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__label__wiki	0.540113	0.540113	EU courts make bombshell ruling against vaccine manufacturers Monday, June 26, 2017 by: Tracey Watson Tags: causal relationship, European Union, vaccine injury, vaccine injury compensation, vaccines (Natural News) It can seem at times like the deck is stacked in every possible way against the victims of vaccine injury. The mainstream media insists that vaccines save lives, have no side effects and cannot harm you. The medical community stubbornly claims that there is no way your child could possibly have been harmed by a vaccine, when so many millions of other vaccine recipients are fine. And, in the United States at least, you cannot pursue a vaccine manufacturer through the regular court system to demand compensation for the harm done by its products. Well, it seems like the tide might be turning at last. The Swedish parliament recently ruled against enforcing the mandatory vaccinations of its citizens, recognizing that to do so would be a violation of the country’s Constitution. Then, last week, the highest court in the European Union made a groundbreaking ruling that could finally provide relief for families destroyed by vaccine injuries. Back in 2006, a plaintiff known only as “Mr. J.W.” sued pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur, claiming that he had contracted multiple sclerosis (M.S.) as a direct result of a hepatitis B vaccination he received in late 1998. The French Court of Appeals denied Mr. J.W.’s claim, stating that science has not proved a causal link between the hep B vaccine and M.S. The case was then passed to France’s Court of Cassation, and eventually brought before the European Union. Though not specifically ruling on the case of Mr. J.W., having considered the evidence before it, the court decreed that henceforth, European courts may consider vaccines as a possible cause of illness, even when there is no specific scientific proof linking a certain vaccine to a specific health condition. [Related: For all the breaking news be sure to visit Vaccines.news.] 100% organic essential oil sets now available for your home and personal care, including Rosemary, Oregano, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Clary Sage and more, all 100% organic and laboratory tested for safety. A multitude of uses, from stress reduction to topical first aid. See the complete listing here, and help support this news site. In part, their ruling states: “[W]here medical research neither establishes nor rules out the existence of a link between the administering of the vaccine and the occurrence of the victim’s disease, the existence of a causal link between the defect attributed to the vaccine and the damage suffered by the victim will always be considered to be established when certain predetermined causation-related factual evidence is presented.” The claimant in such a case would need to provide “specific and consistent evidence” related to the time elapsed between the administration of the vaccine and the illness, proof of a lack of family history of the condition, and evidence of a significant number of other patients developing the same illness after receiving that particular vaccine. Of course, the ruling has sent shock-waves through the mainstream media, who rely on doctors like Paul Offit, a supposed vaccine expert, for their information. His response to the ruling? “Using those criteria, you could reasonably make the case that someone should be compensated for developing leukemia after eating a peanut butter sandwich. It’s very frustrating that they have such a ridiculously low bar for causality. … To prove whether one thing causes another has to happen in a scientific venue, and the courts are not a scientific venue.” The CBS News article from which that quotation is derived makes no mention of Dr. Offit’s glaring conflict of interest: Offit is the patent holder of the RotaTeq vaccination, a vaccine which is mandated by the CDC, and presumably provides Offit with millions in income each year. Clearly, he has a vested interest in insisting that as many people as possible should be vaccinated. The fact is, the EU court’s ruling is nothing more than common sense. As Juliette Scarfe, a lawyer from the U.K. points out, “This is common sense, surely. If I develop a debilitating illness shortly after receiving a vaccine, I should be the medical evidence in chief. It should not matter whether the medical community accepts or rejects that there exists a causal link between the disease and the vaccine in order to consider my defective product claim.” Sources include: HealthImpactNews.com TruthWiki.org Previous :Medical marijuana an instant hit for PET HEALTH Next : A third of all cancers could be prevented with these plant-based nutrients More news on causal relationship https://www.naturalnews.com/2017-06-26-priority-eu-courts-make-bombshell-ruling-against-vaccine-manufacturers.html <a href="https://www.naturalnews.com/2017-06-26-priority-eu-courts-make-bombshell-ruling-against-vaccine-manufacturers.html">EU courts make bombshell ruling against vaccine manufacturers</a>	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732466
__label__wiki	0.893038	0.893038	Netflix Raising US Prices by 10 Percent for Most Popular Plan The change announced Thursday affects most of Netflix's 53 million U.S. subscribers Published Oct 5, 2017 at 10:40 AM \| Updated at 4:03 PM EDT on Oct 5, 2017 Receive the latest entertainment updates in your inbox Netflix to Raise Prices http://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/Netflix-Raising-US-Prices-by-10-Percent-for-Most-Popular-Plan--449591983.html Netflix is set to raise its prices. (Published Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017) Netflix is raising the price for its most popular U.S. video streaming plan by 10 percent— a move that could boost its profits but slow the subscriber growth that drives its stock price. The change announced Thursday affects most of Netflix's 53 million U.S. subscribers. WHAT GOES UP Netflix will now charge $11 per month instead of $10 for a plan that includes HD and allows people to simultaneously watch programs on two different internet-connected devices. The price for another plan that includes ultra-high definition, or 4K, video, is going up by 17 percent, to $14 from $12 a month. A plan that limits subscribers to one screen at a time without high-definition will remain at $8 a month. The increase would be the first in two years for Netflix, although it won't seem that way for millions of subscribers. That's because Netflix temporarily froze its rates for long-time subscribers the last two times it raised its prices, delaying the most recent increases until the second half of last year for them. Netflix isn't giving anyone a break this time around. It will start emailing notifications about the new prices to affected subscribers Oct. 19, giving them 30 days to accept the higher rates, switch to a cheaper plan or cancel the service. WHY PRICES ARE RISING The price increase are being driven by Netflix's desire to fatten its profit margins as it spends more money to finance a critically acclaimed slate of original programming that includes shows such as "House of Cards," ''Orange Is The New Black," ''Stranger Things," and "The Crown." Those series' success helped Netflix land more Emmy award nominations than any TV network besides HBO this year. It's also the main reason Netflix's U.S. audience has nearly doubled since the February 2013 debut of "House of Cards" kicked off its expansion into original programming. But paying for exclusive TV series and films hasn't been cheap. Netflix expects to spend $6 billion a year alone on programming this year, and the expenses are likely to rise as it competes against streaming rivals such as Amazon, Hulu, YouTube and, potentially, Apple for the rights to future shows and movies. Both Amazon (at $99 per year, or about $8.25 per month) and Hulu ($10 per month) now offer lower prices than Netflix. J. Lo Concert in NYC Cut Short by Power Outage The Jennifer Lopez concert was cut short at Madison Square Garden due to the massive power outage in Manhattan. (Published Monday, July 15, 2019) POSSIBILITY OF BACKLASH Netflix believes its price rate is justified by recent service improvements, such as a feature that allows people to download shows onto phones or other devices to watch them offline. But Netflix subscribers have rebelled against price increases in the past, most notably in 2011 when the company stopped bundling its streaming service with its DVD-by-mail service, resulting in price increases of as much as 60 percent for customers who wanted both plans. Netflix lost 600,000 subscribers and its stock price plummeted by 80 percent in the subsequent backlash. The company rebounded strongly, though, propelling its stock from a split-adjusted low of $7.54 in 2012 to about $184 now. And Netflix blamed a temporary slowdown in subscriber growth last year on the lifting of its price freeze on long-time customers who decided to drop the service rather than pay slightly more money. Wife of 'Bachelor' Creator Granted TRO After Assault Claim Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Wedbush believes less than 10 percent of current subscribers will cancel Netflix as price rise again, but he predicts it will be tougher to attract new customers who will choose cheaper alternatives from Amazon or Hulu.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732468
__label__wiki	0.581386	0.581386	About Us - Historical background In October 1959 the civil contractor responsible for establishing a chain of tropospheric scatter radio links, which later became NATO's ACE HIGH Communications System, began to train a small number of NATO personnel. This training was conducted at Borgo Piave in a limited facility provided by MOD Italy for this purpose. In the following years the company personnel were augmented by military instructors who by then had gained practical experience on the system. In January 1963 SHAPE assumed full control of this still relatively small facility and recruited NATO civilian instructional staff to replace those of the civil contractor. In 1964 the training responsibility was extended into the area of Command and Control with the introduction of the "Status, Control Alert and Reporting System" (SCARS). The facility at this time was named the "SHAPE Centralised Training Facility" (SCTF). A further expansion occurred in the early 1970's with the addition to the training curriculum of Satellite Communications (SATCOM). In April 1974 the title of the SCTF was changed to "NATO Communications School Latina" (NCS). To satisfy the increasing requirements arising from NATO's Integrated Communications System (NICS) concept, a project for a custom built training facility was initiated in 1976. This project called for a facility comprising a training and administrative building and a separate student accommodation block. The new complex was opened in 1983. It enabled the School to take on additional training associated with NICS such as TARE, IVSN and TCF, and allowed the School to cater for future developments within NATO CIS. The School entered the area of Officer Training in the late 1970's with courses for NATO CIS Staff Officers, Officers CIS Orientation, Communications Security Officers and ADP Site/Terminal Area Security Officers. On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary in 1989 the School was renamed "NATO Communications and Information Systems School" (NCISS) since with the introduction and increased use of specific Command and Control Information Systems within NATO, a requirement arose for software engineering and programming. In the 1990's the School entered the area of ADP, project management and information systems training, part of it being offered as off-site courses throughout NATO Europe. In October 1994, the first CIS Officers’ Course for Cooperation Partner (CP) Nations was conducted at Latina. This course is now included in our annual training schedule. The School has successfully introduced Computer Assisted Training (CAT) modules on all its courses and is analysing the parameters for future contractor produced CAT and Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) programs. In the recent past and to date, the School is challenged with supplementary training, as a result of NATO involvement in "Beyond NATO’s Area of Responsibility" operations. The School response to NATO exercises and especially to SFOR, KFOR and ISAF operations, some of which even with short notice, was decisive for the deployment of qualified technicians and engineers in the new Theatres of Operation. Consequently, the overall student throughput has risen considerably to a peak of more than 4300 attendees in 2010, with a constant annual increase of about 15-20%. On 1 July 2012 the NATO CIS School became a part of the new NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency). As part of the NCI Agency, work began on a business case to outline the benefits of the move of the NATO CIS School to Oeiras in Portugal which was submitted to the Resource Policy and Planning Board in May 2013. The end of 2013 saw the arrival of a new Commandant, Colonel Silvio Monti of the Italian Air Force. In January 2014, under a NCI Agency reorganisation, the NATO CIS School became a significant element of the new Education and Training Service Line which assumed responsibility for all CIS and Functional Services training for NATO. At the same time, the NCISS as part of the NCI Agency became customer funded; with Allied Command Operations acting as a budget sponsor for a two-year bridging period with full customer funding being implemented on 1 January 2016.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732469
__label__wiki	0.855446	0.855446	New Horizons Mission - Pluto + Charon Encounter By Unobscured Vision, July 10, 2015 in Science Discussion & News Draggendrop 5,747 OS: Windows/VMware Phone: Dixi cups and string Nightside image shows atmosphere.... Speeding away from Pluto just seven hours after its July 14 closest approach, the New Horizons spacecraft looked back and captured this spectacular image of Pluto's atmosphere, backlit by the sun. The image reveals layers of haze that are several times higher than scientists predicted. Just seven hours after closest approach, New Horizons aimed its Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) back at Pluto, capturing sunlight streaming through the atmosphere and revealing hazes as high as 80 miles (130 kilometers) above Pluto's surface. A preliminary analysis of the image shows two distinct layers of haze one about 50 miles (80 kilometers) above the surface and the other at an altitude of about 30 miles (50 kilometers). "My jaw was on the ground when I saw this first image of an alien atmosphere in the Kuiper Belt," said New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Boulder, Colorado. "It reminds us that exploration brings us more than just incredible discoveries--it brings incredible beauty." http://spaceref.com/pluto/nightside-image-reveals-plutos-hazy-skies.html More eye candy... This NASA graphic shows a view of Pluto's hazy atmosphere as seen by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft on July 14, 2015 during an historic flyby of the dwarf planet. The inset image shows the height of different haze layers on Pluto seen by New Horizons. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI The haze is created by the particles that scientists think eventually fall to the surface and give Pluto its reddish hue. The haze extends at least 100 miles (160 km) above the surface of Pluto, or five times higher than models predicted, according to Summers, who called the discovery "a big surprise." Scientists previously thought the upper layers of the atmosphere would be too warm for hazes to form, he said. "We're going to need some new ideas to figure out what's going on," Summers said in a statement from NASA. This photo of Pluto shows the northern region of Sputnik Planum, where flows of exotic ices have created swirl-shaped patterns much like glaciers on Earth, scientists say. NASA unveiled this image on July 24, 2015. Scientists think that, unlike glaciers on Earth, the ice in Sputnik Planum is made of nitrogen, carbon monoxide and methane. At the frigid temperature of about minus 390 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 235 Celsius), water ice "won't move anywhere," because it is too rigid and brittle to flow, said Bill McKinnon, of Washington University in St. Louis, deputy leader of the New Horizons geology, geophysics and imaging team. But even at such low temperatures, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and methane ices are "geologically soft and malleable," McKinnon said. At the news conference, McKinnon showed regions near the heart-shaped region's upper-left edge where the ice could be seen creeping around other geologic barriers and filling in craters. The images, he said, show "conclusive evidence" of ice flow that may still be happening on Pluto's surface today. This annotated image of Pluto's Sputnik Planum region identifies what appears to be flows of exotic nitrogen ice on the surface of the dwarf planet. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft took this image of Pluto during a flyby on July 14, 2015. "To see evidence of recent geological activity is simply a dream come true," McKinnon said. "The appearance of this terrain, the utter lack of impact craters on Sputnik Planum, tells us that this is really a young unit." The strange surface of Pluto is clear in this view from New Horizons of the dwarf planet's southern region of Sputnik Planum, where two mountain ranges rise up from icy plains and cratered terrain has been covered by ice. The large infilled crater that is visible is about 30 miles (50 kilometers) wide. McKinnon also noted another interesting finding that has surfaced from the New Horizons data: Pluto is very close to being perfectly spherical. "We actually can't detect any obliqueness or out-of-roundness in the body," McKinnon said. Many other bodies in the solar system have distortions to their roundness, which "tells you about their history," he said. "Pluto was probably spinning very, very fast after what we believe to be a giant impact that led to the formation of [Charon]," McKinnon added, noting that the gravitational pull of the two bodies on each other would have, over time, slowed down Pluto's rapid rotation. http://www.space.com/30046-amazing-pluto-photos-glaciers-atmosphere.html Cheers.... SOFIA catches Pluto Occultation http://spaceref.com/pluto/sofia-captures-pluto-occultation.html In a prior post, the 747 space telescope was briefly covered, but here is a bit more data... It is no easy task to capture the shadow of Pluto as it travels across the surface of Earth at more than 53,000 mph--but that is exactly what NASA scientists and flight crew did on the night of June 29, 2015. In a true team effort, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy or SOFIA's infrared telescope successfully observed the dwarf planet as it passed in front of a distant star. This event, known as an "occultation," allowed scientific analysis of Pluto and its atmosphere by flying SOFIA at the right moment to an exact location where Pluto's shadow fell on Earth. This video shows the careful planning and real time adaption of the observatory's flight path leading up to observation, and highlights the data's contributions to the New Horizons mission. SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The aircraft is based at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center facility in Palmdale, California. NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California is home to the SOFIA Science Center that is managed by NASA in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute at the University of Stuttgart. And it appears that New Horizons' flyby happened at the right time, too. They think Pluto's atmosphere is collapsing, and they've witnessed it mid-stream. http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/07/new-horizons-data-shows-plutos-atmosphere-surface-features/ Pluto orbits the Sun once every 248 years. Ever since they had their first glimpse of Pluto's atmosphere, scientists hypothesized that following perihelion, as the icy world retreated from the Sun, temperatures would drop. That would allow the nitrogen-rich atmosphere to freeze and disappear. However, this hasn't been the case. Evidence that the atmosphere doubled puzzled scientists—until now. Data beamed back from New Horizons indicates we may be witnessing Pluto's atmosphere changing right before our eyes. Measurements taken by the REX instrument show that Pluto's atmosphere has a much lower surface pressure than expected. The New Horizons team used two radio dishes—both part of the Deep Space Network—to beam radio waves to Pluto just as the spacecraft passed behind the planet. As the radio waves penetrated Pluto's atmosphere, they were distorted by atmospheric gas. By measuring the amount of distortion, scientists determined that Pluto's surface pressure was 1/100-thousandth that of Earth's. Meaning Pluto's surface pressure had decreased by half since the previous measurement. “For the first time we have ground truth, measuring the surface pressure at Pluto, giving us an invaluable perspective on conditions at the surface of the planet,” said New Horizons researcher Ivan Linscott of Stanford University. “This crucial measurement may be telling us that Pluto is undergoing long-anticipated global change.” Edited July 29, 2015 by BetaguyGZT This double spacing thing is going to make me insane, hehe. The "heart" of Pluto The icy plains of Pluto resolved by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft stretch as wide as Texas, enveloping mountain ranges and bizarre hilly outcrops in a mosaic revealing one lobe of the distant world’s heart-shaped reservoir of exotic frozen carbon monoxide, nitrogen and methane. The mosaic, posted here with permission, was created by Marco Di Lorenzo and Ken Kremer using seven scenes captured by New Horizons’ LORRI camera. The ice field is informally dubbed Sputnik Planum, after the first artificial satellite sent into orbit around Earth. It is part of a larger feature tentatively named Tombaugh Regio, honoring Clyde Tombaugh, the astronomer who discovered Pluto at Lowell Observatory in 1930. In the middle of Sputnik Planum, views from New Horizons’ sharp-eyed black-and-white camera show blocks of ice delineated by dark troughs. The ice features, called “polygonal terrain” by geologists, taper toward the northern edge of Sputnik Planum, where streaks in the ice appear to be flows wrapping around barrier islands near a boundary with more rugged terrain. “It’s pretty big,” said William McKinnon, a co-investigator on the New Horizons mission from Washington University in St. Louis. “In fact, it’s just about the size of the state of Texas, and all around the periphery, and in the center of Sputnik Planum, are geological wonders. “At the top of the picture, it’s really different,” McKinnon said in a press briefing Friday. “There’s a rugged landscape there — a degraded landscape — and to a geologist’s eye looks like something that has been very deeply and extensively eroded. We can tell it’s old as well because you can see, with your own eye, various impact craters of large size. “What’s really interesting to us is the actual interaction between the Sputnik Planum and this rugged terrain to the top,” McKinnon said. “If you look carefully at the image, you can actually see a pattern that incidates the flow of viscous ice towards the scarp or cliff boundary of the rugged terrain. We call these stream lines. We interpret them to be just like glacial flow on the Earth.” Unlike glaciers on Earth, which are made of water ice, the ice flows on Pluto are likely made of a mixture of nitrogen ice, carbon monoxide ice and methane ice. Water ice at Pluto’s temperatures, which are around minus 390 degrees Fahrenheit, is immobile and behaves like a rock, but other types of frozen material can move, according to McKinnon. Near the southern boundary of Sputnik Planum, the icy plain is bordered by two mountain rangers — Norgay Montes and Hillary Montes — named for Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary, the first two people to make a documented ascent of Mount Everest. Scientists say the peaks are composed primarily of water ice, and measurements of shadows extending from Norgay Montes show the range to stand up to 11,000 feet above the surrounding plain. A darker region on the bottom left of the mosaic, and near Pluto’s equator, is called Cthulhu Regio. Scientists believe it is part of a much more ancient geological unit than Sputnik Planum. http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/07/28/the-heart-of-pluto-in-high-resolution/ Charon has a red hole? The dark red pole on Pluto's largest moon Charon may be some of the dwarf planet's own siphoned-off atmosphere. Images and data captured by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft suggest that the reddish region at the top of the moon could be the frozen-out atmosphere from Pluto. "It looks like the pieces fit," New Horizons co-investigator Will Grundy of Lowell Observatory told Space.com. Grundy also serves as head of the surface composition theme team for New Horizons. Despite this, Grundy cautioned that the idea remained speculative, and that the new images constantly arriving from the spacecraft could either support or disprove the theory. [Photos of Pluto and Its Moons] The thin, nebulous atmosphere of Pluto was detected from Earth before New Horizons reached the dwarf planet this month, but Charon showed no signs of hosting anything similar. While tiny Pluto can cling to an atmosphere for a time, it doesn't have the gravity to keep it from slowly slipping away. Pluto and Charon are similar in size, causing many scientists to refer to it as a binary planet system. As Pluto slowly releases its atmosphere, Charon may be close enough to capture it for a brief period. Although the gases from the dwarf planet would disperse evenly across the moon and fall upon the surface, the regions of the moon heated by sunlight may be too warm to allow it to freeze on the surface. Given the low gravity of the tiny moon, the atmosphere that escaped from Pluto may also escape from the smaller Charon. The material may only be capable of freezing outat the winter pole, pointed away from the sun. "Only where the dead of winter is, where it hasn't seen the sun for a long time," Randy Gladstone, New Horizons co-investigator and atmospheres team theme leader, said. In these regions, known as cold traps, the charged particles could freeze onto the surface, creating the reddish crust. As Pluto and its moons travel around the sun in its 248-Earth year orbit, Charon could continue to siphon material from its companion, freezing it onto its pole. Gladstone said the idea, which he attributed to Grundy, was proposed not long ago but continued to seem more likely as they examined the evidence. Earlier last week, more than 50 people on the New Horizons team gathered together to discuss the idea, which seemed to be gaining ground. [Pluto Quiz: Are You a Plutophile?] An alternate theory suggests that the darker terrain could be a geological feature, a large basin. Gladstone said the two could both be true; material from Pluto could be collecting within Charon's polar basin to form the red crust. "There are probably other theories that don't involve Pluto at all," he said. More info at the link.... http://www.space.com/30089-pluto-moon-charon-red-pole.html Facts About Pluto... Pluto, once considered the ninth and most distant planet from the sun, is now the largest known dwarf planet in the solar system. It is also one of the largest known members of the Kuiper Belt, a shadowy disklike zone beyond the orbit of Neptune thought to be populated by hundreds of thousands of rocky, icy bodies each larger than 62 miles (100 kilometers) across, along with 1 trillion or more comets. In 2006, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet, a change widely thought of as a demotion. The question of Pluto's planet status has attracted controversy and stirred debate in the scientific community, and among thegeneral public, since then. American astronomer Percival Lowell first caught hints of Pluto's existence in 1905 from odd deviations he observed in the orbits of Neptune and Uranus, suggesting that another world's gravity was tugging at these two planets from beyond. Lowell predicted the mystery planet's location in 1915, but died without finding it. Pluto was finally discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory, based on predictions by Lowell and other astronomers. Pluto's highly elliptical orbit can take it more than 49 times as far out from the sun as Earth. Since the dwarf planet's orbit is so eccentric, or far from circular, Pluto's distance from the sun can vary considerably. The dwarf planet actually gets closer to the sun than Neptune is for 20 years out of Pluto's 248-Earth-years-long orbit, providing astronomers a rare chance to study this small, cold, distant world. As a result of that orbit, after 20 years as the eighth planet (in order going out from the sun), in 1999, Pluto crossed Neptune's orbit to become the farthest planet from the sun (until it was demoted to the status of dwarf planet). When Pluto is closer to the sun, its surface ices thaw and temporarily form a thin atmosphere, consisting mostly of nitrogen, with some methane. Pluto's low gravity, which is a little more than one-twentieth that of Earth's, causes this atmosphere to extend much higher in altitude than Earth's. When traveling farther away from the sun, most of Pluto's atmosphere is thought to freeze and all but disappear. Still, in the time that it does have an atmosphere, Pluto can apparently experience strong winds. Composition & structure Atmospheric composition: Methane, nitrogen. Observations by New Horizons show that Pluto's atmosphere extends as far as 1,000 miles (1,600 km) above the surface of the dwarf planet. Magnetic field: It remains unknown whether Pluto has a magnetic field, but the dwarf planet's small size and slow rotation suggest it has little to no such field. Chemical composition: Pluto probably consists of a mixture of 70 percent rock and 30 percent water ice. Internal structure: The dwarf planet probably has a rocky core surrounded by a mantle of water ice, with more exotic ices such as methane, carbon monoxide and nitrogen ice coating the surface. Orbit & rotation Pluto's rotation is retrograde compared to the solar systems' other worlds; it spins backward, from east to west. Average distance from the sun: 3,670,050,000 miles (5,906,380,000 km) — 39.482 times that of Earth Perihelion (closest approach to the sun): 2,756,902,000 miles (4,436,820,000 km) — 30.171 times that of Earth Aphelion (farthest distance from the sun): 4,583,190,000 miles (7,375,930,000 km) — 48.481 times that of Earth Pluto's moons Pluto has five moons: Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos and Hydra, with Charon being the closest to Pluto and Hydra the most distant. In 1978, astronomers discovered that Pluto had a very large moon nearly half the dwarf planet's own size. This moon was dubbed Charon, after the mythological demon who ferried souls to the underworld in Greek mythology. Because Charon and Pluto are so similar in size, their orbit is unlike that of most planets and their moons. Both Pluto and Charon orbit a point in space that lies between them, similar to the orbits of binary star systems, For this reason, scientists refer to Pluto and Charon as a double dwarf planet, double planet or binary system. Pluto and Charon are just 12,200 miles (19,640 km) apart, less than the distance by flight between London and Sydney. Charon's orbit around Pluto takes 6.4 Earth days, and one Pluto rotation — a Pluto day — also takes 6.4 Earth days. This is because Charon hovers over the same spot on Pluto's surface, and the same side of Charon always faces Pluto, a phenomenon known as tidal locking. While Pluto has a reddish tint, Charon appears more grayish. In its early days, the moon may have contained a subsurface ocean, though the satellite probably can't support one today. More info at the link... http://www.space.com/43-pluto-the-ninth-planet-that-was-a-dwarf.html For more photo's and a couple of videos....check out the Space.com link, right hand column... Vader Crater, Kirk & Spock! 'Star Wars,' 'Star Trek' Collide on Pluto Moon Note...Full size images at the link...names hard to read until seen full size... http://www.space.com/30139-pluto-charon-kirk-spock-vader-names.html Image showing the provisional names being used by the New Horizons team for features on Pluto’s largest moon, Charon. These monikers have not yet been approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute The "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" universes are coming together on Pluto's big moon Charon. The team behind NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, which performed the first-ever Pluto flyby last month, has unofficially named some Charon craters after characters from both beloved sci-fi franchises. For example, newly released maps created by the New Horizons crew reveal that Charon now has a Vader Crater, as well as impact features named after fellow "Star Wars" principals Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. And James T. Kirk, captain of the starship Enterprise in the original "Star Trek" series, gets his own crater, as do his shipmates Mr. Spock, Sulu and Uhura. Image showing the informal names being used by the New Horizons team for features on Pluto. These monikers have not yet been approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The Pluto appellations, by contrast, are generally more grounded in reality, featuring real-life explorers (though two large, dark features on the dwarf planet are named after the Balrog, a type of monster in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novels, and Cthulhu, a god created by writer H.P. Lovecraft, respectively). Image showing the informal names being used by the New Horizons team for features on the icy Pluto plains known as Sputnik Planum. These monikers have not yet been approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The New Horizons team selected all of these monikers with help from the public — specifically, the "Our Pluto" campaign, a joint project involving NASA, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute in Mountain View, California. People around the world suggested tens of thousands of names via the Our Pluto project during its March-April run, New Horizons team members have said. The New Horizons team chose its favorites from this large database andsubmitted them to the IAU, which assigns "official" names to celestial bodies and their features. Vader Crater, Sputnik Planum, Nostromo Chasma and all the other appellations remain provisional until the IAU has approved them. (The IAU, of course, famously reclassified Pluto from "planet" to "dwarf planet" back in 2006.) Check out the link to see the full size shot's...Thanx... Scientists plan for New Horizons probe’s second act Artist’s concept of the New Horizons spacecraft flying by a Kuiper Belt Object. Credit: Alex Parker New Horizons’ flyby of Pluto was the mission’s main act, but the plutonium-powered explorer is on an irreversible high-speed course barreling outward from the planets. Scientists will decide later this month to steer the spacecraft on a trajectory toward one of two newly-discovered mini-worlds in the Kuiper Belt, a ring of icy objects thought to be leftovers from the solar system’s creation. Scientists have two candidates to choose from — 2014 MU69 and 2014 PN70 — discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2014. Little is known about the two targets other than their locations 4 billion miles from Earth, according to Simon Porter, a scientist on the New Horizons mission from the Southwest Research Institute. These two Kuiper Belt Objects, seen in these annotated images, were discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope in a survey to find a second target for New Horizons. The objects were too faint to detect with ground-based telescopes. Credit: NASA, ESA, SwRI, JHU/APL, and the New Horizons KBO Search Team New Horizons was expected to have about 35 kilograms, or about 77 pounds, of propellant left in its tank after the Pluto flyby, said Chris Hersman, a mission systems engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. That is enough for New Horizons to adjust its speed by up to 130 meters per second, or about 290 mph, according to mission managers. Green said scientists will propose to NASA which of the two secondary targets to aim for some time in August, and Hersman said a series of rocket burns in late October or early November will steer New Horizons toward the object. But most attention is on 2014 MU69 and 2014 PN70, which New Horizons would fly past in early 2019, if the mission’s second act is approved by NASA. Each object is approximately the size of Pluto’s mini-moons, roughly between 15 miles and 34 miles (25-55 kilometers) in diameter. The object 2014 MU69 is easier to reach, requiring half the propellant needed to steer toward the other candidate target. But 2014 PN70 appears brighter and possibly larger, easing navigation on the way toward the flyby. http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/08/11/scientists-plan-for-new-horizons-probes-second-act/ SwRI scientists study nitrogen provision for Pluto's atmosphere The latest data from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft reveal diverse features on Pluto's surface and an atmosphere dominated by nitrogen gas. However, Pluto's small mass allows hundreds of tons of atmospheric nitrogen to escape into space each hour. So where does all this nitrogen come from? Dr. Kelsi Singer, a postdoctoral researcher at Southwest Research Institute, and her mentor Dr. Alan Stern, SwRI associate vice president and the science lead for the New Horizons mission, outlined likely sources in a paper titled, "On the Provenance of Pluto's Nitrogen." The Astrophysical Journal Letters accepted the paper for publication on July 15, just a day after the spacecraft's closest encounter with the icy dwarf planet (ApJ, 808, L50). "More nitrogen has to come from somewhere to resupply both the nitrogen ice that is moving around Pluto's surface in seasonal cycles, and the nitrogen that is escaping off the top of the atmosphere as the result of heating by ultraviolet light from the Sun," said Singer. They looked at a number of different ways that nitrogen might be resupplied. Singer and Stern wondered if comets could deliver enough nitrogen to Pluto's surface to resupply what is escaping its atmosphere. They also looked at whether craters made by the comets hitting the surface could excavate enough nitrogen - but that would require a very deep layer of nitrogen ice at the surface, which is not proven. The team also studied whether craters could expose more surface area, by punching through surface deposits that would likely be built up over time. "We found that all of these effects, which are the major ones from cratering, do not seem to supply enough nitrogen to supply the escaping atmosphere over time," continued Singer. "While it's possible that the escape rate was not as high in the past as it is now, we think geologic activity is helping out by bringing nitrogen up from Pluto's interior." And while the data weren't in before this paper was written, the newest images of Pluto show land forms that suggest heat is rising beneath the surface, with troughs of dark matter either collecting, or bubbling up, between flat segments of crust, which could be related. "Our pre-flyby prediction, made when we submitted the paper, is that it's most likely that Pluto is actively resupplying nitrogen from its interior to its surface, possibly meaning the presence of ongoing geysers or cryovolcanism," said Stern. "As data from New Horizons comes in, we will be very interested to see if this proves true." http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/SwRI_scientists_study_nitrogen_provision_for_Plutos_atmosphere_999.html Here is a site with lots of data, pictures and animations for the whole mission... The John Hopkins Applied Physics Lab.... http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Mission/index.php If Pluto Keeps Spewing Nitrogen, Why Is It Still Full of It? Pluto's atmosphere, backlit by the sun in this image taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, contains a very high level of nitrogen despite constantly leaking it out into space. Something mysterious is happening on the surface of Pluto: No matter how much nitrogen the atmosphere releases into space, it's still chock-full of the stuff. New work examines the possible culprits for the stealthy nitrogen resupply, hinting at active geologic activity inside the dwarf planet. Pluto's atmosphere has 10,000 times lower pressure than Earth's at the surface, and hundreds of tons of nitrogen are escaping every hour. Nevertheless, the atmosphere remains 98 percent nitrogen. Researchers are investigating potential sources of the nitrogen: whether it's riding in on comets, flying from impact craters or — what they think is most likely — a geological process pulling nitrogen up and out of Pluto's interior. "More nitrogen has to come from somewhere to resupply both the nitrogen ice that is moving around Pluto's surface in seasonal cycles and the nitrogen that is escaping off the top of the atmosphere as the result of heating by ultraviolet light from the sun," Kelsi Singer, a postdoctoral researcher at the Southwest Research Institute, said in a statement. Singer is an expert on impact craters, and she is working with Alan Stern, New Horizons' principal investigator, to pin down the atmospheric nitrogen's source. New Horizons' images suggest flowing ices on the northern edge of Pluto's heart-shaped Sputnik Planum. The gas probably isn't replenished by extra nitrogen on comets — that wouldn't bring in enough to replace the amount lost to space. And although comet impact craters could excavate some nitrogen just under the dwarf planet's surface, that wouldn't add enough either, unless there's an extremely deep layer of nitrogen ice right there (and there isn't currently any evidence for that). The remaining option, and the one the duo suggested in their paper, published this month in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, is that activity within the dwarf planet is drawing internal nitrogen upward to be released. "Our pre-flyby prediction, made when we submitted the paper, is that it's most likely that Pluto is actively resupplying nitrogen from its interior to its surface, possibly meaning the presence of ongoing geysers or cryovolcanism [ice volcanoes]," Stern said in the statement. Other features also support this process: New Horizons' new flyby observations reveal landforms suggestive of heat rising from the surface. "We currently have only a tiny fraction of the data back from the New Horizons flyby, but the fact that there are young-looking areas on Pluto hints at relatively recent geological activity," Singer wrote in a NASA blog post. Stay tuned, she said: The New Horizons spacecraft is sending back more and more detailed information collected in its July flyby, and over the coming months, researchers will learn a great deal more about the dwarf planet's inner life and atmosphere. http://www.space.com/30265-pluto-nitrogen-atmosphere-mystery.html There hasn't been much news this week, but I found a few items..... Meeting Pluto: Upcoming Kavli Hangout Explores New Horizons (LIVE) After a journey lasting nine and a half years, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft finally reached the distant world of Pluto. The 3-billion-mile (4.8 billion kilometers) expedition culminated with New Horizons sweeping a mere 7,800 miles (12,500 km) above Pluto's surface. During the probe's flyby last month, it obtained a treasure trove of scientific data snapping — by far — the most detailed photographs ever taken of this mysterious object and its several moons. In those pictures, instead of a cratered, barren orb, as some scientists had expected, Pluto appears to be a startlingly dynamic world with soaring mountains and smooth plains of exotic ices. "The outer solar system is not a cold, barren 'dead zone'," MIT's Richard Binzel, a co-investigator on the New Horizons mission, told The Kavli Foundation after the flyby. "Active processes must be occurring on Pluto to give that diverse range of features. We have a lot of new mysteries to solve." On Aug. 26 at 3:30 p.m. EST, join New Horizons team members Binzel and Cathy Olkin, of the Southwest Research Institute, along with Kavli Prize laureate Michael Brown, from the California Institute of Technology, for a live webcast hosted by The Kavli Foundation. These planetary scientists will your answer questions about New Horizons' voyage to Pluto and what this strange new world may have to teach about the other bodies at the solar system's fringes. HOW TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS: Questions can be submitted ahead of and during this webcast by email to info@kavlifoundation.org or by using the hashtag #KavliLive on Google+ or Twitter. http://www.space.com/30341-quiz-pluto-team-live-in-upcoming-kavli-hangout.html Space.com Slideshow..... Photos of Pluto and Its Moons http://www.space.com/11431-photos-pluto-charon-moons-dwarf-planet.html There are a few interesting photo's in the slide show, such as.... Dwarf planet Pluto is seen in an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is reporting the discovery of another moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet Pluto. Image released July 11, 2012. The announcement of Pluto's discovery in 1930, put out by the Lowell Observatory a few weeks after the observations had been made and analyzed. Arachno 1D 7,992 Banana,Banana OS: Where the Tin Man lives Phone: A Friend Jeez the technological modern world of I want it now!.........I cant believe people on Twitter are complaining about having no new images, its not like the scientists didnt tell them it would take the better part of a year to get hi-res images from the probe. That Hubble has certainly earned its investment over the years I think a lot of people just have a hard time quantifying distances...especially with regards to the vastness of space. If you took a "road" trip to Pluto it would take over 6000 years going at a steady 65 mph. They also do not understand that technical difficulties or barriers with the transmission of data where your old 14.4k modem transmitted data faster. 2,000 bits per second isn't fast but New Horizons is over 3 billion miles away. Just a few extras on the data rate..... This site has a general description of commands/data rates for the mission... http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Mission/Spacecraft/Data-Collection.php And this is the "real time" Deep Space Network site...., once on it, choose NHPC on the right side, then on the lower left, enable "more detail", and you can scroll down to see if one ore both transmitters are running and the data rates with signal strengths...few days ago, they had both transmitters sending data, but it depends on the other missions that may also be transmitting at the same time, which are also shown.... https://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/dsn.html Check out Voyager 1 if you get a chance, 19.77 billion kilometers and 159 b/sec at -158.08 dbm...that is a weak signal.... Edited August 26, 2015 by Draggendrop Scientists eager for restart of Pluto photo pipeline Four images from New Horizons’ Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with color data from the Ralph instrument to create this global view of Pluto. (The lower right edge of Pluto in this view currently lacks high-resolution color coverage.) The images, taken when the spacecraft was 280,000 miles (450,000 kilometers) away, show features as small as 1.4 miles (2.2 kilometers). Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute The first images from the New Horizons spacecraft since late July will come back to Earth on Sept. 5, and scientists are salivating over what the new pictures will reveal about Pluto. Only about 5 percent of the 50 gigabits of data New Horizons collected during its nine-day encounter with Pluto has made it back to Earth, said Alan Stern, the mission’s principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute. “Ninety-five percent of all the data are still on the spacecraft,” Stern said Tuesday. “All the best images are still on the spacecraft, all the high-resolution mapping, almost all the high-resolution composition mapping, the vast majority of radio occultation data are still on spacecraft, (along with) observations of the small moons and Charon.” Only seven close-up images of Pluto from New Horizons’ sharp-eyed telescopic camera have been downlinked to Earth, and those files were compressed to expedite their transmission back home. The faraway New Horizons spacecraft, now more than 3 billion miles from Earth, can only send back data at a rate of about 2 kilobits per second, a fraction of the speed of dial-up Internet. It will take more than a year for the robotic emissary to broadcast all its measurements, including hundreds of images, to eager scientists on the ground. “Almost everything is still on the spacecraft, so we have just sampled this dessert with a few days of intensive download right after the flyby,” Stern said in a presentation Tuesday to a NASA-sponsored group of planetary scientists focused on the outer solar system. New Horizons spent the last six weeks beaming back data on the plasma and dust environment it encountered around Pluto, crucial measurements that will help piece together the distant world’s workings and place in the solar system. During its July 14 flyby, the mission discovered a vast Texas-sized ice plan informally named Sputnik Planum. Shaped ice blocks — called polygons by mission scientsts — make up the frozen, craterless terrain, leading geologists to believe the ice field formed less than 100 million years ago, and may still be changing today. Data stored on New Horizons’ recorders include much higher-resolution views of Sputnik Planum, along with spectral readings that will reveal what types of ices comprise the ice field. The information will help narrow down the age of Sputnik Planum, which tapers toward a boundary with rugged mountains of water ice in the north. The polygons in Sputnuk Planum may form from slow bubbling driven by a mysterious underground heat source. Scientists want to know if there is a liquid ocean underneath the ice sheet, which is mainly composed of nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide ices at temperatures near minus 391 degrees Fahrenheit. New Horizons’ flyby of Pluto revealed unexpected terrain, such as these blocky patches of ice at a region dubbed Sputnik Planum. New Horizons’ LORRI camera took this image from a distance of 48,000 miles (77,00 kilometers) on July 14. The resolution is about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles). Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI The best images of Sputnik Planum on the ground show the region with a resolution of about 400 meters (1,300 feet), but New Horizons’ black-and-white camera took pictures with resolutions as high as 70 meters (230 feet), good enough to see something as small as the ponds in New York City’s Central Park. The camera also captured images in stereo pairs — viewing the same place on Pluto from slightly different angles — to allow scientists to get an idea of the topography. “The polygons may be related to some sort of thermal convection,” Stern said. “We will see. We will know a lot more about this, and actually get 3D imagery to know what’s higher and what’s lower before the year is out.” The next set of Pluto images are due to arrive on Earth around Sept. 5, according to William McKinnon, a planetary geologist at Washington University in St. Louis who works on the New Horizons mission. Scientists have a wish list of things they are eager to see once the photo pipeline resumes. “There is so much stuff on-board that I just cannot wait to see,” said Cathy Olkin, New Horizons’ deputy project scientist from the Southwest Research Institute. “One of the things I’m really looking forward to the most is our high-resolution scan that we took of Pluto with the LEISA instrument … it’s the infrared spectrometer. “Being able to get high-resolution infrared spectroscopy across the surface of Pluto to map those ices and to see what other minor species might be there, that we couldn’t detect when we’re looking at Pluto as a point of light from Earth,” Olkin said Wednesday in a Google Hangout hosted by the Kavli Foundation. “That’s one I’m really looking forward to getting down.” Richard Binzel, a New Horizons co-investigator based at MIT, said he is waiting to see observations of Pluto’s night side made by the spacecraft after the flyby. Scientists hoped sunlight reflected by Pluto’s moon Charon would dimly illuminate the south pole’s ice cap, which is locked in a dark, century-long winter. New Horizons also got close-up views of Charon on its way by Pluto. The plutonium-powered space probe, about the size of a baby grand piano, sped by Pluto at 31,000 mph at a range of 7,700 miles. It approached within about 18,000 miles from Charon. Only a handful of close-up views of Charon, which is more than half the size of Pluto at 790 miles acrss, have been returned from New Horizons so far. The images revealed giant chasms bigger than the Grand Canyon, a patch of puzzling dark material at its north pole and a sunlit hemisphere with few craters. “I want to see those global high-resolution uncompressed images of Charon and really see where these big cracks have flowed out onto the surface, and maybe get some composition on what those flows might have been,” said Michael Brown, an astronomer at the California Institute of Technology who specializes in studying the Kuiper Belt, a ring of mini-worlds at the outer edge of the solar system where Pluto resides. Brown discovered the dwarf planet Eris, an object more massive than Pluto but not quite as big, in 2005. The discovery prompted the International Astronomical Union’s decision in 2006 to demote Pluto into a new class of worlds called dwarf planets. Brown said observations of Charon could help scientists learn about many other similar-sized objects in the Kuiper Belt. “I think that’s going to tell us a lot about the mid-sized objects around the Kuiper Belt,” Brown said in Wednesday’s Google Hangout. “There are many, many Charon-like objects out there, and I’d like to learn more about all of them by looking at those images.” http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/08/26/scientists-eager-for-restart-of-pluto-photo-pipeline/ Just to follow up your post...NASA has selected the next target which will be MU69. NASA has selected the potential next destination for the New Horizons mission to visit after its historic July 14 flyby of the Pluto system. The destination is a small Kuiper Belt object (KBO) known as 2014 MU69 that orbits nearly a billion miles beyond Pluto. This remote KBO was one of two identified as potential destinations and the one recommended to NASA by the New Horizons team. Although NASA has selected 2014 MU69 as the target, as part of its normal review process the agency will conduct a detailed assessment before officially approving the mission extension to conduct additional science. Early target selection was important; the team needs to direct New Horizons toward the object this year in order to perform any extended mission with healthy fuel margins. New Horizons will perform a series of four maneuvers in late October and early November to set its course toward 2014 MU69 – nicknamed “PT1” (for “Potential Target 1”) – which it expects to reach on January 1, 2019. Any delays from those dates would cost precious fuel and add mission risk. “2014 MU69 is a great choice because it is just the kind of ancient KBO, formed where it orbits now, that the Decadal Survey desired us to fly by,” said New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in Boulder, Colorado. “Moreover, this KBO costs less fuel to reach [than other candidate targets], leaving more fuel for the flyby, for ancillary science, and greater fuel reserves to protect against the unforeseen.” More at NASA And to think, they've only gotten back about 6% of the total data from NH collected during the flyby. Nearly all of the High-Resolution shots have yet to be uploaded. Much more to come. New Horizons Spacecraft begins Intensive Data Downlink Phase All communications with New Horizons - from sending commands to the spacecraft, to downlinking all of the science data from the historic Pluto encounter - happen through NASA's Deep Space Network of antenna stations in (clockwise, from top left) Madrid, Spain; Goldstone, California, U.S.; and Canberra, Australia. Even traveling at the speed of light, radio signals from New Horizons need more than 4 0.5 hours to travel the 3 billion miles between the spacecraft and Earth. Image courtesy NASA. If you liked the first historic images of Pluto from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, you'll love what's to come. Seven weeks after New Horizons sped past the Pluto system to study Pluto and its moons - previously unexplored worlds - the mission team will begin intensive downlinking of the tens of gigabits of data the spacecraft collected and stored on its digital recorders. The process moves into high gear on Saturday, Sept. 5, with the entire downlink taking about one year to complete. "This is what we came for - these images, spectra and other data types that are going to help us understand the origin and the evolution of the Pluto system for the first time," said New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in Boulder, Colorado. "And what's coming is not just the remaining 95 percent of the data that's still aboard the spacecraft - it's the best datasets, the highest-resolution images and spectra, the most important atmospheric datasets, and more. It's a treasure trove." Even moving at light speed, the radio signals from New Horizons containing data need more than 4 0.5 hours to cover the 3 billion miles to reach Earth. As a flyby mission, New Horizons was designed to gather as much information as it could, as quickly as it could, as it sped past Pluto and its family of moons - then store its wealth of data to its digital recorders for later transmission to Earth. Since late July, New Horizons has only been sending back lower data-rate information collected by the energetic particle, solar wind and space dust instruments. The pace picks up considerably on Sept. 5 as it resumes sending flyby images and other data. During the data downlink phase, the spacecraft transmits science and operations data to NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) of antenna stations, which also provide services to other missions, like Voyager. The spacecraft's distance from Earth slows communication rates, especially compared to rates offered by today's high-speed Internet providers. With New Horizons past Pluto, the typical downlink rate is approximately 1-4 kilobits per second, depending on how the data is sent and which DSN antenna is receiving it. "The New Horizons mission has required patience for many years, but from the small amount of data we saw around the Pluto flyby, we know the results to come will be well worth the wait," said Hal Weaver, New Horizons project scientist from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. The team also plans to continue posting new, unprocessed pictures from the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on the New Horizons project website each Friday. The images are available here; the next LORRI set is scheduled for posting on Sept. 11. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/New_Horizons_Spacecraft_begins_Intensive_Data_Downlink_Phase_999.html Photo archive link......check the "goodies" out...... http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/soc/Pluto-Encounter/index.php DSN "live" data link..... Later........ New Horizons Probes the Mystery of Charon’s Red Pole File photo New Horizons NASA Hi, I’m Carly Howett, a senior research scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. I’ve been working on NASA’s New Horizons mission since 2012, focusing on an instrument named Ralph, which among other things provides the color “eyes” for the spacecraft. When I started looking at Ralph images of Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, back in 2012, the bodies were so far away they appeared as just a speck of light, too close together to see separately. So you can imagine how excited I was to see Pluto and Charon not only as separate worlds this year, but with clear and different features across them. It is these differences, specifically across Charon, which have since been the focus of my work. Surfaces vary in color when something about them changes; this difference could be due to composition (what the surface is made of) or physical state (changes between solid and liquid, or changes in their structure – for example at high-pressure carbon changes from graphite to diamond). We see this every day on Earth. For example, water looks different compared to sand and they both look different than ice. Another example of these differences is that carbon forms both the dark-colored graphite we use in pencils and clear sparkly diamonds. Looking at Charon, it’s very clear that the northern polar region is much redder than the rest of the moon. But what’s causing this color difference and why does it occur at the pole? To answer the first part of this question we consider what we know about Charon. We know that Charon’s surface is too cold for anything other than solids to exist, and the surface isn’t subject to extreme changes in temperature and/or pressure, so it is unlikely significant phase transitions are occurring. Instead, we think that the color variation is due to a change in surface composition, which leads to the conclusion that the surface of Charon’s northern polar region is made up of different material than the rest of Charon. One theory is that small amounts of Pluto’s atmosphere can escape and eventually reach Charon, where it would be temporarily trapped by Charon’s gravity before escaping to space. Charon’s polar regions are very cold, and I mean VERY cold! In fact, over the course of Charon’s year the polar temperature varies somewhere between -433 and -351 °F (-258 and -213 °C), which is only tens of degrees warmer than absolute zero. These temperatures (especially with Charon’s extremely thin atmosphere) are too cold to support surface liquid: gases are deposited straight to solids, and solids sublimate directly to gases. So — unlike at Charon’s warmer equator — any gases that arrive on the winter pole would freeze solid instead of escaping, a process scientists refer to as “cold trapping.” The basic principle that binary systems can share material is not new, but it took New Horizons to visit Charon to see its effect firsthand! We know Pluto’s atmosphere is mainly nitrogen, with some methane and carbon monoxide, so we expect that these same constituents are slowly coating Charon’s winter pole. The frozen ices would sublimate away again as soon as Charon’s winter pole emerges back into sunlight, except for one important detail: solar radiation modifies these ices to produce a new substance, which has a higher sublimation temperature and can’t sublimate and then escape from Charon. This new substance is called a tholin, and has been made in similar conditions in laboratories here on Earth. The color of the tholin produced depends on the ratios of the different molecules and the amount and type of radiation you expose them to: tholins colored from yellow to red to black have been made this way. An example of this (pictured above) shows various red tholins made in a laboratory by Sarah Hörst at Johns Hopkins University. Charon likely has gradually built up a polar deposit over millions of years as Pluto’s atmosphere slowly escapes, during which time the surface is being irradiated by the sun. It appears the conditions on Charon are right to form red tholins similar to those shown, although we have yet to figure out exactly why. This is one of the many things I am looking forward to better understanding as we receive more New Horizons data over the next year and analyze it in conjunction with continued laboratory work. Such an exciting time! // end // http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=47804 Later..... Pre weekend party photo's.... New Pluto Images from NASA New close-up images of Pluto from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft reveal a bewildering variety of surface features that have scientists reeling because of their range and complexity. Image: This synthetic perspective view of Pluto, based on the latest high-resolution images to be downlinked from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, shows what you would see if you were approximately 1,100 miles (1,800 kilometers) above Pluto's equatorial area, looking northeast over the dark, cratered, informally named Cthulhu Regio toward the bright, smooth, expanse of icy plains informally called Sputnik Planum. The entire expanse of terrain seen in this image is 1,100 miles (1,800 kilometers) across. The images were taken as New Horizons flew past Pluto on July 14, 2015, from a distance of 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers). Credits: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute "Pluto is showing us a diversity of landforms and complexity of processes that rival anything we've seen in the solar system," said New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Boulder, Colorado. "If an artist had painted this Pluto before our flyby, I probably would have called it over the top but that's what is actually there." Image: Mosaic of high-resolution images of Pluto, sent back from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft from Sept. 5 to 7, 2015. The image is dominated by the informally-named icy plain Sputnik Planum, the smooth, bright region across the center. This image also features a tremendous variety of other landscapes surrounding Sputnik. The smallest visible features are 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) in size, and the mosaic covers a region roughly 1,000 miles (1600 kilometers) wide. The image was taken as New Horizons flew past Pluto on July 14, 2015, from a distance of 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers). Credits: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute New Horizons began its yearlong download of new images and other data over the Labor Day weekend. Images downlinked in the past few days have more than doubled the amount of Pluto's surface seen at resolutions as good as 400 meters (440 yards) per pixel. They reveal new features as diverse as possible dunes, nitrogen ice flows that apparently oozed out of mountainous regions onto plains, and even networks of valleys that may have been carved by material flowing over Pluto's surface. They also show large regions that display chaotically jumbled mountains reminiscent of disrupted terrains on Jupiter's icy moon Europa. "The surface of Pluto is every bit as complex as that of Mars," said Jeff Moore, leader of the New Horizons Geology, Geophysics and Imaging (GGI) team at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. "The randomly jumbled mountains might be huge blocks of hard water ice floating within a vast, denser, softer deposit of frozen nitrogen within the region informally named Sputnik Planum." Image: In the center of this 300-mile (470-kilometer) wide image of Pluto from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is a large region of jumbled, broken terrain on the northwestern edge of the vast, icy plain informally called Sputnik Planum, to the right. The smallest visible features are 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) in size. This image was taken as New Horizons flew past Pluto on July 14, 2015, from a distance of 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers). Credits: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute New images also show the most heavily cratered -- and thus oldest -- terrain yet seen by New Horizons on Pluto next to the youngest, most crater-free icy plains. There might even be a field of dark wind-blown dunes, among other possibilities. "Seeing dunes on Pluto -- if that is what they are -- would be completely wild, because Pluto's atmosphere today is so thin," said William B. McKinnon, a GGI deputy lead from Washington University, St. Louis. "Either Pluto had a thicker atmosphere in the past, or some process we haven't figured out is at work. It's a head-scratcher." Image: This 220-mile (350-kilometer) wide view of Pluto from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft illustrates the incredible diversity of surface reflectivities and geological landforms on the dwarf planet. The image includes dark, ancient heavily cratered terrain; bright, smooth geologically young terrain; assembled masses of mountains; and an enigmatic field of dark, aligned ridges that resemble dunes; its origin is under debate. The smallest visible features are 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) in size. This image was taken as New Horizons flew past Pluto on July 14, 2015, from a distance of 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers). Credits: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute Discoveries being made from the new imagery are not limited to Pluto's surface. Better images of Pluto's moons Charon, Nix, and Hydra will be released Friday at the raw images site for New Horizons' Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI), revealing that each moon is unique and that big moon Charon's geological past was a tortured one. Images returned in the past days have also revealed that Pluto's global atmospheric haze has many more layers than scientists realized, and that the haze actually creates a twilight effect that softly illuminates nightside terrain near sunset, making them visible to the cameras aboard New Horizons. "This bonus twilight view is a wonderful gift that Pluto has handed to us," said John Spencer, a GGI deputy lead from SwRI. "Now we can study geology in terrain that we never expected to see." The New Horizons spacecraft is now more than 3 billion miles (about 5 billion kilometers) from Earth, and more than 43 million miles (69 million kilometers) beyond Pluto. The spacecraft is healthy and all systems are operating normally. Follow the mission at http://www.nasa.gov/newhorizons and http://pluto.jhuapl.edu. http://spaceref.com/pluto/new-pluto-images-from-nasa.html Few extra's....... In the center of this 300-mile (470-kilometer) wide image of Pluto from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft is a large region of jumbled, broken terrain on the northwestern edge of the vast, icy plain informally called Sputnik Planum, to the right. The smallest visible features are 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) in size. This image was taken as New Horizons flew past Pluto on July 14, 2015, from a distance of 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers). This 220-mile (350-kilometer) wide view of Pluto from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft illustrates the incredible diversity of surface reflectivities and geological landforms on the dwarf planet. The image includes dark, ancient heavily cratered terrain; bright, smooth geologically young terrain; assembled masses of mountains; and an enigmatic field of dark, aligned ridges that resemble dunes; its origin is under debate. The smallest visible features are 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) in size. This image was taken as New Horizons flew past Pluto on July 14, 2015, from a distance of 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers). Credits: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute This image of Pluto’s largest moon Charon, taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft 10 hours before its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015 from a distance of 290,000 miles (470,000 kilometers), is a recently downlinked, much higher quality version of a Charon image released on July 15. Charon, which is 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) in diameter, displays a surprisingly complex geological history, including tectonic fracturing; relatively smooth, fractured plains in the lower right; several enigmatic mountains surrounded by sunken terrain features on the right side; and heavily cratered regions in the center and upper left portion of the disk. There are also complex reflectivity patterns on Charon’s surface, including bright and dark crater rays, and the conspicuous dark north polar region at the top of the image. The smallest visible features are 2.9 miles 4.6 kilometers) in size. This image of Pluto from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, processed in two different ways, shows how Pluto’s bright, high-altitude atmospheric haze produces a twilight that softly illuminates the surface before sunrise and after sunset, allowing the sensitive cameras on New Horizons to see details in nighttime regions that would otherwise be invisible. The right-hand version of the image has been greatly brightened to bring out faint details of rugged haze-lit topography beyond Pluto’s terminator, which is the line separating day and night. The image was taken as New Horizons flew past Pluto on July 14, 2015, from a distance of 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers). Two different versions of an image of Pluto’s haze layers, taken by New Horizons as it looked back at Pluto's dark side nearly 16 hours after close approach, from a distance of 480,000 miles (770,000 kilometers), at a phase angle of 166 degrees. Pluto's north is at the top, and the sun illuminates Pluto from the upper right. These images are much higher quality than the digitally compressed images of Pluto’s haze downlinked and released shortly after the July 14 encounter, and allow many new details to be seen. The left version has had only minor processing, while the right version has been specially processed to reveal a large number of discrete haze layers in the atmosphere. In the left version, faint surface details on the narrow sunlit crescent are seen through the haze in the upper right of Pluto’s disk, and subtle parallel streaks in the haze may be crepuscular rays- shadows cast on the haze by topography such as mountain ranges on Pluto, similar to the rays sometimes seen in the sky after the sun sets behind mountains on Earth. New Horizons is part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, designed, built, and operates the New Horizons spacecraft and manages the mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. SwRI leads the science mission, payload operations, and encounter science planning. http://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-pluto-images-from-nasa-s-new-horizons-it-s-complicated Three short Utube video's dealing with the latest data, that we had in prior post....still fun to watch, two in HD Pluto's Chaos Region Explored In New Probe Pics (video is 2:19 min) Looking Over Pluto and Charon [HD] (video is 5:11 min) Pluto: Chaos Region [HD] (video is 0:57 min) Later....... Haunting sunset vista shows foggy hazes on Pluto Just 15 minutes after its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft looked back toward the sun and captured this near-sunset view of the rugged, icy mountains and flat ice plains extending to Pluto’s horizon. The smooth expanse of the informally named icy plain Sputnik Planum (right) is flanked to the west (left) by rugged mountains up to 11,000 feet (3,500 meters) high, including the informally named Norgay Montes in the foreground and Hillary Montes on the skyline. To the right, east of Sputnik, rougher terrain is cut by apparent glaciers. The backlighting highlights more than a dozen layers of haze in Pluto’s tenuous but distended atmosphere. The image was taken from a distance of 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers) to Pluto; the scene is 780 miles (1,250 kilometers) wide. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute In this small section of the larger crescent image of Pluto, taken by NASA’s New Horizons just 15 minutes after the spacecraft’s closest approach on July 14, 2015, the setting sun illuminates a fog or near-surface haze, which is cut by the parallel shadows of many local hills and small mountains. The image was taken from a distance of 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers), and the width of the image is 115 miles (185 kilometers). Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute Ice (probably frozen nitrogen) that appears to have accumulated on the uplands on the right side of this 390-mile (630-kilometer) wide image is draining from Pluto’s mountains onto the informally named Sputnik Planum through the 2- to 5-mile (3- to 8- kilometer) wide valleys indicated by the red arrows. The flow front of the ice moving into Sputnik Planum is outlined by the blue arrows. The origin of the ridges and pits on the right side of the image remains uncertain. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute Short article and one more photo at the link...maxed out my Neowin upload again....... http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/09/17/haunting-sunset-vista-shows-foggy-hazes-on-pluto/ Interesting stuff but how long between images as say a gaseous cloud formation might on a strange planet,be construed as say a mountain formation? The advantage of multiple instruments, with various detection techniques. Densities can be determined to reveal whether a coloration is gas, a liquid, frozen liquid or a solid rock structure........pictures can be very deceptive at times......spectral observations and absorption characteristics can help to define the identity of the substance.........Pluto's atmosphere was sensed, quite a ways away from the planet, during initial approach.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732472
__label__wiki	0.544578	0.544578	Grants available for rural Nevada distance learning & telemedicine Local \| July 12, 2013 Nevada Appeal Staff Report Grants of up to $500,000 are possible under a U.S. Department of Agriculture Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program, according to the Carson City-based Nevada office of USDA Rural Development. Up to $17.5 million is available nationwide under the program as announced earlier this month by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, with eligible recipients those operating a rural community facility, or delivering distance learning or telemedicine services into rural areas. Those eligible include Tribes, state or local government units, and corporations. Applicants must demonstrate need and provide at least 15 percent in matching funds. No individuals or sole proprietorships are eligible. In Nevada, USDA Rural Development in the past has awarded more than $2.47 million for distance learning and telemedicine projects. Included were $711,500 for the state’s university and community college system, $300,000 for the Nye County school system, $993,544 for the White Pine and Humboldt County school systems, and $474,872 for the Elko County School District. New applications must be submitted by Aug. 12. Further details about eligibility and application procedures are available from Joe Bradley, Nevada general field representative, by telephoning 208-288-1435.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732473
__label__wiki	0.91725	0.91725	Cape Flats Gangland: Come with me down paradise road As a girl growing up in the '80s, I was mostly oblivious to the oppression. Life was more paradise than living hell. The poet of the people has passed Charl Blignaut Keorapetse William ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile: 1938–2018. Picture: Retha Ferguson. Nation mourns loss of a prolific poet National Poet Laureate and political activist dead at 79 The Interview: Keorapetse Kgositsile, The burden of the poet laureate Comrades, culture stars and poetry lovers around the world were left reeling this week when news broke that Keorapetse Kgositsile had died unexpectedly. The internet was awash with tributes, but many bemoaned the reality that the decolonialist ANC thinker, teacher, activist and literary icon was not fully appreciated at home. Charl Blignaut turns to the younger generation to understand his legacy. somewhere on this continent the voice of the ancients warns that those who shit on the road will meet flies on their way back – Keorapetse Kgositsile, No Serenity Here (2008) “What are we going to do without him?” asks the distraught poet Phillippa Yaa de Villiers. “Especially as a mentor … What are we going to do? I just don’t know.” It’s a day after news broke that 79-year-old poet and ANC stalwart Professor Keorapetse William “Bra Willie” Kgositsile died in Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg after undergoing surgery for circulatory problems. “He did everything a national poet laureate could – between politics and art … and the vexatious relationship between the two,” says De Villiers, who co-edited the 2010 collection No Serenity Here, its title drawn from an angry wail of a poem by Kgositsile. Its opening line, placing xenophobia within the context of colonialism’s construction of African borders, is legendary: “An omelette cannot be unscrambled. Not even the one prepared in the crucible of 19th-century sordid European design.” Its closing line gathers the “thousand thundering” voices of the dead to yell, in trademark Kgositsile style: “Daar is kak in die land! [The country is in shit!]” The poet laureate and special adviser to two arts ministers read at the launch of De Villiers’ most recent book at the end of September. He seldom missed occasions where the younger generation were celebrating new work. On talk radio this week, poet Lebo Mashile, who, like De Villiers, often toured with Kgositsile, said that she wouldn’t have had a career if it wasn’t for his influence. The writer was someone you were always happy, if a bit nervous, to run into at a book event, with a listening ear and witty tongue, always a sparkle in his eye. On the mic, he delivered his poems slowly in his throaty drawl, gently articulating every word, drawing out sentences loaded with daggers against the injustices of black life. “He was always trying to bring a collective of voices together, he never wanted to be the only one heard. He made himself available to young people, young poets. And that’s not to say that because he was supportive he wasn’t critical, because he was, but critical in a way that was committed, engaged …” says De Villiers, and her words run out. At the black Abantu Book Festival in Soweto in December, Kgositsile was celebrated as an honorary elder alongside his close friend, the legendary novelist Sindiwe Magona. At the time, Abantu founder and novelist Thando Mgqolozana told me: “We need the voices of the radicals who came before us. We need to celebrate them because if their names are not JM Coetzee or Nadine Gordimer, they are not getting this kind of recognition.” In a session called Not the Youth League, chaired by author Mandla Langa, Kgositsile had the audience eating out of his hand. “Towards the end, Boet Mandla literally had to shut it down because the people wanted more. Bra Willie was reciting … The people wanted more,” said Mgqolozana this week. ‘Earl Sweatshirt’s father has died’ On Talk Radio 702 this week, Langa expressed the commonly voiced frustration that his friend and ally was not fully recognised in his own country; that his work is not even entrenched in the school syllabus. In his decades in the party, Kgositsile himself would lambast the ANC for losing sight of the social importance of cultural thinkers and practitioners. In the brashness of our pop and political cultures, he seems to be less known than his former wife, National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete, or his son Thebe Neruda Kgositsile, the US-based rapper Earl Sweatshirt. “Earl Sweatshirt’s father, poet Keorapetse Kgositsile, dies at 79” was the headline put out in the music press. It’s difficult to understand why. Here is a man, an intellectual and activist, who grew up in the pit of white supremacy, in a back room of a house in a white suburb in Johannesburg during apartheid, who would cut his teeth writing for the resistance newspaper New Age, be sent by the ANC into exile in 1961 to study and later teach in the US and emerge in the jazz clubs of New York as a new generation of spoken word artists raised their fists. Among them were “the godfathers of rap”, The Last Poets, who would model their debut album on Kgositsile’s first book and his fierce breed of black consciousness. They even took their name from one of his poems. “There is nothing like art – in the oppressor’s sense of art. There is only movement. Force. Creative power. The walk of Sophiatown tsotsi or my Harlem brother on Lenox Avenue ... Marvin Gaye or mbaqanga. Anguished happiness,” said Kgositsile in an interview in 1985. He would graduate from Columbia University in 1971, having released his debut book, Spirits Unchained. It would be followed by My Name is Afrika, establishing him as a leading African-American poet and later a theatre activist – a man who delivered his poems like jazz, with his Tswana-inspired vocal rhythms lifting the spirits. An unheralded giant The poet could have lived a good life in the smoky clubs and pristine lecture halls of America, but in 1975 he returned to Africa, exiled now in Tanzania, where he worked as a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam and as an ANC organiser (which is how he met Mbete, who was also based there). His political work has been all but relegated to the memories of veterans, but Kgositsile would become one of the key founding members of the ANC’s department of education in 1977, and of arts and culture in 1983. In 1987, he was deputy secretary of the movement. He would teach across Africa before returning home in July 1990, his work finally unbanned and after 29 years in exile. He would advise arts ministers Paul Mashatile and Nathi Mthethwa, working nonstop to see funding reach artists and development programmes be implemented. In 2006, Kgositsile was named the nation’s first poet laureate and in 2008, the year he delivered the fire of No Sanctuary Here, was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga. Despite heartfelt statements on Kgositsile’s death from the arts minister, Parliament and the president, he remains, like Magona, relatively unrecognised. The legacy of Bra Willie “I wouldn’t use the word ‘unrecognised’,” says academic Uhuru Phalafala. “I would use the word ‘mythologised’, because people think they know him, both in South Africa and the US, where he made, I think, an equal contribution ... This is largely due to the fact that his poetry has been published outside the country by small independent press and it is not in the school syllabus.” Phalafala, who teaches literature at the University of Stellenbosch, completed her PhD on Kgositsile and is writing his biography, a labour of love that has seen her interview the poet, who became like a father to her, numerous times since 2012 in six-hour sessions. “They know the name, they know that huge smile, the beard, the little giant. But they don’t know the work … We really have not made an effort to repatriate his work and put it in the school syllabus. I don’t think it’s too late to do it.” With leading black South African thinkers going into exile in the 1960s and 1970s, “there was a mass exodus of many of our most important writers,” says Phalafala. “This left a huge vacuum in our literary history. Until today, this vacuum exists. We can’t assume that black South African writers were not producing work in the 1960s and 1970s. We need to follow the work into exile and see what they did there.” Which is what she did, travelling to study Kgositsile’s archive in the US. Her PhD offers an important new take. “We are always seen to emulate American culture, but in fact we have also influenced them. It’s a symbiotic relationship. Kgositsile’s work proves this. Particularly his sound and melody made him stand out in the US and these are his Setswana influences. He catapults South African literature into the international arena, giving it visibility, circulation.” Phalafala studied Kgositsile’s lifelong body of work written in Setswana, a language that he found mangled when he arrived in the Bantu education system as a child. “He did not only impact on literary studies but also musical culture,” says the good doctor, referring to how reliant The Last Poets and other African-American cultural movements were on his voice. “He is part of the theories around the multiple origins of rap.” And rap is part of an ancient tradition of communal storytelling. “The study of oral traditions is problematic because it is rooted in the past and we don’t consider enough how these practices have evolved,” says Phalafala. Kgositsile’s work, merging the spoken word with jazz, in turn informed hip-hop, with a Setswana influence that also infected America. He would agree. In an interview in Paris in 2013, he told me: “I think the roots of hip-hop are consciously trying to recapture an old African tradition, the oral poem.” That Earl Sweatshirt is his son should come as no surprise. When the clouds are clear, we will know the colour of the sky “He took very seriously the title of national poet laureate. Till his last day, he carried it in his stride,” says Phalafala. “He took very seriously the role of mentorship. He had mentored a crop of new and emerging South African writers. This took him out of his ivory tower and to the ground. He had none of the usual disconnect between politics and people. He believed politics and culture were inextricably linked.” The decolonialist in him meant finding his own unique role as poet laureate, originally a British royal court construct, the kind of opposite to the court jester. In a sense, Kgositsile was the poet of the people, both praise singer and village vituperator, listening to the joys and victories as well as the ugly problems of the village and retelling them to the chiefs, even when it was the chiefs who were the problem. He engaged both the new government and whiteness critically about its failings until the day he died. In our interview in Paris, he said that “reconciliation should impose a sense of social responsibility on everybody”, whites included. He called corruption “a symptom of a more hideous social disease that we haven’t yet diagnosed ... Many people want us to rediscover the path we were on. It will not happen by chance.” A towering intellect With his passing, the ANC has lost yet another one of its grand thinkers. Others have simply been left out in the cold. “We need thinkers to keep people on their toes in case they get too relaxed and forget that they need to be answerable,” Kgositsile told me. Mgqolozana recalls first encountering Kgositsile’s work: “I expected something more respectable, but not Bra Willie. No Serenity Here, for me, came at a time when we needed it, we needed to hear this angry discourse. It will stay with me forever, he’ll always be relevant.” Kgositsile’s most recent poems have all the rhythm of the early ones, but doubt and dismay about the state of the country have become pervasive. In 2013, he said he had consciously slowed down his writing as he performed his many other roles. Generous, selfless, self-deprecating “Bra Willie always had this humour. He was self-deprecating. He would always joke about old age and sickness,” says Mgqolozana. “For the first time, over email about appearing at Abantu a few weeks ago, he wrote that he was not feeling well. He said so again on the day, but said he wouldn’t miss this for the world. And he didn’t. He loved it there.” Phalafala, who is 33, has a similar memory that, to her, sums up the literary giant. “I would fly to Pretoria to interview him for the biography, but on a student budget with very little money. He was very aware of this and took the work seriously. He was totally committed to the projects of the younger generation … But just before one appointment, his close, close friend Mbulelo Mzamane passed. I could see how completely distraught he was, but still he honoured our appointment, which went on for hours. When I got into my car, I just wept because of his generosity and sheer selflessness.” Read more on: keorapetse kgositsile \| culture Mandela taught us to forgive but to never forget Polokwane Jobs Durban Jobs	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732474
__label__wiki	0.949409	0.949409	COUNTDOWN: Track the nail-biting moon mission to the unexplored south pole If successful, India will be the fourth country after the US, Russia and China to perform a 'soft' landing on moon. Russian airline says 18 killed in Siberian helicopter crash A Russian MI-8 helicopter (Denis Sinyakov, AFP) 5 dead in helicopter crash at South Korean marines base Pentagon: No survivors in American helicopter crash in Iraq Six dead, 14 hurt in Senegal military helicopter crash A Russian helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff in Siberia on Saturday, killing all 18 people aboard, its airline said. Preliminary information indicated that the aircraft's blades collided with another helicopter that had taken off beforehand from the same pad in Vankor, above the Arctic Circle about 2 600 kilometers northeast of Moscow, UTair said in a statement. There were 15 passengers and three crew aboard the Mi-8 helicopter, the airline said. The second helicopter landed safely, it added said. Russian news reports said all the passengers were believed to have been working for a subsidiary of the state oil company Rosneft. UTair, one of Russia's largest airlines, operates an extensive fleet of helicopters serving Siberian oil fields as well as fixed-wing flights within Russia and to international destinations, mostly in former Soviet republics. The helicopter that crashed was manufactured in 2010 and the pilot had nearly 6 000 hours of experience, including 2 300 as a captain, the UTair statement said. Russian air safety has improved since the 1990s, when poor aircraft maintenance, pilot training and official oversight in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in a high crash incidence. In February, a Saratov Airlines An-148 regional jet crashed about six minutes after takeoff from Moscow's Domodedovo Airport, killing all 71 people aboard. Investigators said the crew had failed to turn on a heating unit, resulting in flawed airspeed readings. A UTair ATR 72 crashed in Siberia in 2012, killing 33 of the 43 people aboard, after failing to be de-iced before takeoff. Read more on: siberia WATCH \| Black postmaster honoured 121 years after lynching	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732475
__label__wiki	0.525693	0.525693	Eco2charge: a project designed to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles Paris, September 18, 2014 – The Eco2charge project aims at supporting the development of electric vehicles (EV) by accelerating the deployment of EV charging infrastructures in buildings, campuses and eco-districts by the end of 2016. These facilities will thus complement roadside charging stations and enable users to charge their EV’s at their workplace, in their neighbourhood or at public or private charging points (at railway stations, supermarkets, public parking areas, etc.). The project is coordinated by Bouygues Energies & Services and brings together the expertise of eight partners from various industries, including Actility, Alstom, Bouygues Energies & Services, CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), Embix, Nexans, Renault, and the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ). Eco2charge also aims at developing and marketing the components of the solution within three years. The project, with a budget of 13.2 million euros, is implemented with the support of the “Vehicle of the future” programme. “Vehicle of the future” is part of the “Investment for the Future” Programme (Programme des Investissements d’Avenir, or PIA) run by ADEME (French Agency for Environment and Energy Control) on behalf of the French government. An innovative collaboration aimed at turning locations equipped with EV charging facilities into full-fledged energy ecosystems This collaborative innovation, coordinated by Bouygues Energies & Services, aims at turning locations equipped with EV charging facilities into full-fledged energy ecosystems in which power generation, storage and consumption constantly balance each other. The system thus enables interaction between all components involved in energy management for a building. Smart energy management on premises is achieved by combining the following aspects: Various power supply sources, whether local (renewable energy) or external Power storage capacity Needs of the building and its occupants Disparate expectations of EV drivers The objective is to provide users with the best EV charging service possible, while limiting the costs and energy impact of the building. Eco2charge project aims at demonstrating the relevance of this “SMART GRIDS” local loop for industrial and office buildings. At the same time, it can be directly transposed to an eco-district mesh. What challenges does Eco2charge meet? Usage challenge – The number of currently available EV charging stations and the conditions of use are not adequate to make drivers confident. Financial challenge – How to make the installation of charging stations easy and affordable to encourage investment? Energy challenge – he standard charging of an electric vehicle consumes about 3.7kW in 4 hours. The full and simultaneous charging of 100 EV’s would require doubling the total power capacity of an office or commercial building (to 670kW instead of 300kW for a building with 600-1,000 occupants), thus entailing a more expensive subscription cost and a high impact on the electrical grid, only for 2-3 hours a day. Eco2charge’s answers To meet these challenges, the Eco2charge project will allow the following: Ensuring a high level of service for EV users and building/eco-district operators. Minimizing infrastructure and electricity costs through: The use of an innovative solution for local power storage The modular deployment of smart charging facilities (using a connection solution that can be gradually extended without any civil engineering work) Smart energy management for power consumption smoothing based on economic interest, grid stability requirements and, last but not least, users’ needs Reducing the environmental footprint of a building by promoting: The transition toward electric vehicles The development of self-consumption A circular economy in which EV batteries are reused to store power Eco2charge infrastructure Focus on 3 key points Smart energy distribution to regulate usage and avoid peak loads and oversizing of the electric infrastructure of the building. The project will offer a solution of charging stations’ management to allow the EVs to be charged at various times of day depending on users’ needs (times of arrival and departure, charge level on arrival and required charge level for departure based on the distance to be travelled…). This solution will also be consistent with the overall energy management of the building (including power generation and consumption). The smart charging stations will in fact be connected to a central control system designed for overall energy optimisation in a building, in conjunction with local power consumption and renewable energy generation. The development of a local energy storage system reusing “second-life” batteries after their primary use in an electric vehicle. In addition to the environmental value of extending battery use, this solution offers the advantage of leveraging advances in the automotive industry to make such systems affordable The design of a smart and scalable charging station system to ensure access to all types of electric vehicles. This solution is extensible thanks to a modular architecture which allows more charging stations to be added cost-effectively, without any additional civil engineering work. Furthermore, the collected usage data will allow the adjustment of EV charging modes and the development of new service offerings for users (including creation of customer accounts, information and booking, billing, etc.), in order to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles through ease of use and confidence in charging systems. Experiments in two office buildings in Yvelines An Eco2charge project demonstrator will be implemented in two major office buildings near Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines: Renault’s Technocenter and Bouygues Construction’s Challenger headquarters. New job opportunities The development of EV charging facilities and the emergence of industrial and service markets will generate new job opportunities and service activities as a result of this need (including on-premises and multi-site energy management, storage flexibility management, EV charging station fleet management, power storage system operation and maintenance, etc.). About Actility As part of the Eco2charge project, Actility brings its expertise in the field of smart energy distribution. In order to minimize infrastructure costs when deploying EV charging stations, Actility offers solutions for measuring and analysing load demand in relation to the grid capacities. Within the Eco2charge framework, this analysis allows the power grid to be optimally sized. Actility simulates the operation of the grid which supplies each station with power, enabling grid managers to detect any under-capacity in the distribution grid and assess any civil engineering work required. Actility also helps identify users, the various types of EV charging as well as the corresponding billing modes. Actility is an industry leader in Machine to Machine (M2M) large-scale infrastructure with ThingPark®, the next-generation standard-based M2M communication platform and ThingPark Wireless, the long range low-power wireless network for the Internet of Things (IoT). Actility also provides Smart-Grid services around demand optimization and management, including Demand Response, Load Shifting and large-scale Admission Control for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructures. For further information, please contact communication@actility.com About Alstom Grid Within the Eco2charge framework, Alstom Grid brings its expertise in the field of distributed energy resources management and optimisation (production, storage, use) for a smarter grid. Alstom Grid has one clear vision: to develop innovative solutions for a flexible, reliable, affordable and sustainable electrical grid, everywhere. We design, manufacture, install and service the power transmission and distribution products and systems that empower the planet’s low-carbon economy. for now and for the future. Alstom Grid has over 130 years’ experience and ranks among the top three in the electrical transmission sector with an annual sales turnover of €3.8 billion. Alstom Grid’s 17,000 employees are spread across 87 manufacturing and engineering sites worldwide and have one common mission: be our customers’ trusted partner, from the source to the city. We are energising a smarter world… with Alstom. Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 93,000 people in around 100 countries. It had sales of over €20 billion and booked €21.5 billion in orders in 2013/14. About Bouygues Energies & Services Bouygues Energies & Services coordinates the Eco2charge project, bringing in particular its experience in designing and operating office and commercial buildings and electric infrastructures. Bouygues Energies & Services also take an active part in the development of the battery second-life component and provides one of the two test buildings for the project demonstrator. Bouygues Energies & Services designs, installs, maintains and operates technical systems (power grid infrastructures, digital infrastructures, electric and thermal engineering, public lighting, etc.) and field services (facility management, industrial maintenance, urban services, etc.). Bouygues Energies & Services is committed to future-proofing its technical solutions and the performance of its services for the sustainable quality improvement of people’s living and working environment. Bouygues Energies & Services supports public and private customers in the fields of energy, manufacturing, services, transportation and telecommunications. Both in France and abroad, Bouygues Energies & Services relies on the expertise, commitment and responsiveness of its 12,000 employees to offer innovative, high value-added technological solutions to its customers. With 200 locations in France and a presence in over 20 countries worldwide, Bouygues Energies & Services generated sales of €1.6 billion* in 2012. * contributing €1.5 billion to Bouygues Construction’s turnover. Website: www.bouyguesenergiesservices.com About CEA In the frame of the Eco2charge project, CEA is responsible for the definition and development of the energy management algorithms, in collaboration with the project partners who integrate these algorithms into their equipment. CEA develops energy management algorithms at different levels: at the campus level, for the energy management of the whole campus, and the optimization of the economic profits related to flexibility offered to electricity markets. These algorithms are optimization algorithms which are then deployed to the campus energy management system; at the EV charging station level, for the power and energy management of EV charging. These algorithms are both optimization algorithms for EV charge planning, and real-time control algorithms deployed in local controllers. CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) is a public research organisation operating in four main areas: low-carbon energy, information and healthcare technologies, management of massive experimental research facilities (TGIR), and defence and global security. With 16,000 researchers and employees, CEA plays a leading role in the European research community and its international presence is constantly growing. Within the Technological Research Division, two institutes, LITEN and LIST, contribute to the development of smart energy technologies. LITEN (Laboratory for Innovation in New Energy Technologies and Nanomaterials) focuses on developing new energy technologies (such as solar energy, biomass, technologies for electric and hybrid vehicles, applications for hydrogen, energy storage, independent energy), ranging from the design of new materials and processes to the manufacturing and functional testing of prototypes. Research activities related to solar energy are carried out at the National Solar Energy Institute (INES), which is the French centre of reference in the field of solar power, based in Bourget du Lac. LIST (Laboratory for Integration of Systems and Technologies) is a technological research institute which focuses on smart digital systems. R&D programs carried out at LIST are related to major economic and social issues, and are dedicated to interactive systems (ambient intelligence), embedded systems (architecture, system and software engineering), sensors and signal processing (industry control, healthcare, security, metrology). LIST is located on the Saclay Plateau in Ile de France close to Paris, and its main academic partners are part of the Digiteo network and “Association des Instituts Carnot”. Regarding technological transfer to industrial partners, the projects carried out at LIST are managed in the frame of industrial partnerships and competitiveness clusters, such Systematic Paris-Région. About EMBIX As part of the Eco2charge project, EMBIX brings its expertise in the field of Smart Grids to optimise energy flows (production, consumption and storage) within the two experimentation sites: Renault’s Technocenter and Bouygues Construction’s Challenger headquarters. EMBIX offers a wide range of services with high added value, around two main activities: Consulting services & software development. Smart Grids & Smart City Consulting – Through its Smart Grids & Smart City Consulting division, EMBIX provides consultancy services and works together with its partners (local authorities, city council, urban planners) to design and build Smart Grids and Smart Cities projects. Software development – EMBIX develops a software solution intended to provide energy management services for eco-districts, featuring the latest advances in Smart Grids technologies. EMBIX is designing the energy management system, a cloud-based platform integrating real time data (energy data, users needs, demand-response needs, etc.) to manage energy flows more efficiently within the neighbourhood. Website: www.embix.fr Nexans is involved in the Eco2charge project through its Smart Grids Competence Centre, Nexans Power Accessories France, based in Ardennes. Leveraging its expertise in connection equipment, Nexans develops a smart and modular connection and charging infrastructure solution which can interoperate with the systems designed by other Eco2charge partners. Nexans brings energy to life through an extensive range of cables and cabling solutions that deliver increased performance for our customers worldwide. Nexans’ teams are committed to a partnership approach that supports customers in four main business areas: Power transmission and distribution (submarine and land), Energy resources (Oil & Gas, Mining and Renewables), Transportation (Road, Rail, Air, Sea) and Building (Commercial, Residential and Data Centres). Nexans’ strategy is founded on continuous innovation in products, solutions and services, employee development, customer training and the introduction of safe, low -environmental- impact industrial processes. In 2013, Nexans became the first cable player to create a Foundation to introduce sustained initiatives for access to energy for disadvantaged communities worldwide. We have an industrial presence in 40 countries and commercial activities worldwide, employing close to 26,000 people and generating sales in 2013 of nearly 6.7 billion euros. Website: www.nexans.com About Renault Renault will bring the Eco2charge project and its partners its own expertise and know-how in the fields of electric vehicles and Li-ion batteries which equip its vehicles but can also be used off-board in stationary mode (Renault takes an active part in the development of this activity within the project). The Renault Group is active in 118 countries and designs, develops, manufactures and markets passenger cars and light commercial vehicles under three different brands: Renault, Dacia and Renault Samsung Motors. To rise to the new environmental and economic challenges faced by today’s automobile industry, Renault focuses on two priorities: improving existing technologies through new-generation engines featuring low CO2 emissions and its ground-breaking ‘Zero Emission’ programme. Renault introduced its ‘Zero Emission’ range with Fluence Z.E. and Kangoo Z.E. in 2011, followed in 2012 by Twizy, an innovative urban quadricycle, and ZOE in 2013. Together, these vehicles form a range which makes innovation a reality for ordinary motorists. Through its partnership with Nissan, Renault aims to become the global leader in mass marketed zero-emission vehicles. Website: www.media.renault.com About the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (USVQ) As part of the Eco2charge project, the research laboratory in ecological economics, eco-innovation and sustainable development engineering (REEDS) will bring its sociological competencies in order to analyse the users’ implicit and explicit expectations about charging infrastructures. With more than 19,000 students, UVSQ offers an elite multidisciplinary training programme through its 33 international labs. Involved in a number of “Investment for the Future” projects (including IdEx Paris-Saclay, LabEx, IHU, EquipEx, cohortes, IRT, and IEED), our labs are unique in their ability to establish bridges between various research fields. They conduct state-of-the-art research in several innovative fields such as Materials Sciences, Patrimony Sciences, Cryptography, Sustainable Development, Climate & Environment and Innovation Management. Eco2charge Eco2charge fits in all respects with the objectives of the Energy Transition government bill, currently under discussion in the French parliament. This project focuses on energy efficiency through smart energy management, the ease of deployment of electric vehicles, the development of a circular economy based on second-life batteries, and the integration of local renewable energy generation. The project’s distinctive goals include: - Meeting the expectations of both EV users and building owners in order to create an easy-to-use system, providing a high level of service and making users increasingly confident - Integrating charging infrastructures with an overall power management system for a building, campus or eco-district, so as to limit electricity subscription costs as well as peak loads on the national grid - Designing innovative solutions to minimize investment costs Audrey Houssais Agence Press & Vous Telefon +33 (0)1 44 37 00 19 Eco2charge: a project designed to accelerate the deployment of electric vehiclesEco2charge: a project designed to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles(696.2kb) Beziehende Informationen www.eco2charge.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732478
__label__cc	0.613934	0.386066	Novozymes pioneers food–energy venture in Africa Novozymes and environmental venture group CleanStar Ventures are to jointly establish an integrated food–energy business in Mozambique that will replace thousands of charcoal-burning cookstoves with cleaner ethanol stoves. Agriculture \| In addition to safeguarding lives from dangerous charcoal smoke, the business is intended to increase farmers’ incomes by up to 500%, save thousands of acres of forest every year, and dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is in advanced discussions to join the venture. Today, Novozymes announced its investment in CleanStar Mozambique at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting. CleanStar Mozambique, a company founded by Novozymes and CleanStar Ventures, will work with smallholder farmers to implement sustainable farming practices, create a food and ethanol cooking fuel production facility, and lay the groundwork for economically and ecologically sustainable communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. The business will address a range of problems, including land degradation, poor health, and energy poverty. “Agriculture in the developing world holds an enormous potential that can be realized with the assistance of biotechnology,” says Novozymes Executive Vice President Thomas Nagy. “Through this partnership, local communities in Africa will be able to produce more food and energy while at the same time improving their health, restoring forests, cleaning the air, and growing the economy.” Cut charcoal smoke and deforestation Under CleanStar Mozambique’s innovative business model, thousands of farmers in Mozambique will have the opportunity to transition from charcoal production and slash-and-burn agriculture to cultivating a diverse range of crops and trees, which will significantly improve their income and nutrition levels while rehabilitating degraded soils and enhancing biodiversity. Whatever the families do not consume themselves, they will sell to CleanStar Mozambique. The company will produce a range of food products as well as an ethanol-based cooking fuel made from cassava, which will be sold into urban markets. Throughout Africa, more than 80% of urban families buy charcoal to cook their food. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) there is evidence to suggest that indoor air pollution from solid fuel use – including charcoal – may be damaging to a person’s health. Charcoal usage is also a major driver in the mass deforestation across Africa, where every year hundreds of millions of trees are cleared to produce charcoal. It is intended that by 2014, CleanStar Mozambique will supply 20% of local households in Mozambique’s capital Maputo with a clean and competitive alternative to charcoal, which is intended to improve family health and protect 9,000 acres of indigenous forest per year. “This business model can be replicated and scaled throughout the developing world,” says Thomas Nagy. “With CleanStar Mozambique, we hope to show how biotechnology can catalyze the development of agriculture, food, and ethanol industries in developing countries, and create new bio-based markets that benefit local communities and the environment.” CleanStar Ventures and Novozymes have partnered with a number of other companies in the business. Most notably, the process design and construction company ICM, Inc. is providing the food and ethanol cooking fuel production facility. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is in advanced discussions with Novozymes and CleanStar Ventures about serving as Carbon Finance Associate in order to help maximize the monetary value of the project's carbon emission reductions. FAO: Integrated food and energy systems reduce poverty Since President Bill Clinton established CGI in 2005, the organization has convened global leaders in government, industry, and nongovernmental organizations to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Each CGI member makes a commitment – a concrete proposal to address a major global challenge – and collaborates with other members to translate that plan into meaningful, measurable results. This is Novozymes’ first CGI commitment. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), producing food and energy side-by-side may offer one of the best formulas for boosting countries' food and energy security while simultaneously reducing poverty. About CleanStar Ventures CleanStar Ventures is a venture development partnership that leverages innovation to drive social development and environmental restoration. CleanStar Ventures combines risk capital, technology, and expertise to create sustainable long-term value for the customers, partners, and shareholders in its ventures. Read more at www.cleanstarventures.com About ICM, Inc. Established in 1995 and headquartered in Colwich, Kansas, ICM, Inc. provides innovative technologies, solutions, and services to sustain agriculture and advance renewable energy, including food and feed technologies that will increase the supply of world protein. By providing proprietary process technology to 102 facilities with a combined production capacity of approximately 6.7 billion gallons of annual ethanol production, ICM has become a world leader in biorefining technology. The full-service provider also offers a comprehensive line of more than 100 products and services tailored to make biofuels production more efficient and more profitable. ICM is further upholding its responsibility as an industry leader by heavily investing in the continued advancement of renewable energy technologies. In an effort to speed that advance, ICM has been conducting research and testing at its two state-of-the-art research facilities in Colwich, KS, and St. Joseph, MO, in conjunction with a growing list of strategic partners spanning multiple industries. For more information, please visit icminc.com. About Bank of America Understanding the important role it plays in helping clients and communities address climate change, Bank of America Merrill Lynch continues to establish itself as an environmental leader in the financial services sector. In 2007, Bank of America Merrill Lynch embarked on a 10-year, $20 billion business initiative to address climate change through lending, investments, capital markets activity, philanthropy, and its own operations. Delivering more than $13 billion in four years to hundreds of clients in the United States, Canada and markets across Asia, Europe and Latin America, Bank of America Merrill Lynch is focused on reducing its environmental footprint while aligning its global financial products and services to help advance energy efficiency and low-carbon energy markets, including wind, solar, biomass, nuclear and other emerging technologies. Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 58 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,700 retail banking offices and approximately 17,800 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is the marketing name for the global banking and global markets businesses of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., member FDIC. Securities, strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“Investment Banking Affiliates”), including, in the United States, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, which is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, a locally registered entity. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: Are Not FDIC Insured * May Lose Value * Are Not Bank Guaranteed. About the Clinton Global Initiative Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together nearly 150 current and former heads of state, 18 Nobel Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 2,000 commitments, which have already improved the lives of 300 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these comm itments will be valued in excess of USD 63 billion. The 2011 Annual Meeting will take place Sept. 20–22 in New York City. This year, CGI also convened CGI America, a meeting focused on developing ideas for driving economic growth in the United States. The CGI community also includes CGI U, which hosts an annual meeting for undergraduate and graduate students, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young CGI members for leadership development and collective commitment-making.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732480
__label__wiki	0.576662	0.576662	Tweeted Verse Of The Day: April 22, 2011 Tell Me More has been asking listeners to send poems that are no more than 140 characters, via Twitter, as part of the program's celebration of National Poetry Month. Today's tweet comes from Mitch Beaver. He lives in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he's a residential carpenter, a husband, a father and a recent graduate student in clinical psychology. Muses And Metaphor Tell Me More commemorates April as National Poetry Month with "Muses and Metaphor." Tweeted Verse Of The Day: April 22, 2011 Tweeted Verse Of The Day: April 22, 2011 1:30 April 22, 201112:00 PM ET Heard on Tell Me More Tell Me More has been asking listeners to send poems that are no more than 140 characters, via Twitter, as part of the program's celebration of National Poetry Month. Today's tweet comes from Mitch Beaver. He lives in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he's a residential carpenter, a husband, a father and a recent graduate student in clinical psychology. MICHEL MARTIN, host: And next, Muses and Metaphor. (Soundbite of music) MARTIN: As part of our celebration of National Poetry Month, we've been hearing your poetic tweets. Hundreds of you have sent us poems through Twitter that are 140 characters or less. Today's tweet comes from Mitch Beaver. Mr. Beaver lives in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There, he is a residential carpenter, husband, father and graduate student in clinical psychology. Now, remember, these are short. Only 140 characters each. So listen closely. Mr. MITCH BEAVER: My name is Mitch Beaver, and this is my tweet. (Reading) Ravenous, creative city, our children are swept within your vortex. Take care of them. Remember to serve is to be served well. MARTIN: Now, we know that was short, so we'll play it again. Mr. BEAVER: (Reading) Ravenous, creative city, our children are swept within your vortex. Take care of them. Remember to serve is to be served well. MARTIN: That's a poetic tweet submitted by Mitch Beaver. If you'd like to help us celebrate National Poetry Month, go to Twitter and tweet us your original poetry, using fewer than 140 characters, of course. If your poem is chosen, we will help you record it for us and we will air it later this month. Now, hurry up. We're running out of days. Tweet us using the hashtag TMM Poetry. You can learn more at the TELL ME MORE website. Go to npr.org. Click on the Programs menu and find TELL ME MORE.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732481
__label__wiki	0.981212	0.981212	No Official In Malta Plane Crash Says EU Diplomacy, Foreign, News The European Union (EU) has said that none of its border officials were on board the plane that crashed in Malta on Monday. A light aircraft on a French customs surveillance operation crashed in Malta on Monday shortly after take-off, killing all five people on board. There were earlier reports which indicated that EU border officials were on board, but EU Foreign Affairs Chief Federica Mogherini said on Twitter that none of its officials were involved in the crash. A witness Ben Cundall told CNN that passengers on a nearby flight waiting to depart watched in horror as flames shot out and a dark plume of smoke billowed from the wreckage. “Everyone was screaming; the flames were the length of an aircraft, so it was clear to everyone what had happened straight away,” Cundall said. The Fairchild Metroliner, which was taking part in an operation to track illicit human and drug trafficking routes, crashed at 7:20 a.m. (1:20 a.m. ET) Monday, officials said. A statement from Maltese government said their inquiries are on to ascertain the cause of the crash. “Official information, footage, and eyewitnesses, including three members of the Armed Forces of Malta at the nearby Safi Barracks, and two commercial airline pilots, clearly indicate that there was no explosion prior to impact. “Several inquiries, as established by international rules and the laws of Malta, are currently underway to establish all facts. “All five people aboard the plane were French nationals. “The flight is part of a French customs operation that has been going on for the past five months. “It has been scheduled as a local flight and it was due to return within hours “without landing in third countries,” the Maltese government said in a statement. Witness Lauren Azzopardi, who filmed the crash on his car’s dashcam as he was driving to work, told CNN he heard a blast as the plane slammed into the ground. “I saw the plane go vertical. It was coming at a very fast speed,” Azzopardi said. “It kind of turned and planted into the ground.” The plane was registered in the United States to a company called Worldwide Aircraft Services but the Maltese government said it had been leased to a Luxembourg company. READ: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Private Jet Crash Lands In Barcelona Posted by Henry Solomon Hinatufe Henry Solomon is a graduate of Computer Science, specialist in ICT Support Services. Henry is also proficient in use of most online journalism tools and Social media management. He currently serve as Information Technology Officer with Africa's Largest TV Network. border officials eyewitnesses French customs operation Malta Plane crash Newer PostJUST IN: INEC’s Response To Jimoh Ibrahim’s $1 million Bribe Claim Older PostPoor State Of Communication Facilities Pose Danger To Air Travels	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732482
__label__cc	0.694259	0.305741	Senior tennis in Vancouver, Wash.: A sports, travel article Fay Martin/Special to The Oak Ridger It was a time of great inspiration watching women over 90 years of age enjoying themselves and playing tennis — the sport of a lifetime. The event was the National Senior Women’s Indoor Tennis Tournament, which was held at Club Green Meadows in Vancouver, Wash., on Sept. 3-9, 2018. I was playing in the “younger” age group of 80-and-over women. The other groups represented at the tournament were the 70s, 40s and 50s. (The 60s were at another venue). When I watched the women in the 40s and 50s it was like watching a different sport; they hit the ball so hard and they covered the court with great speed. There were five women playing in the Women’s 90-and-over group, and the competition was fierce. One daughter while watching her 93-year-old mother playing the top seed in that age group, got carried away and could be heard shouting, “Come on Mom, move your feet.” I was really impressed with how the tournament was run. Nancy Ansboury, the dedicated tournament director, had a number of helpers; some kept score, while others acted as ball-persons, especially for the 80s and 90s players. There were 11 women in the 80-and-over division. My first round match was against Betty Brunette of Pendleton, Ore., and I won that match 6-4, 1-6, 6-0. Then I lost to the No. 2 seed, Dorothy Wasser from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The banquet on Wednesday night was a big social occasion with really delicious food and great camaraderie. Most of the players at the tournament stayed at the Staybridge Suites in Portland, Ore., but I was one of the lucky ones who had housing provided. I stayed with a delightful family, Mike and Alisa Rakoz and their son, Will, who live in Battle Ground, Wash. Alisa treated two of my tennis friends and me to an excursion to the Multnomah Falls, the highest waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge. It is spectacular, with rushing, churning waters and a bridge across. It was really crowded, with tourists everywhere and an interesting gift shop. I was privileged to see a lot of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Wash., when I accompanied Alisa to a volleyball game at Will’s school, La Salle, when we went to pick him up at from football practices and when we went on shopping trips. One special dinner was with the Rakoz family when Mike showed his expertise at the outdoor grill preparing freshly caught salmon and steaks. Other highlights were accompanying the family to the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church on Sunday morning and having tea with Alisa’s mother, Sue Henry, and her friends. With the aid of her cell phone, Alisa found a wonderful Jamaican restaurant called Jamaica House I in Portland, Ore. We went there hoping to have curried goat but they were sold out, so we had curried chicken, served with red beans and rice, fried plantain and a cabbage salad. The dessert was really special — a Jamaican bun, thinly sliced, served with caramel ice cream. I have some tennis friends who are amazed when I mention traveling great distances for tennis tournaments. The poem below explains some of my thoughts. For Everything There is a Reason Why on earth would I try to do something like this? Is there some hope of moments of bliss? Maybe to break the monotony of life, Or perhaps to find a place where there is no strife. As always there lies the love of the game, And seeing some players of great worldly fame. Maybe to gaze at the vast western skies, To enjoy good food, big steaks and French fries. Whatever the reason, the time or the season I am here at Green Meadows playing, eating, and watching. Great pleasure I derive in seeing friends from afar, And having much fun before I do “cross the bar.” Fay Martin is a longtime Oak Ridge resident.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732484
__label__cc	0.508833	0.491167	A worldwide fellowship of churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service You are here: Home / Resources / Documents / WCC general secretary / Letter from WCC general secretary to Ethiopian Prime Minister on the reconciliation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Letter from WCC general secretary to Ethiopian Prime Minister on the reconciliation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church In a letter addressed to the prime minister of Ethiopia Dr Abiy Ahmed, on 13 August, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), conveyed heartfelt congratulations in the decisive role played by Ahmed to ensure the reconciliation of the two synods and unity of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church after 27 years of separation. Geneva, 13 August 2018 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9) Greetings from the World Council of Churches! It is my privilege and honour to express my deep gratitude and convey my heartfelt congratulations in the decisive role you played to ensure the reconciliation of the two synods and unity of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. This is a remarkable achievement and a historic moment for the entire Christian family! The unity of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, a historic and ancient church, is central to the unity of Ethiopia itself, a historic and ancient nation. Since you have been elected Prime Minister on 2 April 2018, you have made more positive and inspiring reforms in Ethiopia than any other leader in Africa or the rest of the world in the last decades. We are impressed and appreciative of your vision, as well as your actions which are paving the way for a stronger and peaceful Ethiopia. The overwhelmingly positive response by the entire Ethiopian people, both within and outside the country, is a testimony of how well your recent reforms to solve the political and social unrest that has shaken the country the last years have been received. Your call for Ethiopian unity across ethnic, religious and political lines was much needed and timely. We are also particularly impressed and appreciative by your recent trip to Asmara, Eritrea, which ended the twenty-year long fratricidal conflict. Peace and normalisation of ties with Eritrea means peace in the Horn of Africa. The jubilation and expressions of triumph expressed on both sides of the border speaks volume about how much peace and healing were sought by Ethiopians and Eritreans who were worn out after two decades of hostility. We commend you for your moral leadership, and all the positive changes you have brought to your nation and its people. I have already congratulated you on this successful achievement with my message that was delivered to you by my colleague, Dr Nigussu Legesse, who served in the Reconciliation Committee of the two EOTC Synods. I join the entire ecumenical family in giving thanks to God as you carry on your work towards a peaceful, just and healed Ethiopia. We uphold you in our prayers and ask the Almighty to shower you with His abundant grace and guide you in every step of the way. With every good wishes for God’s blessings, and with our prayers.Yours in Christ, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit Download : 18_8 Ethiopian PM HE Ahmed.pdf Messages and letters Joint declarations, statements and reflections Messages and letters to the WCC general secretary © 2019 World Council of Churches Conditions for Use and Privacy Policy	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732485
__label__wiki	0.512002	0.512002	Jimmi Accardi’s Memories of Harry Memories Of Harry A composer, musician, producer and artist, Jimmi Accardi has written and played with some of the best. Here he shares a few fond memories of his time with Harry … towards the end. I first met Harry in 1977 when I was the guitarist for Micky Dolenz & Davy Jones during their Monkees reunion tour in 1977. I didn’t see him again until 1993 close to Christmas time. It was more of a social/friendly visit but quickly turned into a two day recording session. It was in northern California (Grass Valley) at our mutual friend, E.J. Gold’s, home studio. Harry knew E.J. from the 60s at RCA. We had Bob Bachtold join us on drums and Oz Fritz (engineer for so many great artists including Tom Waits). We hung out and jammed and Harry told us what was going on with him and trying to get a new album out. One of the sad things he said was that he left a demo of his new songs at RCA and they never got back to him so he had to call them. That’s when he found out that they never even gave the tapes a listen! He played us some ideas he had on cassette tapes of the things he wanted on his new album. One was a Jimmy Webb tune called “What Does a Woman See in a Man”. Also – “Try, Try, Try”, and a song that Yoko Ono had written lyrics for called “SNOW”. Harry gave me a cassette with just his voice and a single instrument on it. He asked if I would overdub some vocals, guitar, and drums so we did. We also did a duet of a mashup of “Yesterday” and “Georgia” which Harry was convinced was practically the same song except for the lyrics and a single chord. He asked me to sing the “Yesterday” part while he sung “Georgia”. He’d recently been in the hospital due to complications with his health (I think due to years of abusing his body with drugs and alcohol), and his voice was shot – very hoarse and almost completely gone. But he was having a blast and it was great to have the honor of helping him out. During his stay, we talked and it came up that we were both born in the exact same section of Brooklyn (called Bushwick). He also shared a few stories about the time he spent with The Beatles and especially John. When he was getting ready to go home (he had his kids and his wife Una with him), he was excited and we had plans for him to come back to finish making the demos that would knock RCA out of their socks! I was actually working on one of the demo tapes he left when we got the call that he’d died in his sleep. What a sad feeling that was!!! I remember we had kind of our own vigil for him and recorded a whole album’s worth of Harry-inspired stuff including “Spaceman”, “Jump Into the Fire”, and many more. I still have the recordings. One more thing. Harry was lazy and had to take a pee during one of the recording sessions and didn’t want to walk all the way from the studio to the house to use the bathroom. He asked “Would anyone mind if I peed on the big tree outside the studio?”. So he did and after he passed away – we named that tree “Harry”! Previous: "On This Day – March 12 1974" Next: "On This Day – March 17, 1967"	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732489
__label__cc	0.572551	0.427449	Filed Under: General Tagged With: 2008 Presidential Election, Barack Obama, John McCain, Republican National Convention Welcome, Governor Palin Posted on September 4, 2008 Written by The Mouse Who Ate Xanax I was wrong. I said that the Republican convention would be sedate and wouldn’t generate the same kind of excitement that provided the Democrats such favorable auspices for their candidate’s final phase campaign launch. I “misunderestimated” the effect of Sarah Palin’s most excellent performance on her party’s convention. Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee spoke. Ho hum. Michael Steele spoke. Yawn. I thought we were in for a boring evening. However, Rudy Giuliani’s delayed keynote speech was the beginning of a crescendo that would ramp up all the way through Sarah Palin’s speech to the final coda with her family and John McCain on the podium. Rudy was good. He was funny. He hit at the Democrats’ weaknesses. He showed toughness, forcefulness, and grit, but his delivery was as if he was talking to the guy sitting next to him at the neighborhood Irish pub. He has that smooth stage presence that goes with being a big-time political player for a long time. But tonight, he was the warm-up speaker. When Guiliani finished, I was surprised by the quick introduction of Governor Sarah Palin, even before the applause for Rudy had died down. The response to Palin’s appearance on stage was raucous, boisterous, and welcoming. This standing ovation went on for far longer than anyone had anticipated, and resisted attempts by floor marshalls to end it by getting everyone to sit down. So, given all this overwhelming build-up and adulation, you would think that a newcomer to the national political arena would shake a little bit, if not melt in total panic. Sarah Palin ate it up and spit it out. She delivered a well written, well prepared, and very effective speech. And to coin a phrase employed by the Mouse’s loyal opposition, she of the red hair (formerly), she rocked the house. Not only that, she pissed off the Obama people big time. Heretofore, they thought they had the upper hand, given Palin’s inexperience on the national political stage. The liberal press had been lampooning her for not knowing the Washington ropes, not appearing on Meet the Press, and so forth. Governor Palin’s speech threw that all back at them. Now, I’m not saying that she delivered a knockout punch—not in that way, anyway—but what I am saying is that her opponents, whether politicians or media, now know that she is no pushover. The media and the Obama campaign will be back at her throat in the morning, if not sooner, because they fear that if their assaults abate even for a little while, Palin’s appeal to the swing voters will incontrovertably surmount their criticism. She stepped into the vice presidential candidate’s attack dog role with ease, doing so with humor yet with unflinching inner toughness, leading the opposition to warn quickly that glibness doesn’t work, therefore Palin is in big trouble. Weak, flimsy argument. They can’t debate the substance of the speech, so they condemn its style. This Mouse feels that in the paraphrased words of Al Jolson, they ain’t seen nothing yet. Yes, I was impressed. Did Palin benefit by low expectations? Certainly. Neither I nor most of the people on the convention floor knew what to expect. I started out just hoping that she wouldn’t screw up. What I got was a polished political speech that was as good as any I’d heard at the highest level, but by politicians with long resumes. I think Governor Palin’s freshness on the national political scene worked in her favor and her speech writer deserves a great deal of credit for working with her to take advantage of it. That brings me to the inital Democratic response to the Palin speech—that it was written by a Bush Administration speech writer, and her running mate voted 90% with George W. Bush, and we can’t take a 10% chance on change. Huh? A bit of a non sequitur there, isn’t it? That rhetoric is getting very tired very fast in its constant repetition as the phrase for all occasions. Besides, that 90% correlation thing has been debunked not only by this Mouse, but also by none other than the left-leaning National Public Radio. Someone needs to bring out the corresponding percentages for Biden and Obama (when he voted). Many of the bills that pass through the senate are not concerned with partisan issues but with innocuous items palatable to both sides of the aisle, for example, a bill honoring Michael Phelps for his Olympics performance. But I digress. What remains to be seen, of course, is how Palin will hold up in the long run, in more extemporaneous settings. If she can produce this type of performance in a head-to-head debate with a long time Beltway insider, namely, Joe Biden, she will do her part to boost this ticket’s chances. How she handles hecklers at stump speeches and the continual negative harangue by the mainstream media and the rogue bloggers is also crucial. If she is not quick on her feet in these interactive situations, she will be a drag on the ticket; if she performs flawlessly, she will be a tremendous boon to the GOP’s chances in 2008. She has performed well in debates with entrenched politicians in Alaska, which portends well for her. This will be very interesting to watch. Her line about Obama’s acceptance speech’s vague promises bears mention because of its impact on the audience. “But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed, when the roar of the crowd fades away, when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot—what exactly is our opponent’s plan?” Great fun and effective, too. I’ve seen the MSM’s and liberal bloggers’ early takes on the speech, calling it, “immature,” “contentless,” and “a series of cheap shots,” to cite a few sampled comments. In other words, they are worried. That ought to keep them on their toes. The big problem will be McCain’s at this point—to deliver a meaningful and memorable speech tomorrow night. He won’t have a stadium full of people, and he won’t have Greek columns, only his less than charismatic style and some hopefully sincere words. However, he’s up against a lot. Not only is Palin an impossibly tough act to follow, but Thursday night is the NFL season’s opening night extravaganza. You can expect that the Republican convention’s TV ratings will drop significantly from tonight’s peak. Many convention weary viewers will be watching the Redskins battle the Giants. Last, but not least, it is no coincidence that Barack Obama’s campaign people have agreed for Obama to be interviewed by Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor on Thursday night as well. You have to feel for McCain, being up against all that. I don’t know what he can do to bring off a successful speech, let alone eclipse the home run hit by Palin. I’d be tempted to mail it in. But McCain won’t. He’s an old trouper. The Mouse must now go raid the pantry. It’s late and I have to feed my family. Filed Under: General Tagged With: 2008 Presidential Election, Barack Obama, Bill O'Reilly, fear, holy shit she's good!, John McCain, NFL, Republican National Convention, Sarah Palin, speech, The O'Reilly Factor Night 0.5, RNC Hi, again! This is the Mouse Who Ate Xanax, a ravenous news junkie rodent who lives under The Nittany Turkey’s sofa. I sneaked a peek at the Republican National Convention this evening, and I have an opinion. I always have opinions. (I already described what opinions are worth several posts ago.) There’s a less raucous air about this Republican convention than last week’s Democratic National Convention. One reason is that there were a lot of last minute changes this week due to Hurricane Gustav. The Monday night program was canceled, and Rudy Giuliani’s keynote speech was moved from Tuesday to Wednesday. That’s why I am calling this Night “0.5.” This Mouse also has to think that the Republican constituency is more heartland and less coastal, more small town and less big city—in other words, not as much fun. Choosing presidential candidates is serious business, so I can’t call this a negative. Furthermore, were it not for the selection of Governor Sara Palin as VP candidate, the Republican National Convention would lack drama and suspense, which we got with the Democrats and the Clintonian dynamic. Tension inevitably will exist between the Clintons and their adversaries. Accordingly, we did not know in advance how either Bill’s or Hillary’s speeches would turn out. Republicans are more predictable. With the exception of Palin, we pretty much know in advance what they’ll be talking about—unless, of course, we’re the overtly biased NBC family of networks, which I’ll address later. Palin does introduce a cliffhanging element. How she will handle the limelight, how she will defuse the attacks on her family, and how she will portray herself as an executive, we don’t know. This is the biggest speech of her life, and it is a potential turning point for the election. Major party political conventions these days seldom function as the vehicle for selecting the party’s candidates for president and vice president. Instead, the primary elections serve the purpose of culling out the so-called presumptive candidates and the convention ballots merely rubber-stamp the results of the primaries. The days of multiple ballots and deadlocks long gone, the conventions have become marketing extravaganzas. The marketing thrust of these two conventions will seek to convince the broad spectrum of swing voters toward its party’s candidates. These are centrist Democrats, Independents, and liberal Republicans who are sitting on the fence. Obviously, at either pole the closed-minded lunatic left and religious right have no intention of moving toward the other side, in spite of Obama attempting overtures to the evangelicals and the Republicans wooing hard-core feminists. Those people at the extrema are lost causes. What these marketing events are aimed at are those moderate women who were offended by their party shunning Hillary Clinton twice and those working people who were equally offended by Barack Obama’s elitist utterances while on the stump in San Francisco, among many other non-pigeonholed voters. Both major parties continue to woo them. Who will do the better job? President Bush did not attend the convention, but his wife, Laura, and his parents, George H.W. and Barbara, were there. Laura spoke about women in the administration, about VP selection Palin, and the accomplishments of her husband’s administration. I suppose she needed to do the woman thing in order to convince voters that Democrats do not have a corner on the female market. (They do have a corner on the liberal female vote, but it’s the centrist women who will swing the vote McCain’s way. The devout liberals are a lost cause for the GOP, who will gladly concede their vote.) The First Lady then introduced her husband, who would speak to the convention via satellite. It is interesting to note that this afternoon NBC was reporting that a featured part of Bush’s speech would be about 9/11. The headline actually read, “Bush to speak about 9/11.” David Gregory and company must have gotten their wires crossed. In any case if that is what they were expecting to pounce on, they had to be disappointed, because there was only one sentence in the actual speech about the attack on the World Trade Center. I was titillated to find that shortly after the President’s speech MSNBC changed the headlines of the same reports to eliminate the 9/11 reference. Much of President Bush’s speech centered on John McCain’s character, patriotism, and performance. It touched very little on party platform or continuing the policies of the Bush Administration, with the exception of the tax cuts, which Bush said McCain would make permanent. Bush also spoke glowingly about VP candidate Gov. Sara Palin. Essentially, he delivered a one-line endorsement of the ticket. There has never been any love lost between Bush and McCain and it shows. At the end, after introducing his parents, the President turned the floor back over to the First Lady, saying that while he was unable to attend the convention, with Laura speaking the delegates had “traded up.” I don’t think Bush’s speech helped or hurt McCain’s chances very much. Laura concluded with a few words about Cindy McCain. That was it for the Bushes. Finito. The next featured event was a smarmy and forgettable tribute film about Ronald Reagan. Former Senator and presidential candidate Fred Thompson then took the podium. After a brief but rousing tribute to Gov. Palin, Thompson spoke to McCain’s courage, character, and judgment. He said, “If you listen to the Democrats, you’d think we were in the middle of a great depression, that we are down, disrespected and incapable of prevailing against challenges facing us.” He spoke of the “history making Congress—history making because it’s the most unpopular Congress in our nation’s history” and what would happen to us if we had that Congress and a Democrat president. The promised tax increases got a lot of attention. “You don’t make citizens richer by sending all their money to Washington.” Then, he hit upon the largely passe abortion debate (or non-debate, for most of us) with a direct shot at Obama: “…we need a president who doesn’t think that the protection of the unborn or a newly born baby is above his pay grade.” That line referred to Obama’s waffling response to a direct question about when life begins at a televised event last month and it got the biggest applause of the entire speech. In all, it was a 25-minute speech and one of the best this Mouse has heard from Thompson. Senator Joe Lieberman from Connecticut was next on the podium after Chuck Berry serenaded the delegates (pretty hard to do as a dead guy, but possible through the newfangled miracle of recording). A lot of Democrats consider Lieberman a traitor because he does not subscribe to many of the increasingly left-wing intentions of many members of his former party. That earns him points with this Mouse. He is certainly an outcast because of his support for winning the war in Iraq instead of pulling out. And so, he got a huge round of applause when he said, “I’m here to support John McCain because country matters more than party.” Lieberman introduced McCain’s “Country First” motto, as delegates waved placards containing that slogan. He talked about McCain reaching across the aisle to transcend partisanship, in the past and in the future. “If John McCain is just another partisan Republican, then I’m Michael Moore’s favorite Democrat!” Moreover, speaking about Obama’s smoothly pleasing oratory, Lieberman said, “Eloquence is no substitute for a record.” Turning to Palin, he asserted that she is a leader who we can count on to help John McCain shake up Washington. “That’s why I believe that the true ticket for change in Washington is the McCain-Palin ticket.” Lieberman then addressed the Democrats out there in TV Land. “This is not an ordinary election because these are not ordinary times. And believe me, John McCain is not an ordinary candidate.” He said that McCain is a restless reformer who will clean up Washington. In conclusion he asked Democrats and Independents to vote for “who’s best for the country, not for the party you belong to.” Of course, this will not sway the hardcore left, who have basically excommunicated Lieberman and who would never move toward the right unless someone held a gun to their head. (When that happens, it will be too late.) As this Mouse mentioned before, the marketing aim of both of these conventions is neither to convert the hardcore nor to preach to the choir. The former aim would be spinning wheels; the latter would be a waste of valuable marketing time. Instead, the focus must be on swinging the swing votes in the respective direction of the party in question. In this Mouse’s opinion, tonight’s two main speeches were well directed and good, but not great. Still, the talking points were largely effective, and the speeches by Lieberman and Thompson will indeed sway some voters. I would not expect much of a “bounce” in the polls after tonight, as the nation awaits with bated anticipation tomorrow night’s performance by vice presidential candidate Sara Palin in the face of vicious attacks on her personal life from the far left. I would love to see her step on their mud-slinging faces. That’s the kind of toughness that will shut them up, if she can suck it up and sling it right back at them. The left’s fear of Palin and what she represents is evident in the magnitude of their attacks; a counter attack by her would send them cowering behind their electronic launching pads wearing their tinfoil helmets for protection and drinking the proverbial Kool-Aid. (End of gratuitous, non-objective, anti-liberal extremist rant.) Tomorrow night will feature Palin’s speech and the rescheduled keynote address by former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. Nobody will listen to Rudy, but we’re all ears for Palin. This Mouse will return with more blathering drivel soon. Filed Under: General Tagged With: 2008 Presidential Election, Barack Obama, Fred Thompson, George W. Bush, Joe Lieberman, John McCain, Laura Bush, politics, Republican National Convention, Sara Palin, U.S. Americans	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732490
__label__wiki	0.998607	0.998607	Sir Ian McKellen says he’s interested in playing Gandalf in ‘Lord Of The Rings’ TV show Rhian Daly Dec 16, 2017 6:10 pm GMT Sir Ian McKellen is interested in playing Gandalf again The actor has yet to be approached by Amazon, who are producing the new series Sir Ian McKellen has expressed an interest in reprising the role of Gandalf in the new Lord Of The Rings series. Amazon were confirmed to be adapting J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels for TV last month. Executives involved in the deal have also said the new series will offer the potential for spin-off shows. McKellen appeared on Graham Norton’s BBC Radio 2 show earlier today (December 16) alongside Jenny Seagrove, who he appears with in the West End version of The Exorcist, as Digital Spy reports. Asked if it was going to be annoying to have another Gandalf around, McKellen replied: “What do you mean, another Gandalf?” He added: “I haven’t said yes because I haven’t been asked. But are you suggesting that someone else is going to play it? Gandalf is over 7000 years old, so I’m not too old.” When the news of the new series was confirmed, Sharon Tal Yguado – Amazon’s new head of scripted programming – said: “The Lord of the Rings is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen,” she said. “We are honoured to be working with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line on this exciting collaboration for television and are thrilled to be taking The Lord of the Rings fans on a new epic journey in Middle Earth.” Lashana Lynch Credit: Getty Images ‘Captain Marvel’ star Lashana Lynch will reportedly “be introduced as 007” in ‘Bond 25’ BTS Credit: Getty Images BTS to perform their ‘Love Yourself: Speak Yourself’ tour in Saudi Arabia later this year Florence + The Machine at BST Hyde Park 2019 Credit: Ben Bentley / NME Florence + The Machine celebrate a decade as a band at emotional BST Hyde Park show	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732491
__label__wiki	0.971587	0.971587	Wu-Tang Clan announce UK dates NME Mar 29, 2007 2:56 pm BST Rap collective confirm first tour in six years The Wu Tang Clan are set to return to the UK after a two-year absence with two shows in July. Original members RZA, Ghostface Killah, GZA, Raekwon, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, U-God and Cappadona will appear at London Hammersmith Apollo and Manchester Apollo on July 5 and 6 respectively. To check ticket availability and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/GIGS now. The shows are in addition to their festival appearances at The Slam Tent at T In The Park, and following news of their first album in six years, although the name and release date of the record are yet to be confirmed. RZA told Allhiphop.com: “This is the perfect time for us to come back, the stars are aligned. It’s like when we first started. “We put out real hip-hop at a time when it was turning into pop or R&B. We brought the focus back to the music in its rawest form, without studio polish or radio hooks. People want something that gives them an adrenaline rush.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732492
__label__cc	0.679779	0.320221	Noerr Consulting AG Noerr Newsroom News Construction work for a nuclear power plant in Poland continues Construction work for a nuclear power plant in Poland continues PNEP still valid Following the change in government in Poland in autumn 2015, it was very much doubted whether the Polish Nuclear Energy Program (PNEP) would be implemented. In recent weeks, however, the Minister of Energy (MoE), Mr. Krzysztof Tchórzewski, has repeatedly declared that the construction work for a nuclear power plant in Poland will be continued. The Ministry of Energy is currently conducting an intensive evaluation of the PNEP; a report on its implementation is expected to be presented to the Board of Ministers by the end of June 2016. An official from the MoE commented as follows: “Nevertheless, it is necessary to modify the project to make it profitable and economically rational. The conceptual phase of this project should be completed in the coming months.” The investment is being coordinated by a special purpose vehicle, PGE EJ1, that consults with major consortium partners managing nuclear technology such as Arevy, GE Hitachi, Westinghouse, SNC Lavalin and Kepco. More than 200 Polish companies, including many with experience from similar projects in France and Finland, have agreed to participate in the construction process too. The tender procedure is planned for completion for 2019. The commissioning of the first reactor is expected in 2029. Several possible locations were initially considered in 2011. Presently, only two locations are being considered - the town Lubiatowo-Kopalino (in the municipality Choczewo) and the town Żarnowiec (in the municipalities Gniewino and Krokowa). "The company has decided to conduct environmental testing at these two selected locations in order to ensure the effectiveness of further works and to meet all legal requirements," was the statement from PGE EJ1. The final selection of the location is expected by the end of 2017. Financing model So far, the system of financing this nuclear investment has been based on a “contract for difference”, prepared on the basis of the British system. Because of many financial and legal issues with respect to this system (e.g. Austria filed a lawsuit against EU Commission over a UK nuclear power plant), the Polish government is also considering the use of the “Finnish model of financing. During the recent press conference on 15 June 2016, the MoE stated that the financing projections for the Polish nuclear power plant, which have been presented to him in terms of the differential contracts, are not acceptable because they are far too expensive. The construction costs for the first Polish nuclear power plant are estimated at PLN 40-60 billion. This would be a serious burden to the State Treasury; these costs will also impact the state-owned companies’ budgets. The Polish government is intensively seeking solutions to resolve this issue. Are the Chinese going to invest in PNEP? During the recent visit of the Chinese President to Poland, several agreements on cooperation between Polish and Chinese companies for large infrastructural projects, including energy projects, were signed. "Chinese companies have already been involved in many energy investments in Poland, such as the construction of electricity power stations. Many of them are just discovering opportunities offered by your country. I am convinced that in the not too distant future cooperation will be much more developed," said the Chinese Ambassador in Warsaw. The speculation about the possible involvement of Chinese capital in the Polish nuclear programme will be verified in the nearest future. Paweł Żelich Sandra Sekuła-Baranska Register here for the Noerr_news! Noerr LLP	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732494
__label__wiki	0.87181	0.87181	Northern Ireland ... Population Estimates for ... Population Estimates for Super Output Areas (SOAs) and former Electoral Wards, Northern Ireland Population estimates relate to the population as of 30th June each year, and therefore are often referred to as mid-year estimates. They are used to allocate public funds to the Northern Ireland Executive through the Barnett formula and are widely used by Northern Ireland government departments for the planning of services, such as health and education. These statistics are also of interest to those involved in research and academia. They are widely used to express other statistics as a rate, and thus enable comparisons across the United Kingdom and other countries. Furthermore, population estimates form the basis for future population statistics such as population projections. Super Output Areas (SOAs) by gender and broad ...CSV Former Electoral Wards (1992) by gender and ...CSV Electoral Wards These statistics present mid-year population estimates for areas within Northern Ireland by gender and broad age bands. Geo_Name: refers to an area. Geo_Code: refers to the code associated with the area. (e.g. 95AA01S1 refers to Aldergrove_1). Mid_Year_Ending: Population estimates refer to the number of people in the population at 30th June each year. Gender: Population estimates are provided for Males, Females and All Persons. Age_Group: The population estimates are categorised into four broad age bands. ‘All ages’ has also been incorporated into the age variable by aggregating the four age groups. 0-15 16-39 40-64 65 and over (65+) All Ages. Population_Estimate: refers to the estimated population size. NISRA – Demographic Statistics census@nisra.gov.uk Population estimates at the Northern Ireland level are created using the cohort-component method. This method updates the Census estimates by ‘ageing on’ populations and applying information on births, deaths and migration. Population estimates for areas within Northern Ireland are created from an average of the cohort-component method and the ratio change method. The ratio change method calculates the population change by applying observed changes in secondary (typically administrative) data sources to Census estimates. Further methodological information can be found in the methodology paper for mid-year population estimates for Northern Ireland: https://www.nisra.gov.uk/sites/nisra.gov.uk/files/publications/Methodology-2017.pdf Estimates are produced using a variety of data sources and statistical models. Therefore small estimates should not be taken to refer to particular individuals. Further information is available in the Limitations section of the statistical bulletin: https://www.nisra.gov.uk/sites/nisra.gov.uk/files/publications/MYE18-Bulletin.pdf Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency NISRA is the principal source of official statistics and social research on Northern Ireland. read more	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732498
__label__wiki	0.933496	0.933496	Ethel Wallace 1889 - c.1992 In 1991, at the age of 102 years old, Ethel Wallace, a former Oxford student contacted the Museum to share some of her recollections as a rare woman student at the university studying in the museum in the early twentieth century. By kind permission of the Principal and Fellows’ of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford Although women students could study at the university in women’s colleges as early as 1879, it wasn’t until 1920 that women were allowed to graduate with a degree. Ethel Wallace came to Oxford in 1908, initially to study botany, however, switching to zoology due to intolerance of teaching staff at the time to teach only the most exceptional female students in mixed classes. Ethel described dissections of animals every single day, filling out the blank pages of a dissection book with anatomical illustrations and lectures. Her final year project was on the evolutionary relationships of birds and other dinosaurs. Ethel was one of the first women to graduate in 1921 when the university statutes were changed to allow women who had previously taken university examinations to finally get the degree they had earned. As picked by... Mark Carnall, Collections Manager, Life Collections Want to find out more about other Women in Science?	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732501
__label__wiki	0.826079	0.826079	‘Light Footprint’ Operations Keep US Troops in the Dark Alasdair McKay Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen This article was first published on Defence One on October 5 2018. With fewer troops to gather intelligence, American forces are vulnerable to locals’ manipulation. Scarred by the economic and political legacy of the prolonged wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States and its Western allies have become reluctant to deploy their own troops in significant numbers. Instead, smaller groups are deployed, and their primary roles are not to engage directly in combat, but to provide training, air support, or intelligence to local and regional forces who do the bulk of the front-line fighting. This type of engagement — which we at the Oxford Research Group refer to as “remote warfare” but which is also popularly known as “light footprint warfare” — is seen as less risky to Western troops, military budgets, and political reputations. This is not entirely true. The risks of remote warfare, different from those seen in previous engagements, are understudied and generally under-estimated. A prime example is the gathering of intelligence. With fewer U.S. troops on the ground, it becomes harder to independently verify intelligence. Instead, they must rely on local partners and sources, who can present untrue, misleading, or manipulated information. An example: On Sept. 6, Somali forces raided the family home and farm of former President Aden Abdullah Osman Daar, detaining three teenage members of his family. The raid was ostensibly a Somali effort — officials from U.S. Africa Command say American troops played only a supporting role — but witnesses described the apparent commander of the soldiers as “a tall white man who spoke American English.” In its wake, the prominent Daar family expressed outrage, Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire apologized, and experts have warned that raiding the home of a well-respected Somali civilian may have fueled public support for the Al-Shabaab extremist group and undermined U.S.counter-terrorism efforts. The cause of the disastrous raid appears to have been “bad intelligence during and before the raid,” gathered by locals who seem to have used the opportunity to draw the American military into local clan feuds. One Somali intelligence officer involved suggested that the Americans “relied on false intelligence gathered by local informants who are sometimes biased due to clan influence.” A one-off mistake? Sadly, the raid forms part of a larger pattern in which U.S. forces are drawn into local sectarian conflicts through subjective intelligence provided by local sources. In May, for example, a joint U.S.-Somali raid resulted in the deaths of five Somalis. While government sources claim three of the dead were senior militants, the names of the militants sought and those killed do not match, and witnesses on the ground describe them as farmers of bananas and cattle. The sum total of resistance appears to have been one individual who fired several shots because he believed the village was being attacked by a rivalling clan, but threw away his weapon when he was wounded. Similarly, in August 2017, another joint U.S.-Somali raid meant to target Al-Shabaab fighters led to the deaths of 10 civiliansincluding a child. The soldiers later discovered that Al-Shabaab had already been driven out of the city by Somali forces. An investigation into the raid by an American journalist found witnesses who believed the U.S. had been working with a clan in renewed inter-clan tensions. Experts said it seemed that the U.S.“had been drawn into local clan dynamics.” Inherent part of Remote Warfare? Without troops on the ground, it becomes more dangerous to rely on local intelligence. In my own organization, the Remote Warfare Programme, we have explored some of the risks and challenges of remote warfare over the last 18 months through expert roundtables with the military, the government, civil society and academia, as well as field research in Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali, Kenya and with personnel rotating out of Somalia. We concluded that light-footprint engagements make it difficult to set up meaningful connections with local contacts, or even to confirm intelligence received from local sources. This creates a serious problems for counter-terrorism activities, especially because “the precision strikes that Western powers can provide in support of their partners are only as precise as the intelligence that informs them.” Instead of addressing this issue, recent developments in U.S.foreign policy are likely to exacerbate this challenge in coming years. Following the deaths of four U.S. Special Operations Forces in Niger late last year, the Pentagon has announced that it is considering withdrawing nearly all American commandosfrom Niger, as well as closing military outposts in Tunisia, Cameroon, Libya, and Kenya. At the same time, the U.S. plan to open another drone base and President Trump has granted the CIA and the U.S. military broader powers to execute high-risk counter-terrorism air strikes and raids in Somalia after he declared parts of the country “temporary battlefields”. As a result of these developments, the U.S. is likely to be forced to rely more than ever on local sources, who they do not fully know or understand, to conduct high-risk raids that are more easily approved. If this challenge is not recognized and addressed, the U.S. and other Western troops may continue to be drawn into local power dynamics, which will—at best—obscure and complicate the troops’ actual missions and—at worst—sow further instability and conflict in the places in which the U.S. intervenes. Image credit: US Army Africa/Flickr. Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen is a researcher at the Oxford Research Group’s Remote Warfare Programme. The Remote Warfare Programme Uneasy Alliances: Learning from France’s Libya Policy Strongmen cannot provide stability in the long-term, the sooner we learn this the sooner we stop perpetuating instability and violence in the places we intervene. Westminster Round-Up Podcast \| June 2019 The Remote Warfare Programme's Liam Walpole and Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen discuss the latest developments in UK defence and security policy. WarPod Ep #3 \| A Very British Approach to Collusion? In this episode, the Remote Warfare Programme are joined by Rory Cormac and Andrew Mumford of the University of Nottingham to discuss their new project on collusion. Remote Warfare Programme Present at National Army Museum On 15 June 2019, the Remote Warfare Programme’s Abigail Watson and Liam Walpole presented at a conference hosted by the National Army Museum. The posture of the British Armed Forces in and around the Persian Gulf mean that it would be very difficult for the United Kingdom, or its key ally Oman, to remain neutral in any military escalation of the conflict between Iran and the United States. Remote Warfare Programme presents at BISA Conference Abigail Watson, Senior Research Officer at the Remote Warfare Programme, recently presented at the British International Studies Association (BISA) Annual Conference. Abigail Watson Published on Inkstick On 10 June 2019, Abigail Watson, the Remote Warfare Programme's Senior Research Officer, had an article she had written published on Inkstick, a new website focusing on foreign policy. Remote Warfare and the Practical Challenges for the Protection of Civilians Strategy This briefing explores the strategic consequences of remote warfare for Protection of Civilians (POC) and outlines practical lessons the British armed forces can draw from contemporary theatres to improve its capacity for POC in partnered operations. Planning for Future Operations: Learning Lessons from Remote Warfare Remote warfare looks set to be an enduring feature of contemporary campaigns. If it continues to be treated as a secondary task to major warfighting it is unlikely that British forces will ever excel at it. Westminster Round-Up Podcast \| May 2019	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732505
__label__cc	0.593381	0.406619	What the heck is the Romberg test? Does it mean that I have brain damage or I’m impaired? December 17, 2009 by Justin McShane As a Harrisburg DUI Lawyer who lectures nationally I get asked a lot of questions. Recently I have been focusing a lot of my instruction, my research and my practice on Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) cases both in terms of analytical chemistry and the fallacies in the roadside testing regime known as the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) protocol. Among my recent posts have been: The Problem with Drug Recognition Expert and Why it is Designed for Failure which discusses the design flaws of the DRE protocol and the confirmation bias and contextual bias; and DUI Innocence Project: 93% Wrong-False Use of Roadside Tests Can Lead to False Arrest which examines the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test or HGN test which is so very integral to the Drug Recognition Expert protocol. Today I keep the focus, but I look towards the Romberg Balance Test which is another component of the Drug Recognition Expert Protocol. We start with a little etomolgy… The test was named after the German neurologist Moritz Heinrich Romberg (1795-1873), who also gave his name to Parry-Romberg syndrome and Howship-Romberg sign. (This charming fellow is Moritz Heinrich Romberg) Romberg’s test originally was a neurological test that is used to assess the dorsal columns of the spinal cord, which are essential for joint position sense (proprioception) and vibration sense. A positive Romberg test suggests that ataxia is sensory in nature, i.e. depending on loss of proprioception. Proprioception is the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body. A negative Romberg test suggests that ataxia is cerebellar in nature, i.e. depending on localized cerebellar dysfunction instead. Like many tests used at roadside, the designed and intended use of a legitimate and useful clinical screening test has been literally bastardized and hijacked by police to now be used as a supposed indicator for possible alcohol or drug impaired driving. When used to test impaired driving, the test is performed with the subject estimating seconds (30) seconds in the subject’s head with the subject’s head tilted back and eyes closed. the officer looks for non-standardized clues such as swaying. This is used to gauge the subject’s internal clock and is supposed to be an indicator of stimulant or depressant usage as measured by a fast internal clock (meaning the subject got to thirty seconds in their head in under 25 seconds) and a slow internal clock (meaning the subject got to thirty seconds in their head in under 25 seconds) respectively. However, the Romberg test has never been validated scientifically for this intended its use in roadside testing for impairment. This much the National Highway Safety Administration recognizes in its own literature. There is no peer-reviewed research that exists on this usage of the Romberg Balance Test for impaired driving determinations. The purpose of Romberg’s test in the clinical world is radically different. (Video of a proper clinical administration of the Romberg Test) According to Katz and Harris, 2008 "Lumbar Spinal Stenosis", New England J of Medicine, 358: 818-325. Romberg’s test is not a test of cerebellar function, as it is commonly misconstrued. Patients with cerebellar ataxia will, generally, be unable to balance even with the eyes open; therefore, the test cannot proceed beyond the first step and no patient with cerebellar ataxia can correctly be described as Romberg’s positive. Rather, Romberg’s test is a test of the proprioception receptors and pathways function. A positive Romberg’s test has been shown to be 90% sensitive for spinal stenosis. OK translated for the rest of us. Cerebellar ataxia dysfunction-The term cerebellar ataxia is employed to indicate ataxia (ataxia means gross lack of coordination of muscle movements) due to dysfunction of the cerebellum. Two basic causes (simplified for our purposes): Endogenous meaning caused within the system (i.e., there is something physiologically wrong with the person). This causes a variety of elementary neurological deficits, such as antagonist hypotonia, asynergy, dysmetria, dyschronometria, and dysdiadochokinesia. How and where these abnormalities manifest depend on which cerebellar structures are lesioned, and whether the lesion is bilateral or unilateral. Exogenous meaning outside of the system caused. Exogenous substances that cause ataxia mainly do so because they have a depressant effect on central nervous system function. The most common example is ethanol, which is capable of causing reversible cerebellar and vestibular ataxia. Other examples include various prescription drugs (e.g. most antiepileptic drugs have cerebellar ataxia as a possible adverse effect), marijuana ingestion and various other recreational drugs (e.g. ketamine, PCP or dextromethorphan, all of which are NMDA receptor antagonists that produce a dissociative state at high doses). There is a lot more to it, but bottom line basically, Romberg’s specific test was not designed to test cerebellar function whether it be endogenous or exogenous, but rather as a screening test for the proprioception receptors and pathways functioning. It is used in part to rule in or rule out neurological damage that is localized in the cerebellum. There has been no substantial and rigorous testing of the Romberg test for the purpose of roadside DUID testing. Way to go, Officer when I failed the Romberg test all you proved was that I may have neurological damage, not that I am impaired. Khasnis A, Gokula RM (April 1, 2003). "Romberg’s test". Journal of Postgraduate Medicine 49 (2): 169–72. PMID 12867698. http://www.jpgmonline.com/article.asp?issn=0022-3859;year=2003;volume=49;issue=2;spage=169;epage=72;aulast=Khasnis. Bridge, Carl J. (1972). Alcoholism and Driving. Charles C Thomas. ISBN 0-398-02243-7. Lee CT (September 1998). "Sharpening the Sharpened Romberg". SPUMS Journal 28 (3): 125–32. PMID 11542272. http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/5943. 3 responses to “What the heck is the Romberg test? Does it mean that I have brain damage or I’m impaired?” Thomas Page says: What you don’t state, however, is that the DRE program doesn’t teach officers to use the Modified Romberg at roadside. Rather, a Modified Romberg, including time estimation, is used as part of the full DRE evaluation. The DRE evaluation procedure has been scientifically validated, and has withstood defense Frye and Daubert challenges throughout the United States. The Nebraska Supreme Court is the latest court to state that DRE meets the Daubert standard for admissibility. Harrisburg DUI Lawyer says: First Mr. Page thank you for posting. I enjoy your blog and encourage everyone to go to it. It is at http://drugrecognitionexpert.com I welcome discussion. 1. You make a very valid point as to the designed protocol is to give the Modified Romberg not in the field, but rather in s suitable environment. However, here, in Pennsylvania, I have four (4) pending DRE cases where each of accused had been given the Romberg at the hospital emergency room area pending the phlebotomist. The Dark room examination was also attempted there. It was not dedicated and does not meet criteria for a dark room. 2. Respectfully, I state that your conclusion that DRE evaluation is scientifically validated is perhaps a bit of a stretch as the there is but one peer reviewed study that exists. It is “Drug identification performance on the basis of observable signs and symptoms” by David Shinar and Edna Schechtman appearing in Accident Analysis and Prevention 37 (2005) 843–851 With all due respect to Accident Analysis and Prevention, it is hardly a peer-reviewed pharmacology treatise. Neither David Shinar or Edna Schechtman are credentialed pharmacologists as revealed in their CVs at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Ben Gurion Blvd, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel. Their own data reveals only a correct detection of impairment in 72% of the time, and a specificity of 43% with a false alarm rate of 57%. This is a far cry from the statistically relevant levels of confidence to even suggest correlation. Furthermore, the association between drug ingestion and identification of the specific impairing drug category was not very high, with sensitivities ranging from a low of 10% for amphetamine to a high of 49% for cannabis. Based on both sensitivity and specificity, drug identification was best for alprazolam impairment, noticeably poorer for cannabis and codeine impairment, and no better than chance for amphetamine impairment. I know of no other peer-reviewed studies. Perhaps you can point me to ones that you rely upon in terms of coming to the conclusion that it is in fact scientifically validated. I would love to read them. You may very well change my mind. If you are referring to the “Identifying Types of Drug Intoxication: Laboratory Examination of a Subject-Examination Procedure” by Bigelow, et al in May 1984, then that report is not a peer reviewed article. Regardless of whether or not it was subjected to peer review, their own data clearly shows that the evaluators were not blinded and were free to ask the subjects any questions that they wanted. Importantly on page 8, the rating procedure reads: ”For purposes of the experimental evaluation it was necessary to use a rating procedure somewhat different from that used by the raters in their field situations”. In other words they changed the protocol and the administration of the DRE. The results of this study are not facially valid by definition. In fact, the first sentence of the conclusion of the paper reads: “This laboratory simulation study does not represent a direct test of the validity of these or related behavioral examination procedures for detecting and identifying drug intoxication in field situations.” 3. Additionally, while you are correct as to the Nebraska Supreme Court ruling. However, in State v. Daly, No. S-08-192 we have to acknowledge in fairness that the record was not well developed by the counsel for the defense. There were no defense experts to present the other side of the issue. To characterize that as a meaningful victory is perhaps a little bit much. To be clear, I think there is potential for usefulness for the DRE protocol, but not as it currently exists. There needs to be more peer-reviewed research to conclude that it measures [independent of confirmation/contextual bias] that which it intends or hopes to meausre. Pingback: DUI or a Stroke, Some Cops Can’t Tell the Difference \| Pennsylvania DUI Blog	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732508
__label__wiki	0.708302	0.708302	Critical Climate Talks Open in Paris Amid Hopes and Fears December 7, 2015 December 1, 2015 by Barbara Crossette At the Élysée Palace in Paris, the start of the UN’s conference on climate change: Laurent Fabius, France’s foreign minister, left, and Ban Ki-moon, UN secretary-general. Behind Fabius is François Delattre, France’s ambassador to the UN. RICK BAJORNAS Two weeks of the most crucial negotiations ever held on slowing the destructive warming of the earth in this century began in Paris on Nov. 30. The importance of the 21st Convention of Parties — COP21 — was evident in the attendance of more than 150 world leaders and other participants, a total representation of nearly 200 nations and territories. Moreover, the conference went on as planned although Paris was still in a state of emergency after terrorist attacks killed 130 people only a few weeks earlier. President Barack Obama reflected on the juxtaposition of events in his opening remarks on the importance of the conference. “And we salute the people of Paris for insisting this crucial conference go on — an act of defiance that proves nothing will deter us from building the future we want for our children,” he said. “What greater rejection of those who would tear down our world than marshaling our best efforts to save it?” After more than two decades of bickering over which nations are to blame for pollution and who is to pay to help the poorest countries adjust, reports from Paris say that about 95 percent of governments represented at the conference had earlier submitted or brought with them concrete proposals for how they would act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mostly carbon dioxide. If the global rise in the level of CO2 is not kept to 2 degrees Celsius or lower, scientists say, the effects on the earth could be catastrophic. The conference, which is scheduled to close on Dec. 11, featured a succession of global leaders, beginning with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who, with only a year left in office, had hoped to make climate change his legacy issue, before the world erupted in conflict and humanitarian crises on an unprecedented scale. “You are here today to write the script for a new future,” Ban said at the opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, as it is formally called. “We have never faced such a test. But neither have we encountered such great opportunity. You have the power to secure the well-being of this and succeeding generations.” There are some still-difficult issues to resolve. A major one is whether any agreement that emerges from Paris will be legally binding, as many nations demand. American analysts argue that this would be impossible for the Obama administration to accept because signing a binding agreement would mean the US Congress would have to approve it — an unlikely event, given the objections of Republicans, some of the most outspoken among them taking the position that scientists are wrong and there is no human threat to the global climate. Other issues involve demands for funds from richer nations to developing countries to mitigate or prevent climate change. Developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, argue that their poor societies have contributed negligible amounts of greenhouse gases while facing environmental disaster caused by the emissions of industrial countries. There are also debates about carbon pricing, a system of assigning a monetary value to emitters within countries, who might then be fined for failing to meet emission standards or given the opportunity to “sell” emissions that they do not use to those who have crossed regulation limits. While China, the largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, and the US, in second place, have made positive promises and expressed a willingness to cooperate in leading international action on climate change, large questions hang over India, which often stalls or obstructs global agreements. India, the world’s third-largest emitter of CO2, submitted proposals that in many estimates fall short of what other nations expect from a nation that relies heavily on “dirty” coal with a high ash content for energy. The Indian government insists that it has the right to industrialize and therefore rely on coal while planning to add more nonfossil sources as well as nuclear power to its energy production. Those alternatives seem to be far off at this point, and reflect the paradox of India’s claiming a place among the world’s biggest economies while operating almost pre-industrial, hugely polluting mines and electrical generation. The development of nuclear power in India, an industry that American corporations are eager to enter, has been stymied by Indian legislation making impossible demands on foreign companies, prime among them assigning all financial and other responsibilities for any accidents or malfunctions completely to those companies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who courts American investment, has made no serious effort to have this law, passed by an earlier government, overturned. Rohit Chandra, who is studying energy policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, examined the inherent problems in India’s long-term reliance on coal in a report for the Center for the Advanced Study of India at the University of Pennsylvania. “India’s energy mix is not capable of dynamically reorienting towards non-coal alternatives in a 15-20 year timescale,” Chandra wrote. Meanwhile, a polluting industry continues to grow, and India will not say when emissions might peak. “Coal will remain the dominant source of energy in India in the medium term, even as it makes investments to transition to other sources,” he wrote. “If this is the case, then much more research needs to be done on understanding India’s coal sector, its supply chains, and improving efficiencies in downstream uses of coal. Fortunately, there are some attractive options on this front.” He mentions coal “washing” to remove the ash. “Indian coals on average contain 40 percent ash, which is much higher than the 25-30 percent ideally needed for the efficient burning of coal in thermal power stations. Burning ash leads to incomplete combustion, which releases many more airborne effluents than necessary.” India also needs to improve boiler design, Chandra wrote. “Supercritical boilers are superior to conventional boilers because they function at higher temperatures and pressures, which results in more efficient combustion and less waste heat. Supercritical boilers also result in fewer emissions and lower operating costs over the lifetime of a plant, which make them an attractive proposition. However, buying them internationally is not cheap.” Finally, Chandra concluded, India has “the perennial problem of coal transportation and power plant siting,” which combine to create “extremely ineffective methods of coal transportation.” Over 20 percent of India’s coal, reflecting the outdated and often shambolic condition of India’s infrastructure and transportation systems, “still moves by road to power plants, which is much less efficient than railways-based movement,” Chandra wrote. “For a truly effective power infrastructure, India needs to move less coal and more power.” This is the inadequate and often outdated system India is demanding the right to continue and defend in global talks, while its greenhouse gas emissions keep on growing. Climate Accord Adopted: An Historic Moment for the Earth and the UN by Barbara Crossette December 12, 2015 Negotiations on the Climate Change Treaty Go Past Deadline by Dulcie Leimbach December 11, 2015 The Arctic, a Chance for Land Grabs or a New Treaty? by Jayantha Dhanapala February 19, 2013 A Monastery’s Farm in Burkina Faso Feels the Impacts of Climate Change by Dulcie Leimbach December 5, 2015 Categories Climate and Environment Tags Ban Ki-moon, Center for the Advanced Study of India, coal "washing", COP21, greenhouse gas emissions, India and climate change, India coal plants, Rohit Chandra, UN Climate Change Conference Post navigation Women Compete in Burkina Faso’s Presidential Contest, a First for the Nation In South Africa, the Importance of Telling Our Own Stories by Barbara Crossette, PassBlue <h1>Critical Climate Talks Open in Paris Amid Hopes and Fears</h1> <p class="byline">by Barbara Crossette, PassBlue <br />December 1, 2015</p> <p>Two weeks of the most crucial negotiations ever held on slowing the destructive warming of the earth in this century began in Paris on Nov. 30. The importance of the 21st Convention of Parties -- COP21 -- was evident in the attendance of more than 150 world leaders and other participants, a total representation of nearly 200 nations and territories. Moreover, the conference went on as planned although Paris was still in a state of emergency after terrorist attacks killed 130 people only a few weeks earlier.</p> <p>President Barack Obama reflected on the juxtaposition of events in his opening remarks on the importance of the conference. "And we salute the people of Paris for insisting this crucial conference go on -- an act of defiance that proves nothing will deter us from building the future we want for our children," he said. "What greater rejection of those who would tear down our world than marshaling our best efforts to save it?"</p> <p>After more than two decades of bickering over which nations are to blame for pollution and who is to pay to help the poorest countries adjust, reports from Paris say that about 95 percent of governments represented at the conference had earlier submitted or brought with them concrete proposals for how they would act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mostly carbon dioxide. If the global rise in the level of CO2 is not kept to 2 degrees Celsius or lower, scientists say, the effects on the earth could be catastrophic.</p> <p>The conference, which is scheduled to close on Dec. 11, featured a succession of global leaders, beginning with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who, with only a year left in office, had hoped to make climate change his legacy issue, before the world erupted in conflict and humanitarian crises on an unprecedented scale.</p> <p>"You are here today to write the script for a new future," Ban said at the opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, as it is formally called. "We have never faced such a test. But neither have we encountered such great opportunity. You have the power to secure the well-being of this and succeeding generations."</p> <p>There are some still-difficult issues to resolve. A major one is whether any agreement that emerges from Paris will be legally binding, as many nations demand. American analysts argue that this would be impossible for the Obama administration to accept because signing a binding agreement would mean the US Congress would have to approve it -- an unlikely event, given the objections of Republicans, some of the most outspoken among them taking the position that scientists are wrong and there is no human threat to the global climate.</p> <p>Other issues involve demands for funds from richer nations to developing countries to mitigate or prevent climate change. Developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, argue that their poor societies have contributed negligible amounts of greenhouse gases while facing environmental disaster caused by the emissions of industrial countries. There are also debates about carbon pricing, a system of assigning a monetary value to emitters within countries, who might then be fined for failing to meet emission standards or given the opportunity to "sell" emissions that they do not use to those who have crossed regulation limits.</p> <p>While China, the largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, and the US, in second place, have made positive promises and expressed a willingness to cooperate in leading international action on climate change, large questions hang over India, which often stalls or obstructs global agreements.</p> <p>India, the world's third-largest emitter of CO2, submitted proposals that in many estimates fall short of what other nations expect from a nation that relies heavily on "dirty" coal with a high ash content for energy. The Indian government insists that it has the right to industrialize and therefore rely on coal while planning to add more nonfossil sources as well as nuclear power to its energy production. Those alternatives seem to be far off at this point, and reflect the paradox of India's claiming a place among the world's biggest economies while operating almost pre-industrial, hugely polluting mines and electrical generation.</p> <p>The development of nuclear power in India, an industry that American corporations are eager to enter, has been stymied by Indian legislation making impossible demands on foreign companies, prime among them assigning all financial and other responsibilities for any accidents or malfunctions completely to those companies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who courts American investment, has made no serious effort to have this law, passed by an earlier government, overturned.</p> <p>Rohit Chandra, who is studying energy policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, examined the inherent problems in India's long-term reliance on coal in a report for the Center for the Advanced Study of India at the University of Pennsylvania. "India's energy mix is not capable of dynamically reorienting towards non-coal alternatives in a 15-20 year timescale," Chandra wrote. Meanwhile, a polluting industry continues to grow, and India will not say when emissions might peak.</p> <p>"Coal will remain the dominant source of energy in India in the medium term, even as it makes investments to transition to other sources," he wrote. "If this is the case, then much more research needs to be done on understanding India's coal sector, its supply chains, and improving efficiencies in downstream uses of coal. Fortunately, there are some attractive options on this front."</p> <p>He mentions coal "washing" to remove the ash. "Indian coals on average contain 40 percent ash, which is much higher than the 25-30 percent ideally needed for the efficient burning of coal in thermal power stations. Burning ash leads to incomplete combustion, which releases many more airborne effluents than necessary."</p> <p>India also needs to improve boiler design, Chandra wrote. "Supercritical boilers are superior to conventional boilers because they function at higher temperatures and pressures, which results in more efficient combustion and less waste heat. Supercritical boilers also result in fewer emissions and lower operating costs over the lifetime of a plant, which make them an attractive proposition. However, buying them internationally is not cheap.”</p> <p>Finally, Chandra concluded, India has “the perennial problem of coal transportation and power plant siting,” which combine to create “extremely ineffective methods of coal transportation.”</p> <p>Over 20 percent of India’s coal, reflecting the outdated and often shambolic condition of India’s infrastructure and transportation systems, “still moves by road to power plants, which is much less efficient than railways-based movement,” Chandra wrote. “For a truly effective power infrastructure, India needs to move less coal and more power.”</p> <p>This is the inadequate and often outdated system India is demanding the right to continue and defend in global talks, while its greenhouse gas emissions keep on growing.</p> <p> </p> This <a target="_blank" href="https://www.passblue.com/2015/12/01/critical-climate-talks-open-in-paris-amid-hopes-and-fears/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.passblue.com">PassBlue</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732511
__label__cc	0.707734	0.292266	Home » Poker News » The Winner of the Choctaw Main Event of the 2016 World Poker Tour is James Mackey The Winner of the Choctaw Main Event of the 2016 World Poker Tour is James Mackey Written By: Samantha A. \| August 2, 2016 \| Posted In Poker News James Mackey who is a 30 year old poker pro has finally captured his first WPT Tile as well as $681,758 first place prize winnings. James has won the second running of the World Poker Tour Choctaw in the 3,700 no- limit hold’em main event, which in fact means that he defeated a field of 1,066 other players to win his very first WPT title as well as his first place prize. This amazing 30 year old who is from Missouri was in fact one of online poker’s hugest American Starts who played under the screen name of “Mig.com” and who found plenty of success which included a very large win in a World Championship of Online Poker event for the grand total of more than half a million dollars. James is also a WSOP bracelet winner, having winning a $5,000 no-limit hold’em event in the year of 2007, now he can also add a WPT champion to his long list of poker accomplishments. James made it into the final table with a total of six poker players in a third chip position and was up against plenty of tough competition which included Benjamin Zamani fellow WSOP bracelet winner as well as 2015 Aria WPT500 winner Craig Varnell. James eliminated Craig in third place to take over a 3 to 2 chip lead play against Benjamin, who was also looking to win his very first WPT Title. James and Benjamin went head to head in 36 hands, with the majority of the games going James’s way. By the end of the final hand James held a very sizable chip lead of more than 3 to 1. With the blinds at 150,000 to 300,000 and the ante set at 50,000 Benjamin limped in from the button as James raised the ante to 1,000,000. Bejamin three bet all in for a 7.4 million dollar total as James snap called with his eight of hearts and eight of diamond, Benjamin was now in trouble with his five of hearts and five of clubs.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732512
__label__cc	0.619736	0.380264	Reasons for vasectomies & OSS (Ovary Sparing Spay) Recent Research Raises Concerns Regarding Early Spaying/Neutering The History of Spay/Neuter: Whereas in the early part of the 20th century pet ownership was common only to rural American households, after World War 2 the country experienced the baby boom, an increased urbanization and suburbanization of society, and an expansion of pet ownership within non-rural households. Subsequently, with the advent of a significant increase in pet ownership in high-density population areas, concomitant problems developed. The number of stray and unwanted pets increased in regions where the issue received more political attention and posed greater public health and safety concerns than when stray pets remained principally a rural issue. Moreover, without strategic fertility control measures, given the frequency of stray dog and cat copulations and the size of resultant litters, the pet population grew prolifically. County and city animal shelters became increasing burdens to the public coffers. Furthermore, the escalating frequency of canine and feline euthanasia at shelters was expensive, emotionally distasteful, and politically sensitive. Therefore, spaying and neutering were posed as logical and humane solutions to counter the pet overpopulation problem.[1] Consequently, since the 1970’s the veterinary industry and the public policy machine have strongly advocated the spaying/neutering of pet dogs.[2] Although population control was initially the primary rationale behind promoting the spay/neuter of pet dogs and cats, soon ancillary benefits were espoused as additional selling points. The message spread quickly to pet owners. The first public spay/neuter clinic opened in Los Angeles in 1969.[3] Municipal and county governments began using fiscal inducement to encourage spaying and neutering, whereby they often doubled or tripled the registration cost for those owning fertile animals. Shelters and humane organizations commenced formal strategies that used word of mouth and marketing literature to actively promote spaying and neutering. The veterinary community likewise used its respected position to influence pet owners. For the shelters, that did not have sufficient facilities or staff to handle the burgeoning pet population, marketing strategies and contracts requiring that the public spay and neuter adopted animals became a financial necessity to operate within allotted budgets. For the veterinary community, what started as a public policy initiative evolved into a major revenue producer at many small animal clinics. Gradually, shelters and veterinarians encouraged pet owners to spay/neuter at progressively younger ages. By the 1990s, six months, the common age of first estrus for small-breed females, became the norm for both female and male dogs. As time marched on, the age became even younger. Nowadays, many shelters advocate pediatric spaying/neutering, whereby veterinary staff sterilize animals as young as 8 weeks of age. The message became both logical and passionate. Prominent national humane and veterinary organizations communicated population, health, behavioral, and financial reasons for pet owners to sterilize their animals.[4][5][6][7][8] For those interested in greater detail about the pro-spay/neuter position, please read the links within footnotes 4 – 8. The spay/neuter campaign strategy produced highly effective results. America’s pet owners presently spay/neuter 83% of pet dogs and 91% of pet cats.[9] Furthermore, pet owners who do not spay or neuter their dogs or cats are often considered socially irresponsible and their pets are often ostracized from dog day care, dog parks, and some kennels, as advocates hope that peer pressure will continue to raise the percentage of sterilized animals. Contrasting ViewpointsHowever, there are prominent voices who question the benefit of spaying and neutering, especially early-age spaying and neutering. Ted Kerasote, the author of the best selling books Merle’s Door and Pukka’s Promise, wrote: “There is a growing body of scientific evidence that points to the harmful effects of spaying and neutering: shortened life span, increased risk of certain cancers, and increased incidence of ACL injuries. Depending on your situation, you may wish to delay the spaying or neutering of your dog until it is 14 months old or not sterilize it at all.”[10] During his research for Pukka’s Promise, Kerasote cited that dogs in Europe, where spaying/neutering is much less common, live significantly longer lives. A Purdue University study published in 2009 showed that female dogs that keep their ovaries live longer lives. The study evaluated 305 Rottweilers. The conclusion by Dr. David Waters, the lead author, was that female Rottweilers that remained intact till at least 6 years of age were 4.6 times more likely to reach “exceptional longevity,” defined as 13 years of age.[11][12][13] Laura Sanborn, M.S., Tuft’s University, published a thoroughly researched paper that cited 55 references. In her 2007 paper, advocated by Larry S. Katz, PhD, the Chair of Animal Sciences at Rutgers University, Sanborn objectively mentions both the positives and negatives of spaying/neutering. The positives for male dogs include elimination in risk of testicular cancer, a reduction of benign prostate disorders and perianal fistulas, and a possible reduction in risk of diabetes. The negatives for male dogs include an increase in the risk of osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, hypothyroidism, geriatric cognitive impairment, obesity, prostate cancer, urinary tract cancer, orthopedic disorders, and adverse reaction to vaccines. According to Sanborn, the risk of urinary tract cancer is doubled, the risk of hypothyroidism and obesity is tripled, and the risk of prostate cancer is quadrupled.[14] Sanborn writes, “On balance, it appears that no compelling case can be made for neutering most male dogs, especially immature male dogs, in order to prevent future health problems… For female dogs the situation is more complex. The number of health benefits associated with spaying may exceed the associated health problems in some (not all) cases. On balance, whether spaying improves the odds of overall good health or degrades them probably depends on the age for the female dogs and the relative risk of various diseases in the different breeds.”[15] Her paper states that the positives of spaying include greatly reducing the risk of mammary tumors (if the spay is completed before 2.5 years of age), nearly eliminating the risk of pyometra (which would otherwise affect 23% of females and kill 1%), reducing the risk of perianal fistulas, and removing the small risk of uterine, cervical, and ovarian tumors. The negatives of spaying include significantly increasing the risk of osteosarcoma, doubling the risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma, quintupling the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma, tripling the risk of hypothyroidism, almost doubling the risk of obesity, causing urinary incontinence in 4 – 20% of dogs, more than tripling the risk of urinary tract infections, increasing the risk of vaginal infections, doubling the risk of urinary tract tumors, increasing the risk of orthopedic disorders, and increasing the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations.[16] Dr. Christine Zink, DVM, PhD, DACVP, DACVSMR, the Director of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, an expert in the field of canine athletic performance and canine stem cell therapies, and the American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2009 Outstanding Woman Veterinarian of the Year,[17] also has doubts about the one-sided message delivered by universal spay/neuter supporters. In a paper first published in 2005 and revised in 2013 that footnotes 40 peer-reviewed studies, Zink notes: a) the significantly delayed closure of growth plates in spayed females, b) significantly elongated tibia, radius, and ulna bones in neutered male and spayed female dogs in comparison to intact adult animals, c) a narrower cranial and orthopedic physique, d) a significantly increased incidence of canine cruciate ligament (CCL) tears in spayed and neutered dogs, e) a 50% increase in hip dysplasia in spayed and neutered dogs, f) a 210% higher probability of patellar luxation in spayed and neutered dogs, g) an increase in obesity in spayed and neutered dogs, h) a 400% greater likelihood of spayed females developing cardiac hemangiosarcoma, i) a 120% increased risk of spayed females developing splenic hemangiosarcoma, j) a 2 – 3x greater chance of females and males developing bone cancer, k) an approximately 3x increase in neutered male dogs developing benign prostate tumors and a 4x increase in prostate cancer, l) a 3 – 4x greater probability of experiencing benign and cancerous tumors of the bladder in both male and female dogs, m) significantly higher risks of mast cell cancer, lymphoma, and other cancers, n) an increased risk of noise phobias in early-age spayed/neutered dogs, o) an increased risk of undesirable mounting in early-age spayed/neutered dogs, p) a significantly increased risk of reactivity in an experimental group of spayed German Shepherds, q) a decrease in energy level for spayed and neutered dogs, r) an increase in urinary incontinence in spayed females (and sometimes males) that increases the earlier the age of the spay, s) an increased risk of hypothyroidism in both spayed and neutered dogs, t) a 22x greater probability of fatal acute pancreatitis in spayed female dogs, u) a 27 – 38% increase in vaccine reaction in spayed/neutered dogs, and v) reduced lifespan in spayed Rottweilers.[18] A 2013 study from the University of California, Davis, the top veterinary school in the United States according to US News & World Report,[19] examined 759 Golden Retrievers, a very large sample base for a veterinary study. The study found that: a) the incidence of hip dysplasia in neutered males was double the intact group, b) whereas none of the intact dogs experienced CCL ruptures, 5% of the neutered male and 8% of the spayed females suffered CCL tears, c) the lymphosarcoma rate in early-neutered males was 3x the rate in intact males, d) the hemangiosarcoma rate in late-spayed females was 4x more than for early-spay or fertile females, and e) the mast cell tumor rate was zero in intact females, but 6% in late spayed females.[20] In a 2014 UC Davis study, noted canine researchers Benjamin and Lynette Hart compared the effects of neutering on 1,015 Golden Retrievers and 1,500 Labrador Retrievers. The purpose of the study was both to further the knowledge of the effects of spaying/neutering on canines and to determine the amount of breed relevance pertinent to the 2013 research. In the studied Labradors, early spaying/neutering doubled the incidence of joint disorders, whereas with Golden Retrievers early spaying/neutering increased the probability of joint issues by 4 – 5x. In female Labs, the rate of cancer only increased slightly in spayed animals, whereas with female Goldens spaying increased the rate of cancer by 3 – 4x. In both male Labs and Goldens neutering had little effect on cancer frequency in contrast to the intact group. The conclusion was that there was breed relevance to the effects of spaying/neutering on the probability of long-term health consequences.[21] More research needs to be done on the influence of breed genetics in relation to the long-term health consequences of standard surgical sterilization. Raising further questions, there are veterinary studies that obtained conclusions disparate from those found in the papers cited previously. For instance, an April 2013 paper authored by researchers from the University of Georgia Department of Genetics and College of Veterinary Medicine compared the age and cause of death of over 40,000 intact and sterilized domestic dogs. The conclusion was that “sterilization was strongly associated with an increase in lifespan,” which differs sharply with the findings of the Purdue paper. However, the UGA researchers concurred that spaying/neutering increased the risk of death from cancer. The authors (Hoffman, Creevy, Promislow) believe that we need more research on the affects of reproductive ability on lifespan and the relationship between reproductive physiology and the specific cause of death.[22] A highly footnoted research paper authored by Dr. Annette Smith, DVM, MS, of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, determined that gonadic hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) and their associated cellular hormone receptors may adversely or positively influence the development of canine and feline neoplasms (both benign tumors and metastatic cancerous tumors). Intact dogs will more commonly experience mammary tumors, meningiomas, perianal gland tumors, prostatic tumors, and reproductive organ tumors. Non-neoplastic health conditions more common to intact dogs include pyometra, and vaginal prolapse. Moreover, owners of intact female dogs may be inconvenienced by unintended pregnancy, whelping complications, pseudopregnancy, and estral bleeding. On the other hand, sterilized animals were more likely to develop osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, bladder cancer, and mast cell tumors.[23] In addition, according to Smith, pet owners and veterinarians should also weigh risks inherent to spay/neuter surgery, including anesthesia complications, hormone-responsive incontinence, perivulvar dermatitis, atrophic vaginitis, and endocrine alopecias.[24][25] Of particular note, Smith provided a critique relevant to the lifespan conclusion proffered by the UGA study. “Selection bias is prevalent in the veterinary literature…The pet population that is seen at a specialty hospital may not be representative of the general pet population…Pet owners who can not afford sterilization surgery may not be able to afford treatment when a serious disease condition occurs, resulting in a perception that those animals that are intact live a shorter time.”[26] There is also conflict regarding the effects of spaying/neutering on the development of behavioral disorders. Although many sterilization proponents and some researchers have cited the benefits of spaying/neutering in reducing roaming, marking, mounting, and dominance aggression in dogs (and spraying and aggressive behavior in cats),[27] other researchers have found behavioral detriments. A 2014 paper cited increased incidence of astraphobia (storm anxiety) and other behavioral disorders in spayed/neutered Vizslas.[28] A 2006 study of spayed female German Shepherds showed increased reactivity within the sterilized population.[29] A 1990 study asked owners to evaluate their dogs at approximately 6 months of age and again 6 months later. The study found that spayed females were more likely to demonstrate “indiscriminate appetite” and dominance aggression than females who were not spayed within the 6-month time period.[30] In a number of the studies there were weaknesses pertinent to: 1) the method of data collection, which often were owner questionnaires that introduced great subjectivity and variability in contrast to an optimal, controlled experimental design, 2) the consistency amongst physical or geographic environments between spayed and sterilized groups, and/or 3) the consistency amongst other variables, such as nutrition, owner finances, and owner behavior, that may have affected the dogs and thereby reduced the validity of the study outcomes. Nevertheless, there exists a volume of data that should prompt veterinarians and pet owners to take a more thorough look before immediately undertaking a spay/neuter operation, especially an early age spay/neuter, on a beloved pet, regardless of breed. European Statistics and PolicyInterestingly, the public policy is very different in much of Europe, where the spay/neuter rate is much lower than in the USA. For instance, in Sweden only 7% of dogs are spayed/neutered.[31] In Hungary 43% of dogs are spayed or neutered.[32] In the United Kingdom 54% of dogs are spayed or neutered.[33] The sharpest difference from the USA lies in Norway. The Norwegian Animal Welfare Act forbids spaying or neutering, except in cases of medical necessity.[34][35] Yet, Scandinavian countries appear to have a much lower stray pet problem than in the USA,[36] most likely because the Scandinavian culture is such that people rarely abandon their pets or let them run loose.[37] What is the Compromise?In the 1970s approximately 24 million dogs and cats were euthanized in American shelters.[38] Due to vigorous public policy that promoted spay/neuter, shelter adoption, and overall more responsible pet ownership the number was decreased to 3.7 million by 2008.[39] Therefore, clearly spay/neuter promotion has assisted in reducing the slaughter of millions of overpopulated, unwanted dogs and cats. Nevertheless, might there be a better way? Might there be a method that prevents breeding while simultaneously maintaining the overall potential health benefits of retaining testicular and ovarian function? The solution may be vasectomies and tubal ligations. With both procedures fertility is eliminated while the gonadic glands still produce pertinent hormones (testosterone, estrogen) that research shows is beneficial for optimizing long-term health. Yet, there may be a huge impediment to implementing such a policy. Ted Kerasote, who actively promotes alternatives to spays and neuters, had his research assistant investigate the potential of alternative surgeries with 26 veterinary teaching colleges. Unfortunately, he found that not one of the 26 universities provides instruction on veterinary vasectomies and tubal ligations.[40] Therefore, it stands to reason that few practicing small animal veterinarians are properly trained to perform the alternative surgeries. Consequently, despite the concerns registered by the recent research, pet owners will only have the choice to spay/neuter or do nothing, unless they are proximal to a board-diplomated veterinary surgical specialist, who feels comfortable completing a vasectomy or tubal ligation. SummaryAs the US population and demographics changed after World War 2 pet overpopulation became a serious problem in suburban and urban regions. Public policy responded by avidly promoting spay/neuter programs. The programs successfully inspired the vast majority of pet owners to sterilize their pets. Consequently, shelters euthanize significantly fewer dogs and cats. However, recent academic research shows that orchidectomy and ovariohysterectomy, the most common surgical methods of sterilization, are potentially deleterious to the long-term health of dogs, such that the health benefits (such as the reduction in pyometra) and behavioral benefits (reduction in roaming, marking, and dog-dog conflicts between neutered and intact male dogs, usually instigated by the neutered dogs) are markedly outweighed by the increased health risks. Vasectomies and tubal ligations are surgical alternatives that may resolve the dilemma between responsible population control and public policy on one end and the long-term health of our beloved pets on the other end. Yet, few practicing small animal veterinarians are properly taught to administer vasectomy or tubal ligation surgeries and board-diplomated surgeons may be outside the financial or geographic means of many pet owners. Therefore, pet owners should pressure veterinarians, veterinary associations, and veterinary colleges to become familiar with alternative surgeries, so that citizens have an educated and available choice when adopting or purchasing their next pet. At times spaying or neutering may remain the superior election, especially if the surgery is postponed until the growth period has ceased. However, at other times vasectomy or tubal ligation or no surgery at all may be a better decision. Regardless, education of the pet owning population and education of the veterinary community will lead to more informed action, better long-term health for our pets, and a more humane public policy. © Copyright Mark Spivak and Comprehensive Pet Therapy, Inc., October 2015. [1] Denise Flaim, “Risks and Benefits to Spaying and Neutering Your Dog,” Whole Dog Journal, Feb 2013. [3] Cathy M. Rosenthal, “When Did U.S. Get First Spay/Neuter Clinic?”, MySA, July 6, 2011. [4] https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/top-10-reasons-spay-or-neuter-your-pet [5] http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/why_spay_neuter.html [6] http://pets.webmd.com/reasons-spay-neuter-pet [7] http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-surgery-a-z/top-10-reasons-neuter-your-pet [8] http://www.spayusa.org/benefits.php [9] https://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/pet-statistics [10] http://www.kerasote.com/healthy-dogs.php [11] http://www.gpmcf.org/EnclosurePRDec2009.pdf [12] https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/100301g.aspx [13] Waters, David J, Kengeri, Seema S. Clever, Beth, et al., “Exploring Mechanisms of Sex Differences in Longevity: Lifetime Ovary Exposure and Exceptional Longevity in Dogs,” Aging Cell (2009), 8, pp 752-755. [14] Laura J. Sanborn, “Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay/Neuter in Dogs,” National Animal Interest Alliance, naiaonline.org, May 14, 2007. [17] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Christine_Zink [18] Christine Zink, “Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete: One Veterinarian’s Opinion,” Canine Sports Productions, 2005, revised 2013. [19] http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings [20] Torres de la Riva, Hart, Farver, et al., “Neutering Dogs: Effects on Joint Disorders and Cancers in Golden Retrievers,” PLOS One, Feb 13, 2013. [21] Hart, Hart, Thigpen, Willits, “Long-Term Health Effects of Neutering Dogs: Comparison of Labrador Retrievers with Golden Retrievers,” PLOS One, July 14, 2014. [22] Hoffman, Creevy, Promislow, “Reproductive Capability is Associated with Lifespan and Cause of Death in Companion Dogs,” PLOS One, April 2013. [23] Annete N. Smith, “The Role of Neutering in Cancer Development,” Vet Clin Small Anim 44 (2014). [25] SD Johnston, “Questions and Answers on the Effects of Surgically Neutering Dogs and Cats,” JAVMA, 1991;198:1206-14. [27] Richard Bowen, “Effects of Gonadectomy on Health, Behavior and Performance of Pets,” Colorado State University, Dec 27, 2014. [28] Zink, Farhoody, Elser, et al., “Evaluation of the Risk and Age of Onset of Cancer and Behavioral Disorders in Gonadectomized Vizslas,” JAVMA, 2014;244:309-19. [29] Kim, Yeon, Houpt, “Effects of Ovariohysterectomy on Reactivity in German Shepherd Dogs,” Vet J 2006;172:154-9. [30] O’Farrell, Peachy, “Behavioural Effects of Ovariohysterectomy on Bitches,” Journal of Small Animal Practice, 1990 Vol. 31, No. 12, pp 595-598. [31] Jitpean, Hagman, Stom-Holst, et al, “Breed Variations in the Occurrence of Pyometra and Mammary Tumors in Swedish Dogs,” Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Canine and Feline Reproduction (2012). [32] Kubinyi, Miklosi, “Dog and Owner Demographic Characteristics and Dog Personality Trait Associations,” Behavioural Processes, (2009). [33] Diesel, Brodbelt, Laurence, “Survey of Veterinary Practice Policies and Opinions on Neutering Dogs,” Veterinary Record, (2010). [34] Live Kleveland Karlsrud, “Norwegian Animal Law,” Michigan State University Animal Legal & Historical Center, (2004) [35] Ida Kornellussen, “Should Dogs Be Neutered,” Science Nordic, Dec 29, 2011. [37] Hal Herzog, “The Decision to Neuter Pets Just Got More Complicated,” Huff Post Science, March 1, 2013. [39] “Animal Shelter Euthanasia,” American Humane Association (2015) [40] Dr. Martin Becker, “Two Possible Reasons Dogs Live Longer in Europe,” Healthy Pets, September 6, 2011. http://cpt-training.com/recent-research-raises-concerns-regarding-early-spayingneutering/ Various Health Articles & Research related to Poodle Health that we find interesting and relevant.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732513
__label__wiki	0.500092	0.500092	The basic Military Funeral Honors (MFH) ceremony consists of the folding and presentation of the United States flag to the veterans' family and the playing of Taps. The ceremony is performed by a funeral honors detail consisting of at least two members of the Armed Forces. The Funeral Honors rendered to you or your veteran will be determined by the status of the veteran. The type of Funeral Honors may be Full Military Honors, 7 Person Detail or a Standard Honors Team Detail. At least one of the funeral honors detail will be from the Armed Force in which the deceased veteran served. Taps may be played by a bugler or, if a bugler is not available, by using a quality recorded version. Military Funeral Honor Teams may act as Pall Bearers if requested by the veteran/family. Who is eligible for Military Funeral Honors? Military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve. Former military members who served on active duty and departed under conditions other than dishonorable. Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve and departed under conditions other than dishonorable. Who is not eligible for Military Funeral Honors? Any person separated from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions or whose character of service results in a bar to veteran's benefits. Any person who was ordered to report to an induction station, but was not actually inducted into military service. Any person discharged from the Selected Reserve prior to completing one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service for reasons other than a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty. Any person convicted of a Federal or State capital crime sentenced to death or life imprisonment. How do I establish veteran eligibility? The preferred method is the DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. If the DD Form 214 is not available, any discharge document showing other than dishonorable service can be used. The DD Form 214 may be obtained by filling out a Standard Form 180 and sending it to: National Personnel Records Center(NPRC) 9700 Page Blvd. The Standard Form 180 may be obtained from the National Records Center or via the following web site: http://www.archives.gov/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf Is anyone else eligible to receive funeral honors? Yes. Members of the Commissioned Officer Corps of the Public Health Service (PHS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as members of a Uniformed Service, are also eligible to receive funeral honors. For NOAA personnel, eligibility is established using NOAA Form 56-16, Report of Transfer or Discharge. If the family does not have a copy of the NOAA Form 56-16, it may by obtained by contacting the Chief, Officer Services Division, NOAA Commissioned Personnel Center at (301) 713-7715. or by writing: Commissioned Personnel Center Chief, Officer Services Division (CPC1) 1315 East-West Highway, Room 12100 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 For PHS personnel, funeral honors eligibility is established using PHS Form 1867, Statement of Service (equivalent to the DD Form 214). If the family does not have a copy of the Statement of Service, it may be obtained by contacting the Privacy Coordinator for the Commissioned Corps at (240) 453-6041 or writing: Division of Commissioned Personnel/HRS/PSC Attention: Privacy Act Coordinator Porter Funeral Home ~ Hawarden \| 712 10th Street (P.O. Box 128) \| Hawarden, IA 51023 \| Tel: 1-712-551-2712 \| porterfuneral@outlook.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732514
__label__cc	0.570168	0.429832	Portville Central School to Start Athletic Hall of Fame With the financial support of the Sports Boosters organization, Portville Central School is developing an Athletic Hall of Fame with the first inductees to be inducted at half time of the first home football game in September of 2011. Its purpose is to recognize the accomplishments of the inductees and develop pride in Portville’s rich athletic tradition along with recognizing individuals who have demonstrated both in school and in succeeding years, the worth of athletics, who have well-defined goals, provided leadership, and who have had an impact on society. Honorees may be coaches, athletes (male or female) and boosters who have provided meritorious service. Selection criteria includes: For athletes, a 15-year waiting period from the time they graduate. For coaches/boosters, a 15- year waiting period from initial contributions to Portville athletics. Those that have achieved success as an athlete or as a coach or booster during their tenure at Portville Central School. Noteworthy accomplishments as a citizen will be considered. Considerations will be based on post-high school contributions such as: athletics, career field, community service, or politics. To nominate an individual, please go to the Portville Central School website, www.portville.wnyric.org, and click on athletics to download the nomination form. You may also contact Elizabeth Colligan, Athletic Director, at 933-6000, Ext. 1147.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732515
__label__cc	0.556188	0.443812	MLG Raleigh: Streaming Survival Guide By Patrick Miller This weekend, thousands of gamers are storming Raleigh, NC for a Major League Gaming event. You don't have to be there to catch the action yourself, though--just read our handy-dandy guide to staying on top of the MLG streams, and you won't miss a single game (or a bathroom break). You can watch the stream from the MLG home page--it should be live by the time you read this. Stay on schedule. The drop-down menus on the side of the main stream page show you the overall schedule for the whole event. If you're just tuning in to watch a few particular games, switch over to that game's stream using the tabs along the top of the video window to see exactly what's going on that stream for the day. If you absolutely must catch EG.IdrA vs. ST.Bomber, the schedule will tell you it's slated for 5:30PM EST on the Starcraft 2 Red Stream. Watch in double vision. If you're following Starcraft 2, you'll want to keep up on both Red and Blue streams. You can use this link at Well-Played.org to keep up both streams at once, and then choose which one you want to full-screen (and mute the other one, or else it'll get confusing). That way, you can make sure you're watching your favorite commentators and players at all times. Look for a nearby Barcraft. More and more sports bars are open to showing Starcraft 2 events to groups of organized viewers, especially since the Sunday night finals can often draw a decent crowd on otherwise low-traffic nights. You can find them pretty easily by Googling <your area> and "Barcraft", or checking this Reddit section. (You typically have to be of legal drinking age to attend, mind you.) Check out the new games. This MLG event has a few new entrances to the lineup. Starcraft 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and Halo: Reach are the current mainstays, but they've also added League of Legends to the list for this event, and there's a special showmatch in the as-yet-unreleased Gears of War 3 between four developers from Epic Games and the 2008-2009 Gears of War 1+2 champion team Th3 Nsan3z. Be wary of the weather. You probably know that the East Coast is currently in the middle of a hurricane alert. MLG staff is prepared for the hurricane to disrupt their streaming (and supposedly has backup streaming plans in place) but if you're having chronic stream problems, it might be due to the hurricane. Don't miss it, go mobile. You don't have to let silly things like a social life or real-world responsibilities get in the way of your MLG action. Android users should have no problem using the standard MLG streaming, as long as your device supports Flash. If you're on iOS, don't worry--twitch.tv is hosting low-resolution streams for both Starcraft 2 streams, Halo, and Call of Duty. (You can find links to the streams here.) Starcraft 2 fans can also stay up on the day's events with this handy schedule page, which keeps tabs on each stream and translates the EST schedule to your time zone. Patrick Miller covers HDTVs, how-tos, and the occasional game for PCWorld. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732517
__label__cc	0.629773	0.370227	Shadow Banking: A New Danger Zone In The Financial System Following The Financial Crisis Publicado: Apr 17, 2015 \| Publicado en: Blog Following the 2008 financial crisis, Congress passed a set of laws, Dodd-Frank, which gave federal regulators broader powers to establish rules and regulations to prevent Wall Street from causing another financial meltdown. Among the issues which Dodd Frank supposedly addressed was the de-leveraging of banks and the reduction or elimination of the “risk taking” function of banks deemed to be central to the financial system, or “systemically” important. Such new regulation seems to have caused a hit to banks’ profits. The risk-taking or potentially money making arms, like hedge funds and proprietary trading, were spun out of the banks. That doesn’t mean Mom and Pop investors are living in a risk free world. Indeed, a startling recent Wall Street Journal article highlights the risks to the financial system from a growing group of banks widely dubbed as “shadow banks.” “Shadow bank is a catch-all label for any entity that supplies credit but doesn’t fund itself with deposits as banks do,” according to the Wall Street Journal’s Greg Ip. “Shadow banks were central to the mortgage bubble. Subprime mortgages were originated largely by lightly regulated firms, bundled into securities and sold to opaque funds financed with short-term IOUs. When the subprime bubble popped, many died or shrank.” Other financial players, including mutual funds, the longtime favorite investment of buy and hold retail investors, have become a force in the murky, “ambiguous” world of financing and credit, according to Ip. “Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds now rival banks as suppliers of credit, in particular “leveraged loans” to highly indebted companies,” Ip reports. “Total bond-fund holdings world-wide last year totaled $9.6 trillion, up 25% from 2008, according to the IMF. Mutual funds’ leveraged loans have shot up 60% to $151 billion in the U.S., and by 223%, to $126 billion, in the Eurozone.” “These funds also finance themselves with shareholders’ equity,” according to Ip. “But there’s a wrinkle: Open-ended funds usually allow share redemptions at the end of each day, and sometimes during the day. If shareholders redeemed en masse, the effect would be similar to a run on a bank. While the fund wouldn’t fail as a bank would, it might have to liquidate its investments.” In other words, despite Dodd-Frank’s success in limiting risks for large institutions, there is still plenty of credit and lending risk in the financial system. Leveraged loan funds, particularly during a correction in the market, could prove to be a new danger zone. As Ip stated: “Squeezing risk out of the economy can be like pressing down on a water bed: The risk often re-emerges elsewhere. So it goes with efforts to make the financial system safer since the financial crisis.” While regulators have responded by tightening the oversight of some shadow banks, those institutions are wily and could simply change shape and business models to escape the oversight of regulators. That could lead to safe banks but still plenty of high-risk financial institutions extending loans and credit. Ip concludes we may end up with safer banks but a less safe financial system. And that’s an outcome no one wants. Zamansky LLC are investment and stock fraud attorneys representing investors in federal and state litigation and arbitration against financial institutions.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732526
__label__wiki	0.918093	0.918093	David Howell Swindon, England Weybridge, England Wife, Emily; Freddie George Began working with instructor Clive Tucker in 2006. Soccer, all sports 1998 MasterCard Australian PGA Championship [Aus] 1999 Dubai Desert Classic [Eur] 2005 BMW International Open [Eur] 2005 HSBC Champions [Eur] 2006 BMW Championship [Eur] 2013 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship [Eur] 2004, 2006 Ryder Cup 2005, 2006 World Cup 2000, 2002 Seve Trophy 2006, 2013 Royal Trophy Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play: Had additional success in Scotland when he made it to the semifinals of the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie match Play in Aberdeen. In the semifinals, fell to Robert Karlsson in 20 holes. In the consolation match for third place, defeated Scotland's Marc Warren, 1-up. Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open: Had four par-or-better rounds at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open to T10 with six others at Gullane GC. BMW International Open: Finished T9 at the BMW International Open in late-June in Germany. Fired a final-round 65 in Munich to move into the top 10. Volvo China Open: At the Volvo China Open, was tied for the 54-hole lead with Hao Tong Li, Alexander Levy and Ashun Wu. Needed to par the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Wu, who had posted his score 20 minutes earlier. Stumbled on the par-5 closing hole and made bogey to finish at 8-under, a shot behind Wu's winning score. Shenzhen International: Had a strong tournament in China in mid-April, at the European Tour's Shenzhen International. Had four under-par rounds at Genzon GC, improving by one shot each day (71-70-69-68) to T4, two shots out of the Kiradech Aphibarnrat-Hao Tong Li playoff. Joburg Open: In early January, had a strong showing at the Joburg Open in South Africa. Opened with a 5-under 66 at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington GC and then followed with three additional sub-70 rounds (69-68-69) to T2 with Wallie Coetsee, Kevin Phelan, Jaco Van Zyl and Anthony Wall, two shots short of winner Andy Sullivan. It was his second runner-up finish in as many seasons, to go with his second-place effort at the 2014 Italian Open. Finished the Race to Dubai season ranked 53rd. Played in 27 events. Italian Open: Had seven-birdie, one-eagle final round at the Italian Open in late-August to finish solo second, two shots behind winner Hennie Otto. Began the final round seven shots off the lead and was 19-under over his final 54 holes after opening with a 1-over 73. U.S. Open: Lone PGA TOUR start came at the U.S. Open, where he had three rounds of 77 and a second-round 71 to T65 at Merion GC. Alstom Open de France: Added another eighth-place showing, this time a T8, at the Alstom Open de France, his second consecutive top-10 in France's national open. Trophee Hassan II: Back on the European Tour, he shot a final-round 68 to finish solo eighth at the Trophy Hassan II. Maybank Malaysian Open: Added a T6 at the weather-shortened Maybank Malaysian Open at Kuala Lumpur G&CC on the Asian Tour. ABU Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship: Started the season off at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, where rounds of 69-71-68-71 (9-under) earned him a T6, five back of winner Jamie Donaldson. Alfred Dunhill Links Championship: Was victorious for the first time since 2006 when he captured the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Defeated American Peter Uihlein in a playoff at St. Andrews. Shot four rounds in the 60s at the three-course event, including a third-round 63 that moved him into a six-way tie for second with 18 holes to play. Did not play on the PGA TOUR. Alfred Dunhill Championship: Top Southern Africa Tour showing was a T12 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Open de France: Was T4 at the Open de France in early July. Opened 70-70-67 before a final-round 72 dropped him from contention. ISPS Handa Perth International in Australia: In mid-October, was T5 at the ISPS Handa Perth International in Australia. A 68-70 showing in his middle rounds sandwiched around opening and closing 71s led to the top-five finish. U.S. Open: Qualified for the U.S. Open, but after rounds of 78-74 missed the cut during his only PGA TOUR appearance. The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters: Best performance of the season came on the European Tour, where he recovered nicely from an opening 75 at The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters by shooting consecutive rounds of 69-68-68 to finish solo fifth. That was his only top-10 on any Tour. Did not play a PGA TOUR event. Alfred Dunhill Links Championship: Top finish came on the European Tour, a T8 in mid-October at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The Open Championship: Best PGA TOUR finish was a T52 at The Open Championship. Omega European Masters: His T7 at the Omega European Masters was his best European Tour performance. Had four top-10s on the European Tour. The Open Championship: T7 at The Open Championship. Posted the best final-round score with a 3-under 67. It marked his first top-10 finish in a major championship in 20 starts. Bothered by a bad back much of the season, which caused him to withdraw from the Wachovia Championship and THE PLAYERS Championship on the PGA TOUR. Joined the PGA TOUR, having finished among the top 125 as a non-member the previous year. HSBC Champions: He started the European Tour season late in 2005 by beating playing partner Tiger Woods on the final day to win the HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China. Placed seventh on the European Tour Order of Merit. Joined the PGA TOUR, having finished among the top 125 as a non-member. European Tour season included the win, two runner-ups and eight top-10s. World Golf Championships-Algarve World Cup in Portugal: Teamed with Luke Donald to finish T2 at the Algarve World Cup. World Golf Championships-American Express Championship: Finished T6 at the World Golf Championships-American Express Championship, his third career top-10 in PGA TOUR events. World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational: Finished T6 at the World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational, his second career top-10 in PGA TOUR events. U.S. Open Championship: Suffered an abdominal injury while warming up for the second round of the U.S. Open. Was forced to withdraw and didn't play again for nearly two months, until missing the cut at the PGA Championship. HSBC Champions Tournament: Ended the year with a victory in the inaugural HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, China on the European Tour. Paired with Tiger Woods in the final round, won by three strokes. BMW International Open: Won the 2005 BMW International Open for his second European Tour title, beating John Daly and Brett Rumford by one stroke. Finished in the top 25 17 times on the European Tour. World Golf Championships-American Express Championship: Finished the year with a third-place finish in the World Golf Championships-American Express Championship in Ireland. Ryder Cup: One of the heroes of Europe's Ryder Cup victory over the U.S at Oakland Hills. Together with fellow rookie Paul Casey, produced a pivotal victory in the Saturday morning four-ball session over Chad Campbell and Jim Furyk. One down with two to play, Howell hit a 6-iron tee shot from 203 yards to 5 feet and holed the birdie putt to win the hole, before partner Casey won the last to give Bernhard Langer's team a crucial point. Volvo Masters Andalucia: Finished T5 in the Volvo Masters Andalucia. BMW International Open: Finished T22 at the BMW International Open, securing a spot on the Ryder Cup Team. Missed out on the top 15 by only â‚¬359 (Â£250). Seve Trophy: Ended that year on a positive note, being part of the winning Great Britain and Ireland team in The Seve Trophy match in Spain. Seve Trophy: In April suffered a broken arm after tripping while jogging, thus missing the chance to play in The Seve Trophy that year at Druids Glen. Italian Open: T9 at the Italian Open. Murphy's Irish Open: T9 at the Murphy's Irish Open. Algarve Portuguese Open: T9 at the Algarve Portuguese Open. Volvo Masters: Added a T10 in his final start of the season, the Volvo Masters. Benson & Hedges International Open: Was T7 at the Benson and Hedges International Open. Alfred Dunhill Links Championship: In late-October, fired four sub-70 rounds at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship to again solo third. Final-round 68 matched winner Paul Lawrie and runner-up Ernie Els. Scottish PGA Championship: Was again in contention at the Scottish PGA Championship in late-August. After a third-round 66, was three shots behind 54-hole leader Alex Cejka. Shot a 70 on the final day to solo third, three shots behind winner Paul Casey. Victor Chandler British Masters: Had a runner-up European Tour performance for a second consecutive season, this time at the Victor Chandler British Masters. Was positioned to win after opening 68-65-68 and holding a one-shot lead over Robert Karlsson. Watched his title chances come undone Sunday when he shot a 73 that dropped him into a four-man playoff that Thomas Levet eventually won (Mathias Gronberg and Robert Karlsson also in the overtime). Deutsche Bank Open-TPC of Europe: T9 at the Deutsche Bank Open-TPC of Europe. Shot a final-round 67. Wales Open: At the Wales Open in June, opened with an even-par 72 then shot rounds of 67-67-68 to finish second, a stroke behind winner Steen Tinning. BMW International Open: Another top-10 came at the BMW International Open, thanks to a closing 66. Madeira Island Open: Added a third-place showing at the Madeira Island Open after opening with a 68 and closing to a 69. Dubai Desert Classic: First European Tour win came at the Dubai Desert Classic. Shot a final-round 67 to easily outdistance Lee Westwood by four shots. MasterCard Australian PGA Championship: Collected his first professional victory when he won the MasterCard Australian PGA Championship by seven strokes. Won the British Boys Championship in 1993 before collecting 2Â½ of three points in the 1995 Walker Cup victory over a Tiger Woods-led United States at Royal Porthcawl. Beat Notah Begay III in singles.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732535
__label__wiki	0.960614	0.960614	April 2, 2010 / 12:08 AM / in 9 years Dell says several former staff may face SEC action SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc DELL.O said on Thursday several of its former employees had been told they may face some sort of action by financial regulators related to a long-running probe of the PC maker’s accounting. The former Dell employees had received Wells notices that indicate Securities and Exchange Commission staff had made a preliminary decision to recommend the SEC begin a civil or administrative action against them, Dell said in a regulatory filing late on Thursday. A Wells notice signals that a civil charge may be imminent and gives the receiver a chance to respond. Dell said the notices were related to a previously reported SEC inquiry, started in August 2005, into the accounting and financial reporting of the world’s third-largest seller of personal computers for periods beginning in 2001. “It is possible that other individuals have received or will receive such notices,” Dell said in the statement. In 2006, Dell disclosed that the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York had subpoenaed documents related to the company’s financial reporting dating back to 2002. At the time, analysts criticized Dell’s handling of the probe, which caused the company to delay filing some quarterly financial reports. The company said on Thursday that it was continuing to cooperate with the investigation and was in preliminary talks with the SEC about a potential settlement. “Dell believes that any resolution would likely include monetary penalties, which cannot be quantified at this time,” the company said. Dell shares, which had closed 0.2 percent higher at $15.05, were not active in late afternoon trading on Nasdaq, when the Wells Notices were reported by the company. Reporting by Braden Reddall and Alexandria Sage; Editing by Bernard Orr, Leslie Gevirtz	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732537
__label__wiki	0.829668	0.829668	Texas Gov. Greg Abbott jokes about shooting reporters after celebrating gun bill Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday visited a shooting range to sign a bill into law that significantly reduces the cost to get a license to carry a handgun, making Texas one of the states with the lowest fee in the nation. “The right to bear arms is something that is synonymous with the state of Texas. We are proud to expand the right to bear arms by lowering the cost of what you have to pay in order to get a license to carry,” Abbott said. “Texans’ ability to bear arms is going to be even bolder today than it’s ever been before.” The law, Senate Bill 16, reduces the first-time fee for a license to carry from $140 to $40 and the renewal fee from $70 to $40. A license to carry permit is valid in Texas for five years. The new fee will go into effect on Sept. 1. Following the bill signing, Abbott tested out a few guns at an upstairs shooting range. “I’m gonna carry this around in case I see any reporters,” Abbott joked while holding his bullet-ridden target sheet. The fee paid by license-to-carry holders covers the Department of Public Safety’s cost to administer the license program as well as $27 needed for county, state and federal background checks, according to the measure’s author, state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville. “They’re getting these licenses from out of state because our fees are so high. So what we want to do is remove that incentive,” Nichols said when his measure passed the Senate. “It’s unbelievable [that] Texas is one of the most costly states in the United States of America to get a license to carry,” Abbott said Friday. “No Texan should be priced out of their way to defend themselves.” Abbott believes Texas shouldn’t impose any fees on licenses to carry handguns, a spokeswoman said in January. In the Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick granted the bill “priority” status. The measure includes an amendment by state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, that waives the fee for peace officers to get a license to carry a gun. Only Illinois and Arkansas now have higher fees to obtain a license to carry a handgun, Nichols said. Reducing the fee is expected to cost the state roughly $12.6 million in 2018. BY ALEX SAMUELS, THE TEXAS TRIBUNE Patrick Svitek contributed to this report.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732540
__label__wiki	0.880176	0.880176	BY TIM HULSE Some of the positive stories coming our way Photo: Ntu Prof. Al-Habaibeh and Knight: making washing machines lighter. A Greener Wash Environment Washing machines are heavy. That’s because there’s an average of 25kg of concrete inside them to stop them moving around when they’re on a spin cycle. And that means they’re not only difficult to move around in your home, they also cost a lot—in both fuel and carbon emissions—to transport. But all this could be about to change thanks to a brilliantly simple invention by a team at the UK’s Nottingham Trent University. Professor Amin Al-Habaibeh and undergraduate Dylan Knight hit on the idea of replacing some of the concrete with a sealable plastic container that can be filled with water once the machine is in place. By doing this, the weight of a machine can be cut by a third. In the UK alone, this could mean a saving of around 45,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year when the machines are transported. “Everyone thinks the idea must have been thought of before,” says Dylan Knight, 22. “No one can really believe it. But it definitely works.” Stockholm’s Electric Bikes Transport Stockholm’s long-running public bike-share scheme is getting a hi-tech update. The current 1,200 standard bikes will be replaced by 5,000 hybrid electric models. It’s believed to be the world’s first hybrid bike-share scheme, and will allow users to travel longer distances than they might have done before. “When you register, you are given a small battery which you can charge at home,” says Daniel Helldén, the city’s vice-mayor of traffic. “If you don’t want to use the battery, you just use the bikes like a normal bike, but if you want an electric one, you connect the battery, which is included in the normal season ticket price.” Meanwhile, in Rome, where a bike-sharing scheme failed partly because of the city’s hilly topography, the city council has unveiled a fleet of zero-emission scooters in a new rental scheme. Masterpieces at the Airport Culture Passengers at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport can now get a taste of the Netherlands’ artistic heritage without leaving the terminal. A new exhibition space courtesy of the city’s Rijksmuseum displays original works by painters from the Dutch Golden Age such as Jan van Goyen, Willem van de Velde the Younger and Abraham Mignon. The show is free and is located in Schiphol’s renovated Holland Boulevard leisure zone. Photo: Zoom.tyrol Driver Gilbert Sand: thanked by his passengers. Pensioner Saves Coach Party From Plunge Heroes The 43 tourists traveling by coach over the Austrian Alps were enjoying the view when suddenly potential catastrophe struck. The driver fell ill and collapsed into the aisle—and the coach began heading straight toward a 100-meter deep ravine. French pensioner Gilbert Sand, 65, didn’t think twice. The retired forest ranger leaped from his front-row seat and jammed his foot on the brake pedal. In doing so, he fractured his tibia, but saved the coach party. He had acted just in time. “According to the experts, another 20cm and the coach would have toppled over the edge,” says Sand. “It was a hair’s breadth from catastrophe,” says a police spokesman. Sand is very modest about what he did: “I didn’t think about it. I just acted instinctively.” Sources: Environment: NTU, 4.8.17. Transport: The Local (Sweden), 27.9.17; The Local (Italy), 28.4.17. Culture: Lonely Planet, 8.9.17. Heroes, The Local (France), 24.9.17 Originally Published in Reader's Digest 13 Things You Never Knew About the “Happy Birthday” Song 14 Things You Didn’t Know About Prince George 13 Most Famous Sister Rivalries in History	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732542
__label__cc	0.5233	0.4767	Krauthammer on "Embarrassing" SOTU: "There Were So Many Old Chestnuts That Were Shown" Posted By Ian Schwartz On Date January 28, 2014 CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Well, there wasn't a lot in the speech. Of course, he's playing a very weak hand. I was impressed by the fact that he delivered it with conviction, because again, there and wasn't a lot in it. I would call it the chestnut speech, there were so many old chestnuts that were shown it was almost embarrassing. You know, he brought out stuff he tried last year and that went nowhere with minimum wage, with this idea of extending unemployment insurance. When he repeated Guantanamo, which is a cause he gave up on himself years ago, you knew that he sort of run out of ideas. What I was surprised he didn't do is to do an overarching theme, the one that actually worked for him in the 2012 election of this being the party of opportunity, he talked about it, but it was not an overarching theme, it's as if he had pushed that button at the beginning as a way to remind people that that is the core idea, he has in terms of economics. And as you said, I think the most important element of the speech with regard to foreign affairs was his insistence on the Iran negotiations saying he would veto a sanction the bill, and if you notice, that was the most tepid applause of the evening, there was tremendous support in the House and the Senate on both sides against that. He did say one thing that Iran is eliminating its stockpile of enriched uranium, which is simply not true -- turning it into an oxide, which is a chemical process which is reversible. So he's -- the very intent on doing this, and he tried to sell it, but not entirely correctly. Related Topics: Charles Krauthammer Latest Political Videos	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732543
__label__cc	0.679307	0.320693	Why We Can’t Wait: Rent Laws Must Be Fixed This Year On February 9, the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development submitted initial findings from the 2017 Housing and Vacancy Survey to the City Council’s Housing Committee. The survey, commonly known as the HVS, is conducted every three years by the U.S. Census Bureau for HPD to determine whether the vacancy rate for rental housing in the city is still below 5 percent, the emergency level required to continue rent-regulation laws. The full survey is expected to be released in the summer. The HVS found that the vacancy rate remains low, at just 3.63 percent, but there are other, disturbing figures: • The median asking rent for a vacant unit is $1,875 a month. • The median income for rent-stabilized tenants is $44,560 a year, which means that any apartment that rents for more than $1,114 costs more than 30 percent of their income. • The median contract rent for rent stabilized apartments is $1,269. • Half of all rent-stabilized tenants pay at least one-third of their income in rent. This is up from 33.1 percent in 2014 and 31.7 percent in 2011. (Low-income families commonly pay as much as 60 to 70 percent.) • The vacancy rate for rent-stabilized apartments is only 2.06 percent. • The vacancy rate for apartments renting for under $800, the level the millions of New Yorkers with annual household incomes below $32,000 can afford, is only 1.15 percent. These findings illustrate the depth of New York’s housing crisis. As rents and rent burdens have risen inexorably, landlord profits have skyrocketed, passing an astounding 40 percent of every rent dollar, according to data in the city Rent Guidelines Board’s Income & Expenses report. At the same time, homelessness remains at record levels despite determined efforts by Mayor Bill de Blasio and social services commissioner Steve Banks to prevent homelessness through expanded eviction-prevention programs and attempts to increase the supply of affordable housing. The reason for this chronic and acute crisis is not hard to see. In 1997 and again in 2003, the state legislature with the compliance of the governor, after taking large campaign contributions from the real-estate industry, grafted a number of major loopholes into rent and eviction protections, precipitating steep rent increases and the complete deregulation of hundreds of thousands of units. The laws were renewed with only minor corrections in 2011 and 2015, despite massive grass-roots mobilizations demanding that the loopholes be closed. New York City is losing thousands of affordable apartments every year. But the rent-stabilization laws do not come up for renewal until 2019, so the state legislature is not legally required to consider them this year. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t. “We can’t wait another year with the broken laws in place,” says Met Council executive director Ava Farkas. “Hundreds of thousands of tenants across the city are facing crushing rent burdens, and tens of thousands of families are forced from their homes each year by rents they can’t afford. The legislature created this crisis and has to fix it now, not in June 2019.” The continuing loss of New York’s affordable housing stock is a human tragedy and a policy disaster. If we were to lose another 10,000 apartments as the broken laws remain in effect until June 2019, it would cost billions of dollars to replace them—funding which does not exist, given the loss of federal support. We need to act now to preserve this irreplaceable resource or the housing crisis will only get worse. - Kenny Schaeffer	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732544
__label__wiki	0.88874	0.88874	What Are the Inactive Volcanoe... Home Science Earth Science Volcanoes What Are the Inactive Volcanoes in the Philippines? Inactive volcanoes in the Philippines include Mount Balatubat in the Luzon Straight, Mount Banahao de Lucban in Luzon, Imoc Hill in the Laguna Volcanic Field, Lake Muhikap in Laguna Maars, Mount Catmon in Visayas, Mount Bacauan in Sulu, Mount Urot in the Tukuran Volcanic Field, Mount Baya in Mindanao and Mount Kitanglad in Bolacanon Volcanic Field. As of 2014, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology lists 355 inactive volcanoes. The inactive volcano Mount Kitanglad is one of the tallest peaks in the Philippines and forms part of the Kitanglad Mountain Range. Many of the inactive volcanoes are currently lakes, with water filling their craters. The tallest mountain in the Laguna Volcanic Field is Mount Makiling, and its previous eruption date is not known. The field contains 200 dormant volcanoes. Although inactive, the underground heat from the volcanoes causes hot springs and areas of geothermal mud. The Institute defines an inactive volcano as a volcano with a record of previous eruption that is not expected to erupt again in the near future. However, an inactive volcano does contain the necessary plumbing for a potential eruption. Inactive volcanoes may also be referred to as dormant. Volcanoes may also be classified as active or extinct. What Are Some Examples of Extinct Volcanoes? What Types of Volcanoes Are on the Hawaiian Islands? What Is a List of Active and Inactive Volcanoes in the World? How Do I Make a Clay Volcano?	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732548
__label__wiki	0.9924	0.9924	Cynthia Nixon Loses To Andrew Cuomo Story from Politics Cynthia Nixon Loses To Andrew Cuomo In NY Primary Natalie Gontcharova Photo: CRAIG RUTTLE/AFP/Getty Images. New Yorkers chose incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo over actress and activist Cynthia Nixon in the state's Democratic gubernatorial primary on Thursday, September 13. While Gov. Cuomo's campaign had the money and power, Nixon had the hustle. The public-education advocate was out greeting voters on the Upper West Side on Thursday evening, almost up until the polls closed. Since she declared her candidacy in March, our inboxes have been constantly buzzing with updates from the campaign — one day she's in Syracuse talking about the minimum wage, the next she's holding a star-studded fundraiser in Manhattan. And, unscientifically speaking, roughly 95% of election-day enthusiasm on social media came from Nixon voters. Still, Gov. Cuomo's experience — or "the corrupt Democratic machine," as Nixon backers would say — prevailed, and he received 65.6% of the vote to Nixon's 34.4%. Nixon, who has continuously called out Gov. Cuomo for failing to be the type of progressive Democrat the state needs, succeeded in pushing him to the left on issues such as marijuana legalization, restoring voting rights for felons, and the housing crisis in New York City. She shed light on his inability to pass single-payer healthcare, properly fund public education, and stay away from the influence of real-estate developers. Many New Yorkers Were Turned Away From Polls Cynthia Nixon Is Raging Against The Machine Cynthia Nixon: "It's Time To Be A 'Miranda'" In her post-election remarks in front of a lively crowd at Café Omar in Brooklyn, Nixon spoke about how her campaign has already changed the conversation. "We took on one of the most powerful governors in America. It wasn't easy," she said. "We had to fight just to get on the ballot. We had to fight just to get a debate. We started with nothing and we earned every single vote. The establishment came at us with everything they had." Some of @CynthiaNixon’s final post-election remarks pic.twitter.com/NfAmm8Awm5 — natalie gontcharova (@natalie_nyc) September 14, 2018 "I'm not discouraged, I'm inspired, and I hope you are, too," Nixon said. "We have fundamentally changed the political landscape in this state. We have changed what is expected of a Democratic candidate running in New York and what we can demand from our elected leaders." Thanks to Gov. Cuomo's $30 million in campaign cash and his glitzy endorsements — Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden — Nixon faced an uphill battle. His campaign also reportedly spent as much as $500,000 a day in its final sprint, as they became increasingly worried that the youth and progressive energy around Nixon could topple his empire. A large number of New York voters, many of them Nixon supporters, reported being told they're not on the rolls during Thursday's primary despite being registered. While some of these incidents were attributed to clerical confusion, it's unclear why some registered Democrats could not be found in the system. Those who voted for Gov. Cuomo largely cited his experience. Monjula Ray, 40, who lives in Greenpoint, said she voted for Gov. Cuomo because he has already accomplished many progressive wins, like legalizing same-sex marriage. "He is a highly effective governor and he's the reason my wife and I could get married in New York," Ray tells Refinery29. Ray says she was turned off by the fact that Nixon often said Gov. Cuomo "governed like a Republican." "Find me a Republican governor who has gotten his state gay marriage, a path to a $15 minimum wage, and free college for those who can't pay for it. It's absurd," says Ray. Nicole Smith, 33, who lives on the Upper East Side, also says she voted for Gov. Cuomo because he's been around the block. "While I haven't agreed with a lot of decisions Cuomo has made over the years, I think he stands a better chance of ensuring my rights as a woman stay intact in NYC. This was also confirmed through Planned Parenthood's endorsement of him." [Ed. note: The organization's state political action committee endorsed the governor.] Some of Gov. Cuomo's tactics, such as last-minute campaign mailers that implied Nixon was anti-Semitic, did give Smith pause, but it didn't stop her from voting for him. "The mailers were desperate and obviously the team is feeling the heat, really disappointing." Millennial women who voted for Nixon said they did so because they were ready for change. "I voted for Cynthia because a ton of the issues she spoke about aligned with what I was concerned about," Kim Garcia, 21, who lives in Yonkers, tells Refinery29. "I commute to school in the city and the subway not running on time is a hassle. I don’t think Cuomo has done much in the eight years he was in office." Cynthia Nixon Loses NY Governor Race To Cuomo Midterm Elections • New York • News • Politics • The Latest • US News written by Natalie Gontcharova	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732549
__label__cc	0.724889	0.275111	07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: AIRWAYS :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: BAD SOUNDS :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: HIGH SOUTH :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: HONIG :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: MARIAN HILL :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: THE DEVIL MAKES THREE :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: BLOOD COMMAND :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: DAN OWEN :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: GARBAGE :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: HUNGRY GHOST :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: LOWER THAN ATLANTIS :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: PHFAT :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: CASSIA :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: CLEOPATRICK :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: INDIEAN SUMMER TOUR FEAT. YOKE LORE, ROE & WARGIRL :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ & THE STRING THEORY :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: KINA GRANNIS :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: SVAVAR KNUTUR :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: BAROCK :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: FEE. :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: FLASH FORWARD :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: FREYA RIDINGS :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: OCEAN ALLEY :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: ONDT BLOD :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: THE HIRSCH EFFEKT :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: DESASTERKIDS :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: FACES ON TV :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: FLOR :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: FLOYD DIVISION – THE AUSTRIAN PINK FLOYD SHOW :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: FORCED TO MODE :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: GOAT GIRL :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: MESH :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: NACHTMAHR :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: SAINT AGNES :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: THE LURKERS :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: UNTERHOLZ AM OBERBAUM :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: WHITE TRASH :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: XAVIER RUDD :: Concerts 06:00am - 11:00pm (US) Festival: Gothic Cruise :: Festivals 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: BEYOND THE BLACK :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: BLUMFELD :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: JARET REDDICK :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: SUSANNE SUNDFØR :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: THE NIGHT GAME :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: THE RAMONA FLOWERS :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (UK) Concert: [:SITD:] :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: 1000 GRAM :: Concerts 07:00pm - 11:00pm (D) Concert: ESTRONS + WOLF MOUNTAINS :: Concerts	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732550
__label__cc	0.63522	0.36478	of rock and salt four, 1 stripmaul as we pass through it seeking light for ludger voor thecla woods walk taking pause engage and support project pillars robin resch portfolios Taking Pause is a collaborative portrait project that asks people to reflect on what in their lives feels most essential. With what do we identify and connect most deeply? What truly matters to us, and why? Participants are documented in their home or place of their choosing with two distinct portraits. One of themselves, their physical selves, and an accompanying portrait of their reflective selves through what they have chosen to share. Each participant is also asked to tell the story behind their selection, both orally, during the making of their portraits, and verbally, as a brief text for a book. The goal of this project is not to judge but to observe and to ask the same simple yet thought provoking question — what is irreplaceable to you — of the widest possible range of participants, regardless of socioeconomic situation. The intent is to document the differences and commonalities of these choices while engaging the spectrum of American diversity and disconnections, both political and economic: from the financially secure to the evicted to those who have lost everything in recent natural disasters. become a pillar Donate to help underwrite the field work Taking Pause is a documentary portrait project that combines photographs and stories in a visual and verbal narrative that explores both the complexities and simplicities of what we value. It is a collaborative project because those who participate are more than passing subjects. In addition to sharing something of deep personal resonance, each participant also tells the story behind what they chose and engages others to take part in the project. The sharing of stories is central to the making of these dual portraits as each participant when photographed is asked to tell something about what they chose to share. Their story-telling influences them and is what the physical portrait seeks to document. Subsequently, my awareness of the personal story informs the making of their reflective portrait. The story provides an informed sensitivity to both portraits and, in a sense, each portrait is a documented story. Work on this series began within my local community in February 2018 with a core group of people from varying backgrounds. The plan is to focus exclusively on this project starting in the fall of 2018 and to expand its community and network exponentially by traveling across the United States, returning to the East Coast by late spring 2019. To advance and attain diversity in the series, each person who participates is asked to take some ownership in the project and, with thought and consideration, to lay forward the collaboration by engaging one or two others to help organically involve a spectrum of participants across the geographical regions and socioeconomic classes of the United States. The travel route will naturally evolve and be largely determined by the location of the subsequent contributors. The expected travel for this fieldwork will last for approximately five months, two months driving the southerly route towards California, one month on the West Coast and then two months returning east via the northerly route. The backbone to the second phase of this project is the road trip. The road trip as a means to an end that also seeks to explore, question and connect with this country we call the United States. Whereas the history of the road trip is rich with meaningful role models, mine is largely inspired by de Tocqueville, Dorothea Lange and Robert Frank. While Frank’s The Americans, as the title implies, was an outsider’s observations on a foreign land, this project aspires for direct communication, interaction, and collaboration. America in 2018 is a far cry from that which Frank observed in the fifties or Lange soul wrenchingly documented in the thirties. Upon completion of the fieldwork in the spring of 2019, the immediate goal is to create a book of approximately 75-100 portrait pairs and texts. Initial discussions with Princeton Architectural Press indicate a strong level of interest. Another desired manifestation for this project would be to create an exhibition that travels, and thus gives back, to the various local communities along the the project’s route. travelogue sign up	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732556
__label__cc	0.597839	0.402161	HomeNewsline Turkey shells YPG in Syria for 3rd day, Erdogan expects security zone in ‘few months’ Turkish forces shelled YPG militia positions in the northern Syrian region of Tal Rifaat for a third consecutive day, Anadolu reported Friday. Tal Rifaat is some 20km west of Afrin, which has been under the control of Turkey and its Free Syrian Army (FSA) allies since an operation last year aimed at driving out the YPG militia. The YPG still controls the small region of Tal Rifaat, wedged between an area under Turkish control to the north and areas controlled by the Syrian government and anti-Syrian government rebels to the south, Reuters said. Ankara considers the YPG to be a terrorist organization and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Turkish howitzers fired five shots against YPG positions in Tal Rifaat on Wednesday, followed by 12 on Thursday and more than 20 on Friday, according the report, which did not mention any casualties. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday he expected the creation of a “security zone” in Syria in a few months as the US withdraws its troops from the war-torn country, AFP reports.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732558
__label__wiki	0.904705	0.904705	SMP Video Tour Scientology Media Productions —a multi-platform, motion picture and television studio—opened Saturday, May 28 to a crowd of some 10,000 Scientologists and guests in Hollywood, California. The studio is the most modern and sophisticated digital media facilities of its kind on the planet. Mr. David Miscavige , Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center, greeted the more than 10,000 Scientologists gathered to celebrate the opening of Scientology Media Productions—a new state-of-the-art digital media center delivering the message of help, unadulterated and pure, everywhere. The crowd erupted with applause when Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center, took the stage to dedicate the Church’s new global media center—Scientology Media Productions. “So, you ask what this day is all about,” said the religion’s ecclesiastical leader, David Miscavige, in a speech to more than 10,000 Scientologists and friends who attended the inauguration of the Church’s global media center. “It’s a history L. Ron Hubbard himself laid into Scientology—to share what wisdom we possess, to help others to help themselves. And, what goes with the territory: to ignore the catcalls from those who claim that Man cannot be understood, cannot be helped. But, we know different. We know Man can be helped. And even more than that, we know how to do it.” On a perfect Los Angeles afternoon , thousands of Scientologists and their guests witnessed history unfolding with the dedication of the Church’s advanced, fully integrated digital media center designed for the production and broadcasting of programs featuring Scientology technology and Church-sponsored humanitarian initiatives. opens its doors to the world. The facility will revolutionize the Church’s communications footprint throughout the worlds of print, broadcast and Internet media. was unveiled, Saturday, May 28, before an enthusiastic audience of some 10,000, gathered to celebrate the monumental grand opening. Mr. David Miscavige led the stunning dedication ceremony for Scientology Media Productions. The growth of the Church of Scientology continued its driving movement forward with the grand opening of Scientology Media Productions — a 21 Century studio unparalleled in its power and capability. The ribbon-cutting touched off joyous celebration amongst the thousands present. The grand opening celebration launched with a high-powered performance of “Wake Up the World”—a song written and scored for the occasion. Noting that “the average young adult spends 10 hours of every day on the Internet, and someone searches for ‘the meaning of life’ every five seconds, …or for ‘spirituality’ six times per second,” Mr. Miscavige said that “SMP will harness the power of every social media outlet imaginable to provide those answers. So for the 95 percent of the world’s population that listens to the radio every day and the average viewer who spends some 40 hours glued to the TV every week, the obvious answer is to have our own radio station, our own TV channel, and our own broadcasting facilities.” is not merely an evolutionary advance for the religion—it is also a major gift for the community. “We also open our doors to humanitarian organizations, charities and religions of every denomination in Los Angeles,” Mr. Miscavige said. “Our facilities will be open for all manner of community events, telethons, religious programming of all faiths, you name it.” “I know the Church of Scientology is not a group to do anything half-heartedly. But, as a professional film devotee, nothing could have prepared me for all of this. And so as a broadcaster, and film chief for the Entertainment Capital of the world, it means something when someone comes along and raises the bar. And I have to tell you, we weren’t surprised that you did. But even so, I definitely told the folks down at City Hall, ‘You have to come and see this.’ Because the Church of Scientology has done it again.”— Mr. Kevin James, Director, Los Angeles City Film and TV Office “What’s significant about the Church and its members is that you give and ask for nothing in return. With this grand opening today, we all gain an ability to get out important messages containing truth across all manner of different media. And only in that way, can we help guarantee that our kids succeed.” —Captain Arturo Sandoval, Northeast Division, Los Angeles Police Department “I am pleased that you were the heirs to this historic studio. The fact this site will continue to be used for media and audio-visual production is especially noteworthy. Because I know you’ve invested significantly in its preservation. And all the more so, considering the extraordinary fact that your Founder began his screenwriting career in Hollywood from an address on this very lot.” —Ms. Linda Dishman, President, Los Angeles Conservancy “What happens here today carries a lot of weight. People are watching Hollywood and people take notice of what the Church does. And you are not only putting an anchor here. But you are providing outstanding opportunities to writers, directors and all manner of creative professionals to thrive in this unique environment. So let’s work together to take Hollywood to even greater heights.” —Mr. Leron Gubler, President, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce , Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, with (left to right): Mr. Leron Gubler, President of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Kevin James, Director of the Los Angeles City Film and TV Office; Captain Arturo Sandoval over the Northeast Division, Los Angeles Police Department; and Ms. Linda Dishman, President of the Los Angeles Conservancy. The doors opened wide and the ecstatic crowd surged forward to discover every inch of the Church’s global media center. Attendees experienced Scientology Media Productions —the perfect combination of vintage Hollywood and 21st century technology. The studio’s five-acre lot played host to some 10,000 Scientologists on hand to witness the Church open its studio doors and thereby enter a Golden Age of Communication. Crowds passed through the studio’s promenade taking in its marquee billboards commemorating L. Ron Hubbard’s career as a Hollywood screenwriter. Scientologists and their guests soaked up every technological aspect of Scientology Media Productions. Tour Inside Our —a five-acre complex on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Originally built in 1912, the studio includes sound stages, creative suites, visual effects production areas, editing, animation, audio recording and mixing, foreign language translation and dubbing—every aspect of film, broadcasting and online production—and all of it unparalleled anywhere. —where the Golden Age of Hollywood’s past merges with the most advanced state-of-the-art technology of today to help build a better world for tomorrow. The historic five-acre motion picture and television studio has been transformed into a fully integrated digital media production center. The reception welcomes all visitors to Scientology Media Productions—from industry professionals to representatives of community-minded organizations and groups collaborating on humanitarian programming. GATES TO A GOLDEN AGE Originally constructed in 1912, the studio birthed and nurtured the fledgling motion picture industry. The Church of Scientology meticulously restored this treasured piece of Hollywood history, including the historic Guard House and entrance, which stand exactly as they did during the Golden Age of Hollywood. THE STUDIO’S PAST RESTORED Every iconic detail of this cultural landmark has been faithfully returned to its original glory. Veteran masons and artisans painstakingly re-mortared the studio’s characteristic brickwork, preserved decorative moldings, columns and red brick flooring and returned all original lighting fixtures, steel casement windows and solid brass hardware to pristine condition. Many of Hollywood’s screen legends worked in films produced on the studio lot: Gary Cooper, Charlton Heston, Audrey Hepburn, Dorothy Lamour, Sophia Loren, Roddy McDowall, Anthony Perkins, Sammy Davis Jr. and Elvis Presley, to name but a few. Among the classic movies produced or filmed here were 55 Days in Peking Friendly Persuasion L. RON HUBBARD LEGACY Because of his wide acclaim as an author, in 1937 L. Ron Hubbard received his invitation to Hollywood from this very studio, from the address on this very door. It was here he launched his legendary screenwriting career. Mr. Hubbard was originally enlisted by Columbia Pictures to adapt one of his novels for the big screen. Among the many films he went on to script during his Hollywood years was the highly successful fifteen-episode movie serial, The Secret of Treasure Island . In this office, beyond the threshold L. Ron Hubbard crossed, now stands an exhibition devoted to his prodigious output during the Golden Age of both popular fiction and motion pictures. The historic promenade reflects the intersection of L. Ron Hubbard history and the studio’s history. On its walls are the marquee billboards from films and serials that Mr. Hubbard scripted for Hollywood. The Broadcast Studios at Scientology Media Productions are capable of producing multiple television programs at the same time—whether it be live news broadcasts or pre-recorded programs featuring aspects of Scientology technology, or Church-sponsored humanitarian initiatives. This wide range of programming is the anchor content for the Church’s 24/7 television network. STATE OF THE ART STAGES The original sound stages have been rebuilt to the highest technical and acoustical standards. The stages are custom designed with full lighting fly systems and computerized controls, allowing for flexible and automated lighting for any type of film and television production. Each stage is further equipped with the latest high-definition technology and even robotically controlled cameras. The Art Department designs elements for everything from live events to broadcast documentaries. SCENERY SHOP Housed in what was the studio’s first shooting stage, the Scenery Shop is equipped with the latest high-tech machinery for building 3D sets and scenery. Directly adjacent to the studios are offices and facilities for every craft and production department necessary for the highest quality broadcast production. This includes a professional hair and makeup department. Among the Historic Corridors of the studio stands a row of five-star dressing rooms. The Little Theater is perhaps the “gem” of the lot, with its Roman Tuscan columns, hand-crafted moldings and Art Deco furnishings. Originally constructed as the studio’s screening room, it now serves as the green room for those participating in programs produced here, from talk shows to telethons. The intricately carved columns of the Little Theater—hidden behind false walls for decades—have been restored and returned to their original beauty. CREATIVE SUITES—CREATIVE TEAMS The studio’s Historic Corridors also contain offices and editing suites so creative teams can work together to develop scripts and produce projects of every description—including documentaries covering our humanitarian programs, an inside look at Scientology as a global movement and presentations on the life and legacy of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. includes facilities for music soundtracks and audio post-production. All three Music Scoring Rooms are equipped with the custom designed Clearsound audio systems to ensure the highest quality of sound. The Master Mix Room was built from the ground up under the careful guidance of a world-renowned acoustician. It is one of five surround sound mix rooms—each constructed to push the boundaries of audio excellence. MEDIA CREATION HEADQUARTERS In the studio’s central administration facility, the Church shapes its messages for broadcast and prepares them for distribution across television, radio, podcasts and all other media channels. EVERY MEDIA PLATFORM The central point for the planning and execution of international media campaigns—public service announcements, television ads, magazines, brochures, Internet sites—and every other conceivable type of content. This is also where all informational films and videos are produced for the audiovisual Public Information Center displays located in every Ideal Church of Scientology. The Board Room is the setting for presentations and working meetings with documentary television, advertising and media professionals, as well as like-minded groups and organizations. THE AUDITORIUM The Auditorium is equipped to handle video and audio presentations of the highest standards—a perfect venue to premiere our productions for officials, industry professionals and the press. Published in 17 languages (and growing), the Church’s International Magazine Department produces more than a dozen monthly publications for Scientology Churches, Missions and groups. The department is powered by an advanced, computerized, automated media system—the latest technology to disseminate Scientology The Internet Department , like all media departments on the lot, is networked into our proprietary translations database—the most advanced system of its kind in the world. This allows for instant multi-lingual uploads to the entire constellation of Scientology Internet sites and social media platforms. Freedom magazine, the “Voice of the Church of Scientology,” is published from our global media center. Providing investigative journalism in the public interest since 1968, Freedom seeks solutions to society’s problems and uplifts human aspirations. Freedom now extends beyond print media to radio, television and online. Stories and video footage of Scientology Churches, Missions and groups—along with Church-supported social betterment centers and humanitarian programs—it all comes together here. Coordinated production of news updates and international Scientology events brings our global accomplishments to Scientologists the world over. GLOBAL MEDIA CLEARING HOUSE At the core of the digital media center is Central Ingest. This is where video footage from every city and town around the world is downloaded across ultra-high bandwidth and directly on satellite. All of it is indexed, catalogued and readied for broadcast. The Broadcast Building houses the most sophisticated high-performance media system in the world. Designed from the ground up, it is comprised of hundreds of advanced media processors all integrated into one “supercomputer.” It is networked to every other computer on the lot through more than 27 miles of fiber optic cable. SCIENTOLOGY RADIO The Scientology Radio Studio is built to transmit their message across a medium that reaches 95 percent of the world’s population. The studio brings a full broadcast lineup to the airwaves: News programs and radio talk shows of every description featuring Scientologists, like-minded organizations and interfaith groups. And all in addition to selections from beginning Dianetics and Scientology audiobooks as well as excerpts from selected L. Ron Hubbard lectures. Video and audio elements are assembled in broadcast editing suites to create television ads, PSAs, regular series and documentaries about every aspect of Scientology—from our Ideal Orgs and all they provide their communities, to the one-of-a-kind facilities built to forward the global movement. The Broadcast Building contains ten such editing suites. The combined speed and computing power of twenty visual effects stations provide the capability to produce computer generated images at a rate sufficient to meet the production demands of the global center. 69 [] The broadcast studio for talk shows and news programs on what Scientologists are doing to help build a better world—from bringing spiritual and material relief in disaster zones, to advocating for human rights throughout the world, as well as fighting illiteracy and drug abuse. The adjoining green room is for guests appearing on programs produced in the broadcast studio. Master Control is the broadcast hub for Scientology Media Productions. This is the final emanation point for the transmission of all programming for the new Scientology Television Channel. WELCOME TO SCIENTOLOGY MEDIA PRODUCTIONS: RELIGION’S MASSIVE COMMUNICATIONS HQ OPENS TO THE WORLD Church’s advanced, multi-platform, totally reinvented and restored motion picture and television studio launched May 28 in Hollywood delivering the message of help—unadulterated and pure—everywhere. One hundred fifty feet above Sunset Boulevard, at the center of a sprawling Hollywood, California, studio stands a communications tower emblazoned by a symbol: broadcasting waves flanking two triangles and a stylized “S”. The lofty logo boldly introducing itself to the entertainment-communications capital of the planet means only one thing. Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center, greeted the more than 10,000 Scientologists gathered to celebrate the opening of Scientology Media Productions—a new state-of-the-art digital media center delivering the message of help, unadulterated and pure, everywhere. “Our uncorrupted communication line to the billions,” said David Miscavige, the religion’s ecclesiastical leader, in a speech to more than 10,000 Scientologists and friends at the inauguration of the Church’s global media center. “Because as the saying goes, if you don’t write your own story, someone else will. So, yes, we’re now going to be writing our story like no other religion in history. And it’s all going to happen right here from Scientology Media Productions.” Scientology Media Productions (SMP) is poised to broadcast important, good, vital news to the world. News reaching TV screens; facts and opinion destined to radios; magazines hot off of digital presses; information beamed to computers, tablets and cellphones. Yes, Scientology is in the news—that’s certainly proof that the religion is so interesting. But now Scientology Media Productions IS the media. On Saturday, May 28 an historic yet utterly high-tech media complex, SMP, opened. It’s a fully integrated digital media production center for TV, Internet and magazines, with a mission to harness the power of all media to bring real answers to the world. “So, you ask what this day is all about,” said Mr. Miscavige. “It’s a history L. Ron Hubbard himself laid into Scientology—to share what wisdom we possess, to help others to help themselves. And, what goes with the territory: to ignore the catcalls from those who claim that Man cannot be understood, cannot be helped. But, we know different. We know Man can be helped. And even more than that, we know how to do it.” Mr. Miscavige commented that to spread the religion’s word, Scientology’s own media must be created. “Such has been our quest,” he said. “And why this facility represents the final component of an interlocking system for our global Scientology communications.” Scientology Media Productions will be the nerve center spreading the Church’s message to the world, and a resource to the ever-growing number of Scientology Churches, humanitarian endeavors and social betterment programs throughout the globe. Noting that “the average young adult spends 10 hours of every day on the Internet, and someone searches for ‘the meaning of life’ every five seconds, while someone else searches for answers about ‘spirituality’ six times per second,” Mr. Miscavige said that “SMP will harness the power of every social media outlet imaginable to provide those answers.” “So for the 95 percent of the world’s population that listens to the radio every day,” Mr. Miscavige said, “and the average viewer who spends some 40 hours glued to a TV every week, the obvious answer was: our own radio station, our own TV channel, and our own broadcasting facilities.” Scientology Media Productions is a five-acre complex near the intersection of Sunset and Hollywood boulevards. Originally built in 1912, the studio includes state-of-the-art sound stages, creative suites, visual effects production areas, editing, audio recording and mixing, foreign language translation and dubbing—every aspect of broadcast and online production. Plus, the editorial headquarters of Freedom magazine, which produces hard-hitting human interest and investigative stories, are housed at SMP. Freedom itself is being expanded as a global news organization that encompasses print, television, radio and Internet platforms. It’s the most modern and sophisticated digital media facility of its kind on the planet. Scientology’s worldwide activities including humanitarian and social betterment campaigns, as well as news of current world events, are fed into Central Ingest, the studio’s international media clearinghouse, and accessible throughout the facility’s broadcasting, audio and publication operations. All of that is linked at its core by 27 miles of fiber optic cable connecting a cluster of super computers with a combined capacity of 3.2 million gigabytes of information and media platforms, distributed to proprietary databases for instant translation. SMP is not merely an evolutionary advance for the religion—it is a major gift for the community. “We also open our doors to humanitarian organizations, charities and religions of every denomination in Los Angeles,” Mr. Miscavige said. “Our facilities will be open for all manner of community events, telethons, religious programming of all faiths, you name it.” Underlining that at the grand opening were accolades from community leaders of Hollywood and the City of Los Angeles. Leron Gubler, president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, observed: “What happens here today carries a lot of weight. People are watching Hollywood and people take notice of what the Church does. And you are not only putting an anchor here. But you are providing outstanding opportunities to writers, directors and all manner of creative professionals to thrive in this unique environment. So let’s work together to take Hollywood to even greater heights.” Los Angeles Conservancy President Linda Dishman said that she was “pleased that you were the heirs to this historic studio. The fact this site will continue to be used for media and audio-visual production is especially noteworthy. Because I know you’ve invested significantly in its preservation. And all the more so, considering the extraordinary fact that your Founder began his screenwriting career in Hollywood from an address on this very lot.” Arturo Sandoval, a Los Angeles Police captain, recognized that the Church of Scientology is always there to help on anti-drug and anti-crime endeavors. “What’s significant about the Church and its members is that you give and ask for nothing in return,” he said. “With this grand opening today, we all gain an ability to get out important messages containing truth across all manner of different media. And only in that way, can we help guarantee that our kids succeed.” The final guest speaker was Kevin James, director of the Los Angeles City Film and TV Office. “From a city and public safety perspective, I admire your dedication to be such a great partner at the ground level. I have also grown to admire the professionalism and willingness with which you approach your relationship with us, the City of Los Angeles. You are prepared to be a city partner. And that means a lot. But, with this new studio that we’re celebrating today, I’d say we’re taking our partnership to a whole new level.” Mr. James also added: “I know the Church of Scientology is not a group to do anything half-heartedly. But, as a professional film devotee, nothing could have prepared me for all of this. And so as a broadcaster, and film chief for the Entertainment Capital of the world, it means something when someone comes along and raises the bar. And I have to tell you, we weren’t surprised that you did. But even so, I definitely told the folks down at City Hall, ‘You have to come and see this.’ Because the Church of Scientology has done it again.” When the Church acquired the studio from the public broadcasting station KCET, it committed to totally restoring the facility as a treasured piece of Hollywood history. From barrel-tiled roofs, to signature brickwork, to an historic Roman-Tuscan columned theater, to dressing rooms and more—all have been exquisitely renovated. Much of the history of the studio is displayed, echoing memories from movies that were filmed or produced there, including Kidnapped, 55 Days at Peking, El Cid, Love in the Afternoon, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The invitation in 1937 for L. Ron Hubbard to write scripts was dispatched from the facility’s address. LRH worked on films, including the highly successful 15-episode movie serial, The Secret of Treasure Island. An office at SMP, which includes the threshold LRH first crossed to start his cinematic work, contains an exhibition of his prodigious output during the Golden Ages of popular fiction and motion pictures. The grand opening of Scientology Media Productions comes at the nexus of the Church’s greatest wave of expansion in history, with Ideal Organizations shedding ribbons throughout the world. These Churches not only provide Scientologists with the ability to advance along their spiritual paths, but they are community headquarters that launch education programs to raise awareness of drugs, human rights violations, mental-health abuse, and crime. They also are bases from which Scientology Volunteer Ministers fan out to uplift entire areas with the religion’s technology, and bring succor to those that have faced catastrophes. Fifty Ideal Orgs are now complete, a dozen more are scheduled for opening this year and fifty more are on the runway. This past decade has further seen the Church embark upon major projects to spread Scientology’s message of help and hope. It first came with the establishment of Bridge Publications, the world’s largest all-digital, print-on-demand facilities to make LRH materials available anywhere, everywhere and in any language. Next came the creation of Scientology’s International Dissemination and Distribution Center in Los Angeles, the Church’s cutting edge, 185,000-square-foot, printing and distribution operation. And all in addition to the Church’s first class film studio at Golden Era Productions, where all LRH Scientology training films are produced. Finally, came Scientology Media Productions. “Consider all we have to offer by way of real answers, actual Truth and unconditional Help. At which point, the question becomes: How do we bring those answers to everyone, in every language of Earth?” Mr. Miscavige said. “That answer of course lay in what LRH reiterated as the vital necessity of coming to terms with correct orders of magnitude.” “To at least conceive of those orders of magnitude, as in, seven-billion human beings. Well, in light of what you witnessed thus far, and what you are about to witness, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask: Can you conceive of it now?” At which point Mr. Miscavige cut the massive ribbon and opened Scientology Media Productions to the world. How We Help News Infinite Possibility: The Freewinds 31st Maiden Voyage Anniversary Celebrates Exceptional Year of Global Advancement Star of the Lone Star State: A New Scientology Mission Opens Her Doors to Houston David Miscavige L. Ron Hubbard Scientology Media Productions A Magical Birthday Gala Illuminates the Legacy of Founder L. Ron Hubbard A Birthday Celebration for the Ages: Scientologists from 70 Nations Gather to Honor Founder L. Ron Hubbard Thousands Converge to Mark Scientology Founder’s Birthday and a “Flip of the Switch” for Unrelenting Dissemination Get Scientology News in your inbox The free email newsletter covering our latest news and updates By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy. You can opt out anytime.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732563
__label__wiki	0.801017	0.801017	Long-serving pub landlord who befriended stars including Tommy Cooper and Ronnie Corbett set to retire Brigg's longest-serving landlord, Jim Swanson is to retire from the trade after 16 years at the Lord Nelson Hotel in the Market Place. Brigg's longest-serving landlord, Jim Swanson is to retire from the trade after 16 years at the Lord Nelson Hotel in the Market Place. Father-of-three Jim, who celebrates his 70th birthday next month, plans to relocate to Chiang Mai, Thailand. with wife Pond to enjoy his retirement. Fun day dog show to be held in celebration of new premises He came to Brigg in 2001 after 27 years as a manager of some of Britain’s top nightspots including Talk of the Town in London and Caesar’s Palace, Luton. During that time he befriended many stars including the late Tommy Cooper, The Three Degrees, The Four Tops and Peters and Lee. In 1986 he also ran his own hotel in Frodsham, Cheshire. Lord Nelson Brigg landlord Jim Swanson who is set to retire in October. Away from the Lord Nelson, Jim, who retires on October 24, lists his only interest as playing golf. He said: “I don’t have much time for anything after working a 16-hour day here.” Jim blames the smoking ban in 2007 and the flood of cheap booze in supermarkets for the decline of the licensing trade. He recalled “At one time we had six barmaids working here. The Lord Nelson and Brigg in general were also a popular venue for stag and hen parties, but the rise in taxi fares has ended that.” What's on at the Epworth Show this Bank Holiday Monday The Market Place building, which dates back to the 18th century, also includes 12 letting bedrooms and Hardy’s cafe-bar. The owners at the Snaith-based Old Mill brewery have yet to name Jim’s successor. EducationUpgrade starts at Frodingham Infant School in ScunthorpeWork is under way to replace the heating system at the Rowland Road school	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732566
__label__wiki	0.942573	0.942573	Aretha’s lack of a will could make things rocky for heirs Originally published September 1, 2018 at 8:25 am Updated September 4, 2018 at 4:49 am ANDREW DALTON LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aretha Franklin was so hard-nosed in her business dealings that she demanded to be paid in cash before performing. Her heirs won’t have it so simple. Though she lived to 76 and was terminally ill with pancreatic cancer, the Queen of Soul died without a will. As her four sons and other family members move on from Friday’s funeral in Detroit, they’re left with the potentially tall task of finding out how many millions she was worth, and divvying it up, a process that could take years and is likely to play out in public. Estate law experts expressed surprise but not shock that a wealthy person like Franklin would put off making a will until it was too late. At least one of the singer’s attorneys says he urged her repeatedly over the years to draft one. “I tried to convince her that she should do not just a will but a trust while she was still alive,” says Don Wilson, a Los Angeles lawyer who worked on entertainment matters for Franklin for nearly 30 years. “She never told me, ‘No, I don’t want to do one.’ She understood the need. It just didn’t seem to be something she got around to.” Laura Zwicker, an attorney who specializes in estate planning but is not affiliated with the Franklin estate, says she sees it happen all too often in her work. “People don’t like to face their own mortality,” Zwicker says. “I had a client who had a $70 million real estate portfolio who had had end-stage diabetes. He had plenty of conversations with me about estate planning but would not sign the documents.” Papers filed in Michigan’s Oakland County court last week by David J. Bennett, the lawyer who worked most closely with Franklin, lay out the few known basics: She was not married and left four sons, ages 48 to 63: Clarence Franklin, Edward Franklin, Kecalf Franklin and Ted White Jr. Clarence, Aretha’s eldest, is incapacitated and is represented by a guardian. And a niece of hers has accepted the role of executor. Under Michigan law, as in most states, the sons will equally divide their mother’s assets in the absence of a will, and so far no signs of conflict have emerged among family members. Bennett did not respond to phone and email messages seeking comment. Aretha Franklin’s friend Ron Moten, a Michigan businessman, gave the four sons some guidance in his speech at Friday’s funeral. “Remember your family, and friends that have been with you for years,” Moten told the men. “Because you are about to meet a lot of people who will now want to be your new best friend. You will also meet some people that will have the best investments in the world for you. My advice? Go slow, be careful and be smart.” The documents make no mention of the value of Franklin’s estate. The figure almost certainly runs into the tens of millions, but there will probably be widely varying estimates as her attorneys seek to downplay her wealth for tax purposes and the IRS tries to maximize the amount for its own reasons. Franklin maintained ownership of the songs she wrote and did well by them, Wilson says, though of her major hits, “Think” is the only one that’s her own composition. She also wrote some lesser hits, such as “Rock Steady.” Though her records were played millions of times, she earned little in radio royalties from smashes like 1967’s “Respect” because such payments go overwhelmingly to the song’s author, not the performer. In the case of “Respect,” the royalties go to the estate of Otis Redding, even though the song owes nearly all its popularity to Franklin. “I would imagine she probably felt she was entitled to more, but probably received more than a lot of artists from the time, especially African-American artists,” Wilson says. Among Franklin’s more tangible assets are several pieces of property in the Detroit area that according to tax assessors’ estimates are worth at least $2 million, with a market value that could easily be twice that. Once the value is established — a process that could take years — the IRS will take any back taxes Franklin owed, then will tax her estate at 40 percent for any assets beyond $11.2 million. Kenneth Abdo, an attorney who specializes in probate law and has worked on the estate of Prince, who also died without a will, says the IRS will conduct an audit of her holdings. Wilson, her entertainment attorney, says she would not have wanted to see her finances publicly aired: “She was a private person.” As for why some clients don’t make out a will, Zwicker said some heirs, like Franklin’s son Clarence, may need more than others, and that can be a difficult and touchy decision for a parent. “One arrangement may be fitting for one child, where other people need more help,” Zwicker said. “To accept that and put it on paper can be hard for a parent.” Follow Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton For more, visit https://apnews.com/tag/ArethaFranklin	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732567
__label__wiki	0.530935	0.530935	April 26, 2011 Recycling Cell Phone Recycling Raises More Than a Million The recycling of old cell phones has raised more than a million dollars for a children’s hospital in New Zealand. In the last two years, more than 270,000 used cell phones have been handed in for recycling with the Starship Mobile Phone Appeal, raising over a million dollars for the Starship Children’s Hospital. “We’re thrilled to announce our million dollar milestone,” says the chief executive officer of the Starship Foundation, Brad Clark. “With all the appeal costs taken care of by Folamh, the Starship Foundation’s proceeds can go directly where it’s needed most – the kids at Starship Hospital.” The Starship Mobile Phone Appeal uses the funds generated by the recycling of old cell phones in order to help to pay for the Air Ambulance Service that allows children from anywhere in the whole of New Zealand to be brought to the Starship Children’s Hospital in order to receive specialist medical treatment, and has committed itself to giving one and a half million dollars to the Service on an annual basis. Used cell phones that are donated are graded, recorded and stored before being sent to recycling outlets overseas where they are repackaged and reprogrammed and then sold to developing countries. Freepost envelopes in which the general public can send in their old cell phones free of charge are located at places such as ASB Bank, Barfoot & Thompson and Telecom, Vodafone, The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery stores. Cell Phone Recycling Event in Carbon County White iPhone Highly Anticipated in China	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732569
__label__wiki	0.996227	0.996227	Wakefield Trinity News Select a team All Teams Castleford Tigers Catalans Dragons Huddersfield Giants Hull FC Hull K R Leeds Rhinos London Broncos Salford Red Devils St Helens Wakefield Trinity Warrington Wolves Widnes Vikings Wigan Warriors Cook Islands Fiji France Ireland Italy Papua New Guinea Samoa Tonga USA Wales Australia England New Zealand Scotland Teams On Sky TV Boots 'N' All More from Rugby League Rugby League Home David Fifita targets silverware with Wakefield after extending contract David Fifita has committed to Wakefield until the end of 2022 Wakefield's in-form prop David Fifita has signed a three-year contract extension after agreeing what the club say is one of the biggest deals in their history. The 29-year-old Tonga international has become a fans' favourite since joining Trinity from Cronulla three years ago and went top of the Steve Prescott Man of Steel leaderboard after a man-of-the-match performance in Wakefield's 30-20 win over Wigan last Friday. Fifita had an option on his current contract for 2020 but is now committed to Wakefield until the end of 2022. "It's great to be here for a number of years," he said. "I just couldn't leave Wakefield. "For what they've given me and what the fans have given me, I just want to give something back to them. My goal now is to bring a trophy to this club. "The bond between the players is something I've never had with any other club. "Everyone comes into one and we're all one group. Whenever we get a new signing, everyone just embraces the culture. "It's what I love about this club and I just can't wait for the journey ahead." Wakefield made it three wins in a row by beating Wigan 30-20 last Thursday Wakefield chief executive Michael Carter said: "It's fantastic news for the club that we've managed to secure big Dave for another three years. It's a real statement of intent of where we want to be. "I'd say this is one of the biggest deals in the club's history. Dave has been fantastic for us over the last few years and I'm looking forward to seeing him score plenty of tries down the left wing for us in the future." Meanwhile, Wakefield have signed winger Mason Caton-Brown for a second time on a deal until the end of the season and have put him straight into their team for Thursday's Super League derby at Castleford, which is live on Sky Sports Arena. The 25-year-old former London Broncos and Salford threequarter scored 21 tries in 24 appearances in his first spell with Trinity from 2017-18 despite facing stiff competition for a wing spot from Tom Johnstone and Ben Jones-Bishop. Mason Caton-Brown is back with Wakefield Caton-Brown ended the 2018 season with Toronto and has recently been playing rugby union sevens in Hong Kong. Wakefield coach Chris Chester said: "Mason knows what we're all about and we know what Mason is all about. It's a really good fit for the club. "He had two really good years here and we're pleased we've got some competition now in the outside backs and Mason will give us some real quality. "He'll be straight in Thursday. There's no better way to start your second spell than a big local derby against Castleford." Super League fixtures Super League table Rugby League on Sky Follow us @SkySportsRL Ben Reynolds, recalled from Featherstone, is set to make his debut for Wakefield in the absence of both regular half-backs Jacob Miller and Danny Brough and Chester has also brought back forward Chris Annakin from Dewsbury to help offset the loss of Anthony England with a knee injury. Scrum-half Cory Aston could make his Super League debut for Castleford after being recalled from his loan spell at Newcastle Thunder. He is named in coach Daryl Powell's 19-man squad. Lam: Really pleased for youngsters Chester: First half was embarrassing Farrell: I'm happy with that Wigan 46-16 Wakefield McDermott receives recognition	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732571
__label__wiki	0.946872	0.946872	ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: 'I'll pay the fine': Brian Lara slams ICC for sanctioning Pakistan's Wahab Riaz over Shane Watson showdown By Chris Barrett Updated March 23, 2015 — 10.32am first published March 22, 2015 — 8.00pm Follow The Tonk on Twitter It was a display of high-voltage fast bowling and theatrics that won't quickly be forgotten – particularly by its target Shane Watson – and the fact it cost Pakistan's Wahab Riaz half of his match fee has been slammed by one of modern cricket's greatest players. Brian Lara is in Australia for the World Cup, and was disappointed to see his West Indies crash out in their quarter-final against New Zealand on Saturday. "We are all entertainers": Brian Lara. Credit:Brendan Esposito What also got his goat over the weekend was the fine handed out to Riaz for the air kissing and mock clapping he directed towards Watson when he had the Australian No. 5 on toast. Watson, who ended up guiding Australia out of trouble and into the semis, also had 15 per cent of his match fee subtracted but the sanctioning of Riaz incensed Lara. "It's ridiculous what the end result is. We are all entertainers. That to me was one of the highlights of the World Cup. A guy running in bowling at 150km/h plus and Watson looked like he was at school," Lara told India's NDTV. "It's just unbelievable that that's the end result ... both were fined. I don't know what the ICC is thinking. It's just uncalled for. We need this in a sport that people are running away from, especially 50-over cricket. I loved the exchange. It was above board as far as I'm concerned and I can't wait to meet him. I want to meet with [this] Riaz guy. I'll pay the fine." Riaz unlikely for BBL, but Sangakkara in demand Still on Riaz, and the hype around his performance led to immediate chatter about franchises lining up to sign him for next summer's Big Bash League. It's not completely out of the question but unfortunately a glance at the ICC's Future Tours Program reveals Pakistan to be very busy during the BBL window, hosting India across three formats in December and then visiting New Zealand for a limited-overs tour in January. While we're on the BBL, though, an update to the report in these pages on Sunday about the Sydney Thunder showing some interest in the great Kumar Sangakkara. We're told the Hobart Hurricanes are very keen on the Sri Lankan legend, now retired from one-day cricket and later this year to call it quits in Tests as well, and have already drawn up an offer for him. Bangladesh complaints sour effort Bangladesh's fine effort to reach a first World Cup quarter-final is quickly being spoiled by the whinging of their officials and politicians after their exit to India. ICC President Mustafa Kamal, who is the former Bangladesh cricket president, infuriated umpires by alleging some kind of conspiracy to ensure India prevailed, and the country's prime minister Sheikh Hasina has since offered her two cents, reportedly suggesting Bangladesh were "made to lose". "We would have won if the umpires did not give wrong decisions," she was quoted as saying. "Bangladesh will win in the future. Bangladesh will become world champions someday. There's nothing to be upset. Everyone has seen how we were made to lose." Charity bonanza Back on Lara and he and Michael Holding were the special guests at the annual LBW Trust dinner at the SCG on Saturday night. With more than 500 people in the room, including Greg Chappell, Harsha Bhogle, Ellyse Perry and NSW cricketers Gurinder Sandhu, Nic Maddinson and Ryan Carters, it was a record fundraising evening for the cricket-minded charity. In one instance, an auction for a corporate box on the third day of next summer's Sydney Test between Australia and the West Indies went for $15,000. Holding said what plenty in the room were thinking when he warned, tongue-in-cheek, that the match may not make it to day three. Chris Barrett Chris Barrett is Sports Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732572
__label__wiki	0.648315	0.648315	Make The Future Detroit, Featuring Shell Eco-Marathon Americas To Shed Light On Bright Energy Ideas While many students spend their holiday break relaxing with family and friends, an ambitious group of young inventors is spending their time preparing for the ultimate energy-efficiency challenge in 2017. The challenge? Compete against more than 1,000 students from across the Americas – including Canada, Mexico, Brazil and the United States to see which team can go the furthest distance on the least amount of fuel. The students competing in Shell Eco-marathon work to design, build and drive the world's most energy efficient vehicle. The Université Laval team, last year's gasoline-powered prototype category winner, attained 2,585 miles per gallon at Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2016. April 27 – 30, 2017, Shell Eco-marathon Americas will return to the iconic "Motor City" as a featured element of a four-day, festival of ideas and innovation – Make the Future Detroit. The festival, taking place at Detroit's Cobo Center, will celebrate bright energy ideas that will inspire current and future energy solutions, offering free virtual reality experiences and hands-on science experiments for an expected crowd of more than 20,000 visitors from the Great Lakes Region. Pamela Rosen, General Manager for Shell Eco-marathon Americas, said: "Shell Eco-marathon is a vital part of the #makethefuture campaign, which aims to celebrate some of the brightest and most exciting innovations helping to address the global energy challenge. We are thrilled to host a platform like Make the Future Detroit where we can bring brilliant young individuals, energy entrepreneurs and global and local partners together to foster collaboration and conversations about how the world can produce and consume much more energy while emitting much less CO2, and we can all work together to find solutions." More than 100 student teams from nine countries across the Americas have been working for months against key milestones to plan, construct and test their ultra-energy-efficient vehicles. Their hard work will be put to the test on an urban track on a downtown Detroit street circuit during Make the Future Detroit. Held annually in the Americas, Europe and Asia for more than 30 years, Shell Eco-marathon is one of the premier global competitions that attracts thousands of young engineers aiming to go the furthest with the least amount of fuel. Students have a year to design, build and test their vehicle before the track challenge where winning is based on streamlined design, lightweight materials and driving strategy. Student teams can choose to participate in one of two vehicle categories – Prototype or UrbanConcept. The Prototype category challenges teams to enter futuristic-looking, streamlined vehicles designed purely to reduce friction and maximize efficiency. While the UrbanConcept category focuses on more "roadworthy" energy-efficient vehicles. For both categories in the Americas event, teams can use any of seven official energy sources – including fuels such as gasoline, diesel as well as alternative fuels such as hydrogen, ethanol, gas-to-liquid (GTL), compressed natural gas (CNG) and battery electric technologies. Returning for the second year to the Shell Eco-marathon competition is the Drivers' World Championship (DWC) – a head-to-head race of the UrbanConcept winners from the Americas, Asia and Europe to find the quickest and most energy-efficient driver. The winners from the DWC Regionals will compete together in London in May of 2017 to find out who is the fastest energy-efficient driver. The winning team in 2016 was awarded the exclusive opportunity of a week's training with Scuderia Ferrari in Maranello, Italy. Collaboration Fuels Success Friendly competition and collaboration is central to Shell Eco-marathon Americas. Mater Dei High School in Evansville, IN, which has participated in the competition since its inception and has consistently led in their categories, has a history of helping other teams. Last year, these students helped provide a Detroit team with a missing spark plug and kill switch so they could pass technical inspections and compete alongside one another. Their passion also shines outside the competition, as they helped advise college students in Israel and Afghanistan on the best fuel-efficient engines, communicating primarily through Facebook messages. Norman Koch, Global Technical Director for Shell Eco-marathon said: "We are looking at a new generation of young scientists and engineers who crave collaboration and are motivated by their interests and inspirations. Shell Eco-marathon is the perfect platform that offers this generation meaning and purpose to innovate and to create a real impact in the world today." Events Leading up to Make the Future Detroit Add Value Over the past two years, Shell has helped shape the future of sustainable mobility in Detroit by uniting the industries and individuals that will help drive a cleaner, brighter future. Now entering its third year in Detroit, Shell continues its investment in the city by participating in events that foster dialogue about future energy challenges and near-term solutions, including: The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) – January 10: Shell will host a symposium to discuss the future of automotive mobility and showcase an ultra-energy efficient concept city car – the Shell Concept Car – which launched in April 2016 and if it were ever to go into production, could deliver material reductions in energy use in the road transport sector. The three-seat car, is tangible proof of energy efficiency improvements that can be achieved by using cutting edge technology available today through a process of 'co-engineering' whereby vehicle body, engine design and lubricants are all created together. Autopalooza Detroit: Shell is once again collaborating with the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) and the MotorCities National Heritage Area (MCNHA) to kick off Autopalooza – a series of world-class automotive cruises, races and shows throughout metro Detroit that celebrate southeast Michigan's automotive heritage. Powering Progress Together – April 27: Shell will convene leading thinkers at this action-focused event aimed to foster conversation about future energy. The event will invite fresh thinking, and encourage collaboration, dialogue and debate. For more information visit Shell Eco-marathon America Shell Eco-marathon Americas Partners in Innovation Global event partners: Our global partners help support the three annual regional events around the world. These partners, along with our local full event partners, provide benefit-in-kind support throughout the year, technical expertise at the event as well as support to the overall student program and public experience. The global partners include Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), HP Inc., the Linde Group, and Southwest Research Institute. About Shell Oil Company Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Royal Dutch Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs more than 20,000 people working to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future. Shell Oil Company is a leading oil and gas producer in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, a recognized pioneer in oil and gas exploration and production technology and one of America's leading oil and natural gas producers, gasoline and natural gas marketers and petrochemical manufacturers. Cautionary Note The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this announcement "Shell", "Shell group" and "Royal Dutch Shell" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies. ''Subsidiaries'', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this announcement refer to companies over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to "joint ventures" and "joint operations" respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in a venture, partnership or company, after exclusion of all third-party interest. This announcement contains forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Royal Dutch Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as ''anticipate'', ''believe'', ''could'', ''estimate'', ''expect'', ''goals'', ''intend'', ''may'', ''objectives'', ''outlook'', ''plan'', ''probably'', ''project'', ''risks'', "schedule", ''seek'', ''should'', ''target'', ''will'' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Royal Dutch Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; and (m) changes in trading conditions. All forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell's 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2015 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov ). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward looking statements contained in this announcement and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, 12/21/16. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this announcement that United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. U.S. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov. Follow us on Twitter See photos on Flickr Watch videos on YouTube More In Shell Eco-Marathon For Americas participants If you’re a participant or want to join Shell Eco-marathon Americas, see all you need to know about the competition. Get highlights from Make the Future Live Americas in Sonoma, California. About Shell Eco-marathon Challenger events	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732577
__label__wiki	0.668712	0.668712	Southeastern > Academics > Academic Programs > Turtle Cove > Research Activities > Fishes of the Basin > Project Summary Boats, Facilities, & Equipment Reports, Maps & Data Lagniappe [gift shop] Partners & Related Links Public Relations Video Fishes of the Basin Marsh Restoration Descriptions: Line 1 Poster Request The Lake Pontchartrain Basin is one of the most ecologically and economically important oligohaline systems in the United States.Due to its characteristic east-west salinity gradient, it harbors a distinctive and ever changing fish community.Much of the culture and economy of the southeastern Louisiana is based on the aquatic resources of the basin.Although most people in the region are generally concerned about the health and abundance of the sportfishes (i.e. redfish and speckled trout) in the basin, relatively few are concerned or even aware of the non-game (i.e. Blackbanded Darter or Sailfin molly) and exotic (Rio Grande Cichlid and Common Carp) species that occur throughout the basin. In 1974, Douglas published the Freshwater Fishes of Louisiana, the most comprehensive treatise on Louisiana fishes.Unfortunately, this publication has long been out of date and is not readily available to most Louisianans.Other educational fish posters are available; however, they depict only marine fishes or only freshwater fishes.Prior to this project, no pamphlet or other educational-outreach material existed specifically for the fishes of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. This project was funded by the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. Recent generations of sportsman, outdoorsman, and environmentalists are likely not aware of the immense freshwater, estuarine, and marine biodiversity in the Lake Pontchartrain basin.The production of organismal-based educational material has been immensely popular for other agencies (e.g., Sea Grant Programs) interested in outreach and education. Overall, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin is healthier than it was 20 years ago. Redfish and speckled trout populations are increasing, and formerly uncommon species of fishes, are returning to the basin.It seems timely that updated educational material on fishes of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin be made available to the people of south Louisiana.The objective of this project was to produce an educational poster depicting the fishes in the basin, inclusive of non-game, sport, and exotic fishes.Distributed through Turtle Cove, these posters are now available to educational and environmental groups during various workshops and environmental events held at Turtle Cove, along with beingavailable to other interested groups throughout Louisiana and the Gulf region. The images used in the production of this poster were illustrated by Joe Tomelleri (pictured right),one of the premier fish illustrators in the world.His illustrations have appeared in more than 500 publications, including many magazines, advertisements, newspapers, greeting cards, clothing, signage, identification guides, websites, and most recently, in two fish books: Fishes of Alabama (Boschung& Mayden 2004) and the Trout and Salmon of North America (Behnke et al. 2002). Thirty fish illustrations are represented on this poster including non-game fishes, sportfishes, endangered fishes, and exotics fishes that occur in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.Not only does the poster include images of fishes that occur in Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas, but it also includes lesser-known fishes that occur in the Tangipahoa, Amite, Tickfaw, and Blind Rivers. Read descriptions of each fish in the poster. Line 1 \| Line 2 \| Line 3 \| Line 4 \| Line 5 \| Line 6 Contacts \| Project Summary \| Related Links	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732580
__label__wiki	0.609061	0.609061	Commercial & Other Adverts Braintree Green, Rayne, Braintree CM77 Explore your personality...A chance in A lifetime Set back from the road this beautiful property will have a commanding presence within mature surroundings of modern and listed executive homes. Not yet commenced on site here is the opportunity for one lucky family to form the character of their very own home This special home has been designed to enhance the surroundings offering contemporary style with traditional values, ideal for the busy modern family. Choices of design, finish and fittings will be available at this early stage to enable you to stamp your own individuality and personality upon your 'forever home'. We believe this really is a rare opportunity to create something truly special. Essential village life The nearby Essex countryside is the perfect place to discover pretty villages with excellent eateries and independent shopping. Perfect for those wishing to commute to London while at the same time live in the countryside, Rayne is a thriving village on the edge of the town of Braintree. Rayne is a village of about 3,000 people. It is 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Chelmsford and 15 miles (24 km) west of Colchester and about 40 miles north-east of London. The historic village was once the home of the Capel family who became the Earls of Essex. There is an historic public house, a Post Office stores, restaurants, including a highly rated Indian and children's playing fields. Station Road leads to the former Rayne railway Station, which is now the Rayne Centre of the Flitch Way Country Park which is also a National Cycle Network; Route No.16. Heading out onto the Flitch Way via foot, cycle or horseback. The Flitch Way passes through 15 miles of countryside along the former Bishop's Stortford to Braintree railway in rural Essex. Much of the route can be explored on foot, bicycle or horseback, following wildlife-rich railway cuttings, past Victorian stations and over embankments with views across impressive farmlands, villages and woodland. Rayne Station is on the route and is the perfect place to stop for refreshments. The station was built in 1866 and was one of the busiest on the line. Renovated in 1994, it is now the Visitor Centre and ranger base for the Flitch Way. Travel and communication Braintree is 2 miles distant and seven miles from Great Dunmow a thriving market town. There are excellent road links with the A120 dual carriageway providing easy access to Stansted Airport and Junction 8 of the M11 (15 miles) to Cambridge to the north and London and the M25 to the south. The rail commuter has a choice of services to London's Liverpool Street from Braintree (60 minutes), Chelmsford (32 minutes) and also from Witham and Stansted. Schools & shopping The village has a Primary school, nursery and other local amenities. Braintree shopping is only 2 miles distant and Braintree Outlet some 4 miles. This property is also well placed for Grammar Schools in Chelmsford along with the highly regarded and last year's Independent School of the year winner New Hall School and the hugely popular Felsted independent school only a short drive away. Colchester Royal Grammar, Gosfield, Bishops Stortford College and The Hockerill School are also within driving distance. Other nearby facilities Golf courses can be found at Braintree, Stisted and Chelmsford all within easy reach. Braintree Green is positioned approximately two miles from Great Leighs racecourse which now has a full race calendar for 2018. About shire hall homes ltd Shire Hall Homes have been established locally for over 20 years, building many of the high quality individual new houses and small new home developments in the area. All Shire Hall Homes properties are covered by a 10 year Checkmate buildings guarantee and constructed to a high standard. Agents note All choices and alterations are subject to the stage of construction at the time of reserving your home. Please liaise with our agent, James & Co for further details. Images are cgi's and may change. Reservation deposit A deposit of £1,000 is required with your reservation. This deposit will be deducted in full from the purchase price on exchange of contracts, but will not be returned if the purchaser withdraws from the property purchase. Completion dates The completion date given at the time of reservation will be the 'best estimate'. For any updates to the completion date liaise with our agent, James & Co. James & Co - incorporating Nigel Danford The Chestnuts, 4 Stortford Road, Dunmow, Essex	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732581
__label__cc	0.520985	0.479015	Philosophy and Ethics with Julie Arliss On Thursday, 16 August, Siena hosted Julie Arliss, an international presenter from the UK, Director and Founder of Academy Conferences, a former Cambridge CIE examiner, and a Fellow at Harris Manchester Oxford University, 2018. She presented to our Year 11 students for their third Eckhart seminar and challenged them to consider ‘The Philosophy of Sex’. Julie deconstructed modern attitudes to women as portrayed through the media and movies which can continue to uphold and reinforce values of gender inequality. Our students came to realise that many had accepted these ideas unquestioningly in film and text. Julie differentiated between ways of interpreting love as well as intimacy. She also explored the ideas of famous philosophers; Plato’s view of spiritual love, free of lust, with a focus on the adoration for one’s soul, rather than the physical self; as well as the beliefs of Aristotle, that all things, including relationships, can enable the potential in each partner through shared virtue. This love reflects our pursuit of happiness. Julie ultimately linked this with Christian love, emphasising that all love is formed in the image of God, and that, as his followers, we are called to love and cherish all of his divine creations. Our key learning in Year 10 Religion and Society Unit 2 is centred on Ethics. We were privileged to secure Julie to present a Masterclass to our Year 10 cohort on Relativism. She approached this learning from two perspectives: Cognitive Relativism, which is subjective, and Cultural Relativism, which is social. Julie argued that with Relativism, there is no single moral standard that applies to all people and all places. She drew on art (Caravaggio’s painting, The Sacrifice of Isaac), and famous philosophers, from Nietzsche to Immanuel Kant, to highlight that, if morality is culturally defined, only those who are part of the culture can be part of the conversation. Julie was able to reinforce the way this attitude, in turn, has massive Justice implications if we are working to overcome slavery, prejudice and human rights issues across the world. Such enrichment in the learning of Religion and Society at Year 10 and 11 should develop critical thinking, engagement with the big, existential questions of life and recognition of the importance of the inquiry process. Julie’s passion for a structured philosophical and ethical approach to learning and as a way to access deeper thinking is contagious and inspired so many of our students to want to explore Philosophy and Ethics further. Religious Education Coordinator	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732582
__label__cc	0.715853	0.284147	Funeral Director Available 24 Hours/Day \| 1-360-656-5459 Anthony Elmendorf Walker February 11, 1940 ~ December 31, 2018 (age 78) Anthony Elmendorf Walker left this world peacefully on December 31, 2018 as a result of wild type amyloidosis, a progressive disease with no treatment or cure. Born in New York City in 1940, he attended boarding schools Eaglebrook and Pomfret. After attending Hobart College and Columbia University, he spent two years in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany. In 1978 he relocated from the San Francisco Bay Area to Bellevue, Washington where he lived for 38 years. In 2015 he retired to Bellingham, Washington where three of his four children lived. His career included stints in insurance (NY Life Insurance, Alexander & Alexander), sales (American Dental Examiners, Protex, ATS Electro-Lube), and entrepreneurial pursuits (Zones Family Entertainment, Top Pot Doughnuts). Tony loved people and was genuinely interested in them—meeting them, talking to them, connecting them. He had a gift for getting the right people in the same room and making something happen. He had a strong mentoring spirit, both as a Big Brother or as a friend to young people seeking advice. He was charming, funny, playful and mischievous. He relished bending the rules. He loved his family more than anyone and took great pride in his children's accomplishments, always encouraging them. He had a generous spirit and always greeted his children and grandchildren with a big smile and a gregarious "GUY"! Tony found Christian faith late in life through his youngest son Nathaniel, pastor of Christ Church Bellingham. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph & Susie Walker, sister Robin Walker, sister Eleanor Seyffert, brothers Peter Walker and Joseph Walker. He is survived by twin brother Steven Walker, sister Barbara (Bobby) Waller, children Scott, Wendy (John Defreest), Christopher (Nancy Knapp), Nathaniel (Shannon Kern), wife of 44 years Edie and his 10 grandchildren. They will all miss their Papa immensely. A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Bellingham, Washington on Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 3:00 pm. Donations can be made to Whatcom Hospice Foundation, Amyloidosis Foundation, Wounded Warriors. Donations may be made to: Whatcom Hospice Foundation 3001 Squalicum Pkwy., #11, Bellingham WA 98225 Web: http://whatcomhospice.org/ Amyloidosis Foundation 7151 N. Main Street. Suite 2, Clarkston MI 48346 Web: http://info@amyloidosis.org 2200 Alaskan Way #130, Seattle WA 98121 Sig's Funeral & Cremation Service \| 809 W Orchard Drive, Suite #2 \| Bellingham, WA 98225 \| justin@sigsfuneralservices.com © 2019 Sig's Funeral & Cremation Service. All Rights Reserved. Funeral Home website by CFS	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732583
__label__wiki	0.731398	0.731398	How DCU machine translation experts are transforming communication by Ellen Tannam 13 Nov 20171.71k Views Prof Andy Way of Dublin City University. Image: DCU Machine translation is helping people work through language barriers, and creating a world that will make communication easier, even in times of crisis. Prof Andy Way is a machine translation (MT) expert. He has been working in this area for the past 30 years, and currently leads the Adapt Centre’s MT team at Dublin City University (DCU). Way explained how MT was a good career choice for him: “My first degree was French, German and linguistics, and then I did a master’s in computing, so doing MT was a perfect marriage of the two disciplines.” After completing a master’s, Way went on to undertake a PhD in MT. The MT evolution Way explained that there have been some significant changes in the approaches to MT over the years. “From the late ’80s to about 2015, the dominant approach to MT was statistical (SMT). We needed large amounts of parallel data, ie source sentences and their human-provided translations, to build our statistical translation models, which essentially would suggest target-language words and phrases, which the model believed to be translations of the source sentence. “Following this process, it was then the job of the target language model – built from a large collection of monolingual data – to rearrange these words and phrases to produce the most fluent output according to the model.” Essentially, SMT worked by identifying patterns in large collections of text, “which could be brought to bear when processing new, previously unseen texts”. The last three years in MT have also seen neural MT (NMT) come to the fore. With NMT, all a research team needs is parallel data. The dominant model encodes the source sentence into a numerical vector representation, “which is in turn sent en bloc to the target-language decoder, whose job it is to generate the most likely target text from that vector”. Way explained that NMT typically outperforms SMT and could be considered the “new state of the art”, citing more fluent translations and better word order as results. NMT does require much bigger training datasets, and models generally also take longer to train. Adapt Centre breaking down language barriers In terms of the application of MT at the Adapt Centre, Way and his team tackle language barriers that are “key challenges in enabling content to flow fluently across the globe”. He explained that language shouldn’t be an obstacle when it comes to accessing information online, and machine translation is “becoming ever more important in facilitating access to content using dynamic transformation techniques”. Way also explained how Adapt’s industry partners reap many benefits by engaging with the MT team at DCU. “[They] increase their competitiveness and reach across a wider set of industry vertical sectors.” The team also works on developing “robust, high-quality Irish-English MT systems”, which are being used on a daily basis by Government departments, providing increasingly important societal and economic benefits to people in Ireland, especially as we approach the expiration of the Irish language derogation afforded by the European Commission. MT in crisis situations The work done by the Adapt MT team, led by Way, is a wonderful example of the real-life benefits of advances in computer science, which are already producing amazing results. Interact is a project coordinated by Prof Sharon O’Brien at DCU and has partners such as Translators Without Borders, Microsoft, Unbabel, UCL and ASU. The project is concerned with the provision of reliable MT services in crisis scenarios. Way points to the example of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, when “the world’s relief services arrived only to find that the locals only spoke Haitian Creole, so communication was impossible”. At the time, Microsoft put together an MT translation system, and the work Interact is doing runs along similar lines. Way explained how the process works: “We’re trying to do much the same here, for a range of non-major language pairs, by pivoting through a well-resourced language; for example, there isn’t much Greek-Arabic parallel data around, but there is plenty of Greek-English and English-Arabic data, so we will be able to build a Greek-English-Arabic system with English as the pivot language. Other pivot set-ups include German-English-Arabic and French-English-Swahili.” MT benefiting millions Another MT project that benefits millions is the creation of a software translation tool created by Adapt Centre graduate and Microsoft researcher Dr Sandipan Dandapat. Bangla is the seventh most spoken language in the world. The development of the tool that can help 215m Bangla speakers began while Dandapat was at Adapt during a Microsoft internship. Dandapat said: “As Bangla is also my native language, it was especially rewarding to have the opportunity to bring this project to completion.” Helming a team that works on such major projects, Way is in a good position to examine the future impact MT could have on the world and how we all communicate. “MT quality is now good enough that it has been demonstrated to be a key enabler in the translation pipeline for many use cases in different domains and for a range of end users. For example, Google Translate alone translates around 150bn words per day, every day.” New use cases for MT Way cited the emergence of more and more use cases, such as the instantaneous translation of massive volumes of tweets and other user-generated content. He said this area is where the “Adapt MT team is playing a leading role, where MT is the only hope. Human translators cannot work fast enough to meet such a huge translation demand and, in any case, the MT output is ‘good enough’ to allow users to understand the original content.” In 2014, Adapt’s Brazilator project translated 83m words for 26 language pairs in real time, in tweets related to the FIFA World Cup. “By our estimation, around 1,300 human translators would have had to work full-time to do the same job in the time available, at a cost of over €3m. Clearly that would have been unfeasible, so there are opportunities for MT to offer new services where there currently is no provision.” What about human translators? So, you might ask, where does the MT boom leave real-life, human translators? Way explained that it’s not a case that MT will ever replace what an individual expert can do. “This is no threat to human translators; it is estimated that only around 5pc of all content that could be translated actually is, as there simply aren’t enough human translators to meet this demand.” He also emphasised that there would always be a need for a “human in the loop” to try and catch errors that MT models could make, and post-edit them. Although MT quality is now invariably good, Way said: “It will always make some mistakes, which are often difficult to predict. “For example, NMT now produces some excellent translations but, all of a sudden, it’ll produce a translation which has very little to do with the sentence being translated. “Given that a lot of the ‘knowledge’ is encoded in the system’s hidden layers, although quality has definitely improved, our understanding of what’s going on has not.” He also made the point that the MT model training data itself comes from human translators. “We use some of that data for automatic testing of our systems. We need human expertise to tell us what errors our systems are making.” Ethics are paramount Like all machine learning endeavours, there are ethical concerns, ones that the experts are constantly cognisant of, said Way. For example, who owns the parallel translation data (and any derivatives that ensue) used to train the MT systems? Who is liable if someone suffers (in all meanings of the word) from an MT error? Way also stressed the need for fair rates of pay for translators and post-editors who do vital work. For him, the Adapt team, and machine translation experts in general, “the human in the loop will always be the most important link in the chain. We MT developers are just trying to make technology-savvy translators better, not replace them.” It’s a fascinating field, and one that is metamorphosising at a rapid rate. MT models are helping all of us – from when we use Google Translate to find the meaning of a Spanish word on holidays, to creating an environment where more lives can be saved through clear communications in the aftermath of natural disasters. Way and the Adapt team are at the coalface of major and exciting developments that will improve how we all connect and engage with one another. In-Depth: Science Week Related: science, Dublin City University, AI, Science Foundation Ireland, computer science Ellen Tannam is a writer covering all manner of business and tech subjects #StopAndAsk: Your Science Week questions answered Join a culture that offers a world of possibilities 2016 Graduate Employer of the Year Step inside a 3D-printing research centre manufacturing the future 7 Irish science stories that made serious waves in 2018 so far AI is now used by four out of 10 Irish companies 7 reasons why Irish research is good for your health Eight Irish SMEs to receive European Innovation Council funding	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732585
__label__wiki	0.932742	0.932742	Hold tech firms, social media platforms accountable, say students Lawyer Sui Yi Siong (second from left) with SMU law students (from left) Chen Lixin, Gloria Chan and Simran Kaur Sandhu, as well as National University of Singapore law students (from right) Rachel Er and Joel Yap, at the hearing of the Select Committee on deliberate online falsehoods yesterday.PHOTO: GOV.SG http://str.sg/oqEF yuensin@sph.com.sg Technology companies and social media platforms should be required to monitor content and held liable for failing to take down offending content in certain cases. That is the most feasible way for Singapore to deal with the scourge of online untruths, a lawyer and a group of Singapore Management University (SMU) undergraduates told the Select Committee on deliberate online falsehoods yesterday. They noted that the "true mischief" of the problem lies in how untruths can be disseminated to a virtually unlimited audience. In clear-cut instances, unlawful content should be removed as fast as possible by the platform when users have alerted it to the content, said lawyer Sui Yi Siong and the undergrads in their written submission. In other less straightforward instances, the platform should wait for a judicial order on the appropriate course of action, they said. Doing so would strike a balance between protecting freedom of speech while keeping in check the dire consequences of allowing falsehoods to spread, they added. Another group of students from SMU, who appeared on the same panel, suggested that existing laws be amended. For instance, the Telecommunications Act can be amended to hold to account not just those who knowingly spread falsehoods, but also those who ought to have known that the messages were false, they said. Thus, citizens will have to scrutinise messages responsibly instead of unthinkingly passing on false messages. But there should be prosecutorial discretion as the amendment will widen the scope of potential offenders, the students added. Separately, a former journalist from The Straits Times and Channel NewsAsia suggested separating the news operations of mainstream media companies from the rest of their business. Their news operations can then be run under a not-for-profit umbrella to shield them from resource constraints and cost-cutting measures, said Mr Nicholas Fang, who noted that such companies have been hit by financial pressures in the light of technological disruption. The separation will allow the mainstream media to build up the quality of content produced, said Mr Fang, who is managing director of communications consultancy Black Dot. This, he told Select Committee member Janil Puthucheary, can enhance the appeal of such trusted sources, which take a rigorous approach to accuracy. Readers who now pick up information from alternative sources - which can become "a playground for fake news" - can then be convinced to rely on credible news outlets instead. Committee member Pritam Singh asked Mr Fang, who had noted flagging morale among journalists working in the mainstream media, if the low morale could be linked to out-of-bound markers that they might face in the local media industry. Mr Fang replied that he has not faced such obstacles in his 18 years in the industry, and that it is unlikely to be the case. The problem is linked to a fall in viewership and readership over the years, he said. Both he and Singapore University of Technology and Design's media and communication professor Lim Sun Sun also called for media literacy efforts to be stepped up. A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 30, 2018, with the headline 'Hold tech firms, social media platforms accountable, say students'. Print Edition \| Subscribe	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732587
__label__cc	0.537857	0.462143	Some online services will be unavailable due to maintenance from 5pm on Monday 15 July to 8am on Wednesday 17 July 2019. Read more. Schools, children with SEND, childcare and Family Information Service, fostering and adoption, children's health, Raising the Bar and The Parent Hub. Most viewed pages in this section Apply for a secondary school place Apply for a primary school place Check who's eligible for home to school or college transport Pay for school meals Find a list of schools, school attendances, school meals, school transport, term dates and how to apply for a primary or secondary school place. Raising the Bar is Suffolk’s programme to improve levels of educational attainment and ensure that every child in Suffolk can achieve their full potential. Parents looking for childcare and information about funded early education for 2, 3 and 4 year olds, or childcare providers looking for support and advice. Find information and support services for families with children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities. Information, advice and support for anyone concerned about the emotional wellbeing and mental health of a child or young person aged 0 to 25 years. Find out how to foster or adopt a child with Suffolk Fostering and Adoption, who are part of Suffolk County Council. Information about our children's centres and our children's health services which includes health visiting, school nursing and other specialist services. How to report a child at risk of harm, abuse or neglect. Information about private foster care, Positive Choices project, permits and licences. Find support for children in care and care leavers, children's accommodation services in Suffolk, and details of the Virtual School for Looked After Children. The common assessment framework is way of working with families who are struggling and puts their needs at the heart of decisions made about how they get help. A single place for Suffolk parents or carers to find parenting advice and support to help their child's development. Advice for young carers aged between 5 to 25 years old, about the Suffolk Strategy for Young Carers and how to find Young Carers Unlimited. Information and advice for young people, and how to get work experience with Suffolk County Council. Information to help if you are moving from children's to adult care and support services. Find out about Healthy Suffolk, which is the home of public health information in Suffolk, including the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA). Information, advice and support for young people, by young people in Suffolk. The Children and Young People’s Portal is an easy to use, secure space where you can complete and send forms directly to the right children’s services team. The CYP Provider Portal is where providers can submit billing information, receive contract documentation, and contact relevant CYP teams. Online services in this section Pay a school penalty notice fine Apply for a body of persons licence Apply for a child employment permit Apply for a chaperone licence	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732590
__label__cc	0.589472	0.410528	Waste management a big problem in Delhi A man sits on garbage bags in west Khizrabad in South Delhi. The most affected section in the waste management process includes the unrecognised waste collectors who form the largest informal sector in the country. New Delhi: Waste management is one of the biggest problems that the capital is facing. Despite a big workforce of waste collectors, scrap dealers and recyclers involved in waste management, the problem keeps aggravating with each passing day. The most affected section in the waste management process includes the unrecognised waste collectors who form the largest informal sector in the country. These waste collectors usually have their communities made of 50-70 households who live together in settlements and all members of the family are involved in the same profession. Around 15-20% of the city’s waste is managed by these waste collectors. They go door to door, collect waste, carry the waste in handcarts and get them to their settlements where the waste is segregated. The dry and recyclable items and e-waste are then sold to scrap dealers, whereas the wet waste is either sold to farmers as fertilizers or for other purposes and what is left is taken to landfills. Razaul Islam, a migrant from Assam, came to Delhi with his wife and three children nine years ago in search of a job to repay the debt that his father had taken in his village. Since he couldn’t find any other job, he started working as a waste picker like others from his village. He pointed out to bruises in his hand and said: “Every day, I collect waste from around 150 houses and then I separate things that can be sold to the scrap dealers. While segregating, I usually hurt myself with metal objects and very often I fall ill, but I can’t manage to skip work so I take medicines and keep working.” Razaul Islam earns around Rs 10,000 per month out of which he has to send Rs 5,000 to his father to clear off his debt. Abdul, 35, another waste collector from the same village in Assam had his brother-in-law working as a waste collector in Delhi. Abdul came to join him in his work as there was no employment in his hometown. “We had a small farming land in our village, which we had to sell due to some problems. After that, I was jobless and so I decided to come to Delhi to join my brother-in-law in his work of waste collecting. It is not a good work to do, but somehow, I manage to send my children to school with this money. I want to return to my village for which I am collecting money with which I can buy our land back,” he said. Abdul lives with his wife and two kids. The alleged negligence of these waste collectors by the government has only increased their woes. They don’t use any kind of safety gear like gloves or masks because it is unaffordable for them. While segregating the waste, they come in contact with materials like glass, sharp metal objects, medical waste like needles and syringes and other toxic substances that leave them vulnerable to a number of diseases. Not just that, when they get this waste to their settlements, the polluted air is inhaled by their family members, including their children who play around piles of trash around their homes. According to experts, the informal sector in the city needs attention, especially with respect to the Centre’s Swacchh Bharat Abhiyan. According to a report by an environmental research group, the municipal authorities save up to 24% of their daily expenses because of the work done in the informal sector and so they do not show any concern towards these waste collectors. Delhi-based environmentalist Dr S.K. Sarkar said: “The problem is that informal sector waste collectors do not have any association where they can put forth their concerns. Due to the large number of these waste collectors, it is also very difficult to manage their working at once. What needs to be done by the authorities is to set up an association for them and provide them with some incentives and recognition so that they can work with the Muncipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), but so far nothing has been done.” Sunita Kangra, Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), told The Sunday Guardian: “The waste collectors in the informal sector are not the responsibility of the MCD as they are not connected to us. However, if they ever come to us with their grievances, we’ll definitely look into the matter and will try to provide them with some safety gears, but they will have to come to us, we won’t go to them.” IOCL to add shooting, archery, wrestling and boxing for sports quota recruitment ‘Niti Aayog should prepare a plan for transformation of U.P. districts’ I want to take the wisdom and courage of Gandhi and Mandela ahead: Tarina Patel Faux-patriots want India to repeat Nehru’s 1960 mega-mistake	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732591
__label__wiki	0.514498	0.514498	Second measles case confirmed in Idaho panhandle The cases are the first instances of measles in Idaho since 2001. Second measles case confirmed in Idaho panhandle The cases are the first instances of measles in Idaho since 2001. Check out this story on statesmanjournal.com: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2019/06/09/second-measles-case-confirmed-northern-idaho/1402933001/ Associated Press Published 1:17 p.m. PT June 9, 2019 Here is a brief history of the measles, with information courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control. Statesman Journal MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — Authorities have confirmed a second case of measles in the Idaho panhandle. The Moscow-Pullman Daily News reports that the patient in Latah County is a family member of a young child who was confirmed as the first case last week. The child had one measles vaccine but not the second dose due to age. Both are believed to have been exposed during international travel. Authorities say that anyone who was at the Trinity Reformed Church in Moscow, Idaho on May 26 between 9:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. or at Gritman Medical Center between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on May 31 in the laboratory and diagnostic imaging departments could have been exposed to the virus. Help reunite keepsake with family: Lost photo album linked to longtime Willamette biology professor Officers honored: Salem Police officers recognized for heroics in the line of duty Wildfire danger: The 50 Oregon towns most threatened by wildfire clustered around Bend and Medford Read or Share this story: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2019/06/09/second-measles-case-confirmed-northern-idaho/1402933001/ South Salem motorcycle crash sends 2 to hospital Plane crashes in grass field east of Salem Hemp farm coming to West Salem, neighbors upset Dangerously hot days in Oregon to skyrocket Serial bank robber given 9 years in prison Oregon GOP launches effort to recall Gov. Kate Brown	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732593
__label__wiki	0.532125	0.532125	StereoLife Magazine - Displaying items by tag: interview Q Acoustics has been a success right from the start. Its first products, the 1000 Series, shook up the UK loudspeaker industry, received unprecedented praise from reviewers worldwide and scooped prestigious awards. More awards followed with the release of the upgraded 1000i Series, and even more for the 2000 Series. However, not satisfied with merely designing conventional loudspeakers, Q Acoustics' design team introduced Q-AV - the world's first speakers to feature BMR (Balanced Mode Radiator) drive units, enabling for the first time, the whole family to hear perfect home cinema sound, wherever they sat within the room. The Sunday Times predicted that "some day all speaker systems will be like this". access_time 10:53AM 05 March 2019 Ken Ishiwata - Marantz Ken Ishiwata is probably one of the most influential personalities in our industry. His engineering talent allowed him to design many great devices and modify Marantz's standard equipment. Amplifiers and CD players signed with his initials are very sought after, and regular models only go into production after gaining his approval. Born in Japan in 1947, Ken Ishiwata is also one of passionate music lovers who had a chance to experience almost every major technology and music format, from tube amps to streamers, from mono recordings to hi-res music files. Privately, he's a very original person who likes to share his passion with other music lovers. access_time 10:47AM 07 November 2017 Siegfried Amft - T+A In a complex world of audio equipment it's now all about not just products and brands, but most importantly - the people who stand behind them. This applies to manufacturers as well as distributors or retailers. It seems that in the era of ubiquitous fakes, the authenticity driven by a true personality begins to matter more and more, becoming something unique and very desirable. Many new companies on the audio market have been established as a result of the agreement of several people who, in most extreme cases, know nothing about the hardware and music. It is easy to note, however, that the most respected and iconic brands have always been associated with real people whose philosophy works for years. access_time 09:40AM 12 October 2016 Ray Kimber - Kimber Kable Audiophile cable market may seem very complicated at first glance - hundreds of brands and products, and the only thing that seems to be connecting them all is the general purpose. However, among new companies and those whose products are now fashionable for some reason, there is a number of manufacturers who have their permanent place at the table. Audioquest, Nordost, Monster Cable, Cardas Audio, Van den Hul or Kimber Kable have largely created this market and continue to shape it to the greatest extent. In most cases, the whole philosophy of the company is linked with their founder, and therefore we were extremely happy to meet one of the legends of the cable world - Ray Kimber. access_time 01:59PM 21 February 2016 John Franks - Chord Electronics Just as we were finishing the review of two DACs by Chord Electronics, we had an opportunity to meet the founder of the company and ask him some questions about the technology used in the latest devices and his idea of a perfect sound reproduction so to speak. John Franks is not a musician or self-taught electronical engineer as it often happens, but an avionics engineer who knows his trade very well. This job and everything that goes with it, has been translated into the world of high-end audio equipment. The company was founded in 1989 and since then it has been associated with technical innovation and brilliant design. Chord's sources and amplifiers are not only intriguing to look at, but also full of stuff you won't find anywhere else. access_time 01:59PM 06 January 2016 Heinz Lichtenegger - Pro-Ject Heinz Lichtenegger is one of the most interesting and forward-thinking people in the audio industry. The founder of Pro-Ject is known for his unwavering love for vinyl records and turntables. He is one of those who always believed in the power of vinyl and more - he's probably largely responsible for the renaissance of this medium. All turntable lovers should know his products - many of them have started their analog adventure with a Pro-Ject, and even those who do not use vinyl certainly associate the company with Box Design units. Where did it all come from, and what plans does Heinz have for the nearest future? Delphine Dall - Cabasse Cabasse is recognized as one of the best known loudspeaker manufacturers, and one which gives us very interesting products, especially in the high end segment. Founded in 1950 by Georges Cabasse, the firm inherited not only its creator's name, but also his genius as his special gift, a memory for sounds led him to design one of the most original and striking loudspeakers on the market. On the company's website we also found that Cabasse's roots go back to 1740 and a luthier who crafted the first violin signed Cabasse. Interesting, isn't it? And what about the present day? To learn more about that we conducted an interview with Delphine Dall. John Hunter - REL Among the speakers we can distinguish some types made for specific applications, such as center channels, wireless active speakers or subwoofers. Each has its place in a stereo or home theater, but their makers rarely focus on a particular type of speaker. Manufacturers try to satisfy every customer and offer everything, including these very specific products. There are several specialized factories among which subwoofer specialists tend to be the strongest group. REL was founded in 1990 by Richard Edmund Lord. Ole Klifoth - Audiovector Audiovector is one of the most recognizable Scandinavian loudspeaker manufacturers with a true legacy and dozens of awards. They participate in all major events, and now intensively develop active wireless speakers. The company has over 22,000 fans on Facebook and keeps up with various technological innovations. If you truly want to discover the philosophy of the company, you have to meet its founder - Ole Klifoth. This friendly man has been running the company for 37 years with the help from his son, Mads. In addition to the audio equipment, he's also interested in Scandinavian and American literature, and in his spare time he listens to jazz, rock and blues in a wooden house, deep in the woods. Bartolomeo Nasta - Unison Research In the times of rampant digitization and the pursuit of better sound recording formats, it's important to remind ourselves of solutions that effectively resist being relegated to the past. Sometimes we get the impression that all the modern solutions create an ever greater need to escape to a world in which one can appreciate things such as turntables, vintage hi-fi and of course - tube amplifiers. There are few music lovers who have tried tubes and emerged from this experience without any emotion. This technology offers a unique sound, but on the other hand it is difficult to deny that there is something magical in these devices. Most of them are eye-catching and look beautiful, and if we add the Italian sense of style to this puzzle, we get exactly what Unison Research has been offering for years. Other interviews Manfred Diestertich & Dieter Kratoch… Paolo Tezzon - Sonus Faber Audio Video Show 2015	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732594
__label__wiki	0.51492	0.51492	T.A. Waters – Columnist T.A. Waters Columnist: T.A. Waters ON THE WATERS FRONT a column of information and opinion by T. A. Waters THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS COLUMN ARE THOSE OF THE WRITER, AND MAY NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE STEVENS MAGIC EMPORIUM OR GEMINI. Column Three: HOKEY POCUS What follows will of necessity be something of a ramble — but bear with me. As I was leafing through the April issue of MAGIC, I came across a letter from one Artie Kidwell, complaining about how much skin Jinger Kalin had shown on the March cover and in an interior photograph. A cold fear gripped my heart as I realized one of two things must have happened: either my issue had been incomplete or damaged, or brain-rot had finally set in — because I didn’t remember seeing any such revealing pictures. I checked the issue and looked at the pictures of Jinger; I studied them very carefully for quite some time, and I hope you appreciate the thoroughness with which I research this column. If anyone cares to look, they’ll see that the cover shot shows about a two-inch wide strip of cleavage to the belt line, and about a five-inch bit of her lower thigh is exposed. In the picture on page 43 we see a bit more leg and a glimpse of bare shoulder… …after recovering from this meticulous study, I checked Mr. Kidwell’s return address to see just where in Kentucky his monastery is located, but none was indicated. Mr. Kidwell characterizes himself as an “old toad” — I dunno: we’re told that toads, when kissed by the right woman, can transform into princes, but Kidwell seems so upset at the sight of female flesh that he’s unlikely to let one get near enough — so if toad he is, toad he shall remain. Seriously: I read his letter, looked at the photos, and thought WHAT PLANET IS THIS GUY ON? Does he ever turn on the TV, see Baywatch — or NYPD Blue — any of a couple of dozen night-time shows, to say nothing of the soaps, ALL of which show a lot of unclad bodies? Has he looked at a cover of Cosmopolitan? Does he even see the Sunday newspaper lingerie or bathing suit ads? [Example: the 5/21 LA Times, p.5 — a full-color, full-page ad for The Broadway department store. It features two attractive women in bathing suits which, while conservative by California standards, show a lot more skin than suit; this in a Sunday paper with a readership of millions, and not remotely unusual.] Does Mr. Kidwell, in fact, see much of the contemporary world at all? However, I am not picking on Mr. Kidwell for his opinions on costuming in magic; I am picking on him for something ELSE he says in his letter. “Magic,” he tells us, “has always been entertainment for the entire family.” Really? Who found that out? SOME magic has been “family entertainment” — and so have some movies, and books, and songs, and dancing, and so on through every other area of show business. Some has been — and a whole lot has NOT been. It would not be unfair to say that the great majority of work in most areas of entertainment has dealt with romantic and sexual themes; even murder and mayhem run a distant second. There’s a reason for this: for most of us, love in its many aspects is the most important thing in life — and if love indeed makes the world go round, then sex could be considered the ball-bearings. Art reflects life, sometimes magnifies it — and the themes of love and sex are at the core of much of art, and of show business. In the real world of show business (or the real world, period), the photos of Jinger can be appreciated for her remarkable beauty but the notion that they are too revealing is laughable. By contemporary standards they are positively demure. So why does Mr. Kidwell — who is probably not alone in his opinions — think sex shouldn’t be a part of magic, since it is a part of virtually every other area of show business, from children’s shows (seen Xuxa?) to grand opera? Well, it’s part of a deeper problem — a very serious problem — or I wouldn’t be spending all this time on it. Take out two playing cards — let’s use the Queen of Hearts and the Joker. Put them face-up on the table side by side. Now angle the Queen slightly so that its corner covers the Joker index; got it? Fine. With this visual aid, imagine show business to be the QH and magic to be the Joker: the area where they overlap is about how much they have in common. It seems to me that there’s magic — and then there’s all the rest of show business, with very little crossover. Why do I think this? Got a week? Well, let’s try. Much of my performing background is in classical drama, primarily Shakespeare. Now here is performance material in which the dialogue does not change, the settings and costumes vary not that much — yet, if you saw a production of OTHELLO in which I performed, then fired up your handydandy TimeScanner and looked at productions of that same play from 30, 60, 90 years before — you’d immediately be able to tell that they were being performed in different eras. In the same way, most of us can look at a film, even a genre western, and form a fairly accurate estimate of when it was done, simply by looking at the style. Let’s take something more recent, but conservative: country music. In the last dozen years, while keeping to its tried-and-true themes, the presentation and performance of country artists has changed almost out of recognition. It’s the same with most areas of popular culture, to a greater or lesser degree; they change with the times. But not magic. Why not magic? It seems that the answer is inherent in the question — and the answer is that MAGIC IS NOT A PART OF POPULAR CULTURE. Rather, it’s a separate little world with its own species (and subspecies) that, as in a lot of bad science fiction, occasionally intersects with the real (i.e., non-magic) world. Also as in bad s-f, the results are usually not pleasant. If this weren’t true, then magicians would think that they ARE a part of show business — and then, like every other aspiring performer, they’d realize all the things they have to learn to BE in show business. They’d understand they have to learn voice control and projection, stage movement, make-up — the basics of any kind of stage work. Then, of course, there’s lighting, and scripting and direction, and music, analyzing performance space — and if they don’t want to learn these things, most of them arts in themselves, the performers have to find and hire people who CAN do these things — if they want even a chance at any kind of show business career. (I assume it is understood by now that I am discussing theatrical stage performance; close-up, trade or corporate work is not directly relevant to this discussion — although there is some, uh, bleed-through.) Magicians don’t do this; barring the (maybe) few dozen exceptions we can all name (!), magicians somehow get the idea that they’re omniscient, and that purchase of a Square Circle is a mystical transaction that gives them all the knowledge they need. In a way, they’re right. It has long been a belief of mine, admittedly untestable, that if you found a singer or dancer or actor of the competency-level of the AVERAGE PROFESSIONAL magician, the singer/dancer/actor could NEVER get hired; they wouldn’t be good enough to ever get work. So, yeah, that magician who just bought the prop may be “good enough” to get by, to get work — but not good enough to do magic any good. For those who are in show business just for the money (and going into performance work primarily as a way of making money is as bizarre a notion as I can imagine), magic is probably a pretty good bet; after all, they won’t be judged as though they were in REAL show business. It is easy to understand, finally, why so many people in magic want it to REMAIN outside popular culture — because if it is brought into the culture, it will be judged by the culture’s standards — and they too will be judged by those standards. This separation from popular culture is what makes it possible for a magic show to appear on Broadway in the 1980s and have a reviewer congratulate the magician for “…a wonderful re- creation of a hokey old-time magic show.” The reviewer never had a notion that the performer thought he was being contemporary. This is what makes it possible for magic to be dismissed by so many — including people WITHIN it — as only “family entertainment” or “something for the kids.” This is what makes it possible for magic-oriented nightclubs and showplaces to ALL be decorated in the style of 100 to 100 years ago — because, after all, isn’t that what magic is? A performance art from a bygone time that has no relevance to today? Ricky Jay was able to take his knowledge of magic history and use it to enhance his show as he educated his audience to the idea that magic, performed by an artist, can indeed be a living art — and he stood the New York theatrical world on its ear. Look through his reviews: the only times you will see words like “hokey” or phrases like “old-fashioned” are to describe what it ISN’T. While some of his presentations referenced magic’s past, the production reflected the values of contemporary theater — with the direction of David Mamet and the lighting by Jules Fisher… …but, of course, when you think of the money Ricky could have saved by doing the lighting and direction himself, it was probably a tough call…! Because of its relative rarity, magic will never be a performance art of the prominence of music and dance, and this is as it should be; after all, how magical or mysterious can something be if everyone does it? It would be nice, however, if those who decide to go into professional magic decide also to go into professional show business, and realize that when you’ve mastered the effect, that’s the first step, not the last. Professional magic has in its ranks some performers who can stand with the best from other performance arts; I respect them, and love what they do to show their audiences that magic is indeed a worthy art of wonder. I just wish there were more OF them — and less of those who think magic is all you need to know to be a magician. There is, I suspect, no easy solution to this problem; I do have some thoughts and opinions about it, even less pleasant than what you’ve just read — and how surprised are you? — but I will save those for my NEXT column. Anything else? Oh. Yes. Jinger, you ARE beautiful. T. A. WATERS ADDENDUM: In the May issue of MAGIC, following on the theme of Mr. Kidwell’s screed, is a letter from a Mica Calfee, whose son, interested in magic, received a subscription to the magazine; Calfee didn’t intend to give the son “…a girlie magazine.” The son, we’re told, is 15 YEARS OLD. My theory is that the kid wants to learn magic so he can finally escape from the barrel where he’s been kept… …but I could be wrong. TAW Copyright (c) 1995 by T. A. Waters. All rights reserved. Gemini Gemini - T.A. Waters Magic History Magic Show New York Professional Magician Ricky Jay Show Business T.A. Waters Waters Front Bizarre Hauntings Is Coming – Special Stevens Magic VIP Bonus Poe’s Magic Theatre – VIP FREE Upgrade for Stevens Magic Clients – June 15th, 2019 – Featuring Peter Samelson An Appreciation: René Lavand Added Beauty to Amazement – By Mark Levenson Pete Biro Contributions to the art of Magic – By BUMA JR., (House of Magic) Max Armstrong – Broken Wand – By Joe Stevens Personally Speaking – Nov04 Badlands Bob - Improved Collector's Workshop $45.00 The Saturn – Pendulus (SME) Exclusive $65.00 Total Mentalism by Luca Volpe - Book $80.00 Plumbers Pole $52.50 Cross My Palm - Scott St. Clair- Softback - Book $30.00	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732595
__label__cc	0.513855	0.486145	St. John's at a Glance Online Application Submission Instructions St. John’s School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to provide the IBO Diploma, member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC). St. John’s serves students from Pre-K3 to grade 12 from over 30 countries whose families temporarily or permanently reside and/or work on Guam and within the Asia/Pacific Islands region. St. John’s School is a SEVIS facility, authorized to issue I-20 Visas to foreign national students. St. John’s School is an independent private college-preparatory school, located in Upper Tumon, Guam. St. John’s School prides itself on academic excellence and a spirit of tolerance in a Christian environment. Coming from a wide range of backgrounds and talents, all graduates continue on to college, many at prestigious U.S. institutions. We invite you to join the St. John’s School community! St. John's by the numbers St. John’s School fosters a diverse community of students from around the world. We believe this is crucial to the learning environment in which students can interact with many different cultures. In the school year 2017-2018, there are a total of 515 students. In the lower school there are 200 students, in the middle school there were 122, and in the upper school there were 193 students. With 91 faculty and staff, the faculty to student ratio is roughly 1:9. Other Asians At St. John’s School we believe that an excellent faculty bring out the best qualities in your child. Our teachers are all highly qualified with many years of experience, and many with advanced degrees. Our faculty members are highly involved within the St. John’s School experience with many of them acting as club advisors, sports coaches, among other positions. Upper Tumon, Guam 96913 Phone No: (671) 646-8080 Fax No: (671) 649-6791	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732597
__label__cc	0.521908	0.478092	Visiting St Mary’s All the practical information to help you plan your trip to St Mary’s. Image Credit: Steve Evans, Swindon Photographic Society Worship & Community Conservation Project Lydiard Park’s postcode for Sat Nav directions is SN5 3PA. The park has two main entrances, Hay Lane and Hook Street. Hay Lane is situated near Lydiard House and St Mary’s Church, please follow the brown signs for House and Church. Hook Street is situated near Forest Café, please follow the brown signs for Lydiard Park. St Mary’s Church is located in Lydiard Park. It is behind Lydiard House and best reached from the Hay Lane entrance. From the M4 motorway: From M4 Junction 16, take the exit towards Swindon (A3102). At the next roundabout, turn left onto the B4354 (Whitehill Way). At the second roundabout on Whitehill Way, turn left into Grange Park Way. By public transport: the nearby major town of Swindon is well-connected by rail. Stagecoach West operates a bus from Swindon to Lydiard Park every 30 minutes. The bus numbers are 1 and 1A. One of the church’s priorities is to improve the experience of our disabled visitors. The majority of the church has wheelchair access and we do accommodate many people with disabilities in our regular and life event services. If we know your needs in advance, we will do our best to meet these, and we therefore encourage all of our disabled visitors to contact us prior to their visit. Lydiard House and Park Lydiard Tregoze SN5 3PA The church is open on Saturdays and Sundays 10am -4pm (including Sunday morning worship) during the current period of conservation works. Parking is available close to the church and is pay and display. The charges are: £2.10 for up to 2 hours £4 for 2 - 4 hours Image Credit: daysey, Swindon Photographic Society Pilgrimage and Prayer St Mary’s is a sacred space where visitors can worship or simply reflect. As a living church, we have a full programme of worship events that we encourage our visitors to join. Please see the Worship & Community page for details, or our Home Page for forthcoming services. The church also offers a peaceful and contemplative space where you can step back from the busy everyday world. Please feel free to visit us for quiet reflection and prayer and, if you wish, to light a candle. St Mary’s Church welcomes groups of visitors. As a highly regarded and well-documented heritage building, the church attracts groups with a diverse range of interests. Recently, these have included writers’ groups; historical, heraldry and biblical societies; Women’s Institute, Ladies Groups and descendants of families associated with the church. Please contact us for information. Schools, Special Schools, FE and HE institutions all make use of St Mary’s as an educational resource both to understand its Christian purpose and learn about its rich history. The church building, fixtures and decoration reflect key historical events, architectural and artistic movements and social changes. We are currently developing exciting new sessions for Primary Schools inspired by the conservation project. If you are interested in an educational visit to St Mary’s, please contact us. Research & Family History Visits St Mary’s offers a range of research opportunities. Recent visits to the church have benefited researchers interested in polyptychs, memorial portraits and Christ of Trades wallpaintings. Others tracing ancestors who lived and worked in Lydiard Tregoze have discovered family graves in the churchyard. We encourage researchers from the UK and worldwide to make use of this accessible and well-documented site. For detailed historical information and for those researching St. John family genealogy please visit The Friends of Lydiard Park website. Lydiard House & Park Visitors Many visitors to St Mary’s also choose to visit Lydiard House and the surrounding park which was restored as part of a £5.3 million Heritage Lottery Fund project in 2005. The House and Park are the ancestral home of the St. John family – the Viscounts Bolingbroke. Their story is interwoven in the history of the House, Park and Church. Visitors can experience the elegant state rooms containing original family furnishings, portraits and ornamental plasterwork. The house is complemented by a delightful restored 18th century wall garden. The surrounding park’s lawns, woodlands and lake then offer a tranquil place to relax. A café can be found in the old stable building near the church. Entrance to Lydiard Park is free and it opens from dawn to dusk every day except Christmas Day. You can learn more about the Lydiard House and the walled garden, including entrance costs and opening times, at the Lydiard Park website. St Mary’s is part of the West Swindon and the Lydiard Tregoze Church Partnership, comprising the multi-denominational churches (Anglican, Baptist, Methodist and United Reform Church) of Toothill, Westlea, Holy Trinity Shaw and St Mary’s Lydiard Tregoze. Church Partnership Office: 01793 874221 St Mary’s Lydiard Tregoze Lydiard Park, Swindon SN5 3PA © 2019 St Mary’s Lydiard Tregoze. Website by Sanders Web Works	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732598
__label__cc	0.531445	0.468555	Tag Archives: release Lawyers Say Chelsea Manning Lacks Financial Capacity to Pay Fines Sparrow in news Alexandria, VA — In a reply brief to be filed later today, Chelsea Manning will propose guidelines for a hearing to assess her financial capacity before Judge Anthony Trenga, who, just over a month ago, ordered her to pay fines that could total up to nearly half a million dollars. These fines were imposed in addition to her incarceration. While the government has alleged that she has access to resources that would enable her to pay these fines, that perception is simply wrong, say Chelsea and her lawyers. Although prior to her recent confinement, Ms. Manning was able to earn a living from public speaking, she is not a wealthy person, her team says. Records show she was forced to lay off the individual employed by her small business after her incarceration in March, 2019. She has no personal savings, an uncertain speaking career that has been abruptly halted by her incarceration, and is moving her few belongings into storage, as she can no longer afford to pay her rent. Chelsea — who made exhaustive financial disclosures to the public during her 2018 run for the U.S. Senate — requested an opportunity to share her records with the Court shortly after the imposition of the fines. She will produce documents demonstrating that her current debt and compromised earning capacity have left her balance sheets near zero: The government, and maybe the general public, think that I have access to resources just because I am a public figure but that’s just not true. Making money has never been my priority. I do the work I do for the same reason I do everything: because I want to make a difference. Now, my work has been totally interrupted by my incarceration. I definitely feel the costs of these sanctions, but I never expected to have a comfortable life, and I would rather be in debt forever than betray my principles.” Chelsea E. Manning Ms. Manning and her legal team argue that, as it stands, the fines imposed are so much greater than her current and potential net worth that she will not be able to pay them in full. Moreover, while corporations are routinely financially sanctioned, it is unheard of for an individual to be hit with such heavy fines, particularly where the underlying matter involves no financial misconduct. For all of these reasons, her lawyers argue, the fines should either be reduced or vacated altogether. Furthermore, they argue, Chelsea will sooner bankrupt herself trying to pay these exorbitant fines than cooperate with the grand jury; since these fines will never coerce her cooperation, they are impermissibly punitive. Finally, they ask Judge Trenga to acknowledge that the jail sanction has definitively failed to coerce Chelsea, transforming any further confinement into an illegitimate punishment, rather than a civil sanction. Past Developments 1. May 31, 2019: Chelsea Manning’s Legal Team Files Motion to Reconsider Sanctions https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/05/chelsea-mannings-lawyers-file-motion-to-reconsider-sanctions/ 2. May 23, 2019: Statement from Chelsea Manning and Her Lawyer Regarding Today’s Superseding Indictment https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/05/statement-from-chelsea-manning-her-lawyer-regarding-todays-superseding-indictment/ 3. May 16, 2019 – Statement from Chelsea Manning’s Legal Team Regarding Today’s Grand Jury Hearing: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/05/statement-from-chelsea-mannings-legal-team/ 4. May 12, 2019 – Chelsea on CNN’s “Reliable Sources” with Brian Stelter: https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2019/05/12/chelsea-manning-speaks-out-after-two-months-in-jail.cnn/video/playlists/reliable-sources-highlights 5. May 10, 2019– Chelsea’s video statement (with full transcription): https://youtu.be/TDZGRRk4Mn 6. May 9, 2019 – Statements from Chelsea and her legal team: Chelsea Manning Released from Alexandria Detention Center After Grand Jury Lapses: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/05/chelsea-manning-released-from-alexandria-detention-center/ 7. May 6, 2019 – Chelsea Manning and her Attorneys File Motion Declaring She will Never Cooperate with Grand Jury: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/05/chelsea-manning-and-attorneys-file-motion-declaring-she-will-never-be-convinced-to-cooperate-with-the-grand-jury/ 8. April 22, 2019 – Chelsea Manning and Her Attorneys Respond to 4th Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling Affirming Contempt and Continuing Her Detention: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/04/chelsea-manning-and-her-attorneys-respond-to-4th-circuit-court-of-appeals-ruling-affirming-contempt-and-continuing-her-detention/ 9. April 1, 2019 – Chelsea Manning’s Lawyers Ask Court to Release Her, Pending Appeal, Citing Abuse of District Court Discretion: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/04/chelsea-mannings-lawyers-ask-fourth-circuit-to-release-her-pending-appeal/ 10. March 29, 2019 – Lawyers for Chelsea Manning Ask Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to Void Charges of Civil Contempt: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/03/chelsea-manning-grand-jury-appeal/ 11. March 23, 2019 – Lawyers and Supporters Condemn Chelsea Manning’s Ongoing Detention Under Solitary Confinement Conditions: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/03/lawyers-and-supporters-condemn-chelsea-mannings-ongoing-detention-under-solitary-confinement-conditions/ 12. March 8, 2019 – Chelsea Manning’s Support Committee: Manning’s Detention for Refusal to Provide Grand Jury Testimony is Pointless, Punitive, and Cruel: http://www.balestramedia.com/chelsea-press-releases/2019/3/8/chelsea-mannings-support-committee-mannings-detention-for-refusal-to-provide-grand-jury-testimony-is-pointless-punitive-and-cruel 13. March 6, 2019 – Statement from Chelsea Manning Regarding Grand Jury and Consequences Associated with Her Refusal: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/03/statement-from-chelsea-manning-regarding-grand-jury-and-consequences-associated-with-her-refusal/ 14. March 5, 2019 – Chelsea Manning Continues to Challenge Grand Jury Subpoena, Motion to Quash Denied, Remains Under Seal: http://www.balestramedia.com/chelsea-press-releases/2019/3/8/chelsea-manning-continues-to-challenge-grand-jury-subpoena-motion-to-quash-denied-remains-under-seal Written by Sparrow in news on Jun 20, 2019 Tagged 4th circuit, appeal, assange, chelsea manning, Chelsea Resists, DOJ, Eastern District of Virginia, EDVA, fine, grand jury, grumbles motion, julian assange, release, sanctions. Chelsea Manning’s Legal Team Files Motion to Reconsider Sanctions Alexandria, VA — Today, Chelsea Manning and her legal team filed a Motion to Reconsider Sanctions, in which they ask Judge Anthony Trenga to release Chelsea from confinement, and ask that he modify the fines he imposed on her. During the May 16th contempt hearing, Judge Trenga found Ms. Manning in contempt of court and ordered her confined for the term of the grand jury. Judge Trenga also imposed graduated fines to be assessed at $500 per day starting after 30 days of confinement, and jumping to $1,000 per day after 60 days, for as long as she refuses to comply with the court’s order to answer questions before the grand jury. During that same hearing, Judge Trenga prevailed upon Ms. Manning to use her confinement as an opportunity to reflect on her principles and objections to the grand jury process. A letter from Chelsea filed with the court today represents her efforts to communicate those principles and objections clearly and completely to the judge, and to show him that she has in fact reflected on her convictions sincerely and at length. Judge Trenga is asked to consider five important arguments in today’s court filing: A renewal of Ms. Manning’s motion for release, on the basis that she cannot be coerced, and that her incarceration is therefore only punitive. A sanction that serves only to punish her would convert what is intended as a civil coercive sanction into a criminal punishment, in violation of her 5th Amendment rights to due process. The government has now successfully obtained not one, but two indictments, without the benefit of or need for Chelsea’s testimony. Furthermore, as the government’s sixty-day window to add further charges prior to the submission of their extradition request is nearly over, the legitimacy of its purported need for Chelsea’s evidence is increasingly doubtful. The court may impose civil fines in order to coerce compliance with a court order – but not to punish disobedience with a court order. Coercive fines, however, are usually only applied to corporations, which cannot be jailed. Furthermore, such fines may not be imposed without the court confirming that the fines will not be excessive or punitive. This requires the judge to carefully examine the witness’s financial capacity, which was not done in this case. In the unusual event that fines are imposed on individuals, it is where the underlying contempt involves a refusal to comply with a court order about the management of large sums of money. There are no such facts in Chelsea’s case, and her lawyers believe that imposing any fine may be presumed to be definitionally punitive, rather than coercive. Although both fines and confinement are within the traditional contempt powers of the court, past cases suggest that these may be used one at a time, or one after the other, but a court should not impose both at once. The government and Chelsea’s legal team are in agreement that witnesses held in civil contempt may be held for no more than 18 months total, even for contempts occurring before different grand juries. As a result, on May 29, 2019, the government joined Ms. Manning’s counsel in asking Judge Trenga to give her 62 days “time served” and to modify his order of confinement to the term of this grand jury minus the 62 days she already spent in confinement (for contempt before a previous grand jury proceeding). Written by Sparrow in news on May 31, 2019 Tagged 4th circuit, appeal, assange, chelsea manning, Chelsea Resists, DOJ, Eastern District of Virginia, EDVA, grand jury, grumbles motion, julian assange, release, Subpoena. Statement from Chelsea Manning and Her Lawyer Regarding Today’s Superseding Indictment “This administration describes the press as the opposition party and an enemy of the people. Today, they use the law as a sword…” — Chelsea Manning Alexandria, VA — Chelsea Manning and her attorney Moira Meltzer-Cohen have issued the following statements in reply to today’s events: The continued detention of Chelsea Manning is purely punitive. Today’s events underscore what Chelsea has previously said, “[a]ll of the substantive questions pertained to my disclosures of information to the public in 2010—answers I provided in extensive testimony, during my court-martial in 2013.” “I continue to accept full and sole responsibility for those disclosures in 2010,” said Chelsea Manning this evening. “It’s telling that the government appears to have already obtained this indictment before my contempt hearing last week. This administration describes the press as the opposition party and an enemy of the people. Today, they use the law as a sword, and have shown their willingness to bring the full power of the state against the very institution intended to shield us from such excesses.” Moira Meltzer-Cohen, Manning’s attorney stated, “up until now the Department Of Justice has been reticent to actually indict publishers for work implicating matters of national security, because the first amendment rights of the press and public are so constitutionally valuable. This signals a real shift, and sets a new precedent for the federal government’s desire to chill and even punish the vigorous exercise of the free press.” Chelsea Manning is represented by Moira Meltzer-Cohen, appellate attorney Vincent Ward, and local counsel Chris Leibig and Sandra Freeman. Statement from Chelsea Manning’s Lawyers Regarding Chelsea Being Remanded Into Custody Alexandria, VA — Today, Chelsea Manning was remanded into federal custody, again, for refusing to testify before a federal Grand Jury. In addition to being held in confinement for the duration of the Grand Jury investigation or until she purges her contempt and testifies, District Court Judge Anthony Trenga ordered Chelsea to be fined $500 every day she is in custody after 30 days and $1,000 every day she is in custody after 60 days. While coercive financial penalties are commonly assessed against corporate witnesses, which cannot be jailed for contempt, it is less usual to see them used against a human witness. In a sealed hearing, Judge Anthony Trenga heard arguments that this post-indictment subpoena should be quashed as an impermissible effort to compel Chelsea to participate in trial preparation, which is beyond the scope of the grand jury’s investigative function. Judge Trenga also heard arguments on whether Chelsea was subject to unlawful electronic surveillance, ultimately declining either to demand from the government further assurances on the matter, or to quash the subpoena. Prior to being held in contempt, Ms. Manning was heard in open court on her objections to the grand jury as a secret process that runs counter to her values. Today’s hearings took place exactly one week after her release, following 63 days of confinement, 28 days of which she spent in solitary confinement conditions, for refusal to testify before a seperate Grand Jury that sought answers to identical questions that were asked of her today. The motions and transcripts may be partially unsealed following review and redaction by the parties and the Court. The State is taking Chelsea Manning back into custody. Her lawyers’ response: #ChelseaResists pic.twitter.com/6KlxdEfREZ — Ella Fassler (@EllaFassler) May 16, 2019 The following is a statement to the press from Moira Meltzer-Cohen, Attorney for Chelsea Manning: “We are of course disappointed with the outcome of today’s hearing, but I anticipate it will be exactly as coercive as the previous sanction — which is to say not at all. “In 2010 Chelsea made a principled decision to let the world see the true nature modern asymmetric warfare. It is telling that the United states has always been more concerned with the disclosure of those documents than with the damning substance of the disclosures. “The American government relies on the informed consent of the governed, and the free press is the vigorous mechanism to keep us informed. It is a point of pride for this administration to be publicly hostile to the press. Grand Juries and prosecutions like this one broadcast an expanding threat to the press and function to undermine the integrity of the system according to the government’s own laws. “This administration is also obsessed with undercutting the legacy of President Barack Obama, from reversing healthcare policy to Chelsea Manning’s commutation. “It is up to the press to stand up for themselves, to stand up for the practice of journalism, and to stand up for Chelsea in the same manner she has consistently stood up for the press.” 8. March 29, 2019 – Lawyers for Chelsea Manning Ask Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to Void Charges of Civil Contempt: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/03/chelsea-manning-grand-jury-appeal/ 9. March 23, 2019 – Lawyers and Supporters Condemn Chelsea Manning’s Ongoing Detention Under Solitary Confinement Conditions: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/03/lawyers-and-supporters-condemn-chelsea-mannings-ongoing-detention-under-solitary-confinement-conditions/ Statement from Chelsea Manning’s Legal Team Regarding Today’s Grand Jury Hearing Alexandria, VA — Today, Chelsea and her team will argue a Motion to Quash the subpoena compelling Chelsea to appear today for a second time to give testimony before a grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of Virginia. This subpoena issued more than a year after the previous grand jury obtained an indictment against the founder of the organization that published Chelsea Manning’s 2010 disclosures of classified information. Since the grand jury serves only an investigative function, and may not be used to prepare for trial on an already-pending indictment, Chelsea’s lawyers contend that this subpoena represents an improper and impermissible use of the grand jury process. In addition to the Motion to Quash filed with the court yesterday is a Motion to Disclose Electronic Surveillance, asking the Judge to order the government to disclose the existence of any electronic surveillance to which Ms. Manning has been subject. If the government refuses to comply with their obligations to affirm or deny that any surveillance took place, the legal team asks that the judge quash the subpoena. Chelsea will hold a brief press conference on the apron of the Alexandria District Courthouse, 401 Courthouse Square, in Alexandria Virginia, at 1:15 p.m. Chelsea’s hearing will take place at 2 p.m. 1. May 12, 2019– Chelsea on CNN’s “Reliable Sources” with Brian Stelter: https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2019/05/12/chelsea-manning-speaks-out-after-two-months-in-jail.cnn/video/playlists/reliable-sources-highlights/ 3. May 9, 2019– Statements from Chelsea and her legal team: Chelsea Manning Released from Alexandria Detention Center After Grand Jury Lapses: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/05/chelsea-manning-released-from-alexandria-detention-center/ 4. May 6, 2019– Chelsea Manning and her Attorneys File Motion Declaring She will Never Cooperate with Grand Jury: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/05/chelsea-manning-and-attorneys-file-motion-declaring-she-will-never-be-convinced-to-cooperate-with-the-grand-jury/ 5. April 22, 2019– Chelsea Manning and Her Attorneys Respond to 4th Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling Affirming Contempt and Continuing Her Detention: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/04/chelsea-manning-and-her-attorneys-respond-to-4th-circuit-court-of-appeals-ruling-affirming-contempt-and-continuing-her-detention/ 6. April 1, 2019– Chelsea Manning’s Lawyers Ask Court to Release Her, Pending Appeal, Citing Abuse of District Court Discretion: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/04/chelsea-mannings-lawyers-ask-fourth-circuit-to-release-her-pending-appeal/ 7. March 29, 2019– Lawyers for Chelsea Manning Ask Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to Void Charges of Civil Contempt: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/03/chelsea-manning-grand-jury-appeal/ 8. March 23, 2019– Lawyers and Supporters Condemn Chelsea Manning’s Ongoing Detention Under Solitary Confinement Conditions: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/03/lawyers-and-supporters-condemn-chelsea-mannings-ongoing-detention-under-solitary-confinement-conditions/ 9. March 8, 2019– Chelsea Manning’s Support Committee: Manning’s Detention for Refusal to Provide Grand Jury Testimony is Pointless, Punitive, and Cruel: http://www.balestramedia.com/chelsea-press-releases/2019/3/8/chelsea-mannings-support-committee-mannings-detention-for-refusal-to-provide-grand-jury-testimony-is-pointless-punitive-and-cruel 10. March 6, 2019– Statement from Chelsea Manning Regarding Grand Jury and Consequences Associated with Her Refusal: https://www.sparrowmedia.net/2019/03/statement-from-chelsea-manning-regarding-grand-jury-and-consequences-associated-with-her-refusal/ 11. March 5, 2019– Chelsea Manning Continues to Challenge Grand Jury Subpoena, Motion to Quash Denied, Remains Under Seal: http://www.balestramedia.com/chelsea-press-releases/2019/3/8/chelsea-manning-continues-to-challenge-grand-jury-subpoena-motion-to-quash-denied-remains-under-seal Written by Sparrow in news on	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732599
__label__wiki	0.985035	0.985035	Dozens Of Skeletons Found In Mannar Anbarasan Ethirajan Experts in northern Sri Lanka are trying to identify the remains of dozens of bodies in a mass grave in the country's former war zone. So far the skeletal remains of more than 90 people have been unearthed in the north-western town of Mannar. The mass grave is the second biggest found in the north since the end of the conflict in 2009. The 26-year war between troops and separatist Tamil rebels left at least 100,000 people dead, and many missing. A court ordered detailed excavations at the site - a former co-operative wholesale depot near the main bus terminus - after human remains were found by workers digging foundations for a new building earlier this year. "The entire area can be divided into two parts. In one segment we have a proper cemetery. In the second part, you have a collection of human skeletons which have been deposited in an informal way," said Professor Raj Somadeva, a forensic archaeologist from the University of Kelaniya near Colombo, who is leading a team of experts at the site. There is more ground still to excavate and he says more skeletons could be found. The remains unearthed by his team include the skeletons of at least six children. Who the victims were - and who killed them and when - remains unclear. The town of Mannar is dominated by ethnic minority Tamils. Local police guard the site so no-one can tamper with it and the forensic archaeologists can painstakingly remove skulls and other bones from the dirt without being disturbed. They use brushes and small chisels so the remains are not damaged. No clothes or other items have been found in the grave that could help identify the victims. While Mannar town remained mostly under army control during the civil war, Tamil Tiger rebels dominated its surrounding areas and many other parts of the district. The military captured the entire district after ferocious battles, which ended almost 10 years ago. The way the bodies are arranged inside the mass grave has puzzled the experts. As his team uncovers the human remains, they transfer them to the custody of the court in Mannar, which will decide the future course of action once the excavation is complete. Prof Somadeva and his colleagues are also yet to determine how the victims died. The age of the bodies will be analysed later. So far no one has been blamed for the killings. A number of mass graves have been unearthed in Sri Lanka's former war zone since the conflict ended. None found so far has contained more bodies than a site in another part of Mannar - adjacent to Thiruketheeswaram, a prominent Hindu temple - where the remains of 96 people were discovered in 2014. But four years on there's still no clarity in this case either, about who was killed and by whom. Rights groups allege that both the military and the Tamil Tigers inflicted widespread civilian casualties. At least 20,000 people disappeared during the conflict. But the government has always denied its forces had anything to do with civilian deaths or disappearances. After years of international pressure, the government set up an independent body, the Office of the Missing Persons (OMP), earlier this year to investigate the disappearances. The OMP has provided partial funding for the excavation in Mannar. OMP chairman Saliya Pieris insists that a detailed investigation at the latest grave found in Mannar is important. "The primary task of the OMP is tracing the disappeared and informing the relatives about the circumstances of their disappearances. "One of the aspects of this tracing would be naturally [to find out] if there are mass graves and there are people who have been disappeared, who have been buried in mass graves." But given the failure of the authorities to investigate the remains unearthed from previous mass graves, there is scepticism among Tamils over what the new inquiry might achieve. "Hundreds of people disappeared in Mannar district during the conflict while moving from uncontrolled areas to controlled areas," said Victor Sosai, vicar general of the Catholic Diocese of Mannar. "There have been allegations that several Tamils who were trying to flee the conflict to India on boats were also intercepted and their fate is unknown." He visited the site of the latest mass grave along with the Bishop of Mannar, Emmanuel Fernando, during the initial stages of the excavation. "We understand that they have found skeletons of children and adults, we need to really find out more about who these people are and how they died and who was responsible," Rev Sosai says. The Tamil Tigers were accused of ruthlessly eliminating fighters and supporters of rival Tamil militant groups. They were also accused of executing Sri Lankan soldiers captured in battle. Soon after the end of the conflict, some Tamils accused the rebels of firing at fleeing civilians on the beaches of north-eastern Mullaitivu district during the final days of the war. The military is also accused of widespread atrocities. But the army dismisses any suggestion that soldiers are connected with the bodies found in the mass grave in Mannar. "Definitely there is no link between this grave and the army. No one has accused the army so far," said army spokesman Brig Sumith Atapattu. But many in the minority Tamil community say if Sri Lanka really wants to come to terms with its past, then it has to sincerely address the issue of the disappeared by investigating mass graves. Only then might the families affected be able to properly grieve and try to move on. Courtesy: BBC More Than 10 Killed In Suspected Arson at Japanese Anime Studio By NEW SPOTLIGHT ONLINE 16 hours, 45 minutes ago A Photo From The Rio Grande Captures The Tragic End For Father And Daughter By NEW SPOTLIGHT ONLINE 3 weeks ago	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732602
__label__wiki	0.648936	0.648936	This Week in Washington - March 2, 2012 DOMESTIC POLICY MATTERS Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Budget. House and Senate Appropriations and authorization committees held several hearings this week to review the President’s FY 2013 budget request. While testifying before the House Budget Committee on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned of devastating effects from the additional $492 billion in defense cuts that would be triggered if Congress fails to reach an alternative deficit reduction agreement. Secretary Panetta’s position on sequestration met with bipartisan Congressional support. Meanwhile, House Republican leaders met this week to discuss whether to propose a reduction to the top-line discretionary spending cap for FY 2013 below the level set in the Budget Control Act. Economy & Jobs. The U.S. Department of Commerce reported Wednesday that the economy exceeded expectations and expanded at a three percent annual rate in the final quarter of 2011 – the fastest pace since the spring of 2010. Later that day, President Obama and Vice President Biden met with a bipartisan group of Congressional leaders to discuss job creation legislation. Earlier in the week, the President committed to working closely with the nation’s governors at their winter meeting and urged them to invest in education as a cornerstone to improving the economy. On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told the House Financial Services Committee the economy is heading for a “massive fiscal cliff of large spending cuts and tax increases” on January 1, 2013, unless Congress and the President agree to changes before that date. On Tuesday, the House Education and the Workforce Committee marked up two bills as part of its rewrite of No Child Left Behind. The legislation would scale back the federal role in education and give states more flexibility in determining K-12 policy. Both measures passed on party-line votes of 23 Republicans in favor and 16 Democrats opposed. Also Tuesday, the full House voted to repeal two Department of Education regulations aimed at setting the definition of a credit hour and expanding state oversight of institutions of higher education through authorization requirements. While the bill passed the Republican-led House easily (303-114), its future in the Democratic-controlled Senate is uncertain. The Obama Administration released a statement on Monday voicing its strong opposition to the bill, but it did not yet threaten to veto the measure. Cybersecurity. A group of Senate Republicans released a new cybersecurity bill on Thursday. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) said the bill includes “no new authorized funding, no new government regulations, no growing of the federal government and no mandates on businesses.” The legislation is an alternative to the bill previously introduced by Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Connecticut) and Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-Maine), along with Commerce Committee Chairman John Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-California). Those Senators said in a joint statement on Thursday that they are eager to work toward a compromise to “bring comprehensive cybersecurity legislation to the Senate floor as soon as possible.” On Wednesday, the House Natural Resources Committee approved legislation (26-18) to limit the Interior Department’s ability to regulate the coal mining industry. On Thursday, the Senate voted 51-48 to table an amendment offered by Senator Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) to the surface transportation bill pending consideration on the Senate floor. The amendment would have allowed religious or other employers with a moral objection to opt out of the recent federal mandate requiring coverage of contraception or other preventative care in employer-sponsored health insurance plans. 2012 U.S. Election News. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney bested rival Rick Santorum and the rest of the GOP field in the Arizona and Michigan primaries held Tuesday, as well as in the Wyoming caucuses held over the last few weeks. However, because Michigan awards delegates proportionately, Governor Romney earned only two more delegates in his native state than Senator Santorum. After serving three terms, Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), well-known for her willingness to work across party lines, announced Tuesday that she will not seek re-election this fall, citing lack of productivity in a polarized Senate. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and former Governor and Congressman John Baldacci (D-Maine) are among the potential candidates for the seat. A day later, former Senator Bob Kerrey (D-Nebraska) formally announced that he will run for his old Senate seat, which is being vacated by Senator Ben Nelson (D). Also on Wednesday, House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-California) announced he will not seek reelection after redistricting left his home territory in a Democratic-leaning seat. On Friday, longtime Representative Norm Dicks (D-Washington), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced that he will not run for re-election in his solidly Democratic district in 2012. FOREIGN POLICY MATTERS Syrian Conflict. This week, Saudi Arabia and Qatar declared support for arming the Free Syrian Army; however, the United States has yet to take that position. On Thursday, Assad regime forces overwhelmed the Bab Amr neighborhood of Homs, as Syrian opposition forces retreated from their stronghold. Friday, the International Red Cross dispatched a convoy to Homs with medical and food assistance for civilians trapped for over a month. Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary for Near East Affairs Jeffrey Feltman met in Washington Wednesday with Syrian Chargé d’Affaires Zuheir Jabbour to urge the regime to comply with its November 2nd commitment to the Arab League to end violence against civilians. Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday, the Assistant Secretary appealed for international pressure on Russia and China to stop blocking U.N. Security Council action to oust the Assad regime. Also Thursday, in Geneva, the U.N. Human Rights Council condemned violations in Syria. Iran. The Administration sidestepped a Wednesday deadline established in the National Defense Authorization Act to ratchet up economic pressure on Iran by sanctioning foreign firms that do business there. On Thursday, the House Foreign Affairs Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade Subcommittee advanced legislation (H.R. 3783) calling on the Administration to counter Iran’s influence in the Western Hemisphere. Next Monday, President Barack Obama will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the conversation expected to focus on Iran. Also next week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will meet, with Western powers hopeful Russia and China will join in a rebuke of Iran. Egypt. After Egypt lifted the travel ban on the detained foreign NGO workers, the United States provided a plane to facilitate their departure Thursday. The State Department acknowledged the departure of the NGO workers does not resolve the legal case or remaining concerns about the prosecution of NGOs in Egypt. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before both the Senate and House appropriations and foreign affairs committees this week on the proposed FY 2013 State Department budget. The Secretary fielded questions on Iran Sanctions; Syria; the Overseas Continuity Operations fund (Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan); the Arab Spring countries and promoting democracy (including a focus on the new Middle East/North Africa fund); the Keystone XL permit decision; the future of foreign assistance for Egypt given the NGO crisis; and the reported relocation of the Iranian dissident group the Mujahedeen e-Khalq (MEK) inside of Iraq. Differing statements were released after U.S. and North Korean (DPRK) officials met last week in Beijing, leaving unclear the exact extent of diplomatic progress. On Wednesday, the State Department said North Korea has agreed to implement a moratorium on long-range missile launches, nuclear tests and uranium enrichment activities, as well as to allow the return of IAEA inspectors. State also said the U.S. agreed to meet with North Korean officials again to finalize details of a food assistance package. However, North Korea’s statement says once the Six Party Talks resume, priority will be given “to the discussion of issues concerning the lifting of sanctions on the DPRK and provision of light water reactors.” The House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing Wednesday with U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk testifying on the Administration’s trade policy agenda and the future of U.S. trade negotiations. While members focused on ensuring countries “play by the rules,” the hearing also focused on trade promotion (or “fast track”) authority for the President, particularly in conjunction with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade negotiations, which the Administration said in Thursday’s 2012 Trade Policy Agenda and 2011 Annual Report that it would like to complete this year. Committee Chair Dave Camp (R-Michigan) also praised the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement entry into force date of March 15. On Tuesday, the President signed an Executive Order establishing an Interagency Trade Enforcement Center to be housed within USTR. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen was in Washington this week meeting with senior Administration officials, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) and Senate Armed Services member Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). Secretary Clinton met with Tony Blair Thursday and held a bilateral meeting Friday with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh. Also Friday, the State Department welcomed the E.U. announcement of Serbia’s candidate country status and the launch of a Feasibility Study for Kosovo’s Stabilization and Association Agreement. Last weekend, Secretary Clinton concluded her North African trip, meeting Saturday with Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki and Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali; and travelling on to Morocco Sunday, where she met with Moroccan Royal Counselor Fassi Fihri and Foreign Minister Saad Eddine Al-Othmani. Also, last Saturday, President Obama congratulated Yemen President Abdo Rabo Mansour Hadi and the Yemeni people for the peaceful transfer of power, saying the United States remains a “steadfast partner to Yemen and its people.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732603
__label__wiki	0.904343	0.904343	Centauri Acquires Alphamer Centauri Therapeutics acquired full rights to patents, proprietary compounds, know-how and collaboration/licence agreements from Altermune in exchange for an undisclosed fee. The company has also announced that it has appointed Dr Clive Dix as Chairman and secured the first tranche of a £3M raise to develop its first lead candidate. The funding will be used to develop its first lead Alphamers against anti-microbial resistant (AMR) pathogens, which pose an increasing threat to human health. Investors include Animatrix Capital LLP, a regional investment fund, and private investors. Centauri Therapeutics’ decision to acquire the Alphamer platform was made following the publication of a successful preclinical proof of principle study by Professor Victor Nizet, a professor at UCSD, California and a leading academic in the field of antimicrobial immunity. Clive Dix has more than 25 years’ experience in the life sciences industry and is one of the UK’s leading pharma and biotech entrepreneurs. Clive was formerly co-founder and Chief Executive of Convergence Pharmaceuticals Ltd., acquired by Biogen Idec in 2015 in a deal worth up to $675 million. Previously, he was a founder and CEO of PowderMed Ltd, acquired by Pfizer in 2006; and Chairman of Auralis Ltd where he managed a successful US trade sale. Before that he was a main Board Director of PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc until its acquisition by Chiron in 2003. Centauri Therapeutics has established a core R&D facility at Discovery Park in Sandwich, Kent, with an experienced team of industry scientists focused on discovery, optimisation and development of novel Alphamers targeting acute hospital acquired infections. Mike Westby, CEO of Centauri Therapeutics, commented: “The emergence and rapid global spread of AMR pathogens means that there is a large potential market to treat life-threatening intractable diseases. Alphamers are chemically synthesised molecules designed to redirect the body’s own immune system to more effectively fight infection. As well as the new financing announced today we are also proud to announce the appointment of Clive Dix as our Chairman. Clive’s experience in successfully developing therapeutic platform technologies will be invaluable.” Clive Dix, Chairman of Centauri Therapeutics, said: “The Alphamer platform technology is a unique opportunity to assemble well-characterised building blocks to produce novel and IP-protected medicines. Centauri Therapeutics has assembled a team of industry-experienced R&D scientists guided by a proven leadership.” Individual Genotypes May Determine Efficacy of Alzheimer's Disease Drugs Researchers have determined that a human gene present in 75% of the population is a key reason why a class of drugs for Alzheimer's disease seemed promising in animal studies only to fail in human studies. In different Alzheimer's disease patients, different mechanisms may be at work that determine whether or not a given therapy will be effective. p38 Protein Regulates Angiogenesis in Colon Cancer Inhibition of the protein "p38" boosts the formation of blood vessels in human and mice colon cancers, according to a study published in Nature Communications. Known as angiogenesis, this process is critical in fueling cancer cells, allowing them to grow and to eventually develop metastases. Neurogenomics Uncovering the Secrets of the Breast Cancer Epigenome Cancer Treatment Using Nanoparticles – Is It Possible? Investigators Identify Potential Lung Cancer Markers	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732604
__label__wiki	0.612442	0.612442	Andy Murray would be welcome in Madrid, says Feliciano Lopez Feliciano Lopez is looking forward to playing in doubles with Andy Murray at Queen's. The Spanish player said: "Andy is always welcomed in Madrid. We would like to have him. It's a lot of time left because we do not know what will happen, if he will play pain-free and he manages to play singles. Hopefully it's like this." Lopez added: "Of course, he is one of the greatest players ever and he is still playing great. But first of all I want to say that I’m very happy that he is able to play tennis again. This is the most important thing now. And I’m very happy to share the court this week with him. It’s going to be nice, it’s going to be fun, I hope. But the most important thing is that he is healthy again and we are very happy to see Andy back on the tennis court.’ Andy Murray recalled the tough times he went through due to a hip injury. The British player felt pain even in his daily life. "Obviously playing tennis was very painful. But even things like going out in the garden and trying to run around with my kids, or just going for a walk with them, my hip on my mind because every was always single step I took was painful. It was just consuming me the whole time. I don't think I realised just how much it was affecting me, and my general well-being and happiness, until recently. Even sitting at the dinner table, my hip was aching. Throbbing. It was always there - even when I was sleeping. It just wasn't fun. There weren't many things I could do."	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732605
__label__wiki	0.654362	0.654362	If They Made a Modern DeLorean DMC-12, This is What it Might Look Like The original DeLorean DMC-12, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, was best known for its gull-wing doors and brushed stainless-steel outer body panels, as well as an innovative fiberglass body structure with a steel backbone chassis. In the beginning, many auto enthusiasts were disappointed at its lack of power and performance, which didn’t match the high price tag, but after 1985, DeLorean became iconic for its appearances as the time machine in the Back to the Future media franchise. Read more to see “TheSketchMonkey” draw a modern version of the vehicle. Yes, the company is still alive today, as in 1995, Stephen Wynne, a British entrepreneur from Liverpool, formed a separate company based in Texas using the “DeLorean Motor Company” name. Shortly after, Wynne acquired the trademark on the stylized “DMC” logo, along with the remaining parts inventory of the original DeLorean Motor Company. The company still builds new cars at its suburban Humble, Texas headquarters from new old stock (NOS) parts, original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and reproduction parts on a “made to order” basis using existing VIN plates. 2017 DeLorean DMC-12 Officially Announced, Back to the Future Fans Rejoice DMC bought the parts and the tooling required to build… Another Look at the Full-Electric DeLorean DMC-12 EV, Which Can Definitely Reach 88MPH While this full-electric DeLorean DMC-12 EV can't go back in… DeLorean DMC-12 Going 88MPH Gets Speeding Ticket, Doesn't Go Back to the Future Back to the Future fan Spencer White wanted to get… It May Not Go Back to the Future, But Here Are 5 Pictures of the All-Electric DeLorean DMC-12 Photo credit: Hi ConsumptionIt may not go back to the… Sleek iPhone 7 Case Inspired by the DeLorean DMC-12 Unveiled Photo credit: Hi ConsumptionHEX has unveiled a DeLorean DMC-12-inspired iPhone… Don’t Pay $200, Get the New Apple AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case for $179 Shipped – This Weekend Only TurboGrafx-16 Mini Will Ship Next March and Come Loaded with 50 Games	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732608
__label__wiki	0.692519	0.692519	Professor Philip Walker honoured by the Institute of Physics The Institute of Physics (IoP) is to award Philip Walker, Emeritus Professor at the University of Surrey, with its Ernest Rutherford Medal and Prize. The IoP will award the medal to Professor Walker for: “advances in understanding metastable nuclear states: their origins, properties and applications.” Professor Walker, who has spent more than 30 years at the University of Surrey, has made breakthroughs in both the study and exploitation of nuclear isomers – metastable nuclear states – helping to drive forward this area of scientific research and bring into focus the exciting possibility for future energy storage and gamma-ray lasers. The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the UK and Ireland’s professional body for practicing physicists, and has a rich history of supporting and nurturing talent, providing learning resources to schools, colleges and higher education institutions (HEIs), and of advising science and education policy makers. Its awards recognise, celebrate and reflect the impact and applications of physics in everyday life, the breadth of the discipline in academia, industry and medicine, and its impact in extraordinary human achievements. Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson, was a New Zealand-born British physicist who discovered the atomic nucleus and is widely considered to have founded the field of nuclear physics. Previous recipients of the Ernest Rutherford Medal and Prize include Nobel laureates Peter Higgs, Aage and Niels Bohr. Emeritus Professor Philip Walker said: “This is an honour for me, reflecting the excellent collaborations that I have enjoyed, and continue to enjoy, with physicists both here at the University of Surrey and around the world. Atomic nuclei in metastable states may be too small to see, but they are packed with energy and are endlessly fascinating. I am delighted to have been able to unlock some of their secrets.” Professor Justin Read, Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Surrey, said: “For over 30 years, Philip Walker has been an inspirational figure and an icon in the Department of Physics and the University of Surrey at large. He has transformed the way we understand nuclear spectroscopy and his work has the potential to reach far beyond the nuclear realm. I want to congratulate him on this much deserved and significant honour.” Emeritus Professor of Physics Head of the Department of Physics	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732609
__label__cc	0.624133	0.375867	Patient Stories and Testimonials» Christine Frees Herself From Back Pain to Begin a Modeling Career and Return to Horseback Riding Christine Frees Herself From Back Pain to Begin a Modeling Career and Return to Horseback Riding Christine F. suffered from a herniated disk for 16 years. Over time, the pain grew worse, and she sought the advice of orthopedic specialists. Failing to find a specialist willing to try alternative means of therapy, she visited the Chicago Brain & Spine Institute, where she immediately noticed something was different … and better! Christine thrived on an active lifestyle. She loved long walks, took yoga classes and had a passion for horseback riding. Her initial herniation put limits on the intensity and length of her workouts. She managed well despite these limitations. But when she reherniated the same problem area, it caused her to give up one activity after another. Realizing she needed medical assistance in recovering from the deficits she incurred, she began to consult with various orthopedic specialists to consider her care options. One after another the specialists offered surgery as the only possible solution. Being holistic herself, Christine wanted to avoid any unnatural means of healing. Four years ago, she began working with Dr. Daniel T. Laich, a neurological surgeon at Swedish Covenant Hospital’s Chicago Brain & Spine Institute. She soon discovered what set him apart from other orthopedic specialists. Dr. Laich acts under a philosophy that surgery should be used as a last resort. Although he saw the potential for surgery to alleviate Christine’s pain and return her to her prior quality of life, he agreed that they should try all other options before committing to a surgical procedure. “I really believe in his approach,” she said. “I liked that he was more than willing to try natural means of treatment from the start.” At the advice of Dr. Laich, Christine worked with a physical therapist. The treatment afforded her some relief, alleviating some of the discomfort, but Christine wasn’t entirely satisfied with the result. Though she was able to reduce pain, her injury still kept her from doing the things she loved. After several other treatment methods resulted in similar small successes, she returned to Dr. Laich and they agreed that she should undergo a laminectomy, a procedure in which Dr. Laich shaved off the protruding part of her herniated disc. Once again the discomfort was minimized but not eliminated. It was at this point that the trust Dr. Laich had established with Christine allowed her to consider another procedure that would ultimately produce the results she was seeking. In February 2015, Christine agreed to spinal fusion therapy in the hope of regaining full mobility and the ability to return to the activities she had long since given up. Following the procedure, Christine felt relief almost immediately. After four months she returned to Swedish Covenant Hospital for x-rays which revealed that her back had completely healed. She was given permission to slowly transition back into her active lifestyle. Christine took full advantage of the gift bestowed upon her through the efforts of the staff at the Chicago Brain & Spine Institute. In addition to reincorporating exercise into her daily routine—including returning to yoga and walking five to eight pain-free miles a day—she was able to return to horseback riding, something which had seemed impossible for so long. She was even motivated to pursue dreams she had abandoned in the wake of her injury, like beginning a modeling career. “I would have never had this procedure with anyone else,” Christine said. “My stay at Swedish Covenant Hospital was wonderful, and the staff was phenomenal, kind, and caring. I can’t thank Dr. Laich enough. He gave me my life back. I’m able to finally pursue the things I’ve always wanted to." Update 4/22: Christine recently returned to the Chicago Brain & Spine Institute for her one-year follow-up appointment with Dr. Laich. She remains pain free, maintains an active lifestyle and recently signed her first contract as a mature lifestyle model. Daniel T. Laich, D.O., has nearly 25 years of experience in spine care and neurological surgery. He specializes in therapeutic and minimally invasive spine treatments, including endoscopic and arthroplasty surgeries, as well as spine reconstruction. He was a fellow when he started a study on the Charite artificial disk, and with Rick Fessler, M.D., Ph.D., as he pioneered minimally invasive spine surgery. He continues his academic pursuits both in the U.S. and abroad. His athletic lifestyle provides extra interest in caring for the injured athlete. To schedule an appointment with the Chicago Brain & Spine Institute, please call 773-271-2225. By David Modica \| Published November 06, 2015 Chicago Brain & Spine Institute>> David Swims Laps Around Back Pain “As soon as I woke up, the pain was gone. I had excellent care all the way through the whole experience, and my back is getting better every day."	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732610
__label__wiki	0.510918	0.510918	MORGAN WALLEN DROPS LIVE VIDEO FOR HARD-CHARGED ALBUM CUT “WHATCHA KNOW ‘BOUT THAT” As on-fire single “Whiskey Glasses” cracks Country radio’s Top 10, Big Loud Records hitmaker MORGAN WALLEN has released the live video for his ‘90s Country-reminiscent anthem “Whatcha Know ‘Bout That.” The energetic clip, directed by Justin Clough, was shot at Wallen's SOLD-OUT Nashville stop at Marathon Music Works (1/31) on his wildly successful nationwide IF I KNOW ME TOUR. The video captures the raved-about live show energy the firebrand has built his touring reputation on, with UPROXX declaring, “I’m honestly still kind of amazed that this guy’s real.” Watch the live video for “Whatcha Know ‘Bout That” here. Wallen continues down the road this week with select dates in Phenix City, AL (4/26) Jacksonville, FL (4/27) and Biloxi, MS (4/28). He joins Florida Georgia Line for their CAN’T SAY I AIN’T COUNTRY TOUR starting June 13 in Rogers, AR, and will serve as direct support on the fall leg of Luke Combs’ BEER NEVER BROKE MY HEART TOUR starting October 3. For more information on Morgan Wallen, please visit his website and follow him on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram. ABOUT MORGAN WALLEN: Breakout hitmaker Morgan Wallen isn’t wasting any time leaving his mark on Country music. Between PLATINUM-certified #1 smash “Up Down” (feat. Florida Georgia Line) and his Top 10-and-charging follow-up single, “Whiskey Glasses,” Wallen has burst onto the scene as a dynamite solo artist and in-demand songwriter. His debut album IF I KNOW ME (Big Loud Records / April 2018) was soon named one of Taste of Country’s “Top 10 Country Albums of 2018.” With over 743 million streams to his credit, Wallen was spotlighted in CMT’s Listen Up “18 for 2018” class of newcomers, chosen as a MusicRow2019 Next Big Thing artist, named a 2018 Taste of Country RISER and has toured with some of Country’s brightest stars (Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Chris Lane and Jake Owen). The Tennessee native has co-penned hits for Jason Aldean (PLATINUM-certified #1 “You Make It Easy”), Kane Brown, A Thousand Horses and Dustin Lynch, and recently wrapped his 27-city headlining IF I KNOW ME TOUR presented by Shiner Light Blonde. He’ll join Florida Georgia Line's CAN’T SAY I AIN’T COUNTRY TOUR this summer and Luke Combs’ BEER NEVER BROKE MY HEART TOUR this fall.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732611
__label__wiki	0.871509	0.871509	Forgoing long lines, fans throw their own giant parties at San Diego Comic-Con Director opens up about canceled Y: The Last Man movie Don Kaye Tag: Y: The Last Man Tag: Brian K. Vaughan Tag: Dan Trachtenberg Now that the movie version of Y: The Last Man is officially dead -- again -- its most recent director has opened up about the project. Yes, that's right: The long-in-development big-screen adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's hugely successful and outstanding comic-book series is no longer happening. The latest man hired to direct the film. Dan Trachtenberg, confirmed as much on Twitter, adding that the rights to the book had reverted back to its creators (Trachtenberg himself is now prepping a film for Bad Robot called Valencia). Slashfilm got in touch with Trachtenberg, who admitted that the rights had reverted several months ago and that he was "truly sad" that the film was no longer happening. He also took a little time to elaborate on his thoughts about the project. For starters, he stated something that probably many people felt: Like everyone else who’s a fan of the series I had always wished it either remain in its comic book form. Or, if it must be made, a TV series would be the only thing that would suffice. But surprisingly, Trachtenberg then turned that statement around, saying: However, the “big screen” and the “small screen” has changed drastically since Y came out and I think so much of the great TV in our current “golden age” has been directly or indirectly inspired by Y the Last Man. I started getting excited about bringing to the BIG screen what we’ve been getting in TV so readily now -- great characters, RELATIONSHIPS, world building and genre re-combination. In other words, he was intrigued by the idea of making something with the quality of what we see now on TV but within the confines of a feature film. Explaining that the movie would have been based on the first two trade collected editions of the book, he said: I was excited to make an ADVENTURE movie, with swashbuckle, that was fun and funny but had something to say. Which is something that is distinctly BKV. Having real, true, honest ,people stuff amidst the big, fun, action stuff. We were in many ways quite faithful to the comic, though some characters were combined and some events re-arranged and some brief moments of action we dug into to create bigger action/adventure sequences. The script was essentially the first two trades. Taking inspiration from the original Star Wars (Episode 4) -- we wanted to tell a complete story...but not the whole story. Hoping that, in success, we could get tell the rest of our serialized adventure. He also spoke about the movies that were an influence on the project and script: Raiders of the Lost Ark was referenced a lot. Midnight Run and Big Trouble in Little China were referenced a lot. Willow and Ladyhawke I may have referenced a little too often... Trachtenberg finished up by saying how much he enjoyed working with the producers and writers and especially Vaughan, who he called "such an inspiration to me over the years ... as great a person as he is a writer." With the rights now back in Vaughan's hands, Trachtenberg added, "I’m not sure Brian will ever want to do anything more with it, and I’m not sure that he needs to." The director did not specify why this iteration of the movie ultimately fell apart -- joining several other attempts -- but as he alluded above, it doesn't seem as if Vaughan is likely to give someone else the option to try again in the immediate future. Of course, that could change at any time. If it does (and, ultimately, I think a TV series would work best), then hopefully Y: The Last Man will get the adaptation it so richly deserves.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732612
__label__cc	0.502547	0.497453	Politics and the 2012 Elections #2 Wed, Oct 24, 2012 - 2:23pm What is a Person-Black law dictionary Alfred Adask-The Big Legal Secret,The DOTS Thinks We Are Animals Lights Out? Big Brother’s New Toy: An EMP Cruise Missile https://johngaltfla.com/wordpress/2012/10/24/big-brothers-new-toy-an-emp... Just when you thought it was safe to leave your electronics out of the Faraday cage for a day or two, along comes Boeing with a new toy for Big Brother; a cruise missile which emits a microwave burst of energy which creates an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) as it flies by disabling all electronic devices. In a story from Gizmodo, a test was conducted last week and per the article by Jamie Condlieffe: Video is on the link. #5 Thu, Oct 25, 2012 - 9:57am Notice The Hand AT 16-19 Too-Triple 6 #6 Thu, Oct 25, 2012 - 12:27pm https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/680/1239/200393/ Each Federal Reserve Bank is a separate corporation owned by commercial banks in its region. The stockholding commercial banks elect two thirds of each Bank's nine member board of directors. The remaining three directors are appointed by the Federal Reserve Board. The Federal Reserve Board regulates the Reserve Banks, but direct supervision and control of each Bank is exercised by its board of directors. 12 U.S.C. § 301. The directors enact by-laws regulating the manner of conducting general Bank business, 12 U.S.C. § 341, and appoint officers to implement and supervise daily Bank activities. These activities include collecting and clearing checks, making advances to private and commercial entities, holding reserves for member banks, discounting the notes of member banks, and buying and selling securities on the open market. See 12 U.S.C. §§ 341-361. The fact that the Federal Reserve Board regulates the Reserve Banks does not make them federal agencies under the Act. In United States v. Orleans, 425 U.S. 807, 96 S.Ct. 1971, 48 L.Ed.2d 390 (1976), the Supreme Court held that a community action agency was not a federal agency or instrumentality for purposes of the Act, even though the agency was organized under federal regulations and heavily funded by the federal government. Because the agency's day to day operation was not supervised by the federal government, but by local officials, the Court refused to extend federal tort liability for the negligence of the agency's employees. Similarly, the Federal Reserve Banks, though heavily regulated, are locally controlled by their member banks. Unlike typical federal agencies, each bank is empowered to hire and fire employees at will. Bank employees do not participate in the Civil Service Retirement System. They are covered by worker's compensation insurance, purchased by the Bank, rather than the Federal Employees Compensation Act. Employees traveling on Bank business are not subject to federal travel regulations and do not receive government employee discounts on lodging and services. The Banks are listed neither as "wholly owned" government corporations under 31 U.S.C. § 846 nor as "mixed ownership" corporations under 31 U.S.C. § 856, a factor considered in Pearl v. United States, 230 F.2d 243 (10th Cir. 1956), which held that the Civil Air Patrol is not a federal agency under the Act. Closely resembling the status of the Federal Reserve Bank, the Civil Air Patrol is a non-profit, federally chartered corporation organized to serve the public welfare. But because Congress' control over the Civil Air Patrol is limited and the corporation is not designated as a wholly owned or mixed ownership government corporation under 31 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 856, the court concluded that the corporation is a non-governmental, independent entity, not covered under the Act. Additionally, Reserve Banks, as privately owned entities, receive no appropriated funds from Congress. Cf. Goddard v. District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency, 287 F.2d 343, 345 (D.C.Cir.1961), cert. denied, 366 U.S. 910, 81 S.Ct. 1085, 6 L.Ed.2d 235 (1961) (court held land redevelopment agency was federal agency for purposes of the Act in large part because agency received direct appropriated funds from Congress.) Finally, the Banks are empowered to sue and be sued in their own name. 12 U.S.C. § 341. They carry their own liability insurance and typically process and handle their own claims. In the past, the Banks have defended against tort claims directly, through private counsel, not government attorneys, e.g., Banco De Espana v. Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 114 F.2d 438 (2d Cir. 1940); Huntington Towers v. Franklin National Bank, 559 F.2d 863 (2d Cir. 1977); Bollow v. Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 650 F.2d 1093 (9th Cir. 1981), and they have never been required to settle tort claims under the administrative procedure of 28 U.S.C. § 2672. The waiver of sovereign immunity contained in the Act would therefore appear to be inapposite to the Banks who have not historically claimed or received general immunity from judicial process. For these reasons we hold that the Reserve Banks are not federal agencies for purposes of the Federal Tort Claims Act and we affirm the judgment of the district court. #7 Sat, Oct 27, 2012 - 12:44pm https://whatreallyhappened.com/node/197971 Market Watch still runs story of $43 trillion lawsuit against US banks after CNBC erases their version following murder of CNBC executive's children. Now following the original CNBC link takes you to a blank page, even though some of the comments on that original article remain (UPDATE: comments have been erased as well). Here the story takes a dark turn! It turns out that Kevin Krim, the father of the two children stabbed to death, allegedly by the Nanny, is SVP and General Manager, CNBC Digital! And shortly after the murder of the children, CNBC pulled down the story regarding the lawsuit against the banks! https://sherriequestioningall.blogspot.com/2012/10/43-trillion-dollar-su... 43 TRILLION dollar suit against U.S. govt. officials and major banks! Accuses of stealing from U.S. people and money laundering. Screenshots of CNBC running it. UPDATE 10/27/12 - 8 AM est- Article not on CNBC anymore and CNBC digital Sr. V.P. executive's children are murdered just hours after article originally put on CNBC. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/major-banks-governmental-officials-and... Major Banks, Governmental Officials and Their Comrade Capitalists Targets of Spire Law Group, LLP's Racketeering and Money Laundering Lawsuit Seeking Return of $43 Trillion to the United States Treasury https://sherriequestioningall.blogspot.com/2012/10/cnbc-article-on-43-tr... Read the comments, links there #8 Sat, Oct 27, 2012 - 1:21pm Mr. Fix Good job connecting the dots! It appears to me that the evil Empire is having an increasingly difficult time in keeping all its ducks in a row. I have been following both of these stories, and the murder of the children, did not add up. Just a gut feeling tells me that the nanny didn't do it. Tying that into the $43 trillion lawsuit, tends to put all of the pieces of the puzzle in order. The evil Empire is becoming increasingly desperate, and exponentially more evil. A lot of this is coming to a head. Nice work Nana. "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." Joined: Oct 8, 2012 Hopefully I post this link correctly <object width="640" height="360"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/mUjBLLzYPGg&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embe..."></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/mUjBLLzYPGg&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embe..." type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></embed></object> if I have not I appologize :-) Silver66 Rage against the dying of the light #10 Sat, Oct 27, 2012 - 1:59pm One Hundred Million Dollar Penny biden asks can humans be microchipped https://www.businessinsider.com/feds-16-trillion-dollar-secret-slush-fun... The sick thing about this report of the largest theft in human history,is the name of the report,Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Policies and Processes for Managing Emergency Assistance. The title of the article is the equivalent IBM conducting a review of the Holocaust,which they facilitated,and titled their report, Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Policies and Processes for Managing Lebensunwertes Leben. (Life unworthy of life.) This report shows that no one is coming to save you and you had better start thinking and acting for yourself. The report seems to be about how best to do this crime again. If tens of Trillions did nothing,how about hundreds or thousands of Trillions? The government is an active and willing participant in this crime. Banksters derive power from creating debt/money and politicians derive power from spending money/debt. It is a sick symbiotic relationship that will not be cut until the whole cancerous system collapses. https://www.scribd.com/doc/60553686/GAO-Fed-Investigation#outer_page_144 ^^^The Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Policies and Processes for Managing Emergency Assistance report “It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system,for if they did,I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.” -Henry Ford Karankawa What a great culmination of information! Thank you Nana. "Propaganda does not deceive people; it merely helps them to deceive themselves." #14 Sun, Oct 28, 2012 - 3:02am Obama Signs New Executive Order Expanding Homeland Security https://beforeitsnews.com/obama/2012/10/obama-signs-new-executive-order-... Obama Signs New Executive Order Expanding Homeland Security Mission In The U.S. ESTABLISHING THE WHITE HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to advance the Federal Government’s use of local partnerships to address homeland security challenges, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Policy. The purpose of this order is to maximize the Federal Government’s ability to develop local partnerships in the United States to support homeland security priorities. Partnerships are collaborative working relationships in which the goals, structure, and roles and responsibilities of the relationships are mutually determined. Collaboration enables the Federal Government and its partners to use resources more efficiently, build on one another’s expertise, drive innovation, engage in collective action, broaden investments to achieve shared goals, and improve performance. Partnerships enhance our ability to address homeland security priorities, from responding to natural disasters to preventing terrorism, by utilizing diverse perspectives, skills, tools, and resources. The National Security Strategy emphasizes the importance of partnerships, underscoring that to keep our Nation safe “we must tap the ingenuity outside government through strategic partnerships with the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, and community-based organizations. Such partnerships are critical to U.S. success at home and abroad, and we will support them through enhanced opportunities for engagement, coordination, transparency, and information sharing.” This approach recognizes that, given the complexities and range of challenges, we must institutionalize an all-of-Nation effort to address the evolving threats to the United States. Sec. 2. White House Homeland Security Partnership Council and Steering Committee. (a) White House Homeland Security Partnership Council. There is established a White House Homeland Security Partnership Council (Council) to foster local partnerships — between the Federal Government and the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, community-based organizations, and State, local, tribal, and territorial government and law enforcement — to address homeland security challenges. The Council shall be chaired by the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (Chair), or a designee from the National Security Staff. (b) Council Membership. (i) Pursuant to the nomination process established in subsection (b)(ii) of this section, the Council shall be composed of Federal officials who are from field offices of the executive departments, agencies, and bureaus (agencies) that are members of the Steering Committee established in subsection (c) of this section, and who have demonstrated an ability to develop, sustain, and institutionalize local partnerships to address policy priorities. (ii) The nomination process and selection criteria for members of the Council shall be established by the Steering Committee. Based on those criteria, agency heads may select and present to the Steering Committee their nominee or nominees to represent them on the Council. The Steering Committee shall consider all of the nominees and decide by consensus which of the nominees shall participate on the Council. Each member agency on the Steering Committee, with the exception of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, may have at least one representative on the Council. (c) Steering Committee. There is also established a Steering Committee, chaired by the Chair of the Council, to provide guidance to the Council and perform other functions as set forth in this order. The Steering Committee shall include a representative at the Deputy agency head level, or that representative’s designee, from the following agencies: (i) Department of State; (ii) Department of the Treasury; (iii) Department of Defense; (iv) Department of Justice; (v) Department of the Interior; (vi) Department of Agriculture; (vii) Department of Commerce; (viii) Department of Labor; (ix) Department of Health and Human Services; (x) Department of Housing and Urban Development; (xi) Department of Transportation; (xii) Department of Energy; (xiii) Department of Education; (xiv) Department of Veterans Affairs; (xv) Department of Homeland Security; (xvi) Office of the Director of National Intelligence; (xvii) Environmental Protection Agency; (xviii) Small Business Administration; and (xix) Federal Bureau of Investigation. At the invitation of the Chair, representatives of agencies not listed in subsection (c) of this section or other executive branch entities may attend and participate in Steering Committee meetings as appropriate. (d) Administration. The Chair or a designee shall convene meetings of the Council and Steering Committee, determine their agendas, and coordinate their work. The Council may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Council members or their designees, as appropriate. Sec. 3. Mission and Function of the Council and Steering Committee. (a) The Council shall, consistent with guidance from the Steering Committee: (i) advise the Chair and Steering Committee members on priorities, challenges, and opportunities for local partnerships to support homeland security priorities, as well as regularly report to the Steering Committee on the Council’s efforts; (ii) promote homeland security priorities and opportunities for collaboration between Federal Government field offices and State, local, tribal, and territorial stakeholders; (iii) advise and confer with State, local, tribal, and territorial stakeholders and agencies interested in expanding or building local homeland security partnerships; (iv) raise awareness of local partnership best practices that can support homeland security priorities; (v) as appropriate, conduct outreach to representatives of the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, community-based organizations, and State, local, tribal, and territorial government and law enforcement entities with relevant expertise for local homeland security partnerships, and collaborate with other Federal Government bodies; and (vi) convene an annual meeting to exchange key findings, progress, and best practices. (b) The Steering Committee shall: (i) determine the scope of issue areas the Council will address and its operating protocols, in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget; (ii) establish the nomination process and selection criteria for members of the Council as set forth in section 2(b)(ii) of this order; (iii) provide guidance to the Council on the activities set forth in subsection (a) of this section; and (iv) within 1 year of the selection of the Council members, and annually thereafter, provide a report on the work of the Council to the President through the Chair. Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) The heads of agencies participating in the Steering Committee shall assist and provide information to the Council, consistent with applicable law, as may be necessary to implement this order. Each agency shall bear its own expense for participating in the Council. (b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals; or (iii) the functions of the Overseas Security Advisory Council. (c) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and appropriate protections for privacy and civil liberties, and subject to the availability of appropriations. (d) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. BARACK OBAMA THE WHITE HOUSE, October 26, 2012. #15 Sun, Oct 28, 2012 - 1:51pm Treaties Do Not Supersede the Constitution https://www.sweetliberty.org/issues/staterights/treaties.htm The following qualifies as one of the greatest lies the globalists continue to push upon the American people. That lie is: "Treaties supersede the U.S. Constitution". The Second follow-up lie is this one: "A treaty, once passed, cannot be set aside". HERE ARE THE CLEAR IRREFUTABLE FACTS: The U.S. Supreme Court has made it very clear that 1) Treaties do not override the U.S. Constitution. 2) Treaties cannot amend the Constitution. And last, 3) A treaty can be nullified by a statute passed by the U.S. Congress (or by a sovereign State or States if Congress refuses to do so), when the State deems a treaty the performance of a treaty is self-destructive. The law of self-preservation overrules the law of obligation in others. When you've read this thoroughly, hopefully, you will never again sit quietly by when someone -- anyone -- claims that treaties supercede the Constitution. Help to dispell this myth. "This [Supreme] Court has regularly and uniformly recognized the supremacy of the Constitution over a treaty." - Reid v. Covert, October 1956, 354 U.S. 1, at pg 17. This case involved the question: Does the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (treaty) supersede the U.S. Constitution? Keep reading. The Reid Court (U.S. Supreme Court) held in their Opinion that, "... No agreement with a foreign nation can confer power on the Congress, or any other branch of government, which is free from the restraints of the Constitution. Article VI, the Supremacy clause of the Constitution declares, "This Constitution and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all the Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land...’ "There is nothing in this language which intimates that treaties and laws enacted pursuant to them do not have to comply with the provisions of the Constitution nor is there anything in the debates which accompanied the drafting and ratification which even suggest such a result... "It would be manifestly contrary to the objectives of those who created the Constitution, as well as those who were responsible for the Bill of Rights – let alone alien to our entire constitutional history and tradition – to construe Article VI as permitting the United States to exercise power UNDER an international agreement, without observing constitutional prohibitions. (See: Elliot’s Debates 1836 ed. – pgs 500-519). "In effect, such construction would permit amendment of that document in a manner not sanctioned by Article V. The prohibitions of the Constitution were designed to apply to all branches of the National Government and they cannot be nullified by the Executive or by the Executive and Senate combined." Did you understand what the Supreme Court said here? No Executive Order, Presidential Directive, Executive Agreement, no NAFTA, GATT/WTO agreement/treaty, passed by ANYONE, can supersede the Constitution. FACT. No question! At this point the Court paused to quote from another of their Opinions; Geofroy v. Riggs, 133 U.S. 258 at pg. 267 where the Court held at that time that, "The treaty power as expressed in the Constitution, is in terms unlimited except by those restraints which are found in that instrument against the action of the government or of its departments and those arising from the nature of the government itself and of that of the States. It would not be contended that it extends so far as to authorize what the Constitution forbids, or a change in the character of the government, or a change in the character of the States, or a cession of any portion of the territory of the latter without its consent." Assessing the GATT/WTO parasitic organism in light of this part of the Opinion, we see that it cannot attach itself to its host (our Republic or States) in the fashion the traitors in our government wish, without our acquiescing to it. The Reid Court continues with its Opinion: "This Court has also repeatedly taken the position that an Act of Congress, which MUST comply with the Constitution, is on full parity with a treaty, the statute to the extent of conflict, renders the treaty null. It would be completely anomalous to say that a treaty need not comply with the Constitution when such an agreement can be overridden by a statute that must conform to that instrument." The U.S. Supreme court could not have made it more clear : TREATIES DO NOT OVERRIDE THE CONSTITUTION, AND CANNOT, IN ANY FASHION, AMEND IT !!! CASE CLOSED. Now we must let our elected "representatives" in Washington and the State legislatures know that we no longer believe the BIG LIE... we know that we are not bound by unconstitutional Treaties, Executive Orders, Presidential Directives, and other such treasonous acts. [Note: the above information was taken from Aid & Abet Police Newsletter, with limited revision. P.O. Box 8712, Phoenix, Arizona. Acknowledgment given to Claire Kelly, for her good assistance and in depth treaty research. The use of this information is not to be construed as endorsement of Aid & Abet Police Newsletter. Claire Kelly is a trusted and knowledgeable friend. - CDR] Here's what Thomas Jefferson said on the right to renounce treaties: "Compacts then, between a nation and a nation, are obligatory on them as by the same moral law which obliges individuals to observe their compacts. There are circumstances, however, which sometimes excuse the non-performance of contracts between man and man; so are there also between nation and nation. When performance, for instance, becomes impossible, non-performance is not immoral; so if performance becomes self-destructive to the party, the law of self-preservation overrules the law of obligation in others". pg 317 - "The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson," A. Koch & Wm. Peden, Random House 1944, renewed 1972. Jefferson also said in a letter to Wilson C. Nicholas on Sept. 7, 1803, Ibid. pg 573 "Our peculiar security is in the possession of a written Constitution. Let us not make it a blank paper by construction [interpretation]. I say the same as to the opinion of those who consider the grant of the treaty making power as boundless. If it is, then we have no Constitution." ______________________________________________________________ Further evidence: Excerpt from a letter from U.S. Senator, Arlen Specter, (R. Penn.) to constituent, November 3, 1994. "Dear Mr. Neely: "Thank you for contacting my office regarding the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. ... I have signed on as a cosponsor of Senator Bradley’s resolution [SR 70, which urges the president to seek the advice and consent of the Senate for ratification] because I believe that the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child is an appropriate step in the direction of promoting the well-being of children throughout the world. [he goes on to mention concerns that the treaty would subjugate familial and parental responsibility to an international entity, which he denies] "... Secondly, the Convention would not override the U.S. Constitution; rather, as in the case of any treaty, any provision that conflicts with our Constitution would be void in our country... " [CDR Note: It is our belief that Arlen Specter would not have been as truthful regarding Constitutional Supremacy over treaties if he had a clue that this letter to a constituent would have found its way into the hands or eyes of the public.] Logical deduction: No law or treaty supersedes the Supreme Law of the Land. 'Supreme'... meaning 'highest or greatest'. What is higher than highest or greater than greatest, other than our Creator? The Constitution acknowledges our God-given, unalienable rights, and secures those rights in that acknowledgement. The Constitution gives the US Senate authority to ratify treaties with other nations. Americans have been propagandized into believing that those treaties become the supreme law of the land superseding the Constitution. Let's examine this deception closely and dispel the myth once and for all. Article VI of the Constitution states: Clause 2 - "This Constitution and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution [of any state] or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding." Clause 3 - "The senators and representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executives and judicial officers, both of the United States and the several states, shall be bound by oath of affirmation to support this Constitution ." Laws made in pursuance of this Constitution are laws which are made within the strict and limited confines of the Constitution itself. No federal, state, or international law, rule or bureaucratic regulation and no state constitution can supersede B or be repugnant to B this Constitution. Treaties made under the authority of the United States... the United States (federal government) was authorized by and on behalf of the people and in pursuance of this Constitution to enter into certain treaties with other governments. The United States (federal government) obtains its authority solely from the Constitution. It would be ludicrous to think that it has the power to circumvent (via treaties) that which grants it its authority. In Clause 3, it is made clear that every elected official, both federal and state, is bound by oath to support this Constitution. Who can rightly, and genuinely claim to be given the power to destroy that which they are elected and sworn to uphold? The powers granted by the Constitution cannot sanely be construed to provide the authority to usurp, pre-empt or eradicate it. The U.S. Supreme Court as cited above correctly ruled that the supremacy of the Constitution overrides treaties. It should be noted that if any Court, be it a State, Federal or the U.S. Supreme Court, should ever rule otherwise, the decision would be repugnant to the Constitution and the ruling would be null and void. The answer to this question is self-evident. The Constitution authorizes the United States to enter into treaties with other nations B the word Anation@ although not explicit, is certainly implied. The United Nations is an Organization - a Global Corporate Bureaucracy . The 'experts' in international law, commerce, banking, environment, etc.; and a cadre of alleged conservative / Christian-conservative leaders -- lawyer, Dame of Malta, Phyllis Schlafly being a prime example -- have been spewing forth propaganda to instill and further the myth of 'treaty-supremacy' for decades. Their 'expertise' is an illusion created apparently with hopes to instill a sense of inferiority in the 'common man' (their term) so we will all defer to their superior intelligence. Let's not go there. Here's a perfect example of 'expert' propaganda on the supremacy question: On April 11, 1952, Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles (cfr), speaking before the American Bar Association in Louisville, Kentucky said... "Treaties make international law and also they make domestic law. Under our Constitution, treaties become the supreme law of the land.... Treaty law can override the Constitution. Treaties, for example, ...can cut across the rights given the people by their constitutional Bill of Rights." Mr. Dulles is confused about the People's rights. To repeat an earlier statement of fact: the Constitution doesn't 'give' us rights. The Constitution acknowledges and secures our inherent, Creator-endowed rights. What Creator gives, no man can take away. The Dulles brothers worked (lied) long and hard to firmly establish the treaty-supremacy myth. And they realized it would have to be done by deceit -- propaganda. Admittedly by propaganda. "There is no indication that American public opinion, for example, would approve the establishment of a super state, or permit American membership in it. In other words, time - a long time - will be needed before world government is politically feasible... This time element might seemingly be shortened so far as American opinion is concerned by an active propaganda campaign in this country..." Allen W. Dulles (cfr) from a UN booklet, Headline Series #59 (New York: The Foreign Policy Association., Sept.-Oct., 1946) pg 46. The question of "nationhood" in reference to the United Nations seems to have been addressed by the errant Congress. A quick fix apparently took place in the U.S. Senate on March 19, 1970. According to the Anaheim (Cal) Bulletin, 4-20-1970, the Senate ratified a resolution recognizing the United Nations Organization as a sovereign nation. That would be tantamount to recognizing General Motors as a sovereign nation. Are we beginning to get the picture? Nullification: It’s Official https://tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/01/28/nullification-its-official/ While speaking to a large crowd of over a thousand people on the campus of Arizona State University last December, Congressman Ron Paul mentioned one thing that might come about as the result of the federal government habitually ignoring the Constitution: Nullification. About five minutes into the video segment which you’ll find below, he said, “There’s not much attention paid to the Constitution in Washington. There’s not much attention paid to it by our executive branch of government. And we don’t get much protection from our courts. So one thing that might finally happen from this if the people finally feel so frustrated that they can’t get the results out of Washington — They’re going to start thinking about options. They might start thinking about nullification and a few things like that.”.... Ron Paul and Nullification Ron Paul, Andrew Napolitano Talk Revolution, Nullification Ron Paul: Freedom from Government How To invoke your rights with The Police Michael Badnarik's Constitution Class #19 Tue, Oct 30, 2012 - 11:28am Michael Badnarik Federal Reserve #20 Tue, Oct 30, 2012 - 1:36pm Michael Badnarik addresses the sheriffs Michael Badnarik: Rattling the Sheriffs' Cages About the Constitution Sheriff Mack: Nullify we Must, and Nullify we Will! TFMR Podcast - Monday, July 1 Monday, July 1, 2019 - 6:26pm TFMR Podcast - Tuesday, July 16 Wrapping The Week Let's dig into silver today, too. Friday, July 12, 2019 - 11:12am Deutcha Banka by Belladonna, 4 min 19 sec ago A true Dole Geezer by stealthbear, 10 min 58 sec ago by scoremore, 1 hour 1 min ago by Belladonna, 1 hour 26 min ago Lightened Spoos, Short DAX by Scarecrow, 2 min 47 sec ago by Green Lantern, 3 hours 1 min ago	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732613
__label__wiki	0.875834	0.875834	What Is Dramatic Monologue In Poetry The movie is based on the band’s collective autobiography of the same name, but unfortunately, all of the poetry and emotional libido that. Luckily, a lot of these voiceover monologues are rich in. These poems tend to end up dramatic, breathtaking, alive with an almost self-immolating. this magnificently bizarre project presents the internal monologue of a queer Latinx exercise-tape viewer, A dramatic monologue is a type of poem in which the speaker is directly addressing and talking to some other person. The speaker in such poems usually speaks alone, in a one way conversation, and so it is called a monologue. The setting of such poems is dramatic. A dramatic monologue is a long piece of writing or poetry that seeks to reveal the reader or character’s innermost thoughts and feelings. Dramatic monologues can be entire works on their own, such as Tennyson’s poem "Ulysses," or they can simply be passages within a longer work, such as the soliloquys in Shakespeare’s plays. Dramatic-monologue poems written by famous poets. Browse through to read poems for dramatic-monologue. This page has the widest range of dramatic-monologue love and quotes. Dec 21, 2015 · Definition of Dramatic Monologue. Dramatic Monologue is a combination of two words i.e., dramatic and monologue. The word dramatic is an adjective derived from the Greek word dramatikos meaning something which pertains to drama or which is replete with action and is suitable for drama. 2018 Newcastle Poetry Prize anthology. BUYING ONLINE. purchase here (if you are in the USA, purchase the anthology here) The prizewinners are 1st prize: Ross Gillett for the poem ‘Buying Online’ Equal 2nd prize: John Watson for the poem ‘Five Replies to Miss Moore’ and Mark Tredinnick for the poem ‘The River Running Shallow’ Harri Jones Memorial Prize for a poet under 36: Chloe Wilson for. The poetry speaks for itself. And its voice is a spate of voices. in which non-human lives announce their presence via abecedarian dramatic monologue. “We shell down on the sleeping-branch. All. Enjoy the quality, variety, and value of a Huntington subscription. Mixing exciting new plays with classics made current, the 2018-2019 season includes 4 shows at the Huntington Avenue Theatre and 4 shows at the Calderwood Pavilion, and features rich and relevant stories that speak to the times we live in. Aug 01, 2012 · Robert Browning is considered to be the perfecter of the dramatic monologue, which had its heyday in the Victorian Period. Other Victorian poets to produce one or more dramatic monologues include Alfred Lord Tennyson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Matthew Arnold, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Christina Rossetti, and Algernon Charles Swinburne. The purpose of the speech determines what format is used. Both soliloquies and monologues are examples of dramatic speeches. A monologue is spoken to other characters in the play whereas a soliloquy. Cloth, $17.95. Penguin. Paper, $8.95. THE current popularity of the dramatic monologue among younger poets is due in part to the influence of Florence Anthony, who uses the pen name Ai. All her poems. Featuring a cycle of poems, combined with music and dance. who has easily the most intense and dramatic monologue about domestic abuse, but also one of the most movingly complex, about a woman who. Apr 30, 2010 · Poster poems: Dramatic monologue. The 19th century was a great age of invention; from the bicycle to flexible film photography the Victorian world was well accustomed to the shock of the new, and its novelties have helped shape the world we live in now. In poetry, perhaps the single most enduring Victorian innovation was the dramatic monologue, We spoke on the phone about the poetic resonance of reggae artists, his admiration for the dramatic monologue, the legacy of Nobel Prize winner Derek Walcott and the palimpsestic landscape he inhabits. Home \| Literary Movements \| Timeline \| American Authors \| American Literature Sites \| Bibliographies \| Site Updates Poetry Terms: Brief Definitions Go to Drama Terms or Fiction Terms. Try the Online Quiz on Poetry Terms to test your knowledge of these terms.You might also like to try the Online Quiz on Prosody to test your knowledge of scanning poetry. English poetry had my ear first entranced with its music when. An astonishingly original and perfectly executed poetical art in just one of Browning’s dramatic monologues or one of Hopkins’s. Most of the poems derive from being poet in residence at Mount Sinai. the Halifax poet Sue Goyette puts Penelope at the centre of her own epic, a book-length dramatic monologue in couplets that. Mar 19, 2018 · Also known as a dramatic poem, this is an emotional piece of literature which includes a story which is recited or sung. It refers to the dramatic genre of poetry. Till the nineteenth century dramas were written in the form of verses. The definition of this piece of literature can be quoted as, One of our foremost commentators on poetry examines the work of a broad range of nineteenth. She means that Sloppy reads out the transcripts of court trials in full dramatic fashion, taking on a. Edward James (Ted) Hughes was born in Mytholmroyd, in the West Riding district of Yorkshire, on August 17, 1930. His childhood was quiet and dominately rural. Although the dramatic monologue stands as a definitive Victorian poetic form, defining the genre is a vexed issue. The features that constitute a dramatic monologue are themselves under debate, as taxonomists have charted courses between definitions that are so broad as to include any number of. Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop New bars, from the Cock Ring to Uncle Paul’s, and stores such as the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop (which moved This week’s poem is an extract from "Medea in Athens", one of a number of psychologically complex dramatic monologues by the remarkable Victorian poet, Augusta Webster. The poem is from her 1879. That the poem is an intervention: “The capacity to make change in existing conditions” (Muriel Rukeyser). That poetry, said Seamus Heaney, is “strong enough to help”. Yes. And pleasure. Carol Ann. Poems On Long Distance Love All of Emily Dickinson Poems. Emily Dickinson Poetry Collection from Famous Poets and Poems. 100 Bible Verses about Long Distance Please prepare 1 comic monologue and 1 dramatic monologue, not to exceed three minutes combined. A lover of literature and poetry who dreams of adventure and escape. However, he is inextricably. Read Dramatic Monologue: An Introduction at the EDSITEment-reviewed Victorian Web. Note the three requirements of a Browning dramatic monologue, as detailed by Glenn Everett. Review the definition and description of "dramatic monologue" at the EDSITEment-reviewed The Academy of American Poets. Note the definition of dramatic monologue, Browning’s role in the history of the form, and his. Written in a dramatic monologue structure, “Ulysses” is a masterpiece that has inspired generations through centuries to try something new, take on a new adventure and never give up on life. Some of. A monumental performance, combining lyrical poetry, sensual dance. And I would be in my room, practicing these monologues. It’s hard not to read the current political turmoil, the icy sense of dividedness, into these poems, though many of them deal as. sometimes droning dramatic monologue for countless voices that. Shakespeare To Be Or Not To Be Hamlet Inspirational Quotes English Literature she was my first love. she was my first love and we were madly in love. Types of Poetry Chapter Exam Instructions. Choose your answers to the questions and click ‘Next’ to see the next set of questions. You can skip questions if you would like and come back to them. How It All Started: Dramatic Poetry Defined. Although this literary form has greatly dropped out of use since the 19th century, dramatic poetry is not only the precursor to drama as we know it today, but also one of the earliest forms of any Western literature. Along with epic poetry, dramatic poetry had its literary origins in Greece, Now “Herbert White,” the first poem in “Golden State” — a dramatic monologue in the voice of a child murderer and rapist — has been turned into a short film directed by James Franco (whose first book. What are Literary Devices? From the very first time humans began sharing stories, literary devices have played a key role in our history. Along with the creation of storytelling came the development of narrative elements like plot, character, and tone. Ai’s poems, which have been widely anthologized, are nearly always dramatic monologues, a form closely associated with the 19th-century English poet Robert Browning. To this form, she brought a flinty. I. What is a Metaphor? Metaphor (pronounced meh-ta-for) is a common figure of speech that makes a comparison by directly relating one thing to another unrelated thing. Unlike similes, metaphors do not use words such as “like” or “as” to make comparisons. When A Typed Quotation Of Prose Exceeds Four Lines, You Should Indent It Instead. Julia Gillard’s pointed disinclination to discuss that stuff, and instead. prose was leaden and riddled with clichés, devoid of wit… Medieval Period English Literature Oscar Wilde And A Death Of No Importance A young artist’s model has been murdered, and legendary wit Oscar Wilde…	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732614
__label__wiki	0.587173	0.587173	Trump's Unacknowledged Victory in Stemming the Flow of Asylum Seekers A tacit agreement with Mexico could have a major impact. Reihan Salam President of the Manhattan Institute Kim Kyung Hoon / Reuters President Donald Trump seems determined to force a government shutdown over partial funding for his proposed border wall, and it is not hard to see why. As Mark Krikorian, the director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a restrictionist think tank, observed in an interview with The Washington Post, Trump is exquisitely sensitive to ridicule from those he sees as his staunchest supporters. As Trump’s political standing diminishes, those on the restrictionist right who’ve put their faith in him have grown less admiring and more acerbic in their assessments. The columnist Ann Coulter, who some have identified as the inspiration for Trump’s own restrictionist turn, has gone so far as to denounce the president as “gutless” for his lassitude in building the wall, and she is far from alone. Forcing a shutdown would dramatize his supposed commitment to the wall, which, for a president deeply invested in appearances, is what matters most. Yet when we leave appearances aside, the Trump administration has accomplished something that, in the long run, is of far greater consequence than securing a $5 billion down payment for a physical barrier that, for all its symbolic resonance, will have no appreciable effect on asylum seekers or visa overstayers, and will likely fail to deter the most determined clandestine border crossers. To the surprise of many observers, senior U.S. officials appear to have persuaded the Mexican government to shelter Central American migrants who are seeking asylum north of the border. This is, in essence, the “Remain in Mexico” plan that was being discussed in late November, shortly before the inauguration of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador—except the U.S. and Mexican governments are both insisting that this is not a formal agreement. Read: Trump keeps invoking terrorism to get his border wall Both parties are describing the move as a unilateral decision by the U.S. that in turn has elicited a humanitarian response from Mexico. Though no one on either side is suggesting that there’s been some quid pro quo—one assumes that Trump doesn’t want to be seen as bribing Mexico, and López Obrador doesn’t want to be seen as having been bribed—it hasn’t escaped notice that the U.S. reportedly promised new development assistance to help improve living standards in Central America and southern Mexico, a high priority for López Obrador throughout his long political career, just two days before the Mexican government announced its new policy. Why is this tacit agreement so significant? Previously, asylum seekers were routinely granted permission to live and work in the U.S. as they awaited their court hearings. Because the U.S. asylum system is so severely backlogged, this has often meant that they could remain in the U.S. lawfully for years, regardless of the merit of their asylum claims. One result is that a large and growing number of Central American migrants have chosen to go through the formal asylum system rather than enter the U.S. without authorization, a far riskier path that, among other things, can limit access to social services. Under the new dispensation, most asylum seekers will instead be expected to remain in Mexico, and the Mexican government has declared that it will grant them work authorizations and the right to travel freely between Mexico and their native countries as they wait. Considering that even the highest, most technologically sophisticated wall can’t prevent migrants from lawfully seeking asylum, the cooperation of the Mexican government is absolutely essential to controlling Central American migrant flows to the U.S. Quinta Jurecic: Trump’s state of exception Many observers were skeptical that such a deal could be struck, even if only informally. And it may yet unravel, especially if Trump further antagonizes Mexico’s nationalist government, which is keenly aware that its ability to control migrant flows gives it a great deal of leverage. One way or another, the U.S. needs to reform its outmoded and overwhelmed asylum system. What Mexico has done is give the Trump administration much-needed breathing room, and a path to a more cooperative relationship. But rather than cement this fragile compromise with Mexico by, say, showering López Obrador with praise and calling for a new immigration agenda that would bring inflows under control by spreading prosperity throughout the region, Trump has chosen a different course of action. Once again, he will rage against congressional Democrats for refusing to fund a border wall that they feel quite confident in opposing, the heroic efforts of Vice President Mike Pence and the ubiquitous Mick Mulvaney notwithstanding. Then, after an interval of uncertain duration, he will cave as the political toll mounts, just as his detractors on the right are now predicting. Restrictionists have every reason to question their faith in their decidedly flawed champion. Reihan Salam is the president of the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor at The Atlantic. He is the author of Melting Pot or Civil War? A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case Against Open Borders.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732615
__label__wiki	0.536587	0.536587	The Idea of a League of Nations Horror at the Great War, along with technological change, made the idea of world government imaginable. World War I Issue The League of Nations, convening in Geneva in 1923, saw its idealistic hopes dashed, in part because of America's refusal to join.Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis At the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914, Europe and the world awoke out of a dream of intensified nationality to a new system of realities which were entirely antagonistic to the continuance of national separations. It is necessary to state very plainly the nature of these new forces. Upon them rests the whole case for the League of Nations as it is here presented. It is a new case. It is argued here that these forces give us powers novel in history and bring mankind face to face with dangers such as it has never confronted before. It is maintained that, on the one hand, they render possible such a reasoned coordination of human affairs as has never hitherto been conceivable, and that, on the other, they so enlarge and intensify the scope and evil of war and of international hostility as to give what was formerly a generous aspiration more and more of the aspect of an imperative necessity. Under the lurid illumination of the world war, the idea of world unification has passed rapidly from the sphere of the literary idealist into that of the methodical, practical man … In the history of mankind, the great phases seem all to be marked by the appearance of some new invention which facilitates trade or intercourse, and may be regarded as the operating cause of the new phase. The invention of writing, of the wheel and the road, of the ship, of money, of printing, of letters of exchange, of joint-stock undertakings and limited liability, mark distinct steps in the enlargement of human intercourse and cooperation from its original limitation within the verbal and traditional range of the family or tribe. A large part of the expansion of the Roman empire, apart from its overseas development, may be considered, for example, as a process of road-making and bridge-building. Even its trans-Mediterranean development was a matter of road-making combined with ship-building … And we live today in a time of accelerated inventiveness and innovation, when a decade modifies the material of intercommunication far more extensively than did any century before, in range, swiftness, and intensity alike. Within the present century, since 1900, there have been far more extensive changes in these things than occurred in the 10 centuries before Christ. Instead of regarding Around the World in Eighty Days as an amazing feat of hurry, we can now regard a flight about the globe in 15 or 16 days as a reasonable and moderate performance … While all these things, on the one hand, point plainly now to such possibilities of human unification and world unanimity as no one could have dreamed of a hundred years ago, there has been, on the other hand, a change, an intensification of the destructive processes of war which opens up a black alternative to this pacific settlement of human affairs. The case as it is commonly stated in the propaganda literature for a League of Nations is a choice between, on the one hand, a general agreement on the part of mankind to organize a permanent peace, and on the other, a progressive development of the preparation for war and the means of conducting war which must ultimately eat up human freedom and all human effort, and, as the phrase goes, destroy civilization … The League of Nations cannot be a little thing; it is either to be a great thing in the world, an overriding idea of a greater state, or nothing. Every state aims ultimately at the production of a sort of man, and it is an idle and a wasteful diplomacy, a pandering to timidities and shams, to pretend that the League of Nations is not ultimately a state aiming at that ennobled individual whose city is the world.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732616
__label__cc	0.669398	0.330602	I mentioned Douglas Blackmon's excellent book, Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II once before and I'm glad to learn that Bill Moyers featured it on his show recently. Here's a bit of the transcript: DOUGLAS BLACKMON: Vagrancy. So, vagrancy was a law that essentially, it simply, you were breaking the law if you couldn't prove at any given moment that you were employed. Well, in a world in which there were no pay stubs, it was impossible to prove you were employed. The only way you could prove employment was if some man who owned land would vouch for you and say, he works for me. And of course, none of these laws said it only applies to black people. But overwhelmingly, they were only enforced against black people. And many times, thousands of times I believe, you had young black men who attempted to do that. They ended up being arrested and returned to the original farmer where they worked in chains, not even a free worker, but as a slave. BILL MOYERS: And the result, as you write, thousands of black men were arrested, charged with whatever, jailed, and then sold to plantations, railroads, mills, lumber camps and factories in the deep South. And this went on, you say, right up to World War II? DOUGLAS BLACKMON: And it was everywhere in the South. These forced labor camps were all over the place. The records that still survive, buried in courthouses all over the South, make it abundantly clear that thousands and thousands of African-Americans were arrested on completely specious claims, made up stuff, and then, purely because of this economic need and the ability of sheriffs and constables and others to make money off arresting them, and that providing them to these commercial enterprises, and being paid for that. It's a fascinating book, and does a lot to put contemporary issues in an important but essentially forgotten context. See more here.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732617
__label__wiki	0.824975	0.824975	Hearing voices from the Chilembwe Rising In 1915, the Reverend John Chilembwe led a short-lived but violent uprising in the British Protectorate of Nyasaland – what is now Malawi – which sent shock waves through Britain’s possessions in south-east Africa. One hundred years later, the British Academy has published the evidence presented at the Inquiry that the British authorities held in the aftermath of ‘the Chilembwe Rising’. The editor of the volume, Dr John McCracken, here explains the importance of these witness statements – not just for helping us understand the events of 1915, but as a unique record of African voices from the early 20th century. • John McCracken Published in British Academy Review, Issue 27 (February 2016). (This article is an edited version of remarks made by Dr John McCracken in conversation with Dr Michael Brett. Listen to a longer version of the conversation.) Hearing voices from the Chilembwe Rising (BAR 27) PDF 5.27MB Voices from the Chilembwe Rising: Witness Testimonies made to the Nyasaland Rising Commission of Inquiry, 1915 edited by John McCracken (Fontes Historiae Africanae, New Series 14) British Academy Review 27 Fontes Historiae Africanae British Academy Review, Issue 27, February 2016 Edward Augustus Freeman and the making of history The British Academy published a volume of essays about the eminent Victorian historian, Edward Augustus Freeman (1823-1892). To explore why Freeman is such an intriguing character, Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch Kt FBA puts questions to the two editors of the volume, Dr Alex Bremner and Dr Jonathan Conlin. (Recorded 7 December 2015 at Trinity College, Oxford) ‘Big Society’, ‘good culture’, and aspiration Dr Matthew Johnson is Lecturer in Politics at Lancaster University. He was a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow from 2011 to 2014. He currently holds a British Academy Rising Star Engagement Award. His project explores social and political concepts through an innovative form of community-oriented participatory research.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732619
__label__cc	0.647943	0.352057	Damstra Technology: Ensuring workforce safety Damstra Technology may have switched its focus from labour hire services to technology solutions, but the company is still all about people. Christian Damstra’s father started Damstra Mining Services when he began doing contract work for mines, and eventually built up a labour hire business. But how did a labour hire business for the mining sector end up becoming a technology company? Well, it all started, logically, with a workforce management system. Christian, who came on board as General Manager in 2003, explains, “We had a training division, a printing division, and we added in our technology division. It came around to better facilitate the management of skills, competencies and training data for our workforce,” says Christian. “Then Xstrata Coal very quickly snapped it up as a product for them to manage their external workforce.” Focused on technology When his father sold the company to Skilled Australia in 2006, Christian stayed on as the GM of the Damstra division. But it was on the proviso that it would be solely technology focused, removing the labour hire aspect of the business altogether. For the next ten years, Christian ran Damstra Mining Services as a technology company as part of the Skilled Group. Then, n 2016, Programmed Facilities Management decided to buy Skilled Australia. That's when Christian negotiated to buy back Damstra and renamed the business Damstra Technology. “The reason we did that is because we have now been purely in technology for over 10 years. And we are servicing markets outside of mining – telecommunications, quarries, construction – all types of industries.” Anyone who has got an employee has a need for our product. – Christian Damstra Damstra Technology’s human capital management and workplace systems allow companies to ensure workplaces are safe and compliant, and to manage assets and resources. For example, Damstra has created a system that integrates with PPE vending machines to track and charge for the use of personal protective equipment. Workforce management systems While it may seem that the company chose to manage assets instead of people, Christian says at the end of the day it always comes back to the people. “The reason we went into assets and vehicles is that people operate those assets and those fleet vehicles. If a vehicle is not up the scratch, then we don’t want them driving it. If a person hasn’t got the right skills to operate equipment, we don't want them operating it. Simply because it affects that person.” “Anyone who has got an employee has a need for our product,” says Christian. “Every employee has a requirement, whether they simply need rights to work in Australia, a copy of their driver’s licence or right through to high-risk work licences and medicals. Our systems make all of those types of things easy for companies to manage.” We’re not selling a widget that they can walk away with and have on their shelves, we sell a relationship. – Christian Damstra To ensure its systems do exactly what is needed, Damstra works in partnership with clients. “We’re not selling a widget that they can walk away with and have on their shelves, we sell a relationship. They are going to be working with us for many, many years to come. So, we talk with clients a lot and take their feedback and put that back into our product.” Good communication with clients was especially important when Damstra branched out into providing solutions for industries outside mining. “It was a bit of a learning curve when we started to break out of being purely mining, because we knew mining. It was second nature to us, but then we started going into the quarries and construction and telecommunications,” says Christian. The company worked with the clients to understand what was different about their needs and incorporate those capabilities into its systems. This collaborative approach is clearly the right one, as Damstra Technology was recently named one of Westpac’s Top 20 Businesses of Tomorrow 2017. Growing overseas The business has grown steadily in Australia over the past 15 years, and is now working on overseas expansion. Damstra has built up a list of clients in New Zealand and is pursuing opportunities in the US and South America. “We are going continue to work on those international growth opportunities whilst still maintaining our position in the Australian marketplace,” says Christian. But he won’t let the company’s growth affect its “culture of connectedness”. “I’m proud that we’ve been able to grow to where we are, but maintain a sense of closeness in the organisation. It’s a good place to work and a fair place to work. We are a big organisation run out of a country town in the Hunter Valley.” Damstra Technology key facts Company name: Damstra CEO: Christian Damstra Headquarters: Singleton, NSW Industry: IT & Electronics http://www.damstratechnology.com/ 50 George St, Singleton NSW 2330	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732621
__label__wiki	0.856765	0.856765	Our people / Trustees / The Trustee of The Donkey Sanctuary is The Donkey Sanctuary Trustee Limited. It is ultimately responsible, in law, for the charity, its assets and activities. Meet the current board. Stuart Reid - Chair of Trustees Graduating from the University of Glasgow as a veterinary surgeon, Stuart is Principal of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), University of London. Awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2018 for services to the veterinary profession and higher education, Stuart has been a trustee of The Donkey Sanctuary since 1996 and Chair since 2007. Sitting on the Board of the Food Standards Agency and as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, his research interests are focused on zoonotic disease and antimicrobial resistance. He has contributed to over 160 scientific publications, and has secured over £15 million in competitive funding during his distinguished career. Bill Tetlow - Trustee Having worked at The Donkey Sanctuary as a regional welfare officer from 1991 until his retirement in 2007, Bill became a trustee of the charity in 2008, so continuing to share his tremendous knowledge of care and welfare. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Bill ran his own farming business up until joining organisation. He has owned and shown donkeys for a hobby since 1976 and has bred several British champions. Bill was chair of the Donkey Breed Society in 1998/1999 and some of his other hobbies include photography and after-dinner speaking. Christine Purdy - Trustee Christine is an international non-governmental organisation manager whose career began at the World Bank in the 1970s. After three years with the United Nations Development Programme in North Yemen, Christine went on to work with Patgroup International, supporting projects in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. She was then appointed field director for Save the Children Fund, working in Nepal and Sri Lanka before returning to the UK to become CEO of Brooke Hospital for Animals. Christine’s most recent position was CEO of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. Now retired, she holds voluntary roles for a number of charitable organisations, but her heart is most closely associated with The Donkey Sanctuary. David Howarth - Trustee As chair of the Donkey-Assisted Therapy committee, David helps The Donkey Sanctuary develop programmes and activities for young people with additional needs in the UK and overseas. He became a trustee in 2012 after a career that combined education and management. As a teacher, he understands the value of child-centred learning programmes, based on first-hand experience of working with autistic children and other disability groups. David has led a number of charities providing support for young people, the seriously ill, disabled and carer groups. His experience has led him to see the benefits that animal-assisted therapy can offer those with additional needs. John Sewell-Rutter - Trustee As a lifelong animal lover, John ended his career with seven years as chief executive of Blue Cross, during which time he fostered relationships with many other animal welfare charities, including The Donkey Sanctuary. It was his close acquaintance with our founder, Dr Elisabeth Svendsen that crystallised John’s interest in becoming a trustee in 2008. John’s early career was in marketing for companies including Nabisco, Cadbury and a leading international advertising agency. Then followed managing director roles at two manufacturing companies over a 20-year span, with extensive overseas business activity. Natalie Cook - Trustee Natalie is a member of our Donkey Care and Welfare and Donkey-Assisted Therapy committees. Before starting in her current role as Animal Behaviour and Welfare Scientist at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Natalie worked on animal welfare campaigns and research in Singapore and Malaysia. She has a Master’s degree in International Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law from the University of Edinburgh and a BSc (Hons) in Applied Animal Behaviour and Training. Robert Crawford - Trustee Robert Crawford has been a trustee director of The Donkey Sanctuary since 2010 and currently chairs the Finance and Governance Committee and the Capital Projects Group. He is Principal of Crawford Service Management, a customer-centred consultancy that focuses on developing and implementing strategies leading to increased sales and retention. With a senior background in banking, he has also served as Executive Director of The Institute of Customer Service and as Chief Executive of the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Europe. Robert is regarded as one of the UK’s leading customer service practitioners, having developed nationally recognised pillars of customer service: UKCSI (UK Customer Satisfaction Index), a methodology for gauging customer satisfaction and benchmarking against the best; and ServiceMark, the UK’s national customer service standard. Rosemary Gillespie - Trustee Rosemary became a trustee of The Donkey Sanctuary in 2012 due to a lifelong love of donkeys and a desire to improve their lives, especially abroad. Originally a nurse, Rosemary worked in California and the UK, specialising in general surgery, spinal injuries and eventually becoming a ward sister and nurse teacher. She moved into academia as senior lecturer in health policy and medical sociology at the University of Portsmouth, completing her PhD in 2000. She led the Kings Fund: Patient Involvement Project, and joined the NHS Modernisation Agency: National Clinical Governance Support Team in 2002. Rosemary moved to the voluntary sector in 2006 and held a number of leadership roles, including deputy CEO at Breast Cancer Care, CEO of The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and CEO of Terrence Higgins Trust. She now runs a consultancy and works as an interim CEO. Sue Griffin - Trustee Sue graduated from the University of Wales and went on to complete an MSc at The City University in Information Science. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Chartered Marketer. After graduating with and MBA from Cranfield School of Management she followed a career in various marketing roles, from Sales to product development and Marketing Director, at Cable & Wireless in the US and UK. Following her return to the UK from California she ran online financial services at Charles Schwab Europe and Fidelity International Investments and spent six years at The Pensions Regulator working as Director of Communications. Sue began her involvement with donkeys riding on the sands at Porthcawl beach and has been involved with equines ever since. She has been owned by Top Hat, a horse, for the last sixteen years. Sue has been a Trustee Director since 2014 and chairs the Fundraising and Communications committee.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732624
__label__wiki	0.706226	0.706226	You are here: Home> About Us What is Touching Hearts? Touching Hearts was established to support the building of a new Sacred Heart Centre. What is the Sacred Heart Centre? The Sacred Heart Centre was established in 1974. It was originally under the auspices of the Irish Sisters of Charity, but was taken over by the HSE in 2005. It supports families of children who have varying degrees of physical and learning disabilities and is assisted by the Friends & Family Association which was set up in 2006. The main function of the Sacred Heart Centre is to empower children with a broad range of intellectual and/or physical challenges and their families to develop to their full potential in a safe and nurturing environment. This is achieved through the provision of an Individual Family Service Plan for children attending the Main Early Intervention Service. What is the problem? Why do we need your help? Our building is too small, too old and not fit for purpose. Half the building is currently shared with the Department of Education. It was built in 1974 so is no longer fit for its purpose. The lack of space impacts on the provision of services and multidisciplinary team work. For example, one small therapy room which doubles up as a toddler and play group room means equipment has to be moved to other areas which is very time consuming. The building also lacks appropriate facilities for hosting parent and staff training. Access is difficult and equipment is sub-standard. Further limitations include the amount of staff that can be employed and the capacity to take in new referrals for children needing early intervention. Access to the centre is also difficult as there is only one small carpark for families, staff and buses. The centre also lacks quality equipment seen in other early intervention centres. The outside space where the children play is also insufficient for their needs. What is the solution? How can you help? We desperately need a new building. The positive impact of such a building would ensure a better quality early intervention service for Waterford city. It would also alleviate a lot of pressure on the health service. The main beneficiaries of this project are the children and their families that attend The Scared Heart Centre. The overall cost is estimated at €8 million and includes a number of phases. Who are the people involved? There are many people involved, but the official committee members are as follows: Chairperson: Ann Marie Queally Secretary: Gary O’Keeffe Treasurer: Gary O’Keeffe Directors: Imelda Power, Mai Walsh, Dermot Dooley, Dr Brendan McCann Patrons: John O’Shea, Derek McGrath, Thomas Barr © 2019 Copyright Touching Hearts. All rights reserved. Website Design & Development by Passion for Creative, Waterford, Ireland We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information you've provided to them or they've collected from your use of their services. To continue browsing on this site you will need to either opt in or out to our use of cookies by clicking 'Accept' or 'Don't Accept'AcceptDon't AcceptRead more	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732628
__label__cc	0.640796	0.359204	Find out why epistemology and defining the nature of knowledge matters in our high-tech 21st century. Examine our individual sources of knowledge, from sense perception to memory to logical inference. Survey the nebulous world of social testimony. Ground yourself in the theories of epistemology—and prepare to continue your study after the course concludes. Humans have been attempting to understand for thousands of years what knowledge truly is and how we acquire it, but the more we learn about the human body, our brains, and the world around us, the more challenging the quest becomes. The 21st century is a fast-paced world of technological change and expanding social networks, a world where information is plentiful and cheap, but where truth seems in short supply. When it comes to our never-ending search for the truth about knowledge, there are innumerable questions and considerations. What is the best way to make a transformative decision, such as whether to have a child? What if common sense was diametrically opposed to rational decision theory? If you see the correct time on a stopped clock, do you really know what time it is? Is that genuine knowledge or simply chance? And does the distinction matter? Our memories are one of our primary channels for knowledge, but much of what we “remember” is actually false memories or confabulations. Where does that leave us? Media organizations developed a strong culture of fact-checking in the 20th century, but can they continue to sustain this pursuit of truth in a world of “click-bait”? These questions merely scratch the surface of “epistemology,” the philosophical term for our inquiry into knowledge: what it is, the ways we acquire it, and how we justify our beliefs as knowledge. Delve into these issues, and many more, in Theories of Knowledge: How to Think about What You Know. Taught by acclaimed Professor Joseph H. Shieber of Lafayette College, these 24 mind-bending lectures take you from ancient philosophers to contemporary neurobiologists, and from wide-ranging social networks to the deepest recesses of your own brain. Epistemology is as old as philosophy itself. This survey takes you back to Plato, who defined knowledge in terms of “true belief”—a person’s belief that corresponds with some external truth. You’ll see how this relationship between knowledge, belief, and the truth aligns with what 20th-century developmental psychologists have learned about children and the way we first begin to access information. It is these types of connections—between philosophical history and our world today, and between abstract theory and observed, real-world examples—that make Theories of Knowledge: How to Think about What You Know such a treat. This course will transform how you think about yourself, the world around you, and the very nature of reality. Unpack Competing Theoretical Approaches As you delve into this course, you’ll soon discover there are several competing frameworks for defining and validating knowledge. For an influential and widely accepted explanation of knowledge, a great place to start is Descartes’s “evil demon” argument. Descartes understood he could not be certain the entire world was not the fabrication of some evil demon. All he knew for certain, all he could say infallibly, was cogito, ergo sum—I think, therefore I am. Epistemology has come a long way since Descartes, and while most philosophers take issue with much of Descartes’s reasoning, his theory still offers a foundational approach to understanding knowledge. After reviewing this foundation, you will survey a number of key frameworks that will allow you to dive into a number of epistemological debates, including: The foundationalist vs. the coherentist understanding of knowledge; Internalist vs. externalist frameworks for justifying belief; and The rationalism of Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz vs. the empiricism of Locke and Hume—which led to Kant’s distinction between a priori and a posteriori knowledge. By examining these debates, you’ll not only gain a sense of the breadth of epistemology, but you’ll also gain the language and the insights necessary to understand epistemology today. Investigate Individual Sources of Knowledge Regardless of whether you find the internalists or the externalists, the foundationalists or the coherentists more persuasive, there are two general ways of accessing knowledge: through personal channels and through our social networks. To bring the old philosophical debates to life and make abstract theories concrete, Professor Shieber outlines the individual sources of knowledge, including: Sensory Perception: The most fundamental way we encounter the world is through our senses, but we must also understand that our senses are fallible. Using examples from cutting-edge ocular field theory and neurobiology, you will find out just how rocky our knowledge would be if it were based solely on what we perceive. Memory & Self-Awareness: Surely, we know ourselves if nothing else about the world … right? Delve into the world of denial, false memories, confabulation, and more to challenge this key belief. See what advancements in computer science tell us about the very nature of the “self” as you take a foray into the “extended mind.” Logic & Inference: From syllogisms to inductive reasoning, logic tells us much about the world—but like all personal sources of knowledge, logic has its weaknesses. For instance, the “raven’s paradox” asks us to ponder the claim, “All ravens are black.” Logic suggests the converse is true: “All things that are not black are not ravens.” Does evidence for the latter claim count as evidence for the former? Reflect on Social Sources of Knowledge After exploring the individual sources of knowledge, Professor Shieber turns to our social sources of knowledge, which often raise the question of trustworthiness. How can we verify we are receiving reliable and accurate information? How do I know someone isn’t lying to me? How can I be sure? Your investigation takes you through: Social Testimony: Much of our knowledge depends on testimony from others. Even facts as basic as our names and the identities of our parents are based on information from others. How do we evaluate the truthfulness of social testimony? Or do we even evaluate the accuracy of what others tell us? Thinkers from David Hume to contemporary social psychologists have wrestled with this issue. Scientific Achievement: Much of modern science relies on knowledge via “socially distributed cognitive systems.” For example, a 19th-century French project to update mathematical tables depended on the labor of ordinary workers relying on basic arithmetic—but who couldn’t comprehend the project as a whole. This process lends credence to a “social externalist” view of knowledge from testimony. Media Reliability: We are living amidst a battle between fact-checking and “fake news.” How do you gauge the accuracy and reliability of the media? What role do our social networks have to play in our media consumption? And how do we incentivize a culture of fact-checking rather than “click-bait” and confirmation bias in our media institutions? An Exciting Field Professor Shieber closes the course with a look into the future of epistemology. While the field of inquiry has been around for thousands of years, philosophers are constantly opening up new areas of thought, from epistemic logic to issues of systemic injustice in the world. How do we combat cognitive bias? Who should we include in our social networks? How do we know we are not just brains in a vat? As you will learn from the very beginning of this course, rationality and common sense often lead you to wildly different conclusions when it comes to making transformative decisions. But you don’t have to be making a life-changing decision to make use of the types of critical thinking epistemologists employ. We live in a messy, imperfect, and often irrational world, but Theories of Knowledge: How to Think about What You Know offers an excellent step toward becoming a better thinker, and a more engaged citizen. Philosophy and Transformative Experiences What do philosophical “theories of knowledge” have to do with everyday life? If you believe the field of epistemology is esoteric and abstract, you’ll be surprised by how fundamental it is to everyday life. In this opening lecture, reflect on how we make “transformative” experiences—and why common sense might lead us astray. x Knowledge, Truth, and Belief Philosophers have been ruminating on the nature of knowledge for thousands of years. Using Plato as your guide, investigate the relationship between “knowledge,” “truth,” and “belief.” Professor Shieber brings in contemporary psychology and what we know about child development to show how we come to know what we know. x Foundationalism: Descartes's Evil Demon We’re all familiar with Descartes’s cogito, ergo sum, or “I think, therefore I am.” Delve into this powerful analysis of reality to discover what Descartes meant. As you’ll learn, he was trying to develop an infallible explanation for his knowledge of the world, which led him deep inside his own mind. x The Coherence Theory of Knowledge Turn from Descartes's theory of infallible knowledge to fallible yet still internal theories of reality. The most prominent theory is coherentism, a framework for understanding the world in terms of logical cohesion and consistency. While this theory has much to offer, you'll also wrestle with several key challenges. x Externalist Theories of Knowledge Not all theories of knowledge rely on internal justification. Here, you will explore several 20th-century approaches to knowledge that don't require that justification is internally accessible. Consider how to gauge beliefs in terms of external consistency, accuracy, reliability, and validity. x Problems with Self-Knowledge Given all this talk of beliefs and external reality, surely it's safe to say we at least understand ourselves, right? Traditional, Cartesian epistemology may consider self-knowledge the foundation of all other knowledge, but as current research in psychology, biology, and neuroscience shows, our self-knowledge is far from complete or even accurate. x Does Sense Perception Support Knowledge? One of the most significant sources of knowledge comes from sense perception—what we see, hear, smell, and experience of the world. Yet our common-sense way of thinking about sense perception is misleading at best. In this first of two lectures on perception, unpack the role of our senses in justifying beliefs about the world. x Perception: Foundationalism and Externalism Continue your study of sense perception with a look at what it implies about the internalist and externalist theories you have studied so far. After examining several problems with internalist foundationalism, Professor Shieber explores how cognitive psychology supports an externalist view of knowledge. x The Importance of Memory for Knowledge Memory plays a crucial role in knowledge because all of our perceptions are impermanent and fleeting. Here, you will examine the nature of memory. Are memories stored experiences in the mind, or are they past events themselves? And does memory merely preserve belief, or can you gain new knowledge from your memories? x Confabulations and False Memories One of the most intriguing aspects of memory is just how fallible it is as a guide to reality. In this lecture, you will turn to how memory fits into the internalist and externalist theories of knowledge. False memories, confabulations, source theories, and forgotten evidence show just how tricky memory really is. x The Extended Mind We are quickly approaching a future of augmented reality, simulated consciousness, brain implants, and more. These brain enhancements raise a number of philosophical questions: What counts as your mind? And is an enhanced brain a better brain? Consider the role of smart phones and photographs in preserving memory. x Do We Have Innate Knowledge? Step back to one of the Enlightenment's most captivating debates: Do we know the world through our own minds (as Descartes argued) or through empirical evidence (as Locke and Hume argued)? After unpacking this debate, see how Kant came to the rescue to distinguish between a priori and a posteriori knowledge. x How Deduction Contributes to Knowledge Much of our belief system stems from things we have not experienced directly; rather, we infer much of our knowledge through the processes of logical reasoning. Here, tackle the role of deduction, in which inference stems from the logical relationship of a series of steps. Consider syllogisms, “if-then” arguments, and other deductive procedures. x Hume's Attack on Induction Deduction and induction are the two types of logical inference. In this first of two explorations of induction, you will examine the reliability and usefulness of induction. You'll start with David Hume's challenge to induction to see whether it can be used to generate knowledge at all. And even if knowledge comes from inductive inference, are humans any good at it? x The Raven Paradox and New Riddle of Induction Continue your tour of induction by looking at a few logical puzzles. There are no easy answers to the raven paradox or the new riddle of induction, but picking apart these challenges can offer valuable lessons about inductive inference. Revisit Hume's attack, and reflect on how Bayes's theorem of probability applies to inductive reasoning. x Know-How versus Propositional Knowledge So far, this course has tackled “propositional knowledge”—or knowledge that X is true. But knowledge-that isn’t the only kind of knowledge. Although philosophers didn’t think much about knowledge-how (know-how) until recently, it has much to teach us—especially about internalist and externalist theories of knowledge. x Knowledge Derived from Testimony Sensory perception, memory, self-awareness, and logical inference are all personal sources of knowledge, but much of our knowledge comes from consulting others' expertise. Discover the breadth of knowledge that comes from testimony, and find out what perils exist in relying on the word of others. x Social Psychology and Source Monitoring To evaluate knowledge that comes from testimony, you might think we analyze the trustworthiness of the source and weigh our beliefs accordingly. But as social psychology tells us and you will see here, we are very bad at spotting liars, and we tend to accept testimony without consciously monitoring the source of the information. x Testimony through Social Networks Social networks play a powerful role in how we acquire knowledge from others. Here, explore the nature of our social networks—how many close friends we tend to have, and how many people are in our wider social network—and then see how our networks provide us information, and how reliable the information is. x The Reliability of Scientific Testimony Previously, you discovered the “social externalist” theory of testimony. Examples from the scientific world provide evidence for this view of ensuring accurate testimony. Reflect on several scientific achievements made possible by “socially distributed cognitive processes”—processes where the sum is greater than the individual players. x Testimony in the Media The media is a great example of a socially distributed process—but how do we know the information is reliable and accurate? Go inside the world of media fact-checking and how our media consumption impacts our knowledge. Consider the challenge of ensuring accuracy in the age of “click-bait.” x Pragmatic and Moral Encroachment Much of this course has focused on the truth-likelihood of knowledge, without focusing on the particular interests of the knower. In this lecture, survey two key challenges to this approach: First, do your practical interests impact whether you have knowledge? Second, do your moral concerns impact whether you have knowledge? x Radical Skepticism: The Brain in a Vat Return to the beginning, in which you studied Descartes’s radical skepticism. While there are many problems with Descartes’s theory of knowledge, his fundamental skepticism is tough to reckon with. How do we know we are not just a brain in a vat, à la The Matrix? Delve into several arguments against this scenario. x The Future of Epistemology Epistemology is an old field, but in the 21st century there has been an explosion of new ideas, approaches, and applications. Conclude the course with a look at the future of the field, including “formal epistemology,” “epistemic injustice,” and the potential integration of externalist, foundationalist, and coherentist approaches to knowledge. x Ability to download 24 video lectures from your digital library Quiz & answer key Joseph H. Shieber, PhD Joseph H. Shieber is an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Lafayette College, where he has taught since 2003. Before arriving at Lafayette, he taught philosophy at Brown University, Connecticut College, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Shieber earned a BA in Literature from Yale University, studied mathematics and philosophy at the Freie Universität Berlin, and earned AM and PhD degrees... (Set) Theories of Knowledge & The Art of Debate (Set) Theories of Knowledge & The Philosopher's Toolkit (Set) Theories of Knowledge & An Introduction to Formal Logic (Set) Theories of Knowledge & Your Deceptive Mind Theories of Knowledge: How to Think about What You Know is rated 3.6 out of 5 by 10. Rated 3 out of 5 by MIT GRAD 1962 from PHILOSOPHY FOR POSITIVISTS This is not the epistemology course that I had hoped for. Which is not to say that it does not accurately represent the current state of Anglo-American academic philosophy with roots in analytic philosophy, logical positivism, and an urge to render the subject as “scientific” as possible. Hence the course’s heavy emphasis on neuroscience, psychology and sociology. Personally, I prefer the traditional, historical approach to epistemology with roots in Continental European philosophy that is more hospitable to skepticism and more content with a lack of knowledge. For me, the high points of epistemology are the debates between Socrates and the Sophists, the contributions of Locke, Hume, and Berkeley resolved by Kant in a manner that has served as authority for positivists and skeptics alike, the strong support for skepticism provided by Nietzsche, the retreat from his earlier positivism by the later Wittgenstein, and the upending of structuralism by post-structuralists and postmodernists like Foucault and Derrida. In this course, the instructor’s presentation matches his approach to the subject. His delivery is almost machine-like with never a slip of the tongue, a loss for words, or a verbal or physical expression of perplexity or doubt. He sounds more like an engineer than a philosopher. He manages to take all of the fun out of what is otherwise a fascinating subject. A related Teaching Company course that I enjoyed much more than this one is "Science Wars: What Scientists Know and How They Know It" by Professor Steven L. Goldman. Rated 3 out of 5 by geon from Theories of Knowledge Course was hard to follow. Didn’t start with Epistemology. Not used until the 3rd disk and then not defined. Epistemology is how you know things. The theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion. As opposed to Heuristics, the process that you use to understand things. Disorganized. Hard to follow. Especially the metaphors explaining things Confused between knowledge and validity. Example I learn something, e.g., UFOs are real. - knowledge I learn the UFO’s are not real. Also, knowledge I now know that UFOs are not real, and that is still knowledge. You can (even need to know) know things that are not valid. Knowledge is something that is in your head (memory). Whether the knowledge is TRUE is a secondary consideration and separate from the knowledge. SIMPILIFY The standard example for the requirement to simplify is Occam’s Razor. Most useful – Section on the Dunning-Kruger information. Good detail. Will have to go over the course again. Rated 3 out of 5 by idahotex from Questionable Title. I found the course interesting, but had difficulty with the vocabulary too often. However, to be honest the Professor did throughout the course refresh word meanings. I also had a bit of a problem with a number of his examples, and still wonder how he can come to the conclusions he did. But he did a number of times address theories and ideas that I had been exposed to in philosophy discussions, but never completely understood. I've mixed views on this course. I have to admit that it made me think and that I did learn from it. But it was not what I had expected when ordering it. Rated 3 out of 5 by BGZRedix from Psychology of Interest; Philosophy Not So Much A more accurate title for this course would be "Philosophical Analysis of Some Recent Developments in Psychology." A number of interesting psychological observations are described throughout the course. (One of the most surprising is the failure of many study subjects to notice a man in a gorilla suit walking among them when they are focused on a task. Another example is the discussion of the fact, well-known to any scientist, that observations which "disconfirm" a theory have more import than confirmatory observations. Many other examples could be given.) But this is a philosophy course, and the focus is on epistemology, or the philosophy of knowledge - what it is, and how we acquire it. As a philosophical dilettante (I enjoy auditing philosophy courses and reading books on the subject; for what it's worth, my most admired philosophers are Nietzsche, except for his misogyny, and Wittgenstein), I would not presume to judge how well Professor Shieber has summarized his field. But I found the philosophy as presented to be overwhelmingly uninsightful, presenting a superficial analysis of the obvious. Consider one of the examples provided in the course description: "If you see the correct time on a stopped clock, do you really know what time it is? Is that genuine knowledge or simply chance? And does the distinction matter?" Now, come on! We all understand exactly what the situation is. It's called a coincidence. The person says she "knows" the correct time, and in fact it is the correct time, because she saw it on the clock. But those of us who are aware the clock is stopped, and that it just happened to show the correct time when it was observed, can say "you don't really know the time, you are just lucky to have come up with the right answer." This has apparently led to deep philosophical disagreements about whether this person's awareness of the correct time is true "knowledge." It seems obvious to me that you can define it as knowledge or not, as you wish; there is no deeper truth to be established here. This is the most extreme example of my point, but there are many similar confusions of definition with analysis throughout. The course description provides a good overview of the issues discussed, and the difficulty with definition versus analysis can be inferred from the information there. One other major problem is our professor's approach. He presents his lectures as if he is at a philosophy conference arguing for his point of view, instead of providing a balanced assessment of the pros and cons of the different perspectives. One argument is described as "absurd"; of another our professor states "it is difficult to see how [it] could be at all plausible." Most lectures conclude with a defense of his own preferred theory. This is not a helpful way to present an overview of a field to non-specialists. For those interested in philosophy, I highly recommend "The Big Questions of Philosophy" by Professor David Kyle Johnson. It is superb in all respects, but I felt essentially the same way about its discussion of philosophical theories of knowledge. But - Why am I recommending this course, when I don't feel the time I spent taking it was worthwhile? Because I am having more difficulty than usual separating my personal reaction from an evaluation of the course itself. Others who disagree with me about theories of knowledge may find the time well spent. So, if you have an interest in this area, by all means consider it. If you do take it, please discuss your thoughts in some detail here! Thank you. Rated 1 out of 5 by BigWally from Would NOT recommend this course I bought this course as I am interested in epistemology, and I have purchased a number of philosophy courses from The Great Courses which have all been outstanding. I was deeply disappointed in this course. I could not follow what the professor was trying to get across in the very first lecture. I wanted to give the professor a fair chance so I watched lectures 2 and 3 which were similarly confusing. At that point I gave up and returned the course. I suppose I should have watched more lectures, but I have so many other courses to watch that I didn't want to waste any more time. Rated 4 out of 5 by Ken Weiss from Informative about ways of thinking about the world The topics covered are good, though a mix of things, some of which will be more interesting and relevant than others. Many of the lectures are about various insider or professional 'isms' of philosophers and one can get lost in the use of terminology and academic arguments. This can sometimes be irrelevant to what non-professional viewers want to hear about. But you can skip and explore, and the main, interesting aspects of how we know things are covered. So there is much to learn here about some of the most interesting questions of the world. Rated 5 out of 5 by breifne from Very well organized presentation Excellent, well-outlined, clear presentation of the subject with many 'real-life' examples. Rated 4 out of 5 by Gloster from The Problems of "Knowing" We live in a fact-challenged time, with a number of rather ill-informed people asserting that "their" views are true and reality-based. The real truth is that for even those among us who try the hardest to obtain facts, think calmly and comprehensively about matters, and then cautiously move to measure and/or test our hypotheses -- we still cannot really be certain that what we believe to be true is. The reasons are many, as this course points out, and much of it has to do with how our brains process and organize information, and then use it to project patterns of "reality." All of this was formed very early in our pre-human ancestors as necessary for day-to-day survival and, in dealing with daily occurrences in our own lives even today, works rather well. The problems begin when we attempt to extrapolate from our own experience; it is very easy for us to assume/believe that we "know" more than we actually do. And all of this is the case before we encounter those who intentionally are seeking to mislead and/or manipulate us! Our brains are truly incredible organisms, but we do well to understand their limitations. Humility regarding our own certainties would also go a long way to facilitate the kind of exchange of information and pursuit of facts that we need if we are to get ourselves out of the kind of inter-tribal shouting we experience all too often today. Non-scientists and non-philosophers (that is, persons like me) should be cautioned that this professor, while doing an admirable job in presenting material factually and clearly, nonetheless uses an academic, structural style of presentation that did not much appeal to me. I place this caveat last because I recognize that this is because of how I process information and, therefore, cannot be validly perceived to be a criticism of the professor or of the value of this course. My training and career has been in the social and political "sciences," making both philosophical and mathematical types of reasoning more foreign and difficult for me. There is great value in this course; persons like myself just have to work a little harder to extract it. Theories of Knowledge: How to Think about What You Know Reviews - page 2 The Art of Debate Theories of Knowledge: How to Think about What You Know	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732630
__label__wiki	0.794513	0.794513	Australian left-arm bowler who inflicted much damage in the 1948 Ashes series David Frith Sun 27 May 2007 19.29 EDT First published on Sun 27 May 2007 19.29 EDT The suffering inflicted on England's batsmen by Australian bowlers in the years following the second world war is always linked to two famous names: Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller. But there was a third bowler of equal skill who caused Hutton, Washbrook, Edrich and Compton just as much anguish. Bill Johnston, who has died aged 85, is often unjustly overlooked in this context: he took 27 wickets in the legendary 1948 Ashes series, the same tally as Lindwall's and over twice as many as the glamorous Miller. Johnston was different. A tall left-arm bowler, he had a bouncy, bucking approach and a lithe, rubbery action which dispatched a mean late-swerving ball that often cut away sharply. Irrespective of what then happened to it, the bowler more often than not placed his hands on his hips and grinned. In his first Test against England, at Trent Bridge in 1948, his skill displayed itself with figures of 5 for 36 and 4 for 147. He bowled 59 overs in the second innings in Lindwall's absence with a strained groin. Compton's 184 was not enough to save England. Picking up wickets regularly during that series, Jolly Bill Johnston offered no respite to Test or county batsmen who might have thought they were safe whenever Lindwall and Miller took their sweaters. Johnston's overall bag that summer was 102 wickets. No Australian has managed a century of wickets on a tour of England in all the years since. William Johnston was born in Beeac, a Victorian country town, the son of a dairy farmer. As a teenager he broke the world junior record by throwing a baseball 125 yards. Drawn to Melbourne, leaving the farm behind, he found his cricket progress thwarted by the outbreak of the second world war, during which his brother, Allan, was killed while serving with the Royal Australian Air Force. Bill served as a radar operator on Australia's northern coast, and first met Keith Miller while at an RAAF training camp. Postwar, back in Melbourne, Johnston preferred to spin the ball in his early days, but was encouraged by former Test captain Jack Ryder, to bowl fast, a decision soon endorsed by Don Bradman. He rose quickly through the Richmond club ranks and the Victorian state team to Test status, and took 16 wickets cheaply in Tests against the visiting Indians in 1947-48, thus booking his place on the 1948 tour. This was the experience of a lifetime, with Bradman's paternal leadership urging the Australians through a summer without a single defeat. Bill, being gregarious, greatly enjoyed the social side, not least chatting to the future Queen. He adored England and would have sought a league or county contract but for the fact he valued his job at Dunlop in Melbourne. Having played a prime role in Australia's 4-1 Ashes successes at home in 1950-51, he did well on the 1953 England tour - with the bat. A flailing tail-ender, he somehow managed to avoid dismissal in 16 of his 17 innings while accumulating 102 runs, thus topping the averages, much to the chagrin of Neil Harvey (65.80). Australia might well have denied England the bliss of recovering the Ashes had Johnston not been hampered by a serious knee injury sustained in the tour opener at East Molesey. He had had a lucky escape on the 1949-50 tour of South Africa, falling asleep at the wheel one night after a merry function. The team manager was told that it looked as if his player was dying. Johnston recalled having "a nine-iron divot in the top of my skull." One of the most thrilling Test finishes is stamped with his name. Australia beat West Indies at Melbourne by one wicket in 1951-52 when he and his mate Doug Ring slogged their way through an unlikely winning partnership of 38. He scared England at Sydney three years later by helping Harvey put on 39 before Frank Tyson found the edge just as another one-wicket steal seemed on the cards. He was only 33 when a collision with a boundary gutter in the Caribbean in 1955 caused a twisted knee, an injury that put paid to his career. In his 40 Tests against all countries between 1947 and 1955, Johnston took 160 wickets at 23.91. Many years later he was persuaded to open up his old cabin trunks. Many of his caps, blazers and sweaters had been mauled by moths. Typically, he burst out laughing. During retirement, he and his wife Judy lived close to Frank Tyson and his wife on Queensland's Gold Coast until Judy's death three years ago. Bill then moved to Sydney to be near one of his sons. His other son, David, had played for South Australia and is the Tasmanian Cricket Association's chief executive. With Johnston's death, only five members of the celebrated 1948 side remain: Bill Brown, Ron Hamence, Neil Harvey, Sam Loxton and Arthur Morris. · William Arras Johnston, cricketer, born February 26 1922; died May 24 2007	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732631
__label__wiki	0.956426	0.956426	Rob Garratt DJ Hardwell on living the dream and his return to Dubai We speak to the Dutch EDM juggernaut Hardwell about his career highlights, bringing his music to poor countries and his charity projects. DJ Hardwell. Krijn van Noordwijk / Envie Events “When I achieved my dream of becoming number one DJ in the world ... 24 hours later I was like OK, what’s next? What are we going to do?” says Hardwell, reliving the moment he was voted winner of DJ Mag’s scene-defining Top 100 DJs poll. “It’s really weird to work on a dream, and to then fulfil the dream you’ve worked on for 10 years. It’s one of the most beautiful things you can do in life.” That was in 2013 — and he took the title again a year later. But last year, Hardwell was knocked off the throne, now sitting in second place, behind duo Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike. Still, the DJ known to his mum as Robbert van de Corput says he is simply not bothered. “That’s not my focus. At this point, whichever number I am, I’m really happy and grateful that I can travel the world and make music,” says the 28-year-old. “Being number two, nothing’s changed.” He’s right. Hardwell’s time at the top has run almost concurrently with his never-ending I Am Hardwell tour, an intense, euphoric bubbling sound-and-light show in which the Dutchman is behind the decks for three straight hours at a time. Nearly three years after launching the tour in Amsterdam in April 2013, the EDM juggernaut finally rolls into the UAE on Friday, with a 15,000-capacity outdoor gig at Dubai’s Meydan. Naturally, things have evolved over those 34 months – this edition showcases “50 to 60” per cent of the DJ’s only studio album, United We Are. The rest, Hardwell promises, is largely spontaneous. “The tour has been quite a journey,” he says. “Everything has developed a lot – the way I DJ, the way I make my music, the way I approach my audience. It’s really hectic – I really like it, but it’s hard to time every record at the right moment, for three hours.” Hardwell’s last gig in the UAE was in early 2013 when, on the verge of superstardom, he stopped by for a DJ set at Nasimi. It’s an experience still seared into his memory. “I love Dubai,” he says. “I remember the first time I came, what really surprised me is that because Dubai is so modern, I didn’t expect the crowd to be so modern when it comes to dance music. They were super-educated, they knew every record I played – and that’s why I decided to come back.” However, Hardwell says the very best crowds are found away from the glitz and glamour, in countries that are embracing dance music for the first time. “A lot of countries in South America are really great, and India – I think the poorer countries are really beautiful to play in because the people are not spoilt, they’ve never seen a DJ show,” he says. “I bet if you Google Calvin Harris, he’s playing tonight somewhere in America. If you look at a country such as Guatemala, it’s really hard to see electronic dance. And the moment you go to a country like that, people really appreciate it – you can tell by the energy and how enthusiastic they are.” The celebrity DJ, whose estimated worth is more than Dh80 million, put his money where his mouth is with a recent show in Mumbai, opening up “the world’s largest guest-list” to host a free concert for an estimated audience of 90,000 fans. He also founded the United We Are Foundation which, he says, has already pledged educational support for 40,000 Indian children, and will be launching more projects across the world. “It was definitely one of the best shows I’ve ever played in my life,” says the DJ. “I came up with the idea because the first time I brought my show to India, I was driving to the concert and I saw homeless kids seeking shelter from the rain underneath my billboard. That broke my heart, literally broke my heart. And I said to myself: ‘The next time I’m coming back to India, I want to give something back to this country’.” It’s always refreshing to see rich celebrities embracing humanitarian causes, but one wonders whether EDM – the global youth music of 2016 – has a special part to play. Hardwell thinks so. “100 per cent, dance music is one of the most universal languages that exist,” he adds. “Why? Pop music, no matter which artist you are, if it’s a hit song or not it depends on the lyrics. That means the whole world has to speak English, or whatever language it’s in. “Dance music is, in general, instrumental, it’s just a certain feeling that goes through your body. No matter which culture you’re from, no matter which language you speak, you can relate to the feeling that dance music has and the energy that comes from it.” • Hardwell is at Meydan, Dubai, on Friday, doors at 6pm. Tickets are from Dh400, visit www.iamhardwelldubai.com rgarratt@thenational.ae	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732634
__label__wiki	0.977777	0.977777	Our Facebook feedsThe Northern Echo Our Twitter feedsFollow our reporters on Twitter NHS & Health CineSecrets The North-East At War BusinessIQ Ask Fiona Send Your Obituary Ambitious Darlington chief has Beckham in his sights By Paul Fraser AFTER witnessing his dream of leading Darlington to Wembley evaporate in the Lancashire air on Saturday, chairman George Houghton will take steps to ensure the club's future remains in a healthy state this week. Houghton, while revealing an intention to step down after two more seasons in charge, will use this week's trip to America, where he is due to have surgery, to try to persuade David Beckham to become an ambassador for the League Two club. While his plan appears to be fanciful, it forms part of the self-made millionaire's long-term vision to turn Darlington into a breeding ground for some of the world's best young talent. In January Houghton travelled to Poland to discuss the possibility of two Warsaw-based clubs becoming feeder for the Darlington Arena. Having liked what he heard, he now claims to have enjoyed successful early negotiations with three clubs in America with a view to embarking on a similar partnership. Having witnessed the impact Beckham's arrival has had on Major League Soccer in the United States, Houghton is convinced that football in that part of the world is the future. The 68-year-old was at Rochdale on Saturday, where 15-year-old Curtis Main was the only player in Darlington's squad to have graduated from the club's Academy on to the first team stage. There are also high hopes that teenage midfielder Lewis Hardman, who has been in the squad a few times, can step up to the first team next season. But Houghton, looking to develop the club's youth ranks, feels striking a deal with clubs in America would ensure more youngsters make the step up and Darlington would continue to make progress on the pitch. "I don't want to name the guy I'm talking to in Florida when I'm over there but he almost runs all of the football, or soccer as they call it, in the States," said Houghton. "I have been to the universities over there and they are playing soccer all the time. I can't believe it. Girls football, in particular, is incredible. "I have three feeder clubs lined up, and another Premier League club in this country as well, but I can't name any of them. But the guy I'm talking to in America is looking to bring players across to this country and to us. "I have not signed anything yet so I don't want to say anything about who they are, but hopefully things will happen." Darlington's Polish keeper Przemyslaw Kazimierczak was signed in January from Bolton, where he arrived in 2006. He is regarded highly by Dave Penney and could be just the first of his nationality to move to the Arena. But while Houghton still has an eye on talent in Poland and the rest of eastern Europe, he feels the American market is there to be exploited, hence the reason for contacting Beckham. "My personal opinion is that David Beckham will stay in America and I'm looking to try and forge a link-up with clubs in America as well as Poland," said Houghton. "Our manager is a good friend of Steve McClaren, who obviously knows David. "I can't call what David Beckham is going to do but I have been told his contract runs out in 2010 and that he is very keen to stay in the States. I won't mess around. I have learnt one thing in life, you ask someone and they can either say 'yes or no'. I would love him to be an ambassador for this club." Darlington's failure to reach Wembley and the chance of promotion to League One is likely to fuel further suggestions that Penney will be leaving. There have also been fears around Darlington that Houghton himself is ready to sell up, having been critical of the low attendances at the Arena before the play-off semi-final first leg with Rochdale ten days ago. Houghton, however, insists he has no intentions of turning his back on the club yet, although he does admit that it will be time to stand down in two years. "Everyone thinks I'm going to leave. I'm here until 2010," said Houghton, who has made no secret of his desire to take Darlington to the Championship. "I have a five-year plan and I will get that because I never lose. "I will be 70 then and I can't go on. There has also been a lot of speculation about Dave as well. He signed a contract in January for four years. Everything's fine and he's here for good."	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732635
__label__wiki	0.719594	0.719594	Campus Closeup Nominate your favorite prof Nominations are now being accepted for The Frank Sinton Milburn Outstanding Professor Award. Only those with at least three years’ full time teaching service as a tenure-tract faculty member are eligible. For other eligibility requirements and nomination deadline, call the Office of the Vice Provost at 572-5379. Add to Wednesday Lunch Seminars Are you interested in seeing the Wednesday Lunch Seminars continue in future semesters? Professors Ted Weiss and Jeffrey Williams invite anyone who would like to plan for the continuation of the Seminars to meet with them on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 3 p.m. in Landrum 405. Call or email Weiss or Williams if interested. NKU Alumni Lecture Series The third annual NKU Alumni Lecture Series will be held on Oct. 9, 2002. NKU will feature political consultant James Carville and former U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich. Tickets will be available during the fall semester. Ticket prices have not been set. Recital will show Bunte, others Faculty saxophonist James Bunte will present a recital on Jan. 31 at 10:50 a.m. in Greaves Concert Hall. The featured work will be “…and it’s spring…” by NKU composer-in-residence Philip Koplow. Bunte will be joined by faculty members Betty Douglas and Scott Lang and student Thomas Racic. Hoagland to read poetry in theater Everett Hoagland will present a poetry reading in the Otto Budig Theater on the school’s Highland Heights campus at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 6. Hoagland is one of the leading American poets of his generation. His subjects range from social protest to historical meditation, to civic celebration, to Afrocentric love. His poetry has been anthologized in The New Black Poetry, The Body Electric, and The Jazz Poetry Anthology, and his New and Selected Poems will be published in April 2002. Advance copies of this book will be available for purchase immediately after the reading, which is free and open to the public. Hoagland’s visit is being sponsored by three NKU student groups	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732636
__label__wiki	0.848318	0.848318	DoorDash Reaches for More Than $6 Billion Valuation in New Funding By Yuliya ChernovaWSJ Mon., Feb. 11, 2019timer2 min. read Food-delivery startup DoorDash Inc. is arming itself with new funding as two of its rivals prepare for initial public offerings. The venture-backed company is in the process of raising roughly $500 million at a valuation of more than $6 billion, and that might approach $7 billion, according to a person familiar with the situation. That valuation range would be four to five times where DoorDash was valued in a financing round less than a year ago. Singapore’s state investment firm, Temasek Holdings Pte., is expected to lead the round, the person said. GIC Private Ltd., another Singaporean state entity, is already a DoorDash investor. Temasek declined to comment, and DoorDash didn’t respond to requests for comment. Founded in 2013 by Stanford University students, including Chief Executive Tony Xu, DoorDash already has raised close to $1 billion, with the company’s valuation skyrocketing in successive funding rounds. It was worth $1.4 billion after a SoftBank Group Corp. investment in March 2018, and its valuation climbed to $4 billion in a deal led by Coatue Management LLC and DST Global last August. Based in San Francisco, DoorDash hires contractors who pick up and deliver orders from restaurants and other merchants in more than 1,000 cities across the U.S. and Canada. The company competes with Uber Technologies Inc., through its Uber Eats service, and Postmates Inc. Uber and Postmates both have registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission to hold initial public offerings. DoorDash grew faster than any other competitor in the U.S. in the first half of 2018 and held a market share of nearly 18%, according to research provider Edison Trends Report. But it was still behind Uber Eats and Grubhub Inc. by market share. Grubhub remained the leader with about 34% of total revenue in the online food delivery market in the U.S. About $17 billion worth of meals were ordered online for delivery in 2018 in the U.S., according to Statista. DoorDash has been expanding to deliver groceries, and last year it struck a partnership with Walmart Inc. The startup also is looking into alcohol and retail deliveries, according to job postings. Its other initiatives include testing autonomous-car deliveries via a partnership with General Motors Co.-owned Cruise Automation. DoorDash’s investors include CRV, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins and Sequoia Capital. Write to Yuliya Chernova at yuliya.chernova@wsj.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732640
__label__wiki	0.899512	0.899512	This arrangement — which was hatched in the Senate on Tuesday night and on the way to the governor’s desk less than 24 hours later — is probably the worst of all the awful governance plans that were floated over the past two years, as senators attempted to look like they were giving the governor control of the commission without actually giving her control. Rep. Jonathan Hill — who rarely says anything that makes sense and has become so annoying that he can’t even get nine of his 123 colleagues to join his requests for recorded votes on his motions — summed up the situation correctly Wednesday when he observed that this arrangement puts everybody in charge. Which means nobody’s in charge. Still. YEAR IN REVIEW: Naive optimism crashes into legislative reality Currently, the governor appoints one commissioner, and small groups of legislators pick the other seven. S.1258 does allow the governor to appoint all eight commissioners. But those seven small groups of legislators — each group composed of the legislators who live in a given congressional district — will have veto power over her appointments. Worse, they can exercise their veto under cover of darkness: If they don’t vote to approve within 45 days, the bill says, “the appointee is deemed to have been disapproved.” Appointees who are not disapproved still have to get through a joint legislative screening committee and then be confirmed by the Senate. Sen. Tom Davis, who is urging the governor to veto the bill, warns that this will quickly degenerate into a magistrate-like situation: By law, the governor appoints magistrates. But since the local senators must confirm the appointment, what really happens is that those senators tell the governor who to nominate, she does that, and they confirm that person. Even as crazy as this Transportation Commission arrangement is, it might still be workable if the governor could remove her appointees. But to do that, she has to get approval from that same small group of legislators who approved the appointment to start with. Which takes us back to that first principle of employment: Your boss isn’t your boss if she can’t fire you. Why we need real reform, what it would look like Rep. Gary Simrill, who has worked for two years to get us reform and more funding, told the House on Wednesday that with just one day left in the regular session and powerful senators unlikely to approve any reform after the June 14 primaries, this was the best negotiators could drag out of the Senate. It was this or nothing, he said, and while a lot of House members might have been fine with no reform, they weren’t willing to go home without a road funding plan — even one everybody acknowledged was inadequate. Senate Republican Leader Shane Massey, one of the leading proponents of real reform, actually sponsored that awful amendment. He defends it as a step forward because the governor “gets to initiate the selection” of commissioners, and it reduces the power of the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank. But like Mr. Simrill, Mr. Massey told me that this was the best arrangement he could get the votes to pass. It seems extraordinary that we could end up here after the Senate voted, less than three months ago, to let the governor appoint all the commissioners, without all these constraints, and remove them for any cause or no cause. But many senators — possibly a majority — never wanted reform. They voted for it in March betting that the House would insist on changes to the bill, which would give them a chance to come back and sabotage the reform. It was a good bet, improved by the inclusion of a plan to steal $400 million a year from the state’s general fund to pay for roads. Sure enough, the House rejected the Senate’s March bill and sent it to a conference committee, from which it never emerged. Short of accepting that unacceptable funding plan, there’s probably nothing the House could have done differently. It was simply outmaneuvered by a master player. The Senate has always been the place where reforms go to die. Usually senators kill bills by refusing to let them be debated. But some bills are too big to be ignored. In that case, the procedure is to hollow out the bill, leaving the shell intact, and then vote for the hollowed-out remains. That’s what senators did here. The upshot is that we don’t have significant reform, we don’t have a permanent funding source for roads, and we have a plan that forces the Legislature to steal $200 million a year from general state needs unless or until the Legislature creates a new funding source for roads. The good news is that House and Senate leaders have made it clear they consider the funding in this bill a temporary fix, until they can raise the gas tax, and House leaders tell me they will use the gas tax as leverage to fix the flaws in the Senate’s governance model. I don’t doubt their commitment, although I do worry about their ability to avoid getting out-maneuvered by the Senate. Again. Ms. Scoppe writes editorials and columns for The State. Reach her at cscoppe@thestate.com or (803) 771-8571 or follow her on Twitter @CindiScoppe.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732641
__label__wiki	0.664103	0.664103	Tuscaloosa to borrow $27 million for water projects By Jason MortonStaff Writer A unanimous Tuscaloosa City Council voted Tuesday to secure more than $27 million in loans to address water and sewer issues across the city. The $27.12 million in loans obtained through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s State Revolving Loan fund will be repaid over 20 years at an interest rate of 2.2 percent. “It’s hard to beat that,” said financial adviser Louis Cardinal of the Montgomery-based financial planning firm Thornton Farish. The loans are divided among the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which pertains to sewer-related projects, and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which funds drinking water work. Most of the loan — $17.3 million — is being secured for drinking water work, including upgrades to pumping stations, water tanks, the city’s water distribution plant and drinking water system near the University of Alabama campus. Another $8.5 million is from the Clean Water SRF and will go toward three projects to upgrade sewer lift stations and force mains, including the one that services the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International manufacturing plant. The remaining $1.32 million will go toward capitalized interest and loan fees, like those associated with mortgages or car loans, City Attorney Glenda Webb said engineering contracts to begin planning the projects is expected to go before council committees next week. “You’ll be seeing this money put to use very quickly,” Webb said. This is the second round of SRF funding the city has secured in order to comply with a 2009 consent decree issued by ADEM ordering the city to address sewage overflows. In December 2016, the council approved securing $27.2 million for 15 water and sewer projects, with the majority meant to address sewer system upgrades to reduce the overflows. These loans also carried a 2.2 percent interest rate for 20 years. State revolving funds provide low-interest loans for public infrastructure improvements in Alabama. Administered by ADEM, these programs are funded with a blend of state and federal capitalization funds and come with ADEM oversight of the required technical and environmental reviews of projects, according to the department’s website. Reach Jason Morton at jason.morton@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0200.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732644
__label__wiki	0.864062	0.864062	EDITORIAL: Deaths at sea are reflection of failed policy Jean and Scott Adam of Marina del Rey, Calif., lived a life many would envy, until it was cut short Tuesday by a band of Somali pirates. They had spent most of the past decade on their yacht, Quest, sailing to exotic locales and were on a trip from Thailand to the Mediterranean with another couple, Phyllis Macay and Robert Riggle of Seattle, when their boat was intercepted off the coast of Oman. All four were shot to death Tuesday by their captors after negotiations with U.S. naval officials for their release apparently broke down. Pirates plying the seas off Somalia have been a scourge of international shipping for years, but this week's slayings mark the deadliest incident yet involving Americans. In response, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called on foreign governments to contribute more toward the African Union peacekeeping force in S omalia. Solutions to that country's piracy and governance problems are elusive, but the peacekeeping effort backed by Clinton isn't working, and U.S. policy toward Somalia could stand another look. Tempting as it is to call for more naval involvement, it's clear that a purely military approach won't cut it. To avoid the U.S. 5th Fleet and other international warships plying the waters near Somalia, pirates are simply ranging farther afield; the seas between Somalia and India are too vast to be effectively patrolled. Meanwhile, every effort by the United States to intervene in Somali affairs since 1993, when the Clinton administration's attempts to subdue Mogadishu's warlords ended in the catastrophe chronicled in the film 'Black Hawk Down,' has backfired spectacularly. The latest failed initiative is the so-called Transitional Federal Government, a United Nations fiction that controls a few square blocks in Mogadishu. The United States has invested millions of dollars arming a peacekeeping force to protect the TFG, which has little public support and is widely viewed by Somalis as an invading foreign force. Bronwyn E. Bruton, an Africa scholar with the Council on Foreign Relations, argues convincingly that the TFG is not only failing to spread democracy and the rule of law, it is actually strengthening radical Islamist movements by prompting quarrelsome extremist groups to unite against a common enemy. Bronwyn's proposed solution is 'constructive disengagement,' in which the U.S. stops backing a failed U.N. experiment and vows to engage with any government that emerges, including an Islamist one, as long as it renounces international terrorism and agrees not to interfere with humanitarian relief workers. A government with a measure of legitimacy is far likelier to stabilize Somalia than the current puppet regime, even if it's not as secular as we'd like. This editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732645
__label__cc	0.517875	0.482125	TYMC a Platform for Youth Talents TYMC supporting young people in Tonga Young people in Tonga need opportunities and support to display their talents in local, regional and international platforms. TYEE believes that what youth have - IDEAS! However, there must be a match between their ideas and access to innovations. Young people need a platform that allows them to express their talents for the global market out there. A platform where policies that allow young people to demonstrate their talents and a safe and supportive environment that tells them all the time that they can do it, that there is this market. A pipeline they can use to access that market. Once the government sets policies that allow you to take an idea, channel it through some territory and through that territory that idea hits this huge market, it’s done. The revenue flows back to the young person somewhere in Tonga. Young people need not come to the CBD, West and East to demonstrate their talents. And that’s exciting, because we get to keep our young people on the island and in their communities. But we need to give them the tools to export what they have and earn the foreign exchange that they can reinvest in Tonga, their communities and their respective countries. That is our challenge. So we are creating an entrepreneurship platform that connects them to the rest of the world. The platform is to advocate for policies that promote young entrepreneurs and support them in finding markets - local, regional and international. That's what this TYMC platform is about. What skill sets are TYMC targeting? We are designing a platform for young people who are IT minded. There are thousands such young people in Tonga and we want them to access the rest of the world. Once we can bring them onto this platform, connect them with the global market, from there they can achieve anything. TYMC platform is not just looking for talents in IT. You can teach them other skills. Once you have a platform, one of the things we found out about the young people is that they are multi-talented. A lot of them are carrying phones through which they can make money, and some will do other things. But let’s first of all create the environment that helps their ideas to fertilise. Where do with the policy makers? A conversation with Lusia Latu-Jones, TYEE President. "That’s where God has blessed us. At the end of the day, I’ve been doing business in Tonga and abroad for over 15 years, and during that time I have met a lot of people. Now, if we can be where we are today and we don’t have the ability to influence, to speak, or to help governments make policies, then I think we would have failed a whole generation. So our responsibility is to be a bridge between the government and the young people, and have them talk to each other". "We understand the language the young people are speaking. They want a platform that allows them to access the rest of the world. We have access to the world and we have access to the government. So we support them". Lack of opportunities and support for young people lead them to all sorts of social trouble "I think there is a saying that the devil finds work for idle hands. You must keep your young people engaged. If you have a huge population of young people and you do not challenge them, you’re asking for big trouble. So it is imperative that we give them ways to legitimately develop their talents, whether it’s through music, movies, agriculture, tourism, IT, whatever it is that they find, give them a way to express it". -Latu-Jones	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732647
__label__wiki	0.700191	0.700191	Come On Waitakere United FC! Waitakere United has a proud history of success in New Zealand’s top domestic soccer competition – the ISPS Handa Premiership. Since the club’s formation over 12 years ago, Waitakere United has won an impressive five championships as well as five premierships making it one of the top football clubs in the country. Waitakere United is also proud to be a West Auckland club which makes it a natural choice for sponsorship by The Trusts. As well as the Million Dollar Mission, The Trusts also gives back to the community in a variety of other ways including sponsorship of local sports teams like Waitakere United as well as The Trusts Arena. In fact, Waitakere United’s first team now play most of their home games at The Trusts Arena. Playing at a top-class facility has not only been exciting for the players and the club, it has also contributed to developing its fan base. However, according to club chairman, Steve Williamson, the biggest impact of The Trusts’ sponsorship has been felt in developing the youth setup. With eight under 18-year old players making their debut in the senior side this season, the future of the club is looking bright. Thanks in part to The Trusts’ sponsorship, the investment Waitakere United has been able to make in developing home-grown talent will have a significant impact going forward. ‘We’re really grateful to The Trusts for their ongoing commitment to Waitakere United,’ says Steve. ‘It’s becoming harder and harder to find sponsors and the support of The Trusts has offered us a real lifeline in securing the future financial viability of the club.’ ‘What’s more, the Hangar Bar has become something of a clubroom for us and we really appreciate the after-match hospitality they put on for the players and the visiting team as well.’ The ISPS Handa Premiership concludes at the end of March and there’s still everything to play for. Currently sitting mid table, the club is looking to finish the season with a flourish. And the last fixture promises to a cracker against the undefeated current leaders and local rivals Auckland City. Waitakere United would love to see more Westies getting behind the team so check out their website for all the latest fixtures and news. Come on United! Category: Giving BackBy The Trusts February 7, 2019 Leave a comment Tags: sponsorship	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732653
__label__cc	0.534073	0.465927	Cabot man sentenced to 35 years in prison for child pornography According to the Office of the U.S. Attorney, Robert Nathan Hensley, 57, of Cabot was sentenced on various charges. Author: THV11 Digital Published: 4:31 PM CDT July 2, 2019 Updated: 4:51 PM CDT July 2, 2019 According to the Office of the U.S. Attorney, Robert Nathan Hensley, 57, of Cabot was sentenced on charges of attempted enticement of a minor, attempted production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography on Tuesday, July 2. During an online investigation in 2017, investigators placed an advertisement on Craigslist titled "young, fresh, petite." The advertisement gained many responses and an undercover officer began texting some of those who responded. The undercover officer told Hensley that he had a 14-year-old daughter. Hensley told the officer to 'bring her to me' because he had a 'machine' that he would use to have sex with the child. Hensley also asked if the officer was interested in selling her. He offered $3,000 to buy the minor, stating: "She gets a lifetime of bondage and sex." He also asked for nude photos of the minor. Officers arranged a meeting with Hensley at his home, where they arrived and arrested him. They located a computer at his home that contained child pornography. In November of 2017, Hensley was indicted on charges of attempted enticement of a minor, attempted production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. In March of 2019, Hensley was convicted by a jury on all counts. RELATED: Little Rock man sentenced to 15 years in prison for child pornography "This defendant's attempt to purchase a 14-year-old girl for sex is depraved behavior and will not be tolerated," said U.S. Attorney Hiland. "Today's lengthy sentence means this defendant is no longer free to prey upon the most vulnerable among us. Our office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who seek to victimize children." Before 2017, Hensley had already been convicted of two sexual crimes involving minors. He had a 1996 conviction for sexual solicitation of a child and a 2003 conviction for criminal attempt to engage children in sexually explicit conduct. His prior convictions increased the mandatory minimum sentence in his case to 35 years. In addition to the 35 years, Judge Wright also sentenced Hensley to a lifetime of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732655
__label__cc	0.503535	0.496465	Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play Tickets We are your source for Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play tickets. From large to small venues in your area, TicketGenie.com will most likely have your Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play tickets. Some events tickets sell out quickly, but TicketGenie.com always finds tickets for sold out events. Multiple seating options allow you to pick your favorite seating location at the cheapest ticket prices. We have cheap Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play tickets for all the dates on literally every event, so you can pick which city you want to get Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play Tickets for. Benefit from the safety and security of buying cheap Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play tickets from TicketGenie.com. Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play Concert Tickets Since the release debut album, Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play became pop music legends. Now, fans are finally going to be able to hear their favorite songs live. The Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play have a new album: Get concert tickets to see them while they're on the road. Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play with many well known hits turning on the nation to a great sound. After waiting so long, the Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play finally announced a new tour. Make sure you see them when they hit the road! Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play Tour Dates Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play delivers one of the greatest sounds ever with amazing work, the best songs are still best remembered by all. Songs like that continue to inspire songwriters and bring peace of mind to listeners. Grab Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play tickets for the next event before they all sell out! Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play Events TicketGenie.com is well-stocked with rock, pop and hip-hop music tickets. Just about every band you could want to see is on here. The Tyler Perry's Madea's Farewell Play are sure to be especially hot sellers, so if you are hoping to see them on the road, pack up and get some concert tickets today. Hamilton Tickets The Lion King Tickets To Kill A Mockingbird Tickets Wicked Tickets Dear Evan Hansen Tickets Come From Away Tickets Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations Tickets Les Miserables Tickets The Phantom Of The Opera Tickets Cats Tickets	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732656
__label__cc	0.742868	0.257132	Three Cybersecurity Professionals to Lead BraveIT Session on Post-Breach Recovery by Lynette Ellsworth \| Jun 18, 2018 \| News ST. LOUIS (June 18, 2018) – BraveIT organizers today announced the addition of three cybersecurity professionals to the Sept. 13 conference lineup in Chicago. Suzanne Magee, Jennifer Rathburn, and Michael Estevez will contribute their extensive experience and insights to a session titled, “Been Hacked? Now What? Lessons in Recovery.” During the session, they’ll review recommendations for organizations that, despite best efforts, are faced with a security system breach. Suzanne Magee is co-founder and Chief Evangelist Officer of Bandura Systems, which pioneered the Threat Intelligence Gateway, in part with the U.S. Department of Defense. Magee has received numerous honors, including a Women Entrepreneur Award 2009; National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Public Policy Advocate of the Year Award; Distinguished Woman Business Owner, and others. Jennifer Rathburn is a partner with the law firm of Foley & Lardner LLP. She counsels clients on data protection programs, data incident management, breach response and recovery, data monetization, and other privacy and security issues. She is one of the founders of the Midwest Cyber Security Alliance and has a deep understanding of the complex risk, operational, and legal issues that companies must address to maintain the confidentiality of, access to, and integrity of their data. A New York-based managing director in Burson Cohn & Wolfe’s Public Affairs & Crisis practice, Michael Estevez advises clients on crisis and litigation communications, issues management and cybersecurity. His experience includes engagements on behalf of corporations, a U.S. defense contractor, an Ivy League university and an assortment of government entities. He has advised organizations on all matters related to cybersecurity crisis communications, including media relations, employee communications, customer and stakeholder engagement and public affairs. In addition to the session on post-breach recovery, BraveIT will offer a diverse, fast-moving array of other workshops, panels, interviews, and peer-to-peer sessions, covering business continuity and disaster recovery, artificial intelligence, cloud applications across verticals, the implications of edge deployments on data center design and operation, cryptocurrencies, and more. Additional details and registration information are available through the event website. About TierPoint With a unique combination of secure, connected data center and cloud solutions at the edge of the internet, TierPoint (tierpoint.com) specializes in meeting enterprises where they are on their journey to IT transformation. TierPoint has one of the largest customer bases in the industry, with approximately 5,000 clients ranging from the public to private sectors, from small businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises. TierPoint also has one of the largest and most geographically diversified footprints in the nation, with over 40 world-class data centers in 20 markets and 8 multi-tenant cloud pods, connected by a coast-to-coast network. Led by a proven management team, TierPoint’s highly experienced IT professionals offer a comprehensive solution portfolio of private, multitenant, hyperscale, and hybrid cloud, plus colocation, disaster recovery, security and other managed IT services. Contact: Colin Maynard, 314-626-7079, Colin.Maynard@tierpoint.com Pete Abel Email Pete	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732657
__label__cc	0.698522	0.301478	Financing Change. Changing Finance Our Stakeholders, Material Topics and Strategic Objectives Impact and Financial Results Risk, Co-worker and Environmental Reports Explore the integrated performance of Triodos Bank’s two key business divisions. View our Group chapter here. Impact – delivering more than just financial results Engaging listed companies Funds’ performance Organisational and Operational developments Co-worker Statistics Environmental Statistics Tax Paid by Country See how Triodos Bank applies the new GRI guidelines and offers disclosures related to the Capital Requirements Regulation. Read about our disclosures here. Triodos Bank, having its legal address in Nieuweroordweg 1 in Zeist, The Netherlands, is a public limited liability company (N.V.) under Dutch law (Chamber of Commerce 30062415). Triodos Bank finances companies, institutions and projects that add cultural value and benefit people and the environment, with the support of depositors and investors who want to encourage socially responsible business and a sustainable society. Basis of preparation The Annual Accounts were prepared in accordance with the legal requirements for the Annual Accounts of banks contained in Title 9 Book 2 of The Netherlands Civil Code and the Dutch Accounting Standards, as published by the Dutch Accounting Standards Board. The Annual Accounts relate to the thirty-seventh financial year of Triodos Bank NV. These financial statements have been prepared on the basis of the going concern assumption. Unless stated otherwise, assets are stated at cost, whereby in the case of receivables a provision for doubtful debt is recognised. An asset is disclosed in the balance sheet when it is probable that the expected future economic benefits that are attributable to the asset will flow to Triodos Bank and the cost of the asset can be measured reliably. A liability is recognised in the balance sheet when it is expected to result in an outflow from Triodos Bank of resources embodying economic benefits and the amount of the obligation can be measured with sufficient reliability. Income is recognised in the profit and loss account when an increase in future economic potential related to an increase in an asset or a decrease of a liability has arisen, the size of which can be measured reliably. Expenses are recognised when a decrease in the economic potential related to a decrease in an asset or an increase of a liability has arisen, the size of which can be measured with sufficient reliability. If a transaction results in a transfer of future economic benefits and or when all risks relating to assets or liabilities transfer to a third party, the asset or liability is no longer included in the balance sheet. Assets and liabilities are not included in the balance sheet if economic benefits are not probable and/or cannot be measured with sufficient reliability. Income and expenses are attributed to the period to which they relate or to the period in which the service was provided. Revenues are recognised when Triodos Bank has transferred the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods to the buyer. Interest income and commissions from lending are not accounted for in the profit and loss account if the collection of the interest and commission is doubtful. The financial statements are presented in euros, Triodos Bank’s functional currency. All financial information in euros has been rounded to the nearest thousand. Change in accounting principles Triodos Bank has property for own use in The Netherlands, Spain and United Kingdom. Due to the changes in the Dutch laws and regulations (‘Besluit actuele waarde’) the accounting standards for property for own use have been changed where replacement cost is replaced by actual cost based on Besluit actuele waarde and chapter 212 of the Dutch Accounting Standards. However, actual cost is not internationally interpretable. Valuators outside The Netherlands are not familiar with the accounting standard actual cost which makes it impracticable to valuate property for own use. In order to keep on providing reliable information about the effects of property for own use on Triodos Bank financial position it is decided to change the accounting standard from actual cost to historical cost that is allowed within Besluit actuele waarde and chapter 212 of the Dutch Accounting Standards. The change in accounting principle has been corrected retrospectively in the financial statements and the impact on equity of this change in accounting principle is reflected in the table above and is further disclosed in several notes. Impact on result 2016 is EUR 84. Total equity before adjustment Decrease in property and equipment Increase other liability regarding corporate tax payable Decrease in accruals and deferred income regarding deferred taxes Total equity after adjustment The use of estimates and assumptions in the preparation of the financial statements The preparation of the consolidated financial statements requires Triodos Bank to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the contingent assets and liabilities at the balance sheet date, and the reported income and expenses for the financial year. It mainly concerns the methods for determining the fair value of assets and liabilities and determining impairments and other value adjustments. This involves assessing the situations on the basis of available financial data and information. For certain categories of assets and liabilities the inherent estimation risk may be higher as a result of lack of liquidity in the relevant markets. Although these estimates with respect to current events and actions are made to the best of management’s knowledge, actual results may differ from the estimates. Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on a regular basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised or in the period of revision and future periods if the revision impacts both the reporting period and future periods. Consolidation Principles The consolidated financial statements include the financial data of Triodos Bank, its group companies and other companies over which Triodos Bank has control. Control exists when Triodos Bank has the power, directly or indirectly, to govern the financial and operating policies of an entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities. Group companies are participating interests in which Triodos Bank has a direct or indirect controlling interest. In assessing whether controlling interest exists, potential voting rights that are currently exercisable are taken into account. Companies exclusively acquired with the view to resale are exempted from consolidation. The financial statements of subsidiaries are included in the consolidated financial statements from the date that control commences until the date that control ceases. In preparing the consolidated financial statements, intra-group debts, receivables and transactions are eliminated. The group companies are consolidated in full. The financial data for joint ventures are being consolidated pro rata to the participating interest held, if consolidation is necessary in order to provide a transparent overview of the assets and result of Triodos Bank N.V. List of equity participations of Triodos Bank N.V. in accordance with Sections 2:379 and 2:414 of The Netherlands Civil Code: Kantoor Buitenzorg BV in Zeist, participating interest 100%, group company, fully consolidated; Kantoor Nieuweroord BV in Zeist, participating interest 100%, group company, fully consolidated; Stichting Triodos Beleggersgiro in Zeist, group company, fully consolidated; Triodos Custody BV in Zeist, participating interest 100%, group company, fully consolidated; Triodos Finance BV in Zeist, participating interest 100%, group company, fully consolidated; Triodos IMMA BVBA in Brussel, participating interest 100%, group company, fully consolidated; Triodos Investment Management BV in Zeist, participating interest 100%, group company, fully consolidated; Triodos Investment Advisory Services BV in Zeist, participating interest 100%, group company, fully consolidated; Triodos MeesPierson Sustainable Investment Management BV in Zeist, participating interest 50%, joint venture with joint control, consolidated pro rata to the participating interest held; Triodos Nieuwbouw BV in Zeist, participating interest 100%, group company, fully consolidated. Transactions in foreign currencies Assets and liabilities related to transactions denominated in foreign currencies are converted at the spot rate on the balance sheet date. Transactions and the resulting income and charges in foreign currencies are converted at the rate applicable on the transaction date. The resulting exchange rate differences are accounted for in the profit and loss account under ‘Result on financial transactions’. Monetary assets and liabilities in foreign currencies are converted to the closing rate of the functional currency on the balance sheet date. The translation differences resulting from settlement and conversion are credited or charged to the income statement, unless hedge-accounting is applied. Non-monetary assets valued at historical cost in a foreign currency are converted at the exchange rate on the transaction date. Non-monetary assets valued at fair value in a foreign currency are converted at the exchange rate on the date on which the fair value was determined. Business operations abroad Assets and liabilities relating to activities in Business units abroad located outside the Eurozone are converted at the spot rate as at the balance sheet date. Income and expenses for activities in foreign business units outside the Eurozone will be converted at the exchange rate as at the transaction date. Any exchange rate differences arising from this will be charged or credited directly to the equity as a statutory reserve. Hedging of the net investment in business operations abroad Exchange rate differences arising on retranslation of a foreign currency liability accounted for as a hedge of a net investment in foreign business units located outside the Eurozone are taken directly to shareholders’ equity, in the statutory reserve for conversion differences, insofar as the hedge is effective. The non-effective part is taken to the profit and loss account as expenditure. Triodos Bank leases land to build a new building for own use, whereby it retains substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership of this land. The land is recognised on the balance sheet upon commencement of the lease contract at the lower of the fair value of the land or the discounted value of the minimum lease payments. The lease instalments to be paid are presented as interest expense. The liabilities under the lease, excluding the interest payments, are included under other liabilities. Financial instruments, including derivatives separated from their host contracts, are initially recognised at fair value. If instruments are not measured at fair value through profit and loss, then any directly attributable transaction costs are included in the initial measurement. After initial recognition, financial instruments are valued in the manner described below. Cash represent cash in hand and cash balances at central banks. Cash is carried at nominal value. Government paper All government paper are held in the investment portfolio. They are stated at redemption value less any impairment losses. Differences between the acquisition price and the redemption value are amortised over the remaining life of the securities and are recognised as prepayments and accrued income or accruals and deferred income in the balance sheet. Realised changes in the value are recognised in the profit and loss account. Receivables on banks are valued at amortised cost less any impairment losses. The impairment loss is determined per item, with the value of the collateral provided being taken into account. Loans are valued at amortised cost less any impairment losses. The impairment loss is determined per item, with the value of the collateral provided being taken into account. All business loans in the portfolio are periodically reviewed on an individual basis. Their frequency depends on the debtor’s creditworthiness, the degree of market exposure and the market in which the debtor operates. Private loans are reviewed at portfolio level, and on individual basis if appropriate. The credit committee of a branch discusses and, if necessary, takes action with respect to overdue payments from debtors. If there is any doubt regarding the continuity of the debtor’s core operations and/or a debtor fails to settle agreed interest and repayment instalments for a prolonged period, this debtor falls under the category of doubtful debtors and will be managed intensively. Provisions for loan losses are taken for doubtful debtors at an individual level based on the difference between the total amount of the debtor’s outstanding liability to Triodos Bank and the future expected cash flows, discounted at the original effective interest rate of the contract. These individual provisions include provisions for concessions or refinancing given to debtors who face financial difficulties. They are only granted to the debtor in question in order to overcome their difficulties in these exceptional circumstances. These are described as forbearance measures. A provision has been taken for Incurred But Not Reported bad debts (the IBNR) to cover the time lag between the event that prompts the debt to qualify as doubtful and the moment that fact is known to Triodos Bank. This is a collective credit provision and is based on statistics. The IBNR is calculated by multiplying the exposure at default with the probability of default, the loss given default and the loss incubation period. Interest-bearing securities All interest-bearing securities are held in the investment portfolio. They are stated at redemption value less any impairment losses. Differences between the acquisition price and the redemption value are amortised over the remaining life of the securities and are recognised as prepayments and accrued income or accruals and deferred income in the balance sheet. Realised changes in the value are recognised in the profit and loss account. Shares are not held in the trading portfolio and are valued at cost. Participating interests Participating interests where significant influence can be exercised will be valued at net asset value. The net asset value is calculated in accordance with the accounting principles that apply for these financial statements; with regard to participations in which insufficient data is available for adopting these principles, the valuation principles of the respective participation are applied. If the valuation of a participation based on the net asset value is negative, it will be stated at nil. If Triodos Bank N.V. can be held fully or partially liable for the debts of the participation, or has the intention of enabling the participation to settle its debts, a provision is recognised for this. Participating interests where no significant influence can be exercised will be carried at fair value. In the case of a participating interest that is listed on an active stock exchange, the fair value will be deemed to be equal to the most recently published stock exchange price. In the case of a participating interest not listed on an active stock exchange or where there is no regular price quotation, the fair value will be determined to the best of one’s ability using all available data, including an annual report audited by an external auditor, interim financial information from the institution and any other relevant data provided to Triodos Bank. Unrealised changes in the value of participating interests where no significant influence can be exercised are recognised in equity via the revaluation reserve, with the exception of changes in value below the acquisition price, which will be recognised directly in the profit and loss account. Realised changes in the value will be recognised in the profit and loss account. Exchange rate differences resulting from the conversion of foreign currencies will be charged or credited directly to the equity. Intangible fixed assets Intangible fixed assets are stated at acquisition price or cost of manufacture minus amortisation. These costs mainly comprise the cost of direct labour; upon termination of the development phase. The amortisation will be determined in line with the estimated useful life. Impairments are taken into consideration; this is relevant in the event that the carrying amount of the asset (or of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs) is higher than its realisable value. The development costs for the banking system will be amortised over the estimated useful life from the moment the system is used, to a maximum of 10 years. Management contracts paid by Triodos Bank when acquiring the participating interest in Triodos Investment Management BV will be written off over a period of 20 years till October 2026. The remaining depreciation period is nine years. Computer software that has been purchased will be written off over its useful life. This period will not exceed five years. Property and equipment Property under development is valued at the lower of the expenditure and the expected replacement cost upon completion. The expenditure consists of payments made to third parties. Property for own use is stated at cost. The buildings for own use are depreciated according to the straight-line method on the basis of an estimated useful economic life of 40 years. Land for own use is not depreciated. Equipment is stated at acquisition price less straight-line depreciation on the basis of estimated useful economic life. The depreciation periods vary from three to ten years. The difference between the proceeds on disposal of equipment and net carrying value is recognised in the profit and loss account under Other income. Impairments expected on the balance sheet date are taken into account. With regard to the determination as to whether a tangible fixed asset is subject to an impairment, please go to note 9. Other assets are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost. If payment of the receivable is postponed under an extended payment deadline, fair value is measured on the basis of the discounted value of the expected revenues. Interest gains are recognised using the effective interest method. When a trade receivable is uncollectible, it is written off against the allowance account for other assets. Provisions are valued at the nominal value of the expenses expected to be incurred in settling the liabilities and losses. The provisions mainly consist of a provision for major building maintenance which is based on a long-term maintenance programme. Other provisions may contain costs of unsettled claims, legal proceedings or other estimated costs for expected cash outflows that qualify as provisions under Dutch accounting principles. Funds entrusted On initial recognition funds entrusted are recognised at fair value. After initial recognition funds entrusted are recognised at the amortised cost price, being the amount received, taking into account premiums or discounts, less transaction costs. This usually is the nominal value. On initial recognition other liabilities are recognised at fair value. After initial recognition other liabilities are recognised at the amortised cost price, being the amount received, taking into account premiums or discounts, less transaction costs. This usually is the nominal value. Purchases of depository receipts for own shares The purchasing and reissuing of depository receipts for own shares is charged or credited respectively to the Other reserves. Any balance remaining after the re-issuing of all own depository receipts purchased shall be placed at the disposal of the Annual General Meeting. Own depository receipts for shares may be purchased up to 2% of the issued and paid-up share capital. A decision to purchase own depository receipts may be made if the supply of existing depository receipts exceeds the demand for new depository receipts. For this, authority has been given to management by the Annual General Meeting. Derivatives and hedge accounting Derivative financial instruments consisting of foreign currency forward contracts and interest swaps are initially recognised at fair value, with subsequent measurement at each balance sheet date except if the cost model for hedge accounting is applied. Fair values are obtained from quoted market prices in active markets, except for interest rate swaps, whose fair values are determined by discounted cash flow analysis against prevailing market interest rates. Changes in the fair value are included in the profit and loss account, as result on financial transactions. Derivatives embedded in contracts shall be separated from the host contract and accounted for separately at fair value if: the economic characteristics and risks of the host contract and the embedded derivative are not closely related; a separate instrument with the same terms and conditions as the embedded derivative would meet the definition of a derivative; and the combined instrument is not measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognised through profit and loss. Triodos Bank uses derivatives (principally interest rate swaps) for economic hedging purposes in the management of its asset and liability portfolios. The objective of economic hedging is to enter into positions with an opposite risk profile to an identified exposure to reduce that risk exposure. Triodos Bank applies micro hedge accounting. Micro hedging relates to individual transactions which are included in an economic hedge relationship covering interest rate and foreign exchange risks. It involves a one-on-one relationship between the hedged instrument and the hedged item. If forward exchange contracts are concluded to hedge monetary assets and liabilities in foreign currencies, cost hedge accounting is applied. Hedge accounting is applied to ensure that the gains or losses arising from the translation of the monetary items recognised in the profit and loss account are offset by the changes in the value of forward exchange contracts arising from the difference between the spot rate at inception and spot rates as at reporting date. The difference between the spot rate agreed at the inception of the forward exchange contract and the forward rate is amortised over the term of the contract. If cost hedge accounting is applied to hedge interest rate risk, derivatives are measured at fair value upon initial recognition. As long as a derivative hedges an interest risk in connection with an expected future transaction, it is not remeasured. As soon as an expected transaction leads to the recognition in the profit and loss account of a financial asset or financial liability, the gains or losses associated with the derivative are recognised in the profit or loss account in the same period in which the asset or liability affects profit or loss. Triodos Bank has documented its hedging strategy and how it relates to the objective of risk management. Triodos Bank has documented its assessment of whether the derivatives that are used in hedging transactions are effective in offsetting: currency results of the hedged items using generic documentation; interest rate results of the hedged items using documentation per hedged item. Any overhedge is recognised directly in the profit and loss account at fair value. Hedging relationships are terminated upon the expiry or sale of the respective derivatives. The cumulative gain or loss that has not yet been included in the profit and loss account is recognised as a deferred item in the balance sheet until the hedged transactions have taken place. If the transactions are no longer expected to take place, the cumulative gain or loss is accounted for in the profit and loss account. Net interest income recognition Interest income and expenses are recognised in accordance with the effective interest method. The application of this method includes the amortisation of any discount or premium or other differences (including transaction costs and applicable commissions) between the initial carrying amount of an interest-bearing instrument and the amount at maturity, based on the effective interest method. Taxation on operating result Taxes are calculated on the pre-tax result on the basis of the applicable profit tax rates. Exempted profit items, deductible items, additions and differences between the balance sheet value and the fiscal value of particular assets and liabilities are taken into account. Deferred tax items arising from differences between the balance sheet value and the fiscal value are valued at nominal value insofar these may be recovered through future profits (temporary differences). Deferred tax assets arising from operating losses are reviewed at each reporting date. To the extent that future taxable profits do not exceed the tax losses recognised, an impairment loss is recognised. Earnings per share is calculated on the basis of the weighted average number of shares outstanding. In calculating the weighted average number of shares outstanding: Own shares held by Triodos Bank are deducted from the total number of shares in issue; The computation is based on monthly averages. The cashflow statement sets out the movement in Triodos Bank’s funds, broken down into operating activities, investment activities and financing activities. The funds consist of cash and the on demand deposits with banks. The cashflow statement is produced using the indirect method and gives details of the source of cash and cash equivalents over the course of the year. The cash flows are analysed into cash flows from operations, including banking activities, investment activities and financing activities. Movements in loans and receivables and interbank deposits are included in the cash flow from operating activities. Investment activities are comprised of acquisitions, sales and redemptions in respect of financial investments, as well as property and equipment. The issuing of shares and the borrowing and repayment of long-term funds are treated as financing activities. Cash flows arise from foreign currency transactions are translated into euros using the exchange rates at the date of the cash flows. The segments (branches and business units) are reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided to the Executive Board, which is responsible for allocating resources and assessing performance. All transactions between segments are eliminated as intercompany revenues and expenses in Group Functions. Segment assets, liabilities, income and results are measured based on our accounting policies. Segment assets, liabilities, income and results include items directly attributable to a segment as well as those that can be allocated on a reasonable basis. Transactions between segments are conducted at arm’s length. The geographical analyses are based on the location of the office from which the transactions are originated. All legal entities that can be controlled, jointly controlled or significantly influenced are considered to be a related party. Also entities which can control the Company are considered to be a related party. In addition, statutory directors, other key management of Medium-sized/Large Company B.V. or the ultimate parent company and close relatives are regarded as related parties. Transactions with related parties are disclosed in the notes insofar as they are not transacted under normal market conditions. The nature, extent and other information is disclosed if this is necessary in order to provide the required insight. Segregation of capital Triodos Bank NV holds by its related party Stichting Triodos Beleggersgiro on behalf of their customers segregated from the assets and liabilities of the bank the following securities: Triodos Cultuurfonds NV Triodos Fair Share Fund Triodos Groenfonds NV Triodos Sicav I Triodos Sicav II Triodos Vastgoedfonds NV Triodos Impact Strategies NV Total as at 31 December Triodos Impact Strategies NV holds on behalf of its sub-fund Triodos Multi Impact Fund as at 31 December 2017 EUR 4,531 thousand of securities Triodos Cultuurfonds NV, EUR 6,698 thousand of securities Triodos Fair Share Fund and EUR 5,638 thousand of securities Triodos Groenfonds NV. These securities are included in the above mentioned values of securities in Triodos Cultuurfonds NV, Triodos Fair Share Fund and Triodos Groenfonds NV. For further details about these accounting principles, please refer to the corresponding notes to the financial statements. Annual Report Summary	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732662
__label__cc	0.741251	0.258749	Alumni Make Lab Stronger Connecting, Volunteering, Giving Lab is a remarkable community. And your involvement makes us better. As alumni of Lab, you are part of the Schools’ rich history. Our goal is to keep all of you connected to the institution throughout your lives. You may not know that, if you attended Lab for any length of time, you are already a member of the Lab Alumni Association, the mission of which is to further the welfare of the institution by: Increasing the interest of alumni in the Schools Garnering volunteer and financial support from alumni Providing advice and counsel to the Schools regarding its relationship with its alumni The Alumni Association primarily through the Alumni Association Executive Board and its committees helps connect Labbies to each other and to the Schools in a number of ways, and works closely with Lab’s Office of Alumni Relations and Development to present meaningful programs and social opportunities for all alumni. How can you get involved? Chicago Regional Events take place in the city and suburbs throughout the year, drawing hundreds of alumni together. Alumni on the Road is a series of events that take place all over the United States, from New York to Los Angeles, to Washington, DC, to San Francisco. Lab sends invitations to everyone within reasonable travel distance of an event location. All alumni can nominate someone for Lab’s Distinguished Alumni or Rising Star Professional Achievement awards, or propose a classmate to be profiled in LabLife magazine. The Young Alumni Thanksgiving events takes place every year in Chicago. Want to host one in your area? We can help. For more information please call 773-702-0578 or send a message to alumni@ucls.uchicago.edu There are no events to display Take advantage of UChicago resources. Because Lab is a part of the University of Chicago, you are not only a member of the Lab alumni community, but you are also a part of the University of Chicago alumni community and eligible for all of their benefits and events. Go to the University of Chicago Alumni and Friends page to learn more. are published in LabLife twice a year. You can email your news and updates to alumni@ucls.uchicago.edu or contact your class agent.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732663
__label__cc	0.660819	0.339181	Better learning through handwriting Writing by hand strengthens the learning process. When typing on a keyboard, this process may be impaired. Associate professor Anne Mangen at the University of Stavanger’s Reading Centre asks if something is lost in switching from book to computer screen, and from pen to keyboard. The process of reading and writing involves a number of senses, she explains. When writing by hand, our brain receives feedback from our motor actions, together with the sensation of touching a pencil and paper. These kinds of feedback is significantly different from those we receive when touching and typing on a keyboard. Together with neurophysiologist Jean-Luc Velay at the University of Marseille, Anne Mangen has written an article published in the Advances in Haptics periodical. They have examined research which goes a long way in confirming the significance of these differences. An experiment carried out by Velay’s research team in Marseille establishes that different parts of the brain are activated when we read letters we have learned by handwriting, from those activated when we recognise letters we have learned through typing on a keyboard. When writing by hand, the movements involved leave a motor memory in the sensorimotor part of the brain, which helps us recognise letters. This implies a connection between reading and writing, and suggests that the sensorimotor system plays a role in the process of visual recognition during reading, Mangen explains. Other experiments suggest that the brain’s Brocas area is discernibly more activated when we are read a verb which is linked to a physical activity, compared with being read an abstract verb or a verb not associated with any action. “This also happens when you observe someone doing something. You don’t have to do anything yourself. Hearing about or watching some activity is often enough. It may even suffice to observe a familiar tool associated with a particular physical activity,” Mangen says. Since writing by hand takes longer than typing on a keyboard, the temporal aspect may also influence the learning process, she adds. The term ‘haptic’ refers to the process of touching and the way in which we communicate by touch, particularly by using our fingers and hands to explore our surroundings. Haptics include both our perceptions when we relate passively to our surroundings, and when we move and act. A lack of focus There is a lot of research on haptics in relation to computer games, in which for instance vibrating hand controls are employed. According to Mangen, virtual drills with sound and vibration are used for training dentists. But there has been very little effort to include haptics within the humanistic disciplines, she explains. In educational science, there is scant interest in the ergonomics of reading and writing, and its potential significance in the learning process. Mangen refers to an experiment involving two groups of adults, in which the participants were assigned the task of having to learn to write in an unknown alphabet, consisting of approximately twenty letters. One group was taught to write by hand, while the other was using a keyboard. Three and six weeks into the experiment, the participants’ recollection of these letters, as well as their rapidity in distinguishing right and reversed letters, were tested. Those who had learned the letters by handwriting came out best in all tests. Furthermore, fMRI brain scans indicated an activation of the Brocas area within this group. Among those who had learned by typing on keyboards, there was little or no activation of this area. “The sensorimotor component forms an integral part of training for beginners, and in special education for people with learning difficulties. But there is little awareness and understanding of the importance of handwriting to the learning process, beyond that of writing itself,” Mangen says. She refers to pedagogical research on writing, which has moved from a cognitive approach to a focus on contextual, social and cultural relations. In her opinion, a one-sided focus on context may lead to neglect of the individual, physiological, sensorimotor and phenomenological connections. Within the field of psychology, there is an awareness of the danger of paying too much attention on mentality. According to Mangen, perception and sensorimotor now play a more prominent role. “Our bodies are designed to interact with the world which surrounds us. We are living creatures, geared toward using physical objects - be it a book, a keyboard or a pen - to perform certain tasks,” she says. Being a media and reading researcher, Anne Mangen is a rare bird within her field of study. And she is very enthusiastic about her collaboration with a neurophysiologist. “We combine very different disciplines. Velay has carried out some very exciting experiments on the difference between handwriting and the use of keyboards, from a neurophysiologic perspective. My contribution centres on how we – as humans with bodies and brains – experience the writing process, through using different technologies in different ways. And how these technologies’ interfaces influence our experience,” she concludes. Text: Trond Egil Toft Illustration: Annlaug Auestad Translation: Astri Sivertsen Would you like to find out more? Associate professor Anne Mangen, The National Centre for Reading, Education and Research (the Reading Centre) at the University of Stavanger. Tel.: +47 51 83 32 45, e-mail: anne.mangen@uis.no The Learning environment centre The Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research in Education is both a research centre within the University of Stavanger, as well as a national resource centre working with preschools and schools throughout Norway. The Centre is located at the University of Stavanger. Research results produced at the University of Stavanger have gained attention far beyond Norway and brought international acclaim.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732664
__label__cc	0.578182	0.421818	Lorenzo Costa Geboren: 1460 - Gestorben: 1535 Standort: Saal Signorelli und Perugino, Der Bellini und Giorgione Raum, Born in Ferrara, Costa became known within the Bolognese School of painting, but also within the School of Ferrara painters. Both Schools of painting have strong ties with several artists considered active within both styles. It is mentioned that Costa trained with one of the founders of the Ferrara School, Cosimo Tura (1430 – 1495). From Ferrara, Costa traveled to Bologna, where he befriended the painter, Francia (1450 – 1517) and then traveled on to the city of Mantua. His was a collaborator with Francia, also with other important Ferrarese painters such as Cosimo Tura (1430 – 1495), as well as Dosso Dossi (1490 – 1542) and Ludovico Mazzolino (1480 – 1528), both of whom he trained. Some of his best remembered early work was done mostly in Bologna, especially in the Bentivoglio Chapel of the San Giacomo Maggiore. Costa’s portrait of Giovanni Bentivoglio is in the Uffizi Gallery; historically, Giovanni is known as the tyrant of Bologna, having no official rule of the city, but taking it by force. Costa’s portrait shows influences from the Venetian painters and also from the Sicilian painter, Antonello da Messina (1430 – 1479). (Kren and Marx, Web Gallery of Art) The Bentivoglio family was prominent in Bologna, but was expelled to Ferrara by Pope Julius II (1443 – 1513) under the invasion of King Louis XII (1462 -1515) of France. Costa did not follow his troubled patron and instead left for Mantua by invitation from the city’s ruler, Francesco II Gonzaga (1466 – 1519). Costa found a gainful position as court painter there, succeeding the great Andrea Mantegna (1431 – 1506). Costa’s other painting in the Uffizi Gallery is his depiction of, Saint Sebastian, a work of noted controversy. It is claimed to be a work of substantial beauty from the Northern Italian painters, where other critics find it to be an average depiction, unimpressed by the Sebastian’s facial expression. Though, most critics agree that the work is an undeniable accomplishment in its beauty of form, (Kren and Marx, Web Gallery of Art). Costa’s sons, Ippolito and Girolamo were both painters as well, as was Girolamo’s son, Lorenzo the younger. Saal Signorelli und Perugino Der hl. Sebastian Porträt von Giovanni Bentivoglio	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732671
__label__wiki	0.694719	0.694719	Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto [Chart] Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto Robot market growing at 15%, with 1.3 million new industrial robot installations by 2018 The Chart of the Week is a weekly Visual Capitalist feature on Fridays. The market for industrial robot installations has been on a skyward trend since 2009, and it is not expected to slow down any time soon. According to the World Robotics 2015 report, the market for industrial robots was approximated at $32 billion in 2014, and in the coming years it is expected to continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of at least 15%. That means between 2015 and 2018, it’s anticipated that 1.3 million industrial robots will be installed worldwide. This will bring the stock of operational robots up to just over 2.3 million, mostly working in the automotive and electronics sectors. For how long can the global robot population continue to grow? Robot Density Perhaps the most interesting way to peek into the future of industrial robot installations is to look at potential sales in China. Currently, the world’s most populous nation has a density of robots that is about half of the world average, equal to just 36 robots for every 10,000 manufacturing workers in China. However, this is changing fast. It’s been the largest market for robots since 2013, and in 2014 the country bought 57,100 robots – the highest quantity ever recorded in a year. By 2018, one in every three robots in operation around the world will be in China. What will happen if China’s density approaches that of other robot industrial centers? Highly automated countries such as Germany, Japan, and South Korea all have robot densities that are multiples higher. South Korea, for example, has 478 industrial robots for every 10,000 workers – a ratio that is 13x higher than China’s. With this kind of potential for growth, it’s clear that this is only the start of the robot story. Related Topics:autochinaindustrial roboticsrobots Charting the Automation Potential of U.S. Jobs Why Startups Fail: Here’s the 20 Most Common Reasons A Timeline of U-Turns from the Chinese Market The Economies Adding the Most to Global Growth in 2019 The World’s Most Valuable Bank Brands This stunning animation visualizes the last nine years of U.S. electric vehicle sales. We also look at who will lead the race in the coming years. It’s challenging to get ahead, but it’s even harder to stay ahead. For companies looking to create a sustainable competitive advantage in a fast-moving, capital intensive, and nascent sector like manufacturing electric vehicles, this is a simple reality that must be accounted for. Every milestone achieved is met with the onset of new and more sophisticated competitors – and as the industry grows, the stakes grow higher and the market gets further de-risked. Then, the real 800-lb gorillas start to climb their way in, making competition even more fierce. Visualizing U.S. EV Sales Today’s animation uses data from InsideEVs to show almost nine years of U.S. sales in the electric vehicle market, sorted by model of car. It paints a picture of a rapidly evolving market with many new competitors sweeping in to try and claim a stake. You can see the leads of early successes eroded away, the increasing value of scale, and consumer preferences, all rolled into one nifty animation. The Tesla Roadster starts with a very early lead, but is soon replaced by the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, which are the most sold models in the U.S. from 2011-2016. Closer to the end, the Tesla Model S rises fast to eventually surpass the Leaf by the end of 2017. Finally, the scale of the rollout of the Tesla Model 3 is put into real perspective, as it quickly jumps past all other models in the span of roughly one year. The Gorilla Search While Tesla’s rise has been well-documented, it’s also unclear how long the company can maintain an EV leadership position in the North American market. As carmakers double-down on EVs as their future foundations, many well-capitalized competitors are entering the fray with serious and ambitious plans to make a dent in the market. In the previous animation, you can already see there are multiple models from BMW, Volkswagen, Honda, Fiat, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, and Chevrolet that have accumulated over 10,000 sales – and as these manufacturers continue to pour capital in the sector, they are likely posturing to try and find how to create the next mass market EV. Of these, Volkswagen seems to be the most bullish on a global transition to EVs, and the company is expecting to have 50 fully electric models by 2025 while investing $40 billion into new EV technologies (such as batteries) along the way. The Chinese Bigfoot? However, the 800-lb gorilla could come from the other side of the Pacific as well. Source: The Driven Chinese company BYD – which is backed by Warren Buffett – is currently the largest EV manufacturer in the world, selling 250,000 EVs in 2018. The Chinese carmaker quietly manufacturers buses in the U.S. already, and it has also announced future plans to sell its cars in the U.S. as well. How will such an animation of cumulative U.S. EV sales look in the future? In such a rapidly evolving space, it seems it could go any which way. It is counterintuitive, but electric vehicles are not possible without oil – these petrochemicals bring down the weight of cars to make EVs possible. When most people think about oil and natural gas, the first thing that comes to mind is the gas in the tank of their car. But there is actually much more to oil’s role, than meets the eye… Oil, along with natural gas, has hundreds of different uses in a modern vehicle through petrochemicals. Today’s infographic comes to us from American Fuel & Petrochemicals Manufacturers, and covers why oil is a critical material in making the EV revolution possible. Pliable Properties It turns out the many everyday materials we rely on from synthetic rubber to plastics to lubricants all come from petrochemicals. The use of various polymers and plastics has several advantages for manufacturers and consumers: Easy to Shape Today, plastics can make up to 50% of a vehicle’s volume but only 10% of its weight. These plastics can be as strong as steel, but light enough to save on fuel and still maintain structural integrity. This was not always the case, as oil’s use has evolved and grown over time. Not Your Granddaddy’s Caddy Plastics were not always a critical material in auto manufacturing industry, but over time plastics such as polypropylene and polyurethane became indispensable in the production of cars. Rolls Royce was one of the first car manufacturers to boast about the use of plastics in its car interior. Over time, plastics have evolved into a critical material for reducing the overall weight of vehicles, allowing for more power and conveniences. Rolls Royce uses phenol formaldehyde resin in its car interiors Henry Ford experiments with an “all-plastic” car About 20 lbs. of plastics is used in the average car Manufacturers begin using plastic for interior decorations Headlights, bumpers, fenders and tailgates become plastic Engineered polymers first appear in semi-structural parts of the vehicle The average car uses over 1000 plastic parts Electric Dreams: Petrochemicals for EV Innovation Plastics and other materials made using petrochemicals make vehicles more efficient by reducing a vehicle’s weight, and this comes at a very reasonable cost. For every 10% in weight reduction, the fuel economy of a car improves roughly 5% to 7%. EV’s need to achieve weight reductions because the battery packs that power them can weigh over 1000 lbs, requiring more power. Today, plastics and polymers are used for hundreds of individual parts in an electric vehicle. Oil and the EV Future Oil is most known as a source of fuel, but petrochemicals also have many other useful physical properties. In fact, petrochemicals will play a critical role in the mass adoption of electric vehicles by reducing their weight and improving their ranges and efficiency. In According to IHS Chemical, the average car will use 775 lbs of plastic by 2020. Although it seems counterintuitive, petrochemicals derived from oil and natural gas make the major advancements by today’s EVs possible – and the continued use of petrochemicals will mean that both EVS and traditional vehicles will become even lighter, faster, and more efficient.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732675
__label__wiki	0.871047	0.871047	Babysitters » PA » Pittsburgh Metro Area » Nevillewood Nevillewood, PA Babysitters Near Me Nevillewood babysitter profiles include videos, qualifications & parent reviews. Available babysitters in Nevillewood, PA "I'm 30 years old and, with your permission, I want to help your child become the best version of themselves. I believe in turning off the television and turning on imagination. I believe in..." Sign Up to See Full Profile Booked by 106 repeat families "Hi! I am a native Floridian who moved to the Pittsburgh area in June 2018 from Washington, D.C. I am originally from Florida and have been taking care of children for 19 years, since I was a kid mysel..." Sign Up to See Full Profile "Hey all! I'm a 28 year old woman and I’m a pediatric nurse. I have been babysitting since I was 14, as well as growing up with two younger siblings. Additionally, I have been a pediatric nurse for 5 y..." Sign Up to See Full Profile "Hi! I am a dedicated, reliable, and experienced full-time nanny and I absolutely love what I do. I provide a stable, nurturing environment in which children can grow and explore. I have a degree in ..." Sign Up to See Full Profile "Hello! My name is Shiva, I am 31 years old, and I have 16 years experience as a nanny. My first job at age 16 was as a nanny to a family of four. I fell in love with kids and their wild imaginations, ..." Sign Up to See Full Profile "Hello! My name is Leah. I am 27 years old and have various experiences working with and taking care or children! I have been babysitting children of all ages since I was about 16. My current career is..." Sign Up to See Full Profile "Hello! I am currently a social worker and I work 34-40 hours a week, with flexible scheduling. I can likely be available to meet your needs on evenings and weekends! I babysat and worked as a nanny ..." Sign Up to See Full Profile "Hello! My name is Eleni Romanias and although I currently live in California, I am coming back home to Pittsburgh, PA for just a few months and am available starting July 30th. I am 23 years old and g..." Sign Up to See Full Profile "I'm brand new to UrbanSitter, but not to babysitting. I have babysat kids from all age groups, and I love what each age group has to offer. I did 2½ years at Pitt's I.T. program, focusing on database ..." Sign Up to See Full Profile "Hello! My name is Luke, I studied English and History at Oberlin College. Before relocating to Pittsburgh I was a middle school science teacher and basketball coach. I worked at a summer camp called ..." Sign Up to See Full Profile Sign up for UrbanSitter to search Nevillewood babysitters by:	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732680
__label__cc	0.664831	0.335169	Kerry H. Wahlen Kerry Wahlen’s financial services industry experience spans more than 40 years, working at Goldenwest Credit Union for the past three decades in various management and administrative roles. His tenure as the credit union’s President and Chief Executive Officer commenced on January 1, 2012. Kerry holds a degree in Business Administration from Weber State University and an MBA from Utah State University. He lends his expertise and experience in the community by serving as a member of several local and state Boards, including: Utah State University Foundation; Utah-Idaho Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah; Ogden/Weber Chamber Governance; Weber School Foundation; and, Utah Certified Development Corporation. Credit union members are invited to follow Kerry on his Twitter feed @GoldenwestCUCEO. Darren J. Godfrey Executive Vice President-CFO Darren Godfrey is a Certified Public Accountant and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Master of Professional Accountancy Degree from Weber State University. His responsibilities include providing oversight for all aspects of the credit union’s expense categories. Darren is the administrator directing the Accounting, Commercial Lending, Human Resources, Facilities, Operations, Payment Services, Training, and Information Technology Departments. He has been employed by Goldenwest since 1990. Mark T. Turner Mark Turner brings more than 30 years of insurance and financial services experience to the position of Executive Vice President at Goldenwest Credit Union. As a recognized expert and leader in the industry during his tenure with Farmer’s Insurance, Mark earned the President’s Council Award for 12 consecutive years. At Goldenwest, Mark’s responsibilities include providing oversight for business development and numerous profit centers at the credit union. He is the administrator responsible for Insurance, Investments, Medicare, Indirect Lending, and Marketing. Mark volunteers as a member of the Board of Directors for Utah-Idaho Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. David Butterfield USU Credit Union Division President David Butterfield serves as Division President for USU Credit Union. In addition to serving as the administrator over the USU Credit Union branch network, his responsibilities include providing oversight for Consumer Lending, Mortgages, Branch Operations, and Retail Sales for Goldenwest Credit Union. His career at USU Credit Union began in 2004, where he was promoted to the position of President/CEO in 2011. David played a key role in negotiating and leading the highly successful strategic merger with Goldenwest in 2013. David earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Utah State University and a Masters of Business Administration Degree from Brigham Young University. He served as a State Representative in the Utah House for two years (2011-12). David volunteers on the Utah State University Board of Trustees, Board of Directors for Strata, the Cache Chamber of Commerce, and USU’s Advance Weather Systems Laboratory.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0021.json.gz/line1732682

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