Datasets:
Recag
/
C4_7

Dataset card Data Studio Files
xet
Community
1
text
stringlengths
12
61.1k
Indeed, from a pure unity of command perspective, the three “filled as they choose” slots for the services seem superfluous. It makes sense for the Joint Chiefs to be four-star officers. Ditto the combatant commanders, whether geographical or functional. They're the core uniformed leadership of the armed forces. Likewise, it makes sense for commanders of especially large long-term task forces, such as the commanders in Korea and Afghanistan, to hold four-star rank, since they have multiple three-star subordinates.
It's not obvious, however, why the vice-chiefs of the services need to also be four-star officers. Or the service-level component commanders at each of the combatant commands. Let alone the service-level Materiel Commands. The Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program?
Again, reducing these posts to three-star billets would have negligible impact on the budget. Because their pay is capped based on the Executive Schedule, they're all paid the same, so all we'd save is a bit on the staff-related perquisites. But, aside from truly large warfighting commands nested under a geographic combatant commander, there's no obvious reason to have four-stars report to four-stars, let alone have three and four layers of that.
Among the other proposals in the bill are 25 percent reductions in staffing of DoD and Service-level headquarters, including a 25 percent cut in senior executive service civilians employed by them, and a modest realignment of bureaucracy at the assistant-secretary level. Given that “25 percent” seems to be the figure that they arrived at in every instance, one strongly suspects that Kaine's “thin air” was indeed the source. Still, the nature of bureaucracy is to increase with the addition of new problems and areas of emphasis, but not to go away once the problem at hand is solved or minimized. An order from Congress, combined with corresponding funding cuts, is not a bad starting point for Pentagon leadership to conduct a thorough reassessment of their staffing structure and seeing what's really needed.
The House version is much less ambitious. Its main reforms are to the acquisitions process, which is beyond the scope of both this essay and my expertise, and to end strength. Additionally, it has similar language with respect to the role of the Chairman and modifying the formal strategic-review process. We shall see how much of the Senate vision makes it through the conference process. And, of course, there's always the potential for President Obama to veto the bill over completely unrelated issues.
A former reality show contestant has been reporting missing after she did not return to her San Pedro home over the weekend, her family members told KTLA.
Lisa Marie Naegle, 36, who competed on E! television's "Bridalplasty" in 2010, told her husband she was going to a birthday party Saturday night at the Alpine Village Restaurant near Torrance. At around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, Naegle called her husband and told him she was going to get some food, but would be on her way home.
Naegle never made it home, and did not make it to her nursing job on Sunday morning.
The Los Angeles Police Department's Harbor Division told KTLA detectives have information on a person of interest in the case, but did not release any additional details.
Naegle's family told KTLA they called police Monday night after speaking with a student of the missing woman who said he attended the party with her, but later changed his story.
Derek Harryman, Naegle's husband, said when he talked to his wife on the phone early Sunday it sounded like she had a lot to drink.
Naegle's family are trying to get security footage from the Alpine Village Restaurant in Torrance to see if she ever made it to the birthday party.
"There's video footage that was just discovered from Alpine Village within the last hour showing my wife getting into a black SUV," Harryman, Naegle's husband, told KTLA.
Danielle Naegle-Kaimoana, Naegle's sister, told KTLA she was trying to have a baby with her husband and her disappearance is out of character.
"Lisa loves her family, Lisa loves her husband, Lisa checks in and she didn't check in with us," Naegle-Kaimoana said.
"Her missing work, her not calling anybody, a million red flags," Harryman added.
Naegle was among a group of women documented on "Bridalplasty" who competed for a dream wedding and plastic surgery.
Because of an editing error, a report in the Currents column last Thursday about a bridge designed by Leonardo da Vinci to be built in Istanbul referred incorrectly to the Golden Horn, the body of water the bridge was intended to span. The Golden Horn is an inlet of the Bosporus whose shores lie entirely in Europe. It is the Bosporus itself that separates Europe and Asia.
As the number of evacuees staying in area shelters continues to go down, the Red Cross has decided to shift gears.
The Lufkin Red Cross location will now be the hub to send aid to the Beaumont and Port Arthur area. 18-wheelers will now stop there with materials and equipment to be delivered to other disaster areas.
The hub is located across from the Pentecostal campground. They will stay there as long as they are needed.
BOTTOM LINE Ex-"Voice" judge sings powerfully on intermittently great comeback.
Aguilera sings impeccably on every style she assigns to herself, from the opening extrapolation of “Maria” from “West Side Story” (which turns into an R&B jam with a sample of Motown-era Michael Jackson), to the blow-the-house-down duet with Demi Lovato on “Fall In Line.” She manages the busy “Accelerate,” which required 13 songwriters, including Kanye West, and raps from both Ty Dolla $ign and 2 Chainz, reasonably well, although she’s clearly more comfortable on the stripped-down ballad “Twice,” which contains just Aguilera, a piano and some backup vocals.
It’s not unusual in today’s pop for a star singer to rely on multiple songwriters and collaborators — Beyoncé made her masterpiece “Lemonade” this way. But Aguilera has never been visionary like Beyoncé or Gaye. On “Dreamers,” young girls declare they want to be screenwriters, superheroes, a boss, the boss. Aguilera never expands this powerful spoken sentiment into a coherent thesis; as always, impeccable singing will have to do.
An image of an ashen Syrian boy, bloody and dazed in the back of an ambulance, has attracted international attention this week.
Five-year-old Omran Daqneesh, who has been identified as the boy in the footage, was injured Wednesday night by an airstrike in Aleppo that partially destroyed the building he was in, the Associated Press reported.
Rescue workers removed Daqneesh and his family from the rubble of the building, which completely collapsed an hour later, according to the Associated Press.
They were brought to a hospital with the code name “M10,” a code that doctors in Aleppo use because they say hospitals are a target for airstrikes, according to The Guardian.
Neither Daqneesh nor his family sustained major injuries, but the Guardian reported that eight others died from that airstrike, among them five children.
Mahmoud Raslan, the photojournalist who captured the image of Omran, told the Associated Press about an injured girl in the wreckage who survived. “We sent the younger children immediately to the ambulance, but the 11-year-old girl waited for her mother to be rescued. Her ankle was pinned beneath the rubble,” Raslan said.
Last year, an image of Aylan Kurdi, a three-year-old refugee from Syria who drowned off the coast of Turkey, received a similar outcry.
As airstrikes have continued in Aleppo, civil organizations like the White Helmets have formed to help civilians cope with the aftermath. The group operates across Syria, rushing into war-torn sites to rescue survivors, provide emergency supplies and tend to the wounded.
The White Helmets accept donations at their website.
Tiger Woods said he feels like he played better than he scored at the Masters on Thursday.
Woods shot a 1-over 73 in the opening round, failing to make up any ground on the four par 5s. Woods has feasted on Augusta National's longest holes over the years, but pared each of them in his return to golf's first major.
"That was the difference in the round," said Woods, who tees off at 10:27 a.m. PDT on Friday.
Woods said he "definitely didn't score as well as I played," noting that he has to be better on the par 5s.
"This is a very bunched leaderboard, and by the end of the week, it's going to be really crowded," he said.
Woods could have used a few prayers before taking on Amen Corner.
He hit three balls into the gallery and another into the water at Augusta National's famed, three-hole signature section. He finished with two bogeys and a par, and it could have been much worse.
The slippage started when Woods pushed his drive at the par-4 11th way right. He cleared hundreds of fans before attempting to play through a spectator walking area. His second shot squirted right and into the gallery he just repositioned.
His third shot landed past the hole and left him with a downhill, 20-foot par putt that he missed left.
His tee shot at the par-3 12th came up short and rolled into renowned Rae's Creek. His third shot stayed on the front fringe, but he saved bogey by making a 15-footer from there.
He seemed to be disgusted with himself as he walked to the 13th tee. He pushed his tee shot right into the pine straw and then pushed his next shot into another gallery. He flew the back of the green from there and had a 12-footer to salvage a birdie on what has been the easiest hole on the course. He just missed the putt.
Woods bounced back with birdies on the 14th and 16th holes.
He gave galleries at Augusta National some things to cheer through the first nine holes in his first round at the Masters in three years.
Woods nearly drove the green at the par-four No. 3, pitched to about 10 feet and made the putt to set off a huge "Tiger roar." It was Woods' first competitive birdie at the famed course since April 12, 2015, when he carded a four at No. 15 in the final round. He finished tied for 17th that year.
Woods gave strokes back on the next two holes and was one over at the turn. He had 17 putts through nine holes, not the start he was looking for at a course where putting is at premium.
Woods found a greenside bunker at the par-three fourth. He chipped out and missed a 20-footer. He drove into a bunker at the par-four fifth and left the sand shot well short of the flag. He putted past the hole and left the comebacker on the left edge.
Woods turned 42 at the end of last year. He has been away from golf for much of the last few years because of his four back surgeries. The Masters is the first major he has played since the PGA Championship in August 2015.
He returned this season and has played in six events. He was in contention at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla., and again the following week at Bay Hill in Orlando.
1:35 p.m.: This article has been updated with Woods completing his round.
11:55 a.m.: This article has been updated with recent results.
11:05 a.m.: This article has been updated with recent results.
Celebrate Sri Lanka” is a project initiated by Berklee students from Sri Lanka in order to foster relationships between the island nation of Sri Lanka and Berklee College of Music, USA. The project was commenced at the LOFT, featuring guest artists Nalinda Pieris, Uthpala Eroshan and Dilhan Pinnagoda, all traditional Sri Lankan musicians based in New York. They conducted a workshop on Sri Lankan drums and dance with performances featuring the various costumes, performance techniques and rituals. The second phase of the project was the release of this music video, which brings together students from both Berklee College of Music and the Boston Conservatory, representing 17 different countries all journeying together in this musical voyage.
Tamia Jordan: Director of Student Activities Center, Joshua Crary: Diversity Programs Advisor for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Brenda Bailey: Assistant Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Michael Borgida: Marketing Manager at Berklee College of Music, Sara Galo: President of Student Government Association at Boston Conservatory, Swarna Adikari, Arjuna Balasuriya and Families for providing decorations.
VERY BEAUTIFUL. I WISH I WAS THERE. SUSANTHA USA.
The first teaser poster for the live-action adaptation of anime action/soap-opera Dragonball has been released... in Japan, anyway. Still, the poster shows star Justin Chatwin looking quite the part of Saiyan martial-arts master Goku, holding what appears to be one of the mystical dragonballs in hand.
No, really... YAWN. The only work this poster seems to do is let a less-than-interested general public know that "hey, we're making Dragonball live-action now!" which I'm sure is causing all kinds of mania across the pond in Japan, but here in the USA, where Dragonball fans are still considered a minority group, the marketing team behind DB is going to need to come up with some pretty action-packed, intense, get-you-sweating-down-you-back images that will get people interested in seeing a good kung-fu flick. Leave the rest of the aliens abound/super Saiyin hairstyle/laster beam shooting/mystical dragon summoning aspects of the film for when people are already committed to putting their butts in those theater seats.
But enough about what I think. The poster appears below. Take a quick look and let us know what you think.
Dragonball is still scheduled to hit theaters on April 10, 2009. It will star Justin Chatwin, Emmy Rossum, James Marsters, Jamie Chung, Yun-Fat Chow and Ernie Hudson. The film is being helmed by James Wong (Final Destination, Final Destination 3).
Just as powerful as the Dell Inspiron and more portable is the IBM ThinkPad T23. The latest in the popular T-series, the 5.4-pound T23 is aimed at the sweet spot of the notebook market: Road warriors who want a powerful yet light machine, and who don't want to skimp on screen size, keyboard size, or features.
New to this model is support for an optional 80211.b wireless receiver built into the screen bezel, although it was not included in our test unit. Nor was the embedded Security Chip. Previously available only on IBM desktop systems, it provides hardware-enabled security functions such as encryption, PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) and other smart-card–type security features.
The T23's 14-inch display, running at 1,400–by-1,050, is one of the best laptop screens available, providing a sharp, rich image when viewed from any angle. A tiny night-light just above the screen is a good idea but ineffective, providing minimal light only to the upper-left portion of the keyboard.
The keyboard layout is classic IBM ThinkPad, featuring a TrackPoint pointing stick, left/ right mouse and scrolling buttons, three speaker control buttons, and an Access ThinkPad hotkey for setup utilities and help guides. The full-size keyboard is uncluttered by additional pointing devices and speaker grids, leaving plenty of room to type. IBM's Ultraport connection sits on top of the screen's bezel, where you can connect options such as a digital camera, a Bluetooth wireless module, or a CompactFlash reader.
Like the Dell unit, the T23 was an excellent performer on our speed tests. Battery life (2:31) was acceptable but not good.
Microsoft Ships Its Biggest OS Upgrade Ever—Early!
World-music percussion band The Batamba Collective will perform at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Saturday.
Award-winning storyteller Willy Claflin and his sidekick Maynard the Moose.
Guild tellers Linda Kennedy and Joan McCammon will emcee an Open Mic Telling Session.
Larry Lippman portrays Hank Monk.
A weekend of storytelling brings a variety of talent to the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Saturday and Sunday.
The featured tellers at this year's event are Willy Claflin, world-music percussion band The Batamba Collective, Mother Lode Storytelling Guild tellers Linda Kennedy and Joan McCammon, and Chautauquan Larry Lippmann as Hank Monk. The weekend also features early afternoon shows specifically for families and children, an open mic telling concert, and a session with Carson Valley residents sharing their memories.
"Storytelling is an art that is almost limitless in its possibilities of presentation," said the park's Events Manager Kim Harris. "While there are performances specifically for children, the evening events will appeal to all ages."
Saturday features award-winning storyteller Willy Claflin, who has been spinning yarns since 1983 with his sidekick, Maynard Moose.
On Saturday at 1 p.m., Claflin will give a concert especially for families with children ages 5 and up. This concert is free for all to attend.
At 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Kennedy and McCammon will emcee an Open Mic Telling Session. Those interested should come prepared with a nonpolitical, family-friendly story of 5 minutes or less. Personal tales, folk tales or cowboy poetry are all fine to tell, but not read. Please e-mail events@dangberghomeranch to sign-up for this session, which is free of charge for tellers and audience.
Linda Kennedy has been telling stories for almost 30 years. She is also a member of Foothill Storytelling Guild, Sacramento Storytelling Guild, and National Storytelling Network, and for the past seven years has been the emcee for the Open Telling Concert at the Sierra Storytelling Festival.
Joan McCammon has been telling stories in a variety of settings for the past 20 years. She began in Santa Clarita, Calif., by portraying historical figures in the American Association of University Women's "Women in History" program. She is a founding member of the Foothill Storytelling Guild.
Opening the Saturday concert at 5:30 p.m. is The Batamba Collective. Band members Brandon Dodge, Ryan Burt, Chance Utter, Anthony Landers and Adrian Rodriguez are dedicated to the mixing and honoring of cultures from India to Cuba and from Brazil to Africa.
At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Claflin will headline the first evening of this two-day event. Known as a "one-man storytelling festival," Claflin tells traditional and original tales, performs a wide variety of traditional and original music.
Entrance to the evening concert on Saturday is $5 for adults, free for 16 and younger, and free for members of the Friends of Dangberg Home Ranch.
Events on Sunday start at 1 p.m. with a children's interactive concert with Linda Kennedy and Joan McCammon. This event is free for all to attend.
At 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Nancy Raven will lead a local group of tellers sharing their own Carson Valley memories. This session is free of charge.
Opening the Sunday concert at 5:30 p.m. is Chautauquan Larry Lippmann portraying famous local stage coach driver Hank Monk. Monk was a legendary stage coach driver from 1852 to 1886 and was immortalized by Mark Twain in his book, "Roughing It."
At 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Kennedy and McCammon will headline. Each will take the stage to share their own stories and then perform as a duo telling more fun tales.
Entrance to the evening concert on Sunday is $5 for adults, free for 16 and younger, and free for members of the Friends of Dangberg Home Ranch.
The park is located at 1450 Hwy 88, a quarter mile north of the Carson Valley Veterinary Hospital.
Pope Francis sends video message to Myanmar. Credit: Screenshot Vatican video.
Pope Francis in his video message to Myanmar says he is visiting the country to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to foster reconciliation, forgiveness and peace.
The pope said he wishes to tell the Catholic community to witness to the world by opening their hearts to others, especially the poor and those in need.
“At the same time, I wish to visit the nation in a spirit of respect and encouragement for every effort to build harmony and cooperation in the service of the common good,” Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis will arrive in Yangon on Nov. 27 where he will also meet with the president, state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, diplomats and civil society groups.
He will lead a public Mass in Yangon on Nov. 29 where over 150,000 Catholics and people from other religions are expected to join.
The pope will also meet with Buddhist monks, local bishops and celebrate Mass together with Catholic youths before leaving for Bangladesh on Nov. 30.
— 9:40 p.m. Departure from Rome’s Fiumicino airport.
— 1:30 p.m. Arrival at Yangon International Airport.
— 2 p.m. Departure by plane for Naypyitaw.
— 3:10 p.m. Arrival at Naypyitaw airport.
— 3:50 p.m. Welcoming ceremony at the presidential palace.