 Lee Iacocca (2/2) 13.0 Alexander Haig (2/2) 6.2 Jesse Jackson (2/2) 6.7 Jack Kemp (2/2) 5.0 Bill Bradley (2/2) 6.0 1992 George H.W. Bush (1/1) 65.0 Mario Cuomo (1/1) 15.0 Bob Dole (1/1) 7.0 Michael Dukakis (1/1) 13.0 Liz Dole (1/1) 4.0 Jesse Jackson (1/1) 14.0 Dan Quayle (1/1) 5.0 Llloyd Bentsen (1/1) 9.0 Jack Kemp (1/1) 4.0 Gary Hart / Bill Bradley (1/1) 4.0 1996 Bob Dole (2/2) 24.5 Jack Kemp (2/2) 14.5 Ross Perot (1/2) 12.0 Dan Quayle (2/2) 9.5 Dick Cheney (2/2) 8.5 2000 George W. Bush (3/3) 23.3 Al Gore (1/1) 45.0 Colin Powell (1/3) 16.0 Bill Bradley (1/1) 14.0 Liz Dole (3/3) 12.0 Dick Gephardt (1/1) 8.0 Jack Kemp (3/3) 8.3 Bob Kerrey (1/1) 4.0 Steve Forbes (3/3) 7.0 2004 Al Gore (8/8) 29.6 Hillary Clinton (5/8) 17.8 Joe Lieberman (7/8) 8.1 Tom Daschle (8/8) 7.6 Bill Bradley (5/8) 7.2 2008 Rudy Giuliani (4/4) 26.5 Hillary Clinton 39.8 John McCain (4/4) 24.5 John Kerry 12.8 Condi Rice (1/4) 22.0 Al Gore 13.7 Newt Gingrich (3/4) 6.7 John Edwards 13.5 Bill Frist (4/4) 4.5 Joe Biden 5.0 2012 Mitt Romney (4/4) 23.3 Sarah Palin (4/4) 17.5 Mike Huckabee (4/4) 15.8 Newt Gingrich (3/4) 8.0 Ron Paul (3/4) 7.0 2016 Mike Huckabee (6/9) 14.8 Hillary Clinton (5/5) 67.0 Chris Christie (9/9) 13.0 Joe Biden (5/5) 10.2 Jeb Bush (9/9) 12.2 Liz Warren (4/5) 6.8 Rand Paul (9/9) 11.1 Andrew Cuomo (4/5) 3.0 Paul Ryan (9/9) 10.9 Cory Booker (2/5) 2.5 While the GOP is more divided than usual this cycle, Democrats are more united. Hillary Clinton has 67 percent in the polls, more than the top five Republicans’ average support combined. Clinton is polling stronger than any contender in the modern era on either side, including incumbent presidents George H.W. Bush in 1992 and Jimmy Carter in 1980. For non-incumbents, Ronald Reagan in 1980 and Al Gore in 2000, each with 45 percent support at this point, come closest to Clinton. Meanwhile, on the Republican side, the difference between Huckabee and Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, who ranks fifth according to polls, is only 4 percentage points. That’s by far the most tightly packed the top five candidates have been in our sample. No other year has a first-to-fifth gap less than 10 points. The difference between first and fifth on the Democratic side is 65 percentage points. That’s the widest gap on record. Early polling doesn’t always predict how well a candidate will do. Rudy Giuliani was ahead at this time in the 2008 cycle, but he didn’t win a single primary. Even in years when the leader at this point in the cycle went on to win the nomination, the actual percentage earned by the winner didn’t match the early polling. Bob Dole in 1996 and George W. Bush in 2000 weren’t that far ahead at this point, and they won their primaries by a mile. On the Democratic side, one look at the chart and you see that many eventual nominees (like Barack Obama in 2008) weren’t in the top five at this point — some weren’t even polled. Polls conducted more than two years before a presidential election don’t tell us all that much about the eventual vote percentages. But they do tell us that the Democratic and Republican fields for 2016 each look very unusual at this point in the race. The Republican picture is unusually muddled, and the Democratic picture is unusually clear.
Connecting to data sources and transforming data into a useable format can be complex, even when you are using a powerful tool like Power BI. I know many people that have started a transformation only to give up because they are not too sure what steps to take next. I found the more examples you see of data transformations the easier it becomes to transform data from complex sources. Today I want to work through an example with you that you would not come across that often, and step by step we will look at transforming the data. Data source The data source we are looking at is https://steemd.com. This website contains data for users of a blockchain social media site. This domain can be amended to give details of a particual user by placing the use name at the end of the domain. For example to get my data the domain is https://steemd.com/@paulag We want to connect to the highlighted table of data for a number of users, and extract 2 values from that table to be used in further calculations. The fields we are interested in are Voting power and effective sp Our output should look like this Step by Step Connecting to the first table of data We will first set up a connection by going to Get Data, Other and then Web. In the domain we will enter www.steemd.com/@paulag Once Power BI connects to the website the navigator window will open. On the left you can see a list of tables that Power BI has found. By selecting a table, you will see a preview on the right. Once we have found the correct table and ensure that we have ticked it, we can then select edit. Transforming our data In our query editor we now have two columns of data and we only want the fields Name, Voting Power and Effective SP. Column 1 of our data contains the attributes and column 2 contains the data. Under the transform ribbon if we select transpose The data will move so that column 1 is now row 1 and column 2 is now row 2. The next step in the transformation is to change the first row to the header row. By selecting the menu on the table of data we can then select Use First Row as Headers. We can now select the columns we wish to keep. Name, Voting Power and Effective SP. From the home ribbon select remove other columns What remains is the data for that person that you required. Getting the subsequent tables of data. Now that we have the data for the first person, we can duplicate the query and make some quick changes to get the second persons data To duplicate the query, under the queries pane, right click the existing query and select duplicate query You can then rename this query to the second profile we will be looking at. This account is SteemitBC. This time we will use the advanced query editor to make changes to this query. To do this, on the home ribbon select advanced editor. This will now show the M code behind the query. On the first line of code, we are simply going to replace @paulag with @steemitbc and save the query. The data now is correct for the second profile. To add the third profile we can do the exact same steps and duplicate the query and make a change to the name in the advanced query editor. Append the tables of data We now have 3 tables of data that we need to append into one table. On the home ribbon the next step is to select Append queries In the append window we will select append 3 or more tables Select each of the tables on the left and select add to move them to the right. The final step is to set the data type for voting power to Percentage and also change the data type of Effective sp to a Decimal Number And there we have it. We have connected to a website to extract required values from one of their tables. We have successfully transformed the data and created a table that can now be used in further calculations. The table of data for SteemitBC and Minnowsupport can now be set not to load to model as all the data in contained in the first table.
shid0x Profile Joined July 2012 Korea (South) 4992 Posts #2 First edition was quite cool,GL for this one. Also its a nice prize money you have here,moreover hotel is paid,quite nice... RIP MKP vinsang1000 Profile Joined January 2012 Belgium 363 Posts #3 On May 04 2013 20:09 shid0x wrote: First edition was quite cool,GL for this one. Also its a nice prize money you have here,moreover hotel is paid,quite nice... Also, qualification is 400€ so it'll pay most of the trip if you are in Europe. Really looking to it. Great initiative, the french scene is really boosted by Millenium Also, qualification is 400€ so it'll pay most of the trip if you are in Europe.Really looking to it. Great initiative, the french scene is really boosted by Millenium Shellshock Profile Blog Joined March 2011 United States 94972 Posts #4 will there be more dancing? Moderator http://i.imgur.com/U4xwqmD.png Sephinor Profile Joined August 2011 83 Posts #5 The prize money is pretty impressive! Denar Profile Blog Joined March 2011 France 1601 Posts #6 On May 04 2013 20:53 Shellshock1122 wrote: will there be more dancing? I hope so, we need more. For those who missed it : I hope so, we need more.For those who missed it : TomikuS Profile Joined January 2011 Czech Republic 12 Posts #7 aaaaaaaa looking for it ! :-) SChlafmann Profile Joined September 2011 France 717 Posts #8 Gosh, that dance. So much handsomeness. "More GG, more skill" - Nope! Chuck Testa - #BISU2013 Boucot Profile Blog Joined October 2011 France 15974 Posts #9 I expect this to be huge ! The first one was great ! Former SC2 writer for Millenium - twitter.com/Boucot Misacampo Profile Joined July 2012 166 Posts Last Edited: 2013-05-04 14:42:50 #10 Will MKP be invited because he won the last one?? You gotta let the champion defend his post :D EmSc Tv Profile Joined May 2011 Poland 209 Posts #11 Great! I remember casting the first one. One of the best event I had the pleasure to cast. Had so much fun Hope to do it again!!! Boucot Profile Blog Joined October 2011 France 15974 Posts #12 On May 04 2013 23:42 Misacampo wrote: Will MKP be invited because he won the last one?? You gotta let the champion defend his post :D Llewellys said he wanted to get new names for this one so I really doubt MKP will be there. He often speaks about Parting but now that he's on a KeSPA team, it'll probably be harder to invite him. And Polt is a serious candidate I guess. Llewellys said he wanted to get new names for this one so I really doubt MKP will be there. He often speaks about Parting but now that he's on a KeSPA team, it'll probably be harder to invite him. And Polt is a serious candidate I guess. Former SC2 writer for Millenium - twitter.com/Boucot TheBloodyDwarf Profile Blog Joined March 2012 Finland 7154 Posts Last Edited: 2013-05-14 13:59:11 #13 ? No vods Fusilero: "I still can't believe he did that, like dude what the fuck there's fandom and then there's what he did like holy shit. I still see it when I close my eyes." <- reaction to the original drunk santa post which later caught on Millenium Profile Joined April 2011 France 263 Posts #14 Dayshi is the third qualified player ! welcome ! Last chance to qualify monday 20th may ! MaSsan Profile Joined June 2009 United States 143 Posts #15 Could someone post bracket once it's up? @MaSsanSC Millenium Profile Joined April 2011 France 263 Posts #16 Squirtle A special thanks to Khaldor ! The first invited player of the Numericable M-House Cup 2 is : IM.A special thanks to Khaldor ! eronica Profile Joined October 2012 175 Posts #17 oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shid0x Profile Joined July 2012 Korea (South) 4992 Posts #18 I want to see more of TOP ! Old style ! Also wans't he friend with forGG ? I guess they'll be happy to meet each others. RIP MKP Sedall Profile Joined July 2012 France 66 Posts #19 So good =) It has to be noticed that Squirtle will stay for 3 weeks afterward to attend Dreamhack Summer in good condition. Boucot Profile Blog Joined October 2011 France 15974 Posts #20 On May 25 2013 02:46 shid0x wrote: I want to see more of TOP ! Old style ! Also wans't he friend with forGG ? I guess they'll be happy to meet each others. Yes, they were both oGs players. Yes, they were both oGs players. Former SC2 writer for Millenium - twitter.com/Boucot 1 2 3 4 5 13 14 15 Next All
The Oldest Trick in the Book is the infamous "Tapping on a person's left shoulder when you're standing on their right". This trick was first chronicled in cuneiform by the Ancient Sumerians. This chronicalisation also created "The Book" itself. In this article, we will chronologically summarise, from oldest to newest, the tricks in The Book. Contents show] Ancient Tricks The Shoulder Tap In the year 10580 B.C.E. the Babylonian king, Hammurabi, reigned supreme over the Mesopotamian deserts. On February 30, during a long speech by Irhemhotep, he stood on Shamadad's right, and reached over and tapped him on the left shoulder. As a result, Shamadad looked to his left, where no one was standing. All would laugh, as decreed by law, or else be condemned to read Oscar Wilde quotes everywhere. Immensely proud of his ingenuity, Hammurabi ordered these endeavours to be recorded in cuneiform on a clay tablet. This tablet was the first page in a small 'tricks' archive, which would later become 'The Book'. Alternative Shoulder Tap Years later, the minor prophet Zarathustra, experimenting with various tricks, attempted what was previously unheard of: the other side. Standing on the left this time, and tapping the person's right shoulder was, until that time, never considered, and almost heretical. It worked with stupendous results, even on people who have been so duped many times before. The Cheque is in the Mail Around 9000 B.C on the island continent Atlantis, the lazy, shiftless and shady dealing Atlanteans came up with the third oldest trick in the book (then known as the 'Youngest Trick in The Book'); "The Cheque is in the Mail". Many Atlanteans did not like paying bills and often spent most of their pay cheques on beer and kittens. To get landlords, creditors, and deities (see Zeus the Moose) off their backs, they would tell the creditor "The check is in the mail!". This would confuse creditors, who would return home and sit by the letterbox for the rest of the afternoon, while the Atlanteans would duck out for another beer. The most famous usage of this trick was when the Atlanteans used it to stop paying for the running costs of the city water pumps they bought from D-bay, designed to keep out the ever-rising floodwaters common to the Indian Ocean region. This resulted in the Great Flooding of Atlantis, which became so severe that the island eventually became submerged under the ocean. It is now only frequented by mermaids and lost Japanese midget submarines. In America, this trick is referred to as "The Check is in the Mail." There's Something on Your Shirt 5000 B.C: In Ægyptüs' Old Kingdom, the Pharaoh, Menes (who wasn't really a meanie, he just had an odd sense of humour), enjoyed a good laugh. One of his favourite tricks (and the fourth oldest trick) was to tell a person "You've spilled wine on your tunic!". When the victim looked down, Menes would flick them on the nose. At the time, this was not an "old gag". He Went That-A-Way 3500 B.C: During the Chinese Dang Dynasty, Mongol invasions were a big problem. The hordes would come down, ask where the Emperor was and then demand ransom from his kingdom for him. Finally, an aide to the Emperor known as Yu Tso Dum pointed the opposite direction that the Emperor had actually gone and led the hordes to Europe, where their search inadvertently split the Roman Empire into two halves. Ahomosezwut 2500 B.C: Socrates (pronounced "SOCK-RA-TEES") was a renowned philosopher but little known practical joker. Not many in the gag community are aware that he was the originator of the infamous "Ahomosezwut" gag. When a rival philosopher or particularly adept student pointed out an error in his reasoning, Socrates would rapidly counter with "Ahomosezwut" ("a homo says what"). The rival, unable to understand, would ask "What?" Socrates would then say "Exactly." This evolved into other comebacks like: I bet I can make you say how, (lame) Alamepersonsezwhut, (lamer) and the worst of all, Yourafaghusezwhut. Alternatives Later alternatives, also thought up by Socrates include: "Afagsezno" - to be used in the context of "Did you see that new Arabian fighter at the circus, Afagsezno?" "Ahomosezpardon" - to be used on very polite people. Ding Dong Dash 2000 B.C.: The Israelites, under King Solomon, were constantly at war with their neighbours, the Philistines. Solomon was wise; but he was also a wise guy (nyuk nyuk nyuk). Solomon enjoyed making the Philistines look stupid. The Philistines had a bell attached near the flap of their tents. According to their religion, Baal would ring the bell, and anyone who came out to greet him would be blessed with good fortune. Solomon enjoyed sneaking into the Philistines' camp, ringing the Baal bell and running away. The Philistines, expecting to find Baal, found no one. Red Hot Flush 1500 B.C.: The Harappan civilization of the Indus valley were among the first to have sewer systems, and even running water and indoor flush toilets. The Harappans were the first to practice the Indian bathing ritual, but they also developed the next prank on the list. Archaeologists have discovered that in houses with older and younger siblings, often when the older sibling was taking a shower, preparing for the courtship ritual, the younger sibling would sneak into the bathroom and flush the toilet. The rapid loss of cold-water pressure would force only hot water into the shower, resulting in a blast of hot water instead of the carefully regulated warm water. Your Shoelace is Untied In 50 BC the glory of the Ancient Roman republic was in full flower. However, one man grew ambitious and that man was Julius Caesar. Caesar would become the first dictator of Rome (Thus named because he was also a dick). One of his favourite pranks while in the Senate was to inform Cassius his sandals were unlaced. Cassius (ignorant of the fact that sandals did not, in fact, have laces, and that laces were yet to be invented) would bend over and attempt to re-tie them; this invariably caused his toga to separate, exposing his undergarment. It was then that Caesar would strike: he would grab Cassius' undergarment and pull up sharply, causing the garment to be wedged between Cassius' buttocks. Cassius would yelp in surprise and pain, while Caesar would laugh until he cried. Caesar would eventually receive his comeuppance in an April Fools prank played sixteen days too early. Have you the right time? 48 B.C.: Another gem from Ancient Rome involves this now famous gag. The preceding decade had seen the emergence of a fashion of the "wrist sundial" particularly amongst Egyptian tourists. Young Roman Comedians would approach individuals within the cities taverns and ask "Have you the right time?". The person questioned, who would be holding their drinking gourd or flagon would tilt their arm to view their sundial, pouring their wine down the front of their toga, to the hilarity of the watching crowd. Middle Ages and Renaissance Burning Bag of Dog poo 435 A.D. In this year, Rome fell with a loud crash. Vandals, pushed out of their homeland by Huns, swept into the Roman Empire, and eventually into Rome herself. The Vandals brought with them a number of brilliant pranks, including TP-ing, super glue on the door handles, and outhouse tipping. Their most famous prank, and the one which caused the Romans the most consternation, was the burning bag of dog feces. The prank was similar to the Israelites' Ding Dong Dash, but with an added twist. Before the escapade, the Vandals would collect dog poo in a paper bag. The pranksters would then sneak onto the porch of a Roman villa, light the paper bag, put the burning bag on the doorstep, ring the bell, and hide. When the master of the house opened the door, he would see no visitor, only a small fire! Having no ready fire-fighting equipment, the victim would attempt to stomp the fire out; this would only get dog poo all over the bottoms of the victim's sandals, creating a disgusting, foul-smelling mess. The Vandals found this to be hilarious. Turning Off the Lights and Pretending You're Not Home 1066 A.D.: After the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror led his Norman armies throughout Britain, conquering (hence, his last name). Many Saxons actually welcomed the Normans, shouting "Norm!" whenever the Normans rode up. (In fact none of the Normans were called Norm, except one - and man did it bother him, because he'd look up every time.) Other Saxons were not so enthusiastic. Ivanhoe (so named because his Dad was named Ivan, and his Mum was an actress) for example resisted; his resistance was due to the heavy taxes the Normans placed on the Saxons. Ivanhoe's method of resistance was unique for its time. Rather than just kill the Tax Collector and steal the taxes, Ivanhoe went for a more peaceful approach. Whenever the tax collector rode up, Ivanhoe would extinguish all of the torches, and blow out all of the candles in his castle. He would then hide behind the curtains, and order all of his servants and family members to do the same, making it appear to the tax collector that no one was home. The Delbert 1193 A.D.: The Crusades were a long and difficult struggle. European knights travelled thousands of miles from their homes to reach the Holy Land. After long difficult fighting over the holy city Jerusalem, King Richard the Lionheart decided that enough was enough. He received reports that his nephew Prince John was persecuting Robin Hood, and decided to head for home. Before he and his knights left for the long drive back to England, Richard, who also had the lion's bladder, extolled everyone to pee before the group left Jerusalem. His brother-in-law, Delbert, reported that he didn't have to go just then. Richard warned that he was not stopping along the way. When the group reached a 7-Eleven in Tyre, Delbert requested a pit stop. Richard was very angry at this delay, but stopped anyway. Delbert was the only one who had to go, and since no one liked Delbert, the knights decided to drive off while Delbert was still inside peeing. This is the origin for the practice of leaving the least popular party member behind at a pit stop. To this day, some scholars still refer to the practice as "Delberting". Spyglass Shiner 1538 A.D. The astronomer Copernicus spent hours gazing at the stars through his telescope, often leaving it only to eat and sleep. His understudy, Galileo, saw this as a great opportunity for humour. On a day when Copernicus was expecting a visit from his patron, Galileo coated the eyepiece with burnt coal. Copernicus wanted to get another quick gaze in before his patron came. When the nobleman finally arrived, Copernicus greeted him, with a coal-blackened eye. It wasn't until his patron was already gone that Copernicus discovered Galileo's mischievous act. 1610 A.D. During the infamous Spanish Inquisition, the grand inquisitors often used torture and cruelty to gain confessions for sins, be they real or imagined. One inquisitor, Xavier Fuego, believed that surprise and pain could be combined to speed the confession process. While the victim was sitting at a table being questioned, Fuego would sneak under the table and place small splinters of wood between the victim's toes. While the victim was distracted by the questions of Fuego's accomplice, Fuego would light the splinters. Eventually the splinters would burn down to the skin. The victim would scream in shock and pain, and Fuego's accomplice would exclaim, "The Devil is burning your feet because you are lying!" When the victim confessed, Fuego would pop out from under the table laughing wickedly. Modern Pranks Prank Call 1876 A.D. Alexander Graham Bell and his assistant, Thomas A. Watson, were working hard on developing their first telephone. On March 10, they were finally successful. When Bell first tested the phone, he had Watson go into another room with the receiver. Then, Bell uttered the first prank call: "Mr. Watson... Come here.... I want you!" Watson, who was in the middle of having dinner, angrily replied, "Who is this?! I swear I'm gonna come over there and kick your ass!!" and slammed the receiver down. Watson never figured out who had made this call, but both he and Bell would be remembered forever. Plastic Wrap on the Toilet 1892 A.D. The modern flush toilet was invented. Many people incorrectly believe that Thomas Crapper invented it. While Crapper did not invent the first flush toilet, he did patent major improvements. Crapper worked for the man who actually invented the flush toilet, Sir John Loo (Knight of the Bath). Loo put all the ideas together that would form the toilet we know and love. Crapper was jealous of Loo's fame; he wanted to create an invention that people would remember him for. In the pottery's bathroom there was one of Loo's new inventions. Crapper decided to "get one over" on Loo. He spread transparent plastic cling wrap over the top of the bowl, but under the seat. When Loo went to urinate, he did not see the plastic wrap, and urine splashed all over the bathroom... Crapper, hearing Loo's cries, laughed uproariously. Who can Hit the Softest? 1932 A.D.: Max "foul" Schmelling became Hitler's champion. He had won this honour by defeating Heinrich Himmler in a split decision in the famous "Furore für den Fuhrer" match. Schmelling defeated Himmler by calling for a "time-out". During the time-out, Schmelling challenged Himmler to a contest to "see who could hit the softest". Himmler agreed, Schmelling allowed Himmler to go first. Himmler struck Schmelling on the shoulder with a feather-light tap. "My turn!" Schmelling cried, hitting Himmler with all of his considerable might, Himmler flew across the ring and fell down. "Guess you win!" Schmelling replied. This forced the split decision for the match; two of the five judges argued that technically, Himmler had been knocked out in a "time-out", a clear violation of the rules. The other judges reasoned that Himmler was a sucker, and Schmelling's joke was hilarious, therefore Schmelling should get the win. Hitler agreed that it was a sucker punch, but a damned funny sucker punch. He would proceed to use the same trick on Stalin in 1940 to devastating effect (see Axis of Power). The Bootleg Beverage 1933 A.D.: The Australian-born, Czechoslovakian, and later Slovakian Chemist Aurthur K. Didley walked into a bar and sat down at a table with a friend of his called Adolf in a pub in Belgravia. Although Adolf later gained international fame under his last name Hitler, Didley unknowingly went down in history at that very moment as the first beverage bootlegger. Adolf was known for giving long, compelling speeches and as a result, Didley was never able to find a moment to interject to go to the bathroom. However, he had an idea. He reached under the table into his napsack and unscrewed the cap to a bottle filled mostly with ethanol from his lab. He proceeded to relieve himself, filling the bottle up nicely without Adolf's noticing. Soon Adolf ordered Didley to go bum him a cigarette. In the meantime, Adolf started searching through Didley's bag as he was an avid kleptomaniac (most notably taking Czechoslovakia in 1939). Finding Didley's bottle, Adolf proceeded to down the entire thing in one go, greatly enjoying the taste. Immediately feeling the effect of the beverage, Adolf became eager for beaver and left the room. Didley enjoyed great commercial success marketing the concoction under the label "Budweiser" which is Old High Czechoslovakian for "Hitler drank urine". 1998 A.D.: The computer networking mastermind, Edward Peer, was resetting the connections of innocent denizens of the World Wide Web, as is his hobby. When an undercover FBI agent contacted him, posing as a fan wanting to discuss peering methods, Peer was not fooled, as he had only given his AIM screen name to Hillary Clinton (who was president at the time). Annoyed by the agent's attempt to trick him, Peer devised a ghoulish trick of his own. He told the impersonator that he would trade information only if he depressed the Alt and F4 keys (as all government employees use Windows, because Macs are extremely un-American) on his keyboard, which would activate Secure Mode. The agent obliged. Dollar on fishing line The time this was invented is not certain but the trickster would tie a dollar bill to a fishing line that is nearly invisible and when someone tries to grab the dollar they pull it away. Bastards. NOTE: this trick is doubly funny when pulled on Canadians, who have one dollar coins, and thus would have been unable to use the dollar bill even if they caught it. See Also
Tyson Foods on Tuesday became the latest chicken company to begin phasing out antibiotics amid concerns that they are overused and could be putting humans at risk. The poultry and meat company is working to eliminate human antibiotics from its chickens over the next two years, saying it wants to do its part to slow the rise of antibiotic-resistant infections in humans. "We don't have all the answers," said Christine Daugherty, head of sustainable food production at Tyson, in a statement. "But we want to make sure that antibiotics continue to work." The concern is that the use of antibiotics to treat sick chickens is making the medicine less effective in humans and contributing to the spread of drug-resistant bacteria. The food industry has been under pressure from consumers and public safety advocates to come up with an alternative ways to keep chickens healthy. David Plunkett, a food safety expert at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, welcomed the move but called for an outright ban on antibiotic use in agriculture. "These are antibiotics that we want to have effective for human health and not creating resistance," he said. "It's simply unsustainable for us to waste critically important antibiotics on things like growth promotion." Plunkett said poultry farmers have used antibiotics to help keep healthy chickens that are raised in crowded and unsanitary conditions. McDonald's (MCD) recently said it will only use chicken raised without certain types of antibiotics. Tyson supplies much of the chicken used in McNuggets. And Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) announced plans to remove all genetically modified ingredients in its food. Other poultry producers have been taking steps to curb antibiotic use. Perdue Farms says 95% of its chickens are never given antibiotics, while Pilgrim's Pride (PPC) is also scaling back its use of the medicine. Tyson (TSN) has already begun reducing antibiotic use in its "broiler" chickens, which are raised for meat. Under the plans announced Tuesday, Tyson said it will phase out antibiotics in its chicken flock by 2017. The company also said it plans to work with its suppliers to reduce antibiotic use in cattle, hogs and turkeys. Related: McDonald's to cut back on chicken raised on antibiotics The Arkansas-based company is one of the largest producers of chicken, beef and pork products. It owns brand names such as Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farms and Sara Lee. While it wants to move away from antibiotics, Tyson said it will continue to treat sick animals. The company is working with others in the industry to develop alternatives to antibiotics used on farms. "We will not let a sick animal suffer," said Donnie Smith, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. "We believe it's our responsibility to help drive action towards sustainable solutions to this challenge by working with our chicken, turkey, beef and pork supply chains."
Image copyright AP Image caption The Taj Mahal's marble has been yellowing for years India's Supreme Court has ordered the removal of a wood-burning crematorium near the Taj Mahal to protect the famous monument to love from pollution. The court acted after a judge warned the crematorium's smoke could damage the 17th Century marble mausoleum. Hindus, who make up the majority of India's population, traditionally use wood in cremation pyres. The court suggested Uttar Pradesh state authorities could move the crematorium or build an electric one instead. The state government's advocate general agreed. "It is a very good suggestion and I totally agree with the judge's letter," Vijay Bahadur Singh said, the Indian Express reports. "Give me a fortnight and I will come back to this court with a solution." Crematorium staff, however, denied the pollution charges. "Ghee, camphor, sandalwood paste and cow dung cakes used in the pyres are instead helping enrich the environment," manager Sanjay Singh told the Times of India. The Taj Mahal was completed by the Emperor Shah Jahan in 1653 as a mausoleum for his third and favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child. The monument's complex structure of white marble domes and minarets inlaid with semi-precious stones and carvings is considered the finest example of Mughal art in India. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a Unesco World Heritage site and attracts millions of visitors each year. But it also has to contend with pollution from the busy and industrial city of Agra and a nearby oil refinery. Over the years its gleaming white marble has been gradually turning yellow.
As we predicted, Apple quickly unveiled a refreshed Apple TV today at its media event in San Francisco before moving onto the new iPad. On top of 1080p video streaming, perhaps one of the biggest features of the device’s upgraded UI is the ability to access purchased movies stored in iCloud— just like with music and TV shows. Unfortunately, according to a report from AllThingsD, it looks like not all content will be accessible. Content from Comcast’s Universal and News Corp.’s Fox will not be available due to deals currently in place with HBO: The best 4K & 5K displays for Mac A studio executive tells me that Apple does not have all six of the major studios on board. And here’s confirmation from a source with first-hand knowledge: News Corp.’s Fox and Comcast’s Universal aren’t in, because they have preexisting deals with Time Warner’s HBO that give the pay-TV service exclusive “windows.” (News Corp. also owns this Web site.) AllthingsD said that means those who own “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” and many other Fox or Universal movies, will be out of luck— at least for now. HBO spokesperson Jeff Cusson told AllthingsD a solution could be coming soon: “With every technological enhancement, we have always been able to find common ground with our studio partners, and we’re sure that will be the result here.” Related Articles
Hearts have rejected an offer from Rangers to renegotiate terms of payment for Lee Wallace and David Templeton. The Tynecastle club are owed £800,000 in fees following the transfers of the left-back and winger. With Hearts under the threat of a winding-up order over a tax bill of almost £450,000, Rangers said they would hand over £500,000 now. But Rangers wanted to close the deals with that gesture and Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov has dismissed it. Scotland defender Wallace moved to Ibrox in a £1.5m deal in July 2011, with instalments unpaid when Rangers were destined for liquidation. Agreeing to pay football debts was part of the agreement that allowed the Charles Green-led consortium to acquire Scottish Football Association membership when they relaunched Rangers over the summer. Templeton made the switch to Glasgow from Edinburgh for an undisclosed fee on August's transfer deadline day. Rangers had agreed to pay Hearts £300,000 in January and settle the bill in July with a final payment of £500,000. Hearts director Sergejus Fedotovas has revealed the club face a £2m shortfall this season and is appealing for fans to take up a share offer. The Edinburgh club have less than a week to raise money to pay the tax bill to stave off a winding-up order from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. Hearts also face a separate £1.75m tax bill but are disputing the demand - which centres on loan deals for Kaunas players - in a tribunal.
HEALTH Minister Jillian Skinner is facing a call to resign after it emerged she attended the Helpmann Awards ceremony as news broke on the death of a newborn baby in hospital. Baby John Ghanem, who was supposed to receive oxygen but was instead given nitrous oxide, died after the mix-up at Bankstown-Lidcome Hospital on July 13. His uncle Joe Kharma said today he lived for less than an hour — a mere 57 minutes. His parents Sonya and Youssef, who had gone into hospital expecting a routine birth, did not learn for a week how their baby died. Another family said the loss was still “very raw” and that they were considering legal action over “medical negligence”. Another baby is still fighting for life. Authorities knew about the blunder as far back as last Thursday but did not publicly reveal the deadly mix-up until last night. The incident has prompted NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley to label Health Minister Jillian Skinner “grotesque” and call for her resignation media_camera Youssef and Sonya Ghanem are devastated after the death of their baby boy. Picture: Facebook “At the outset could I express my condolences and the condolences of the shadow health minister to the families affected here,” Mr Foley said. “Our hearts go out to you as do the hearts of everyone in our state.” “Mr Baird needs to find himself a new health minister,” Mr Foley said. “The reaction of Jillian Skinner to this terrible tragedy speaks for itself, she found out about this some days ago and then she frocks up to go to the theatre. “I find Jillian Skinner’s reaction grotesque in its insensitivity. “Rather than reaching out to the family, rather than being available to the families to speak with them, rather than putting herself at the availability of the families affected, rather than being available to speak with the staff, she frocks up and goes to the theatre.” Ms Skinner resisted a suggestion she resign at a press conference this morning. media_camera Luke Foley, NSW opposition leader and Walt Secord, shadow health minister call for Julia Skinner to be sacked. Picture: Craig Greenhill OTHER NEWS: NEW SNAG FOR EAST’S ‘SUPER COUNCIL’ “This afternoon I spoke by telephone with the mother and uncle of the newborn baby boy who died after being administered the wrong gas through a neonatal resuscitation outlet at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital on July 13,” Ms Skinner said in a statement this evening. “I apologised for the devastating error which led to the baby’s tragic death.” The child’s mother today revelled she didn’t learn what had actually happened until a week after the incident. The Ghanems, whose other three children were born at the same hospital, had their baby boy on Wednesday, July 13. Mrs Youssef told the Nine Network this morning she had gone to the hospital for what she expected would be a routine childbirth when she was told she needed a caesarean section. When she woke up from the anaesthetic, a nurse told her that her baby son was dead. “I held my baby ... just looking at him, shaking my son. `Wake up’, I would tell him, `wake up, wake up. What have they done to you’,” Mrs Youssef said. John was buried on July 21. media_camera Health Minister Jillian Skinner (right), with Secretary of Health Elizabeth Koff at today’s press conference. Picture: Chris Pavlich Uncle Joe told 2GB: “We’re speechless. All we want is justice for baby John.” “I can’t describe to you enough the feeling and the visuals we go through seeing a little white coffin go six feet into the ground. “What makes it harder now is the fact that we know he was killed for nothing. They just kept pumping poison into him.” Mr Kharma criticised NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner’s response to the tragedy which she called a “devastating error”. “I can’t understand how it’s just a ‘devastating error’ to the minister,” he said. “You’re dealing with someone’s baby. Emotions are through the roof and all they can do is play the political game of covering up everything.” Another newborn remains in a critical condition after a similar mixup at the same hospital in June. Mr Kharma said he hoped the second baby would pull through. “I don’t want the family to go through what we’re going through,” he said. media_camera Youssef and Sonya Ghanem are considering legal action after the death of their newborn son. Picture: Facebook The baby’s older sister Chantal said the hospital contacted them a week later saying “there’s some new information about the care your baby was given”, which was when they found out about the gas mix-up. “They admitted it,” Ms Ghanem said. “They said ‘it’s basically our fault’. I lost it when they said that. I just wanted to kill them. “I am just so angry that an innocent life is gone due to something that should have never happened.” South Western Sydney Local Health District is conducting a formal investigation. What is know is that the fatal blunder occurred in one of the hospital’s birthing rooms when an outlet in neonatal resuscitation unit emitted nitrous oxide — commonly known as happy gas. But the gas was certified by BOC Ltd in July 2015. Doctors had instructed oxygen be given to the babies, born in June and mid-July, to help them cope after struggling through delivery. media_camera A liquid oxygen BOC bottle at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital. Picture: Ross Schultz media_camera Dr Kerry Chant at the press conference. Picture: Chris Pavlich It is the second major scandal in the health portfolio in a matter of months, following the chemo scandal at St Vincent’s Hospital which resulted in dozens of patients being given the incorrect doses of chemo drugs by a single doctor. Ms Skinner said earlier: “I know that the hospital in question, Bankstown, has checked all eight of its operating theatres,” she said. “The one concerned ... there were only two babies affected fortunately. But that has now been closed and I’ve asked for every newly-commissioned theatre built over the last five years to be checked.” Chief Health Office Dr Kerry Chant added: “At this stage we are saying the baby has been severely impacted and there are likely to be long-term impacts on the child. “We are not walking away from the catastrophic events that were caused by this failure.”
Of all the issues with cable TV, the mandatory set-top box might be the biggest annoyance. These boxes tend to be eyesores, and flipping through hundreds of channels—or memorizing channel numbers—doesn’t make for a great experience. Worst of all, traditional TV boxes are expensive, especially if you want DVR or have multiple televisions. A study earlier this year by Sens. Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal found that the average U.S. home spends more than $231 per year on set-top box rental fees. In some cases, that’s more than the cost of the actual video service. The good news is that the primacy of the cable box is finally in decline as streaming becomes more popular, and the cable companies themselves are starting to catch on. Even if you haven’t completely cut cable TV, you may soon find that one of its most unsavory aspects is no longer necessary. The enlightened few I’ve always thought of the cable box as a blatant money-making scheme for the cable companies, just like the modems and routers that incur hefty rental fees for subscribers who don’t know to buy their own. We’ve all heard the horror stories about exorbitant unreturned equipment fees, and some observers even theorize that returning these boxes is deliberately difficult, encouraging people not to bother. So I was surprised last week when Time Warner Cable CEO Rob Marcus cheerily admitted that the future is box-free. “Where we’re headed is the ability of customers to access the complete video product without having to rent a set-top box from us,” Marcus told analysts in an earnings call. While Time Warner already offers an app for streaming live channels on Roku and Xbox consoles, subscribers still need at least one cable box to access the service. That’s going to change soon, as the company is testing several streaming-only TV packages. Trial users in New York City are reportedly getting free Roku players with the streaming service, so they never have to pay hardware rental fees. Time Warner Cable’s app for Xbox One. Time Warner isn’t alone. Last month, Charter launched its own streaming service for $13 per month, with all the major broadcast channels and either HBO or Showtime. Another $7 per month adds some of the big cable networks such as ESPN, Food Network, and AMC. Again, users get a free Roku 3 player for signing up. (Incidentally, Charter is aiming to acquire Time Warner Cable.) Granted, these services don’t include DVR. But that’s becoming less of an issue as more channels offer their own streaming apps for cable subscribers, with their full video catalogs available on demand. Once we start seeing universal watch lists that work across apps, setting up a DVR will seem like an outdated concept. Why are some cable companies willingly giving up those rental fees? According to some observers, they’re just not worth the trouble. “[Cable boxes] are dated, difficult (if not impossible) to update, unreliable, and the primary reason so many people complain about their pay-TV operator,” analyst Alan Wolk wrote in a note to investors last March. Wolk also noted that sending out a technician to fix a busted box is expensive, and the long wait times for service calls make the cable company look bad. That’s not to say all cable companies are eager to phase out the set-top box. As Fierce Cable noted in response to Wolk’s comments, Comcast has already made major investments in its X1 DVR platform, and will likely want to recoup those costs through rental fees. But even Comcast is now testing a streaming-only service, with no box required. All of this is happening, of course, because an increasing amount of entertainment is available without any cable TV service at all. Simply buy a Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, or Fire TV, and you have dozens of apps and services to choose from, and you only pay once for the hardware. Cable companies are now ditching their boxes to win streaming users back. Stumbling blocks While these developments are mostly positive, they’re not without downsides. The biggest worry is that cable companies will wield an unfair advantage over other streaming services through data caps or slowdowns. Comcast’s streaming service, for instance, won’t count against users’ data caps and will live on a separate pipe from the public Internet. As the Wall Street Journal has reported, Comcast argues that its streaming service is effectively the same as cable TV, so net neutrality rules don’t apply. While some subscribers will likely appreciate the offer of unlimited, unhindered streaming video, don’t forget that the very reason Comcast and Time Warner are even offering new streaming services is because they’ve been forced to compete. Consumers don’t really benefit if eliminating the cable box becomes an excuse for more anti-competitive behavior. Fortunately, outside of Comcast’s markets this is more of a lingering fear than an immediate threat. Charter and Time Warner don’t currently have data caps, and have promised not to impose them for at least a few years if they’re allowed to merge. And there’s always the chance—however slim—that the government could step in if home broadband caps become too onerous. In the meantime, I’m glad some cable companies are realizing their role as hardware gatekeeper is coming to an end. The easier it is to add and drop streaming services on your device of choice—without installation calls or trips to a cable service center—the better off we are.
The award-winning show that might have been a "Journey to Whatever" but instead became "This American Life" reached a milestone with its 500th episode on Friday. The long-running (almost 18 years) and highly successful radio show focuses each week on a single theme, delivering one long story or several shorter ones. It has been the most popular podcast in the country and won all the major broadcast awards (and it recently earned additional street cred when it emerged victorious in our Public Radio Bracket Madness). Host Ira Glass seems to be taking it all in stride. "Honestly, it feels to me more like an odometer rolling over than anything else," he said in an interview with BuzzFeed. Still, to mark the moment, the man who said he doesn't often look back did spend a little time reflecting on the past. Glass shared a document that is assured a place in public radio history: a piece of paper containing notes scrawled during the meeting in which the show got its name. Among the titles considered were "Glasshouse," "Journey to Whatever," "Radiolicious" and "Mouth Noise." Glass also shared 11 of his favorite episodes, which he noted also happen to be fan favorites. Notes on Camp Harper High School One and Two The Giant Pool of Money Somewhere in the Arabian Sea — "I love how funny and human-sized everyone is in this show. It’s a surprisingly funny show about the war on terror," Glass writes. Switched at Birth — Glass: "The structure of this show — where the whole episode you wonder how a mom could know for decades she was raising the wrong baby and finally, she answers it in the end — is perfect." Break-Up — "The standout story is Starlee Kine’s essay on breakup songs, which includes an interview with Phil Collins that’s so menschy and real, it changed how I saw him forever." Babysitting — "Especially the interview with Myron Jones, which is the best interview I’ve ever done, mainly because he had so much grace and humor talking about his past. Any question I could think of, he’d come back with an amazing story, which is rare." My Big Break — "David Segal takes a turn in the middle of this story that’s one of my favorite reveals in any radio story ever." Harold Washington — "How can you go wrong when the central figure in your story is funny and cantankerous and bighearted and idealistic and utterly pragmatic and on top of all that, totally charismatic? If you don’t know who Harold is, be prepared for a treat." Heretics — "Carlton Pearson, like Harold, is someone they should make a movie about, for lots of the same reasons. An idealistic preacher whose idealism costs him pretty much everything: the church he runs, his reputation, his fortune, nearly his family." But Glass didn't stop there. Other episodes and stories he said he loves "for purely selfish reasons" were: And finally, for good measure, he threw in the Christmas and Commerce show. It was the first time on radio for David Sedaris and the first time they worked together. "Putting it on the radio changed my life as much as it changed his." More than a few lives, no doubt, were changed by putting "This American Life" on the radio.
“Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.” ― Elise Boulding Frugal Living… Worth It? Whether or not you take advantage of the huge benefits of frugality is all a matter of perspective. If you spend your time looking at just the short term, I’d agree that many frugal tips aren’t big savers. Quite often, a given tactic saves you just some pocket change or a dollar or two once. That’s an incredibly shortsighted perspective to have. Somehow frugality has become almost synonymous with deprivation and denial, and understandably, this kind of negative frugality turns most people off. It turns me off too… The good news is that true frugality isn’t like that. When frugality is based on your own values and what YOU want out of life, it can only be a positive influence. It’s also important to remember that true frugality isn’t just about spending less money… how you choose to spend your time and how you choose to conserve other resources should all be a part of the total equation. How Frugality Is So Liberating? Even if you don’t care a lick about saving money, frugality comes with benefits that extend beyond your pocketbook and personal life. Cut down on waste We throw precious little into the trash around here. One of the ways we keep our grocery bill so low is by rarely wasting food. We eat everything we buy, which is good for both the pocketbook and the environment. Food waste is a significant problem in landfills these days, and it’s a simple thing we can do to be more conscious of the world we live in. Everything we own gets used until it’s either tattered beyond repair or it’s time to pass it on to someone else. We don’t throw stuff out because we want newer stuff or need to clear things out of the house. Being environmentally friendly Being environmentally friendly simply means having a lifestyle that are better for the environment. Its all about taking small steps towards mother earth so as to make this planet a better place for our communities and generations to come. A good way would be to start with conserving water, driving less and walking more, consuming less energy, buying recycled products, eating locally grown vegetables, joining environmental groups to combat air pollution, creating less waste, planting more trees and many more. So the frugal life is almost always the environmentally friendly life. Nearly every frugal strategy doubles as an environmental boon: driving less, rarely buying new things, not wasting food… According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans generated about 251 million tons of trash in 2012, with only about 87 million tons of that material making its way to the recycling bin. That means that, on average, each American created approximately 4.38 pounds of waste or trash per day – which is, quite frankly, rather alarming. Although frugality can’t solve every environmental problem that modern society has created, it’s a start. The little things add up. Being Frugal Can Mean Less Stress Frugality brings peace and simplicity into your life. Need proof? An annual study on stress and health from the American Psychological Association has revealed money issues as the top stressor for Americans every year since the study’s inception in 2007. This year’s survey, which polled 3,068 adults in August 2014, found that 72% of Americans felt stressed about money during the last 12 months. Meanwhile, the majority of Americans polled, 64%, reported that money is a somewhat or very significant source of stress on an ongoing basis. Also, without the pressure to conform to social norms of spending, appearance, and conventional metrics of success, our lives are increasingly less stressful. Also see what is happiness? Evaluate your priorities Remember this: frugality isn’t just about spending less money… how you choose to spend your time and how you choose to conserve other resources should all be a part of the total equation. John Ruskin, an art critic in the 19th century, once wrote, “Every increased possession loads us with a new weariness.” He was right. Living frugally means deciding what is most important to you and directing your energy and money towards getting more of whatever this is in your life. It is NOT doing without! In fact, it means getting more of the things that really matter to you in your life. We’ll never be bored. One thing I can absolutely guarantee is that, if we live the life of the extremely frugal, you’ll never be bored. There’s simply no time or space for it. Constantly employing our creativity, exploring free events around town, cooking new recipes from scratch–frugality entails living a very real, very tactile existence. We use our hands a lot. We don’t pay for easy solutions. And we find humor in nearly everything we do. Also you can read article about living a simple life. Ways to Nourish Yourself Without Spending a Lot of Money They say “the best things in life are not things”. Rather than spending money on things, spend time in natural surroundings, take a walk, and get together with friends and cook at home rather than going out to a restaurant. Read to your children or take them hiking, listen to music or create art together. Being frugal may mean that we are giving up some material things, but it can also mean we find abundance in other ways such as spending quality time with friends and family members and finding out what is most meaningful in our lives. Also daily meditation – being mindful is a great way to nourish ourself and enrich our frugal living style. Frugal living isn’t a tactic, it’s a mindset and a joyful lifestyle. Sure, frugality is about saving money, financial freedom and creating the longterm life you want. But it’s also about opening up an entire world of simplified, honest, fun living, the personal accomplishment and satisfaction that comes from learning new skills, fixing things, and relishing all of the gifts we already have. It’s about being content without the junk marketers tell us we need to buy. It’s about being your own person and not the person society says you’re supposed to be.
A DISTILLERY manager quitting the business is celebrating retirement with a single malt created in his honour. Willie Cochrane started work at Jura Whisky after arriving on the Hebridean island in 1977. He planned to stay for just one year, but instead spent 39 at the plant. Now he is to toast his retirement on a Europe-wide tour with a limited edition single malt. Named One For The Road, only 5,000 bottles of the 22-year-old whisky have been produced. Manufacturers predict the 47 per cent proof spirit will go down well with collectors – despite a £120 price tag. Cochrane said: “One of the perks of my job is meeting people who have travelled to the island from far and wide to share their appreciation for whisky with me and the team at the distillery. Now that I have the opportunity, I can think of no better way to repay the favour than releasing one final expression – one for the road – to share with them.” The historic distillery, which dates back to the early 1800s, fell into disuse before being reopened in the 1960s in an effort to save the 200-strong population. Cochrane, originally from Glasgow, had little knowledge of whisky when he joined the team, but has since worked his way up and welcomed thousands of visitors to the facility. This includes TV presenter Rory McGrath, who went to the island to film travel series 3 Men in a Boat and still sends Cochrane a Christmas card every year. Cochrane initially went to the island to sell a car and was offered a job due to his mechanical skills, starting as a stillman before becoming manager 11 years ago. He will now turn traveller as he visits Brussels, Lyon, Hamburg, Paris, Cologne and Stockholm to meet whisky lovers and hold tasting sessions of the new malt with “honourary Duirachs”, or Jura residents. The tour begins next month, ending in October, and Graham Logan, who succeeds Cochrane at the distillery, said: “Nobody embodies Jura’s spirit quite like Willie, so it’s a fitting tribute to a man who has contributed so much to our small, but passionate island. I’ll be raising a glass alongside the rest of the community as we wave Willie off on his next adventure.” The news comes days after David Frost, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), met UK International Trade Secretary Liam Fox for talks on increasing exports as Brexit looms. Scotch whisky is currently the UK’s biggest net goods export, with £3.8 billion sold overseas last year. Almost one third of the total – £1.2bn – was sent to the European Union and the SWA says planning for trade as a non-member of the EU is now of “great importance”. Frost said an “ambitious set of new free trade deals with export markets” is now needed, adding: “The industry is taking a very close interest in the arrangements for trade after Brexit. We have a wealth of knowledge and experience of international trade policy and legal issues built up over many years.” Scotch whisky accounts for almost 20 per cent of all UK overseas food and drink shipments and the industry generates around £5bn for the economy every year. It also supports an estimated 40,000 jobs, with £1.7bn invested in the supply chain annually, almost all of which is in the UK. Meanwhile, it is also a major tourism draw, with 1.6m visits made to distilleries in 2015, an increase of more than 20 per cent in the last five years. Visitors also spent an estimated £50m during trips to production facilities, with most foreign travellers coming from America, Germany and France.
Norbert T. Rempe, a retired geologist who worked alongside Jim Conca at WIPP for years, is one of these pro-nuclear scientists. Born and raised in Germany, he thinks that country’s government is "bonkers" for promising to abandon its nuclear program by 2022. He calls the Fukushima and Chernobyl disasters "peanuts." Chernobyl was "a technical mess," he said. "But how many people really died as a result of Chernobyl? So far, roughly 50. And the danger that’s supposedly out there, that tens of thousands or millions of people died? You will never be able to statistically find those people." Regarding Fukushima, the problem wasn’t nuclear waste: "Not one person has gotten serious radiation poisoning or died of it," he said. "The only people so far who have died as a result of Fukushima are people like the farmer who was forced to evacuate and rather than evacuating he hanged himself." Rempe considers nuclear waste nothing to worry about. Hanson agrees, equating fear of nuclear waste to fear of flying (or perhaps fear of crashing). People afraid to fly, he points out, often have no qualms driving, even though tens of thousands more people die every year in car accidents than in plane wrecks. "You stagger around, disoriented, and then keel over and die." "We have something quite similar with nuclear power," he said. "Even in the wake of Fukushima, people have become reasonably comfortable with the reactor. The reactor has the potential to be dangerous. If mismanaged, it can cause a catastrophe. But not the waste. And yet, for some reason, people are more afraid of the waste. Which defies logic. The waste is stationary. It doesn’t go anywhere. Every day it’s less hazardous than the day before." He would have no problem living next to a nuclear waste repository. "We’ve got to get to a point where we can look at these things in context," he said. "It’s not like this stuff’s going to come up out of the ground and kill people." Dr. Kim Kearfott is a professor of nuclear engineering, radiological sciences, and biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan. She specializes in radiation detection, internal radiation dose assessment, and radiation safety practices. In the 1990s, she was integral to studies about possible radiation exposure at Yucca. She is, in other words, familiar with radiological nuclear waste risks. Kearfott calls Hanson’s assessment too simplistic. Two kinds of effects concern her, neither involving waste coming out of the ground to kill people. The first is statistical, she explained — the probability that someone receiving a relatively low dose of radiation will develop cancer or genetic defects. None of these effects can be certain; they’re based on often widely speculative probabilities. "This is really the complexity of siting a waste site," she said. "Scientists on site are in a predictive mode. And what makes it more difficult is that you’re trying to predict health risks tens of thousands of years from now based often on whether or not there might be a collective memory in the future that nuclear waste is buried in this spot." Then there are deterministic effects — what will happen to someone exposed to high levels of radiation. The modern unit measuring exposure is the "gray," and the first responders at Chernobyl received between three and five gray. The victims suffered acute radiation syndrome. Their bone marrow stopped functioning. In many cases their bodies could not produce new blood. Fifty percent of them died within 60 days. Exposure between five and 15 gray causes severe gastrointestinal problems, including difficulty holding down food. Rarely does anyone survive such extreme doses. Above 15 gray, the brain and nerves malfunction. "You stagger around, disoriented, and then keel over and die," she said. "It might take a short while but you will die within five days, usually sooner." But these effects are less relevant to nuclear waste once it’s underground. Kearfott said someone would need to be "right there with the waste" to experience serious radiation sickness or death. But there are other risks. How likely is it that a truck driver transporting waste might fall asleep and wreck? What’s the possibility someone might fire a rocket at a rail car holding high-level waste? What happens if there’s a major earthquake near Yucca? Risk analysts — and local communities — need to weigh these questions, Kearfott said. Hanson, however, is less than impressed with the argument and the risk. Yes, spent fuel would pose a danger if it escaped a shipping container, he said. But being solid, it can’t leak green goop into the environment like in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Daredevil scenarios. It contains gases, but they’re welded and bolted safely into thick steel and concrete containers. "The only possibility of having any release whatsoever would be a malicious attack on one of the shipping containers with very sophisticated anti-armor weaponry," he said. He then repeated a point he brought up before: "Really, I want to stress that I would have no problem keeping one of these shipping containers in my backyard." I told him people might offer to take him up on that. "People, particularly people in Las Vegas, seem to think there’s potential risk in those shipping containers, that radiation will get out," I told him. He responded curtly: "Well, it won’t."
John Heard decided desperate measures were needed to stop the raids that were decimating his flocks. And his solution to the problem has created an eye-catching sensation on his farm after he turned his sheep orange. The 48-year-old has put his flock of 250 blackface ewes through a harmless dip of orange dye making them so highly visible wary thieves are giving them a wide berth. Mr Heard, who runs his livestock farm near Okehampton, Devon had lost 200 sheep over the past few years but says the orange dye is working wonders. He explained:"Sheep rustling has become a big problem with ewes worth around £140 each. My flock roams Dartmoor and I was getting mighty fed-up with losing so many. "My son James suggested the orange dye and although it produces some strange looking sheep it has done the trick and I haven't lost one this year. "It works because they are so easy to distinguish making it easier for me and my neighbours to keep a wary eye out for them. Plus the rustlers are obviously nervouse about stealing such easily distinguished animals." The non-toxic dye does the sheep no harm and they lambing in peace this year, added Mr Hard who is the third generation in his West Country family to run the farm where he also raises cattle. The dye eventually wears off with no side effects for the animals but has caused bemused reactions from onlookers. The National Farmer's Union has warned that the financial hardship facing the country has led to a big increase in rural crimes like sheep rustling. There has been a five-fold increase in sheep thefts this year. A spokeswoman for the NFU Mutual, who insure farmers, said "There has been a sizeable rise in livestock rustling, particularly targeting sheep. "The price of lamb is so high and in a recession people may be more willing to accept meat from unreliable soruces. "But stolen sheep tend to be taken to unlicensed abattoirs raising the issue of meat being sold with the normal health checks. If you buy from those sources you obviously cannot be absolutely certain the meat is fit for human consumption. "In the circumstances orange sheep seem like a very good idea." Mr Heard got the inspiration for his orange flock after his so told him he knew a farmer in Scotland who had dyed his sheep before an agricultural show. Mr Heard added:"Other farmers as well as a fair few ramblers have been shocked but others have said they are now willing to try the idea if it works. "At the moment it is doing exactly what I hoped it would and stopping the rustlers in their tracks.".
Get the latest news and videos for this game daily, no spam, no fuss. Bethesda has released a new update for its free-to-play mobile Fallout game, Fallout Shelter. It introduces a new game mode and other content, such as a free Fallout 4 character for those playing on iOS. As briefly shown in the trailer above, the 1.2 update adds Survival mode. This isn't explained in-depth, but it sounds like a higher difficulty setting. "Faced all the challenges the 'normal' Vault simulation can provide?" Bethesda's description reads. "Introducing Survival Mode! More danger, More glory. Make Vault-Tec proud!" Also in the patch, you can now loot defeated enemies, skip the tutorial, and encounter the Mysterious Stranger. Rather than blast your enemies while looking stylish, as in the standard Fallout games, here you're rewarded with caps for spotting him in your Vault. There's also a new statistics page in the Vault Dweller's Survival Guide. Those playing the iOS version of the game can take advantage of an exclusive offer that gets them a free character from Fallout 4 (Piper, who makes her debut in the trailer) and five free lunchboxes. The game's first Fallout 4 character was added in June. Finally, there's now support for cloud saves, letting you manage your Vault from multiple devices. Fallout Shelter debuted back in June as a free game; it was originally released on iOS but came later to Android. Fallout 4, meanwhile, is due out on November 10.
Cadbury's American owners were under fire last night after it emerged they paid no UK corporation tax last year – despite generating over £1.7billion in sales. Parent company Mondelez UK made profits of £177million in 2015, which under the standard tax rate would be billed at £36million. However accounts filed by the US giant – which controversially took over Cadbury's for £11.5billion six years ago – reveal it lawfully avoided any payment to HMRC last year. Critics said it showed that large firms were still able to avoid paying tax while small companies are hammered. They called on the Government to clamp down on the tactics. Cadbury's American owners were under fire last night after it emerged they paid no UK corporation tax last year – despite generating over £1.7billion in sales Mondelez avoided paying corporation tax in Britain thanks to a series of legal accounting techniques. These included a combination of interest payments and a one-off £42million accounting gain from the sale of its coffee business, which was exempt from tax. Mondelez said it complies 'with all applicable tax legislation in the UK'. But the TaxPayers' Alliance said the situation 'highlights our complex, confusing tax code'. John Christensen, from campaign group the Tax Justice Network, said: 'Britain is a huge market for big companies like Cadbury. Parent company Mondelez UK made profits of £177million in 2015, which under the standard tax rate would be billed at £36million 'We should be pursuing them to pay tax like any other company – we are far too lenient on the big firms while we hit the small companies hard. This is wrong. These companies should all be treated the same.' He added: 'The Government needs to build capacity in HMRC to take on the big companies.' Mondelez also paid no corporation tax in 2014, by citing the interest payments on billions of pounds of debts which are listed as a bond in the Channel Islands. It comes amid growing anger at tax avoidance by multinationals. The tax affairs of global companies such as Apple, Google and Amazon have all come under fire in recent years.
SAN DIEGO -- Hall of Fame broadcaster Jerry Coleman, a former second baseman for the New York Yankees who interrupted his pro career to fly as a Marine Corps pilot in World War II and Korea, died Sunday, the San Diego Padres said. He was 89. Coleman spent more than four decades with the Padres as a broadcaster. He managed the team in 1980. Padres president Mike Dee said Coleman died at a hospital Sunday afternoon. He said the team was notified by Coleman's wife, Maggie. A family friend told The Associated Press on Sunday night that Coleman had surgery before Christmas for bleeding in the brain. Doctors discovered more bleeding last week and Coleman had more surgery, said the friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation. Jerry Coleman served as the Padres' longtime broadcaster, won four World Series with the Yankees and was a fighter pilot in WWII and the Korean War. "He's just a Hall of Fame guy," Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper said. Andy Hayt/San Diego Padres/Getty Images "It's a sad day," Padres manager Bud Black said. "We're losing a San Diego icon. He's going to be missed." The Padres planned to keep Coleman's statue at Petco Park open until 11:30 p.m. Sunday so fans could pay tribute. While recounting his military career in an interview days before the statue was unveiled in September 2012, Coleman said: "Your country is bigger than baseball." Coleman spent some seven decades in pro baseball, a career that included four World Series titles with the Yankees and was interrupted by his service in World War II and the Korean War. He flew 120 missions combined in the two wars. Coleman was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 13 Air Medals and three Navy Citations. Around Petco Park and on Padres radio broadcasts, Coleman was known as "The Colonel," having retired from the Marines with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was the only major leaguer to see combat in two wars. "He was a wonderful human being and a great guy," Black said. "He was one of a kind. He sort of blazed his own path from San Francisco and ended up as a war hero and a major league ballplayer and doing so many things in our game. As much as he's remembered for all he accomplished as a baseball man, he was more proud of his military service." Coleman's broadcast schedule had been reduced to home day games. He also did a pregame interview with Black, who said Coleman was self-deprecating and preferred to talk about the Padres rather than anything he'd done with the Yankees or in the Marines. "You wouldn't know it walking down the street that he was a World Series champion and also a guy that flew fighter planes," Black said. Coleman was known for calls of "Oh, Doctor!" and "You can hang a star on that!" after big plays. He received the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. He also was known for malaprops, like the time he was describing Dave Winfield going back for a long fly ball. "I said, 'Winfield hit his head against the wall and it's rolling toward the infield.' I meant the ball, of course," Coleman said in 2012. In a statement, commissioner Bud Selig said Coleman "was a hero and a role model to myself and countless others in the game of baseball. ... But above all, Jerry's decorated service to our country in both World War II and Korea made him an integral part of the Greatest Generation. He was a true friend whose counsel I valued greatly." After graduating from high school in 1942, Coleman traveled three days by train from San Francisco to Wellsville, N.Y., to report to the New York Yankees' Class D affiliate. Still 17, he was too young to enlist and fight in World War II, so he got to spend the summer playing ball. After he joined the military, he flew Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers in the Pacific in World War II. He played three more seasons of minor league ball before making his big league debut with the Yankees on April 20, 1949. He was The Associated Press' Rookie of the Year that season. Coleman's best season was 1950, when he was an All-Star and was named MVP of the Yankees' four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. Among his teammates were Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto and Johnny Mize. "We won the first game 1-0 and I drove in that run," Coleman recalled in 2012. "We won the second game 2-1. I scored one of the two runs and DiMaggio hit a home run in the 10th to win it. In the third game I drove in the winning run in the last inning, and in the fourth game I rested." By "rested," he means he went 0 for 3. "I was exhausted," he said. In October 1951, Coleman found out that Marine pilots from World War II were not discharged, but on inactive status and that he'd be going to Korea for 18 months. He missed the bulk of two seasons. Coleman said he took his physical along with Ted Williams in Jacksonville in 1952. Williams, a San Diego native, also was a Marine pilot in World War II, but didn't see combat duty. He did fly combat missions in Korea. When Coleman returned to the Yankees, he hit only .217. He was sent to an eye doctor, who told him he'd lost his depth perception. "If you're trying to hit a baseball and you don't have depth perception, you have a problem," Coleman said. He got that corrected but then broke his collarbone in April 1955. The night he came back from that injury, he got beaned. His last season was 1957, when he hit .364 in a seven-game World Series loss to the Milwaukee Braves. Coleman worked in the Yankees' front office before beginning a broadcasting career that eventually brought him to San Diego. "First and foremost, he was an American hero whose service to this country is his lasting legacy. He was also a great Yankee, a true ambassador for baseball, and someone whose imprint on our game will be felt for generations," Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner said. "On behalf of the entire New York Yankees organization, we send our deepest condolences to the Coleman family." Coleman managed the Padres in 1980, when they went 73-89 and finished last in the NL West. Coleman was fired and returned to the booth. "I should never have taken it," he said. "I look at it now and see the mistakes I made. If I wanted to be a manager, I should have gone to the minor leagues and developed there." Coleman's statue at Petco Park depicts him in a flight suit. Coleman said the closest he came to being killed was in Korea when the engine in his Corsair quit during takeoff and his plane flipped. He preferred to talk about his comrades. Coleman remembered a mission over Korea when a plane piloted by his buddy, Max Harper, blew up and flew straight into the ground. "I knew there was no need for help. It was an unpleasant thing," Coleman said. In describing the two-seat Dauntless he flew in the Solomon Islands and the Philippines, Coleman said the gunner "was the bravest man I knew. If I did something wrong, he died, too." Longtime San Francisco Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper mentioned the various halls of fame Coleman belonged to and added: "More than anything he's just a Hall of Fame guy. If he had a bad day, it was never around us. He was always in a good mood. He was quite funny. Northern California guy. Really just a great guy. I'm shocked and saddened that he passed away. "Here's a guy, what didn't he do in life?" Kuiper said.
http://alrai.li/28lwbdk @AlraiMediaGroup Elijah J. Magnier: @EjmAlrai “If killing those who kill our sons is terrorism, then let history be witness that we are terrorists”. This is what the late leader of al-Qaida, Osama Bin Laden said in response to the accusation of terrorism by the west. “Terrorising the enemy” is part of the Muslim holy book, the Quran, as long as you fight, inflict pain and terrorise the enemy of Islam, willing to fight back and not asking for peace, as stated in the Quran aya. US analysts and media, who occupy most of the mainstream-reporting platform, tend to focus on the reaction of terrorists. They study and report their doings, profile, goals, and behaviour, the link between different terrorist organisations, and analyse their next steps rather than focus on the real igniting factor behind terrorism. Millions of books have been written about terrorist groups and their background. Countries, like the UK, promote CONTEST and community policing to domestically combat the Violent Extremism and radicalisation that leads to Terrorism (VERLET). The consequences of US foreign policy as it is enacted and perceived in the Islamic World are rarely highlighted as one of the major factors, perhaps the main cause, influencing, and indeed nourishing terrorism. US Northeastern University Political Science Professor Max Abrahms, a terrorism theorist, told Al-Rai: “The U.S. has inadvertently contributed to international terrorism through the failed policy of regime change (Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan) since the declared “war on terror”. Un-thoughtful change of regime in Iraq created a power vacuum that was filled by al-Qaida in Iraq and ultimately ISIS. Few Americans understand that removing Gaddafi in Libya created a similar power vacuum that has greatly benefited ISIS among other militant groups. Fewer Americans also understand that arming the “opposition” in Syria helped to significantly support ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra and prolonged the so-called civil war. In these ways, the US counterterrorism strategy has backfired. A unit in the “FBI counterterrorism division” and FBI special agents across the US involved in “home-grown violent extremism” concluded that US foreign policy is the main motive behind terrorist attacks as a retaliation for the hundreds of thousands killed in the Middle East. If we look at the war in Syria, very often we find that the role of the Syrian President Bashar al Assad is falsely quoted as the one who has supported the rise of al-Qaeda or the “Islamic State” (ISIS), the flow of jihadists in Iraq to fight the US occupation forces and the opening of his prisons in Syria in 2011, (releasing jihadists from jail to radicalise the revolution). For example, Major General William Caldwell, chief US military spokesman in Iraq, said in 2006 that Syria was one of many Middle Eastern countries that allowed an easy access to foreign fighters in Bilad al-Rafideyn. The ex-Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, threatened to cut ties with Assad because, he said, jihadists coming from Syria caused major killing among the civilian population and were doing their best to fuel a sectarian war between Sunni and Shia. Al-Maliki also accused Saudi Arabia and Qatar of funding violence in his country. Also, Iran played a tactical role in sheltering, arming and offering logistics to al-Qaeda and anti-US militants as long as their aim was to fight the occupation forces in Iraq. The allegations that Assad is behind the radicalisation of the Syrian peaceful revolution are misleading. The foundations for the war against Syria were laid in the 2000 (not in 2011) when “a $10billion 1,500km pipeline was proposed to link Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria to Turkey and give the Gulf countries a control over world natural gas”, with the goal to hit Russia’s gas and economy sectors by offering an alternative to Europe, via Turkey. Russia sells 75% of its gas to Europe and it would have been a major blow to President Putin’s sales of Russian gas outside Europe. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote, “Secret cables and reports by the US, Saudi and Israeli intelligence agencies indicate that the moment Assad rejected the Qatari pipeline, military and intelligence planners quickly arrived at the consensus that fomenting a Sunni uprising in Syria to overthrow the uncooperative President Assad was a feasible path to achieving the shared objective of completing the Qatar/Turkey gas link. In 2009, according to WikiLeaks, soon after Assad rejected the Qatar pipeline, the CIA began funding opposition groups in Syria. It is important to note that this was well before the Arab Spring-engendered uprising against Assad.” Also, in May2003, just as the US declared itself an occupation force in Iraq, US Secretary of Defense Colin Powell visited Damascus and threatened the Syrian President Assad. Syria’s response to the visit was “we want dialogue not ultimatums from Washington”. Powell demanded Assad’s full collaboration in stopping the flow of weapons to the Lebanese Hezbollah, and to close Hamas and the Palestinian “Islamic Jihad” camps and offices in Damascus. Moreover, after the 2006 war in Lebanon, Syria became the target because of its military support to Hezbollah. Assad opened his warehouses providing anti-tank guided missiles and long-range strategic missiles for Hezbollah to stop the Israeli invasion. It is after the 2006 events in Lebanon that Washington took the initiative to negotiate with Damascus with the aim of de-linking Syria from Iran and the “Axis of Resistance.” Tom Lantos, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, visited Damascus and threatened President Al-Assad to join ranks with Saudi Arabia and the United States against Iran: “Sunni Muslims and not Iran under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be in control in the region, and it is to the advantage of Damascus to know which side to be on.” In a shocking revelation, US General Wesley Clark’s confirmed Syria was included in a list of targeted countries for U.S. military intervention on the basis of a five-year military roadmap drawn in 2001, just after Iraq followed by Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Iran. And lastly, in August 2011, just during the first months of the revolution, the leader of ISIS Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi sent his lieutenant Abu Muhamad al-Joulani with a number of commanders and many scholars from different countries of the region to Syria to preach and recruit youths and formed al-Jabhat li-Nusrat ahl al-Sham, better known later as Jabhat al-Nusra, and later on, after its dispute with ISIS, al-Qaeda franchise in Syria. Having said that, the contribution of countries of the region in supporting the insurgency against the occupation forces in Iraq is still insignificant comparing to the devastating effect of the US invasion itself, the change of regime in Iraq and the US double standards that provoked participation by foreign fighters from all over the world. Abu Mus’ab al-Zarqawi was in Kurdistan prior to 2003 with Ansar al-Islam. Zarqawi stood out only when Secretary Powell highlighted his name in February 2003 to further justify the occupation of Iraq. At that time, Zarqawi was not even holding the al-Qaeda franchise in Iraq. The US military foolishly inflated and overemphasised Zarqawi’s role in the insurgency, using media propaganda and thereby attracting more fighters to his group: “Our own focus on Zarqawi has enlarged his caricature, if you will – made him more important than he really is, in some ways”, said Col. Derek Harvey, a US intelligence officer in Iraq. These are among the results of the US foreign policy, of illegal intervention in Middle Eastern affairs pushing countries and groups towards reaction and confrontation. They are rarely raised and, one suspects, purposely not mentioned. But that is not all. There are important facts researchers try to avoid. To mention a few: The occupation of Iraq because of the alleged existence of weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). This lie is never highlighted, even though the rumour was proved false before the invasion. This invasion, based on a lie, cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians. The US embargo in the 90s killed at least half a million Iraqi children for lack of food and medicine, and Madeleine Albright the then US Secretary of State, went on record to justify this as “worth it”. This is one of the biggest wars on record, and the casualty figure is much greater than the number of those killed in five years of war in Syria. US President Barak Obama is the only person authorised to launch a drone attack and kill “terrorist operatives” abroad. In 2010, 75 drone attacks in Pakistan killed 650 people. Dawn News Agency in Pakistan estimates that there are 123 civilian deaths per one militant killed. In Yemen, there were 170 militants killed along with around 1800 civilians by drones. The American administration calls it “collateral damage”. Also, more than 30.000 civilians were killed in the US war in Afghanistan. The above are only limited examples of the causes and effects of the west’s foreign policy as triggers for terrorism. The role of the media is also one which makes it a major contributor to the growth of terrorism and its recruitment. Posting falsely attributed sensational images of war, manipulating children’s messages, calling jihadists “moderate rebels” when they auto-proclaim themselves as Mujahedeen-fi-sabil-Allah, all this has the effect of misleading readers by offering false data, reflecting a kind of undeclared “political wishful thinking”. There is no need for readers to go and meet jihadists from al-Qaeda to understand their message or contact ISIS websites or publications, and risk prison back home for accessing jihadists material or propaganda. Western media is offering enough material already to channel ISIS and al-Qaida propaganda material aimed towards recruitment. How easy it is to defeat a state (Iraq or Syria)! How incompetent Syrian / Iraqi armies are! All these narratives brand terrorist like invincible militants and therefore can be later used by home-grown jihadists to fight the west at home, making the counterterrorism argument a more difficult case to argue and implement. It is not necessary to be a radical or even non-radical Muslim (living in the west) to understand the outrage of any ordinary person living in the Middle East, who is seeing innocent people killed by those who say they want to export and promote a pluralistic society with shared values. In the west, governments say, “respect for the international law and human rights standards must be an integral part of efforts to counter terrorism”. George W. Bush asked once: “Why do terrorists hate us?” His answer was “because “they hate our freedoms, our freedom of religion, and our freedom of speech”. Is this true? Are western values hated because these freedoms are observed and respectfully implemented in the Middle East? How can they be, whilst killing half a million children by embargo, exterminating hundreds of thousands of innocents by war, invading sovereign territories by claiming falsely the existence of weapons of mass destruction? And when drones cause massive “collateral damage”? Are human rights respected by torturing men in prison (Abu Ghraib) or by covering up the widespread extent of waterboarding? Instead of being responsible for the death of at least one million one hundred and seventy thousand persons (of which 800.000 civilians who have died as an indirect result of the wars in the Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq), spending 4.79 trillion dollars on war itself and on attempting to counter terrorism, why not spend sufficient time and much less money rethinking and reviewing this dreadful foreign policy which actually forces people, especially the young, to “do something” to fight against it? What about controlling, modifying, even ceasing this confused message the west continues to send to the Middle East? Important and fundamental values are being continually violated, pushing youths into the arms of terrorist organisations and alienating whole populations. The vast majority of the Muslim populations see the weakening and dividing of Islam as a deliberate US goal. Faced with this, the balance of the population agrees with nearly all of al-Qaeda goals: to change US behavior in the Muslim world, to promote Islamic governance, and to preserve and affirm Islamic identity (world Public Opinion Poll 2009). Frustration over the unwanted U.S. military presence in the Middle East and the consequences of US invasions and resulting wars drives people to respond with violence and extremism. Grievances against the West’s excesses are legitimate, but cannot be the sole scapegoat and justification for terrorism. It is time to face the consequences of the west’s interventions overseas, accurately state the reality of these actions and the chaos they have produced, so that all the participants in this world problem can learn from history. Share this: Email Tweet Print Pocket Telegram
Advertisement Brooks Robinson seeks $9.9M from tribe over fall Robinson, 76, fell from stage at tribe's casino Share Shares Copy Link Copy Baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson is seeking a settlement of $9.9 million from the Seminole Indian tribe over injuries he suffered in a 2012 fall from a stage at the tribe's South Florida casino.Attorney Jack Hickey said Monday that Robinson will sue unless a settlement is reached. The case is complicated by the tribe's lawsuit immunity protections, which generally limit damages to $200,000 for an individual who suffers an injury at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood.Robinson, 76, was attending a charity event at the casino for the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital when he fell about 12 feet off a stage that had no back railing. Hickey said the Baltimore Orioles great suffered head, back and shoulder injuries that have forced him to undergo physical therapy and required that he limit numerous paid and charity appearances, celebrity golf tournaments, baseball fantasy camps, exercise and travel."He has made a good recovery for the injuries he had," Hickey said. "But he's not the same."Seminole spokesman Gary Bitner said the 2010 compact between the tribe and the state of Florida included the liability limits, which are similar to those Florida cities have for lawsuits filed against them. A higher settlement could still be negotiated, but Bitner said he couldn't comment specifically about the Robinson case."The compact does apply here, as it would for anyone who comes into the complex," Bitner said.Hickey said the tribe was negligent in failing to provide railing around the stage, which was also a violation of local building codes. About an hour before Robinson's accident another man had fallen off the back of the same stage, yet no changes were made, the attorney said.If the tribe refuses to settle, Hickey said he will sue the Seminoles in federal court by the end of this year."We're going to fight their tribal immunity in court," he said.Robinson was an 18-time All-Star third baseman for the Orioles. Known for his defensive prowess, he won 16 Gold Glove awards and amassed more than 2,800 hits. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983, was the American League Most Valuable Player in 1964 and was named the World Series MVP in 1970.
The best thing one could say about Donald Trump when it comes to the truth is that he has a bold disregard for facts. He consistently lies, about matters both small (the crowd size at his inauguration) and large (millions of undocumented immigrants voted for Hillary Clinton). Americans know this, and they simply don’t trust Trump to tell the truth. But his well-documented record in this area didn’t prevent him from winning the election, and it hasn’t shaken his support from Republican members of Congress. In other words, Trump has been able to find a political way forward even though he has established a reputation as someone who cannot be trusted to tell the truth. Lying, by itself, may never be enough to ruin him politically. That’s how the question of Trump’s honesty has played out in the political context. The reality is that it is possible for elected officials to lie with impunity. Journalists are reluctant to call out even the most blatant of lies, and even if they do, voters may not be moved. Legal world The legal arena, however, is a different matter. The legal world is built on facts, evidence, proof and credibility determinations. Lying often has tangible and serious consequences. Some of the scandals surrounding Trump’s presidency have already entered the legal realm — most notably, the Russia investigation and questions involving Trump’s decision to fire former FBI Director James Comey. Special counsel Robert Mueller is conducting an investigation, and congressional committees are holding hearings where witnesses testify under penalty of perjury. In both of those settings — the Mueller probe and congressional hearings — facts and the truth matter. Mueller will make evidence-based decisions about whether to seek criminal charges against Trump associates including Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner and, possibly, Jeff Sessions or others. It is unlikely that Mueller could consider seeking criminal charges against Trump as a sitting president, but it is possible he could name Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator if the facts support this. Testimony before congressional committees could create stand-alone legal issues if witnesses do not testify truthfully by exposing them to possible perjury charges. Members of Congress could also conclude there is evidence to support impeachment charges. Trump’s potential testimony While Trump’s easy comfort with lying has served him well, or at least not sunk him, this trait in the political realm could be an enormous liability when it comes to the law. Trump has promised to testify under oath. His own history shows why this would be so dangerous: When Trump testified under oath several years ago in a civil case, he was forced to acknowledge some past lies, and also, according to Timothy L. O’Brien (the defendant in that case) “lied during the deposition” itself. (Trump lost the case, a libel lawsuit he had filed against O’Brien, who wrote a biography about Trump.) If Trump follows through on his pledge to testify about Comey’s claims, he could be courting disaster. Comey has testified that Trump asked him for his loyalty and hoped he would find a way to let the Flynn investigation go. Trump has categorically denied both of those claims. Someone isn’t telling the truth here. If Trump repeats his denials under oath, the risk is that Mueller or members of Congress conclude he’s the one who’s lying, especially if written memos and other evidence support Comey’s account. Even if Trump doesn’t testify, others have already done so and will continue to do so. Attorney General Sessions is scheduled to appear before a Senate committee on Tuesday. Just as with Trump himself, facts, evidence and evaluations of credibility will be centrally relevant. Chris Edelson is an assistant professor of government in American University’s School of Public Affairs. His latest book, “Power Without Constraint: The Post 9/11 Presidency and National Security,” was published in May 2016 by the University of Wisconsin Press.

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