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3 children killed in southeast Albuquerque shooting Copyright by KRQE - All rights reserved Video Detectives continue to investigate after a Police have said until the families are properly notified of what is going on, they won't be releasing any additional information. The Albuquerque Police Department swarmed two houses in the 1500 block of Stagecoach Lane Monday evening as they investigated. It is unclear at which home the shooting occurred and how exactly they are connected. So far, police are staying tight-lipped about the incident. They do say four people were sent to UNM Hospital for gunshot wounds. Police say that there is no immediate threat to the area at this time and there is no suspect at large. "We have two homes, two different residences that are currently involved," said APD Chief Gorden Eden. "We've designated them as two places that our crime scene team is going to have to process." Neighbors told KRQE News 13 gunshots were heard around 6:30 p.m. People in the neighborhood tell KRQE News 13 that this has always been a very quiet neighborhood and they're completely shocked by the scene Monday night.
Staff hand out bottles of water to frustrated shoppers as they queue to leave UK’s newest branch of furniture superstore Shoppers were trapped in a car park for more than three hours as they attempted to leave a newly opened Ikea store at the weekend. The store in Reading is the first new Ikea to open in the UK in seven years. Manager Johanna Heuren said a traffic management plan would remain in place while the cause of Sunday’s delays was investigated. One man joked that it was “easier to leave Europe” than the store’s multi-storey car park. Billy bookcases and the definitive meatball – inside the new Ikea museum Read more Rory Firth, 40, from Maidenhead, said: “It was just bedlam. We were stuck for about an hour but a lot of people were stuck for upwards of three hours. We were on level one so we were quite lucky. I had my four-year-old and 10-month-old in the back seat so we were fortunate to get out when we did.” Stacey Barber, 22, from Farnborough, Hampshire, said the three-hour delay had ruined her day’s shopping. She said: “We were stuck for three hours and we only went to return something. We didn’t get home till 6 so all the shops were shut and we missed out on a whole afternoon.” Barber said staff handed out bottles of water but otherwise had “no idea what they were doing”. She said: “After an hour everyone had enough. It was so hot and a bottle of water goes so far. People started arguing with staff, saying ‘what is going on?’ and they had no answer. There were people with two or three kids in the car so they were getting more annoyed. People just kept beeping to get attention but all we got was ‘sorry for the delay’.” Ikea’s Heuren said: “We can confirm that there was a delay with regards to customers exiting the Ikea Reading car park on Sunday afternoon. The number of visitors to the store was in line with the previous busy days during the opening weekend where our traffic management plan worked efficiently as planned. “Our traffic management team responded to keep cars moving as quickly as possible and we’d like to thank customers for being patient and understanding of the situation.” In 2005 several people were injured and others suffered heat exhaustion following the opening of an Ikea in Edmonton, north London. About 6,000 people – triple the number expected by the company – descended on the store, forcing it to close its doors temporarily.
On Wednesday, former London mayor and chief Brexiteer Boris Johnson was appointed as the British government’s new Foreign Secretary, but did you know that before he was a politician, BoJo used to be a car writer? Not just any car writer, either. In fact, the flop-haired politician was probably the worst car journalist in the world, penning classic lines like “It was as though the whole county of Hampshire was lying back and opening her well-bred legs to be ravished by the Italian stallion” after milling around in a Ferrari F430. The career of Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, just ‘Boris’ to most, started at the Times, before he moved on to the Daily Telegraph as the paper’s Brussels correspondent, and then ended up as the editor of the Spectator. Somewhere along the line, he occasionally swapped political reporting for a few gigs as a car reviewer for titles including GQ magazine. In her 2011 biography Just Boris: A Tale of Blond Ambition, author Sonia Purnell includes several anecdotes about Boris’ life as a writer, with the quality of his writing as noxious as the several overt slurs he made towards black people, women and the gay community. "Ravished by the Italian stallion" According to Purnell’s book, Boris was notorious for simply making up the technical details of the cars he tested, and anything he didn’t make up he made sure to stuff with sexual overtones. He wrote about everything from the breasts he imagined the sat-nav’s voice to have to overtaking women drivers by “taking them from behind”, and somebody actually published it. His then-editor at GQ magazine, Dylan Jones, said that Boris’ column was probably the most costly in the magazine’s history, due to the sheer amount of parking tickets and fines he accrued on his test vehicles. According to Jones, Boris would casually double park his test cars outside places like Scotland Yard, and would say that the penalty notices were, in his own words, “building up like drifting snow on the windshield”. It was left up to GQ to pay, Jones claims, and he also noted that Boris had managed to reduce no less than three managing editors to tears during his stint with the magazine. Another of Boris’ biographers, Andrew Gimson, wrote in his 2012 book Boris: The Rise of Boris Johnson, that not only was the ex-Mayor bad at writing about cars, he was also categorically awful at driving them too. His secretary, Ann Sindall, told Gimson: “Boris tended to miss the session at which he would have been shown by the delivery driver how to use the car. He’ll ring me and ask, ‘How do I use the door?’” As well as that, Boris was also reportedly notorious for losing his test cars according to Sindall’s account, something which he apparently hasn’t improved on after it was reported only yesterday that he had to have an aide help him find his ministerial Jaguar. Former Telegraph editor Charles Moore also claimed that he quickly became known for filing his copy late, leaving the paper’s subs nervously watching the clock and counting the minute before the presses were scheduled to start rolling. Filing copy late “'I can’t believe I’ve been so disgraceful again’ was a favorite apology,” one of Johnson’s former assistants told Gimson. “He would say sorry, admit he was wrong and make a self-deprecating joke. You felt unable to say any more because you didn’t want to lose what you thought was his friendship.” According to Purnell’s book, even Boris’ biggest fans eventually reached the end of their tethers, and at one point replaced his column with one penned by a different writer after he’d missed his deadline by several hours. Naturally, this didn’t go down too well with Boris. “Boris went completely ape,” said one long-suffering sub-editor, who had been kept late at work by him for years. “He phoned me, f-ing and ceding. I said it wasn’t my decision. He came back ten minutes later full of apologies. But Boris has a ferocious temper - he is not a cuddly teddy bear all the time.” Yet in spite of the fact that his entire career as an automotive journalist seemingly served only to annoy his colleagues and anybody with a sense of taste, he still managed to pen a book in 2007 titled Life in the Fast Lane: The Johnson Guide to Cars, which has a two-and-a-half-star rating on Amazon. “Boris Johnson has been behind the wheel of some of the world’s fastest, most luxurious cars,” the blurb declares. “What does it feel like to be overtaken by a female driver when you’re behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo?” it asks. “Vintage Boris: witty, candid and unique,” the description continues. Witty, candid and unique, and perhaps also a little bit sexist. He even managed to marry his career as a car journo and as an up-and-coming politician back in 2005, when he wrote an article for the Guardian explaining why a small Kia hatchback is the perfect car for a Conservative politician. “A Labour car is some old Longbridge Austin Allegro with a broken sump and a pall of oil smoke coming out of the back,” he wrote. “A Labour car is a new Rover, last pathetic relic of the British-owned volume car industry, felled by the incompetence of [former Transport Secretary] Stephen Byers. 'A Labour car is an Austin Allegro' “This Kia is a Conservative car in at least two fundamental respects. It is like the Conservative vote, in that pundits tend to underestimate its size. Above all, this car is deeply Conservative in the magnificent way it conserves fuel. Unlike Labour, it is thrifty, and economical, and sensible with taxpayers' money.” Some might argue that given Johnson’s recent string of political yo-yo moves, where he rose to prominence as the Brexit movement’s leading man before spectacularly falling from grace and then bouncing back as part of Theresa May’s new cabinet, that he’d be better off sticking to his old job as a writer. But whether you’re a lover of BoJo or you can’t stand him, whether you agree with him or whether you don’t, he makes a much better politician than he ever did a car reviewer. Let’s leave it with that awful paragraph about the F430. “It was as though the whole county of Hampshire was lying back and opening her well-bred legs to be ravished by the Italian stallion.” Find prices for new cars here
luqui's answer is excellent but I'm going to offer another explanation of forall b. (a -> b) -> b === a for a couple reasons: First, because I think the generalization to Codensity is a bit overenthusiastic. And second, because it's an opportunity to tie a bunch of interesting things together. Onwards! z5h's Magic Box Imagine that someone flipped a coin and then put it in a magic box. You can't see inside the box but if you choose a type b and pass the box a function with the type Bool -> b , the box will spit out a b . What can we learn about this box without looking inside it? Can we learn what the state of the coin is? Can we learn what mechanism the box uses to produce the b ? As it turns out, we can do both. We can define the box as a rank 2 function of type Box Bool where type Box a = forall b. (a -> b) -> b (Here, the rank 2 type means that the box maker chooses a and the box user chooses b .) We put the a in the box and then we close the box, creating... a closure. -- Put the a in the box. box :: a -> Box a box a f = f a For example, box True . Partial application is just a clever way to create closures! Now, is the coin heads or tails? Since I, the box user, am allowed to choose b , I can choose Bool and pass in a function Bool -> Bool . If I choose id :: Bool -> Bool then the question is: will the box spit out the value it contains? The answer is that the box will either spit out the value it contains or it will spit out nonsense (a bottom value like undefined ). In other words, if you get an answer then that answer must be correct. -- Get the a out of the box. unbox :: Box a -> a unbox f = f id Because we can't generate arbitrary values in Haskell, the only sensical thing the box can do is apply the given function to the value it is hiding. This is a consequence of parametric polymorphism, also known as parametricity. Now, to show that Box a is isomorphic to a , we need to prove two things about boxing and unboxing. We need to prove that you get out what you put in and that you can put in what you get out. unbox . box = id box . unbox = id I'll do the first one and leave the second as an exercise for the reader. unbox . box = {- definition of (.) -} \b -> unbox (box b) = {- definition of unbox and (f a) b = f a b -} \b -> box b id = {- definition of box -} \b -> id b = {- definition of id -} \b -> b = {- definition of id, backwards -} id (If these proofs seem rather trivial, that's because all (total) polymorphic functions in Haskell are natural transformations and what we're proving here is naturality. Parametricity once again provides us with theorems for low, low prices!) As an aside and another exercise for the reader, why can't I actually define rebox with (.) ? rebox = box . unbox Why do I have to inline the definition of (.) myself like some sort of cave person? rebox :: Box a -> Box a rebox f = box (unbox f) (Hint: what are the types of box , unbox , and (.) ?) Identity and Codensity and Yoneda, Oh My! Now, how can we generalize Box ? luqui uses Codensity: both b s are generalized by an arbitrary type constructor which we will call f . This is the Codensity transform of f a . type CodenseBox f a = forall b. (a -> f b) -> f b If we fix f ~ Identity then we get back Box . However, there's another option: we can hit only the return type with f : type YonedaBox f a = forall b. (a -> b) -> f b (I've sort of given away the game here with this name but we'll come back to that.) We can also fix f ~ Identity here to recover Box , but we let the box user pass in a normal function rather than a Kleisli arrow. To understand what we're generalizing, let's look again at the definition of box : box a f = f a Well, this is just flip ($) , isn't it? And it turns out that our other two boxes are built by generalizing ($) : CodenseBox is a partially applied, flipped monadic bind and YonedaBox is a partially applied flip fmap . (This also explains why Codensity f is a Monad and Yoneda f is a Functor for any choice of f : The only way to create one is by closing over a bind or fmap, respectively.) Furthermore, both of these esoteric category theory concepts are really generalizations of a concept that is familiar to many working programmers: the CPS transform! In other words, YonedaBox is the Yoneda Embedding and the properly abstracted box / unbox laws for YonedaBox are the proof of the Yoneda Lemma! TL;DR:
New Delhi: Tormented? Abused? Humiliated and threatened to be evicted from the house? Yes, you can always seek assistance from the nearest `friendly` women`s organisation. But what if you are not a woman? Aggrieved men are now finding strength in numbers by banding together to cope with assaults to their dignity and pride by women as well as to fight for equal rights to men. "The Indian court has shielded women from mistreatments from their husbands under the Domestic Violence Act (2005), ensuring every married woman lives with dignity and pride. But it is not always women who face oppression at home and the Act fails to address men who undergo a similar torture," says Atit Rajpara, President of Men`s Rights Association (MRA). Acting as rescuer, this "non-funded, non-aided, registered NGO" for men was initiated by Rajpara in the summer of 2011 and currently functions out of his hometown, Pune. "My wife filed a fictitious litigation against me back in 2010 and booked me with section 498 which defines cruelty by husband or relatives of the husband. I decided that it was the high time that a NGO must come forward to help men like me," he says. Rajpara points out that according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) every eight minute, a married man commits suicide out of marital or financial pressure "because the society raises men in a way where they are not allowed to ask for help, neither complain, nor show their weaknesses." Anurag Goyal a divorcee earing a salary of Rs 50,000 says he has to give his wife a compensation of 20,000 for maintenance. "I have always seen my wife shopping and going around. My wife is educationally qualified but she doesn`t want to do a job. And here I struggle every day to make money," says Goyal. Rajpara questions the absurdity of the law which takes away his right of speech if a sexual harassment case if filed against him "even if it is false". The NGO receives 8-9 calls per day from the men who have been on the receiving end due to the new Domestic Law Act. Rajpara mentions one such case - Sunil (name changed), a primary teacher based in Delhi who after being married for four years had a secretive affair, which included consensual sex, for six months with a teacher who had joined his school. The teacher eventually married, but when confronted by her husband, she denied the affair and termed it as rape. As a consequence Sunil had to spend 218 days in jail and is still fighting for the case on bail with assistance from Rajpara. "All we want is proper trials that should be fairly conducted and not just approve husbands as guilty. Also, a woman must also get the same punishment as a male gets when proven guilty," says Swarop Sarkar, General Secretary, MRA. President of All India Forgotten Women Association, is another organisation that claims to work in favour of men who are dragged into court on trumped up cases of rape, harassment and dowry by women. Its president Jyoti Tiwari says,"The new divorce law in the country is favouring women by granting them ancestral properties after a woman files for a divorce regardless of the time period the man is provided with. Only a woman can oppose a divorce and it is not in the power of men to oppose it." Tiwari herself is fighting a case on behalf of her late brother who was being charged with section 498 dowry by his wife after he failed to pay Rs 30 lakh as compensation to settle a divorce suit. Many people are of the opinion that women`s rights should be kept exclusive. Mohan Gopal, a former Director of the National Judicial Academy says, "For now it is women who are suffering at the hands of men and must be served with justice first. That does not mean men must not be given equal rights, but everything matters with time." Others however think that it is a foolish idea to demand justice for men when they already have so much in their favour. Indira Jaisingh, a senior advocate and an activist for women`s rights says, "Why should men be covered under the PWDVA act when they already so many rights to appeal with. It is a male dominated society where women must be given special rights to defend their lives with." The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), was brought into force October 2006, apart from wives and live-in partners, also extends protection to sisters and mothers. PTI
It was January 3, 1983, the last day of the NFL’s strike-shortened season, and Tony Dorsett’s Dallas Cowboys were losing to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. A fumbled punt had the Cowboys trapped deep in their own territory, the ball a few inches outside the end zone. And the Cowboys were out-manned. Fullback Ron Springs didn’t hear what play they were going to run, so he was still on the sideline, leaving only 10 Cowboys on the field and Dorsett all alone in the backfield. The Vikings were in their goal-line defense, bunched up around the line of scrimmage, gunning for a safety. Do you remember? Tony Dorsett does. The call was for a run—“Dive 21,” Dorsett says—that would take Dorsett straight up the gut of the defense, between center Tom Rafferty and guard Herb Scott. “When you’re backed up that far, you just want to tighten up your chinstrap a little bit, because you know they know you can’t get too tricky, too fancy,” Dorsett says. “You just figure, I’m gonna get a good shot, so just get ready for it.” That shot never came. Rafferty hit defensive tackle James White, turning him around, out of the play. Scott paused to let Rafferty by, then fired out to his right to seal off linebacker Dennis Johnson. They created a giant opening in the middle of the defense. “Man, I got great blocks from Herb Scott and Tom Rafferty,” Dorsett says. He is almost hovering above his seat in the living room of his Frisco home, eyes wide as he narrates the play, calling every block and cut. He is right there again. “And I jumped through that hole.” After skipping over Scott’s outstretched leg, he burst 10 yards up the field before veering to his right, heading for the sideline. “I run to daylight,” he says, “just like I was always taught. I run to daylight.” Dorsett grew up wanting to be a running back like his older brothers at Hopewell High School in Alquippa, Pennsylvania. But he wasn’t like them. He was better. What pushed him further than Melvin, Ernie, Tyrone, and Keith—to three All-American selections and the Heisman Trophy in 1976, to the Cowboys and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994—was his mind. He studied his playbook until he was prepared for every outcome. He visualized himself in every situation, until he felt like he’d already been through it. “And your recall is like—bam—nanoseconds,” he says. “Bam.” Do you remember? Tony Dorsett does. But even if you were inclined to lazily resort to cliche and say he remembers this play from 30 years ago like it was yesterday, you can’t. Because Dorsett doesn’t remember what he did yesterday. He has days where he wonders how he got here, from a steel town outside of Pittsburgh to a spot in the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor. On the worst days, he literally wonders: How did I get here? ••• Dorsett moved to Frisco three decades ago, not long after he married his first wife, Julie, back when this area was mostly undeveloped pastureland. He has lived in a gated community a few minutes southwest of Toyota Stadium for the last 10 years or so. He walks around the bottom floor of the two-story house, opening the blinds, trailed by a tiny, shivering Yorkshire terrier named Charlie. He is in all black—a black, hooded Old Navy sweatshirt; black pants; low-cut black suede boots; and black socks that he habitually pulls up every few minutes. He drops himself into the brown leather chair near a giant TV. Next to the TV, above the fireplace, hangs a large portrait of Dorsett and his family—his second wife, Janet, and their daughters Jazmyn, Madison, and Mia—dressed alike in white shirts and jeans. It looks like it was taken six or seven years ago. Jazmyn is now out of the house, a senior guard on the Oklahoma State University basketball team. Madison, 15, and Mia, 10, will be home soon. “My little Madison, boy—she’s an athlete,” he says. Madison plays soccer, and she’s starting to show that certain something that separates good from great, that aggressiveness and extra effort. But her father’s hopes for her athletic future lie elsewhere. “I seen my daughter run track and my mouth just dropped,” he says. “That’s her? But I was watching her. She don’t even know how to come out of the blocks, but she can roll. I was like, ‘Girl, you are my Olympian. You are going to the Olympics. We going to the Olympics.” Dorsett says he only ran in a couple of meets when he was a high school senior. He didn’t like it. He ran because he had to, not because he wanted to. “But I could have been a good track guy,” he says. It’s not hard to imagine him at a high school track meet. He is 59 now, 60 in April, but he looks no different than he does in the family portrait, and in the family portrait, he looks much the same as he did when he retired from the NFL after the 1988 season. That is part of the reason there was such a strong reaction to news reports in early November that Dorsett’s brain was damaged. But it’s not just that he looks relatively youthful and healthy. He looks the same as he did when he was the charismatic leader of one of the most popular teams in NFL history, the version of the Cowboys first branded America’s Team. That’s why Dorsett rose straight to the top of the 24-hour news cycle, somber present-day clips juxtaposed with some of the brutal hits he took during his playing days, including the one that knocked him unconscious in a 1984 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Today, there is a light dusting of gray in his hair, but he still could be the all-caps TONY DORSETT of his playing days, even if he lives a mostly lowercase life now. He doesn’t necessarily look like a former NFL running back—at 5-foot-11 and around 180 pounds, he wasn’t even big enough for that position back when he played—but it’s clear from how he carries himself that he was an athlete. Maybe you’d guess he had been a middleweight boxer if you didn’t know any better. “Physically, I feel … pretty good.” He says the last two words as though he has only just now considered his condition and is a little surprised by the answer. He had his share of injuries as a player, including a torn ligament in his left knee that ended his final season before it even began. “I mean, I’m still able to get out—I don’t run or jog outside on pavement. I get on an elliptical machine. I can lift some.” There are former NFL players who can barely walk on artificial hips and knees, whose hands are gnarled by arthritis, who have the range of motion of a department-store mannequin. Dorsett is lucky in that regard. The game didn’t rob him of his body. But it did take his mind. ••• Dorsett doesn’t know exactly when he began having trouble remembering things. He didn’t think he’d have to keep track, and what does it matter anyway? It started happening, and then it started happening more, and he still didn’t believe it was happening at all until it was unavoidable. “I was in denial”—he hits the word preacher-hard—“for a long time. Because I was just, ‘Nah, this can’t be happening to me at this age.’ ” His longtime friend and former teammate Tony Hill recalls Dorsett mentioning over the years that he was starting to forget, that he needed to write things down. But Hill didn’t know how serious it was until Dorsett went public in early 2012, joining more than 4,500 retired players and families of deceased players in a class-action lawsuit (a consolidation of several concurrent suits) against the NFL. (The various plantiff’s attorneys and lawyers for the NFL are currently in the process of finalizing a $765 million settlement.) “That’s a humbling experience, to acknowledge that there is a deficiency in your life,” Hill says. “People take for granted that we’re entertainers, for lack of a better term, but it’s a very high-risk, high-return profession. There are some severe consequences that are associated with what we do. When you look at Tony Dorsett on the outside, on the shell, he looks fantastic. I mean, he’s in great shape, he looks good, he’s articulate. But the bottom line is that there is more than meets the eye.” By 2009, it had become a daily struggle for Dorsett. The practice fields and gyms he had been taking his daughters to all their lives—now he had to stop and ask for directions. A roomful of people he “had been around for a zillion years”—now they were almost strangers, familiar faces with no names attached, the vague familiarity making it worse. “To be, you know, to be—sometimes, man, I would get—it’s the weirdest feeling, man,” he finally settles on. “When I’m out there, I’m on a cloud. It’s like a fog, man. It’s like a fog. That’s the only way I can explain it. I can’t get out of it, and I know—it’s just a weird feeling, dude. I hate it, and I get really, really—and that can make me get real frustrated, if I’m not careful. I get mad at myself for certain things. Not knowing how to get certain places, forgetting where I’m going, driving somewhere then forgetting where I’m going. That kind of craziness, man. So I’ve learned to write notes. Or speak into my phone, write notes on it. Write it down.” He never makes a move unless he has written it down in the planner he keeps at home. “It’s just a frustrating deal, man. I can become short-tempered, on edge, you know, and that’s not good for a family-type atmosphere, either. It’s not good for that. So if I’m feeling that way, I just gotta get away, just get up in my room. ‘Daddy’s just chilling.’ ” He shakes his head, lets out a kind of soundless laugh. “ ‘Let him chill.’ ” The sudden bouts of anger were worse than the forgetfulness. His family didn’t understand what would set him off or why, why he would be yelling at his wife or one of his daughters out of nowhere. He didn’t understand. Until Dorsett learned to remove himself from the situation whenever he could, it was paralyzing. Something, anything, nothing would trigger his rage, and then he would turn it on himself: How does something so little just make me blow up like this? I know better than this. Dorsett is a big believer—and has always told his daughters this—that little things make big things happen. And here he was, unable to take care of the little things. He wasn’t himself anymore, wasn’t the man he had been or the father and husband he wanted to be. “I said, ‘Something is not right. I don’t know what it is, but something is not right.’ And, finally, when I was diagnosed, it all made sense. It all came together.” In October, Dorsett boarded a plane bound for Los Angeles. But when he sat down, he couldn’t remember where he was going, or why. He was going to have his brain tested. In October, Dorsett boarded a plane bound for Los Angeles. But when he sat down, he couldn’t remember where he was going, or why. He was going to have his brain tested. Last year, over a period of three months, a research team at UCLA put Dorsett and three other former NFL players through a battery of tests and brain scans. In November, they released their findings: the four players were diagnosed with signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a degenerative brain condition. Some researchers have linked CTE—which they believe is caused by repeated head trauma—to dementia and depression. Although the work at UCLA is encouraging to the medical community, and to former players like Dorsett, there is still no definitive test to determine the presence of CTE in the brains of the living—only postmortem. That’s why former players such as Junior Seau and Dave Duerson shot themselves in their hearts. They hoped someone would figure out what had happened to their brains. That’s why Dorsett and others are so excited by the research coming out of UCLA. Maybe they won’t have to make the same choice that Seau and Duerson did. Maybe, if doctors can determine the presence of CTE while they are still alive, they can find a cure. Apart from being one of the first living players to be told he may have CTE, Dorsett is the most famous former athlete connected to the condition. For the next few days, after the results of his testing were released, his story was everywhere. Hill is hopeful that Dorsett’s fame will keep it there. “Dorsett is a leader. He always has been,” Hill says. “It’s unfortunate that he’s experiencing these things, but I think he brought awareness.” Dorsett is glad just to finally know. “Well, I was very much relieved that I was diagnosed with something,” he says. “It was a relief to find out what it was, what was happening with me. But disappointment with that, too, obviously. But, but, but—now I know. Now I know what I gotta do.” ••• It’s on the tip of his tongue. “Um, shit.” He rubs his hands together, trying to find it. “Getting all the, um, what do I want to call it? Not vitamin E. Not vitamin E, but for my brain—” He rubs his hands together again. He gets up and walks to the kitchen. “See, that’s what it is,” he says over his shoulder. “That’s what it does to you. Makes you forget. Can’t remember from two seconds ago.” He opens a cabinet near the refrigerator, under the sign that says “When the queen is happy there is peace in the kingdom.” “DHA. DHA. That’s for my brain. Fish oil. A lot of that fish oil, man. A lot of nuts. A lot of natural stuff. It helps with getting the brain back.” Dorsett’s plan of attack on his symptoms so far, mostly of his own design, has been natural. Herbs and vitamins, even seasonings on his food. “I’m a real stickler about medicines, and what I put into my body,” he says. “Some people might not think so, because I might drink every now and then”—he laughs—“but the thing is, when it comes to medicine, man, I’m really careful. Because my liver and kidneys and all that, I don’t want them to start malfunctioning, because of taking too much of some type of medicine, and that could very easily happen.” There is no formal treatment for CTE at the moment, because there is no formal clinical diagnosis, says Dr. Munro Cullum, director of neuropsychology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He’s not one of Dorsett’s doctors, but he did collaborate with researchers from the UT Dallas Center for BrainHealth on a study released in 2013 examining the neuropsychological status and brain imaging of 34 former NFL players, including former Cowboys fullback Daryl Johnston. “It does not appear in any diagnostic manual,” Cullum says. “It is not a billable code to insurance.” Cullum says a variant of CTE was first discovered in the 1920s in boxers; it was named dementia pugilistica or, more simply, punch-drunk syndrome. CTE refers, more or less, to the same phenomenon: a pathological brain state thought to be due to repetitive brain trauma. Its symptoms include cognitive impairment and changes in mood and behavior. A patient with CTE has an accumulation of the protein tau in a particular pattern. Doctors have found this pattern in the autopsied brains of Seau, Duerson, and more than 50 other former NFL players. Tau is also found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. That’s what researchers know for sure about CTE. They don’t know when tau builds up, or if it continues to accumulate past a certain point. They don’t know if the buildup can be reversed. They don’t even know, with absolute certainty, what causes CTE—if anyone with a history of concussions will eventually get it or if some people are genetically predisposed to it. There was only one thing Cullum and his fellow researchers learned for sure during their study of former NFL players. “I have talked to many of them, and I have never met anyone so far that has said they wouldn’t do it over again,” he says. “I have not met a one. Even guys that retired young, after a concussion, they still—to a man—say I would do the same thing over again.” Cullum calls the findings in the UCLA study Dorsett participated in “encouraging, but they are extremely preliminary.” In his own study, he found the rate of dementia in former players was “no greater than you’d expect in a sample of people over the age of 60,” but the “incidence of depression and mild cognitive impairment was higher than you’d see in the general population.” “We really need to get large-scale studies of these guys,” he says. “We’ve got to get college players involved. We’ve got to get detailed histories of concussions, and then do imaging and follow them over time, see what happens.” Cullum is careful with his words when talking about Dorsett, as he would be with anyone who had received the diagnosis the UCLA doctors gave him. He is a researcher in the field, so his words carry extra weight. There is too much unknown at this point to use them lightly. So maybe medical science is unprepared to say that Dorsett has CTE. Maybe doctors won’t know for sure until they have his brain under a microscope. But do you want to tell him he doesn’t have it, or that two decades on a football field didn’t cause it? That no one knows why he started yelling at his daughter out of the blue, or why he can’t remember on a Wednesday that the Cowboys played the Chicago Bears on a Monday? Do you need to? Maybe if you’re handling his insurance claims. Maybe if you want to believe that a sport as violent as football doesn’t exact a cost. Otherwise, what does it matter? The UCLA diagnosis gave Tony Dorsett something that doesn’t come as easy to him as it used to: an answer. ••• Do you remember? Tony Dorsett does. In that Monday night game against the Minnesota Vikings, Tom Rafferty’s and Herb Scott’s blocks bought Dorsett 10 yards. After that, it was up to him. He outran two Vikings and shrugged off two more, breaking through their arms as he moved diagonally across the field, continuing to his right. At the 20-yard line, he cut up the field again, running on the yard markers. “Look out, he’s got great speed!” Frank Gifford yelped on the Monday Night Football broadcast. “Ah, nah, 99 yards and a half,” former Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith followed. He already knew where this was going. “It was like, make the guy miss, make another guy miss, and now we’re going down the sideline,” Dorsett says from his chair in Frisco, smiling inwardly, staring into the middle distance, seeing those moves. By midfield, that’s where Dorsett was, the ball in his right hand just like his coaches told him, keeping it out of reach of any Vikings. There were only two left that had a chance—cornerback Willie Teal, who had sprinted from the other side of the field, and strong safety Tom Hannon. Teal and Hannon were slightly ahead of Dorsett, trying to find an angle to cut him off. But wide receiver Drew Pearson was in their way. As they crossed midfield, Pearson dove forward, trying to block Teal—he missed, but took out Hannon anyway. There was one man left to beat. ••• The youngest of Myrtle and Wes Dorsett’s five boys was known as Anthony until he arrived at the University of Pittsburgh in 1973 and the athletic department persuaded him to go by Tony, giving him those perfect, marketable initials: TD. When he was a junior at Pitt, his Panthers played a road game against the No. 1-ranked Oklahoma Sooners. In the second quarter of what turned into a lopsided loss, Dorsett was coming around the left end on an option play, trying to convert on fourth down. He had a blocker in front of him, but Sooners safety Scott Hill leaped over the Pitt fullback, flying almost four yards in the air. Hill was sideways when he collided with Dorsett head high. “He hit me like a torpedo,” Dorsett says. He staggered back a few steps, then dropped to the field ass first, then flat onto his back, his arms falling to the ground above his head. He says he remained conscious, but watching a clip of the collision and its aftermath makes that difficult to believe. “When I went to the sideline, I said, ‘Coach, it’s gonna be a long day,’ ” Dorsett says. “I said, ‘They droppin’ ’em out of the sky now.’ ” He laughs and bends over to pull up his socks. That was just one hit, relatively early in Dorsett’s football career. He didn’t even leave the game. How often did that happen? He ran for a then-record 6,082 yards in college, another 12,739 yards as a pro, which was second only to Walter Payton when Dorsett retired. Anyone can look that up. But who knows how many wrecking-ball shots he took during that time? Even if doctors can’t be certain Dorsett has CTE, should anyone be surprised he is having trouble remembering things? His teammates aren’t. They don’t want to believe this is happening to their former teammate, but they aren’t surprised. Doug Cosbie played tight end for the Cowboys with Dorsett from 1979 to 1987. He was there. He knows what his teammate went through, what he played through. “I remember specifically a game in Philadelphia where he was knocked out in the first half and then played the whole second half, and ran for, like, 100 yards,” Cosbie says. The Philadelphia game. Dorsett isn’t where he is now just because of the hit he took from safety Ray Ellis during that 1984 game, a helmet-to-helmet shot in the second quarter that knocked him out. It wasn’t a single hit that did this. It was a career full of those hits, sustained during a time when the rules were looser, the equipment was weaker, and age 59 was a long way off. But it’s the best example, the one he talks about, the one that has been played and replayed as B-roll footage during most of the stories about him. He has said it was “like a freight train hitting a Volkswagen,” and the image of Dorsett, helmet twisted around from the impact, hits just as hard 30 years later when placed in its new context. As Cosbie says, Dorsett stayed in that day, too, running for 99 yards in the second half. He was going the wrong way on every play. Dive 30 and Dive 31 were two of the Cowboys’ standard running plays—straightforward rushes up the middle, either to the right or left of the center, depending on the number called. But no matter which play came in from the sideline during the second half, Dorsett would take a step in the opposite direction before receiving the handoff from quarterback Danny White. He couldn’t keep it straight, and the Eagles couldn’t keep up. “Philadelphia had never seen that, seen me take that counter step, so it was throwing them off,” Dorsett says. “And every time I went to the sideline, Coach Landry and them were like, ‘You’re not supposed to take the counter step.’ I’m like, ‘Okay, okay.’ But every time they called that play, I did a counter step—boom. I would get 15, 10, 20 yards a clip.” Despite suffering a head injury—despite being knocked cold—Dorsett wasn’t held out of the Cowboys’ next game. Nothing changed. Except for one thing. “That play—Counter 30, 31—became part of our arsenal,” Dorsett says. He laughs. “Yeah. I invented a new play for us.” ••• Dorsett lasted longer in the NFL than he thought he would — a dozen years, the first 11 with the Cowboys. He finished his career with the Denver Broncos, retiring before the 1989 season. He briefly considered a comeback in 1990, but, for the most part, when he left the game, he was ready. “When I came into the league, I said, ‘Man, if I’m out here four or five years, I’m gonna be the happiest football player on earth,’ ” he says. “So I doubled that and some change.” Dorsett knew he didn’t have the temperament for coaching, the patience, but he thought he might make a good color commentator. Maybe he could call college or pro games. He had always been able to handle himself in front of a camera. The opportunity never presented itself. When Dorsett was done with football, football was done with him. But he has never been able to replace it. His former teammates struggle with the same thing. “We even have a saying,” says Bob Breunig, who played middle linebacker for Dallas from 1975 to 1984. “ ‘You play 10 years for the Cowboys, and you spend the rest of your life getting over it.’ ” They were America’s Team, though they hated the name and the target it drew on their backs. More important, they were Dallas’ Team, and when they were out on the town—at Le Jardin, at Elan, up and down Greenville Avenue—that was just fine. “Let me tell you something, bro: let the good times roll, baby,” Dorsett says. “It was a lot of fun. It was a lot of fun from the standpoint of winning games, being with a lot of great players, but then, socially, it went through the ceiling, man. We had a lot of single guys on the team. We had a lot of fun.” That’s not what he misses. That’s not what he hasn’t been able to replace. He is happy being a family man, just another suburban retiree, Janet’s husband, Jazmyn, Madison, and Mia’s dad. But he isn’t anyone’s teammate anymore. He misses being around a team, everyone fighting for the same goal, going into training camp and watching it all build from there, knowing that 50 guys have each other’s backs. And, yeah, he misses the rush that came with it, how he could be down for a week and then a big game would change everything. There are no more big games. “You don’t get those quick fixes sometimes here in the real world,” he says. But it’s even more elemental than that. “You know, football is me,” he says. “I mean, football is in my blood. If there was something I could do, I’d do it right now.” He doesn’t blame the game for where he is now. Dorsett was a football player, and that’s what a football player does. Play with injury, play when it hurt, because it always hurt. He played with a broken transverse process bone in his back, “squealing like a pig” on every hit, so painful the other team was running to the Cowboys sideline begging the coaches to pull him from the game. He made those choices based on the information he was given, took those chances. “Giving it up for my team, for the NFL,” he says. No, it’s not the game that let him down, he says. It’s the league that paid him to play it. He says the NFL knew the risks associated with concussions and brain trauma and kept it quiet, kept it from both the players and the public, treated those head injuries like just another sprain or tear, a temporary setback, not a potential lifelong problem. The league and its owners should have looked out for him and his fellow players, he says. “I’m a Hall of Famer,” he says. “I’m one of the most visible guys during my era. And nobody’s reached out to me. Nobody from the NFL has even checked, even asked a question to me. ‘Hey, man, I’m sorry’ or ‘Hey, man, I wish you well’—whatever. ‘Man, is there anything we can do to help you?’ You know, because sometimes—I go to doctors and I can’t remember the doctors’ names.” It’s difficult for him to go to the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony now. He hasn’t been in a couple of years. It should be a celebration of the past, but Dorsett only sees the future. “I say, ‘Is that me? Is that gonna be me in three, four years, I don’t know, five years, 10 years—is that gonna be me?’ I’m on that path. I’m going down that road. It’s sad—it’s sad—to go to the Hall of Fame and see these great players that meant so much to this great game, being in the condition that they’re in, and they’ve got to fight and struggle and plead for help. That part is mind-boggling to me. Mind-boggling, man.” ••• It’s mostly his short-term memory that fails Dorsett. But his long-term memories are starting to become more elusive, too. “I’m sitting here trying to think where I was at yesterday,” Dorsett says. “I’m sitting here thinking, Man, where the hell was I at? Where was I at? I know I went to this basketball game with my wife. After we were doing our shopping, we went to a basketball game. I think it was the eighth-graders. I don’t know. We couldn’t stay but half the game. But I’m beating my mind up: Where did we go? Where did we go? I mean, man, I’m determined to figure this out, so I gotta go back and think—and then I can’t get it. And then if I keep thinking about it, then I get this fog. And I’m like, ohhh, man. Just beating myself up.” Dorsett sinks deep into his big, brown leather chair, his head back, staring at the ceiling. On the ottoman in front of him, his phone buzzes with a text. He looks at it and tosses the phone back where it was, then leans over and pulls up his socks again. Charlie, the tiny, shivering dog at his feet, takes this movement as a sign that they’re going outside, so Dorsett gets up and lets him out into the backyard. He’s seen a lot of Charlie lately. He hasn’t been doing much. He hasn’t wanted to. In a couple of days, he’ll get on another plane, this one bound for New York, to attend the Heisman Trophy ceremony. After that? “I’m in limbo right now,” he says. He’s spent a good portion of his retirement being Tony Dorsett professionally, acting as a spokesman for this company or that, a sportswear company here, a long-distance provider there, showing up at meet-and-greets, attending banquets, maybe a car show, shaking hands, taking pictures. But he doesn’t do much of that anymore. He has thought about doing some motivational speaking, but he’s done it before and doesn’t really like it. Lately, he hasn’t felt like doing any kind of public speaking. “I didn’t even want to do radio or TV, because I’d be doing an interview and all of a sudden I’d forget,” he says. Just like, ‘Oh, man—what were we talking about?’ It’s embarrassing, man. You want to go out and be productive and try to do things, positive things, and you get discouraged because of the fact you can’t remember people’s names, you don’t know where you’re going.” He doesn’t know where he’s going right now either, but he knows he needs to go somewhere, stop hanging around the house so much. “My wife is gonna get tired of me.” His phone buzzes again. “I’ve got people calling me all the time,” Dorsett says. “I’ve got doctors, people want to help me pro bono. They’ve got this new technology, a new technique. So many doctors have offered help. I’m so appreciative. It makes me feel that when I was playing ball, I touched some lives. Not just myself—we gave entertainment to people, and they appreciated it so much that they want to give back, give something to me for all the enjoyment that we’ve given to them over the years. I get calls almost every week, and there’s a doctor that’s got this and a doctor that’s got that. I can’t use everybody’s treatment.” He laughs. “Something might start misfiring.” ••• On that Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings, Dorsett wasn’t sure if he was going to make it. “I actually thought I was gonna get pushed out of bounds,” he says. “I was tiring a little bit.” Vikings cornerback Willie Teal had to slow down a step or two to avoid the pileup of Drew Pearson and Tom Hannon, but he finally caught up to Dorsett just before the 20-yard line. But he was tiring, too. He didn’t have enough. Dorsett stayed in bounds, on his feet, on his way to a record 99-yard rushing touchdown. “Can you believe that?” Don Meredith asked the Monday Night Football audience, as Dorsett crossed the goal line near the right pylon. He rounded off the run near the back of the end zone, his arms outstretched, punctuating the play with a simple right-hand spike of the ball, a casual and almost perfunctory gesture. Pearson caught up to him in the end zone, engulfing Dorsett in a bear hug that pulled him up onto his toes. “He didn’t have enough shove in his push, or push in his shove, to get me out of bounds. And it ended up a record-setting run.” He raises his voice. “One that you can’t take away from me! The only thing you can do with that one is tie it, man. You can’t break it. You can only tie it.” Do you remember? Tony Dorsett does. But for how long?
ANALYSIS/OPINION: You may know Chip and Joanna Gaines. They’re the ridiculously happy couple who flip homes in Waco, Texas, on HGTV’s highly addictive “Fixer Upper.” They’re open about their Christian faith and often share the Gospel on their show. They gave their testimonials in a film this October called “I Am Second” — speaking about their obedience to the Lord, each other and family. They’re also hugely popular — their show has been reportedly renewed for Season 5, and Season 4 debuted to stellar ratings. “In an age of declining cable ratings, the series has become a rare breakout,” Hollywood Reporter said. “When the season three finale aired in March, its nearly 4 million-strong live audience topped everything that night — including the penultimate episode of FX’s The People v. O.J. Simpson and a CNN town hall with Trump.” A popular Christian couple, who profess love, and renovate people’s homes with magnolia wreaths and farmhouse sinks? They leave the left seething — so they must be taken down. And that’s indeed what BuzzFeed is trying to do. “Chip and Joanna Gaines’ church is firmly against same-sex marriage,” a headline from BuzzFeed news reporter Kate Aurthur read on Tuesday. “Their pastor considers homosexuality to be a ‘sin’ caused by abuse — whether Fixer Upper couple agrees is unclear.” So essentially, Ms. Aurthur hasn’t done any reporting to know how the Gaineses actually feel about the topic, she — and BuzzFeed — just want to drum up a digital mob against the couple. Jumping on the bandwagon, Cosmopolitan and US Weekly followed with similar articles — all citing BuzzFeed’s thoughtful journalism. “Given the diversity of Fixer Upper’s audience, this is a startling revelation that has left many wondering where Chip and Jo stand,” Cosmopolitan wrote. It added their pastor — who the couple dare say is a friend — has made “dangerous” and “unfounded” claims against homosexuality, and called the 2015 Supreme Court decision on the matter a “biblical admonition.” So it’s a startling revelation to these news outlets that Christians believe that God defined marriage, masculine and feminine, male and female, and therefore man can’t alter those definitions — they’re sacred. How is this “journalism” not discrimination? By the left’s own standards, investigating a mosque in Orlando or New York City equates Islamophobia — but trying to take down a couple based on their Christian religion? No biggie. Christians are backwards, after all, and their beliefs need fixing. The left is nothing more than an intolerant mob. I for one, will continue watching and praising the Gaineses. More shiplap floors, wide smiles, fun flirting and masterful renovations, please. The world needs more of them. Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A fast-moving winter storm swept into the Northeast on Monday, yet again forcing flight cancellations, slowing traffic and proving weather-forecasting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil right. Morning commuters cross the street during a snow storm in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, New York February 3, 2014. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Travelers leaving the New York City area after Sunday night’s Super Bowl championship football game faced long delays at the region’s airports and risky driving on snow-covered roads. Hardest hit by the storm-related flight delays and cancellations was Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, the closest to the stadium where the Denver Broncos fell to the Seattle Seahawks 43-8 in the National Football League’s matchup. “Only thing worse than sitting through awful game last night is now sitting at airport on weather delay, probable cancellation,” tweeted Nick Griffith, sports director at TV station Fox 31 in Denver, adding the hashtag “#longtrip.” The storm was expected to drop 4 to 8 inches of snow on an area stretching from eastern Kentucky to eastern New York state, the National Weather Service said. “Snow is coming down faster than we can plow it,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference. He said efforts to plow city streets were aimed at an improved performance over the cleanup of a big storm in late January. In that storm, some residents of Manhattan’s tony Upper East Side neighborhood claimed their streets were ignored as part of the mayor’s key campaign theme of addressing income inequality. “The response to the last storm obviously left something to be desired,” de Blasio said at the news conference. He said New York City has adjusted how it responds to storms by coordinating agency efforts, changing snow removal routes and scouting conditions in various neighborhoods. “It’s good we got the Super Bowl done so well” before the storm hit, added de Blasio, whose city shared in the Super Bowl hosting honors with New Jersey. At Newark Airport across the Hudson River in New Jersey, 204 flights were canceled as of midafternoon on Monday, according to Flightaware.com, an online site that tracks air traffic. Plenty of football fans were stewing after getting stuck for hours on Sunday trying to board trains to and from the game at the New Jersey Transit hub station of Secaucus Junction. “So, folks spent $1500+ for the honor of 3 hours to get in their seats, 6 hours to leave, & now 3 hour snow delay at the airport,” noted one observer on Twitter. Declaring it the first-ever “Transit Bowl,” New Jersey Transit tweeted that it transported more than 33,000 fans, which it said was four times as many people as the National Football League had predicted. Thanks to the wet snowstorm, delays and cancellations also plagued New York’s LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, as well as Philadelphia International Airport. The small Teterboro Airport near the football stadium in New Jersey, which handles the private jets that would whisk away celebrities and other moneyed Super Bowl attendees, also reported delays, Flightaware.com said. “All the people came here for the Super Bowl thinking “Jersey ain’t bad” are probably now stuck in the airport for the rest of the day,” tweeted Jonathan Chung. Across the United States, 1,669 flights were canceled, Flightaware.com said. Driving was hazardous along the Interstate 95 corridor from Washington north to Boston, according to meteorologists. The storm blew in after dumping several inches of snow in the Ohio Valley on Sunday, the day famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow in the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, saw his shadow and - as the legend goes - predicted six more weeks of winter. Still more wintry weather lay ahead, the New York mayor said. Slideshow (7 Images) “The fact is that we are facing not one, not two, but three storms potentially this week,” he said. A second storm was likely to arrive in the region on Tuesday night and a third on the weekend, he said. The National Weather Service on Monday issued winter storm warnings for sections of Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Maryland, as well as New Jersey, Delaware and New York City and its surrounding areas.
Over a cup of coffee, Wendell—an entrepreneur with a PhD in biomedical engineering—told me that he was thinking about making a career change. “I don’t want to waste my life,” he said. “I want to do something that has real significance, where I can glorify God and actually love people.” He went on to ask me if I thought he should become a pastor, a missionary, or a nonprofit leader—jobs he thought really mattered in God’s economy. Wendell is a member of Redemption Tempe, the church where I serve as pastor of communities and cultural engagement. At our church, we preach the lordship of Christ over all aspects of life, offer classes about the theology of work, and repeat our favorite phrase every Sunday: “All of life is all for Jesus.” In spite of his intelligence and our initiatives, however, Wendell still didn’t see that his work as a biomedical engineer was as significant as my work as a pastor. To my shame, I had never asked Wendell about the specifics of his work. We mostly talked about how he could serve at church. Over coffee, though, as he explained how his company develops devices that help doctors detect cancer at early stages, his eyes were full of excitement. In this conversation, I realized that I had failed him as a pastor. He was clearly skilled and passionate about his work, but he didn’t see how it applied to Jesus’s command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mk. 12:31). So we talked about how we love our neighbors through our work—even if we don’t personally interact with them—by providing goods and services that help them flourish. We talked about how Martin Luther said, “God milks the cows through the vocation of the milkmaids,” and how God cares for cancer patients through his biotech work. He walked away from the conversation encouraged, but I walked away perplexed. We Value What We Publicly Celebrate As I wondered why Wendell didn’t understand our church's message about the broad scope of the gospel and its implications for all of life, I realized that the issue wasn’t with what he heard, but with what he saw. He frequently heard teaching about the importance of vocation and all-of-life discipleship, but he never saw anyone’s work—apart from pastoral, missionary, and nonprofit work—publicly celebrated. When I mentioned this observation to Riccardo Stewart, our lead pastor who wrote a paper in seminary about commissioning people in all kinds of vocations, we decided to figure out some ways to celebrate the work of our congregants. Thus, the “All-of-Life Interview” was born. For the past year and a half, we have devoted five minutes before the sermon to interview people from various occupations so that we might celebrate their work, pray for others in their field, and affirm the goodness of a broad range of vocations as opportunities to glorify God and love our neighbors. All-of-Life Interview Questions While there is some room for customization, we ask four basic questions in each interview. We repeat the same questions, because they give our congregants a weekly reminder and opportunity to reflect on their own work. Question #1: How would you describe your work? We want a snapshot of the daily life of the interviewee. This answer often builds common ground between the interviewee and others within the congregation, even if they don't work in the same field. Question #2: As an image-bearer of God, how does your work reflect some aspect of God’s work? (Gen, 1:26-28, 1 Cor. 10:31, Eph. 5:1, Col. 3:17) We want to ground the intrinsic value of work in the character of God and frame our work as an act of “image-bearing” (Gen. 1:16-28, 2:15). Therefore, we ask the interviewees to connect their work to some specific aspect of God’s work. In Kingdom Calling, Amy Sherman offers six categories of God’s work that give us a helpful framework for our vocations: creative work (artists, designers, architects, etc.) providential work (entrepreneurs, janitors, civil servants, bankers, etc.) justice work (lawyers, paralegals, diplomats, supervisors, etc.) compassionate work (nurses, nonprofit directors, social workers, EMTs, etc.) revelatory work (scientists, journalists, educators, etc.) redemptive work (pastors, authors, counselors, etc.) Question #3: How does your work give you a unique vantage point into the brokenness of the world? (Gen. 3; Rom. 3:10-20) Some people subconsciously think their work should always be fun and fulfilling, often assuming that the presence of pain and struggle invalidates the goodness of their work. We want them to see that, in a fallen world that is filled with sin and its effects, each occupation has unique hardships and comes with its own thorns and thistles. Question #4: Jesus commands us to “love our neighbors as ourselves.” How does your work function as an opportunity to love and serve others? (Mk. 10:35-45; Eph. 5:1; Rom. 12:14-21; Col. 1:24-27) We want to broaden the application of Jesus’s command to love our neighbors. Many people assume this command is mostly applied as interpersonal acts of kindness, but we try to demonstrate that love can also be indirect and systemic. Fruit of the Interviews Apart from the direct effect of the interview on the interviewee, we’ve a witnessed a cumulative effect in our congregation over time. These interviews have slowly helped all of us to understand that “vocational is integral, not incidental, to the mission of God in the world,” as Steve Garber says. We have noticed increased theological depth and gospel intentionality in our congregants and their work. This is the work of the Spirit, but we are delighted that he is using the interviews as an instrument of his grace. The interviews also give us a glimpse of God’s brilliant attributes and actions. An artist at our church points to God’s creativity, an accountant talks about God’s order, a pediatric oncologist reminds us that God will one day heal all wounds, and a handyman reflects God’s restoration. The one thing that really matters, of course, is the gospel—but because of the gospel, all things matter (Col. 1:15-23), including the work of the butcher, the baker, and the biotech maker.
Last week, an ultimate Blu-ray edition of both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies was announced. Being labelled as the Middle-Earth Limited Collector’s Edition, the product surfaced on Amazon for a whooping $800. The price has since been lowered to $600 but that’s only if you pre-order. Even with the discount, fans of the franchise are understandably unimpressed with the hefty cost: Truly ridiculous. https://t.co/q8qAOgiHxg — Pejman Yousefzadeh پژمان یوسف زاده (@Yousefzadeh) August 22, 2016 why must the extended edition boxset of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films cost $800??????? I don't have that kind of money to spend — ✨? connor ?✨ (@expectopotronus) August 19, 2016 $800 for the so-called super edition of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films. CAN NOT DO IT. WON'T DO IT. — Austin Toflinski (@AToflinski) August 22, 2016 This Lord of The Rings / Hobbit ultimate BluRay edition looks cool. But absolutely not for $800. Not cool man. pic.twitter.com/yFWxURwefz — Ben Kuenster (@Kuenster) August 22, 2016 ha ha the ultimate edition of lord of the rings and the hobbit together is $800 stab me in the face — lara (@deanohgorman) August 22, 2016 MRW I find out that the Hobbit / Lord of the Rings Blu-Ray collectors edition is $800. pic.twitter.com/xmagjqthzW — ~ (@felsiedev) August 22, 2016 It’s worth noting that it is an impressive 30 disc box set as it includes all the extended cuts of the 6 films, as well as behind-the-scenes documentaries, special faux-leather casing and concept art bound in a replica of Bilbo and Frodo’s Red Book of Westmarch. But it’s still a ridiculous amount of money to spend on such a product. However, if you have got the money to spare, then the ultimate collection is released on October 4th.
With the exception of two verses directed at wives of the Prophet, the Quran never speaks directly to women. Women are referred to in the third person in the Quran. They are either addressed through “men and women,” or “your wives, your daughters, your mothers” etc. Men and Women There are verses that discuss people as a whole. In these verses, both men and women are mentioned in the third person. Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward. [It was] so that Allah may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the men and women who associate others with Him and that Allah may accept repentance from the believing men and believing women. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. And [that] He may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women, and the polytheist men and polytheist women – those who assume about Allah an assumption of evil nature. Upon them is a misfortune of evil nature; and Allah has become angry with them and has cursed them and prepared for them Hell, and evil it is as a destination. O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor letwomen ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one’s] faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers. These verses provide urgent warnings to people regarding immorality and defiance of Allah’s word. Men and women are held to equal moral standards in these verses. Fair enough. Men’s Women There are countless verses which speak directly to women but only as a man’s possession. Try these verses: O you who have believed, indeed, among your wives and your children are enemies to you, so beware of them. But if you pardon and overlook and forgive – then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your [milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, your wives’ mothers, and your step-daughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives unto whom you have gone in. But if you have not gone in unto them, there is no sin upon you. And [also prohibited are] the wives of your sons who are from your [own] loins, and that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful. And if you have lost any of your wives to the disbelievers and you subsequently obtain [something], then give those whose wives have gone the equivalent of what they had spent. And fear Allah , in whom you are believers. Your wives are a place of sowing of seed for you, so come to your place of cultivation however you wish and put forth [righteousness] for yourselves. And fear Allah and know that you will meet Him. And give good tidings to the believers. These verses do not warn us that they are meant for men. They go right to the point. In all these verses you will see a consistent tone of women as possessions of men. Women are addressed as “your wives, your mothers, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters” etc. The verses even mention “your children” and “your sons.” We can speculate from this that the verses address family patriarchs. Prophet’s Wives There are few times the Quran speaks to women directly: If you two [wives] repent to Allah , [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him – then indeed Allah is his protector, and Gabriel and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants. Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you – submitting [to Allah ], believing, devoutly obedient, repentant, worshipping, and traveling – [ones] previously married and virgins. O wives of the Prophet, whoever of you should commit a clear immorality – for her the punishment would be doubled two fold, and ever is that, for Allah , easy. And whoever of you devoutly obeys Allah and His Messenger and does righteousness – We will give her her reward twice; and We have prepared for her a noble provision. O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah , then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech. And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet’s] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification. And remember what is recited in your houses of the verses of Allah and wisdom. Indeed, Allah is ever Subtle and Acquainted [with all things]. These are the only verses in the Quran that addresses women directly. Guess what? They only speak to the Prophet’s wives. And it’s about warning them not to make his life difficult (or he can substitute them for better wives) and advising them to stay away from men they’re not related to in order to prevent sexual tension. Thoughts The Quran does not speak to women directly at all. It was a book meant for the male followers of the Prophet. A Muslim believer might argue “the Quran was meant for all of humanity. Those specific verses you highlighted addressed men for their specific responsibilities.” To that I’ll respond: why does the Quran need to distinctively and exclusively provide a disclaimer that specific verses were for Prophets’ wives, and disclaimers like “O Men” don’t exist for men? Where are the verses that speak directly and exclusively to women and treat men as their relatives instead? Does the Quran ever say “Your husbands, sons, uncles, grandfathers, nephews?” No. Those verses don’t exist. It speaks specifically to men regarding their women, not vice versa. The believing Muslim then may bring up cultural relativity, and how those times were different from now with different gender roles in that specific community. To that I will say: “Then is the Quran really a universal document meant for all of humanity to describe and dictate all of existence? Is it applicable to today if today’s women are more individualistic?” No. It’s not. Concluding Questions While this pattern within the Quran isn’t its most outright form of misogyny; it does enforce this subconscious misogyny in Islam and its devout adherents. Picture this: a young Muslim girl reads this under the assumption that it is the absolute word of God. She sees verses speaking about her as either “men and women” or as “your wives and sisters.” After seeing that Allah only speaks to her through men, she internalizes the notion that she will be defined as someone’s daughter, sister, wife, mother her entire life. Now imagine a young Muslim boy reading these same passages. He will feel like the Quran is speaking to him, and feel a subconscious form of possession over the women close to him in his life. How does that trickle into their lives and daily interactions with the opposite sex? Should the obsession over policing Muslim women’s expressions in Muslim communities really be surprising to us if the Quran only speaks to them through men? We have made great strides and progress in women’s rights in today’s world. Women can vote, work, manage/own businesses, speak in public, choose who they date/marry etc. Should the modern woman subject her entire life’s guidance to a book that doesn’t even address her because of her sex organs? #food4thought What do you think? Feel free to comment below. Don’t forget to follow me at: Thesecularbrownie.com Twitter @secularbrownie Facebook Youtube Advertisements
By Giuseppe Valiante, The Canadian Press MONTREAL -- McGill University law professor Daniel Weinstock says he heartily recommends his students take up criminal law in order to take advantage of the country's new, strict cannabis laws. "There is going to be a steady stream of customers," Weinstock said, referring to the influx of people he estimates will be moving through the justice system. The professor's comments were partly made in jest but serve to illustrate a larger point: upcoming federal and provincial marijuana laws -- in response to domestic and U.S. politics -- will be a boon for lawyers. Zero-tolerance policies will increase the incentive to contest charges, further clogging the justice system, lawyers say. Moreover, citizens are likely to see increased zeal from politicians and police in order to avoid being perceived as soft on drugs. "It seems like we are approaching a prohibitionist line around the edge of a policy that looks to be permissive," Weinstock said. Simple possession of marijuana will no longer be criminal, ostensibly freeing up space in the justice system, but lawyers say the current rules around cannabis aren't strongly enforced. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed to legalize marijuana by the summer and has left it to the provinces to create their own legal frameworks governing how cannabis is controlled and sold on their territories. Quebec's cannabis bill, for instance, is particularly restrictive. It prohibits citizens from growing their own plants, despite the federal bill granting the right to grow up to four. Quebecers, like Ontarians, won't be permitted to purchase cannabis from anyone other than their governments. And people caught driving under the influence of marijuana in Quebec will also face a so-called "zero-tolerance principle." Under the bill as it is currently written, drivers will automatically lose their licence for at least 90 days if any amount of cannabis is detected in their saliva -- regardless of whether the driver is actually impaired. "You will have people found positive (for cannabis) who will have smoked a joint two days prior ... the effect on the court system would be unimaginable," Weinstock said. Trudeau has said the goal of his campaign promise to legalize marijuana is to make it more difficult for children to have access to the drug. As a result, there will still be a market for underage marijuana smokers. Weinstock said if police decide to get tough on marijuana sold to minors then "that's a whole area (of law) that's going to explode." Lawyer Avi Levy, who runs Ticket 911, a company dedicated to representing people charged with driving violations, said he expects an increase in the number of people who will be charged with marijuana-related crimes. "I think we're going to see a lot more impaired driving charges -- especially if there is a zero-tolerance policy," he said. Levy said traces of cannabis can stay in the body for days after being smoked, making it difficult with current technology to test whether a driver is actually impaired. Criminal lawyer Andrew Barbacki said, "certainly, I think, with the difficulties of testing, it's going to be a nightmare until they get a proper test. And (all the charges) are going to be contested." "I would foresee for the first couple of years it's going to be a nightmare, really." Quebec and others provinces are currently dealing with a recent Supreme Court decision restricting the length of time for criminal cases to get to trial. Without additional resources, Quebec's justice system is likely to see increased pressure if more marijuana-related cases go to court. The Quebec Liberals' bill can be understood in the context of next fall's provincial election. Their main opponent, the Coalition for Quebec's Future, wanted the legal age to consume cannabis to be 21 instead of 18. Weinstock suggested Premier Philippe Couillard needed to be tough on marijuana in order not to lose votes from more conservative-minded citizens outside Montreal. "I think at this point it's pretty clear the Liberals aren't doing anything without thinking of the electoral consequences," he said. "The CAQ has already called the bill too liberal." Another factor leading Canadian politicians to take a strong stand against marijuana can be found south of the border, Weinstock said. Before U.S. President Donald Trump was elected, Trudeau's public rhetoric about marijuana centred more on liberalizing the product and taking money away from criminal organizations. Now, Weinstock said, Trudeau speaks more about protecting children and maintaining security. "We are worried about the Americans," he said, referring to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions who has taken a strong public stand against marijuana legalization. "Jeff Sessions is not happy 35 million people just to the north are going to have access to legal marijuana within a few months."
It was the day after the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. I was working as a CIA analyst. I sat in a room with the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, along with several other analysts, as we discussed the attack. The mood was intense and somber. We focused on the killer, an Army psychiatrist and practicing Muslim named Nidal Malik Hasan, and how he had slipped through the cracks — how had he not been identified as an insider threat to our military? I was the only Muslim in the room — an observant Muslim convert who also is African American. Did I feel in any way awkward or conflicted as a practicing Muslim? No. My colleagues knew my character and allegiances. And I know my own. It pained me, though, to realize that more people, both Muslim and not, would now consider a Muslim working in US military, law enforcement, or intelligence to be at odds with Islam. Many Muslims see America’s national security focus on violent Islamist groups as evidence of an anti-Islam conspiracy. And many non-Muslims assume that religiously adherent Muslims must sympathize with the jihadist cause. As a practicing Muslim who worked inside the national security establishment, I found both of those perceptions invalid. For me, fighting terrorism is an act of faith There are Muslims like myself who believe not just that we must denounce terrorists but that stopping them is an honorable act of faith. The practice of Islam encourages cultivating Salaam inwardly and outwardly. This term means more than peace. It denotes establishing security and safety. I understood even before 9/11 that building a prosperous life for my faith in America meant accepting leadership for my country’s defense. So applying to the CIA a few years after 9/11 was not a far leap in logic after studying international affairs in graduate school. I was hired as an economic analyst, covering economic security issues. But in 2005, when the July 7 bombings in London were carried out by four young British Muslims (including a Jamaican-born convert), I started to think about how I could use my skills to help prevent such carnage. I felt that my love and firsthand understanding of Islam could be an asset in stopping the people who falsely claimed to represent my faith. The next year, I volunteered to join an analytic unit at National Counterterrorism Center focused on identifying and preventing al-Qaeda attacks. Muslim Americans should be at the forefront of establishing the security of their neighbors. While my perspective is grounded in my religious sensitivities, I don’t think that sermons or scholarly rebuttals against extremist arguments are what’s needed to defeat terrorists. Muslims should counter them on two overlooked fronts: by engaging in necessary counterterrorism work as active participants and by cultivating a Muslim pop culture that makes such work relatable and honorable. Clearly, not every Muslim American can, or should want to, do counterterrorism or intelligence work as a career — that was my choice. But all Muslim Americans should understand that the Quran takes a very practical view about the nature of security, fighting. and war. It is never something to take lightly, but it is considered an option within the context of the right of self-defense and to prevent violations of human freedom. The Quran says, "Had not God checked one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of God is commemorated in abundant measure. God will certainly aid those who aid his cause." This verse sounds like it could be describing the turmoil we’re witnessing around the world, with places of worship attacked by Islamist groups bent on exterminating others’ modes of worship. These Islamists certainly need to be "checked." And with the Quran describing the prevention of religious persecution as part of God’s cause, the most devout Muslim should be comfortable with national security work in principle. Certainly, religious freedom in America means little if the faithful do nothing to defend it. What Muslims and non-Muslims alike get wrong about Islam and counterterrorism A misperception I encountered at times from my fellow Muslims is that counterterrorism is an effort to undermine Islam as a faith. To some, the US government’s focus on fighting terrorism was a cover for imperialistic aims. When I first became a counterterrorism analyst, I had more than one conversation with Muslims who were skeptical about the role of al-Qaeda in the 9/11 attacks. It took me looking people in the eyes and telling them that al-Qaeda was real and actively plotting to attack for them to accept that the terrorist threat was not some government fabrication. As the Islamic State has gained prominence, similar conspiracy theories are circulating in social media. And just a few hours after the Orlando shootings, I noticed Internet postings calling the shootings a probable "false flag" operation, orchestrated by the US government. It’s not necessarily Muslims initially peddling these theories, but those who latch onto them perpetuate a culture of denial, making it harder for Muslims to take ownership of the fight against terrorism. A misperception I encountered from my fellow Muslims is that counterterrorism is an effort to undermine Islam as a faith A cultural shift must come about where Muslims view counterterrorism not from the standpoint of critics on the sidelines, but as thoughtful citizens who should be leading the charge with their unique insights and sensibilities. And, more broadly, Americans as a whole should have greater knowledge about what Muslims are doing in the fight against terrorism, because it corrects the misperception by some non-Muslims that we’re not committed to our country’s security. I was far from the only Muslim in the intelligence community Muslims and non-Muslims might be surprised that the intelligence community has other converts — both African American and white — and Muslims of South Asian, Arab, African, and Persian descent. We varied in our levels of religious observance. Some prayed five times a day. Others might rarely set foot in a mosque. But we all had unique stories that could broaden how the public sees the US counterterrorism fight. One officer I know — a white convert — once used her vacation leave to make pilgrimage to Mecca. When she returned, she explained to her CIA colleagues how her spiritual experience strengthened her in both life and work. Another officer, a Pakistani American in her 20s, was visiting Islamabad for a few months in 2008. She had visited the Marriott Hotel there shortly before it was bombed in a terrorist attack that killed dozens and wounded hundreds. She told me she was frazzled by the close call and was considering shortening her assignment to return home. Ironically, she told me that her father, a man of faith, encouraged her to complete her trip; that he believed in her work and that she should remember that Allah was in control of life and death. I left the CIA in 2012. But only last year did I decide to become more public about my experience as an African-American Muslim in the intelligence community. On my personal storytelling podcast, I shared what it was like as a Muslim joining the CIA and what went through my mind during and after the London bombings. Many Muslims responded positively to my story. One person told me that I inspired him to consider working in national security. Even when I was in the CIA, I knew that US government activity was only one part of the effort against terrorism — albeit a critical one. As I see it, my work in the classified environment was to prevent terrorist attacks from those already radicalized. But in my post-government personal life, I now use culture and media to amplify alternative narratives; promoting cultural expression reflecting the experiences of faithful, thinking Muslims. And by taking counterterrorism out of the headlines and relating it a Muslim’s point of view within the field, I hope it will help Muslims engage national security issues from a more informed perspective. The stakes are too high not to engage. The Islamic State recently launched a series of new and renewed threats at Muslims in the West. The latest edition of the group's high-quality magazine Dabiq features a 10-page article called "Kill the Imams of Kufr in the West." It calls for the murder of a wide range of Muslim public figures in the US and Europe whom the group deems to have strayed from the faith. After naming names, including Congress member Keith Ellison, the article ends by exhorting Muslims to use any means available to make an example out of them. Why it's so important to tell the stories of Muslims in intelligence This jihadist narrative relies on a thin, one-dimensional perception of Islam, of America, and of the West. And it seduces those who don’t look beyond the surface of religious rhetoric. But there’s a hadith that says if you see wrong occurring, you should change it by your hand. If you can’t do that, try to change it with your words. And if that’s too difficult, simply feel bad about it in your heart, which is the weakest of faith. I’m not a religious scholar, but I’ve made it a priority of the practice of my faith to help change the wrong I see coming from jihadists. Muslims in the US and Europe must be confident in our beliefs and not defensive or dismissive about terrorism. That confidence can come from learning the true stories of Muslims preventing and combating jihadist violence. Counterterrorism must be reframed, with Muslims not just as subjects but as actors. This is not PR. It is about shedding light on what already exists in counterterrorism circles. Thankfully, the media is beginning to cover Muslim Americans working in the intelligence community. If more Muslims know how their brothers and sisters in faith have taken risks to fight terrorism, they will see defeating groups like the Islamic State as an Islamic endeavor. With few well-known examples of Muslims working in US national security besides Nidal Malik Hasan, it is crucial for us to first consider what anyone who actually spends time with Muslims in America will learn. Our weapon against Islamist radicalization already exists within the authentically American Muslim experience. It is about time it no longer remained a secret. The Fort Hood shootings dealt a blow to everyone working in US intelligence at the time. But Muslim officers probably felt the most betrayed by Hasan’s actions. In the days that followed, however, I remember sensing a greater resolve among other Muslim Americans at the CIA, FBI, and other agencies. We wanted to be of greater service in the national security mission we signed up for. Doing so was not about seeking approval from the public, but about being true to our faith. Yaya J. Fanusie is the director of analysis at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Center on Sanctions and Illicit Finance. His personal podcast, Rhythm of Wisdom, features true stories about Muslim-American life and is on iTunes and SoundCloud. He tweets at @SignCurve. First Person is Vox's home for compelling, provocative narrative essays. Do you have a story to share? Read our submission guidelines, and pitch us at firstperson@vox.com.
www.redbubble.com/people/jennydean Migaloo, the white humpback whale photographed last year on the Great Barrier Reef (above) has been spotted again Herman Melville spent more than 600 pages on the hunt for a great white whale - but each year in Australia the search occurs with a motivation utterly opposite to Ahab's quest for revenge. Migaloo, Australia's modern Moby Dick, has achieved beloved status, and his sighting last week has been welcomed, particularly by the tourism industry. Since the first siting for this year on Thursday, numerous whale watching cruises have set out to catch a glimpse, several with success. Migaloo (white fella in the Mayi-Katuna language from north Queensland) was first sighted in 1991, aged 3-5. He is a humpback, rather than a sperm whale such as Melville's protagonist. He is also entirely white, unlike the fictional version. Although not the only white humpback in the world, Migaloo is much more inclined to venture into waters where humans may see him, making an annual migration during the Australian winter up the east coast. More than 12,000 humpbacks make the same migration, but many stay further out to sea where they are harder to spot. Migaloo showing off near Port Macquarie, June 2014 Consequently Migaloo has attracted quite a following. His songs can be bought on itunes, a twitter account in his honor has been established and whale watching cruises promote the possibility of seeing him with gusto. Smith family He was assumed to be an albino, but Migaloo's eyes are brown rather than red or white, casting doubt on this theory. However, a study by of Migaloo's DNA at the Australian Marine Mammal Center found a cytosine deletion truncated his tyrosinase, the protein that produces melanin, leading to true albinism.
Rank Trending Last Club Comment 1 4 Is RSL playing the joyful, free-flowing intricate soccer that we've grown to love them for over the past four years? Nope, not even close. But they're grinding out results every time they take the pitch. Can't argue with that — especially when they come on the road. Last Week: Tied at Chicago, 0-0; Won at Seattle, 1-0 Tied at Chicago, 0-0; Won at Seattle, 1-0 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (CHI) (CHI) WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (SEA) (SEA) Last Five: T-W-W-T-W T-W-W-T-W This Week: Bye 2 2 Should have done better than a draw at home against Chivas, but the Quakes aren't the first team Dan Kennedy's ripped off this year. What's more important is that their depth — in the defense, midfield and up top — keeps on making a difference. Last Week: Tied Chivas USA, 1-1 Tied Chivas USA, 1-1 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FULL MATCHCENTER Last Five: W-W-W-L-T W-W-W-L-T This Week: Saturday vs. Columbus (10:30 pm, MLS LIVE) 3 1 Ok, we may have jumped the gun in putting Seattle No. 1. The Sounders managed to stumble once again against a top team after handling FC Dallas midweek. This is a side that's collecting points, but can they do it against the league's elite? Last Week: Won at FC Dallas, 2-0; Lost to Real Salt Lake, 1-0 Won at FC Dallas, 2-0; Lost to Real Salt Lake, 1-0 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (FCD) (FCD) WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (RSL) (RSL) Last Five: W-W-W-W-L W-W-W-W-L This Week: Saturday at Vancouver (5 pm, TSN/MLS LIVE) 4 7 Four wins in a row, mostly done without Thierry Henry. You're lying if you said you thought that was possible. Now what remains to be seen is how Hans Backe can work Rafa Márquez back into the mix. It's worth noting that when he came back, the shutout streak ended. Last Week: Beat Houston, 1-0; Won at Philadelphia, 3-2 Beat Houston, 1-0; Won at Philadelphia, 3-2 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (HOU) (HOU) WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (PHI) (PHI) Last Five: L-W-W-W-W L-W-W-W-W This Week: Saturday at Montreal (7:30 pm, MLS LIVE) 5 3 We all know that Sporting are tough, and that they're not going to keep on losing forever. But if they're going to be a legitimately great team, they're going to need to figure out how to break teams down when they're packed in. So far it hasn't happened. Last Week: Lost at Chicago, 2-1 Lost at Chicago, 2-1 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FULL MATCHCENTER Last Five: W-W-L-L-L W-W-L-L-L This Week: Saturday at Colorado (9 pm, MLS LIVE) 6 6 They were under siege against Houston for the entire last half hour — not their finest performance. But Bill Hamid has his mojo back, and the attack still manages to look potent even when they're not scoring. They just need some health in central defense. Last Week: Lost at Houston, 1-0 Lost at Houston, 1-0 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FULL MATCHCENTER Last Five: W-W-L-W-L W-W-L-W-L This Week: Wednesday vs. Colorado (7:30 pm, MLS LIVE), Saturday vs. Toronto (7:30 pm, TSN2/MLS LIVE) 7 8 The best part wasn't that Brad Davis goal. The best part was that he actually looked healthy for the full 90 minutes — definitely a relief for the Houston braintrust. There are still real questions about the fullbacks, though. None of them have looked good recently. Last Week: Lost at New York, 1-0; Beat D.C. United, 1-0 Lost at New York, 1-0; Beat D.C. United, 1-0 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (HOU) (HOU) WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (DC) / (DC) Last Five: T-T-L-L-W T-T-L-L-W This Week: Tuesday vs. Portland (8:30 pm, MLS LIVE), Saturday at New England (7:30 pm, MLS LIVE) 8 5 The Power Rankings politburo are big fans of what Martin Rennie's done. But he's still got plenty left on his plate in terms of building depth — especially in central defense. The second string were simply ripped apart by the Revs. Last Week: Lost at New England, 4-1 Lost at New England, 4-1 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FULL MATCHCENTER Last Five: L-W-W-W-L L-W-W-W-L This Week: Saturday vs. Seattle (5 pm, TSN/MLS LIVE) 9 10 An ugly midweek draw against the league's best, then an opportunistic weekend win against the team that was — until this week — the conference's best. The Fire aren't overwhelming anyone, but they're starting to string some results together. Last Week: Tied Real Salt Lake, 0-0; Beat Sporting Kansas City, 2-1 Tied Real Salt Lake, 0-0; Beat Sporting Kansas City, 2-1 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (RSL) (RSL) WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (SKC) (SKC) Last Five: W-L-W-T-W W-L-W-T-W This Week: Sunday at Portland (7 pm, Galavision) 10 9 Hard to drop during a bye week, but they'll have a great opportunity to climb now that Conor Casey's back on a full-time basis. He'll do so much in terms of bringing the hordes of talented Rapids attackers into the play, and will always get a few goals of his own as well. Last Week: Bye Bye Last Five: L-L-W-L-W L-L-W-L-W This Week: Wednesday at D.C. United (7:30 pm, MLS LIVE), Saturday vs. Sporting KC (9 pm, MLS LIVE) 11 11 Truth is, they should have had three points against LA, but even with a somewhat disappointing home draw, you've got to tip your cap to them. They're unbeaten in four and solidly in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. Last Week: Tied LA, 1-1 Tied LA, 1-1 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FULL MATCHCENTER Last Five: L-T-W-W-T L-T-W-W-T This Week: Saturday vs. New York (7:30 pm, MLS LIVE) 12 12 Everything that's available to question about this team has been questioned by fans and the press. Now, winless in four, you've got to think that some of those question will start seeping into the locker room as well. Tough times in LA. Last Week: Tied at Montreal, 1-1 Tied at Montreal, 1-1 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FULL MATCHCENTER Last Five: W-T-L-L-T W-T-L-L-T This Week: Saturday at Chivas USA (10:30 pm, ESPN2/Deportes) 13 15 Boom! That's the offensive performance you want to see against a weakened side. Obviously Lee Nguyen, Benny Feilhaber and Saer Sene have been playing great, but Blake Brettschneider does so much for their spacing and pace of play. Totally underrated center forward. Last Week: Beat Vancouver, 4-1 Beat Vancouver, 4-1 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FULL MATCHCENTER Last Five: L-L-W-L-W L-L-W-L-W This Week: Wednesday vs. Seattle (8:30 pm, MLS LIVE), Saturday at Columbus (7:30 pm, MLS LIVE) 14 13 It's hard to have confidence in this FCD group, since they keep finding ways to finish the game with 10 or fewer men. But that was the case early last year as well, and they still put together a good season. They'll be hoping to repeat that formula. Last Week: Lost to Seattle, 2-0; Lost at Columbus, 2-1 Lost to Seattle, 2-0; Lost at Columbus, 2-1 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (SEA) (SEA) WATCH HIGHLIGHTS / FULL MATCHCENTER (CLB) / (CLB) Last Five: T-T-L-L-L T-T-L-L-L This Week: Saturday vs. Philadelphia (8:30 pm, MLS LIVE) 15 16 Hard to explain this Chivas side, who've been able to get four points out of road trips to Buck Shaw and Rio Tinto, but can't do anything to speak of at their own home. If José Erik Correa is for real — and early returns suggest he is — then expect their form to pick up. Last Week: Tied San Jose, 1-1 Tied San Jose, 1-1 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FULL MATCHCENTER Last Five: W-L-L-L-T W-L-L-L-T This Week: Saturday vs. LA (10:30 pm, ESPN2/Deportes) 16 17 A much-needed victory that came with a little bit of style as well. They're starting to figure out their midfield situation a bit — Tony Tchani's been very good when not yelling at the ref — and Josh Williams continues to impress in central defense. Last Week: Beat FC Dallas, 2-1 Beat FC Dallas, 2-1 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FULL MATCHCENTER Last Five: L-T-L-T-W L-T-L-T-W This Week: Saturday at San Jose (10:30 pm, MLS LIVE) 17 14 Hard team to rate right now. They clearly outplayed the Red Bulls for the first 65 minutes, then fell apart as soon as they were pressed to cough up the result. With more lineup changes to come (aren't there always?), they're more likely to head down than up. Last Week: Lost to New York, 3-2 Lost to New York, 3-2 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FULL MATCHCENTER Last Five: W-W-L-L-L W-W-L-L-L This Week: Saturday at FC Dallas (8:30 pm, MLS LIVE) 18 18 They needed the bye week. Badly. Hopefully Kris Boyd worked on putting some of those wide open headers on target, and the rest of the Timbers worked on defending in groups instead of isolation. Last Week: Bye Bye Last Five: L-L-W-L-T L-L-W-L-T This Week: Tuesday at Houston (8:30 pm, MLS LIVE), Sunday vs. Chicago (7 pm, Galavision)
City in Illinois, United States Rochelle is a city in Ogle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,574 at the 2010 census, up from 9,424 at the 2000 census. Rochelle is approximately 80 miles (130 km) west of Chicago and 25 miles (40 km) south of Rockford. History [ edit ] Originally named Hickory Grove, the town sits at the intersection of two rail lines. Having a number of granaries holding corn, wheat and other crops for shipping eastward, the town was an important rail link for farmers. During the Civil War, an arsonist burned some of the granaries. He was arrested but vigilantes stormed the local jail and hanged him from a tree. The town then was called Hang Town by locals and travelers. Later in the local pharmacy, some of the city fathers were discussing the problem of lack of people coming to reside in the town. It was agreed a new name was necessary. One of the men reached up on a shelf and picked up a bottle of Rochelle Salts, saying Rochelle would be a good name for the town.[citation needed] After World War II, Rochelle grew, becoming a center for Swift Meat Packing and Del Monte canned vegetables such as asparagus, corn, green beans, and peas. Now the town hosts Nippon Sharyo, a Japanese maker of railroad passenger cars for commuter lines and regional corridor routes operated by Amtrak,[4] as well as a meat packing plant owned by Hormel Foods.[citation needed] On April 9, 2015, parts of the city suffered damage after a large wedge EF4 tornado struck the town.[5][6] Geography [ edit ] Rochelle is located along the Kyte River (commonly, if inaccurately, known to most locals as "Kyte Creek"). It is also located near the junction of Interstates 39 and 88. According to the 2010 census, Rochelle has a total area of 12.919 square miles (33.46 km2), of which 12.9 square miles (33.41 km2) (or 99.85%) is land and 0.019 square miles (0.05 km2) (or 0.15%) is water.[7] Demographics [ edit ] Historical population Census Pop. %± 1880 1,893 — 1890 1,789 −5.5% 1900 2,073 15.9% 1910 2,732 31.8% 1920 3,310 21.2% 1930 3,785 14.4% 1940 4,200 11.0% 1950 5,449 29.7% 1960 7,008 28.6% 1970 8,594 22.6% 1980 8,982 4.5% 1990 8,769 −2.4% 2000 9,424 7.5% 2010 9,574 1.6% Est. 2016 9,227 [3] −3.6% U.S. Decennial Census[8] As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 9,424 people, 3,688 households, and 2,415 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,260.9 people per square mile (487.1/km²). There were 3,895 housing units at an average density of 521.1 per square mile (201.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.81% White, 1.14% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 8.69% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.16% of the population. There were 3,688 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. Of all households 29.3% were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.13. In the city, the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $37,984, and the median income for a family was $46,563. Males had a median income of $35,890 versus $25,058 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,139. About 7.6% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over. Education [ edit ] Rochelle is served by two separate school districts. Rochelle Community Consolidated District 231 serves Rochelle and limited areas just outside town. District 231 has four elementary schools serving grades K–5: Abraham Lincoln Elementary, Central Elementary, Floyd J. Tilton Elementary, and Phillip May Elementary. The district also operates one middle school, Rochelle Middle School, serving grades 6–8. Rochelle Township High School District 212 operates Rochelle Township High School. About half of the high school's students come from Rochelle and District 231; the remaining students come from a number of outlying communities, including Kings, Steward, Creston, Hillcrest, Esmond, and Lindenwood. There is also a private school named, St. Paul Lutheran School which enrolls children from the age of three, and up through the eighth grade. Transportation [ edit ] The Railroad Museum Rochelle Railroad Park has spawned many imitators, such as the Railroad Platform in Folkston, Georgia. For many years the Whitcomb Locomotive Works, founded by George Dexter Whitcomb, manufactured industrial locomotives as well as the Partin Palmer automobile, in Rochelle. Rochelle is also home to Union Pacific’s Global III Intermodal Facility. At the time it opened it was Union Pacific's largest intermodal facility. Construction on the state-of-the-art facility was completed in 2003.[10] The Illinois River Energy ethanol plant is located in Rochelle.[11] Rochelle owns and operates Rochelle Municipal Airport. Hub [ edit ] Rochelle is known as the "Hub City" because of its location at the intersection of several major transportation routes. The first transcontinental highway in the United States, the Lincoln Highway, passed through Rochelle, as did US-51, one of the first highways to go the full north-south length of the United States. Both these roads have diminished in importance (and are now state highways 38 and 251, respectively), but Rochelle continues to be crossed by major highways, especially Interstates 88 and 39. Besides roadways, Rochelle is also crossed by two major rail lines; the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway mainlines cross inside of the city limits.[12] The effect, as seen on a map, was one of the spokes of an old wagon wheel meeting at the "hub", and thus the nickname was born. Today, literally dozens of businesses carry the moniker "Hub City", including furniture stores, shopping centers, realty firms, dry cleaners, and many others. Even the local high school's teams are known as the "Hubs".[13][14] Rochelle was once a stop for passenger trains operated by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and its successor, the Burlington Northern, such as North Coast Limited. The town saw its last passenger train in 1971, and in 2007, the depot, which had been built in 1921, was demolished. Notable people [ edit ] Notable buildings [ edit ]
Six people were shot and two are dead after a shooting at an apartment Sunday morning in Prince George's County. (Photo, ABC7) A 14-year-old boy and an 18-year-old are dead and a man is in critical condition after a shooting at an apartment early Sunday morning in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Prince George's County Police say they were called to the scene in the 6800 block of Walker Mill Road at around 2:45 a.m and found six shooting victims. Todd Webb Jr., 14, and Brian Davis, 18, both of Capitol Heights, were pronounced dead at the scene while the other four were taken to a local hospital. Two of the shooting victims have since been released from the hospital. One man remains in the hospital with life-threatening injuries while another remaining in the hospital is expected to survive, according to police. Police have not said if any of the victims were residents at the apartment and are working to see why there was such a large crowd in front of the apartment at the time of the shooting. Police are investigating the incident but say they do not currently know what led to the shooting and have not released any suspect information at this time. Police are asking anyone with information on the shooting to call: 301-772-4925 To stay up to date with crime in your area, click here to subscribe to our Fighting Back Against Crime newsletter.
Recent Examples on the Web The Polish Fall Bazaar serves up pierogi, cabbage rolls, kielbasa, borscht, pastries and Polish beer Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3-4, along with books, crafts, Polish crystal and Christmas ornaments. Madeline Mckenzie, The Seattle Times, "Ready or not, holiday bazaars get started this weekend," 31 Oct. 2018 April 4-15 The smell of pierogi will be in the air and the sounds of polka will ring through the streets of Gordon Square, Ohio City and Tremont. cleveland.com, "30 things to do in Cleveland this April: Concerts, movies, festivals, foodie events and more," 1 Apr. 2018 To start, cold borscht is sounding mighty fine with the temperature ticking up, and pierogi made in-house are a great option. Dominic Armato, azcentral, "Where to eat for Arizona Restaurant Week? Best places to go in Phoenix May 18-27," 16 May 2018 The Miss Dyngus Day 2018 contest was tough this year, with contestants reciting their own Polish haiku poems, performing polka dances and downing pierogi. Lisa Dejong, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Dyngus Day 2018 (photos)," 3 Apr. 2018 And Dominic, 48, turns them into specials, such as poor man’s pierogi or the Cubano. Donna Vickroy, Daily Southtown, "In the kitchen with the Bartolini brothers, whose spaghetti and meatballs are 'No. 1 in Illinois'," 7 May 2018 My daughter opted for the potato pierogi ($12), plump, dense dumplings served with sour cream and onions. Laura Demarco, cleveland.com, "Olesia's Place: Old World cuisine with modern American flair (review)," 22 Mar. 2018 Standouts include: pierogi, potato pancakes and the cutlet mielony (ground port cutlets). Dale Hrabi, WSJ, "An Absurdly Inexpensive European Holiday: The Luxury of Krakow," 29 Mar. 2018 Dinners include fried and baked fish, pierogi, coleslaw, potato or fries. Post-Tribune, "Church news," 16 Mar. 2018 These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pierogi.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
They scavenged through trash and tailed people for hours. They used undercover operatives to infiltrate private meetings. The targets were not agents of foreign powers but advocacy groups that had been critical of corporations. In the 1990s, a Maryland-based private detective agency composed of former CIA agents and law enforcement officers spied on such activist groups as Greenpeace, the firm's records show. The agency, Beckett Brown International, had an operative at meetings of a group in Rockville that accused a nursing home of substandard care. In Louisiana, it kept tabs on environmental activists after a chemical spill. In Washington, it spied on food safety activists who had found taco shells made with genetically modified corn not approved for human consumption. BBI, which was founded in 1995, disbanded in 2000, and the activists might never have learned they were spied on. But a disgruntled BBI investor began digging through company records two years ago and has been contacting the former targets. He also gave The Washington Post access to the records, which provide an unusually detailed look into the secretive world of corporate spying. "These people were victims," investor John C. Dodd III said. "They were trying to make things better or just do their jobs, and these guys were spying on them." Although the targets were surprised when Dodd called, many said they had suspected they were being watched. Elder-care activists in Rockville had long wondered how Hebrew Home nursing facility officials seemed to predict their every move, former activist Ilene Henshaw said. "They were absolutely one step ahead of us," she said. "I never knew why." Not all of BBI's work targeted activists: Lysol wanted details of a New Jersey high school student's science fair project about cleaning products. Mary Kay executives sought a secret "psychological assessment" of a fellow executive. A consultant working for Nestlé wanted information about rivals Mars and Whetstone Candy. "I always thought they were trying to sabotage me," said Henry M. Whetstone Jr., who recently reviewed the BBI records. "Everyone thinks that the candy industry is this happy world. It's not. It has a really dark side." BBI was renamed in 1999, and it dissolved the next year. Dodd, who said he invested $700,000 in BBI, sued his former partners for breach of contract. He lost, but he kept more than 100 boxes of records from the firm's office in Severna Park. Former targets have paid Dodd or a lawyer working with him, in some cases as much as several thousand dollars, for access to and assistance with the material, he said. At least one plans to sue. In an interview, BBI founding partner Richard M. Beckett said his work focused on executive recruitment, a service for which The Washington Post Co. paid the firm $27,000 in 1998. Beckett said he knew little about the investigative work and left in 1999.
On Oct. 21, neo-Nazis were at the vanguard of the so-called “anti-Trudeau” rally held at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto. It was organized by the same groups and individuals that hold regular anti-Muslim rallies at the site. Within the anti-Muslim movement, there are some groups that are pro-Israel and some that are anti-Semitic. Paradoxically, some members of the racist “alt-right” movement are both. These rallies are opposed by several anti-racist and anti-fascist groups, which include labour organizations, socialists, anarchists and other groups. Several of the same groups and individuals that demonstrate against neo-Nazis, as well as many anti-Muslim groups, also support the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel and the Palestine solidarity movement. This has prompted some, like the Jewish Defence League (JDL), to characterize the anti-fascist movement as anti-Semitic. The CJN interviewed three Jewish members of the anti-fascist (antifa) movement in Ontario, to better understand how the movement as a whole feels about Israel and the Jewish people. Alex Hundert Alex Hundert was arrested at the Oct. 21 rally, while trying to prevent a group that included neo-Nazis from demonstrating in front of Toronto City Hall. Does the conversation about Israel come up in anti-fascist circles? Generally, no, because anti-fascism is street level and reactionary. While the same people may go to anti-Zionist demonstrations, they won’t do it waving black and red anti-fascist flags. It’s not an active conversation. On the other hand, a lot of the same people are in movements that are anti-Zionist. Now that the new far-right groups have exposed themselves as being very anti-Semitic, has that been a topic of conversation within the anti-fascist movement? In my opinion, the JDL makes that very confusing. It’s confusing that the JDL and Soldiers of Odin have worked together, even though the Soldiers of Odin have guys with all that 14/88 Nazi s–t on their Facebook profiles. You can’t think Hitler is cool and say you’re not racist. When I do see anti-Semitism on the left, it’s generally when people try to talk about the JDL and how it relates to the broader Jewish community. They assume, because of how the JDL positions itself, that the JDL is a more extreme version of Zionism. But that’s not accurate. It’s really just become an anti-Muslim movement. What happens is people try to hold the Jewish community accountable for the JDL. As a Jew, I have always felt that this is kind of disingenuous. [At the moment, the Jewish Defence League is taking steps to identify and disassociate itself from the openly anti-Semitic groups and individuals in the far-right/anti-Muslim movement.] READ: BOOK EXPOSES ISRAEL’S FINANCIAL WAR AGAINST TERRORISM Alex Verman Are you an anti-fascist? I’m not part of organizations or groups that have coalesced into what people call “antifa,” but I am anti-fascist. Are you involved in other progressive causes? Sort of. I’m doing more stuff at the Jewish community level, like building the queer Jewish community, rather than complaining about the state of the institutional Jewish community. I’m a member of Independent Jewish Voices and involved with the Winchevsky Centre in Toronto. I write about it sometimes. I hosted an event called No Pride in Zionism, against CIJA’s (the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs) participation in the Pride celebrations at The 519 community centre. How do the groups involved in the anti-fascist movement see Israel? We’re watching fascism happen in Israel, just like we’re watching it happening in the United States and in Canada. I think the Israeli government practices fascism, and that anti-fascist opposition to Israel generally takes that as a giv en. A position that is opposed to Israel is opposed to specific fascistic policies coming out of it and is part of a broader anti-racist stance. Depending on the leaning of the individuals, there is also a recognition that there is a lot of racism inherent to the Israeli state – there are ethnic hierarchies and society is structured based on those hierarchies, and an expansionist view of international relations and internal domestic policy, which is a hallmark of fascist thinking. A lot of opposition to Israel is based around that kind of tenet of anti-fascism. Is Israel discussed a lot in anti-fascist circles? No. It comes up tangentially. It doesn’t come up often, unless people force the conversation. How do anti-fascists feel about Jews generally? I feel comfortable. Certain people view Jews as something to defend, or go against, or as part of a historical narrative, instead of as human beings to interact with. There are a lot of Jews who are involved in anti-fascism. Zionism is a reasonable source of discomfort for some people. I don’t think that’s the majority, though. Overall, I see a lot more Jews in the anti-fascist movement and more people who are having nuanced conversations – like we can be opposed to Zionism, but not label everything Jewish as “Zionist.”But I do see people willing to make those broad generalizations at the expense of Jews. We also have to recognize that anti-Semitism has a specific role within fascism. It’s historically a sign of fascism. I think anti-fascists care about anti-Semitism a lot – more than the right gives them credit for. When there’s anti-Semitism, a lot of people care about it and a lot of attention is given to it. They recognize that Holocaust denial is a form of fascism and they mobilize against anti-Semitism because anti-Semitism will hurt everyone. Unnamed Jewish anti-fascist organizer This organizer asked to remain anonymous, out of a concern over anti-Muslim, “alt-right” or neo-Nazi groups using the information for nefarious purposes. How often does the topic of Israel or Palestine solidarity come up in anti-fascist circles? We’re pretty focused on the Canadian scene. We’re all involved in our usual activism – environmentalism, BDS, Palestine solidarity, anti-war, etc. – but when fascists take to the streets, those projects are put aside. We come together in solidarity against the fascists. Do Canadian anti-fascists consider BDS an anti-fascist struggle? Some people might. I do not. I don’t think Israel is fascist – I think Israel is basically an apartheid state with respect to Gaza and the West Bank. There is mass support there for far-right politics, including ethnic cleansing, which is extremely dangerous, but they’re not quite at that point just yet. But other people who do work in Israel will say that the work they do there is, in a way, anti-fascist. READ: THE STORY OF VIOLENCE AND HURT: ONE WOMAN’S ACCOUNT OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP Are any Jews staying home from anti-fascist activity because they don’t feel welcome? Absolutely. It’s because they know that the far-left types who participate in anti-fascist action are Palestine solidarity folks and they think that people who support Palestine solidarity want to kick all the Jews out of Israel – which isn’t true – so they stay away. The reason they don’t participate is based on misconceptions. None of us want to kick all the Jews out of Israel and none of us are pro-Hamas. Some of us are against the Israeli state, but that’s because they’re anarchists who don’t support any state. It’s not like we’re singling out Jews and saying, “you guys especially shouldn’t have a state.” I think the vast majority of people who take part in BDS and Palestine solidarity want a two-state solution. How do anti-fascists feel about Jews? Anti-fascists are against the oppression of any group – period. We have political disagreements with Jews, Muslims, liberals, most people. But that won’t stop us from coming out and defending communities that are under attack – including the Jewish community. Even though I disagree with Zionism, if there was a fascist rally that was going to go through some Jewish neighbourhood like at Bathurst and Steeles, I would be the first one on the streets to stop them. I’m confident I speak for everyone. None of us tolerate their anti-Semitic s–t. What would happen if Jewish student groups with an Israeli flag and anti-fascists both showed up to demonstrate against the “alt-right”? The Hillel people don’t understand something very important: waving the Israeli flag is completely pointless, because the Nazis support the State of Israel. I know this sounds completely f–ked – and it is. They say, “if Jews are allowed to have their own ethnostate, why can’t white people?” And then, really naive, disaffected white kids say, “oh, you’re right.” They support the Jewish state because they think it helps their argument for a white ethnostate and it justifies a policy of mass deportations of Jews, because they think Jews can always go to Israel.
Home > Library > Articles & Essays > Self-Blame & Survivors Was it my fault? Self-Blame and Survivors By: Shannon © 2007 Pandora's Project Was it my fault? This is one of the most common questions we see posed at Pandora’s Aquarium and in other survivor communities. It should really come as no surprise that survivors blame themselves; it seems that society only takes rape seriously when the victim was violently overtaken by a stranger jumping out of the bushes. For most of us, our rapists were wolves in sheep’s clothing. They were our dates, our friends, our teachers, our cousins or fathers or mothers or husbands. In the United States, only 40% of survivors report the crime. Of those, "a mere 7 percent go to trial, and only 1 percent of accused rapists are convicted."* When the courts aren’t placing responsibility where it belongs, it becomes even harder for society to see us as victims whose actions played no role in what happened. And, therefore, it becomes even harder for us as survivors to realize that we are not to blame. Did my choice lead to my rape? We make hundreds of choices each day. Some are clearly good (wearing our seatbelt) and some are more neutral (eating potato chips for lunch instead of an apple). But some choices we make end up being bad only because of an intervening factor. For instance, one day last summer I parked outside instead of in a covered garage, on a day that happened to bring a huge hailstorm, and my car sustained $2,000 in damages. "How stupid," I thought. "If only I had parked in the garage." What a bad choice I made! But how was I to know that we'd get the worst hailstorm of the decade? For rape survivors, we often think, "Why did I get in the car with him?" "Why did I go to that party?" "Why did I get drunk?" This is risky business, this second-guessing of our actions. We can second-guess all day long, but the bottom line is that we would not have been raped had our rapist chosen to be respect us and our autonomy, to not commit a crime, to be a decent human being. The buck stops there. While not all choices are "good" we have the right to make neutral or bad choices without anticipating someone else will take advantage of us and rape us. We have the right to have a drink or go on a walk through a park. Drinking unsafely and walking alone at night likely do make a person more vulnerable. I think most survivors would agree with that. But no one has the right to rape us, ever, no matter what we say or do. A common victim-blaming argument Let's say you throw caution to the wind and cross a busy intersection without looking both ways. If you did this, you would expect to be hit by a car, right? You would be responsible for your choice to cross the street unsafely, and responsible for being hit by a car. So why are you responsible for your actions and the result in this case, while a survivor of rape is not responsible for being raped if he or she drinks, or walks alone, or trusts a neighbor? I often see this argument for assigning personal responsibility to survivors instead of placing it solely on the rapist. At first thought the analogy makes sense and persuades many people. But if you look at the analogy critically, the fallacy becomes clear. In the busy street analogy, the victim solely is putting herself at risk of an accident. No matter how hard the driver tries, he will not be able to avoid hitting her. He cannot slam on the brakes hard or fast enough to prevent the accident. On the contrary, no rapist rapes by accident. He or she makes a choice. He or she is not just another victim. The rapist, as opposed to the car driver, has plenty of time to make a choice. Unfortunately, the rapist makes the wrong choice and we suffer for years because of it. Re-writing your internal script "I was drunk…" "I walked alone in the dark…" “I wore that mini-skirt…” "Why did I go upstairs with him?" "I opened the door for him…" "I stayed when I should have left…" Strike these thoughts from your mind. You had the right to drink. You had the right to go on a walk. You had the right to dress however you wanted. You had the right to trust him. You had the right to make your own choices, and you are responsible for them. But no one has the right to perpetrate abuse against another. No one had the right to rape you. Were there choices you could have made that would have protected you? Of course. You could have spent your life learning self-defense. You could have stayed in bed all day. You could have not moved to that city in the first place. You could never walk by yourself. You can spend an eternity making a list of the choices that would have saved you from being raped. But the absolute bottom line is this: Only one person makes the choice to rape. There are things we can (and should!) do to protect ourselves, but the only person who can prevent rape is the rapist him or herself. Bad decisions, neutral decisions, good decisions; to me it doesn't matter. We should be able to live our lives, we should be able to trust our family and our neighbors. Rapists should not rape. Period. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Louise Palmer, “How we Healed”, Self Magazine, April 2007, pg. 218. Suggested further reading: The Rape of Mr. Smith: "The law discriminates against rape victims in a manner which would not be tolerated by victims of any other crime. In this example, a holdup victim is asked questions similar in form to those usually asked a rape victim." The Rape Crisis Information Pathfinder: An excellent article on victim-blaming. RAD: Realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women that focus on awareness, risk reduction, and risk avoidance. After the initial fee, there is a free lifetime return and practice policy. This program is highly recommended. And remember: while there are steps you can take to reduce your risk, such as taking a RAD class, all risk will never be completely eliminated, and the responsibility for rape is always on the rapist. [Printable PDF version of this article] This article is copyrighted and unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. If you wish to use this article online or in print, please contact us to request permission.
Many BYU fans are well aware that BYU has failed to reach the 20-point scoring barrier two games into the 2016 season. In the first two games, the Cougars offense managed 18-points, and 19-points. Perhaps against UCLA, Ty Detmer’s unit can find a way to crack the 20 barrier — not just points. Downfield Passing BYU has failed to complete a single pass that has gained 20 yards or more this season. In fact, BYU is the only team in all of college football that hasn’t completed a 20 yard pass. Missouri has 10. Middle Tennessee has completed 8. The Utes have collected 7 20+ passes. Air Force, ironically, stinks at passing. Surely they haven’t — no way! 5 20+ yard receptions! Virginia has 5. Even Utah State has 3 downfield completions. That right, everybody that is reading this right now has completed as many 20+ yard passes for BYU in 2016 as Taysom Hill. The thing is, BYU has an easy solution to this problem. He has more penalties than plays this season and he’s wearing #12 on the sidelines. Tanner Mangum averaged just under 1 20+ yard completion per quarter last season. In fact, Mangum averaged a 40+ yard completion per game in 2015. Mangum’s 29 passes for 30+ yards made BYU the 8th best downfield passing team in the nation. For the record, BYU has 3 20+ yard rushes in 2016. Meaning the Cougars have 3 plays from scrimmage that have gained 20+ yards. This ties for last in the nation with Kansas State and Buffalo — both of whom have only played 1 game. Take a look at Taysom’s passing chart for this season. When Taysom Hill is targeting receivers 20 yards or more downfield, he is 0-for-11 with 2 interceptions. When he is passing to a target 10 yards or more downfield, he is 4-for-19 (21.1%) for 64 yards with 2 interceptions. That totals for just 3.37 yards per attempt with a 28.29 QB Rating. Yikes. Big plays matter. BYU has 3 short fields against Utah on Saturday. They started at Utah’s 29, 37 and on their own 47. During those 3 short field opportunities, BYU only produced 6 points on 2 field goals while reaching the red zone a single time. With more verticality, the Cougars could have scored more points. Instead, a combination of dinks, dunks, and penalties kept the Y behind the Utes. Red Zone Efficiency Lets play a game. Blindly pick your quarterback according to their career red zone passing, and overall team red zone efficiency with them at the helm. Take your time, pull out a piece of paper and rank them in order. Choose carefully and don’t peak below! Comp-Att Comp % Yards TD IINT QB rating Redzone scores-trips % TD % FG % Empty Trips % QB A 40-75 53.3 310 22 2 179.52 66-76 86.8 51 67.11 15 19.74 10 13.1 QB B 28-45 62.2 245 15 0 217.95 48-51 94.1 37 72.55 11 21.56 3 0.06 QB C 24-38 63.2 245 14 2 228.36 33-38 86.8 28 73.68 5 13.16 5 13.16 QB D 37-97 38.1 280 16 4 108.58 79-93 84.9 51 54.17 28 30.11 14 15.05 QB E 30-72 41.7 272 14 1 134.79 58-69 84.1 41 59.4 17 24.6 11 15.9 For obvious reasons, red zone efficiency is gigantic. It is a color commentator cliché to talk about how tough it is to pass in the red zone because of the lack of space, but it is critical to be able to pass when it counts as the field tighten up. From the small sample above, as a quarterback is able to complete a high percentage of their passes, his team will have a higher percentage of touchdowns when they reach the red zone. Okay, back to our blind QB in the red zone selection game. Who did you select? Leave your blind answer in the comments below. Comp-Att Comp % Yards TD IINT QB rating Redzone scores-trips % TD % FG % Empty Trips % QB A - Riley Nelson 40-75 53.3 310 22 2 179.52 66-76 86.8 51 67.11 15 19.74 10 13.1 QB B - Tanner Mangum 28-45 62.2 245 15 0 217.95 48-51 94.1 37 72.55 11 21.56 3 0.06 QB C - Christian Stewart 24-38 63.2 245 14 2 228.36 33-38 86.8 28 73.68 5 13.16 5 13.16 QB D - Taysom Hill 37-97 38.1 280 16 4 108.58 79-93 84.9 51 54.17 28 30.11 14 15.05 QB E - Jake Heaps 30-72 41.7 272 14 1 134.79 58-69 84.1 41 59.4 17 24.6 11 15.9 A seemingly bright spot for the Cougars is red zone performance. Jake “The Make” Oldroyd has been a pleasant surprise. BYU is now a perfect 6-for-6 in the red zone. That’s good. The problem is that it has only resulted in 28 points. The Cougars have scored 3 TDs and 3 FGs, while going 1-for-3 on extra point attempts. It isn’t bad by any stretch. However, when you are the worst team in the country at generating big plays like the Y is, you can’t bring field goals to a touchdown fight no matter how much you love seeing Jake the Make cooly kick the ball right down the middle. Taysom Hill’s 2nd chance at a senior year has held its Heaps-ian form as it relates to red zone efficiency. During Hill’s career, his teams score a touchdown 54.2% of the time in the red zone. The lowest red zone TD rate of any BYU QB this side of 2005 — even with his “best running QB in BYU history” credentials. This season hasn’t proven to be any different, his team produced TDs 50% of the time. As a career 38.1% red zone passer (for reference, BYU’s 2015-16 basketball team shot 38.2% from 3 last season), Taysom’s arm has made the Cougars fairly one-dimensional inside the 20. This contributes to the woefully low rate of touchdowns in the red zone with Hill under center. As such, the Y has left themselves within reach in both games despite having opportunities to put some distance on the scoreboard. As a result, the difference between wins and losses in 2016 come down to a made field goal in the waning seconds and a missed 2-point conversion. Fun for heart racing finishes, but wholly unnecessary. The Cougars 18.5 points per game this season currently place them in a tie at the 113th spot with the mighty Falcons of Bowling Green in scoring offense. Once again, the guy on the sideline with a clipboard solves this red zone issue. Mangum’s squad was lethal in the red zone in 2015 finishing the season as the 6th best red zone touchdown efficient team in the nation. Nearly 25 percentage points better at red zone completions than BYU’s current starter, Mangum Magic didn’t just happen on hail mary plays. It happened on 72.6% of all red zone trips. Tanner’s turn. One of the bizarre notions I’ve heard from some BYU fans when the topic of Tanner vs. Taysom arises is that Mangum has more time left, so it’ll be his turn next season. Plenty of time to watch Tanner in the future. As if to say, Taysom won the starting job in fall camp. It is his now. Hill can’t lose the starting job. Sharing is caring. You know who should disagree with that notion? Ty Detmer. Sean Covey beat out Ty Detmer in fall camp. Covey had a good resume of accomplishments. He passed for 1,668 yards in his 6 starts during his sophomore year. In 1988, Covey led the Cougars to a 41-point thrashing of a nationally ranked Texas team on their way to a 8-2 start. During this stretch Covey tossed nearly 2,600 yards through the air. Unfortunately, Covey was injury prone. Try as he might to fully recover from those injuries his ability to move the offense was stifled and frustrated enough that then-Offensive Coordinator Roger French decided to move on from the potential of Covey to the production of the underclassman Detmer. As BYU’s Offensive Coordinator Ty Detmer still has a decision to make concerning his QB1. His Y offense hasn’t even looked close to menacing. They’ve looked tame. Despite the what if’s and hopes for unstoppable potential, Taysom Hill is still what he’s always been. A good leader and scrambling weapon that is undone by inconsistent, if not subpar arm talent and unlucky injuries. With a talent like Tanner Mangum waiting in the wings, Detmer should be seriously considering seeing what his offense would look like with #12 at the wheel. At the very least it would have a 20-yard pass play.
An Arizona appeals court has ruled that marijuana users don't need to be actually impaired to be successfully prosecuted for driving under the influence. The ruling came Tuesday in the case of a man who tested positive for an inactive marijuana metabolite that remains in the body for weeks after the high from smoking marijuana has worn off. The ruling in Arizona v. Shilgevorkyan overturned a decision by a superior court judge who said that it didn't make sense to prosecute people for driving under the influence if they're not actually under the influence.The ruling turned on a close reading of legislative intent in writing the state's DUID law. The legislation specified the presence of "the metabolite" of THC, and Shilgevorkyan had argued that lawmakers meant "hydroxy-THC, the metabolite which would indicate current impairment, not carboxy-THC, an inactive metabolite that indicates only usage some time in the past.The appeals court disagreed, citing its decisions on earlier challenges to the DUID. "The legislature intended to create a 'per se prohibition' and a 'flat ban on driving with any proscribed drug in one's system," the court noted. "We determined that the legislative ban extends to all substances, whether capable of causing impairment or not."Because the law was drafted to protect public safety, the appeals court said, it should be interpreted broadly to include inactive as well as active compounds.But Superior Court Commissioner Myra Harris, who had ruled on Shilgevorkyan's behalf, warned in her earlier opinion that the appeals court's interpretation of the law would result in people, including out of state medical marijuana patients, being charged with DUI when they are not impaired."Residents of these states, particularly those geographically near Arizona, are likely to travel to Arizona," Harris said in her 2012 ruling upholding the dismissal. "It would be irrational for Arizona to prosecute a defendant for an act that might have occurred outside of Arizona several weeks earlier."Shilgevorkyan's attorney said he plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court.
Including [today's] incident at a high school in Troutdale, Oregon, 74 school shootings have taken place in the approximately 18 months since the Dec. 14, 2012, Newtown shooting. The average school year typically lasts about 180 days, which means there have been roughly 270 school days, or 54 weeks, of class since the shooting at Newtown. With 74 total incidents over that period, the nation is averaging well over a shooting a week at a school. It has been only 18 months since 20 elementary school children and six adults were executed by a gunman in in their Newtown, Connecticut, classrooms. In that 18-month span, there has been roughly one shooting in an American school every school week In the wake of the Sandy Hook murders, more gun laws have been loosened than have been tightened. This is almost entirely due to the notion that possible public "overreach" in protecting our schools from weekly shooters will infringe upon what a certain collection of people call "gun rights," meaning the rights held by guns and their chosen owners. In the 18 months intervening, we have had a great many politicians assert that one school shooting per week of school is a considerably better outcome than taking any action to prevent those shootings. We have had persons in armed standoff with federal authorities over basic and uncontroversial laws idolized by prominent media figures as patriots or heroes for doing so. We have seen the resurgence of political figures staging contests to give away firearms to their supporters, sometimes the same make of firearms that were used in the prominent murders of a few months before. We have seen a renewed movement to normalize the carrying of larger and more weapons in more places, under the banner of freedom. It's been only 18 months since Newtown, and one of the most horrific mass murders that could have been imagined has resulted in a wide swath of America shuddering, weeping and demanding further protection for their most cherished family members—their guns. All across America, the nation's gun lobbyists, their politicians and all those huddled around the national altar of the firearm vow that they will not allow any of America's meddling children to distract us from what is truly important. Fuck you, Wayne. Fuck you, and then some.
Popular cinema, conventional logic, and our own inherent human tendency for curiosity tell s that should we ever come across an extraterrestrial life form, we should "reach out and touch someone"- so to speak- and try to make that key first contact UFO believers have so longed for. I mean, after all, we did not decent from fearful men... Well, it turns out that may not be the best of ideas, at last if you ask Stephan hawking. Seems the smartest guy in the world believes that human beings should be wary of the various ultra alien life forms existing in the universe out there. And be assured folks... Stephan Hawking is certain that there are aliens out there. In a documentary series being made for The Discovery Channel (beginning May 9 at 9pm EST) in order to explain the various unsolved mysteries of the universe, Stephan Hawking asserts that by his logic (the most logical of any Earthly logics) alien life is almost certain to exist in many other parts of the universe: not just in planets, but perhaps in the centre of stars or even floating in interplanetary space. His logic on the matter is simple, really: The universe, he points out, has 100 billion galaxies, each containing hundreds of millions of stars. In such a big place, Earth is unlikely to be the only planet where life has evolved. “To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational,” he said. “The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like.” Hawking believes that most alien life found out in the various regions of space is microbial or simple creatures- the sort of life that has dominated Earth for most of its history. But just as one life form evolved into "us' on earth, so too did other intelligent life forms evolve in other corners of the various universes. And it's these life forms which Hawking believes could be a threat to we Earthlings. “We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet. I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can reach. If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.” So take that hippies and your simplistic belief that the coming of our alien overlords will mark an era of peace and enlightenment... not the returning of cruel taskmasters coming to once again take control of the slave species they created in their image... Just like in Battlefield: Earth! (And just like that Scientologists don't seem so bloody weird anymore...)
Image caption The boat washed up on a beach in County Sligo On a sandy beach on the west coast of Ireland lies the remains of a strange looking boat. The improvised vessel washed up on Cliffoney beach in County Sligo. Image caption A car engine was connected to a broken propeller It is made from a metal frame partly covered in yellow tarpaulin, with expanded foam and water bottles used for buoyancy. A closer inspection beneath the overturned hull, now covered in barnacles, reveals a car engine connected to a broken propeller. The boat caught the interest of Gordon Fallis, who saw it as he was walking his dogs along the beach. Image caption Gordon Fallis came across the boat as he was walking his dogs on the beach "I didn't really know what it was to be honest, so I took a few photographs of it and when I got home I posted it on a Facebook page called Lost at Sea which tracks marine debris and cargo spills and things that get washed up on beaches," he said. Image caption When Gordon Fallis checked the water bottles it was clear where they came from He was contacted by a man from Florida who recognised the design as being similar to Cuban refugee boats. "He advised me to have a look at the bottles again to see where they came from so I came back down and looked at the labels and indeed they were from Cuba, exactly the same brand that he had predicted, so it seems that it is actually a boat that the refugees have used to try and get to America from Cuba," he said. Image copyright AP Image caption Between November 2015 and October 2016 the US Coast Guard apprehended 5,263 Cubans at sea Since 1995, under a policy known as "wet foot, dry foot", if Cubans are picked up at sea they are returned home or taken to a third country, but if they make it to American soil they get the opportunity to stay and become legal residents. Between November 2015 and October 2016 the US Coast Guard apprehended 5,263 Cubans at sea. Image caption Bill Klipp has seen many similar boats that have been abandoned on small remote islands around the Florida Keys It is thought that hundreds of thousands of Cubans attempted the journey before the policy was ended last month just before President Obama left office. American photographer Bill Klipp has seen many similar boats that have been abandoned on small remote islands around the Florida Keys. Image copyright Bill Klipp Image caption The same distinctive yellow tarpaulin can be seen on this 'chug' that washed up on the Florida Keys He is sure the boat washed up in Ireland is what is known as a Cuban "chug" - named after the sound of the crude motors as they make the slow journey across the sea. "They're surely not moving very fast and I think it just comes from that notion that they're just barely making it, they're chugging as best as they can to get across the ocean," he said. Image copyright Bill Klipp Image caption One of the Cuban chugs that Bill Klipp photographed in Florida "Key West, where I live, is only 90 miles for Havana so it's a relatively short distance to landfall although the Florida Straits can be a pretty treacherous body of water to cross." While it is possible that the occupants of this vessel were picked up at sea and the boat was left to drift, Bill Klipp believes it is more likely that the weather and ocean currents took it off course. Image copyright Bill Klipp Image caption The USCG painted on this vessel in Florida means the occupants were found by the US Coastguard. The vessel in Ireland was too badly damaged to tell if there was ever a similar marking "If that boat could tell its story it would tell a story of real despair and desperation, that's for sure," he said. "Obviously the occupants didn't make it and that's kind of a sad story there but that's unfortunately a story that's happened too much over the last couple of decades." Image caption It is the first time such a vessel has been recorded being washed up in Europe It is the first time such a vessel has been recorded being washed up in Europe according to Curtis Ebbesmeyer, a retired oceanographer based in Seattle who tracks ocean debris. He said it could take months or years for it to make the journey of more than 4,000 miles across the Atlantic. Image caption Mr Ebbesmeyer said the vessels "symbolise what the price people are willing to pay to gain their freedom in the United States" "The drift rate depends on how much the vessel is sticking out of the water and the rate could be a matter of six months or it could be a matter of years depending on whether the vessel drifted around some of the garbage patches in the Atlantic or made a straight journey across," he said. Mr Ebbesmeyer said the vessels "symbolise what price people are willing to pay to gain their freedom in the United States". Image caption The hull of the overturned boat is now covered in barnacles "I would reflect on questions. Did the people make it? Are they in the United States? Did they die? Did they perish a terrible death out in the middle of the Atlantic?" "They're really worth moments of reflection as you walk by," he said. Standing on Cliffoney beach as the waves of the north Atlantic break beneath a grey sky, Gordon Fallis said he is glad he discovered more about the boat. Image caption The discovery has helped to bring the story of the Cuban refugees to people thousands of miles away "It's just great to be able to contact people who are able to identify it for me otherwise I would have just walked on past it thinking "that's a strange boat on the beach" and that would have been the last I would have heard of it," he said. While the fate of those on board may never be known, the discovery has helped to bring the story of the Cuban refugees to people thousands of miles away.
The husband of a British member of Parliament who was murdered last year said President Trump has become “a purveyor of hate" following his Wednesday retweets of a far-right British nationalist. “This president has become a purveyor of hate, and it’s time that we all said that enough is enough and that we won’t tolerate that no matter what our political disagreements,” Brendan Cox said on CNN. ADVERTISEMENT In an interview with CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” Cox criticized Trump’s retweets of videos purportedly showing violence committed by Muslims that were originally posted by a deputy leader of the group Britain First. The man who was found guilty of murdering Cox’s wife in June 2016 reportedly yelled “Britain first” when he attacked Jo Cox with a dagger and a gun. Cox acknowledged that people may disagree about the role of Islam in a society, but condemned Trump’s tweets. Cox said earlier Wednesday that Trump “should be ashamed of himself.” “Trump has legitimised the far right in his own country, now he’s trying to do it in ours. Spreading hatred has consequences & the President should be ashamed of himself,” Cox wrote on Twitter. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said it was "wrong" for Trump to have shared the videos on Wednesday. However, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended the president for retweeting the videos, saying that whether the videos are real or not, “the threat is real.” "The threat is real and that is what the president is talking about," she said Wednesday.
Northern and Southern Division winners battle to be crowned The FA Women's Premier League champions Northern and Southern Division winners battle to be crowned The FA Women's Premier League champions Tottenham Hotspur are on the cusp of glory after a dramatic last-gasp victory over FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division title-rivals Cardiff City on Easter Sunday. Wendy Martin’s goal in the sixth minute of added time saw Spurs beat the Bluebirds 2-1 at the Cheshunt Stadium and they will seal the title at White Hart Lane with three points against West Ham United next Wednesday evening. Tottenham cannot be caught by second-placed Charlton Athletic and they are also clear of third-placed Cardiff and Coventry United – both of whom have a number of games in hand – by 11 and 13 points respectively. FA Women's Premier League Sunday April 16, 2017 By Dan Barnes Things looked so different six minutes in when Cardiff’s Cori Williams powered home a strike from the edge of the Spurs area, and the hosts went on to trail 1-0 at half-time. But with just six minutes of normal time remaining, Nikita Whinnett tied things up after being teed up by Lucia Marte Leon. The drama wasn’t done there, though, with Martin grabbing the winner with 96 minutes on the clock to move her side ever-closer to title glory. Elsewhere, Gemma Bryan’s four-goal haul inspired Crystal Palace to a 5-2 victory at Portsmouth, with Rosie Paye also on target. Natasha Stephens and Samantha Quayle scored for the hosts. West Ham and Lewes shared the spoils as they played out a goalless stalemate. West Bromwich Albion notched up their third win in four matches in the only game to take place in Northern Division. They moved themselves up to eighth in the table with a 1-0 victory over Leicester City, with Olivia Mitcham notching the only goal of the game with four minutes of time to go.
The aircraft parachute is one of the coolest aviation safety technologies of recent years. In the event of trouble—an engine failure, a collision, loss of control—yank a lever, watch a chute blast out of the fuselage, and float safely to the ground. It's a clever system credited with saving more than 300 lives since its introduction more than a decade ago. But it's not terribly sophisticated. The pilot is at the mercy of gravity and wind, and could land in the ocean, on a freeway, or on a mountainside far from help. Diamond Aircraft says it has a better idea: an autonomous system that takes over in an emergency, flies the plane to an airport, and lands it safely. It sounds fanciful, but the German firm, which manufactures small single- and twin-engine aircraft, recently made a successful landing using technology it's spent a few years developing. Diamond calls it an "electronic parachute," though it's actually an advanced autopilot, and it follows a trend we're seeing in cars, where automakers are packing their cars with more active safety systems to minimize the risk of a crash and increase the odds of surviving one unscathed. Instead of letting the plane float gently to the ground and land wherever, the system guides the plane to a runway. Company CEO Christian Dries says the underlying navigation system is sophisticated enough to guide the plane not just to the nearest airport—which might be a remote, unattended airfield—but to a staffed airport, with people who can help. The key to the system is an ability to discern if the pilot is incapacitated. In this way, it mirrors technology designed to recognize a pilot suffering from hypoxia (a lack of oxygen, which can happen if the plane's oxygen system fails). If the software detects a problem—for example, the pilot fails to take the proper steps to begin a descent toward the airport—it emits an audio alert instructing the pilot to respond. If the pilot fails to do so, "the system will follow a kind of decision tree" before taking control of the plane. But whereas a hypoxia system is designed to guide the plane to a lower altitude (where richer air would revive the pilot), Diamond's technology will actually land the plane. Of course, this won't save a plane in the event of engine failure or a midair collision, that's where the more conventional aircraft parachute does its best work. Still, loss of control by the pilot is the leading cause of fatal accidents in the US, so Diamond's system has real potential. Dries says it should hit the market next year as an option on Diamond airplanes, and add about 10 percent to the cost of the aircraft. That's another $80,000 to $100,000 when added to a nice twin-engine plane. Pricey, yes, but few will mind paying for the piece of mind when they're already spending close to $1 million, says Larry Anglisano, editor of Aviation Consumer magazine. That said, the tech will have detractors. "I suspect any type of small airplane autonomy—no matter the margin of safety—will be dismissed by old-school pilots who grew up in the day of stick and rudder,” Anglisano says. As with cars, there will always be those who believe they're better than the machine.
The Seattle metro area had one of the largest median rent increases in the country in 2017, and it's going to continue in 2018. That's according to a new analysis by Zillow. Seattle median rents increased 5.4 percent in 2017 to $2,203 per month. That increased trails only Sacramento (7.5 percent) and Riverside, Calif., (6.2%) as the highest rent increases in the nation. Median rents in Seattle are forecast to go up another 5.4% in 2018. Nationwide, median rent went up 2.4 percent in the past year while incomes rose at 2.5 percent. The median rent in America is a record $1,435. The median value of a home in the Seattle metro area is $463,800, up 12.3 percent over the past year. It's expected to go up another 5.4 percent in 2018. Inventory is way down in the Seattle area. Zillow says there is 20.8 percent fewer homes for sale now than a year ago. Copyright 2017 KING
Three weeks ago, Alex Tabarrok found an intriguing post by high-frequency trader Chris Stuccio. The idea is very elegant: if you want to stop high-frequency traders extracting rents from the market, there’s an easy way to do so — you just allow stocks to trade in increments of much less than a penny. Matt Levine puts it well: right now, he says, “because you can’t be outbid by another bidder within the same penny increment, you get free money by just getting there first”. If high-frequency traders could compete on price rather than just on speed, then a lot of the silly arms-race stuff would be replaced by better prices for investors. It’s a serious proposal, so I was glad to see that Matthew Philips wrote it up for Businessweek. But after starting off well, Philips ends up joking about it, and refusing to adjudicate between Stucchio and his on-the-other-hand trader, Ben Van Vliet. The fact is that on the face of things, Stuccio is undeniably correct. Here’s the chart, from Credit Suisse via Cardiff Garcia: The y-axis shows the bid-offer spread on any given stock, in basis points; the x-axis shows the price of the stock, in dollars. Clearly, there’s an artificial clustering around that curve. For a lot of stocks trading at less than $50 a share, the market would happily provide bid-offer spreads of less than a penny if it could; but it can’t. And when stocks get really cheap, the bid-offer spread becomes enormous. For instance, an eye-popping 3.766 billion shares of Citigroup were traded on December 17, 2009, when the stock fell 7.25% to $3.20. At that level, a one-penny bid-offer spread is equivalent to a whopping 31 basis points; if Apple traded at a 31bp spread, then its bid-offer spread would be almost $2. Clearly, the traders were the big winners when Citi was trading at a very low dollar price — if you make the assumption that traders capture half the bid-offer spread on each trade, then the traders made almost $20 million trading Citigroup alone, in one day. On the other hand, it seems that the market almost never trades stocks at a bid-offer spread much below 2bp. Which in turn means that for stocks over $50 per share, we’re pretty much already living in Stuccio’s ideal world, where the spread is determined by traders, rather than by an artificial rule barring increments of less than a penny. Which brings me to my theory: that companies deliberately price their shares at less than $50, as a way of greasing their relationship with Wall Street a little bit. Back at the end of 2010, I was very confused by the fact that Facebook had done a 5-for-1 stock split, reducing its share price from about $75 to about $15. But in hindsight, maybe it was all part of its IPO preparations: you almost never see stocks go public at more than $50 per share. Here’s a question for the data geeks out there: did nominal share prices decline after the stock market moved to penny pricing in 2000? If so, that would support my argument: that Wall Street manages to engineer stock prices so that it makes good money trading shares. And companies are generally happy to go along with Wall Street on this: most stocks trade at $50 per share or less. It’s true that a lot of the rents from the sub-penny rule and low nominal share prices are captured not by Wall Street proper but rather by HFT shops. But all Wall Street banks have some kind of HFT operation of their own, and in general it’s probably fair to say that the lower the nominal share price, the more money that Wall Street makes. And conversely, the higher a company’s nominal share price, the less beholden it feels towards Wall Street. To put it another way: the sub-penny rule is a way of allowing companies to price their stock so that Wall Street can make good money trading it. And we don’t need Stuccio’s rule, since it can effectively be implemented just by pricing your stock above $50 per share. If the companies don’t want to subsidize Wall Street, all they need to do is price their stock higher. And if companies do want to provide this hidden subsidy to Wall Street, maybe they should be allowed to do so.
Nintendo is bringing The Legend of Zelda to a series of escape rooms touring the United States, offering fans a chance to experience the world of Hyrule in real-life. Nintendo will partner with escape-room designer SCRAP to bring "Defenders of the Triforce" to eight cities beginning Jan. 31. Now’s your chance to experience the exploration & puzzle solving of #Zelda in one legendary real-life adventure. Get excited! #SCRAPZelda pic.twitter.com/RJ0j6NILgk — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) November 16, 2016 According to a news release, participants will work together in teams of six to solve a mystery set in a large space. Players will "interact with classic items and characters seen in The Legend of Zelda series like the Goron, Zora and Kokiri tribes," the statement said. "Discovered items can be used to solve puzzles and move forward into other areas, just like in The Legend of Zelda games." The tour dates and locations so far are: San Francisco – Jan. 31-Feb. 5 Los Angeles – Feb. 10-12 San Diego – Feb. 24-25 Seattle – TBA Phoenix – TBA Houston – TBA Chicago – TBA New York – TBA Ticket information and more can be found here.
Sharks to be shot and discarded offshore under catch and kill policy Updated The tender for the State Government's baited drum line strategy reveals sharks bigger than three metres will be shot and discarded offshore. Earlier this month, the Government announced an aggressive policy in response to six fatal attacks in WA waters over the past two years. The changes include setting baited drum lines and creating two monitored zones off WA, covering metropolitan beaches and large areas of the South West coast. The tender request stipulates that any white shark, tiger shark or bull shark greater than three-metres in length, which is caught on the drum lines, will be "humanely destroyed". The Opposition says the tender indicates the strategy is aimed at culling sharks. The Government denies the measures amount to a cull, saying it is only targeting sharks that pose a threat to the public. Labor's Dave Kelly says the tender indicates otherwise because it stipulates that lines will be baited at 6:00 pm. "I don't think you can argue that baiting the drum lines before dark when the beaches will be empty, is anything other than a measure designed to reduce shark numbers," he said. "Sharks who are swimming past the coast of Western Australia at two o'clock in the morning don't pose a threat to the public." Mr Kelly says the tender does not suggest ways to minimise the risk to other species. "I would have thought at a bare minimum the tender documents would require the successful commercial operator to take reasonable steps to prevent other marine species to be caught up in the drum lines," he said. "That isn't anywhere in the tender documents that I can see." Fisheries Minister Ken Baston says contracted vessels will monitor designated areas and apply baits to ensure constant protection during any 24 hour period. He says the baits will be changed when required. Commercial fishers have until January 3 to apply for the contract. Open letter calls for cull to be abandoned Yesterday, 100 scientists co-signed an open letter to the State Government calling on it to abandon the cull of sharks and adopt non-lethal measures to protect beach goers. Shark biologist Ryan Kempster has told the ABC that scientists do not think it is good policy. He says investment in research would be more effective than a shark cull. "This is really a chance to bring together the scientific community and professionals who work with sharks to voice their concerns about the lethal control of sharks," he said. "It really states that this is not an appropriate way of dealing with sharks and mitigating the risk of attack." Mr Kempster says there a number of concerns with the policy. "The drum lines alone are essentially indiscriminate; they will attract and kill any animal that bites at the hook, so this could be sharks, turtles, a number of different fish so you don't know what you're attracting," he said. "Then also when you have dead animals hanging on the line this attracts in more so essentially you're attracting more animals to the area." Topics: shark, perth-6000, bunbury-6230, margaret-river-6285 First posted
Photos by Paolo Martelli Italy definitely provided some of the best pre-race meals we've ever seen. Myles giving the assist to Lindsey. Pinning numbers is an art form. Myles has pinned A LOT. It's important to "Stay Loose" before a race. At the end of the day, we're all doing something we love. Win or lose the experience is what matters. This was the first time State Bicycle Co. had a female competitor in the Red Hook Crit Series. Addison awaits qualifying in his FIRST race with the State Bicycle Co. team. Josh, Myles, and Michael were in the LAST and FASTEST qualifying group. Unfortunately qualifying was paused after a few BAD crashes. Only 85 spots and 200+ riders, these guys are risking everything to make it to the "main event". The delay made for a LONG day for the riders. Michael spent the time between Red Hook Crit - Barcelona and Red Hook Crit - Milan on the road in Europe. Racing and training with pro-teams. After 7+ weeks on the road, sleeping in airports and 4 crashes along the way, the time away from home started to take a mental toll. "The Americans" stick together. Traveling from race to race abroad has established a camaraderie with our fellow countrymen from the MASH SF team. "Catch Me If You Can" - Another new-comer to the team, Canadian, Josh Tyrrell put up the FASTEST qualifying time on the team! Josh is the TALLEST member on the team. Myles is the shortest. We thought this made for a good image. Red Hook Crit is known for its unique and picturesque settings. Milan once-again didn't disappoint. Lindsey rounds the corner. Milano. Josh was in the lead group from start to finish, ultimately ending in 20th amongst some World-Class cyclists. Addison and Josh make their way through the roundabout. The amount of talent at each of the Red Hook Crit events continues to grow. Milan was the fastest race to date. Keeping in mind that riders are expected to navigate turns, chicanes, hair-pins and pro-level speeds, leads us to have the utmost respect to all of the competitors participating. 2014 was a great year and we can't wait for the 2015 series!
5M project: The first effort to return soil from Mars! Special report by Anatoly Zak; Editor: Alain Chabot In the 1970s, the Soviet space industry made the first serious attempt to develop spacecraft capable of bringing a piece of Mars back to Earth. After several years of intensive efforts, the top-secret 5M project was abandoned in the face of numerous technical challenges and, like many other unrealized Soviet space dreams, it had remained under wraps for decades. This section will re-tell the story of the 5M project in unprecedented detail. Previous chapter: Soviet missions to Mars The 5M project envisioned an unprecedented salvo launch of two Proton rockets within seconds of each other. HISTORY OF 5M PROJECT Retailoring 5M from the N1 rocket to Proton After the cancellation of the N1 development in 1974, the Mars sample return mission had to be downsized to fit onto the much smaller Proton rocket. To make it possible, the mission was initially split among three Proton boosters... Final design of the 5M mission When the three-launch scenario proved to be too complicated, the 5M mission was drastically re-designed to work with just two Protons. The resulting two-spacecraft 5M complex consisted of the "passive" 11S824M space tug carrying the Martian vehicle and the 11S86 "active" space tug. Development and cancellation From the outset, the 5M project faced multiple technical challenges. The dismal success rate of early Soviet Mars probes left little hope that a far more complex two-way mission to the Red Planet had a realistic chance to succeed. After a huge expense of funds and engineering effort, the 5M project was cancelled on Nov. 17, 1977. 5M FLIGHT SCENARIO From the publisher: Pace of our development depends primarily on the level of support from our readers! Launch and rendezvous The extremely complex flight scenario for the 5M mission was unlike anything else attempted in the space exploration history. The dual mission would begin with a salvo launch of two Proton rockets from adjoining launch pads in Tyuratam. Cruising to Mars The 5M mission would spend around 11 months cruising from the Earth to Mars. Nearly 30 days before approaching the Red Planet, all the batteries of the cruise module, the landing platform and the return vehicle would be fully charged and ready for the ultimate action. Landing on Mars On approach to Mars, the lander would separate from the cruise module. The 5M spacecraft would land on Mars using only its umbrella braking device followed by the rocket-assisted descent. No parachute system typical for all other Mars missions, was to be used in the 5M mission scenario. Operations on the surface Once on the surface, the lander would have to conduct the drilling and gathering of samples, followed by the even more complex task of determining its position on the planet, in order to chart its journey back to Earth.
Millions upon millions of people have bought and sold items on Craigslist without a problem. But that doesn't mean that horror stories involving the service are unknown, as Anthony Mott understands very well. Last year, the Jefferson County homeowner was tied up, threatened with a knife and robbed by two men who responded to a Craigslist ad, one of whom Mott managed to kill after freeing himself. Now, David Mascarenas, the surviving partner in crime, has pleaded guilty and faces decades behind bars for his role in this nightmare scenario. Here's how it happened, as we reported in our previous coverage. At 9:05 a.m. on January 24, 2016, a Jefferson County Sheriff's Office dispatcher was alerted to what the JCSO characterized as "a disturbance" on the 5400 block of South Taft Court. Immediately thereafter, more 911 callers spoke about shots fired.
Better hydraulic performance: due to improved design up to 20% higher flow compared to EK-Supreme HF Better cooling performance: up to 2°C lower CPU temperatures compared to EK-Supreme HF EK Water Blocks, premium water cooling gear manufacturer, is proud to introduce the new, Clean CSQ design EK-Supremacy flagship performance universal CPU water block. Same great performance in a refreshed new outfit! These long awaited newcomes are the direct result of EK Thinkcell - collaboration between water cooling community and EK Water Blocks.EK-Supremacy is a result of round clock development, years of experience and rigorous testing. As a new EK flagship this product again combines top hydraulic and thermal performance. It is an universal CPU water block that fits all modern CPU sockets and comes with an universal mounting mechanism that offers error-preventing, tool-less installation. The result is a perfect installation which results in perfect performance every time. EK-Supremacy is truly the best product for performance seeking enthusiasts.EK-Supremacy is a successor of the legendary EK-Supreme HF water block launched in 2010. Its main improvements are:The EK-Supremacy cooling engine uses similar, yet refined as per needs of modern microprocessors, fin design as its ancestor. The cooling liquid accelerates through jet plate's nozzle and turbulently continues its path through numerous very thin channels which provide extreme cooling surface area. Specifically designed and carefully machined copper base (sometimes referred to as 'cold plate') is made from purest copper available on the market and is further polished to absolute mirror finish. This alone greatly improves the cooling performance of EK-Supremacy.EK-Supremacy is also the first CPU water block on the market which has been optimized for every modern CPU platform independently with the use of different type of jet plates to ensure the best contact with the CPU integrated heat spreader (IHS). These jet plates of different shape and thickness are enclosed with the product.The new, Clean CSQ variants of EK-Supremacy - again - come in four different flavours (Copper Plexi, Copper Acetal, Nickel Plexi, Nickel Acetal) and are readily available for purchase through EK Webshop and Partner Reseller Network. Please note that these products will not replace the original EK-Supremacy series water blocks which will remain in production.Existing EK-Supremacy users will also be able to purchase a replacement POM Acetal or Acrylic Clean CSQ water block top (MSRP 14.95€ incl. VAT) in order to achieve the very same refreshed look.
With this in mind I contacted ASSAP and asked for the details. The results of the YouGov poll commissioned by ASSAP were then make available to view on their website. I think this is important because if you’re making big claims – especially in the media – you ought to make the information that backs your claims up available for people to study. It’s wrong to insist people take you at your word on something like this. Yet, even with the ASSAP poll results now to hand, it was still difficult to work out exactly what 2005 & 2009 studies these results were comparable to, because the questions asked did not match any previous poll questions that I could find. I turned to other researchers to see if they were aware of any 2005 & 2009 polls that I wasn’t, but they too could find nothing that was comparative. I again approached ASSAP for clarification, and was told that the results had been compared to a 2005 Gallup poll and a 2009 Comres poll. This was baffling. View the 2013 ASSAP poll results online by clicking here. View the 2009 Comres poll results online by clicking here. View the 2005 Gallup poll results online by clicking here. The ASSAP poll, run by YouGov, asked participants ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?’ – ‘I believe some people have experienced ghosts (i.e. seen, heard, smelt or otherwise sensed the spirit of a deceased person or animal)’ – I believe some people have witnessed UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) that have an extraterrestrial origin. Participants then selected that they either ‘strongly disagree’, ‘disagree’, ‘slightly disagree’, ‘slightly agree’, ‘agree’, ‘strongly agree’ or ‘not sure’. The Comres poll asked people ‘do you believe in the following?‘ -Life after Death -The human soul -Heaven -Astrology/Horoscopes -Ghosts -Fortune Telling/Tarot -Reincarnation The Gallup poll asked participants ‘For each of the following items please tell me whether it is something you believe in, something you’re not sure about, or something you don’t believe in.’ Participants then had to apply these three options to this list of things: -That houses can be haunted -Astrology, or that the position of the stars and planets can affect people’s lives – That extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth at some time in the past -That people can hear from or communicate mentally with someone who has died -Witches . You can see, just by glancing at the approach each poll took to their subject, that each poll is quite different and that the questions and available answers are wide open to interpretation. For example, the Comres poll lists both ‘the human soul’ and ‘ghosts’ as two different things you may or may not believe in, but many might suggest these were the same. The other polls do not make this split. The Gallup poll makes no mention of ghost whatsoever, and only talks about haunted houses… a topic that I’m sure many will agree is complex. . If you are asked to say you either ‘believe’, ‘aren’t sure’ or ‘don’t believe’ that ‘houses can be haunted’ by a 2005 poll, but in 2013 are asked if you ‘strongly disagree’, ‘disagree’, ‘slightly disagree’, ‘slightly agree’, ‘agree’, ‘strongly agree’ or are ‘not sure’ that ‘some people have experienced ghosts’, are you really answering similar questions – the answers to which are comparative? I’m inclined to say no. Haunted House ≠ Ghosts in everybody’s mind, and that isn’t the only problem here. . If you have three options ‘believe’, ‘not sure’, ‘don’t believe’ when it comes to haunted houses, but have more answer options when it comes to people experiencing ghosts, what was a ‘believe’ in haunted houses could suddenly become a ‘slightly agree’ that people experience ghosts, and what was a ‘don’t believe’ in haunted houses could also become a ‘slightly agree’ too. YouGov appear to use a 5 point linkert scaling system and it seems that ‘slightly agree’ and ‘agree’ would both be counted as positive answers (i.e. that support the idea belief is rising), so if what was negative in the Gallup poll turns into a ‘slightly agree’ on the YouGov poll, then of course it will seem as though more people believe in the paranormal than before, but that doesn’t mean this is necessarily happening. . With all of this in mind I don’t think saying that the 2013 poll indicates that belief has risen in comparison to these earlier polls is a safe or trustworthy conclusion. I can imagine that belief may indeed have risen considering how easily accessible information about ghosts and the paranormal is nowadays, and how often society is bombarded with pseudo-scientific information about ‘ghost evidence’ and ‘ghost hunting’ and so on, but I’m just speculating here. . I asked ASSAP why the 2005 & 2009 polls were chosen as comparison polls and was told that it was YouGov themselves that made this selection. When I voiced my concerns about the validity of these comparisons I was told:
The Rev. K.W. Tulloss was a 9th grader at Locke High School in South Los Angeles in April 1992 when a jury, with no black members, acquitted four white police officers of beating Rodney King. That verdict touched off days of rioting, looting and violence that left more than 55 people dead. The riots were concentrated in South L.A. but spread to other communities including downtown L.A., Koreatown, Hollywood, Pasadena and the San Fernando Valley. That tragic stain on the area is something Tulloss will never forget. “I remember walking home the day of the verdict and the tension in the air. I remember it like it was yesterday,” he said Monday. Tulloss went on to recall watching a gas station, supermarkets and other buildings burn in the unrest that caused an estimated $1 billion in damage. “I felt the heat from the fires, literally, that penetrated my mother’s car as we drove by,” he said. Tulloss, now 39, serves as the western regional director of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization. He said members of the group’s Los Angeles chapter will join a rally, march and festival planned for April 29, the 25th anniversary of the start of the riots. “This march will hopefully serve as a reminder to our community of where we’ve come from but also a reminder of where we need to be going as a people,” Tulloss stated. • RELATED PHOTOS: The 1992 L.A. Riots, a look back on 25th anniversary The public event called Future Fest is being coordinated by Building Healthy Communities — South LA, a program funded by the private nonprofit California Endowment. The march is expected to begin at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Florence and Normandie avenues, the original flashpoint of the unrest. It will end at 81st Street and Vermont Avenue, capped by an afternoon of entertainment from 1 to 5 p.m. featuring yet-to-be-announced talent. “Join us in committing to working towards a future that is innovative, inclusive and rooted in community-led transformation,” organizers wrote in an online announcement. While some in the community welcome the event, others are skeptical it will really accomplish anything. Among the skeptics is community activist Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable. “Marches and rallies, certainly we’ve had a number of them in the last 25 years through South L.A. for everything under the sun,” Hutchinson stated. He said it was essential for event organizers to adopt a strategic approach that would force business and government leaders to take concrete steps toward rebuilding South L.A. “Challenge all of them, as they said they were going to do 25 years ago, to actually fulfill some of the promises,” Hutchinson urged. “Business development, hiring, contracting … providing more low-income senior housing — these are the kinds of things that make a difference in South L.A.” Statistics show much of South L.A. continues to suffer from economic hardship. The poverty rate in the area stands at 33.6 percent, more than double the rest of California, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Per capita income is $11,145, almost two-thirds lower than in the rest of the state. Since 1992 the demographic makeup of the area has shifted from majority African American to 74 percent Latino, according to U.S. Census figures. “You have to ask yourself what’s changed, other than the color of poverty,” Hutchinson said. Hutchinson and Tulloss did cite some improvement in the last quarter-century in one key point of conflict behind the riots — relations between the African-American community and police. “We can point to some progress, ironically, with the LAPD, a much more ethnically-diverse and gender-diverse LAPD than was certainly there 25 years ago,” Hutchinson noted. “Use of deadly force — it’s been up and down — but not to the extent that we saw 25 years ago. There’s much more community engagement.” Despite that improvement, Tulloss said some scars remain. “I remember the buildings being burned down,” he said. “There’s a whole lot of empty lots still that serve as reminders of the tragedy of that civil unrest.”
By Chris LaBate Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada - A Canadian attendance record was broken, with 17,750 screaming fans packing the venue to watch Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32KOs) make history with a twelve round unanimous decision over Jean Pascal (26-2, 16KOs) to capture the WBC/IBO light heavyweight titles. The scores were 115-113, 116-112 and 115-114. Hopkins gets revenge after fighting Pascal to a controversial twelve round draw in December. Hopkins, at age 46, becomes the oldest fighter in boxing history to win a world title - breaking the record set by a 45-year-old George Foreman in 1994 when he knocked out Michael Moorer to win the heavyweight crown. They were feeling eachother out in the first round and the pace was slow. They began to take more chances in the second round, but it was still fought at a slow pace with very few punches being thrown and landed by either boxer. In the third round, both boxers had their moments, but it was Hopkins who landed a good right hand to shake Pascal up. Pascal came back in the fourth round, when he opened up with combinations to push Hopkins back around the ring. In the final twenty seconds, Pascal rocked Hopkins with a hard right hook to send the crowd into a frenzy. In the fifth, Pascal caught Hopkins with a hard combination. Hopkins was trading with Pascal at times and using rough tactics to frustrate the champion. Hopkins closed well with a good flurry. Hopkins was leading with right hands in the sixth. He dominated the action with right hands that were finding their mark every time. In the seventh, Pascal was angry with some of Hopkins tactics and went after the veteran. He was taunting Hopkins and trying to bait him into a fight. Hopkins continued to throw right hand leads. Hopkins continued his domination in the eight round, with the same right hand leads. Pascal could not figure out a way to prevent Hopkins from landing his right hand. In the ninth, Hopkins was still landing his right hand and started to mix it up by landing the left hook. In the tenth, Hopkins was outboxing Pascal with movement and right hands. Hopkins landed a hard right hand that almost twisted Pascal around. The champion was being dominated for nearly the entire three minutes. The eleventh round was very rough with a lot of holding and grappling. They were trading punches at the end of the round. Pascal started a rally in the final twenty seconds but Hopkins was smothering a lot of the punches by holding him close. They were holding at the start of the twelfth round. They were trading punches in the second minute. Hopkins was more than willing to trade with the younger man. In the final minute, Pascal rocked him again with the right hand. Hopkins held on and got himself out of trouble. Pascal made the mistake of not following up to further hurt Hopkins.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel points the way to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) after a press conference at the chancellery in Berlin on October 21, 2015. Germany severely condemned a new Israeli law which enables the expropriation of private Palestinian land on Wednesday, saying that that the law's enactment by the Knesset on Monday has shaken Germany's faith in Israel's commitment to peace. >>> Get all updates on Israel and the Palestinians: Download our free App, and Subscribe >>> "Many in Germany who stand by Israel and feel great commitment toward it find themselves deeply disappointed by this move," the German Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. "Our trust in the Israeli government's commitment to the two-state solution has been fundamentally shaken ," he said. The new law allows the state to declare private Palestinian land on which settlements or outposts were built, “in good faith or at the state’s instruction” as government property, and deny its owners the right to use or hold those lands until there is a diplomatic resolution of the status of the territories. >>> Explained: Israel's controversial new land-grab law and why it matters >>> The measure provides a mechanism for compensating Palestinians whose lands will be seized. A landowner can receive an annual usage payment of 125 percent of the land’s value as determined by an assessment committee for renewable periods of 20 years, or an alternate plot of land if this is possible, whichever he chooses. Keep updated: Sign up to our newsletter Email * Please enter a valid email address Sign up Please wait… Thank you for signing up. We've got more newsletters we think you'll find interesting. Click here Oops. Something went wrong. Please try again later. Try again Thank you, The email address you have provided is already registered. Close Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit continues to oppose the bill, and figures in his circle stressed that he does not intend to defend it, even in its current formulation, in the event that petitions against it are filed in the High Court of Justice. skip - fb share button Sharing is caring. Spread the word In his remarks, the German spokesperson noted Mendelblit's reservations regarding the law and said that it would be best to legally examine the law as soon as possible. "We hope and look forward to the Israeli government renewing its commitment for the two-state solution to be reached through negotiations, and prove it by actual steps in accordance with the Middle East Quartet's demand," he said. "After the puzzling remarks by several cabinet ministers who have publicly called for the annexation of parts of the West Bank, and are preparing bills for that purpose, this is now a question of credibility," he said. Germany's strong remarks joined criticism of the law by the European Union, Britain, France, Turkey, Jordan and the UN secretary general, who have all spoken out against the law in the past two days. France called on Israel to "take back" the law "to honor its international commitments" and Britain said the law "damages Israel’s standing with its international partners" and threatens "the viability of the two-state solution." At the same time, a summit between Israel and the European Union scheduled for February 28 had been postponed following the passage of the controversial law, diplomats told Haaretz. The meeting was meant to mark the tightened cooperation between Israel and the EU and to set out a work plan and priorities for improving relations between the sides. The U.S., for its part, has kept silent about the new law. A senior official said the U.S. will not respond until Israel's Supreme Court rules on the petition against the law. "This is the first time since 1967 that Israeli civil law is being applied directly to the West Bank, and that Israel's attorney general has stated publicly that he will not defend it in court," he said.
Russian President offered his best Christmas wishes to all Orthodox Christians; Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7 in accordance with the Julian calendar. VORONEZH, January 7 (Sputnik) — Russian President Vladimir Putin wished all Orthodox Christians a merry Christmas; the holiday is celebrated on January 7 by most Russians, in accordance with the Julian calendar. © Sputnik / Alexei Druzhinin Putin Addresses the Nation With Annual New Year's Speech The president celebrated this year's Christmas in the village of Otradnoye near the southern Russian city of Voronezh, where he attended a service at the local Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin. Putin personally thanked the church's rector, Archpriest Gennady Zaridze, for his efforts in restoring the church and the church-run orphanage. The president also visited the local parish house, which has housed some 980 refugees from Ukraine's Donbas since an armed conflict broke out in the region in April. The Otradnoye church was built more than a century ago but closed in 1930 and was used as a grain storage facility until 1991, when it was transferred back to the diocese and restoration began.
Expect A Sudden Sea Level Event Are you ready for rapid sea level rise? New science from Texas warns it can happen. We talk with lead author Pankaj Khanna. From Canada, a world expert on sea level rise and melting glaciers joins us: Dr. Richard Peltier. We wrap with a recording of Cenk Uygur of Young Turks, on “the big dark”. Radio Ecoshock 171101 New science says the present gradual sea level rise is no guide to the future. Despite the models and the IPCC, during past warming events seas rose very quickly, swamping coastal land. We could have up to three meters higher arrive not just this century, but any decade now. Nobody is prepared for that. Not China, the U.S., not Bangladesh, nobody. We’ll explore the new warning with the lead author, Pankaj Khanna. But sea level rise will be unevenly distributed because land is still adjusting to liberation from the weight of massive glaciers. New England shores are sinking for geologic reasons, even as the seas rise. But rising land in some parts of Alaska makes it look like sea levels are falling there. Looking into the depths of the Earth we know why, partly due to the life work of our other guest, from Canada Dr. Richard Peltier. In the end, we’ll explore “The big dark” with rising You tube news commentator Cenk Uygur, host of The Young Turks. He says what we all are bursting to say about the news and climate change. I’m Alex Smith. Welcome to Radio Ecoshock. Download or listen to this Radio Ecoshock show in CD Quality (57 MB) or Lo-Fi (14 MB) http://www.ecoshock.net/downloads/ES_171101_Show.mp3 DICK PELTIER – ICE AND RISING SEAS Before we get to the startling news about rapid sea level change events, let’s find the background on how this strange planet really works. Our first guest invented the formula that determines the relationship between glacial ice cover and sea level, in any climate, including our future. Sometimes my curiosity backs me into corners much deeper than I am. Of course, that is why we call on world experts to bail us out. This time, I was reading an article in the magazine of the Smithsonian Institution which claimed that melting glaciers are causing havoc. More perplexing glaciers which vanished over 10,000 years ago will add to the rising seas of climate change – in some place, but bring falling seas in others. Does the Earth’s crust have an active memory? That was a good article by Jenny Chen in September 2016. But who could straighten out those mysteries of ghost glaciers? The article points to a Canadian scientist who founded a way to measure and predict all that. Dr. Richard Peltier is a man with many titles. Located in Canada, he’s Professor of Physics at the University of Toronto. Peltier is the Director of the Centre for Global Change Science. He’s been the Principal Investigator of the Polar Climate Stability Network, and Scientific Director of something called SciNet. You can find a Wiki entry about him here. Peltier is a man who looks inside things – like waves moving deep inside the ocean; and the “Physics of the planetary interior”. Despite his pivotal role in global research into glaciers, he prefers to be called “Dick”. We start with New England, where we have lots of listeners. Anybody who lives near the shore there knows it’s changing because the sea is rising. But it’s rising faster in New England than in other places around the world seaside. Why? You could say it’s due to the ghost of glaciers past. Or you could say Earth has a long memory. Ice a couple of miles thick covered a lot of North America until about 20,000 years ago. This squashes down the surface of the Earth below it. We’ve learned that the core of the Earth is liquid, but the outer layer is “solid”. But scientists have discovered this “solid” Mantle can still flow like a liquid, slowly, when it is compressed by great weight for a long period of times (like tens of thousands of years). When the surface was pushed down a couple of hundred feet below the mighty glaciers, the land around the edges was pushed UP. That happens to include the New England shoreline. With that weight removed, the crust is slowly re-adjusting: the under-glacier lands are rising, but those boundary areas that were forced up are slowly sinking again. So places like New England face a double dose of sea level rise: it’s going up because of climate change, and it appears to be going up because the land there is sinking (called “subsidence”). The opposite can happen as well. There are a few places where sea levels are falling, despite climate change. The land is simply rising up, whether due to glacial changes, or due to volcanic and plate shifting, like some places in Alaska. Climate change deniers love this, trying to say “See the sea levels are falling, so climate change isn’t real.” But now we know the mechanics of all this, and yes the global seas are in general rising, no matter what the land is doing. I love this interview with Dick Peltier for a lot of reasons. He explains how our planet works, especially the hidden parts we never see. For example, I understood why the continents can move, even on an allegedly solid crust. Or… did you know there are ocean waves not just on the surface, but deep down in the sea? Spend some time with this one. In the interview he refers to: “free oscillations of the earth”. You can look that up here. We also discuss other research domains of climate change and the Arctic, to explore a parallel problem. A few years ago, UK Geo-hazards expert Dr. Bill McGuire published his book “Waking the Giant“. He said land rising from the weight of glaciers triggers already existing fault lines into more earthquakes, or volcanoes into eruptions. Download or listen to this 29 minute interview with Dr. Dick Peltier in CD Quality or Lo-Fi http://www.ecoshock.net/downloads/ES_Peltier.mp3 PANKAJ KHANNA – WHEN THE SEA COMES UP SUDDENLY Now we will hear the news that governments, the public, and most scientists have not yet digested. Sea level does not creep up regularly as shown on all our charts. During warming, it can rapidly rise in steps, steps that could easily displace hundreds of millions of people in a few decades, and rearrange the world as we know it. Over the past few centuries, humans have recorded a predictable and relatively gradual rise of the oceans. But a new study from scientists at Rice University warn that isn’t how climate change worked in the past. Mapping out extinct coral reefs off the coast of Texas revealed a warning: seas can and do rise in sudden steps. Dr. James Hansen told us we could see up to three meters of sea level rise by the end of this century. I don’t have to tell you what that means for global cities built on coast-lines, or the human project in general. But how do we know this can happen? Pankaj Khanna is the lead author of a paper published in Nature Communications October 19, 2017. The title is “Coralgal reef morphology records punctuated sea-level rise during the last deglaciation“. Pankaj got his Masters at the University of New Delhi, before traveling to Rice University in Texas for his PhD, where he has worked extensively with Professor Andre W. Droxler. Pankaj Khanna Through the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Rice University team got use of the exploration ship RV Falkor. It has super radar mapping capabilities for the sea bottom. They discovered and mapped out a series of now-extinct coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. Each reef contained a series of plateaus or steps. The largest was the oldest reef and the deepest. Coral likes to be at a certain depth, which gives it the right amount of light and nutrients. If the seas rise slowly over thousands of years, corals attempt to build upwards – but the energy to build upwards leaves them less ability to expand. So each step up leads to a smaller plateau. But if the seas rise too quickly, the corals cannot keep up, and go extinct. That happened at least five times in the area studied. The scientists were able to pin down how fast those seas rose, leading to a startling conclusion. During times of deglaciation (like now) the seas do not rise up gradually, but experience relatively rapid increases, punctuated by pauses. During the interview we learn how all this works and why. In geology there is a saying that the present is the key to the past. But not so in sea level rise, says Khanna. We now know that sea level can come up quickly, perhaps a meter or two within a couple of decades. The reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change do not reflect this new science. Governments, if they plan on sea level rise at all, do not plan for this. This science projects that we can expect, during this century, to find a rapid sea level rise event. Coastal cities will flood, and millions of people, perhaps hundreds of millions of people, will have to flee. I think that’s science that needs to get out there fast. Please repost, reTweet, do what you gotta do, to rethink and react to a coming rapid sea level change. You can use this smaller link to pass on the fast-playing Lo-Fi audio of Khanna on Radio Ecoshock: http://tinyurl.com/yde9k7kk Download or listen to this 24 minute interview with Pankaj Khanna in CD Quality or Lo-Fi http://www.ecoshock.net/downloads/ES_Khanna.mp3 THE BIG DARK WITH THE YOUNG TURKS Recently a massive atmospheric river covered the Pacific Ocean, from Asia to North America. It was a line of storms seldom seen. TV weather forecasters were mystified. What could it be? I play you the audio from a You tube video by Cenk Uygur, host of the Young Turks. He says what we’ve all been thinking, or maybe yelling at our TV sets during mainstream reporting of extreme weather events all over the world. Tytnetwork.com bills itself as “the largest online news show in the world”. Cenk Uygur is part of the reason why I check their show “The Young Turks” out on a regular basis. Find that video here on You tube. THIS ISN’T NORMAL! “Normal” TV weather casting sucks so badly. We just had amazing record heat in California at the end of October. When it’s over 100 degrees day after day in California, it’s way too late to deny climate change is real. Then we have very strong storms (can you say “extreme weather event”) in New England. And of course the American press doesn’t even bother reporting even stronger storms in Germany and Eastern Europe. In the port of Hamburg the seas were more than a meter above normal, flooding the fish market. Millions lost power, with flooding all over. It’s NOT NORMAL!! Thank you for listening this week, and my thanks to everyone who supports this show. Many of you did make donations, or signed up as subscribing listeners. Frankly, I got enough to cover the costs of producing and distributing the program, but not enough to actually pay me any kind of wage for doing this. Oh well, I love the opportunity you give me to talk with such brilliant people. Plus, I just can’t quit while a series of threats are so plainly developing. On with the show! If you can still help, please find out how here. Please tell your friends and your electronic friends about Radio Ecoshock. That helps get the word out too.
A homeowner in Texas fatally shot her neighbor who tried to break into her home, authorities said. A mortally wounded Marci Green, 38, was found by deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office soon after they were called to the River Plantation home at about 9:15 p.m. Saturday, the Houston Chronicle reports. The unidentified homeowner claimed the alleged intruder tried to enter through the front door before giving up and making an attempt at the back door. “She actually opened the screen door and started coming in the back door,” Montgomery County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Wayne Mack told the newspaper. “The homeowner advised her to not come in the house and feared for her life.” The homeowner fired one round, striking Green in the chest. She was later pronounced dead at the Conroe Regional Medical Center, KTRK reports. The homeowner was not injured during the incident, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Lt. Scott Spencer. Deputies are now looking into the relationship between the two women and for any prior disturbances in the neighborhood, he said. “We will continue interviewing witnesses and wait on the autopsy,” Spencer told the Houston Chronicle. “Once the investigation is completed, we will send it over to the district attorney’s office for them to proceed as they see fit.” Spencer did not return messages seeking additional comment Monday. As of late Sunday, no arrests had been made in the shooting.
Museum of Capitalism Don’t forget to visit the gift shop! At the Museum of Capitalism, viewers will find a hand-cranked machine that spits out pennies at the same rate the U.S. minimum wage does. There’s a trading post for rare, allegedly collectable endophytes (fungi and other microorganisms that live inside plants). And there’s a series of miniatures and figurines based on the U.S. Treasury Department’s 2008 bailout of Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and the other banks deemed too big to fail. Museumgoers can also browse a library with all the essential texts: Geoffrey Hodgson’s Conceptualizing Capitalism, J.K. Gibson-Graham’s The End of Capitalism as We Knew It, David Harvey’s Seventeen Contradictions and the End of Capitalism—early classics in this fan-favorite late-capitalist genre. Naturally, no trip to the Museum of Capitalism would be complete without a visit to the gift shop. The Museum of Capitalism, which opens on June 17 in Oakland, must be the first institution outside the former Soviet bloc dedicated to a pure critique of capitalism. A pop-up exhibition occupying a vacant retail storefront in Oakland’s Jack London district this summer, the inaugural (temporary) exhibit will feature work by more than 50 artists across a variety of media. Admission is free: Entry will only cost you your fragile bourgeois preconceptions. “Some would argue that opening a museum of capitalism is a radical act,” says Timothy Furstnau, one of the founders and curators for the Museum of Capitalism. “We don’t think it should be considered all that radical, but it seems to fit in place, in the radical history of Oakland, which we admire.” Furstnau—one of two curators who make up FICTILIS, the curatorial collective behind the Museum of Capitalism—credits a few different sources for the inspiration for the museum. One was a speech by Alex Callinicos, the British political theorist and Trotskyite, about visiting the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. “He gave a moving account and then speculated that there might one day be a museum of capitalism,” Furstnau says. “We read that and thought, Let’s not wait for ‘one day.’” Over the past two or three years, he and Andrea Steves—FICTILIS’s other half—have been organizing texts, gathering artists, and investigating real estate for a museum to memorialize the future end of capitalism. She says that the institution is focused primarily on art, because art can help people with the “defamiliarization” of a subject that they’ve known all their lives. “The larger space of the museum will also have elements that your typical museums have,” Steves says. That includes the library, gift shop, and even games, such as Mark Anspach’s Anti-Monopoly. “There’s a commodity library that traces the history of commodities in capitalism”—imagine displays on cotton, sugar, and tobacco. (Some examples of which will be available for purchase in the gift shop.) The Museum of Capitalism could easily be called the Museum Against Capitalism. Perhaps fittingly, the museum can’t escape certain contradictions of its own enterprise, starting with its partnership with the Jack London Improvement District. The local economic development organization is the fiscal sponsor for the inaugural temporary installation. The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation also supported the show, which runs to August 20, with its prestigious exhibition award. Working with an engine of capitalism in order to put on an exhibit about dismantling capitalism doesn’t bother the organizers. “We happen to be a district with a significant amount of vacant commercial space,” says Savlan Hauser, executive director of the Jack London Improvement District. “The waterfront development, Jack London Square, isn’t one of the newer developments in Oakland. This area is just starting to reach the level of density and foot traffic that would support tenancies in these spaces. So we felt we were a good match for an art use that was seeking a home.” The museum exhibit will occupy a nearly 13,000-square-foot space in a retail center that has remained mostly vacant since the financial crisis struck. The space is part of the story of the Museum of Capitalism, according to FICTILIS. Working with an engine of capitalism in order to put on an exhibit about dismantling capitalism isn’t a bug—it’s a feature. Cities are changing fast. Keep up with the CityLab Daily newsletter. The best way to follow issues you care about. Subscribe Loading... “Politics as purity is something we’re just not interested in doing,” Furstnau says. “We relish the messy partnership and hope that it can lead to dialogue.” Works on view in the Museum of Capitalism will contain plenty of winking nods at the theme. Evan Desmond Yee’s Shop of Desires (2017), an installation, mirrors the gift-shop experience—but without any merchandise. With soil-erg (2012), Claire Pentecost proposes a new currency, in the form of bars of soil that resemble gold bullion. Carrie Hott will lead a class on artificial light for a project called The Light That Elongated the Day (2017). In the library, a special selection of readings called the “capitalisms collection” categorizes capitalisms (plural) by relevant periods (industrial capitalism, agrarian capitalism) or modes (crony capitalism, platform capitalism). There’s another, simultaneous special art exhibition running alongside the main presentation called “American Domain,” curated by Erin Elder. Other artists or entities involved in the museum’s first foray include Dread Scott, Jennifer Dalton, Futurefarmers, and the Center for Tactical Magic. If the Museum of Capitalism were planned as a permanent institution, it might live long enough to be displaced by the very forces it surveys. That’s practically a given in Oakland—and part of the reason why the museum fits there. “It is an interesting meta-museum to bring to an area that is in transition, in a moment of physical and economic development,” Hauser says. For the Jack London Improvement District, the museum is an opportunity for economic activation, absolutely. In fact, it may be a little late in coming: Retailers and restaurants are already starting to pour into the area. The Museum of Capitalism also represents an artistic tradition that has disappeared from other parts of Oakland. Hauser isn’t worried that a pop-up multi-media show means that hyper-gentrification is just around the corner. Instead, the Museum of Capitalism is a chance to shore up one category of use—art, like music venues or fabrication businesses—that is becoming harder to find in Oakland. “Part of what we’re trying to do with this exhibition is to play with the boundaries of the Museum of Capitalism, what is inside and what is outside the walls of the exhibition,” Furstnau says. “Oakland presents itself right now as a convenient, ready-made exhibit on a certain kind of accelerated development and moment in capitalism.” There are so many other key icons and objects that museumgoers might hope to find in a permanent Museum of Capitalism. A signed copy of The Art of the Deal. Nolan Ryan’s 1979 Million Dollar Contract. A tamagotchi. Perhaps grist for future FICTILIS outings. In the meantime, the curators may have already accomplished their goal. When a specialty museum opens on a subject—see also: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (1995) and the Newseum (2008)—that’s the tell. Capitalism is doomed.
Like many automotive photographers, I got my start in taking photos by simply being a car enthusiast, and as a car enthusiast, it was natural for me to take part in various Internet-based forums. One of the main forums I was and continue to be involved in is the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, or "NASIOC." It was from this forum that these tips and tricks to automotive photography originated, and the thread is still going very strong today . Below is the latest revision of my tips and tricks, which actually represents the main purpose of motivelife.com: to provide a solid, no-nonsense guide to learning and improving automotive photography. I started shooting cars professionally as part of Subiesport Magazine since the magazine’s inception back in 2004. I learned a lot along the way, since at the time I was really a complete newbie when it came to photography. Consequently, I must thank my good friend Josh Mackey (http://www.mackeydesigns.com) and Subiesport Publisher Ryan Douthit for their help and tutelage. Ferg, a NASIOC Super Moderator, asked me to write something up, so I am honored to pass on some of my basic automotive photography methods to NASIOC and now motivelife.com, and I hope that these can help both beginners and experienced photographers alike. By no means do I regard myself as all knowing in automotive photography, but I love to help people take better pictures and learn new techniques right along side me. Without further ado, we’ll first start out with basic composition. Part 1 -- Point and do WHAT? Just because you don’t have the latest and greatest neck-breaking digital SLR doesn’t mean you can’t take good pictures. Even a camera phone can take good pictures, even if they’re not the clearest in the world. First and foremost, composition makes or breaks a picture, and shows the difference between a snapshot and a photo. Some things may seem rather basic, but even I myself forget certain things from time to time. Centered is rarely best It’s easy to take a picture and put everything you want in the center, but unfortunately it doesn’t make for good photography. Generally, you want to follow the Rule of Thirds, which basically means that you want to put your subject at the cross section of two lines that cut your photo into thirds. An easy way visualize this is to imagine a tic-tac-toe board on your screen or viewfinder. Some cameras may even have this as an option to overlay on the screen. Here is an example of the Rule of Thirds in action: I've overlaid the "Rule of Thirds" grid from Photoshop's crop function so that you can see the grid lines. You can see how the car is situated right at what I call a "thirds crosspoint" to follow the Rule of Thirds. Keep in mind, while this is called a "rule," it's actually more of a guideline. I definitely recommend that you practice the Rule of Thirds so that you find yourself always doing it, and then you can get more creative with breaking the rule. This is one of the most important things to learn in photo composition, so definitely make sure you master it before feeling like you can break it any time. Angles can be good...and bad Going overboard on crazy angles to get a unique picture is very easy to do, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. Remember that you want the viewer of your photo to truly grasp what you’re trying to capture, but if they have to break their neck or do a headstand to see it, then they’ll probably just look elsewhere. Make no mistake, there’s a time and place for crazy angles, but use them sparingly and make sure that everyone can tell what they’re looking at. Here is a very bad example from when I first started taking photos: Also, keep in mind that a very slight angle can change the feel of a photo. Here is the same car, just with a slightly different angle to the photo. Which do you prefer? It all depends on what your purpose is: Avoid the cut-off Just a quick and simple tip. If you’re trying to take a picture of the whole car, make sure you actually take a full picture of the car, and don’t cut off the bumpers, wheels, spoilers, etc. It makes sense to cut off sections if you just want to single one or two things out (such as close-ups of individual parts in an engine bay), but if you want to get everything, pay attention not to cut off parts of your subject. Wheels vs. Tire Tread In this grudge match, the wheel always wins. If you’re taking a picture of a car, especially from ¾ position, angle the wheels so that the face of the wheel is facing the camera, not the tire tread. While some tire tread is really aggressive-looking, 99% of the time the photo will be better showing off the face of the wheel instead of the tire tread, especially if they’re aftermarket wheels. Even stock wheels can look good in a properly taken photo, but we won’t know that unless we actually see them, right? There will be times when you just want the wheels to be straight, but turning the wheels to face the camera often gives a more posed look that shows that you've taken your time and put effort into the photo, rather than just taking a photo of a car off the street. Here is an example using a 100% stock car: The background is not just noise While the car is going to be the subject of your photo, that doesn’t mean that the background doesn’t matter. Even with proper composition, a good background can substantially help or wreck a photo. Industrial backgrounds are very overused, but it’s understandable to use if you’re in a pinch. Ideally, you want a background that helps add to the theme of a photo or just plain looks good overall. A driveway photo shoot isn’t all that great either unless the driveway is filled with a bunch more nice cars. Just be careful not to choose a background that blends in too much with your car, because then your subject won’t stand out. Here are a couple of my favorite backgrounds that I've been able to use: It is also very important to make sure there aren't distractions in the background that interfere with your subject, such as trees or poles growing out of the car, power lines dominating the scene, or random garbage on the surrounding ground. Attention to detail is very important when it comes to your background, and can easily be the difference between a simple snapshot and an actual thought-out photo. Camera elevation A key point of any type of photography is to try to capture something that isn’t normally seen by your naked eye. Thus, try your best not to take photos from standard standing height. If you get real low or get real high, you’ll have a much better overall photo. Very rarely will you see me taking a photo from a standing position. I sometimes even bring a stepladder with me to get a higher elevated shot, since being Filipino, I’m not a tall man. And, don’t be afraid to get dirty with a low shot. Here’s a high and a low example: That just about wraps it up for basic composition. In Part 2, we will go into properly capturing light. Also be sure to check out my site No f8 But What We Make for even more photo tips and tricks.
16 for ’16: Musicians who will break out at SXSW 2016 By Bryan C. Parker Hinds performing at Fader Fort during SXSW 2015 Photo by By Bryan C. Parker Breaking out can mean something different for each artist. One person’s hot new band is another’s old news. Here, we focus on up-and-coming bands and individual musicians, some already well on their way to success and others hardly known—all of whom we expect to see a rise in popularity at South by Southwest this year. Balancing country leanings with the smooth sounds of ’70s soft rock, Whitney creates delicately infectious songs with flourishes of brass. No strangers to indie rock success, core members of the band include Max Kakacek, formerly of Smith Westerns, and Julien Ehrlich, formerly of Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Even though its debut won’t drop until later this year, the band is building a buzz that’s already audible. Philadelphia-based garage band Sheer Mag is the rare band that will break out by the word of mouth, probably as a result of its powerful live show and unforgettable distorted rock gems. While all of its wildly popular music put out via a couple of tiny labels has sold out, this group has yet to sign to a larger entity. SXSW is a blank canvas for success. With a slate of collaborators that includes The Game, Talib Kweli, Schoolboy Q and Dr. Dre, Anderson .Paak is well on his way to breaking out (if not arguably past broken). Still, this SXSW will afford a chance for him to propel his career into the orbit of superstars. So far, he has only been announced at Hype Hotel, one of the fest’s biggest parties, but we won’t be surprised to see his name appear on other bills this week. Remember when all of your musician friends—assuming you have musician friends—were posting about submitting their videos to NPR to win the opportunity to record a Tiny Desk Concert? We certainly do. Fantastic Negrito is the guy who won. And while that opportunity garnered a lot of attention, this is the chance the artist needs to turn that buzz into true success. Look for this name at several high profile events. This year, Spanish garage rock band Hinds will be what Bully was at last year’s fest. In fact, those two bands played many of the same venues and shows at SXSW 2015. This year, however, this all-girl quartet climbs from an opening band to the main attraction. The positive reviews have been pouring in since Sunflower Bean released its new album of punk-leaning garage-rock songs. This year, the trio will play BBC’s first ever SXSW showcase. Expect Sunflower Bean to be a name you’ll see again and again. Without question, Big Thief is the least known band on this list. The Brooklyn-based group blends roots sensibilities with big crunchy guitars as evidenced on the single “Masterpiece.” The band just signed to Saddle Creek and will be working hard to promote its upcoming debut album. In stark contrast to the above, Dua Lipa’s newest video has amassed more than 1 million views in a week. But you still might not have heard of her. The 20-year-old, London-based pop singer has found success largely in the UK, but she’s signed to the same management company as Lana Del Rey. So, with this visit stateside, she’ll be looking to win over SXSW and the rest of the world. Soulful rocker Adia Victoria took the stage at ACL this year with just a single song out. Now, with the backing of a label that also represents artists like Alt-J, The Orwells and Frightened Rabbit, Adia Victoria is poised to make waves at this year’s SXSW as a lead up to the release of her first album, Beyond the Bloodhounds, in May. An artist who blends pop, R&B and hip-hop, Petite Noir has garnered praise from the likes of Pitchfork, Fader and NPR. His name is already cropping up on some of SXSW’s best events, including Hype Hotel. Based solely on a hunch, we feel like there’s a good chance he’ll also play Fader Fort, whose lineup is still TBA. Another true underdog on the list, Australian indie rock band DMA’s just released a new album on Mom+Pop, the same label that brought you Courtney Barnett, one of last year’s breakout musicians. Along with a plethora of other shows, the group opens a bill at Stubb’s that includes Crystal Castles, Charlie XCX and Santigold. Desiigner Despite the fact that hip-hop artist Desiigner hasn’t…ahem…been announced as a SXSW performing artist, we’re pretty sure that will change. On March 1, along with the announcement that Austin’s own Transmission Events would produce this year’s Fader Fort, Desiigner’s name was listed as one of the performing artists in a press release. The up-and-coming rapper signed to Kanye West’s GOOD Music in February and dropped his first single last December. Alt-country artist Marlon Williams, who hails from New Zealand, has toured previously with Band of Horses and is set to open for Iron and Wine’s Sam Beam on tour this May. Between that time and the release of his new album, the songwriter will play a slew of SXSW shows, including three official showcases. Riding the energy of its debut album, Gone Are the Days, electronic indie pop band Honne is poised to make an impression at SXSW when the British duo performs at one of Austin’s premier venues, Stubb’s, on March 19. SXSW is always a great place for international acts to break out in the States. One of the acts most likely to do that this year is anything but predictable; meet Irish rapper Rejjie Snow. He may not land among the echelons of rap’s heavyweights, but this year’s fest will be unmistakably good for the hip-hop artist. Following an inspiring showing at CMJ last fall and a brand new record out last month on Domino Recording Co., indie pop act Porches is riding the cosmic wave of momentum to a star-making SXSW performance. Stay up to date on all of Austin Monthly's SXSW 2016 coverage. Writer and photographer Bryan C. Parker is Austin Monthly’s music reviewer. He is also the author of 33 1/3 title Beat Happening and the editor-in-chief of Pop Press International.
Terry Branstad says Ron Paul has the strongest organization in Iowa. Branstad: Paul's Iowa ops are tops ORLANDO, Fla. —One month out from the Iowa caucuses, Republican Gov. Terry Branstad says Ron Paul has the strongest organization in his state. The Iowa governor also believes Newt Gingrich could win the Jan. 3 caucuses if he performs well in the last two debates. Story Continued Below “This is the most up-in-the-air, unsettled caucus I’ve ever seen,” the 65-year-old Republican, who has been a fixture of state politics since the 1970s, said in an extended interview Thursday at the Republican Governors Association annual meeting here. “It’s a wide open and very fluid situation. It all depends upon who does well in these last two debates and then has the momentum and the ability to get their people to the caucuses on Jan. 3…It’s gonna be a dog fight here in the end.” With seven candidates actively vying for votes on the ground, the unaligned Branstad predicted no one will capture more than 30 percent. “Ron Paul has got probably the best organization and has a very loyal following. He’s got more yard signs and bumper stickers than anybody else,” he said. “I don’t think he’ll win, but I think he will get 15 to 18 percent. The person who wins is going to probably get 25 percent plus.” Branstad said Gingrich could “potentially” win on momentum from good debate performances alone. “It depends on how motivated people are to get out,” he said. “I don’t know. We’ve seen him look like he was out of it to now riding high. The question is how well he performs in these debates. Now he’s the frontrunner, and everyone attacks the frontrunner.” “The debates have had more to do with this than anything else,” he added. “I still think organization matters, and yet more people are watching the debates.” Gingrich has not spent a great deal of time in the state, and he did not open his Iowa campaign headquarters until Wednesday. Branstad said it’s helpful for the former House speaker to have Craig Schoenfeld and Katie Koberg, two veteran Iowa hands, on board. The governor said Gingrich benefits from the failure of social conservatives to unite behind one candidate because it could allow him to win with a smaller share of the vote. He said both Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann could outperform expectations because of the amount of time they’ve spent on the ground. The former Pennsylvania senator has visited all 99 counties, Branstad noted, and the Minnesota congresswoman showed she could turn out evangelicals with her victory at the August straw poll. Herman Cain needs to make the “personal” decision about whether to remain in the race, the governor said, passing up a chance to call for him to exit in the face of new allegations against him. “I don’t know if he stays in or not,” Branstad said. “Initially a lot of people when the first allegations came out were going to give him the benefit of the doubt, but now it’s just one after another after another.”
The Read Aloud As a teacher, one of the most common frustrations I hear from my middle school parents is, “My child doesn’t like to read. How can I get them to read more?” The number one solution to this problem is to read to them on a daily basis from the time that they are infants. Of course, this advice is of no use to the parent of a child who is already ten years old. To the parents of infants, however, the opportunity is before you right now. For this reason, a primary element of the bedtime routine should always be reading aloud to your child from age appropriate books. Even after the child grows and learns to read him or herself, it is still important to read books aloud that are at the upper end of their reading level, giving them exposure to vocabulary and content of ever-growing complexity. In addition, it is important to interact with your child while reading; don’t just read the words. Talk briefly about what the stories are about and what they mean. Pause occasionally and ask your child to make predictions about where a story will go. Use it as an opportunity for learning and building relationships. This, combined with making a wide variety of books available to children throughout the day and throughout their lives, will engender and excitement and joy around reading that will never go away. Music & Song In addition to being rich with opportunities for fellowship with our kids, brain research also suggests that music is good for the mind. Essentially, the physiological studies of music and the mind are revealing how makes for phenomenal mental exercise. In addition, singing a song to your child also opens up a unique and significant kind of opportunity for emotional intimacy. What you sing and how well you sing might matter tremendously to the outside world, but they make no difference to your baby. Babies crave only the sound of their parents’ voices and the touch of their hands. For those who “cannot sing,” this is your chance to let go and dive in anyway. These three simple routines—brushing teeth, reading books, and singing songs—done day after day and year after year over the early course of a child’s development, contribute significantly to developing healthy children with bright and active minds.
CANBERRA (Reuters) - An Australian senator whose crying toddler was ejected from parliament during a political vote has prompted a review of chamber rules and sparked a heated debate over child-friendly work practices. Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said she was “humiliated” when Senate President John Hogg ordered her teary 2-year-old daughter removed from the parliamentary chamber before a vote, in accordance with parliamentary rules. “It shows that parliament is still based on a very male model and I just think it’s absolutely ridiculous,” said Women’s Electoral Lobby Chairwoman Eva Cox. Hogg said he was responsible for “proper conduct” in the upper house, but supported a review of rules which bar children and other outsiders from the Senate during votes. The Senate leader of the conservative Nationals party Barnaby Joyce said Hanson-Young had staged a stunt and could have avoided being caught out during a locked-door vote, with bells alerting all lawmakers beforehand. “Within that Senate are votes for things that might send people to war, that might get people killed. This requires certain sacrifices,” Joyce said. “The child is a prop and the Senate has become a stage.” Greens Leader Bob Brown said he would push for the Senate’s procedures to be changed to give parents more flexibility. Hanson-Young said the four minutes apart from her daughter Kora, who was placed in the care of a staffer, were “longest few minutes I’ve ever had.” She won backing from a lawmaker in Victoria state who was ejected from parliament several years ago for breastfeeding a child in parliamentary chamber. “I think it’s just ludicrous. She was required in her capacity in her job as a senator to vote, therefore she was being denied that opportunity based on the fact she had some responsibilities as a parent,” Kirstie Marshall said. But a television poll of public opinion found most people had little sympathy, with 88 percent of respondents backing Hogg’s exclusion order.
A little self-employment can go a long way toward saving a lot of income tax. The two main strategies are (1) claiming deductions for expenses related to earning self-employment income, and (2) splitting income – that is, shifting income to family members in a lower tax bracket. article continues below Most important, your self-employment endeavour must have that all-important “reasonable expectation of profit.” So a hobby wouldn’t qualify if there was no chance it would ever be profitable. On the other hand, could you turn a hobby into a profitable sideline? Having a business plan to support the expectation of profitability can go a long way to impress a Canada Revenue Agency official who might ask you to justify the deductions you are claiming. (See cra-arc.gc.ca/selfemployed for more information – especially the “Business expenses” topic.) (1) Deductions. “You can deduct any reasonable current expense you paid or will have to pay to earn business income,” says the CRA, noting that personal expenses are not deductible. Your challenge is to find that reasonable justification for linking an expense to your business. A home office or other use of your home presents a wonderful way to deduct a portion of expenses (like operating, maintenance, insurance, etc.) that you could otherwise not claim. Visit cra-arc.gc.ca and search the term “work space in the home” to see the CRA’s guidelines. (2) Income-splitting. Pay family members in a lower tax bracket than you to work in your business – jobs you would have done. Pay rate should equal what you would pay an outsider (of comparable age and skills) to do the same work. The family member (spouse, children, other relative you are supporting) then uses this lower-taxed money to pay for clothes and other expenses that formerly you paid. Note these two strategies can also relate to investments like revenue property. And if the self-employment loses money, you should be able to deduct the loss from your other income – provided your business plan shows a reasonable expectation of profit within a reasonable period. Mike Grenby is a columnist and independent personal financial advisor; he’ll answer questions in this column as space allows but cannot reply personally. Mike.grenby@gmail.com
The celebration on Jan. 7 of what is traditionally known in Winnipeg as Ukrainian Christmas could be under threat as growing numbers of personalities in Ukraine call for the holiday to be shifted to Dec. 25 alongside Western countries. The movement, no longer confined to a select group of bloggers, has hardly any religious grounding. It is led by activists, authors and politicians furious about Moscow's annexation of Crimea and the pro-Russian rebellion that has wrested much of eastern Ukraine from government control. The aim is to set themselves apart from the Russian Orthodox church. Ukrainian Christmas is celebrated on Jan. 7, 2015, at Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral (Sts. Vladimir and Olga) in Winnipeg. (Holly Caruk/CBC) And it appears to be gaining some traction. Only a clutch of Orthodox countries mark Christmas Day on Jan. 7, including ex-Soviet Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Georgia as well as Serbia, citing the Julian calendar, which lags 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar used throughout the world, even in Russian secular matters. Orthodox countries such as Greece, Romania and Cyprus celebrate on Dec. 25 without blinking an eye. To complicate matters further, Ukraine's 6 million-strong eastern-rite Catholic church, banned by Josef Stalin in 1946 and revived only at the end of the perestroika reforms of the last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, also celebrates on Jan 7. While Easter is arguably the most important holy day in the Orthodox calendar, Winnipeg writer Orysia Tracz says Christmas is richer in terms of traditions, such as the 12-course meatless and dairy-free Christmas Eve dinner. "Christmas traditions are older than the Easter traditions. They are linked to the paleolithic era, while the Easter ones are rooted in the spring equinox and the neolithic era," said Tracz, author of First Star I See Tonight, a book outlining Ukrainian Christmas traditions. "And when Ukrainians are asked why they stand by their Christmas traditions, the answer is very often simply: 'Because.'" Christmas lights stay on In Canada, free of political or religious tension within the 1.2 million-strong Ukrainian community, Orthodox celebrations have always taken place on Jan. 7. Christmas lights have remained on at Winnipeg City Hall until the date passed. Ukrainian Catholic churches have proved more flexible, with most switching over to Dec. 25 back in the 1960s amid a minimum of fuss from dissenters citing those "back in the home country." The Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral (Sts. Vladimir and Olga) on McGregor Street and St. Andrews Ukrainian Catholic Church on Euclid Avenue are among the few that still offer services on Jan. 7. "From a religious viewpoint, we can keep our traditions on either calendar, so it doesn't really matter," said Father Len Ratushniak, parish priest of St. Andrews. "We celebrate both days. My parish is an old parish with older people who have lived all their lives with the old calendar. The younger members are mostly for the new way. It's no big sacrifice to have more services on the seventh just to help the old people to live their lives." Change to match 'civilized countries' In Ukraine, no less prominent a politician than Olexander Turchynov, secretary of the national security and defence council, has proclaimed the country ripe for change. "Perhaps the time has come in Ukraine to change over to celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 along with the majority of civilized countries," Turchynov wrote on his Facebook page. It's up to Ukraine's Council of Christian Churches to make a decision, he said, while suggesting both dates could be marked for an interim period. Part of the problem lies in more than 20 years of post-Soviet growing pains. Ukraine's Orthodox Church remains split. The Russian Orthodox Church claims authority over all Orthodox believers in Ukraine and denounces as heretical the creation, in 1992, of an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church. But the war in Donbass, in which 9,000 people have died since pro-Russian forces seized two regions in April 2014, has overturned the confessional balance of forces. The two competing churches had been roughly equal for years after the collapse of Soviet rule, but the war prompted mass defections to the young Ukrainian church. Turchynov's proposal, almost unthinkable a few years ago, sparked a flurry of debate. Celebrate with Europe, not Russia One television channel organized a straw poll, asking viewers when they preferred to celebrate. On the eve of the holiday, about 61 per cent of viewers who responded supported a change to Dec. 25. Commentator Olexander Doniy baldly asked: "Is it not proper to ask whether Ukraine should seek to celebrate common holidays with Europe, rather than Russia?" The normally staid official Ukrinform news agency, in a lengthy essay, concluded: "What would reverting to Dec. 25 for Christmas give Ukraine? Firstly, a return to civilized, accepted forms of co-existence … and it would get rid of, once and for all, the imperial dependence which has tormented our souls through the distorted interpretation of the scriptures by priests serving the Kremlin." The war has galvanized public opinion against Russia, though the Kiev government remains deeply unpopular. Polls show support for Ukrainian independence and unity has risen and distinctions between Russian and Ukrainian speakers are now largely blurred. Winnipeg priest urges caution But a quick change to Dec. 25 seems unlikely. Any alteration would require endorsement from a religious body. And confessional change comes slowly in this part of the world. Father Gene Maximiuk, parish priest at Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral on Main Street, urges caution. "The celebration of the birth of our Lord is such a sacred and holy festal celebration that to engage in discussions at this time about calendar dates would only serve to distract from the joy, solemnity and majesty of the feast," he said. And all agree that whatever date is ultimately chosen, celebrations will undergo no change. "In local terms, something would be lost if the date was moved to Dec. 25. Perhaps it would lose some of its visibility," said writer Tracz. "But nobody over the years made Ukrainians do what they do at Christmas. Even if everyone switched, none of the traditions would change. Everyone would still perform them all." Ron Popeski, born and raised in Winnipeg, was a Reuters correspondent in Europe and Asia for more than 25 years, including several stints in Ukraine and Russia. He is now back in the city.
There's no way Windows 7 tablets aren't going to suck. We're going to see a lot of them this week. And they're going to suck. They're going to be fat. One of the ways they're going to distinguish themselves from the invading armada of cheaper, tinier Android tablets, is that they're to be bigger. Here's a great idea: Take a portable thing and make it less portable. Also, the beefier chips required to push Windows—at least, unless we see some new ARM-based Windows 7 tablets—means these things need bigger batteries. More weight, more space, more junk. Advertisement But! Battery life is still gonna suck. Sure, they'll have bigger batteries than Android tablets, but don't realistically expect the kind of endurance runs you can pull out of the tablets running more effiecient mobile OSes. Windows + Intel chips = power gobbler, even with SSDs. And oh yeah, they're running Windows 7. Shoving a desktop OS on a tablet fundamentally doesn't work. It hasn't. It won't. Ever. The smooshy, half-assed efforts to paint over them with a "touch-friendly" interface—necessary, because hey, a desktop interface doesn't work for a tablet—are typically designed by imprisoned malnourished children given boxes of broken crayons. And they only glom over half the OS, at best. The third-party software for these kinds of tablets is limited, to say the least. Advertisement The thing is, we've seen these things before. Just a year ago, HP announced one held by Steve Ballmer himself, and then was so ashamed of it they effectively shitcanned it, burying them under the "enterprise" label. In fact, it wouldn't be shocking to see a lot—if not most—of the Windows 7 tablets being pushed for "enterprise." Which in this case, is code-name for "suck." And 'spensive. Advertisement Which brings us to the last point: All that suck is going to be pricey too. Android tablets, iPads—probably even PalmPads—are going to be around or under $500. These radioactive product spambits? Most closer to $1000. If we find one that miraculously doesn't suck, we will totally let you know. We hope we're wrong! Honest. Otherwise, don't expect to see 'em on Gizmodo. We'll be busy getting nerd boners over tablets that could be actually great, like the PalmPad. Advertisement Update: Note! These Windows 7 tabets are very different from what Steve Ballmer could possibly talk about tomorrow night.
Help better the construction industry by reducing work-related injuries INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana—October 16, 2015—Young Construction Innovations recently announced their Kickstarter project to cut down work-related injuries. Young Construction Innovations (YCI) takes part in the creation, prototyping and patenting of construction tools and equipment. They also take pride in engineering, developing and prototyping safe,... agronomical, solid built, and user-friendly tools to aid in the Construction community. Their first project, YCI has created a design for a single hand tool that would drastically cut down the numbers of nail-gun injuries. With this simple invention, they can also eliminate back problems, product waste, slow productivity, metal consumption, plastic consumption, and reduce the need for oil and gas on any given construction site. Young Construction Innovations are planning to publicly release this hand tool within the next month or two. However, before they can release this innovative product, YCI needs help. That’s why they launched this Kickstarter campaign. The goal of this project is to raise $5,000 by November 12, 2015. The funds raised will go towards producing a simple tool that will reduce the risk of injuries for the everyday hard worker. Perks will be delivered between December 2015 and July 2016. Please keep in mind this is an “all-or-nothing” deal, which means if the campaign does not reach the funding goal then the project cannot move forward. So know that any amount given can make a difference, and this is an incredible opportunity to be a part of a special campaign! Help YCI reach the goal by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. The more people know about this, the more support the campaign will receive.
Image caption Russia's Putin consoled his Polish counterpart at Kaczynski's funeral Russia has adopted different diplomatic tactics to those it employed two years ago during its armed conflict with Georgia in South Ossetia. Poland is one country basking in its charm offensive as it works to develop economic ties after the global downturn. There are some business people you meet who seem permanently to be spinning a line. And then there are those who genuinely appear to believe in whatever product or service their company provides. Eugeniusz Sabik fell firmly in the latter category. At a Warsaw supermarket, he took great delight pointing out the wide variety of soap products for which his company, Betasoap, is responsible. You got the impression he might refuse to wash with anything else. But what gets Eugeniusz really excited, is the chance to talk about his main export market. More than half of Betasoap's output is now sold in Russia. "Russia is huge," he said. "And the middle class is fast growing, therefore the market is developing... You just have to go to Russia, look for the right people, in order to secure your business." Smiling face This is precisely the kind of positive attitude the Russian government seems keen to encourage, and not only in the commercial sphere. "The Russians decided to make peace with Poland, because that would remove one of the last remaining obstacles... they dream of buying shares or taking over companies all over Europe Jacek Adamski, Head of economics at Lewiatan In an interview in April, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said his country should present the world with "a smiling face". What's more, he added, Russia should not "gnash its teeth at anyone, get angry, sulk or feel offended". Poland has certainly felt the "gnash" of Russian teeth in the past. It endured more than 40 years of communism, imposed by the Soviet Union after World War II. But that followed centuries of occupation, and war between the two countries. So Mr Medvedev's new tone has been welcomed by many Poles. "This is hope, this is very important for us," said Andrzej Halicki, a Polish MP, and chairman of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. "We have to have good relations with the neighbours," he said. "I would like to think that they [Russians] would like to live as others are living, and to be a member of European society." It certainly marks a change that such a charitable interpretation should come from a leading political figure. The previous Polish government was particularly hostile towards its powerful neighbour to the east. And the present administration's stance is not universally popular in Poland; nor does everyone accept Mr Halicki's interpretation of Russia's new-found friendliness. Image caption Eugeniusz Sabik is proud of his product and his team as sales to Russia boom "The Russians really need West European technology," said Jacek Adamski, head of economics at the Polish employers' organisation, Lewiatan. He believes that Mr Medvedev is determined to build strong ties with all European Union members, but that this is only to dissuade any EU governments from blocking Russia's access to European markets, in technology and other areas. "The Russians decided to make peace with Poland, because that would remove one of the last remaining obstacles," he argued. "They dream of buying shares or taking over companies all over Europe." Whatever the motive, few in Poland would deny that a concerted Russian charm offensive is under way. This became most obvious after the plane crash near the Russian town of Smolensk earlier this year, which killed Poland's president, Lech Kaczynski and dozens of other dignitaries. They were on their way to a commemoration of the Katyn Massacre - a notorious wartime episode in which Soviet troops murdered around 20,000 Polish officers. Stalin blamed Nazi Germany for the crime, a fiction that was maintained throughout the Soviet period. But after the Smolensk crash, Russian leaders went out of their way to acknowledge Soviet responsibility for Katyn, and a recent Polish feature film on the subject was shown on peak-time Russian television. Image caption Andrzej Blikle said he expected an apology from Russia of its treatment of Poland over the years Many Poles greeted this as marking the dawn of a new era in Polish-Russian relations. But once again, the welcome is often qualified. "It is a positive sign," said Andrzej Blikle, the owner of a landmark Warsaw cafe which famously survived intact throughout the communist era. "But Russians only started to talk this way. We expect an apology." The apology Andrzej has in mind would be a comprehensive one. He wants to hear Russia say sorry for all the "crimes" it committed in Poland over the past years, particularly for its imposition of communism. I asked him if he was not allowing history to stand in the way of a better future, it being after all, two decades since communism in Poland came to an end. "If you are over 70, two decades is not that much. I am in favour of developing friendly relations with Russia. But good relations are impossible if they are not based on common understanding," he said. The World Tonight can be heard on BBC Radio 4 at 10pm Monday to Friday and after on iPlayer.
John Obi Mikel believes that Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte played a key role in John Terry being handed a new one-year contract at Stamford Bridge. Terry declared that he expected to leave Chelsea back in January after being informed that no offer of an extension was forthcoming but, after a lengthy public stand-off, the 35-year-old signed a new one-year deal after meeting with director Marina Granovskaia and chairman Bruce Buck in May. "I think Conte played a big part in that contract that JT got," Mikel told Goal. "I think if JT said no, then obviously I don't think the club would have done that, but I think the fans as well got right behind JT and the fans really wanted him to stay. "He is the leader, he is the captain and the fans really think with JT we have a better chance of winning the trophy again. I think everyone came together the fans, Antonio and the board did a massive job to make sure that John stays." The defender has maintained his position of prominence under Conte this season, starting each of Chelsea's first four Premier League matches before straining ankle ligaments in a 2-2 draw with Swansea City earlier this month. In Terry's absence, Chelsea have conceded seven goals in their last three matches, losing comprehensively to Premier League top-four rivals Liverpool and Arsenal in the process, and Mikel insists his friend and teammate remains as crucial to the team's fortunes as ever. "Obviously the manager still thinks that he can offer him quite a lot," the Nigeria international added. "And you can see he has played some games now and he has played really well so, at his age, I think he is still playing really really well so I don't think anyone can say it was the wrong choice to give him the contract." Terry was linked with moves to the MLS, the Middle East and the Chinese Super League before committing his future to the club.
(CNN) — Some people see The Hague as Amsterdam's more sedate (read stodgier) cousin. Fact is, The Hague can be a welcome, peaceful diversion from the nonstop energy (read crowds) of Amsterdam. The streets are wider, the buildings grander and thanks to nearly 1,000 acres of green space, The Hague is a place where you can catch your breath and take in your surroundings at a leisurely pace. You may know it as home of the International Court of Justice, a city of diplomats, the seat of the Dutch government, the official residence of King Willem-Alexander and maybe even as the home of the notorious World War I spy, Mata Hari. (Her former residence is the pretty but nondescript Nieuwe Uitleg 16.) It's also a city rich in the arts. Less than an hour by train takes you to The Hague -- Den Haag -- from Amsterdam. Here are seven of the most intriguing things to see when you go: 1. Mauritshuis museum Topping the list is this jewel box of a museum , which reopened on June 27 after a two-year renovation. The project connected the original 17th-century residential building to an early 20th-century building across the street via an underground passage. In the process, the museum doubled its size yet left most everything at street level unscathed. You'll visit -- as everyone does -- to see Johannes Vermeer's "Girl With a Pearl Earring." She's flanked by two equally charming domestic scenes by Dutch Golden Age painter Gerard ter Borch. In an adjacent room is "The Goldfinch" by Carel Fabritius, now best known as cover art on Donna Tartt's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Other paintings you'll recognize include Rembrandt's "The Anatomy Lesson of Doctor Nicolaes Tulp," a portrait of Jane Seymour by Hans Holbein the Younger, "Laughing Boy" by Frans Hals, and "Old Woman and Boy with Candles" by Peter Paul Rubens. The genius of the Mauritshuis is its small but exceptional collection -- 800 paintings, with about 260 on display here and another 150 at the Prince William V Gallery. "As you go through the rooms you see masterpieces everywhere," says museum director Emilie Gordenker. "There is so much to see, but not too much." www.mauritshuis.nl 2. Gemeentemuseum At the opposite end of the Dutch art continuum is Piet Mondrian, the modern artist and proponent of the holistic art movement known as De Stijl. The Gemeentemuseum contains the world's largest collection of Mondrian's work presented in a chronological display that lets you appreciate the evolution of his style from realism to the abstract blocks of primary colors for which he's famous. The highlight is "Victory Boogie Woogie," left unfinished with bits of masking tape still in place on the surface of the canvas when Mondrian died in 1944. You'll see it behind the waves of tourists posing in front of it, one of whom was President Barack Obama when he visited The Hague for the International Nuclear Security Summit in March. The museum also has an excellent permanent collection of Delftware ceramics and will open a major retrospective of American modern artist Mark Rothko starting September 20. www.gemeentemuseum.nl/en/ 3. Peace Palace To the world at large, The Hague is most closely associated with the Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice, the judicial arm of the United Nations. Constructed between 1907 and 1913, the grand Peace Palace seems to embody the international unity it was intended to foster: A French architect designed the structure built of Dutch brick and Belgian stone, with German iron gates at the entrance, English stained glass in the windows, a Swiss clock in the clock tower and so on. Ironically, World War I commenced a year after the Peace Palace opened, effectively quashing the dreams of world peace its founders envisioned. Although the visitors' center is open regularly, guided tours of the building are conducted sporadically based on the court's schedule. The current window for visits runs through August 27. If you happen to be in town, take advantage of the opportunity to see the Peace Palace from the inside. Should you be interested in watching international courts at work, trials at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, in a separate courthouse nearby, are open to the public. www.vredespaleis.nl 4. Het Binnenhof The seat of the Dutch parliament is Het Binnenhof, a complex of buildings with roots that extend to the 13th century. The Ridderzaal, or Hall of Knights, is the most interesting and historic of them. In the 15th century, Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, held meetings with his Knights of the Golden Fleece here. His son, Charles the Bold, used it as a court of law. On its vaulted ceiling, made to resemble the inverted hull of a ship, are the carved heads of "eavesdroppers" -- little men with big ears who heard everything, prevented secrecy and conspiracy and ensured that justice was served. Today, it's a ceremonial venue, especially important on Prince's Day (the third Tuesday of September), when the reigning monarch makes a speech to begin the new parliamentary year. English audio tours and brochures are available for the parliament buildings. Tours with historical or political themes are conducted by ProDemos, a nonpartisan, government-funded, nonprofit created to educate the public and encourage participation in the political process. english.prodemos.nl 5. Escher in Het Paleis It's rare to find an artist whose admirers include a devoted community of mathematicians, but such is the case with M.C. Escher. The 20th-century artist is known for his graphic optical art linking infinity and impossibility, which famously inspired the great British mathematicians Lionel and Roger Penrose (not to mention the fashion designer Alexander McQueen) and has graced an incalculable number of dorm room walls. The Escher Museum is actually three museums in one: the building itself is the former working palace of four generations of Dutch queens; the rooms contain whimsical crystal chandeliers by contemporary artist Hans van Bentem (Madonna owns one); and then of course there is the Escher artwork. All the museums mentioned here have programs designed to appeal to children, but Escher might be the artist that will blow their little minds (in a good way!), particularly when they reach the optical illusion room. www.escherinhetpaleis.nl/ 6. Panorama Mesdag And speaking of optical illusion ... long before the IMAX theater, people wrapped their heads around the panoramic paintings of the 19th century -- full 360-degree visual experiences intended to transport the viewer to another place and time. In their heyday there were hundreds of them, depicting subjects from ancient Jerusalem to the battle of Waterloo, each displayed like a carnival attraction in a cylindrical structure specially built for the purpose. Only 23 survive (one is the Cyclorama in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania , depicting Pickett's Charge). The Panorama Mesdag, painted by Hendrik Willem Mesdag in just four months, is one of the finest examples, not least because it's displayed in its original structure. Although you're standing just 14 meters (45 feet) away from the 120-by-14-meter (393-by-45-foot) canvas, your eye is fooled into believing you're seeing the Dutch seaside resort of Scheveningen from a great distance. Because the painting is illuminated by natural light, the view literally changes with the time of day and the weather. In its quiet way, it's a marvel. Even Vincent van Gogh thought so; he attended the panorama's opening in 1881. panorama-mesdag.com 7. Scheveningen The real seaside at Scheveningen is a quick tram ride or an easy bike ride from the city center. It no longer resembles the 19th-century coastal enclave depicted in the Panorama Mesdag, but it remains a popular "day out" spot for residents of The Hague. The centerpiece is the Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel , a 19th-century bath hotel that gained a certain infamy when the Rolling Stones played there on August 8, 1964. They were four songs into their set when a riot ensued, and police were called in to shut down the show.
Hogan’s First Budget Has Some Bad News for Montgomery County Schools But money for Purple Line remains in budget, pending a "thorough review" by Louis Peck - MoCo Politics Blog Gov. Larry Hogan presents his budget on Jan. 22., 2015. via Gov. Larry Hogan's Youtube video of budget presentation Barely 24 hours after taking office, Gov. Larry Hogan Thursday unveiled some of the highlights of the annual budget that he will send to the Maryland Legislature Friday – and the plan has at least one piece of bad news for Montgomery County schools. Even as Hogan put forth what he described as “record spending in K through 12 education” for the coming 2016 fiscal year, his budget reduces the state’s so-called geographic cost of education index – GCEI – by 50 percent. The GCEI is designed to supplement state education funding in Montgomery and 12 other counties in the state deemed to be high-cost areas. “We do make some adjustments to the GCEI, not nearly as drastic as most people were predicting,” Hogan told reporters. But Montgomery school officials warned that the reduced GCEI level – which translates into a cut of more than $17 million for county schools in the coming fiscal year – could force a reduction of 250 teaching positions or 400 support staff slots. Meanwhile, Hogan –in a move that provided a bit of comfort to supporters of the light-rail Purple Line – announced that funding for the Purple Line, put in the capital budget by the now-departed O’Malley administration, is being kept in place while the future of the $2.45 billion project is evaluated. It appears the Hogan administration is now under an effective deadline of March 12 to make a decision on the Purple Line’s future. That is when bids are due from four private partnerships seeking to build and operate the line; the state could be on the hook for $8 million in payments to the bidders if it scraps the project after the bids are submitted. “We want to do a thorough review of both projects before making any final decisions,” said Hogan, referring to both the Purple Line and Baltimore’s $2.9 billion Red Line. Hogan, only the third Republican to be elected governor in the past half century, was frequently critical of both projects during the campaign—questioning whether the state could afford them. “Our budget gets spending under control and establishes a realistic trajectory for spending in the future,” Hogan said during a press conference, while delivering a 10-minute statement that often referred back to his campaign pledges to rein in spending and cut taxes. Hogan left the press conference after answering only a handful of questions, turning the session over to his chief budget aides – who said documents with full details of the 2016 budget would not be available until Friday, when they are formally submitted to the General Assembly. Among the limited details made available today was the GCEI cut, which comes at a time when the school system—squeezed by annual enrollment increases averaging 2,500 students – already is seeking a 5 percent increase in operating funds over the current fiscal year. Critics were quick to note that the GCEI reductions will fall most heavily on Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and Baltimore city. “What do they have in common? They did not vote for [Hogan] in November – three of the four jurisdictions that did not vote for him — and are by far the largest bloc of Democrats in the General Assembly,” said Sen. Richard Madaleno, D-Kensington. While roughly 80 percent of the operating funds that Maryland spends annually is mandated by laws enacted by the General Assembly, the remaining 20 percent – so-called discretionary spending – is firmly under the governor’s control by the terms of the Maryland Constitution. This involves funding that the General Assembly is only allowed to cut, and cannot add to it. It appears that the GCEI falls under the latter category, meaning that any additional money for GCEI would have to come as part of negotiations that usually accompany the end of each legislative session – when governors sometimes make budgetary concessions in return for legislative approval of statutory changes sought by the executive branch. “We still have some work to do on education funding,” observed Sen. Nancy King, D-Montgomery Village, who chairs the county’s Senate delegation. King, Madaleno and other members of the Senate leadership were briefed by Hogan this morning, immediately prior to his appearance before the media. Asked the reason for the GCEI cut, Budget Secretary David Brinkley – a former state senator from Frederick County, which also benefits from the program – said: “What we were trying to do, as we dealt with the menu of issues here, was to try to minimize any kind of impact across the board – while, at the same time, making sure we could provide money and investment in school construction.” Hogan said his budget contains $290 million statewide to “fully fund” school construction – another major priority for Montgomery County, in light of mushrooming enrollment. But it was not immediately clear, pending release of budget details, how much of this funding would be directed to the county. In addition to the cuts in GCEI, Madaleno – vice-chair of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee – said state officials had indicated per pupil funding growth would be capped at 1 percent for the 2016 fiscal year. It had been expected to grow by 1.4 percent, he added. Madaleno contended the Hogan administration’s claim of record spending on K through 12 education is based in part of contributions being made toward teacher pensions. “From a Montgomery County perspective, with half of GCEI going away, I wouldn’t be surprised to see our amount of state aid actually goes down on a per pupil basis,” he added. Hogan, while saying that a 2 percent budget cut is being imposed on state agencies and departments, told reporters there would be no layoffs or furloughs of state employees. But Madaleno said Hogan administration officials, in briefing state legislators, had indicated that a cost of living increase granted this year would be transformed into a bonus – with no further pay increases slated for state employees during the four years of Hogan’s term. “He really does balance the budget on the backs of state employees,” Madaleno charged. “[In his inaugural address], he talked about how he wanted a more efficient, well-run state government. This isn’t necessarily the way to motivate your employees to perform.”
Vice President Pence on Tuesday defended the latest government funding bill, arguing that getting the Democrats to agree to a $21 billion increase in defense spending is "no small accomplishment" for the administration. "[L]et me be real clear. The No. 1 priority of President Trump is to rebuild our military, to restore the arsenal of democracy. And I gotta tell you, to get Democrats in Washington, D.C., to agree to a $21 billion increase in a short-term budget bill ... it’s no small accomplishment," Pence said during an interview with conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh posed some tough questions to Pence, asking him, "What is the point of voting Republican if the Democrats are gonna continue to win practically 95 percent of their objectives, such as in this last budget deal?" Pence disagreed, echoing Trump's earlier comment that the deal is "actually a clear win for the American people." ADVERTISEMENT "Also, this bill includes the largest increase in border security funding in 10 years, with enough, as the president said, to make a down payment on a border wall," he continued. "We’re replacing ineffective and failing fencing and wall with an unbreakable barrier. We’re beginning to build the wall already, and look at the statistics, Rush. Illegal immigration, border crossings, are down more than 60 percent," he added. Pence maintained that the increase in defense spending in the budget bill sends a "decisive message to the world" about Trump's leadership. "I mean, in a very real sense this was a game-changer because we’re just back to putting the safety, security, and the national defense of the American people first, and I think it sends ... a decisive message to the world that under President Trump’s leadership we’re gonna make the strongest military in history even stronger," he said. Many conservative commentators have been critical of the budget deal, arguing that it is a victory for the Democrats because many social programs and government agencies they've targeted will continue to get funding under the agreement. The vice president also argued that the bill significantly benefits immigration enforcement, boosting funding for border security for another decade, though Democrats have crowed over the lack of funds for a physical border wall in the bill.
The movement to remove industrial sodium fluoride from the world’s water supply has been growing in recent years, with evidence coming out against the additive from several sources. Now, a report from the world’s oldest and most prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, has officially classified fluoride as a neurotoxin, in the same category as arsenic, lead and mercury. The news was broken by author Stefan Smyle and disseminated by the Facebook page Occupy Food , which linked to the report published in The Lancet Neurology, Volume 13, Issue 3, in the March 2014 edition, by authors Dr. Phillippe Grandjean and Philip J. Landrigan, MD. The report can be viewed by clicking here Industrial Chemicals Identified As noted in the summary of the report, a systematic review identified five different similar industrial chemicals as developmental neurotoxicants: lead, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, arsenic, and toluene. The summary goes on to state that six additional developmental neurotoxicants have also now been identified: manganese, fluoride, chlorpyrifos, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, and the polybrominated diphenyl ethers. The authors added that even more of these neurotoxicants remain undiscovered. ADHD, Dyslexia, and other cognitive impairments In the Lancet report, the authors propose a global prevention strategy, saying that “untested chemicals should not be presumed to be safe to brain development, and chemicals in existing use and all new chemicals must therefore be tested for developmental neurotoxicity.”Also in the report, they note that neurodevelopmental disabilities, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and other cognitive impairments, are now affecting millions of children worldwide in what they call a “pandemic of developmental neurotoxicity.” They continue: “To coordinate these efforts and to accelerate translation of science into prevention, we propose the urgent formation of a new international clearinghouse.” The report coincides with 2013 findings by a Harvard University meta-analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health that concluded that children in areas with highly fluoridated water have “significantly lower” IQ scores that those who live in areas with low amounts of fluoride in their water supplies. Fluoride also linked to Cancers Sodium fluoride in drinking water has also been linked to various cancers . It is functionally different than the naturally-occurring calcium fluoride, and commonly added to drinking water supplies and used by dentists and in dental products who posit that it is useful for dental health. Currently, fluoride is added to water supplies across much of North America, but as this list of countries that ban or reject water fluoridation shows, the practice is actually not too common, or banned entirely throughout most of Europe and in several other developed nations across the world.
Law firm is investigating a large chain of schools in Texas and the US amid allegations they funnel taxpayers’ dollars to dissident cleric Fethullah Gülen With brightly coloured halls and gadget-filled classrooms where students work on science projects from sound waves to hovercrafts, the Harmony Science Academy in Houston is like any other science and technology-focused high school in the US. But Harmony’s flagship campus in Houston has become an improbable battleground in a spat between Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and a dissident Turkish cleric. The Turkish government has hired an international law firm to investigate a large chain of charter schools in Texas and across the country, which it alleges is connected to a dissident Turkish cleric – and one-time political ally of Erdoğan – Fethullah Gülen. Lawyers for the Turkish government allege that the charter schools are misusing US taxpayers’ dollars and acting as a front for Gülen, a Turkish Muslim cleric who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania for the past 17 years. Harmony denies these claims. The Turkish government has also blamed Gülen for last July’s failed coup attempt, a charge he denies. In his absence, a trial began in Turkey last month in which Gülen and 72 others are accused of trying to overthrow the government. Fethullah Gülen: who is the man Turkey's president blames for coup attempt? Read more Gülen has denied any link between him and the schools, but the Trump administration may bring fresh scrutiny. Michael Flynn, the newly appointed national security adviser, wrote a febrile opinion piece published on election day in the Hill that criticised the charter schools, called for Gülen’s extradition and compared him with Ayatollah Khomeini and Osama bin Laden. Last year the Turkish government retained Amsterdam & Partners, the law firm of Robert Amsterdam, to investigate the numerous alleged Gülen-linked schools across the country. Amsterdam, 60, is a London-based, American-born, Canada-raised lawyer who has previously represented Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister of Thailand; Kim Dotcom, the founder of Megaupload; and the Russian dissident Mikhail Khodorkovsky. In May he filed a 32-page legal complaint (pdf) about Harmony to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) with accusations including connections to Gülen, improper use of public funds, discriminatory hiring practices and salaries and preferential contract awards. The TEA dismissed his complaint (pdf) in October, saying that an investigation was unwarranted. Amsterdam, though, is not giving up. He is planning a press conference in Illinois this month, where he said he will outline accusations of cronyism and misuse of public funds in the same vein as allegations his team have made in Texas and Ohio. “It’s outrageous, it’s a complete pillage of the US educational system to the tune of tens of millions of dollars,” he said. The firm has been investigating what it says is Gülen-linked activity in Africa, England and elsewhere in Europe. Globally, Amsterdam claims, the so-called Gülen schools “are serving as a funding mechanism for a political organisation that is determined to overthrow the government of a major Nato ally”. Gülen’s Hizmet is a popular movement that at times has appeared cultish – spawning thinktanks, businesses, schools and publications across the globe, while building up substantial wealth and influence in the process. A complex web of conspiracy that uses American taxpayers’ money to fund the Hizmet movement is alleged: Turkish building contractors and vendors are given preferential treatment, while employees privately contribute to Gülen-linked causes and donate to US lawmakers. Schools employ numerous Turkish teachers, often bringing them over on expensive visas to fill jobs that could have gone to locals. A spokesman for Gülen, Alp Aslandogan, denied formal ties between the Hizmet movement and the schools. “We absolutely reject the suggestion that the schools in question in any way channel money to any place,” he told the Guardian. Aslandogan, who said he acted as a landlord for a Harmony campus in Austin about a decade ago, is president of a New York-based non-profit “inspired by” Gülen’s teachings. He said Amsterdam’s efforts should be viewed within the context of the Erdoğan government’s crackdown on perceived opponents since the coup attempt, which has led to thousands of arrests in Turkey and the curtailing of free speech and press freedom. 'We became the news': staff at Turkey's Cumhuriyet speak out over arrests Read more “I think that this is very weird, that the Turkish government is spending Turkish taxpayers’ money going after American institutions for things that American authorities are supposed to do. I think that is nonsense. This is basically just pursuing perceived critics in foreign lands for domestic political goals. This is absurd,” Aslandogan said. “[One of Gülen’s] most important principles is legal and ethical conduct,” he added. “If an individual who is sympathetic to Mr Gülen willingly committed some wrongdoing, Mr Gülen would be the first to condemn it.” Charter schools – privately run, publicly funded and often enjoying a large degree of autonomy – have mushroomed across the US since the 1990s. They are no stranger to controversy, with detractors citing lax regulation and a creeping privatisation of public school systems. One place in Amsterdam’s sights is California, the state with the most charter schools in the country and the centre of a fierce debate between pro- and anti- charter forces, with millions of dollars spent on legislative campaigns. In October, for reasons not related to academic performance, the Los Angeles board of education voted to close three charter schools known for importing Turkish workers. Officially, the LA Times reported, paperwork violations influenced the decision . One afternoon after the TEA’s findings were released, Soner Tarim sat in the boardroom of Harmony’s headquarters next to a freeway in west Houston. Tarim, a graduate of Texas A&M University, co-founded his first school in Houston in 2000. Centred on STEM education in lower-income areas, Harmony now has 48 campuses in Texas with over 30,000 students and a waiting list of more than 35,000. Harmony says it has a 100% college acceptance rate, a 98% seniors graduation rate and plans to expand to 55 campuses by 2020. The CEO has faced opposition from some conservative groups and fielded questions about his company for years. In 2011 the New York Times ran a detailed story examining Harmony’s business dealings and hiring practices. Tarim termed Amsterdam’s allegations “a complete lie” and called for politicians to clamp down on what he described as a foreign government’s attempt to influence public education. He insisted that the schools do not discriminate and that of more than 5,200 vendors who work with Harmony, only a handful were likely to be Turkish-owned businesses. “What the Turkish government is doing through Amsterdam is bullying the public school system and they’re trying to take away time and effort, taxpayers’ money and the time of the state agencies,” he said. In recent years, Tarim said, Harmony has made enhanced efforts to be transparent about its finances and dealings. “Harmony’s a success story of immigrants,” he said. “Some of this, there is Islamophobia or xenophobia elements … but regardless, I think it’s because people tell us that when you become the largest in any industry you become targeted from left and right for many reasons.”
“The problem with socialism,” said Margaret Thatcher, “is that you eventually run out of other people’s money,” and that eventually has come for Venezuela. Food, medicine and all of the other necessities of life are nowhere to be found. How bad is it? A box of pasta now costs $300, and a dozen eggs goes for $150. People are even being even forced to work the nation’s farms. Everywhere else in the world this is called by its plain name: slavery. Hugo Chavez’s so-called “economic miracle” is at last stripped bare. Chavez achieved what any rational person would have thought impossible: He bankrupted the country that sits atop the world’s largest oil supply. Chavez’s economic plan, such that it was, was hatched in 1998, when he promised a “third way” between capitalism and socialism. His idea was to take control of the oil companies and use that income to fund social programs. But Chavez made the same mistake every socialist does: He assumed that capital just falls from the sky. He gave no thought to what would happen after he confiscated the infrastructure, equipment and property that was in the hands of the oil companies, who were incentivized to maintain it. At first, none of that mattered. Taking private property away actually works. But it only works once and only for a short while. From 2004 through 2008, Venezuela’s economy skyrocketed. Annual economic growth (in per-capita, inflation-adjusted terms) grew an astounding 11 percent annually. Poverty fell, inequality fell and socialists everywhere pointed to Chavez’s Venezuela as the model of socialism done right. But when investors cannot profit from capital, they stop creating capital. And if it isn’t continually replaced, upgraded and maintained, capital deteriorates until the country has neither investors nor capital. Like Venezuela. Venezuela is learning the hard way that there is no third way, because capitalism and socialism are mutually contradictory. Prior to Chavez’s rise to power in 1998, Venezuela ranked among the 50 percent most economically free countries in the world according to the Fraser Institute. Within three years, Venezuela had fallen into the bottom 10 percent, then to the bottom three. Since 2010, Venezuela has ranked dead last. It is the least economically free country on the planet. This is why its economy is in a shambles. The one-time benefit of nationalizing the oil industry has played out, and all that remains is misery. The economy has made it clear that the emperor has no clothes. The governing elite in Venezuela are, of course, blaming capitalists, but there are simply no capitalists left to blame. Venezuela got to this point by believing that politicians have the power to suspend the laws of economics. Chavez nationalized oil companies. This had the predictable effect of removing the profit incentive for oil workers and entrepreneurs to create value, and casting a pall over other major industries that feared they would be next. That, combined with the falling price of oil, meant that Venezuela’s ability to earn U.S. dollars and purchase U.S. products declined. This led to a reduction in economic growth. As economic growth slowed, the government’s tax revenues declined, so the government started printing money. This led to inflation. With inflation, the price of food rose, angering the voters. The government responded by imposing price controls. The price controls caused food to disappear. As with oil, there was no profit in providing it. And now, the government enslaves its own people to work on farms. Socialism, in the end, is slavery. The only way to fix this is to reverse the initial mistake. Return ownership of capital to the people and get the government out of the economy. It’s only when people can earn and keep profits from their businesses that entrepreneurship thrives, prices fall and people have food.
The law firm Paul, Weiss, long known for their questionable tactics in defending terrorists, donated to Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, quarterly campaign filings show. Mr. Manchin accepted donations totaling over $87,000 from people connected to the powerful Manhattan law firm with his total fundraising for the quarter coming in at $1.4 million. In addition to representing terrorists, the firm has also joined a coalition of other law firms to promote gun control causes, according to the New York Times. Paul, Weiss joined several other top law firms in wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting last year to offer free legal services and donations to groups that work on such advocacy. This issue is sure to go over poorly with Mr. Manchin’s constituents in West Virginia where more than 50 percent of households have guns, reports NPR. The firm has been a longtime donor in Democratic politics and was listed among the top ten firms to donate to federal candidates and parties in 2016, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Ninety-three percent of the donations went to Democratic candidates. One listed donor to Mr. Manchin, Martin Flumenbaum, an attorney at the firm, was once banned from Guantanamo after someone on his team was caught distributing anti-American propaganda to detainees back in 2006. The firm was banned from the base, but won a lawsuit that allowed them to continue representing prisoners. Several detainees the firm represented have been freed and some have returned to terrorist activities, according to the Pentagon. The firm has longstanding connections to the Clinton family and held a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in late 2015. An attorney from Paul, Weiss also represented Mrs. Clinton’s former chief of staff at the State Department, Cheryl Mills, during the Benghazi investigation. Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
For the ladies, the year’s sound track could have been a strangled gasp, followed by snorting and laughing out loud. The attacks on women’s health, on contraception, on abortion, on the definition of rape—it was all so over the top that very early on it seemed that the Republicans were determined to get out the ladies’ vote for the Democrats in 2012. In one outrageous incident after another, old white dudes and anti-choice women made it clear that they think single women should spend their time smiling modestly, gazing at the floor hoping for a marriage proposal—and that married women should stay barefoot and pregnant, relying on menfolk for pin money and taking care of their babies. By August, it was obvious that women, especially young women and single women, would turn out in force to be sure that President Obama kept the keys to the White House. And we did. We shook up the capital with an electoral genderquake. But before we hoist our year-end champagne, let’s recall some of the year’s absurdist highlights, noting a few recurring themes. Let’s start out with the best part of every year-in-review article: the quiz. Over the summer and into the fall, we had a series of oh my god he did not say that comments from various officeholders. How well were you following your outrageous politicians? Which one said which? A. Candidate (R) for Senate from Indiana, state treasurer Richard Mourdock) B. Candidate (R) for Senate from Missouri, Representative Todd Akin C. Candidate (R) for reelection to the House from Illinois, Representative Joe Walsh D. Michigan state legislature, (R) Representative Mike Callton E. Candidate (R) for Senate from Pennsylvania Tom Smith F. California Orange County superior court judge Derek G. Johnson Using the word “vagina” aloud in a discussion of abortion laws “was so offensive, I don't even want to say it in front of women." Asked about abortion after a rape: “I lived something similar to that with my own family. She chose life, and I commend her for that. She knew my views. But, fortunately for me, I didn’t have to.. she chose they way I thought. No don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t rape…. Uh, having a baby out of wedlock.” “The only exception I have to have an abortion is in the case of the life of the mother. I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize life is that gift from God. I think that even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.” Abortion is “absolutely” never medically necessary to save the life of the mother because “with modern technology and science, you can’t find one instance … There’s no such exception as life of the mother.” “Pregnancy from rape is really rare” and “if it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down.” "I'm not a gynecologist, but I can tell you something… If someone doesn't want to have sexual intercourse, the body shuts down. The body will not permit that to happen unless a lot of damage is inflicted.” (Answers at the end of the post.) Mind refreshed? Here’s the battle-by-battle breakdown: January: Rape is rape—or is it? We kicked off the year with a thrilling little victory. The FBI finally, after years of feminist pressure, updated the federal definition of rape. It had been stuck in 1929 as "the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will." Henceforth, the Uniform Crime Report’s rape stats would be more accurate; the new definition includes all forms of sexual assault—oral, anal, drugged, drunk, unconscious, coercive, against men. Feminists and law-enforcement officials rejoiced. But only for a minute. Because within weeks, John Boehner and friends tried to set the clock right back to 1929 in a sneaky little bill they called the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.” What’s that, you say? You thought that, well, there already was no taxpayer funding for abortion? True! But the special secret of this bill was that it was going to redefine legitimate rape as—wait for it—forcible. After Nick Baumann of Mother Jones revealed the language, Emily’s List, MoveOn.org, and Sady Doyle and Amanda Marcotte’s #DearJohn twitter campaign (#DearJohn: For When Boehner Decides Your Rape Just Wasn’t Enough) roared into action. Republicans had to back off. Rape remains rape. But we didn’t even have a chance to catch our breath before a fresh shock was upon us. A newly politicized Susan G. Komen For The Cure withdrew funding from Planned Parenthood. Within three days, it backed away from that explosive decision--and has been sorry every since. Apparently no one at Dallas HQ knew that women across America are profoundly grateful to Planned Parenthood for saving their lives. Yes, that’s because PP offers desperately needed abortions, but it’s also because of PP’s free ultrasounds, low-cost D&Cs after a miscarriage, emergency surgeries for burst ovarian cysts, day-after pills after date rape, contraceptive screenings, HIV tests, pap smears, free antibiotics for a urinary infection, and more. I know many deeply grateful women who have sworn to give at least $5/month for the rest of their lives for some such incident. Komen’s funding went down the tubes. Planned Parenthood’s shot up like a rocket, getting $3 million within four days. February: aspirin between your knees. For years, feminists had been warning that the anti-abortion crowd was really after contraception—and had been ignored as hysterical. No one doubts that after 2012. On January 25th, the Obama administration announced that under the Affordable Care Act, employers with religious affiliations, like all other employers, would have to offer insurance that covered preventive services without a co-pay—including contraception. Feminists heaved a sigh of relief that the administration had held firm, as it hadn’t on allowing Plan B to be sold over the counter. Conservatives began shouting about “religious freedom”—as if the U.S. government and insurance companies had an obligation to enforce the Catholic Church’s beliefs on its secular employees. And so Republican representative Darrell Issa, chair of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, convened a hearing that quickly became infamous on “religious freedom” and contraception by convening a panel that had no women on it. Planned Parenthood posted a picture of the all-male hearing panel, which went viral. Foster Friess, a billionaire who was backing Rick Santorum’s run for the Republican presidential nomination, told a stunned Andrea Mitchell that in his day, women prevented conception by putting Bayer aspirin between their knees—i.e., keeping their legs shut. And a young Georgetown Law School student named Sandra Fluke gave, on video, the testimony that she would have given if Issa had permitted her to speak, discussing the non-sex-related health benefits of the Pill. Into that fray roared our pal Rush Limbaugh, who spent a week deriding Sandra Fluke in truly stunning and ignorant terms, calling her a slut, a prostitute, someone who had to be paid to have sex, and “round heeled.” Limbaugh accused Fluke of “having so much sex she [couldn’t] afford her own birth control pills,” and said she was "having so much sex, it's amazing she can still walk." Then came the kicker: “If we are going to pay for your contraceptives, and thus pay for you to have sex, we want something for it, and I'll tell you what it is. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch.” (Some of his rants only make sense if you understand that he’s biologically illiterate, and believes women take the Pill once per sex act, like Viagra.) President Obama called Sandra Fluke. Rush lost 142 advertisers, including the U.S. Army, and was dropped by several stations. March, April, May: Fun with Republican state legislatures. Spring came, and for a while, all the fun switched over to Republican-controlled state legislatures, which competed to prove that they were the most determined to keep ladies’ legs shut, or punish them for failing to do so. The Arizona Legislature’s Senate Judiciary committee introduced a bill that would let employers ask their employees for proof that they were taking contraceptives for non-reproductive purposes, like menstrual regulation or acne. One legislature after another discussed and/or passed restrictive abortion bills—mandating things like medically unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds, forcing women to listen to the fetal heartbeat, adding expensive architectural requirements for abortion clinics for which there was no medical need. In response, female Democratic legislators had all kinds of fun with sarcastic counter-proposals, like proposing a mandatory rectal exam before any man could be prescribed Viagra, or declaring that semen spilled anywhere except in a woman’s body “shall be interpreted and construed as an action against an unborn child." Okay, so those state legislative battles were the opposite of fun. Those that passed genuinely did restrict women’s access to reproductive choice. There’s a lot of work ahead state by state, gals. June: all work and no play … In June, things heated up in a completely different arena: work. In The Atlantic, Anne-Marie Slaughter kickstarted a spectacularly necessary debate—albeit with an unfortunately titled piece—about what public policies were needed to reshape the landscape so that working families could have balanced lives—which especially affects women, who are often assumed to be the ones who will sacrifice career to childrearing. And Jill Abramson was named the first female executive editor of The New York Times, a historic moment. August, September, October: strong women rock the house. But we had fun with the ladies in so many other ways this year: In August, with the Olympics, raucous female athletes got all sweaty, strong, and awesome, no longer pretending to have to be sweet and nice like lady athletes used to be. The very first openly gay brigadier general in the army! New general Tammy S. Smith had her wife Tracey Hepner pin the medal on in the official ceremony. In September, Naomi Wolf let us make fun of her Vagina (the book). Lady novelists Hilary Mantel and Zadie Smith enjoyed monster success with their novels Bring Up the Bodies and NW respectively—and Mantel won the Booker Prize for a second time. In October, Candy Crowley kicked all sorts of ass as the first female presidential debate moderator in twenty years. The old white dudes who moderated the two other debates sat silently while the candidates walked all over them; Crowley actually committed a live factcheck to the cheers of millions, correcting Romney right in the middle of a misstatement. October, November, December: Revenge of the Nineteenth Amendment, and deadly misogyny around the world. Need we say that, in November, all the single ladies (okay, married ones too) turned out in force to vote against the pro-rape and anti-contraception party, no matter how long they had to wait in line, becoming the most reliable Democratic Party voting bloc. And that’s what made all those statements above entertaining: we beat back the forces of reaction, gals. We elected the most women to the House and Senate ever: 78 to the House and 20 to the Senate, including uncompromisingly progressive first-female-Senator-from-Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren, first-openly-lesbian-Senator-ever Tammy Baldwin, and first-paraplegic-female-veteran Rep. Tammy Duckworth. Yes, it’s pathetic that 20 and 78 are the most ever. But it turns out that declaring war on women’s reproductive freedom—and therefore, our economic freedom, since heterosexual women who can’t control their fertility must depend on men for support—isn’t such a successful election strategy after all. The barefoot-and-pregnant dudes all lost. The ladies won. That sound you hear is me howling happily at the moon. The fall has had its moments of terrible grief. In October, the Taliban shot and tried to kill Malala Yousafzai, a fourteen-year-old Pakistani activist on behalf of girls’ education. She’s still recuperating in a British hospital. In November, Savita Halappanavar died because, while she was miscarrying a fetus that could not possibly survive, the Irish hospital refused to terminate the fetus early (and thereby stop the bleeding and reduce the possibility of infection, potentially saving Savita’s life)—because the doomed fetal heart was still beating. The only good news from that “pro-life” travesty was that it revitalized Ireland’s pro-choice movement, now insisting on official guidelines from the Irish government for exactly when abortion is permitted to save the mother’s life. And in December, several men brutally raped and assaulted a woman in New Delhi, for hours, including using a metal rod; she spent two weeks in the hospital with severe internal injuries, and died. As with Savita’s death, the only possible good news from this horror story is that India may actually change its attitude toward the reportedly rampant street harassment and sexual assault plaguing its women. No wonder, in March, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made her soon-to-be-viral video statement at The Daily Beast’s Women in the World summit, asking why extremists always want to control women: It doesn't matter what country they're in or what religion they claim. They want to control women. They want to control how we dress, they want to control how we act, they even want to control the decisions we make about our own health and bodies. May I propose a toast for your New Year’s Eve: to a year in which women can live and move freely, treated with respect, making our own decisions about our lives—whether that’s to go to a movie at night, get an education, control our own bodies, marry (or not) as we wish. Such a year would give me nothing to write about, but I would be thrilled to have the world toss me out of my job. To 2013! ANSWERS TO QUIZ: A3, B5, C4, D1, E2, F6
Hope some of You remember 4th season's "Equestria Games" episode so it would make any senseTo me this paticular episode required some warming up to, before actually appreciating it, it's ain't bad, even though at first I deemed it very low. Still Spike managed to have an awesome moment, and actually quite interesting dilemma on him. Not to mention "almost" having the power pyrokinesisbut what if...Anyway, I can't say in general I'm too happy with the outcome seen above, I have re-drawn few panels multiple times and in the end I was so frustrated with it I rushed it to the end so I could hop on the other projects, sorry. Although it was fun to draw the uniforms for the fireponiesDon't worry though next stuff is gonna be better - at least I hope so, see ya next weekendBig thanks goes to for the proofread
President Donald Trump urged Congress to pass a budget that provides for higher, stable and predictable funding for the U.S. military. “Call that congressman and call that senator, and make sure you get it,” Trump said Saturday at the commissioning of the Gerald R. Ford, the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier. “We must end the defense sequester once and for all.” Trump visited the $12.9 billion nuclear-powered carrier in Newport News, Virginia, to cap off the White House’s “Made in America” week, a series of events designed to highlight the administration’s push to increase domestic manufacturing. That effort was largely overshadowed by tumult within the administration, including Friday’s hiring of investment banker Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director and the subsequent resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer. The president earlier in the week said in an interview that he regretted appointing Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and warned the special counsel leading a probe into Russia’s campaign meddling not to investigate unrelated dealings by his family business. Read more
An Alberta man is expressing frustration after he received a ticket for flicking his high beams at an oncoming driver who also happened to be a sheriff. Jeff McLenaghan told CTV Calgary that he was driving to his home in High River, Alta. on Monday evening around 9 p.m. when he noticed a vehicle approaching him with bright lights that he thought were high beams. “I did what probably everybody else and their dog does,” he recalled on Thursday. “I did a quick flick, probably about a tenth of a second, by my calculations about two feet of high beamage [sic].” As it turns out, McLenaghan had flashed his high beams at a police sheriff who was none too pleased about it. When McLenaghan turned into his parking space, the vehicle pulled up behind him with its blue and red lights flashing. McLenaghan said he tried to explain to the sheriff that he had flicked his lights to signal that the oncoming car’s high beams were on and should be shut off. The sheriff denied having his high beams on and handed him a $155 ticket for using high beams within 300 metres of an oncoming vehicle, as detailed in Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act. McLenaghan said he told the sheriff that he wasn’t aware of the law and pleaded for leniency because he’s dealing with some financial difficulties as a result of a recent heart problem. “I begged with him. I said I’ve got some health concerns right now, finances are the way they are, I’ve got some things I’m trying to work through,” McLenaghan said. “I think there should be some leeway, either way, they certainly have some choices with what to do.” Although he admits to breaking the law, McLenaghan said he plans to fight the ticket in court in January. With a report from CTV Calgary’s Alesia Fieldberg
Last week the Eagles made a bunch of splashy moves to fill some key holes and help put the team over the top. This week the Eagles stayed active, but the moves were of a different variety. The goal was to find good insurance policies in case of injuries or other unexpected problems. The biggest name to be added was running back Ronnie Brown. I love this move. LeSean McCoy has emerged as one of the top running backs in the NFL. McCoy is going to be the workhorse back now and into the future. He was great in 2010 and is having an outstanding training camp so far. The only concern is what would happen if McCoy got hurt. Last year the Eagles were lucky that he stayed healthy all year. Since the team expects to compete for a Super Bowl title this year they couldn't go into the season without a top shelf backup at running back. Brown is a perfect fit for the Eagles offense. He's a skilled runner, but what sets him apart from other backs is the fact he is a very good pass blocker and also a talented receiver. Some of the backup running backs who failed to pan out for the Eagles were deficient in those areas. Ryan Moats was a terrible pass blocker. Tony Hunt struggled in that area and was limited as a receiver. Mike Bell wasn't healthy. Charles Scott struggled to adapt to the NFL passing game completely. Brown isn't a project at all. He is a proven player. Brown has added value in a couple of ways. With the Dolphins he was their Wildcat quarterback. He was able to run the ball, execute option plays, and also throw passes. The Eagles have run some Wildcat in the last three years. They can do that again, but mix in Brown as the quarterback if they want to. The other good thing about Brown is that he doesn't need a ton of carries to be an effective player. He shared the ball with Cadillac Williams in college. Brown shared the ball with Ricky Williams in Miami. He won't have a problem with being second fiddle to McCoy. Should anything happen to McCoy, Brown is experienced and talented enough to be the primary back for the Eagles. He can handle that role for a game or even the whole season if that was needed. Obviously we hope McCoy is able to get through 2011 healthy, but you can't count on that. Adding Brown gives you a good player to mix into the offense and a good insurance policy. The Eagles added a player that might actually become a starter. Tackle Ryan Harris was expected to stay in Denver, but changed his mind and signed with the Eagles. His career has been very up and down. He started at right tackle for the Broncos in 2008 and played well. He seemed like a fixture at that spot. In 2009 he was hampered by a toe injury. In 2010 it was an ankle injury that got the best of him. Harris only started 18 of 32 possible games. His play slipped when he was on the field because he was less than 100 percent. Harris now comes to the Eagles with a chance to be the starting right tackle. He is a very good fit for Howard Mudd's style of blocking as well as the Eagles offense. Harris played left tackle in college and is a natural pass protector. He's got a sleek athletic build at 6-5 and 300 pounds. Harris isn't physically imposing. He's going to block defenders by being technically sound and using his athletic ability. Right tackle is a concern right now for the Eagles. Winston Justice remains on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. The team hopes he's able to come off that and practice before the season starts, but there are no guarantees. King Dunlap has been a major disappointment. He was expected to challenge for the right tackle spot. He looks lost in Mudd's system and is now playing on the third string offense. Dunlap showed so much promise last year that you hoped he had finally turned the corner and was ready to be a reliable backup and possible starter. So much for that idea. Fenuki Tupou is also in the mix at right tackle, but he hasn't played so well that you see him as starter material. Harris is a player the Eagles could rely on. He has started and played well. He is a good pass blocker, something that is critical in the Andy Reid offense. Harris has to learn the offense, but I'm sure that won't be a major problem. He's a smart player. The concern with him is durability. Can he stay healthy? Second year lineman Austin Howard has gotten reps at right tackle and left tackle. He's been up and down. He is the most likely of the backups to push Harris for the right tackle job. He also could be the guy off the bench in case anything does happen to Harris. It was important for the Eagles to add a veteran at right tackle in case Justice isn't able to play. Defensive tackle looked like a stacked position last weekend. Things changed in a hurry. Brodrick Bunkley was traded. Mike Patterson had a seizure and spent a couple of days in the hospital. The reports now make it sound like he'll be back in a few days, but there are no guarantees for a player with some serious issues. He's got to get final opinions from specialists and then the Eagles have to agree that he's okay to play. Trevor Laws and Antonio Dixon suffered minor injuries. Suddenly, the Eagles were super thin at defensive tackle. In the past the Eagles would add camp body types and then wait for the key players to come back. Heck, a couple of years ago they took a backup offensive lineman and used him on defense. The Eagles were more aggressive this week. They did sign two players that are camp bodies, Brandon Collier and Charles Noonan. The team also added a pair of quality veterans. Derek Landri started all 16 games for the Carolina Panthers last year. Anthony Hargrove was a key role player for the Saints on their Super Bowl run in 2009. Neither Hargrove nor Landri is guaranteed a spot, but both players fit Jim Washburn's attacking scheme on the defensive line. Last year Landri had three sacks and seven tackles-for-loss. Hargrove had 5 sacks for the Saints in 2009. He was extremely disruptive as an interior rusher that year. If Patterson comes back, there might be no need for either of the recently signed veterans. Still, I love the moves. Why not go get good players to come in and fight for a roster spot? Both players have been good role players on playoff teams. They are smaller defensive tackles, but that's what Washburn wants. He needs players who can fire off the ball and penetrate. His system works when the defensive linemen are able to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Are the Eagles finally done with making moves? For the most part, yes. General manager Howie Roseman always keeps an eye out to see what players are available, as well as what areas the the Eagles might need help in. Backup running back - filled. Possible starting right tackle - filled. Depth at defensive tackle - filled. Some people are stuck on the notion of adding veterans at linebacker. This remains a possibility, but the Eagles are giving Casey Matthews every chance in the world to show he should start in the middle. He's done nothing to prove them wrong so far. The big test will be to see how he does in game action. Practice is one thing, but games are a whole different world. Wide receiver is an odd position. The Eagles did have interest in Plaxico Burress, but he signed with the Jets. Since then, the Eagles haven't shown interest in other receivers. It seems like Jeremy Maclin will be back for the regular season. DeSean Jackson will reportedly in his holdout on Monday. With those players, Jason Avant, Riley Cooper and some talented guys in camp, I'm not sure there is much need at receiver. The Eagles will make a move if they think someone can help the offense. Right now they are sitting tight, but don't mistake that for complacency. Roseman is ready to pounce the second he thinks a deal needs to be made or will improve the team. After all, good is good, but better is better.
Former WCW Champion Scott Steiner was recently interviewed by Whatculture. During the interview, Steiner was very outspoken about his feelings as it pertained to World Wrestling Entertainment, and those in control of the company. Steiner was asked if there was a possibility of a Steiner Brothers reunion, and mentioned his brother is really busy in real estate, and he just opened a new restaurant himself. He also revealed that he's been offered a WWE legends contract. "WWE offered me a legends deal. My lawyer looked at it, and it's basically illegal, Steiner said. "It's not worth the paper that it's written on. So f--k them. That's why a lot of guys are leaving like Rey Mysterio and CM Punk. It's a monopoly and the product suffers because of it. You have two dumbasses running it in Stephanie and her (expletive) husband Triple H." Scott Steiner went on to call the WrestleMania card 'horses--t.' He said that the way that they treat people that make them money is a key factor in why major names have abandoned the company over the last two and a half years. Steiner also said that he doesn't like that the WWE saddles talent with bad gimmicks. "How do you get rid of a guy like CM Punk? I'm a friend of Rey's, he's sold a hell of a lot of merchandise. It's a monopoly, the only game in town. They want to treat people like s--t and that's why they leave. It's tough to watch. You have a guy coming up and these jackasses at WWE stamp a bulls--t gimmick on them...It's a bunch of s--t," Steiner said. When asked about a potential return to WWE, Steiner said it would be financially motivated if he did end up doing it. "Depends on how big that Brinks truck is that they pull into my driveway," Steiner said.
A group of paranormal researchers claim to have found the giant hand of a mysterious humanoid being in Cusco, Peru. Paranormal enthusiasts believe the hand belonged to an alien or extraterrestrial being. According to the researchers, they obtained the hand, which has three long and thin fingers, from a group of friends who found it while exploring caves and tunnels in the desert near their home in southeastern Peru. The group of friends also claimed that they found a small mummified and elongated humanoid skull at a spot near where they found the hand. They allowed paranormal researcher Brien Foerster and his team to examine the mysterious specimens. But they allegedly declined to give specific information about the location of the cave and tunnel where they found the strange hand and skull. Although paranormal and UFO enthusiasts declared the alleged “alien hand” and skull as evidence of the existence of extraterrestrial beings, skeptics have dismissed the latest claim by paranormal researcher Brien Foerster and his Hidden Inca Tours team as a hoax. But Foerster insisted that he examined the hand personally in Cusco, Peru, and that he was convinced they were genuine hands of a humanoid creature. According to Foerster, the person who found the hand did not want to sell it. The owner said he agreed to grant Foerster’s team access because he was curious to learn about the nature of the strange objects. Foerster claimed that he and his team presented the “alien” hand and the elongated skull to physicians in Cusco, who conducted X-ray analysis and found that each of the three fingers had six bones, compared with human hands that have only three. The physicians concluded that the hand and skull were genuine biological objects, with real animal bone and skin tissues. null The physicians, according to Foerster, confirmed that the specimens were not Hollywood props or the creation of a hoaxer. The physicians also determined that the hand was not human. But they were unable to identify the type or species of life form the skull and hand had belonged to. “It was X-rayed and examined by physicians here in Cusco who stated that it clearly was not a human, but was a life form of some kind.” The paranormal researchers said that detailed examination of the end of a finger showed that the fingernail was remarkably human in appearance and form. The skin was also very human-looking. Thus, even if the alleged being was not human, it must have been very human-like or humanoid. X-ray analysis also allegedly confirmed that the skin and bones had characteristic mammalian features. The researchers said that they planned to conduct radiocarbon and DNA testing of the mysterious specimens in the U.S. early in 2017. But UFO blogger Scott C. Waring warned that DNA tests will not determine if the genome of the creature is alien because “we have no aliens to compare it to.” “DNA results will only say the DNA doesn’t match any known species,” Waring argued on his UFO Sightings Daily blog. He argued that the hand and skull might have belonged to different alien individuals of different species because while the skull looked like it belonged to an infant, the hand looked like an adult’s. “Sure there is a skull, but it looks to be the size of an infant, if it is the same species as the hand.” “Several different kinds of aliens may have been working together and died in the Cusco cave tunnel where it was found,” Waring concluded. Some online viewers appeared to find the evidence presented in the video convincing. “Truly amazing,” a YouTube viewer exclaimed. “It makes you question the whole idea of life and how it evolved.” Others argued that the hand was a hoax. “Maybe someone attached human fingers on top of a fin,” a skeptical viewer suggested. Others claimed that the person presented in the video as a physician was only an actor pretending to be a physician. “Yeah, lets examine this interesting piece of alien evidence in the middle of my kitchen without any kind of environmental contamination measures or proper tools, just bare handed,” a skeptical viewer commented sarcastically. “But, oh, but don’t forget the gloves and coat, we are scientists!” null But this is not the first time that Foerster and his team have been involved in a controversial investigation of alleged evidence of alien life. He claimed to have sent samples of DNA obtained from the famous Paracas skulls for analysis and that the results showed they contained non-human DNA, presumably of extraterrestrial origin. The Paracas skulls refer to strange-looking skulls, believed to be about 3,000-years-old, found by a team of archaeologists in the Paracas desert area of the Pisco province of southern Peru in 1928. The shape of the skulls sparked a debate, with paranormal enthusiasts insisting they were not human but alien. However, mainstream scientific researchers insisted that the strangely elongated shape of the skulls was due to the practice of artificial cranial deformation, also known as head-binding. null Head-binding involves the application of steady pressure to soft, growing juvenile skulls to distort the shape. But paranormal researchers, including Foerster, insisted that the unusual shape of the skulls was not due to head-binding. They argued that unlike skulls elongated by head-binding procedures, the Paracas skulls had greater volume and weight than normal human skulls. Previous studies had shown that head-binding only reshapes the skull. It does not increase its volume and weight. Foerster claimed that DNA analysis showed that the mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) of the skulls had non-human mutations. This suggested that the humanoid creatures that owned the skulls were not related to Homo sapiens and their close relatives, such as the Neanderthals and the Denisovans. [Featured Image by Chris Harvey/Shutterstock]
The Patriots host the league's No. 1 ranked defense Saturday at Gillette Stadium, a task that may not be as daunting as it sounds. The last time the Patriots faced the top-ranked defense in the NFL, they hung 496 total yards and 30 points on the Ravens. On Saturday, the Pats square off with the Texans, who yielded 20.5 points and just over 300 yards per game during the regular season. Here is the individual outlook for several of New England's offensive skill players: DION LEWIS: The Pats ramped up Lewis' workload over the final three weeks of the regular season to prepare him for the playoffs. Lewis logged 50 touches in Weeks 15, 16, and 17. LeGarrette Blount had 51 touches in that span. Houston has been excellent against the run in recent weeks. From Week 8 to the Wild Card round, the Texans have held opponents to 204 carries for 711 yards (3.48 per attempt). Smaller backs have had more success than big backs against Houston. Consider the Week 15 matchup with Cincinnati: Rex Burkhead, a shifty back, recorded 16 touches for 67 yards, while Jeremy Hill carried just seven times for eight yards. Due to his elite agility, Lewis can often turn a poorly blocked play into a 4-5 yard gain. Blount, while more likely to rip off a long run, is also more susceptible to being tackled at the line of scrimmage. Don't be surprised to see Lewis take the lead role here. LEGARRETTE BLOUNT Lately, the Pats have been using Blount to wind down the clock at the end games. Lewis, meanwhile, has served as the lead back early in games (before the score gets out of hand). The 250-pound Blount remains the goal line back and is always a threat to score. He found the endzone in 13 of 16 games this season. Blount missed Wednesday and Thursday practices due to an illness, but was removed from the team's injury report Friday. He is not listed with a designation for Saturday's game. JULIAN EDELMAN Finished the season on a tear, averaging 93.5 yards in the second half of the season. Edelman has an extremely high statistical floor. Over the final eight games, he never had fewer than 73 receiving yards. Edelman averaged 12.1 targets per game in that span. The Pats will aim to attack Texans slot cornerback Kareem Jackson, who has yielded a 106.8 passer rating while in primary coverage, according to The Washington Post. CHRIS HOGAN While he has had a very good season, Hogan's big games are hard to predict. He draws a tough matchup here, likely pitted against one of the Texans outside cornerbacks (A.J. Bouye or Johnathan Joseph). Hogan has seen at least five targets in three of his past five games. He also had fewer than 30 yards in four of those five games. MALCOLM MITCHELL The rookie receiver is the only Patriots player listed with a designation for Saturday's game. Due to a knee injury that kept him out in Week 17, Mitchell is questionable to play against the Texans. He will likely test the knee out in the pregame. If Mitchell is good to go, he'll have a role in the Pats offense. The emergence of Michael Floyd and, to a lesser extent, the return of Danny Amendola could cut into his snaps, though. MICHAEL FLOYD If Mitchell is out, Floyd could play a large role Saturday. As the No. 3 receiver in Week 17 against the Dolphins, he delivered a pair of highlight plays, bulling through four Miami defenders for a touchdown and then laying out defensive back Tony Lippett on Edelman's 77-yard touchdown catch. MARTELLUS BENNETT After a midseason scoring drought, Bennett has caught three touchdowns in four games. His five targets in Week 17 against Miami marked the most he has seen since Week 10. Bennett is not a high-volume player in the passing game, but he is always a threat to score in the endzone. JAMES WHITE With Lewis' role expanded, White has averaged 5.2 touches over the past four games. He caught a 25-yard touchdown pass in the Week 16 rout of the Jets. DANNY AMENDOLA Tough to predict how much Amendola will play. If active, he will likely return punts and see the field on third-down passing situations. He has not played since Week 13 due to an ankle injury.
I am concerned that the dual lands are going to have me playing a turn behind in some instances. I also have some inconsistency in my 3-drops and I'm not sure which direction to go. 1 Drop Duress: View hand, get rid of something good. I was going to go Thoughtseize but I think I have enough removal that I'm more concerned with noncreature cards. Nivmagus Elemental: Still kinda flip-flopping on what 1-drop creature I want, if any. I figure this guy gives me an outlet if anything gets countered or I don't have a Possibility Storm sorcery/instant target, which would then put him outside of Anger of the Gods range. That's a lot of maybes for a 1-drop, but whatever. 2 Drop Dreadbore: Kill stuff. High Priest of Penance: Make them hesitant to attack. In an emergency, I could Magma Jet him, too. Mizzium Mortars: Kills some opponents' win-cons such as Stormbreath or Blood Baron. Overload board wipe. I should probably up the number of these, but with only 7 red lands, I'm not sure I'll ever get a chance to overload it. Magma Jet: The scry is what's important with three colors. If you have it turn 2, it should kill something, otherwise just smack a player with it. Nyx-Fleece Ram: Not a sexy card, but between this and Soldier of the Pantheon, I decided to take the Ram because he doesn't die to Anger of the Gods or many other instants, he won't likely be targeted by removal unless he's all I got, and he makes all these shock lands & Underworld Connections hurt less. 3 Drop Boros Reckoner: Devotion for the gods is nice, but mostly he's a way to stop them from wanting to attack, which gives me time to get to my removal. Hero's Downfall: Kill stuff at instant speed. Underworld Connections: Card advantage using life as a resource. Feed Pack Rat. Athreos, God of Passage: Great card. Early game, the opponent will usually take the 3 life, but later on they'll probably regret it. 4 Drop Mogis, God of Slaughter: Puts a clock on the other player if I've managed to keep removal steady, and slowly tilts board state in my favor if I haven't. Not to mention swinging for 7 damage himself if he comes to life. Possibly kills other gods. Whip of Erebos: Might be inconsistent with this deck because it probably only helps me late-game. Obviously, giving Assemble the Legion and Pack Rat lifelink could be big. Oh yeah, and I suppose it makes discarding creatures to Pack Rat slightly less of a pain. 5 Drop Assemble the Legion: If early removal has gone well, this should tilt things in your favor even if the life totals don't look so good by turn 5. If they have enchantment removal, they've probably used it on your gods or Cauldron by now. Blood Baron of Vizkopa: I just took out Ghost Dad for this because of his protection from white and black. Possibility Storm: I know some of you are really confused seeing this one in here, but when I looked over my list it made sense to include this instead of Sire Of Insanity or Rakdos's Return to disrupt control. It will hurt them more than it hurts me. Creatures: I'm okay with cycling into any of these creatures. Instants: In plenty of cases, I won't mind swapping Hero's Downfall and Magma Jet. Sorceries: Not quite as smooth, but if I'm playing a Dreadbore, I can probably find a use for Mizzium Mortars, and vice versa. Kind of sucks to waste Mortars' overload, but it's not the end of the world unless they've managed to develop an army. Getting Duress could be kind of a toss-up if they don't have much of a hand left. Getting Revoke Existence seems like it'd suck, but if you have no other targets, just get rid of your own Possibility Storm. Enchantments: Very versatile because the Whip and gods are also enchantments. Underworld Connections is the only one I might not want as a late play, but it wouldn't suck either. 6 Drop Merciless Eviction: An extra board wipe in case of emergency. Costs too much though. Sideboard Anger of the Gods: I might need an earlier board wipe. Bile Blight: Ditto. Dark Betrayal : There's lots of black currently, why not? Fiendslayer Paladin : Same as above. Elixir of Immortality: Makes Pack Rat and shocking yourself hurt less. Side in against mill/control. Lifebane Zombie : Definite add against white or green. Pithing Needle: For AEtherling, planeswalkers, etc. Revoke Existence : Side in if necessary. Slaughter Games: Fuck up combos and win-cons. Side in for Possibility Storm once you figure out what you really need to get rid of.
IMPERIAL BEACH, CA — The identities of a man and woman found dead from gunshot wounds Sunday at an Imperial Beach apartment — possibly in a murder-suicide — have not yet been released by authorities. The victims, both believed to be around 65 years old, were found lying on the floor of an upstairs bedroom of an apartment at 309 Imperial Beach Blvd., according to San Diego County sheriff's Lt. Kenneth Nelson. The lieutenant said deputies from the sheriff's Imperial Beach Substation responded to the apartment just before 5:15 p.m. Sunday in response to a 911 call from the victims' roommate. "The caller said while at home he heard two gunshots come from an upstairs bedroom, which was shared by two of his roommates," Nelson said. "When he went to investigate, he found both of them lying on the floor with obvious signs of trauma to their upper bodies." When deputies arrived, the woman was dead but the man was still alive, Nelson said. The man was rushed to a local hospital but died from his wounds a short time later. "There are believed to be no outstanding suspects in this case," Nelson said Sunday night, telling media outlets including CBS8 San Diego that the deaths were being investigated as a possible murder-suicide. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office was working to identify the man and woman and determine their manner and cause of death. Image via Shutterstock
[/caption] On May 5, 2012, while everyone else was waiting for the “Super Moon” astrophotographer Alan Friedman was out capturing this super image of a super Sun from his back yard in Buffalo, NY! Taken with a specialized telescope that can image the Sun in hydrogen alpha light, Alan’s photo shows the intricate detail of our home star’s chromosphere — the layer just above its “surface”, or photosphere. Prominences can be seen rising up from the Sun’s limb in several places, and long filaments — magnetically-suspended lines of plasma — arch across its face. The “fuzzy” texture is caused by smaller features called spicules and fibrils, which are short-lived spikes of magnetic fields that rapidly rise up from the surface of the Sun. On the left side it appears that a prominence may have had just detached from the Sun’s limb, as there’s a faint cloud of material suspended there. Alan masterfully captures the Sun’s finer details in his images on a fairly regular basis… see more of his solar (and lunar, and… vintage headwear) photography on his blog site here. Image © Alan Friedman. All rights reserved.
The anticipated Music Is Revolution closing with Carl Cox at Space Ibiza will be broadcast live to over 50 FM radio stations worldwide and will be recorded for the 700th edition of Global Radio. For the past 15 years, Carl Cox has held a wickedly successful residency at Space Ibiza and this season has been his and the venue's last. The club will be run by Ushuaïa Group starting in 2017 and Carl Cox will be moving onto his next venture. It is indeed the end of an era of clubbing in Ibiza and with such a monumental occasion, it’s only fitting that everyone gets the chance to enjoy the moment, whether inside the club or from the far reaches of the world. Witness Carl Cox take to the decks at Space for the very last time. Tune into the live stream below.
A POWERFUL group of university leaders has called for the scrapping of a cap on fees charged by Scottish universities to students from the rest of the UK. Institutions north of the Border can charge students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland up to £9000 a year. The limit was introduced to ensure a level playing field with universities in the rest of the UK, which can also charge fees of up to £9000. It was also intended to act as a brake on undue profiteering. Now a group representing the 12 governing bodies of universities in Scotland has made a controversial call for them to be allowed to set their own maximum fee. The call was immediately rejected by both the UCU Scotland lecturing union and student body NUS Scotland. Mary Senior, of UCU Scotland, the largest union representing academics and lecturers, said: "It is astonishing that the chairs of courts are calling for undergraduate fees to be unregulated and market driven for students from the rest of the UK. "The custodians of our world- class universities only seem to be interested in turning a profit, not defending our educational values." Robin Parker, president of NUS Scotland, added: "It's extremely disappointing to see that the Committee of Scottish Chairs view students primarily as sources of additional income with this advocacy for an unregulated free market in Scottish education. "It also highlights how out of touch the people involved in university governance are with the students they are supposed to serve, and with the Scottish public. To remove the cap completely and let the market rip through our system would be incredibly damaging." The university ruling courts made the statement in a submission to the Scottish Parliament's education committee. It is currently scrutinising the Post-16 (Scotland) Education Bill, which would enshrine the cap in the law. The Committee of Scottish Chairs said: "All universities welcome students from throughout the UK and overseas because of the diversity they bring to their communities. "In setting the level of fees, universities must take into account the cost of providing courses and the desire to attract students. "It is inconceivable that any governing body should set its fees at such a level that students would be discouraged from applying. "The chairs, therefore, believe that this section is unnecessary." Those on the Committee of Scottish Chairs include: Professor Stuart Monro (Edinburgh University), David Ross (Glasgow), Professor Ewan Brown (St Andrews) and Richard Hunter (Strathclyde). The Herald reported yesterday how at least four Scottish universities had lost money as a result of the introduction of fees for students from the rest of the UK. Aberdeen, Abertay in Dundee, Queen Margaret in Edinburgh and West of Scotland all said they now had a lower income because the level of fees collected was less than the public money they used to receive for these students. However, Michael Russell, the Education Secretary, said Scottish universities continued to be attractive to students from other countries, with recent figures showing an increase of more than 600 accepting a place at a university north of the Border. "The UK Government's decision to treble fees in England left this Government with no choice but to allow Scottish universities to increase fees for students from the rest of the UK in line with that," he said. "However, we have taken action to ensure Scottish-domiciled students do not have to pay tuition fees and we are providing an increased number of funded places for Scottish and EU students."
I recently found myself needing to return early from a block passed into a method in Ruby. Although the way to do this is fairly simple and obvious in hindsight, it seemed to surprise some of my Ruby-enthusiast colleagues. I decided to write this post in the hopes that it’s interesting to others. The Problem I was writing a one-off script to import into our system. If an error occurred processing a particular item, I wanted to return back some error information that could be stored for later analysis, then skip to the next row. My code looked something like this: def process_widget(a_widget) process_with_common_infrastructure(a_widget, some_context) do \|preprocessed_data\| # check for error type A and abort here # continue processing row otherwise... # check for error B here with result of further processing, and abort if necessary # continue on and finish importing row end # more code, that should be run regardless of whether the above block terminated early end As most Ruby programmers understand, an attempt to use return to abort the inner block will result in control immediately flowing back to wherever process_widget was called. This is decidedly not the behavior that is desired here. Instead, I needed a local return. Next to the Rescue Ruby has a keyword, next , that is often documented and discussed in the context of iterators. Here’s an example of its usage: def pick_widget(widgets, name) widgets.detect do \|w\| next if w.broken? w.name == name end end This example would skip any widgets that happen to be broken, but otherwise choose the first one whose name matches. Although there are better ways to write this, it illustrates the function of next : it’ll short-circuit the block and return control flow to the detect method. I wondered if next could be provided a value, and if it could also be used outside of the context of an enumerable or iterator. Some quick experimenting found that the answer to both questions is yes. In my first example, above, the error handling ended up looking like this: next(error: “error description”) if some_error_condition Conclusion If you’re curious, here’s a snippet that nicely illustrates the behavior of next vs. return : module Thing module_function def thing(&block) (1..3).map(&block) end def other_thing thing do \|v\| next(:surprise) if v == 2 v end end def other_other_thing thing do \|v\| return(:surprise) if v == 3 v end end end puts(Thing.other_thing.inspect) # output: [1, :surprise, 3] puts(Thing.other_other_thing.inspect) # output: :surprise
BEIJING (Reuters) - Widespread misreporting of harmful gas emissions by Chinese electricity firms is threatening the country’s attempts to rein in pollution, with government policies aimed at generating cleaner power struggling to halt the practice. Smoke billows from the chimneys of a heating plant in Jilin, Jilin province, China, in this January 8, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Stringer/Files Coal-fired power accounts for three-quarters of China’s total generation capacity and is a major source of the toxic smog that shrouded much of the country’s north last month, prompting “red alerts” in dozens of cities, including the capital Beijing. But the government has found it hard to impose a tougher anti-pollution regime on the power sector, with China’s energy administration describing it as a “weak link” in efforts to tackle smog caused by gases such as sulfur dioxide. No official data on the extent of the problem has been released since a government audit in 2013 found hundreds of power firms had falsified emissions data, although authorities have continued to name and shame individual operators. “There is no guarantee of avoiding under-reporting (of emissions) at local plants located far away from supervisory bodies. Coal data is very fuzzy,” said a manager with a state-owned power company, who did not want to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media. The manager said firms could easily exaggerate coal efficiency by manipulating their numbers. For example, power companies that also provided heating for local communities could overstate the amount of coal used for heat generation, which is not subject to direct monitoring, and understate the amount used for power. “Data falsification is a long-standing problem: China will not get its environmental house in order if it does not deal with this first,” said Alex Wang, an expert in Chinese environmental law at UCLA. TOUGHER RULES Beijing has been toughening and extending its environmental protection laws in recent years. Amended legislation which came into force at the start of 2015 gave authorities more power to punish firms and officials responsible for violations, including falsifying data, subjecting them to unlimited fines and threats of closure. Coal emission violations cost power producers 635 million yuan ($98 million) in lost subsidies and fines last year, while at least 10 thermal power companies have paid 519 million yuan n fines since 2013 for misusing emissions control equipment in order to meet targets and get subsidies. Last November, China’s environment ministry named two generators in the northeastern province of Liaoning for data fraud as part of a move to publicly shame operators. In its latest bid to curb pollution, China’s cabinet in December ordered all coal-fired power firms to reduce pollutants like sulfur dioxide by 60 percent by 2020, saying it would close inefficient plants and promote advanced low-emissions technology through subsidies. As an incentive, it offered increased payments to generators that upgrade facilities, with total subsidies estimated to be worth 42 billion yuan ($6.4 billion) a year. Yet for power plants already under pressure from crippling overcapacity and slowing demand growth, threats of heavy fines or forced closures also offers a powerful incentive to massage emissions numbers. HALTING FRAUD The environment ministry acknowledged in December that “a minority of firms were still manipulating emissions control equipment and falsifying data in an attempt to avoid supervision”. To help counter fraud, the government has set up continuous emissions monitoring systems that can share real-time pollution readings with authorities, but critics say these can be manipulated and only cover big state-owned firms. “The coal power sector has strengthened standards ahead of others, but to really motivate the change to happen, the law must be enforced and that depends on data quality,” said Ma Jun, director at the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, a non-government organization that campaigns for improved pollution monitoring in China. Tougher enforcement was also needed. “The law is not enough,” Ma said. “It states that they could even be put in jail, but so far we haven’t seen many cases like that.” Slideshow (2 Images) Environmental group Greenpeace said in December that some plants it investigated in eastern China’s Jiangsu province even recorded “negative” emissions, according to data submitted to authorities by the companies. All 12 of the plants it investigated exceeded emission limits on sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in 2015, the group said. ($1 = 6.5772 Chinese yuan)
By Larry Elder - December 18, 2014 In 2012, according to the CDC, 140 blacks were killed by police. That same year 386 whites were killed by police. Over the 13-year period from 1999 to 2011, the CDC reports that 2,151 whites were killed by cops -- and 1,130 blacks were killed by cops. Police shootings, nationwide, are down dramatically from what they were 20 or 30 years ago. The CDC reported that in 1968, shootings by law enforcement -- called "legal intervention" by the CDC -- was the cause of death for 8.6 out of every million blacks. For whites the rate was was .9 deaths per million. By 2011, law enforcement shootings caused 2.74 deaths for every million blacks, and 1.28 deaths for every million whites. While the death-by-cop rate for whites has held pretty steady over these last 45 years, hovering just above or below the one-in-a-million level, the rate for blacks has fallen. In 1981, black deaths by cop stood at four in a million, but since 2000 has remained just above or below two in a million. So what's driving this notion that there is now an "epidemic" of white cops shooting blacks when in the last several decades the numbers of blacks killed by cops are down nearly 75 percent? Where's the evidence suggesting race had anything to do with the death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland, who was pointing a pellet gun at bystanders before being shot and killed by police? What's the racial nexus to the death of Eric Gardner, the large, obese man who died after being taken down by several NYPD cops? While the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case became another racial thermometer of America, the jury found Zimmerman not guilty, and several jurors later said that during jury deliberations "race never came up." The Ferguson, Missouri, shooting of Michael Brown by officer Darren Wilson is yet another case where there is absolutely no evidence that whatever happened occurred because of Michael Brown's race. Did officer Wilson display racial animus? Does anyone know if this officer Wilson had some racist background? With the desire by media for a scalp, such information would have long ago been made public by somebody. This white-cop-out-to-get-black-civilian narrative advances the interest of many. The media loves what Tom Wolfe called the "Great White Defendant" -- a bad white guy everybody can agree to dislike. For the Democrats, it furthers their assertion that race remains a major problem in America, that Republicans/tea partiers/black conservatives are out to get them, and you must vote for us. For "activists" like the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, and local wannabes, it gives them continued relevance. That this "epidemic" is imaginary can be demonstrated by the recent stories that never became national news. In Mobile, Alabama, a black cop shot and killed an unarmed white teenager. As with Michael Brown, the Alabama teen was later found to have been under the influence of marijuana at the time of the shooting. The teen had also recently taken a hallucinogen, and was so stoned he thought he was on fire -- and literally took his clothes off. Nude -- and obviously unarmed -- he was still later shot by the cop. Despite public pressure, a Mobile grand jury decided not to indict the black police officer, believing he acted in self-defense. Not national news. In Salt Lake City, Utah, just two days after Brown was shot and killed in Ferguson, a "not white" cop shot and killed an unarmed 20-year-old man whose race has been described as Hispanic. The family of the dead man believes that the cop is a murderer. Not national news. In Pennsylvania, a state trooper named Kelly Cruz was accused in 2009 of stomping on the head of a handcuffed suspect laying on the ground, resulting in facial fractures, a broken nose and damaged teeth. The trooper, at the time, was attached to a local drug task force and was part of a raid on a suspected meth lab. One of the men inside escaped during the raid, and the victim -- who, according to another officer, was seen running from the scene and found five houses away -- was thought to be the meth lab escapee. Turns out the victim was not a meth lab escapee. The local grand jury decided not to indict the trooper. The feds, however, filed civil rights charges against the cop. He was found not guilty by the federal jury. Not national news. It is rare for a cop to shoot and kill any civilian. Excluding practice on the gun range, 95 percent of officers never discharge their firearm while in the line of duty, including those who work for big-city departments. The first time -- and only time -- officer Darren Wilson used his firearm while on duty was in the Michael Brown case. The facts do not support the narrative that there is an epidemic of white cops shooting unarmed blacks. We are being manipulated.
Image copyright AFP Image caption The attacks in Mumbai lasted almost 60 hours, and saw numerous public buildings and locations attacked. A man accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks has been granted bail by a court in Pakistan. Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi is one of seven men facing trial over the attacks in the Indian city, which left 165 people dead. Nine gunmen were also killed. The attacks in Mumbai damaged peace efforts between India and Pakistan. The bailing of Mr Lakhvi came a day after Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif vowed to end terrorism after the Taliban killed 141 people at a school in Peshawar. Correspondents say the move will be an embarrassment for the Pakistani authorities who are under pressure to bring suspects in the case to justice. Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and his co-accused were arrested in 2008 and had filed bail applications on 10 December. It remains unclear on what grounds the court ordered Mr Lakhvi's bail. The attacks in Mumbai were blamed on the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Mr Lakhvi was accused of heading the group. Another man, Zarar Shah, has been accused of working with him, and was arrested in Pakistani-administered Kashmir in December 2008, but his name does not appear alongside those being tried with Mr Lakhvi. Nine other men have been also charged in absentia in relation to the attacks. Image copyright AP Image caption Mr Lakhvi has been in Pakistani custody since 2008. Mr Lakhvi was directed to pay surety bonds worth 1m rupees ($15,800; £10,100) before being released, his lawyer told Reuters. The lawyer, Raja Rizwan Abbasi, told the PTI news agency that bail had been granted because the "evidence against Lakhvi was deficient". Prosecutors are considering whether to challenge the ruling. India, which provided intelligence intercepts which it said proved Laskhar-e Taiba's involvement in the attack, was swift to criticise Mr Lakhvi's release. Home Minister Rajnath Singh described the granting of bail as "very unfortunate". He said: "I believe it should not have happened... [The] Pakistan government must appeal against the order at the earliest." Correspondents say the charges brought against Mr Lakhvi and other suspects held in Pakistan were mainly based on a confession given by the only gunman captured alive after the attacks. Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab was executed in 2012.
We often talk of “Quality Content” every now and then but no one has bother to ask “what is quality content”. With all the Google updates especially the Hummingbird update now in full swing, there has been more mention of quality contents around the web. In this article I will explain what quality content is all about and how to create quality contents regularly. But before then we have to understand what Google and other search engines consider a quality content. What do search engines consider a quality content? Search engine is all about providing the best results for a search. Over time searches are becoming conversational and direct and search engines are expected to return only results with useful and related content explaining the searchers query. When you use the search engines to look up something, you expect to get only results that will solve the problems you are searching for; you expect to get only results to best answers your question. Google and other search engines see search as a product and have thus poised to improve it and have refined their ability to find the best and most useful contents online. In the past search engines used keywords to find contents but when SEO companies and content creators began to abuse this, stuffing keywords into low-quality contents to get them to rank well, strategically using keywords to deceive search engines into thinking their content is the best fit for a search when it is indeed nothing, has lead to a change in the main ranking factors today. Google and other search engines have improved their knowledge graph to consider a lot of other ranking factors especially the value of content you provide and how it addresses your users’ problems. Google is only interested in contents that provide searchers with the information they are searching for, contents that people want to engage with and talk about. So what is quality content? By my definition quality contents are contents that meet the following criteria; 1. Solves people’s problems 2. Provides enough information to a query 3. Addresses issues without requiring more resources elsewhere 4. Worth sharing and engaging with 5. Easily understandable and well organized 6. Timely and relevant 7. Easy to find when searched with the right keywords 8. Well written in appropriate style and voice 9. Well formatted and properly structured and 10. Long enough to contain every necessary point. How to consistently write quality contents: Know what people are searching for: To consistently write quality contents, you must understand what people are searching for. When you know what people are searching for and how they are searching for it, you can tailor your contents to meet their needs. You must find what your users are interested in, what questions they are asking, the keywords they are using for their searches, their problems and most importantly the answers they are looking for. You can use your analytics tool to analyze and discover these things. Tailor your contents to meet these needs and always write contents that answers such questions. Write for your audience: Instead of using keywords tool to look for high ranking keywords, listen to your audience. Connect with your audience, ask them what they are interested in, look at the comments on your site and the questions they always ask and create contents to address their issues. What words are they using to talk about your products? How do they ask questions on your site? Then write for your audience using these words. Write for humans, optimize for search engines: Always bear in mind that the contents you produce are read by humans not search engines. Write in a manner that people will love to read, think like your audience and write to address their issues. Optimize your posts properly with the right SEO methods so as to be easily found on search engines. You can’t be writing about cars and optimizing for food. Make sure your content is based on the keyword in focus and that way you can produce good contents. Write Original Contents: The days when copied contents used to rank on search engines are gone. Google and other search engines have modified their algorithms to discover and punish such sites. Explore the internet and read other sites, discover topics you can comfortably write about without having to copy anyone, gather enough resources and write from your head, don’t be scared of sharing your ideas and views – that’s what makes your posts unique and original. Make notes always: To consistently produce good quality contents, you must ensure to makes notes of ideas as they come into your head always. Nothing frustrates a writer or could make you produce low-quality contents than sitting down and not knowing what to write about. So keeping notes will help you stack good ideas up your sleeve and can help you produce quality contents consistently. Invest time in writing: Invest time when you write, don’t just rush to write up a topic in few minutes. The main aspect of blogging is in writing the contents, take your time to consider all the points you want to write about, research for fresh ideas and resources such as photos and links. Gather all you will need before you set out to write and you will see that when it’s time to write, you’ll feel like the post is already half done. Having all the resources you need before writing will help you get into a good writing mood and the ideas and words will naturally flow with your writing. Always stay updated: As a writer, your main challenge is to stay updated on the latest events and happenings in your niche. Staying updated will provide you with useful information to produce quality contents consistently. Keep it simple: Keeping your writing simple will help you stay in line with the topic you are writing about. Too often writers let posts ramble on too long or wander off into multiple trails and tangents and end up losing focus and wander away into unrelated topics. Quality over Quantity: If you can’t consistently write quality contents every day, then reduce your posts. I’ll rather publish few times in a week than compromise my blog quality with low-quality contents. Now over to you… I guess I have used a lot of the word “quality” on this post. I hope I have explained what “quality content” is all about and how you can consistently produce high quality contents on your site. I have also tried to keep it simple. What are your challenges in creating quality contents? What is your view and understanding of quality content? Share your opinions and ideas in the comments.
WARNING: Accidental coarse language. THE PROJECT'S Carrie Bickmore was left red-faced after an embarrassing mispronunciation of the word 'Qantas' on live television. NOT since an old joke about Cunard merging with Aer Lingus has an airline's name sounded so rude, nor so mischievously funny. But Carrie Bickmore wasn't delivering a naughty gag with the finesse of the Two Ronnies, she just blurted out an accidental obscenity. It's not exactly original, being a popular name play among Qantas customers at those times when the airline fails to meet their expectations, but you usually only hear it in the airport lounge, not on national television. To hear it, you'll have to watch this video, but please don't hit play if you are offended by very coarse language, accidental or otherwise. Last night Bickmore tweeted: "Any publicity is good publicity right??!! Sorry @qantasairways and my nan." Today Qantas forgave Bickmore by tweeting: "We forgive you Carrie. We're sure it wasn't intentional :)".
ANALYSIS/OPINION: On May 1, Judicial Watch obtained a 106-page document from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) revealing that on its first full day of operation, Oct. 1, 2013, Obamacare’s Healthcare.gov received one enrollment. That’s it — one. As in a single digit removed from absolute zero, which is as low as you can get on the numerical scale and still register as anything other than a cipher. Out of 316 million people in the United States of America badgered with government propaganda day and night for months, one person signed up for the Obama administration’s much-ballyhooed signature achievement. Millions of people were essentially ordered, with the blessing of the Supreme Court, to sign up or face the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). One did. How embarrassing is this sorry number for the Obama administration? Well, it is embarrassing enough that Judicial Watch had to sue HHS in order to get it to come clean about the full extent of its massive failure. Of course, everyone knew that something had gone terribly wrong with the $667 million Healthcare.gov website. As the Chicago Tribune reported, “Consumers seeking more information on their new options under the Affordable Care Act were met with long delays, error messages and a largely non-working federal insurance exchange and call center.” However, the Obama administration was adamant about not revealing the full scope of its unmitigated disaster. Pressed for an explanation in a conference call with reporters on the afternoon of the grand launch, Marilyn Tavenner, head of the HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, refused to disclose the number of people who had purchased insurance through the site, saying, “We have just decided not to release that yet.” CBS News reported, “No one knows how many people have managed to enroll. The administration refuses to release those numbers.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid tried to deflect queries by blaming the American people for being too stupid to use the Internet. No one really knew the full extent of the Healthcare.gov disaster until Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit in November 2013 and finally obtained the full report on May 1. What the full report showed was a failure so massive that had the scope and scan been fully known at the outset, it could have led to the collapse of Obamacare. According to the government’s own (carefully concealed) records: On Oct. 1, there were 43,208 accounts created and one enrollment. As of Oct. 31, there were 1,319,425 accounts created nationwide, but only 30,512 actual enrollments in Obamacare. At 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 1, the end of the first day, Brigid M. Russell, the senior adviser at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, sent out an email to her staff with a subject line celebrating “2 enrollments!” The body copy of the email read: “We have our second official [Federally Facilitated Marketplace] enrollment! The first two Form 834s sent out are to: 1) CareSource in Ohio, 2) BCBS of North Carolina.” Official figures contained in the HHS report provide conflicting figures as to the number of enrollments. Federally Facilitated Marketplace statistics show 23,259 cumulative to-date applications submitted as of Oct. 2 and 286 completed plan selections. Earlier numbers show 356 enrollments created as of 7 p.m. on Oct. 2, which were completed with Form 834s applications sent. An Oct. 2 email from HHS Special Assistant Marianne Bowen indicated serious problems with congressional enrollments: “The Congressional issue (68 attempts for Direct enrollment) was an issue stemming from incomplete applications being sent through (started, not finished, sent anyway) and the way the issuers are assigning unique numbers. Turns out there were only 4 complete Direct Enrollment applications that went through, the other 64 were not complete.” (The U.S. Congress has approximately 24,000 professional staffers.) On Oct. 2, the Obamacare website had 70 million page views but only 5 million were unique visitors, and 48 percent of registrations failed. The large number of page views may have been the result of visitors repeatedly hitting the “refresh” button due to long waiting times. When news first broke of the Healthcare.gov disaster, late-night comedian Jay Leno joked, “The good news is that Obamacare does cover Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the result of pressing the computer trying to get through to the stupid Obamacare website.” In fact, there was no good news with Obamacare, and that’s why the Obama administration foisted a news blackout on the American people. Shortly after Judicial Watch released the full details of the website launch disaster, support for Obamacare plummeted to an all-time low of 26 percent. Perhaps the Obama administration knew from the outset that if the American people had known the full extent of the billion-dollar debacle on the day of the launch, 26 percent support may have been the all-time high. Tom Fitton is president of Judicial Watch and author of “The Corruption Chronicles” (Threshold Editions, 2012). Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
(Photo courtesy of Tenants of the Trees) Allegations that patrons have been roofied at popular Silver Lake bar Tenants of the Trees have reached a fever pitch in recent weeks, spurred by a tweet from comedian Kate Berlant. ATTN WOMEN OF LA: I know of at least 7 women who have been roofied at Tenants of the Trees in Silverlake. BE VIGILANT. — Kate Berlant (@kateberlant) June 7, 2016 Tenants of the Trees replaced gay bar/neighborhood institution MJ's last August and almost immediately became one of the hipper spots in town (per Vogue: If you can get in, you’re likely to bump into models visiting from New York, members of Judd Apatow’s lad-flick clique, and music-industry luminaries...). After Berlant's tweet, more speculation about women being drugged at Tenants of the Trees circulated on social media, but no one has yet publicly come forward to say they were victimized, and LAPD's Northeast Division told LAist that they didn't know of any drug-related complaints involving the bar. Tenants of the Trees co-owner Reza Fahim told LAist that he and co-owner Jason Lev took the allegations "very seriously," and said that "regardless of whether the allegations that have been made are true or not, this is activity that we take extremely seriously and believe strongly that it cannot be tolerated." The Los Feliz Ledger, who originally reported the story, spoke to a former Tenants of the Trees employee who called the incidents "a trend," saying that "It doesn’t just happen once in a while.” According to the Ledger, the former employee quit after a friend was drugged while visiting her at work. The former employee told the Ledger that she "told security and management. I pointed out the guy. And they just let him come back whenever." Fahim pushed back in regard to the former employee's allegations, saying that "she definitely never complained about anything and she definitely did not quit." Fahim said that bar management believe she made the allegations in an effort to retaliate against the bar after being fired. He also noted that the former employee often hung out at the bar on her days off up until the week she was fired, which would run counter to her complaints about the environment. Ana Calderon, a prominent L.A. DJ who hosts one of the most popular nights at Tenants of the Trees, expressed shock over the incidents. "I take that type of offense extremely seriously," Calderon said. "It makes me super angry that women are often subjected to that criminal act all around the world when they are just out trying to have fun." "This is one of the first clubs I've ever worked at that happily removed people for crossing personal space boundaries or making women uncomfortable," Calderon told LAist. "Back when I hosted/DJ-ed more in Hollywood, it was like a three strikes rule before any action was taken and it used to make me so mad... But at Tenants it's just not tolerated. I like that I can go up to a bouncer and be like, 'that guy made my friend feel weird, can you please help?' and next thing you know that person is ejected." Fahim also told LAist that after learning of the allegations he and Lev met with staff to make them more aware of the possible problem, and took a number of steps, which Fahim detailed in an email to LAist: We have instructed our staff to immediately remove all unattended drinks, and we have reached out to our patrons and those in the online community who are discussing this matter in an effort to create awareness and learn more about each incident so that we can try our best to investigate (by reviewing video tape if possible) or otherwise try and determine if we can figure out what happened or who is responsible. This is not easy under the best of circumstances and is even harder when we only become aware of an incident far after it occurred. If you have information about the alleged incidents at Tenants of the Trees, we'd like to hear your story. Please reach out to us at tips@laist.com. Related: These Women Caught A Guy Drugging His Date's Drink At Fig In Santa Monica
As the nominees for president in both parties turn their attentions to the Sunshine State, supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in South Florida have spent the past several weeks using music to help raise awareness of the candidate. Ahead of Florida’s presidential primary vote on March 15, Fort Lauderdale’s art-and-music outpost Jump the Shark will host Bands for Bernie this Saturday night, featuring Wandering Krill, In Oculus, Unity Rise, Milk Spot, Rugod, Pocket of Lollipops, Gio’s Dirty Harry, and Hunter’s Cornflower Drag, as well as Tim Canova, who is running a primary campaign against Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. The event comes three weeks after one held in Lake Worth on February 28, which got a big crowd and enlightened a lot of minds, according to organizers. The Sanders campaign opened its Miami office last week and has increased phone-bank efforts in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties in advance of the primary here. Continue Reading Although the Fort Lauderdale Bands for Bernie is not connected to the campaign, it is one of many that Sanders supporters have organized in the past several weeks, according to Erika Grohoski, a campaign volunteer working in Miami. Grohoski says the response for almost anything with the campaign has been good, including the series of rallies held in the past week and the campaign office opening itself. “We’ve had pretty great interest,” Grohoski says. “Even for the smallest thing, people always show up.” This Saturday’s event at Jump the Shark is the brainchild of Hunter Alberkerki, who had the idea after the Lake Worth event was announced. He reached out to the venue about the idea, finding that it was down and that the number of interested bands was in no short supply. “Everyone’s got their own politics,” Alberkerki says. “Some people are extremely enthusiastic. Some people I mentioned the idea and they immediately asked to be involved. There are also some bands that haven’t played a political show before, so they don’t know what to expect.” Canova, who has endorsed Sanders and is campaigning for him, says the event was different from other political events he’s been to in some ways, but overall it was about people learning about the candidate and the election. “You gotta go out and meet people where they are,” Canova says. “Here was a collection of people — they love music. We had booths all over the place, some politics, and some art. I think it was combining people’s passions.” Alberkerki says the primary goal of Saturday night, aside from bringing people out to see some good bands at one of the city’s most welcoming venues, is to help push the Sanders campaign’s get-out-the-vote efforts and turn a few opinions toward voting for the senator as he works to catch up to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s delegate count in the primary. Polls show Clinton with a sizable lead on Sanders in Florida, though Alberkerki hopes to help change that as Sanders crisscrosses the state for rallies and to meet voters. “This is a very crucial time in the primary, because we’re having a lot of states vote that are very pro-Hillary,” Alberkerki says. “This is a good way to have bands come together for a good cause. It’s also a good way to show people not to lose hope — we’ve still got this. And of course, it’s a way to raise funds for the campaign.” Fort Lauderdale Bands for Bernie 6 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at Jump the Shark, 810 NE Fourth Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $5 at the door (and an additional $5 suggested donation); all ages.
Residents are rescued from their homes surrounded by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Houston, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Right now, as I write this, Houston, TX, is in the middle of a once-a-century catastrophe. Nearly three feet of rain have fallen in a couple of days, and there is no end in site. Houston and its suburbs could easily get four-and-a-half-feet of rain before it is all over. This event is unprecedented & all impacts are unknown & beyond anything experienced. Follow orders from officials to ensure safety. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/IjpWLey1h8 — NWS (@NWS) August 27, 2017 Right now, a major effort is underway to try to evacuate tens of thousands of Houstonians who are stranded in areas that are flooded. Many are on the roofs of their houses awaiting rescue. The effort is being carried out by first responders from out-of-state as well as concerned Texans. Dear God some people give me such hope: REPORTER: What are you going to do? HERO: I'm gonna save some lives.pic.twitter.com/Qj2nmvCD97 — Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) August 27, 2017 Did this have to happen? Two days ago Texas Governor Greg Abbott held a press conference. It was clear at that time that Harvey was an immense storm and that, at least according to that pustulent bag of leftwing flatulence Neil DeGrasse Tyson, was guaran-f*ing-teed to hit the Texas coast. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) told residents to prepare for “a very major disaster” in Hurricane Harvey during a Friday news conference. Despite no mandatory evacuations being issued, Abbott urged citizens to evacuate from low-lying and coastal areas while there is still time. Harvey, he said, “has turned into a very complex and dangerous hurricane,” and said the state will be “dealing with immense, really record-setting flooding in multiple regions across the state of Texas.” “Even if an evacuation order hasn’t been issued by your local official,” Abbott stressed, “if you’re in an area between Corpus Christi and Houston, you need to strongly consider evacuating.” Abbott said mandatory evacuation orders are left up to local officials who have the best understanding of their regions. Speaking at the afternoon news conference, Abbott said people may think they can ride out the initial storm surge, but “what you don’t know, and what nobody else knows right now, is the magnitude of flooding that will be coming.” “You don’t want to put yourself in a situation where you could be subject to a search and rescue.” This was sound and measured advice which any responsible public official would have given. But then, you wouldn’t be holding a position of responsibility in Harris County, TX. Please think twice before trying to leave Houston en masse. No evacuation orders have been issued for the city. #Harvey — Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 25, 2017 The head of Harris County emergency services weighed in: Local officials know best. Houston has no evacuation order. In Harris County: very limited to select communities. LOCAL LEADERS KNOW BEST. https://t.co/DpW11lb1En — Francisco Sanchez (@DisasterPIO) August 25, 2017 Let me make an observation here. Usually local official know Jack Sh about anything during a major disaster. Local governments aren’t equipped or staffed or trained to deal with a cataclysmic event like a Cat 4 Hurricane. Local officials don’t have access to the same information as available to state and federal emergency management organizations. By and large the caliber of people that you find congregating to the higher levels of emergency management in local governments isn’t that which you’d want to make calls about risk involving potential loss of life. There is documentary evidence to prove this guy’s f***ing incompetence and hubris on any television screen. Via The Daily Beast Even before Abbott’s comments on Friday, it should’ve been clear Houston would flood. Meteorologist Eric Holthaus told The Daily Beast that by midday last Wednesday there had been “pretty compelling model agreement on major flooding” and that the “upgrade in forecast to major hurricane on Thursday morning I think made most meteorologists absolutely convinced. “Keep in mind though,” he added, “there’s never been a mandatory evacuation based on a rainfall forecast, so I’m not sure that people even knew what to do with a forecast as dire as this one.” Contrast this with the advice given by the mayor of another Texas city in Harvey’s path: Get out now,” said Rockport Mayor Pro-tem Patrick Rios prior to the storm. “Those that are going to stay, it’s unfortunate but they should make some type of preparations. Mark their arm with a Sharpie pen. Put their social security number on it and their name.” … “We’ve got first responders available, but once it gets bad, we are not going to put their lives in jeopardy. They will not get help. We will not be dispatching folks that decided to stay,” said Rios. And then the fiddle music started. Expecting a lot of rain over the next 4 days. For areas prone to flood, take the time to reposition some of your furniture just n case. st — Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 26, 2017 I know you are watching the game/boxing match, but tonight please be attentive to the weather reports. Rain bands will be coming thru. st — Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 27, 2017 We got a break for several hours during the day, but we could get rain of 2-3 inches/hr over the next several hours. Please be alert. st — Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 27, 2017 And reality set in. I can keep telling you to stay put, but the reality is YOU CAN'T GET ANYWHERE RIGHT NOW. pic.twitter.com/jcif3OnnIa — Francisco Sanchez (@DisasterPIO) August 27, 2017 There is no nice way of putting this. Houston in a Democrat stronghold and the urge to make Greg Abbott look like an idiot was just too big of a temptation to resist. Perhaps the fiasco of the Hurricane Rita evacuation caused the leadership in Houston to miscalculate. Even so, there was no defensible reason for the mayor and his minion to go public and contradict some very sound advice and put lives at risk, both of citizens who did not evacuate and of first responders who will be called upon to try and rescue them. There were all sorts of options available to the Houston mayor short of pooh-poohing the imminent arrival of a major storm. For instance, he could have agreed with Abbott and emphasized that there was no evacuation order or he could have ordered the mandatory evacuation of areas that were known to be vulnerable to flooding. Will there be consequences for this? Probably not. Democrats don’t vote Democrats out of office for corruption and incompetence. Take a look at any major US city you wish if you desire evidence. What is predictable is that by Tuesday, the Houston mayor will be slamming state and federal response to the disaster and no one in the media is going to look twice at how the catastrophe happened.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Same-sex marriage advocates hold a rally in Melbourne last month Australia's highest court has begun hearing legal challenges against a national vote on same-sex marriage. The government plans to hold a non-binding postal survey from next week to gauge support for changing Australia's law to allow same-sex marriage. PM Malcolm Turnbull has said the vote could lead to the tabling of a bill in parliament later this year. Intense campaigning has already begun, but the survey will not go ahead if the legal challenges are successful. Two separate challenges by same-sex marriage advocates will be heard in the High Court of Australia on Tuesday and Wednesday. Legal experts believe the court will rule on the matter quickly because the government is planning to mail out surveys from 12 September. The vote has drawn controversy over its A$122m (£75m; $97m) cost and fears that it will prompt hate-filled campaigns. Many same-sex marriage supporters want parliament alone to debate changing the law. What is being challenged? Both legal challenges argue that the vote is invalid because its funding was not allocated through a normal parliamentary process. The government unlocked A$122m for the survey through an act allowing it to fund initiatives determined to be "urgent and unforeseen". The challengers argue that changing the Marriage Act does not count as an urgent matter, and that the vote was not unforeseen because the idea was first publicly discussed in March. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Alex Greenwich (right), from Australian Marriage Equality, is among those contesting the poll The other arguments concern whether the body overseeing the vote, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), has the authority to do so. Australian elections are overseen by the Australian Electoral Commission. The plaintiffs include two sitting politicians, a lesbian mother and two same-sex marriage lobby groups. "Telling one group of people that their rights have to be decided by a public vote sends a terrible message," said Anna Brown, a lawyer involved in one challenge. Government 'confident' Mr Turnbull's government has repeatedly said it is confident that the court will rule in its favour. It argues it has the authority to fund the vote, and that the ABS is entitled to conduct it. "We are confident the challenge to the postal vote on marriage will not be successful, so we are very confident the postal vote will go ahead," Mr Turnbull said on Thursday. If ruled valid, the postal survey will run until 27 October and the results will be announced on 15 November. Mr Turnbull has pledged that a majority vote in support of same-sex marriage would prompt a parliamentary bill with the power to change Australia's Marriage Act. However, MPs would not be bound to vote in line with the public. Successive polls have suggested a majority of Australians support legalising same-sex marriage.
NEW DELHI:AIADMK'S Jayalalithaa has often said her dream was to be a lawyer but last Saturday when a court convicted her in the disproportionate assets case, it was a woman lawyer, 87-year-old Lily Thomas, who was whisked away by anxious family members from her apartment in Delhi to a 'safer location.'"Seeing the reaction of people in Tamil Nadu, we were worried about her safety as she lives alone in Delhi. So we brought her to live with us," said Thangam, her niece who lives in Gurgaon.Lily Thomas is behind clipping of wings of politicians such as Jayalalithaa and Lalu Prasad who have been accused of accumulating wealth through unfair means. She was the petitioner in the case - now referred to as the Lily Thomas judgment - where Supreme Court struck down Section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act. Following the verdict, a legislator stands disqualified immediately when convicted for two or more years' prison."She (Jayalalithaa) looked so powerful when in power but now she stands betrayed and alone. Why didn't her party stop her? Where is the wealth now? Shouldn't it be confiscated? Our law should be so clear that there should be no ifs and buts," Thomas said.Last week, while coming down the stairs of her New Delhi apartment, she broke her arm and has been asked to take rest. Sitting with a bandaged arm, she recalls it was in 2005 that she filed the petition first, enraged at the sight of convicted getting stay from courts, contesting elections and winning them. The petition was rejected and it was only in her third attempt that she succeeded."Earlier, a convicted politician could file an appeal which could result in a stay on the conviction. It encouraged tainted leaders to contest elections," she says. When the UPA government last year prepared an ordinance to nullify the judgment, Thomas quickly prepared a review petition and was all set for another fight, but it was withdrawn. "Krishna in Bhagwad Gita says he will be born for restoring Dharma whenever it is in danger. Here, Dharma gets broken every day. Judiciary has become the correcting mechanism. What we need is a satvik Parliament devoid of corrupt politicians, so that democracy is run on principles." Thomas says she got help from other experts, including Fali Nirman, who argued for the case on her request.Originally from Kerala's Kottayam, Thomas grew up in Trivandrum and enrolled in the Madras High Court in 1955, after pursuing a law course in Madras University. She then joined the Supreme Court where only three women lawyers were in active practice. Thomas has been filing petitions since 1964 on a variety of issues - from questioning the validity of government exams and sorting out issues of railway employees to one in which the Supreme Court came down heavily on conversion to Islam for the express purpose of entering into a second marriage. Her hero is her father, also an advocate, who fought all his life to demolish a church meant only for Dalits, she says.For Thomas, age is only a number. Her courage and enthusiasm have not dimmed nor has her sense of humour. Even now, she goes to the court every day and works for 8-10 hours. With over 55 years of experience, she has people coming over for legal advice every day. She can be consulted on any legal issue, except divorce, which she believes should be avoided."I read Mills and Boon for fun. I have read all 600 of them. I like the simplicity and warmth of these books." Single at 87, Lily has few regrets. "All the men I liked were already married. I was a romanticist. I wanted Lincoln, James Bond and Churchill in one man." She recalls a judge asking her if she was a miss or a Mrs, "I told him I am a miss but I don't miss much. He laughed so hard that even it would have been audible at India Gate."She is thorough with the Bible and the Vishnu Sahasranam. "Most Hindus and Christians have not understood their religions well," she says. Niece Thangam and her husband Issac said that their aunt would often give away food and clothes to rag pickers. On a regular day, she is busy preparing PILs to make government answerable for the time-frame of each trial. "I am believer. Jesus is with me all the time, asking me answers to all my actions. As an advocate, I have many responsibilities which I am trying to fulfill," she concludes.
A man woke up Thursday in People’s Park in Berkeley to discover that he had been sodomized, authorities reported Friday morning. The University of California Police Department received notification about the rape from Alta Bates Hospital, where the man had sought treatment. The 30-year-old man told medical staff Thursday that the assault had happened sometime during the prior night while he was sleeping. He said he woke up and discovered “indications” he had been raped. No further information was provided. The park is located at 2556 Haste St. in Berkeley’s Southside neighborhood, just east of Telegraph Avenue between Haste and Dwight Way, but falls under the jurisdiction of the university’s police department. According to UCPD, nurses are mandatory reporters, meaning they must alert law enforcement about certain types of crimes. “UCPD is in turn required to alert our community of the crime,” according to the prepared statement. According to UCPD, 80% of sexual assaults and rapes are perpetrated by someone known to the survivor. On college campuses, 90% of survivors know their attacker. (Police said the man who was raped in the park was not affiliated with the university.) “Sexual assault can happen to people in all contexts, including marriage, dating relationships, friendships, child-parent interactions, employer-attendant relationships and stranger interactions,” UCPD wrote. UCPD listed the following resources for survivors of sexual assault: Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR) 24-hour hotline: 510-845-RAPE (7273) The Survivor Support Website For students, the Tang Center Counseling and Psychological Services: 510-642-9494 Police ask anyone with information about this incident to call UCPD’s Criminal Investigation Bureau at 510-642-6760. Connect with UCPD on Twitter and Facebook. Related: Man charged with ‘rape by use of drugs’ in Berkeley (05.22.15) Berkeley neighbors take on ‘noisy and drunken parties’ (05.05.15) Berkeley man charged with rape of sleeping woman (04.10.15) UC Berkeley student charged after alleged sexual assault on fraternity brother (02.19.15) UC Berkeley student exonerated of rape charge (10.17.14) Get the latest Berkeley news in your inbox with Berkeleyside’s free Daily Briefing. And make sure to bookmark Berkeleyside’s pages on Facebook and Twitter. You don’t need an account on those sites to view important information.
The AniChan service streamed a promotional video for To Be Hero , one of the first original anime series from Emon Animation Company 's Haoliners brand, on Tuesday. Text: Earth's greatest crisis is incoming! Text: No. 1 Black Hoihoi Empire!! Text: No. 2 Iron Shrimp Man! Text: To Be Hero Text: Huh!? Text: That guy's a hero? a hero? Text: An unprecedented ugly papa hero's Text: Explosive debut! Text: Moa Tsukino as Min as Min Text: Kenjiro Tsuda as Ossan as Ossan Text: Tomokazu Sugita as Ōji (Prince) as Ōji (Prince) Text: Yutaka Aoyama as Yamada-san as Yamada-san Text: Look forward to the BD release with everyone's support!! The anime will premiere on Tokyo MX on October 5 at 6:30 p.m. Emon is airing its Cheating Craft anime in the same time slot. Cheating Craft will air a 10-minute episodes in the time slot, after which To Be Hero will air nine-minute episodes. Emon describes the story: Handsome, divorced and with a teen daughter living with him, our hero is a “bad father” who works has a toilet seat designer. One day, as he was in the toilet, he founds himself sucked into the toilet seat and he is given the important task to save the planet. The price for being a super hero is quite huge: This Good-looking guy is transformed into an Ugly Dude…with Super Power! To protect the Earth and his daughter Min, his fight is about to begin… The cast includes: Kenjiro Tsuda as Ossan (pictured before and after transformation below) Kamen Joshi 's Moa Tsukino as Min, Ossan's daughter Tomokazu Sugita as Ōji (Prince) Yutaka Aoyama as Yamada-san In addition Takeshi Maeda plays Uchūjin (Alien). Shinichi Watanabe ( Excel Saga , Puni Puni Poemy , Nerima Daikon Brothers ) is supervising the series, and is credited for writing the script, as well as "Hyper Afro Creator." LAN is credited for character design, color design, art design, and as chief animation director and line director. Aya Hida is credited for editing. Emon is credited for photography and production. Emon was established in October 2015 as the Japanese branch of Haoliners, an animation brand based in Shanghai and a subsidiary of Shanghai Haoliners Cultures Media Co., Ltd. Gonzo co-founder Shouji Murahama works as an operating officer at the company. The company is collaborating on a new anime with Geno Studio , Twin Engine 's newly established company that is finishing Manglobe 's Genocidal Organ film. Emon was involved in the production of last winter season's Reikenzan: Hoshikuzu-tachi no Utage anime. The company debuted the Hitori no Shita - the outcast anime on July 9, and Crunchyroll is streaming the series as it airs in Japan. The company is also planning to debut the Chinese webcomic-based Bloodivores anime on October 1, the Cheating Craft anime on October 5, and the The Silver Guardian ( Gin no Guardian ) anime, based on another Chinese web comic, in 2017. Thanks to Dennis R for the embedded video
Two policemen have been suspended for allegedly harassing and taking bribe from a youth and his cousin, whom they had detained during the Uttar Pradesh Police’s anti-Romeo drive in Rampur. On March 26, sub-inspector Sanjeev Giri and constable Vimal detained a youth and his uncle’s daughter, both aged about 18, when they came here to purchase medicines from their native Hashmat Ganj village, said superintendent of police KK Chaudhari. “The policemen said they had taken action against them under the anti-Romeo operations and they were kept at a police station for over five hours,” he said. The police personnel refused to let go the cousins even after their relatives approached them and clarified that they were related and were not a couple, he said. The policemen allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 to free them, the officer said, adding that relatives gave the amount and also filmed the policemen accepting the bribe. They later approached local MLA and minister Baldev Singh Aulakh, who informed the SP about the incident. The officer said that after going through the video and initial investigation, he suspended the accused sub-inspector and the constable on Monday. Anti-Romeo squads set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to prevent eve-teasing has drawn criticism from certain quarters have allegedly targeted couples also. First Published: Mar 28, 2017 18:23 IST
It's unfortunate that a band so forward looking as Fugazi has been criticized over and over for not remaking "Waiting Room" or "Repeater." Some have called them sellouts, regardless of the band's integrity and class, while others consider them elitists, "guiding" the Washington, D.C., scene. This could not be further from the truth. As the film and soundtrack to Instrument proved, this is a band that is only concerned with musical growth, with each album improving on its predecessor. But no album they have put together has the jump ahead that The Argument has. Being both ear-shattering and spine-tingling at once, this is Fugazi at their "musical" best. Incorporating melody with texture and their signature angular approach, the band has raised the bar for themselves and others once again. The first "full" track, "Cashout" (an anti-gentrification anthem), is classic stuff, with a subtle guitar line exploding into a screaming chorus, but this time there is less of an emphasis on the screaming and more on the gentle melody of the verse. Slower tracks like "The Kill" and "Life and Limb" touch on strange new territory. Gentle with sense of swagger, these songs lack none of the power that the band is known for, while the two-drum assault of "Ex-Spectator" (courtesy of Brendan Canty and second drummer Jerry Busher) has just as much potency on disc as it does live. And the final song, "Argument," with its rolling guitar lines, dreamy breakdown, and vocals that build from gentle to screaming, may be the best closer on a Fugazi record since "Promises." Listeners may be surprised to hear strings open up the record, or piano guiding the brilliant "Strangelight," but this is the album that proves once and for all that Fugazi has become a purely musical force. Fifteen years in and Fugazi is still progressing. It makes one wonder what they're capable of in the future.
Some conservative publications have taken to arguing this week that the President-elect did much better on Election Day than his nearly 3 million-vote deficit suggests—if only certain liberal cities and states were completely discounted from the popular vote total. By far, the most popular target for wholesale disenfranchisement in these thought experiments is California. Clinton won the state’s popular vote by more than 4.2 million, according to a tally by the Cook Political Report, which is an even larger margin than her nationwide popular vote lead, which was nearly 2.9 million. The Daily Mail headlined an article which was later featured on the Drudge Report Wednesday: “Final tally shows Trump lost popular vote by 2.8 million – but he BEAT Clinton by 3 million votes outside of California and New York.” FINAL TALLY: Trump won by 3 MILLION votes outside California, New York… https://t.co/3eVKo4rr3a — DRUDGE REPORT (@DRUDGE_REPORT) December 21, 2016 Such a feat of revisionism belies the fact that California is the nation’s most populous state (New York is fourth) and is home to more than one in eight Americans who voted for president in 2016, per the Cook Political Report. Other outlets took a similar tack: “It’s Official: Clinton’s Popular Vote Win Came Entirely From California,” Investors Business Daily declared on Saturday. Joe Walsh, the former Republican congressman-turned-shock jock, amplified the IBD article Sunday on Twitter and wrote “I know California is a state & we have to count it, but if you remove CA, Trump won the popular vote by 1.4 million.” I know California is a state & we have to count it, but if you remove CA, Trump won the popular vote by 1.4 millionhttps://t.co/wcAqEq3WBJ — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) December 18, 2016 World Net Daily echoed that IBD claim, as did The Federalist Papers, TownHall, InfoWars and others. Just a week after the election, Breitbart News blared that Trump won a “7.5 Million Popular Vote Landslide In Heartland.” The “Heartland,” by Breitbart’s definition, was the tally of “3,084 of the country’s 3,141 counties or county equivalents” that voted in larger numbers for Trump, thereby excluding most of America’s most populous areas. The American Thinker even tried to make the case that Clinton didn’t actually win the popular vote because “[s]tates don’t count their absentee ballots unless the number of outstanding absentee ballots is larger than the state margin of difference,” which is simply not true. Trump himself pitched in Wednesday, arguing that Clinton won the popular vote but lost in the electoral college because she “focused on the wrong states”: Campaigning to win the Electoral College is much more difficult & sophisticated than the popular vote. Hillary focused on the wrong states! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2016
North Korea is ready to give the United States a "severe lesson" with its strategic nuclear force if it takes military action, and will not put its nuclear program or missiles on the negotiating table, North Korea's foreign minister said in a statement to a regional meeting on Monday. In a transcript of a statement by Ri Yong-ho — which was distributed to media in Manila — Pyongyang called new UN sanctions "fabricated," and warned there would be "strong followup measures" and acts of justice. The foreign minister said North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July proved that the entire U.S. was in its firing range, and those missiles were a legitimate means of self-defence. North Korea also vowed to bolster its nuclear arsenal and launch "thousands-fold" revenge against the United States in response to the sanctions. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, meanwhile, held open the door for dialogue, saying Washington was willing to talk to Pyongyang if it halted a series of recent missile test launches. "When the conditions are right, then we can sit and have a dialogue around the future of North Korea so they feel secure and prosper economically," Tillerson told reporters on Monday. Tillerson's comments were the latest U.S. attempt to rein in Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs after months of tough talk from U.S. President Donald Trump. "The best signal that North Korea can give us that they are prepared to talk would be to stop these missile launches," said Tillerson, adding that "other means of communications" were open to Pyongyang. North Korea's warning came two days after the UN Security Council unanimously approved new sanctions to punish North Korea, including a ban on coal and other exports worth over $1 billion US. The U.S. ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, called the U.S.-drafted resolution "the single largest economic sanctions package ever levelled against" North Korea. Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called the U.S.-drafted sanctions 'the single largest economic sanctions package ever levelled against' North Korea. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters) 'Violent infringement of its sovereignty' In a statement carried by state media, the North Korean government said the sanctions were a "violent infringement of its sovereignty" that was caused by a "heinous U.S. plot to isolate and stifle" North Korea. The government said the UN sanctions will never force the country to negotiate over its nuclear program or to give up its push to strengthen its nuclear capability as long as U.S. hostility and nuclear threats persist. The North said it will take an "action of justice," but didn't elaborate. "It's a wild idea to think the DPRK will be shaken and change its position due to this kind of new sanctions formulated by hostile forces," said the statement, carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The North's statement "rhetorically expresses its anger" against the UN sanctions, but the country is not likely to launch a direct provocation against the United States, said Lim Eul Chul, a North Korea expert at South Korea's Kyungnam University. He said the North could still carry out new missile tests or a sixth atomic bomb test in the coming months under its broader weapons development timetable. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho called new UN sanctions 'fabricated' and warned there would be 'strong followup measures,' saying the UN has abused its authority. (Reuters) 2 missile test launches last month North Korea test launched two ICBMs last month as part of its efforts to possess a long-range missile capable of striking anywhere in the mainland U.S. Both missiles were fired at highly lofted angles and analysts say the weapons could reach parts of the United States including Alaska, Los Angeles and Chicago if fired at a normal, flattened trajectory. The centrepiece of the UN sanctions is a ban on North Korean exports of coal, iron, lead and seafood products — and a ban on all countries importing those products, estimated to be worth over $1 billion US a year in hard currency. The resolution also bans countries from giving any additional permits to North Korean labourers, another source of foreign currency for the North, and prohibits all new joint ventures with North Korean companies. According to a Security Council diplomat, coal has been North Korea's largest export, earning $1.2 billion US last year. It was then restricted by the Security Council in November to a maximum of $400 million US. This year, Pyongyang is estimated to have earned $251 million US from iron and iron ore exports, $113 million US from lead and lead ore exports, and $295 million US from fish and seafood exports, the diplomat said. The diplomat was not authorized to speak publicly and insisted on anonymity. Analysts say that North Korea, already under numerous UN and other international sanctions, will feel some pains from the new UN sanctions but won't likely return to disarmament negotiations anytime soon because of them. Lim said the North will likely squeeze its ordinary citizens to help finance its nuclear and missile programs. Shin Beomchul, of the Seoul-based Korea National Diplomatic Academy, said the North won't likely return to disarmament talks unless there are sanctions that require China to stop sending its annual, mostly free shipment of 500,000 tons of crude oil to North Korea and order UN member states to deport the existing tens of thousands of North Korean workers dispatched abroad.
1. So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin- “She is so lovable.” In a promotion interview with SBS’s “One Night of TV Entertainment” for their drama, “Master’s Sun,” So Ji Sub describes what is it is like to work with her. He says: “She is so lovable. When she is acting, she has a unique breathing sound and cute, lovable expressions.” In the same interview, So Ji Sub describes his surprise at her ability to just approach him when most people are afraid to. “She is very comfortable to be with.” Gong Hyo Jin also reveals that So Ji Sub got her a fan to use while waiting to film since it is so hot outside. Look at him smiling shyly when she mentions it. 2. Ji Chang Wook and Ha Ji Won- “I am her manager.” Not only did they work on “Empress Ki” together, but they were also endorsement partners for outdoor brand North Cape. In an interview during a photoshoot for the brand, Ji Chang Wook describes how he just finds himself taking care of her, like he is her manager. 3. Hwang Jung Min and Jeon Do Yeon- “Being able to act with you was like a miracle to me.” In his acceptance speech for the Best Actor Award at the 2005 Blue Dragon Film Awards, Hwang Jung Min couldn’t hold back his emotions and gratefulness as he thanked everyone that he worked with while filming the movie “You Are My Sunshine.” He especially thanked his co-star Jeon Do Yeon, not in the usual obligatory way, but with the heartfelt words, “Being able to act with you was like a miracle to me.” 4. Lee Jong Suk and Park Shin Hye- “I think Park Shin Hye is so pretty!” In a promotion interview with SBS’s “One Night of TV Entertainment,” Lee Jong Suk is full of compliments about his “Pinocchio” co-star Park Shin Hye, saying their chemistry is good and exclaiming, “I think Park Shin Hye is so pretty!” Hilariously, though, the lie detector test later showed that he really thinks he is prettier than Park Shin Hye. 5. Lee Jin Wook and Ha Ji Won- “HA. JI. WON.” Lee Jin Wook was not shy at all about how much he adores Ha Ji Won in an interview for their drama “The Time We Were Not in Love.” He states that she is an impressive actor and is “very lovable and very pretty,” adding, “She is very comfortable to act with.” His compliments continue, making Ha Ji Won even more shy and Lee Jin Wook even happier. Lee Jin Wook is on a roll. When asked why he picked this drama, he states without any hesitation, “Ha Ji Won.” He adds, “She is a trustworthy actress.” Ha Ji Won later clarifies that Lee Jin Wook signed on to this drama before she was cast. Ha Ji Won is asked which actor out of her many co-stars she had the best teamwork with and she replies, “Right now, Lee Jin Wook.” Before the interviewer can even repeat the question to Lee Jin Wook, the actor confidently states, “Ha Ji Won. HA. JI. WON.” 6. Shin Min Ah and Lee Jun Ki- “I am just happy to be with her.” Lee Jun Ki was so open about how much he liked Shin Min Ah when they met up before filming their drama “Arang and the Magistrate,” she said to him, “You’re making me uncomfortable.” But that still didn’t stop him from expressing how happy he was to be working with her.
The Heartbrand logo Unilever is the world's biggest ice cream manufacturer, with an annual turnover of €5 billion.[2] With the exception of its U.S. brands Popsicle, Klondike, Talenti gelato, Breyers and Ben & Jerry's, the bulk of the company's ice cream business falls under its "Heartbrand" brand umbrella, so called because of the brand's heart-shaped logo. Unilever currently operates eleven ice cream factories in Europe; the biggest include factories at Hellendoorn in The Netherlands, Heppenheim in Germany, Caivano in Italy, Saint-Dizier in France, Gloucester in the United Kingdom and Santa Iria de Azóia [pt] in Portugal.[3] The Heartbrand was launched in 1998 (and slightly modified in 2003) as an effort to increase international brand awareness and promote cross-border synergies in manufacturing and marketing ("centralisation"). It is present in more than 40 countries.[2] Although the logo is common worldwide, each country retained the local brand name so as to keep the familiarity built over the years, one notable exception being Hungary where the previous Eskimo brand was replaced with Algida in 2003. In 2005, Israeli food conglomerate Strauss, whose ice cream brand is a joint venture between Strauss and Unilever and marketed under the Heartbrand name, received special permission from Unilever to export its brand of ice cream, Glidat Strauss to the United States because of the strict kosher certification the products in Israel have. Under terms of the agreement, Strauss ice cream and krembo may be sold only in kosher supermarkets and import shops. It is distributed in North America by Dairy Delight, a subsidiary of Norman's Dairy. Prior to the heart logo, each country could choose its own logo, although the most common one consisted of a blue circle with the local brand's name over a background of red and white stripes; the second most common old logo, used by Wall's in the UK and other countries, was a yellow logo with Wall's in blue text. Unilever generally manufactures the same ice cream with the same names, with rare occasions of regional availability, under different brands. Some of these ice creams include Carte D'Or, Cornetto, Magnum, Solero, Twister, Choc Ice, Super Split, Fat Frog, Feast, Brunch and Viennetta. Partial list of national brands variants of the Heartbrand Edit Many of these sub brands were previously independent local ice cream vendors while others were introduced into the country by Unilever.
Image copyright AFP Image caption IMF deputy chief David Lipton, centre, says more forceful policy action is needed The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that the global economy faces a growing "risk of economic derailment." Deputy director David Lipton called for urgent steps to boost global demand. "We are clearly at a delicate juncture," he said in a speech to the National Association for Business Economics in Washington on Tuesday. "The IMF's latest reading of the global economy shows once again a weakening baseline," he warned. The comments come after weaker-than-expected trade figures from China showing that exports in February plunged by a quarter from a year ago. With the world's second largest economy often referred to as as "the engine of global growth", weaker global demand for its goods is read as an indicator of the general global economic climate. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption If the global growth engine stutters, it's time to worry 'Highly vulnerable' The IMF has already said it is likely to downgrade its current forecast of 3.4% for global growth when it releases its economic predictions in April. Last month, the international lender had warned that the world economy was "highly vulnerable" and called for new efforts to spur growth. In a report ahead of last month's Shanghai G20 meeting, the IMF said the group should plan a co-ordinated stimulus programme as world growth had slowed and could be derailed by market turbulence, the oil price crash and geopolitical conflicts. In his Washington speech, Mr Lipton said "the burden to lift growth falls more squarely on advanced economies" which have fiscal room to move. "The downside risks are clearly much more pronounced than before, and the case for more forceful and concerted policy action, has become more compelling." "Moreover, risks have increased further, with volatile financial markets and low commodity prices creating fresh concerns about the health of the global economy," he added. The downbeat picture is one that has continuing ramifications for businesses and industries that bet on China's growth story. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Beijing faces the tough task of reforming the economy while trying to maintain stability A slew of weak economic data has recently added to those concerns and US ratings agency Moody's has downgraded its outlook for China from "stable" to "negative". There also is concern over rising unemployment as Beijing seeks to gradually shift its economy from overdependence on manufacturing and industry towards more services and consumer spending. China's economy is growing at the slowest rate in 25 years, and the slowdown has created considerable uncertainty in financial markets around the world and led to sharp falls in commodity prices.
The post office will now email you photos of your mail before it’s delivered Informed Delivery is a service from the United States Postal Service that scans the outside of your mail and shows you the images each morning before the mail is actually delivered. While the USPS first started testing the free service more than a year ago, it’s finally rolling out (almost) nationwide for residential addresses. Now it’s available in almost every major metropolitan area, and by April 14th will be available in most of the remaining ZIP Codes covering the U.S. To make sure you aren’t getting anyone else’s mail, USPS sends you a physical letter with a verification code when you sign up. While you still won’t be able to see the inside of your mail until it arrives, it should be helpful to know if an important letter is being delivered today or not. Right now the service only provides black and white scans of regular letter-sized mail. But in the future they may add other flat-sized pieces like magazines. Subscribers get an email digest each morning with images of the first 10 pieces of mail, and a link to view the rest if they received more than 10. Interestingly, the USPS has already been scanning the outside of your mail for a while — it’s how their automated equipment sorts it for delivery by ZIP Code and street address. They also occasionally provide these images to law enforcement agencies that request them as part of a criminal investigation. So providing these images directly to users didn’t require any additional hardware — just the software backend to direct the scanned images to the right accounts. Startups have tried this before, like Outbox, which actually would scan and email you both the inside and outside of your mail. But they shut down in 2014 due to low demand and an upset postmaster general, who thought the service “compromised the security and value of the mail.” You can enter your ZIP Code here to see if Informed Delivery is available in your area and sign up now.
Dr. Enuf is a brand of soft drink bottled by Tri-City Beverage in Johnson City, Tennessee.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] It is a lemon-lime flavored drink (though its taste is different from common lemon-lime sodas such as Sprite or 7 Up), and is fortified with several water-soluble vitamins. Its marketing slogan is "Enuf is Enough!" Dr. Enuf's origins date back to 1949, when a Chicago businessman named William Mark Swartz was urged by coworkers to formulate a soft drink fortified with vitamins as an alternative to sugar sodas full of empty calories. He developed an "energy booster" drink containing B vitamins, caffeine and cane sugar. After placing a notice in a trade magazine seeking a bottler, he formed a partnership with Charles Gordon of Tri-City Beverage to produce and distribute the soda.[8] Early product heritage with Mountain Dew [ edit ] Mountain Dew was first sold commercially at Johnson City, Tennessee in 1954 by Tri-City Beverage. Early in its development, Dr. Enuf was reported to have several therapeutic effects, including the easing of stomach pains, relief from hangovers and a clearing of the mind. One interesting note is that one of the early advertised uses of Dr. Enuf, curing hangovers, coincided with Tri-City Beverage's other soft drink at the time, a drink mixer called Mountain Dew. Tri-City Beverage later sold the rights to Mountain Dew to Pepsi, but kept the Dr. Enuf brand. The drink is still produced to this day by Tri-Cities Beverage. Dr. Enuf is available in original, Diet, Herbal and Diet Herbal varieties. A bottle of any of the varieties contains at least 80% of the recommended daily nutritional requirement of thiamine (Vitamin B1), niacin (Vitamin B 3 ), potassium and iodine. The herbal varieties also contain ginseng and guarana, and are cherry flavored. Availability [ edit ] Dr. Enuf is widely distributed in the Bristol-Kingsport-Johnson City region of Northeast Tennessee, plus parts of southwestern Virginia and western North Carolina.[9][10] While hard to find, Dr. Enuf is available in select locations[vague] throughout the Southeast as well as at many Cracker Barrel locations throughout the country. It is also available at Pal's restaurant locations.[citation needed] References [ edit ]
Scotland and England players wore black armbands with poppy symbols during their World Cup qualifier at Wembley last November England and Germany players will wear black armbands bearing poppies for Friday's friendly at Wembley. The tribute is in remembrance of members of the armed forces, said the Football Association (FA) and German Football Association (DFB). FA chief executive Martin Glenn called it "a show of solidarity and unity". It comes after rules were changed last month, allowing the home nations to wear a poppy if opposing teams and the competition organiser agree to it. Wales will also wear black armbands bearing poppies for Friday's friendly football international against France in Paris. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were all fined for displaying poppies during games in November 2016 as Fifa deemed it to be a political symbol. But all four teams said they would request permission to wear poppies during November's international matches after the rules were revised. DFB president Reinhard Grindel said poppy armbands were not "political propaganda". "They're about remembering the kind of values that were kicked to the ground in two World Wars but are cherished by football: respect, tolerance, and humanity," he said. A replica of 'The Truce' statue, which depicts the historic World War I ceasefire where peace and games of football broke out between British and German troops on Christmas Day in 1914, will be on temporary display beside the Bobby Moore statue at Wembley Stadium. The FA and DFB also plan to commemorate Armistice Day on 11 November in a number of other ways: RAF, Army and Navy representatives will lay wreaths before kick-off. A period of silence will be held before kick-off and after the national anthems. During the silence, the Wembley Stadium arch will be lit in red and 'Football Remembers' will be displayed on the stadium screen. A banner parade, involving representatives from the military, will take place inside the stadium before kick-off. There will be poppy and St George's flag T-shirt layouts for fans in the east and west stands. Poppy sellers will be at Wembley Stadium in the fanzone, concourses and on Olympic Way. Northern Ireland host Switzerland in the first leg of their play-off for the 2018 World Cup while Scotland face the Netherlands at Pittodrie in a friendly on Thursday.

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