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This year we celebrate 55 years since the first human spaceflight in history. Tyler takes on the role of a Soviet space program chief designer and commemorates the event in a stunning couple of spacecraft — Vostok-1 and Soyuz — classic craft from the early days of putting cosmonauts into orbit. Take a moment to notice the choice of pieces. Pretty unpretentious, yet with ordinary slopes and wedges Tyler magically creates curved shapes of various diameters, which look fascinating even in plain grey colors. The aerials and dishes are especially heartwarming as they resemble the style of the legendary Discovery sets from 2003. What is so outstanding about the Soyuz model is the use of studs of various colors under trans-blue tiles — a simple and amazingly effective solution. These solar panels look even cooler than stickers from the said Discovery sets.
Statement on Mark-up of HR 1905, the Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011, House Foreign Affairs Committee I would like to express my concerns over the Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011 and my opposition to it being brought to the Floor for a vote. Let us be clear on one critical matter: the sanctions against Iran mandated by this legislation are definite steps toward a US attack on Iran. They will also, if actually applied, severely disrupt global trade and undermine the US economy, thereby harming our national security. I am surprised and disturbed that the committee viewed this aggressive legislation to be so bipartisan and uncontroversial that a recorded vote was not even called. Some may argue that we are pursuing sanctions so as to avoid war with Iran, but recent history teaches us otherwise. For how many years were sanctions placed on Iraq while we were told they were necessary to avoid war? Thousands of innocent Iraqis suffered and died under US sanctions and still the US invaded, further destroying the country. Are we safer after spending a trillion dollars or more to destroy Iraq and then rebuild it? These new sanctions against Iran increasingly target other countries that seek to trade with Iran. The legislation will severely punish foreign companies or foreign subsidiaries of US companies if they do not submit to the US trade embargo on Iran. Some 15 years after the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 failed to bring Iran to its knees, it is now to be US foreign policy to threaten foreign countries and companies. During this mark-up one of my colleagues argued that if Mercedes-Benz wants to sell trucks to Iran, they should not be allowed to do business in the United States. Does anyone believe this is a good idea? I wonder how the Americans working at the Mercedes-Benz factory in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama would feel about banning Mercedes from the United States. Or perhaps we might ask the 7,600 Americans who work in the BMW factory in Spartanburg, SC how they would feel. Should the American consumer be denied the right to purchase these products? Is the United States really prepared to take such aggressive and radical action against its NATO ally Germany? Likewise, the application of the sanctions in this legislation would have a dramatic impact on US commercial and diplomatic relations with Russia and China, who both do business with Iran. It would impose strong sanctions on these countries and would prohibit foreign business leaders – and their spouses and children – from entering the United States. Do we want to start a trade war – or worse – with Russia and China? The Iran Threat Reduction Act authorizes what will no doubt be massive amounts of US taxpayer money to undermine the Iranian government and foment another "Green Revolution" there. We will establish and prop up certain factions over others, send them enormous amounts of money, and attempt to fix any resulting elections so that our preferred candidates win. Considering the disturbing aftermath of our "democracy promotion" operations in places like Egypt, Iraq, Libya, where radical forces have apparently come out on top, it may be fair to conclude that such actions actually undermine US national security rather than bolster it. Sanctions do not work. They are precursors to war and usually lead to war. They undermine our economy and our national security. They result in terrible, unnecessary suffering among the civilian population in the target countries and rarely even inconvenience their leaders. We must change our foreign policy from one of interventionism and confrontation to cooperation and diplomacy. This race to war against Iran is foolhardy and dangerous. As with the war on Iraq, the arguments for further aggression and war on Iran are based on manipulations and untruths. We need to learn our lesson and reject this legislation and the push for war. Read more by Ron Paul
Stimulate Constructive Political Debate “My side is right!” “ Their side is wrong!” “They lied!” “Blah! Blah! Blah!” This is no way to run a country. More nuance is in order. The Enhanced-Precision Political Quiz makes it clear that there is a wide range of possible options for every issue. And the Nolan Chart on which it is based makes it clear that there are at least two ranges of possible opinion overall. At least two. Though the Nolan Chart is a huge improvement over the limited Left-Right spectrum, it is still a projection of a wider space of options. The Quiz herein samples that wider space with creative possibilities outside the usual debates, ranging from more universal military service without a draft to unconditional government money as a replacement for most welfare programs. The result screens reveal yet more possibilities ranging from easy ways to stop global warming to voting systems which allow us to consider more options at the polling place. This site now exists not to push any particular party or ideology, but to stimulate creative political thought. If you are an educator teaching social studies, history or political science, have your students take the test and prepare for lively discussion afterwards. Likewise, if you are on a forum and want to uplift your discussions out of parroting the usual talking points, use this quiz as a poll. Finally, if you know of a political party, organization, or think tank which deserves mention in some of the result screens, contact me.
If you love spending money every month on going to the gym, this product is not for you. If however, you’re like us and want to get killer abs, a toned butt and svelte legs, but prefer being in your living room and watching your TV (as opposed to at a crowded gym) and would rather drop cash on something besides an overpriced membership, this product is most definitely for you. Get push notifications with news, features and more. The elliptical (order it by clicking on the product image below the video or going here) goes for $139, but if you enter our exclusive discount code (PEOPLE10), you can get it for 10% off (on orders $50 or more) — and it’s shipped free. It weighs just 24 pounds and is 24 by 18 inches so it’s easy to move around, plus it’s quiet, features adjustable tension controls to change the resistance, foot pedals that go forward or in reverse to target different muscle groups and a monitor to track your calories and distance. Basically, you’re getting everything those mega-ellipticals have, only you don’t have to spend over a grand to get it. A handful of PEOPLE.com editors already have the elliptical and while each uses it while watching a different show, they all love it for the same reason: One moment you’re stepping on the machine, then the next, you realize Scandal (or House of Cards or Real Housewives) is over and you’ve been working out for a full hour. –Zoë Ruderman
Barcelona "If Barcelona want to make history, we'll have to come back" Iniesta calls on cules to believe comeback is possible Luis Enrique: It was a disastrous night As difficult to swallow as the 4-0 defeat was, Luis Suarez is not giving up on the tie, Luis Enrique or the season as there is still plenty left to fight for Barcelona. Andres Iniesta too has called on cules and the team to believe a comeback is possible, and the Uruguayan striker will be hoping that is the case as he won't be able to feature in the Copa del Rey final. "If Barcelona want to make history, we'll have to come back," he said. "We are all guilty, same when we win as when we lose. "The team has to convince itself it is possible - we won the treble so we must believe in ourselves." Suarez didn't want to dwell on his two yellow cards that mean he'll miss the Copa del Rey final vs. Alaves, with the Appeals Committee rejecting his appeal. "What is said is done," the striker stated. "Few times do players get two yellows back to back in just a few minutes, and one of my cards was for a foul in midfield, of which there are many like it." Finally, Suarez was asked about whether Luis Enrique should continue as coach and whether the club should sign a right-back, two of the most pressing issues for the Catalans. "If we need a right back is for the coach to decide," Suarez said. "Not at all have we lost faith in Luis Enrique. "We've enjoyed ourselves thanks to him and now we suffer altogether as a team. "We aren't listening to those that are saying there are internal problems. "It isn't surprising that people are calling it the end of an era. We are the best team in the world. We get criticised win or lose so this isn't new and we shouldn't pay it too much attention."
NVIDIA’s speedy GPUs and Machine Learning software have unquestionably become the gold standard for building Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications. And today, NVIDIA added TenCent to their list of cloud service providers that offer access to NVIDIA hardware in their clouds for AI and other compute intensive applications. This marks a significant milestone in the global accessibility of the hardware needed to build AI applications, from drones to medical devices to automated factories and robots. TenCent (whose Chinese name roughly translates to “Soaring Information”) is one of China’s largest Internet companies and the world’s largest gaming platform, having recently announced 2016 revenues that grew by 48% to $21.9B. Many companies, perhaps most, opt to access GPUs in the cloud instead of buying and deploying the hardware directly. AI startups alone are a big market; over 2300 investors have now funded over 1700 startups, according to data compiled by Angel List, and the vast majority of these cash-conscious firms use cloud based NVIDIA GPUs to develop their innovative products and services. The exception is the world’s largest datacenters, aka the “Super Seven” (Alibaba, Amazon, Baidu, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Tencent) whose server farms probably crunch proprietary machine learning algorithms with thousands, or even tens of thousands, of speedy GPUs, 100% of which bear the bright green NVIDIA logo. (Advanced Micro Devices, the “other” GPU provider, has intentions to enter this market with a Vega GPU later this year, but does not yet offer optimized AI accelerators that can compete with NVIDIA’s Pascal.) With this announcement, NVIDIA is now able to claim that every significant cloud service provider is a customer and supplier of GPUs as a service, including Amazon, Google, IBM Softlayer, Microsoft, Allyun (Alibaba Cloud), and Nimbix. And using GPUs in the cloud is the easiest and most cost effective on-ramp to building applications that require acceleration. “There’s been very strong demand for our GPUs in the cloud with consumption models expanding quickly as the AI era takes hold,” said Ian Buck, NVIDIA VP and GM of Accelerated Computing. “Companies everywhere in the world are increasingly turning to the cloud to develop and host their most demanding workloads, particularly for deep learning, inference, high-performance computing and advanced analytics.” But Tencent didn’t just throw a bunch of GPUs into servers and call it a day. They built custom servers that support up to 8 high-end NVIDIA Tesla P100 (Pascal) GPUs interconnected with NVLINK, the first major cloud provider to do so. While Tencent did not disclose details on the server design, it is likely that Tencent is the 1st cloud provider to adopt and deploy one of the two newly announced open chassis designs (Big Basin and HGX-1) from the Open Compute Program (OCP), designs led by Facebook and Microsoft respectively. It is also important to note that Tencent’s adoption of the Pascal-based P100 is one of the first cloud properties to offer access to this generation of GPU technology. Other cloud providers have kept PASCAL for their own internal development teams, only offering older Maxwell and Kepler generations as cloud accessible GPUs. I expect other cloud providers to fall quickly in line, since the Pascal architecture is now stable, available in volume, and offers a massive performance advantage over its predecessors. The virtuous cycle of innovation in Artificial Intelligence will be built in the cloud, and not just in the USA, but especially in Asia, where Tencent-hosted NVIDIA GPUs stand to help accelerate that cycle globally, adding even more momentum to the AI flywheel. Now the rest of the world needs to catch up, or be left behind. Disclosure: Moor Insights & Strategy, like all research and analyst firms, provides or has provided research, analysis, advising and/or consulting to many high-tech companies in the industry, including some of those mentioned in this article including NVIDIA. The author does not have any investment positions in the companies named in this article.
Surprise, surprise: Last month was the hottest August ever recorded, marking the 11th straight month that global heat records have been shattered, according to NASA data. The agency broke the bad, though perhaps not entirely unexpected, news on Monday. August had a global average surface temperature of about 1.76 degrees Fahrenheit above average, NASA said. It also tied with July as the warmest month ever recorded since record-keeping began in 1880. “We are well on our way to the warmest year recorded,” the Union of Concerned Scientists wrote in an email to The Huffington Post this week. If deemed the hottest year ever, 2016 will be the third year in a row to boast this unfortunate title. NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies But though every month — and each year — appears to bring the same news about “hottest” this and that, experts are warning against apathy and fatigue regarding record-breaking temperatures. “While there may be a tendency to be complacent about the recurring record temperatures, with each month come more climate-related consequences that cannot be ignored,” wrote UCS climate scientist Astrid Caldas in a blog post. Jonathan Bachman/Reuters Climate change makes occurrences like the devastating August floods in Louisiana -- the worst natural disaster in the U.S. since Hurricane Sandy in 2012 -- at least 40 percent more likely, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Climate change is not a future problem, but rather one that we are actively dealing with. “We are feeling climate change impacts right here, right now,” Caldas continued. “From wildfires and droughts to devastating floods, climate change fingerprint is all around us and does play a role in making events more extreme. An example are this summer’s floods in Louisiana, caused by intense rains which were “at least 40 percent more likely to happen because of climate change,” according to research. NASA/Goddard Institute for Space Studies Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, stressed this week that it’s long-term trends, rather than monthly readings, that “are the most important for understanding the ongoing changes that are affecting our planet.”
The clock is ticking on marijuana legalization initiatives in Oregon. There are currently four different initiative campaigns underway, but at this point, four months away from when signatures must be handed in, only two look like they have any chance of success this year, and both of them are still tens of thousands of signatures from getting on the November ballot. view of Mount Hood from Portland (photo from usgs.gov) If one or both of them makes the ballot, the Pacific Northwest could be a real hotbed of marijuana reform activity this fall. An initiative to tax and regulate marijuana is already on the ballot next door in Washington, and nearby, sparsely populated Montana is also the site of an active initiative signature-gathering campaign for legalization with at least decent prospects of making the ballot.The two best positioned Oregon initiatives are the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act of 2012 (OCTA) and the Oregon Marijuana Policy Initiative (OMPI), which are well into their signature-gathering campaigns. Essentially serving as placemarkers for the next electoral cycle are the Control, Regulation, and Taxation of Cannabis Act (CRTC), which was just approved for a draft title, and an initiative from Sensible Oregon , which has yet to be approved for a draft title.The initiative currently furthest down the path toward the ballot box is the OCTA (Initiative Petition #9), sponsored by veteran activist and medical marijuana entrepreneur Paul Stanford. It would allow adult Oregonians to possess and grow their own marijuana. It would allow Oregon farmers to grow hemp. And it would license Oregon farmers to grow marijuana to be sold at state-licensed pot stores. An earlier version of OCTA failed to make the ballot last in 2010. OCTA campaign spokespersons said it had so far collected more than 50,000 signatures. It needs some 87,000 valid voter signatures to make the ballot, so OCTA's goal is to gather about 130,000 to have a comfortable cushion to account for invalid signatures.Also well-placed is the OMPI, a constitutional amendment (Initiative Petition #24) to repeal the state's marijuana laws. It is supported by numerous in-state groups. "Except for actions that endanger minors or public safety, neither the criminal offenses and sanctions nor the laws of civil seizure and forfeiture of this state shall apply to the private personal use, possession or production of marijuana by adults 21 years of age and older," the amendment says. "The State may enact laws and regulations consistent with this amendment to reasonably define, limit and regulate the use, possession, production, sale or taxation of marijuana under state law."The OMPI campaign, operating as Citizens for Sensible Law Enforcement , reported 46,200 signatures handed in as of Sunday. But because it is a constitutional amendment, OMPI must meet a higher signature threshold than other initiatives. It needs 117,000 valid signatures to make the ballot, and the campaign is aiming at turning in 185,000.The CRTC (Initiative #44) would remove marijuana from the state controlled substances act and give the legislature the ability to enact laws to control, regulate, and tax commerce in marijuana and industrial hemp.The Sensible Oregon initiative "would remove existing civil and criminal penalties for adults twenty one years of age, who cultivate, possess, transport, exchange or use marijuana" and require the legislature to come up with a regulatory scheme.The Sensible Oregon initiative has gathered 746 of the initial 1,000 signatures needed to win a ballot title. Activists are gathering them on a volunteer basis.Doug McVay, a long-time activist now (again) working for Voter Power , the group behind Oregon's successful 1998 medical marijuana initiative, said Voter Power supports any and all of the initiatives, but is concentrating its limited resources on the OMPI and a second initiative that would create a state-regulated medical marijuana dispensary system."It's a tough row to hoe to get enough signatures for a constitutional amendment, but we're still working closely with the campaign, and they're well on track to get there," said McVay. "And OCTA, well, God bless them, removing all criminal penalties would be good, and it would be wonderful if they can get it done."Time is running out on Sensible Oregon, said McVay."When they finally turn in their 1,000 signatures to the Secretary of State, it's going to take a minimum of 50 business days before they can start signature-gathering, and that's if there are no challenges," he explained. "They wouldn't be able to start until mid-May at the earliest, and they only have until July 6. They need to fish or cut bait.""Unfortunately, our effort is suffering from a lack of resources. We don't have strong outreach," said Oregon NORML's Madeline Martinez, wearing her Sensible Oregon hat. "We feel strongly that it has the best language for a draft title, and our years dealing with the legislature and lobbying lead us to believe people will be less likely to vote for a constitutional amendment for marijuana," she said.But the Sensible Oregon initiative is struggling even to get those first 1,000 signatures. "We would like to at least get those signatures so we can get a draft title and poll on that," Martinez said, "but the chances for this year are pretty slim unless we get that draft title and poll well and people start throwing money at us."Similarly, Anthony Johnson, proponent for the CRTC, which is just getting its draft title, was setting his sights down the road. "We'll get and improve on our ballot title and do some polling," he said. "We're playing for 2014 and 2016. It looks like the OMPI has the best chance of qualifying and passing, but even if it did pass, there would still be a need to reform the law."OCTA proponents did not respond to requests for comment this week, but in a recent communication to activists, Stanford said the campaign had 15 paid signature-gatherers and was in the process of hiring 20 more, as well as more than 900 volunteers. He said he had polls that showed OCTA could win with 60%, but copies of those polls were not available."We have the money in the bank to pay to put OCTA on the ballot this year and we will do it," he vowed.But OMPI is also making a big and well-organized push in the final months."I have 220 circulators on the street and we're hiring continuously," said OMPI proponent Robert Wolfe. "We have money in the bank or pledges to make it all the way. I think I-24 is a lock for the ballot."Wolfe said OMPI had polling numbers, but declined to share the actual poll results or crosstabs."We see a standard response that every quasi- or full legalization question gets, in the mid-50s, but we are heartened by crosstabs that show we have strong support among youth and the middle aged voters," he said. "Our polling also tells us that a couple of messages resonate. The statement 'We shouldn't be wasting valuable police time and resources arresting marijuana users' polls over 70%, while the statement 'Individuals shouldn't go to jail for growing plants for personal use polls at 68%."While the OMPI still needs to gather more than 100,000 signatures, it is confident enough to be looking beyond making the ballot to the actual campaign itself. The effort is looking to tie itself to the strong progressive elements that permeate Oregon politics."We are hopeful that we are going to gain the support of the progressive infrastructure here, including labor and the Democratic Party," said campaign strategist Adam Smith. "We feel that our ability to motivate and turn out young voters will be a very valuable part of the progressive campaign here in Oregon. Close to 70% of Democrats here already support legalizing marijuana and a majority of voters overall. This is not a radical idea here; it's not going to be a huge political step for people to get behind it," he said.They have a fundraising strategy for the general campaign, Smith said."We're reaching out to the business community. Like all the states, Oregon is short on resources, and we're spending tens of millions of dollars enforcing low-level marijuana violations," he noted. "Everyone understands that money could be better spent actually protecting people. We think people here in the state will step up. Everyone understands we have a real chance to win," he said."We're also hoping that the general momentum of having for the first time multiple states ending marijuana prohibition will get the attention of folks around the country who care about the issue, and they can make donations on our web site or Facebook page . Those small donations are key, because the large donors look to see that we have a lot of individual people behind us."Factionalism and infighting has been the bane of the marijuana movement in Oregon, as in so many other places, but this time around, there is hope that once the dust settles, people will buckle down and support an initiative even if it was the one they supported in the beginning."I believe that as it becomes clear we're making the ballot and the others don't have the resources, they will in the end coalesce behind us," OMPI's Wolfe predicted. "The old style of marijuana politicking has not worked for some time in Oregon; it's time to view this as an important social justice issue like gay rights, equal opportunity, and unions. We're modernizing and mainstreaming this. We will not be having smoke-ins, but we will be putting on ties.""I'm supporting whatever makes the ballot and I think can win," Martinez said. "I'm on that bus; I don't care who's driving. I just don't want to lose again at the ballot box. Every time they see us lose, it chips away at our credibility."But first, one or more of the initiatives has to qualify for the ballot. It is by no means a done deal, but it is looking doable.
“Wow, I’m kind of stunned, I’m thinking Sputnik,” said Chester E. Finn Jr., who served in President Ronald Reagan ’s Department of Education, referring to the groundbreaking Soviet satellite launching. Mr. Finn, who has visited schools all across China, said, “I’ve seen how relentless the Chinese are at accomplishing goals, and if they can do this in Shanghai in 2009, they can do it in 10 cities in 2019, and in 50 cities by 2029.” The test, the Program for International Student Assessment, known as PISA, was given to 15-year-old students by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development , a Paris -based group that includes the world’s major industrial powers. The results are to be released officially on Tuesday, but advance copies were provided to the news media a day early. “We have to see this as a wake-up call,” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in an interview on Monday. “I know skeptics will want to argue with the results, but we consider them to be accurate and reliable, and we have to see them as a challenge to get better,” he added. “The United States came in 23rd or 24th in most subjects. We can quibble, or we can face the brutal truth that we’re being out-educated.” In math, the Shanghai students performed in a class by themselves, outperforming second-place Singapore , which has been seen as an educational superstar in recent years. The average math scores of American students put them below 30 other countries. PISA scores are on a scale, with 500 as the average. Two-thirds of students in participating countries score between 400 and 600. On the math test last year, students in Shanghai scored 600, in Singapore 562, in Germany 513, and in the United States 487. Advertisement Continue reading the main story In reading, Shanghai students scored 556, ahead of second-place Korea with 539. The United States scored 500 and came in 17th, putting it on par with students in the Netherlands , Belgium , Norway , Germany, France , the United Kingdom and several other countries. Photo In science, Shanghai students scored 575. In second place was Finland , where the average score was 554. The United States scored 502 — in 23rd place — with a performance indistinguishable from Poland , Ireland , Norway, France and several other countries. The testing in Shanghai was carried out by an international contractor, working with Chinese authorities, and overseen by the Australian Council for Educational Research, a nonprofit testing group, said Andreas Schleicher, who directs the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s international educational testing program. Mark Schneider, a commissioner of the Department of Education’s research arm in the George W. Bush administration , who returned from an educational research visit to China on Friday, said he had been skeptical about some PISA results in the past. But Mr. Schneider said he considered the accuracy of these results to be unassailable. “The technical side of this was well regulated, the sampling was O.K., and there was no evidence of cheating,” he said. Mr. Schneider, however, noted some factors that may have influenced the outcome. For one thing, Shanghai is a huge migration hub within China. Students are supposed to return to their home provinces to attend high school, but the Shanghai authorities could increase scores by allowing stellar students to stay in the city, he said. And Shanghai students apparently were told the test was important for China’s image and thus were more motivated to do well, he said. “Can you imagine the reaction if we told the students of Chicago that the PISA was an important international test and that America’s reputation depended on them performing well?” Mr. Schneider said. “That said, China is taking education very seriously. The work ethic is amazingly strong.” In a speech to a college audience in North Carolina , President Obama recalled how the Soviet Union’s 1957 launching of Sputnik provoked the United States to increase investment in math and science education, helping America win the space race. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “Fifty years later, our generation’s Sputnik moment is back,” Mr. Obama said. With billions of people in India and China “suddenly plugged into the world economy,” he said, nations with the most educated workers will prevail. “As it stands right now,” he said, “America is in danger of falling behind.” If Shanghai is a showcase of Chinese educational progress, America’s showcase would be Massachusetts , which has routinely scored higher than all other states on America’s main federal math test in recent years. But in a 2007 study that correlated the results of that test with the results of an international math exam, Massachusetts students scored behind Singapore, Hong Kong , South Korea , Taiwan , and Japan . Shanghai did not participate in the test. A 259-page Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report on the latest Pisa results notes that throughout its history, China has been organized around competitive examinations. “Schools work their students long hours every day, and the work weeks extend into the weekends,” it said. Chinese students spend less time than American students on athletics, music and other activities not geared toward success on exams in core subjects. Also, in recent years, teaching has rapidly climbed up the ladder of preferred occupations in China, and salaries have risen. In Shanghai, the authorities have undertaken important curricular reforms, and educators have been given more freedom to experiment. Ever since his organization received the Shanghai test scores last year, Mr. Schleicher said, international testing experts have investigated them to vouch for their accuracy, expecting that they would produce astonishment in many Western countries. “This is the first time that we have internationally comparable data on learning outcomes in China,” Mr. Schleicher said. “While that’s important, for me the real significance of these results is that they refute the commonly held hypothesis that China just produces rote learning.” “Large fractions of these students demonstrate their ability to extrapolate from what they know and apply their knowledge very creatively in novel situations,” he said.
A Russian internet investor who quit his PhD in physics and made a billion dollars from social networking and other investments has established the most lucrative annual prize in the history of science. Yuri Milner, who made his fortune from investments in Facebook, Twitter, Zynga and Groupon, has launched a clutch of awards to recognise advances in the obscure field of fundamental physics, which aims to understand the basic laws of nature. With each award worth $3m (£1.9m), the monetary value dwarfs that of the prestigious Nobel prize, which last year stood at $1.1m. Milner, who has homes in Silicon Valley and Moscow, announced nine immediate winners of the prize, which is worth a combined total of $27m. The nine will now form a committee to select a winner, or winners, for next year. The prize will be given in the first quarter of each year, unlike the Nobels, which are awarded in October. In an interview with the Guardian, Milner said the prize was for the "greatest minds working in the field of fundamental physics", and specifically for recent advances. In emphasising fresh achievements, Milner hopes the prize will help physicists who are still highly active in research and capable of major contributions in the future. When the Nobel prize is awarded for fundamental physics, the recipients are often at the end of their careers – or worse – because it can take decades for theoretical advances to be proved right by experiments. The discovery at the Cern physics lab in Geneva this year of what looks like the Higgs boson came 48 years after the particle was first proposed by Peter Higgs, who is only now in line for a Nobel prize, at the age of 83. His name is absent among the prizewinners announced by Milner because his work was done so long ago. According to Milner, the new prizes are not intended to compete with the Nobels, and differ in crucial ways. They can go to younger researchers because experimental verification of theoretical breakthroughs is not required. And, unlike a Nobel prize, which can be shared by three scientists at most, the Milner prize imposes no limit. The prize differs in other ways, too: anyone can nominate a winner online, and the selection panel is public, in contrast to the secretive gathering and closed voting process that decides the Nobel prizes each year. Alongside the main prize, Milner's foundation will give two further awards, the first being an annual New Horizons in Physics prize for promising junior researchers, and a special ad-hoc fundamental physics prize that can be awarded at any time, forgoing the usual nomination process. Milner said the latter prize might, for example, recognise experimental results that are clearly and immediately groundbreaking. Milner, 50, left Moscow State University in 1985 with an advanced degree in theoretical physics. He later abandoned a PhD at the Russian Academy of Sciences for an MBA at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Asked if the prizes intentionally trumped the Nobels, at least in monetary terms, he said: "The best minds in fundamental physics deserve that level of recognition. "There's no mathematical formula of how I came up with that number, but I wanted to send a message that fundamental science is important, so the sum had to be significant." On whether the awards made amends for his departure from physics, he added: "There's definitely an element of that. It's hard to deny." The prizewinners are encouraged to give annual public lectures as part of a concerted effort to raise the profile of fundamental physics and communicate the real meaning of the advances to as wide an audience as possible. The nine prizes recognise work that is often as difficult to pronounce as it is to explain. Maxim Kontsevich, at the Institute of Advanced Scientific Studies, near Paris, was honoured for the development of "homological mirror symmetry and the study of wall-crossing phenomena". Alexei Kitaev, at California Institute of Technology, won for work on using "topological quantum phases with anyons and unpaired Majorana modes". Four physicists at the Institute for Advanced Study, in Princeton – the former home of Albert Einstein – earned individual prizes, with three going to string theorists, who work on a model of reality that casts particles as vibrating strings of energy. The fourth, Nima Arkani-Hamed, was recognised for "original approaches to outstanding problems in particle phsyics". Speaking of the prize, Arkani-Hamed said: "Obviously, I'm biased, but I think it's a fantastic thing for the field. It puts a spotlight on the subject of fundamental physics, which we all have a sense is important. "Prizes don't motivate people to do physics. The rush of discovery is typically the greatest pleasure we have in this game, but this will be an opportunity to really showcase the subject." When asked what he planned to do with the $3m, Arkani-Hamed said: "I need to think about it some more." Two winners, Alan Guth at MIT and Andrei Linde at Stanford University, won separate awards for their work on the inflationary model of the universe, which proposes that the newborn cosmos expanded at a spectacular rate before slowing to a more sedentary pace. Though widely accepted among cosmologists, the work has not earned either scientist a Nobel prize. Reached at his home in the US, Guth said he hoped the new prize would raise the profile of fundamental physics research, as societal attitudes had an impact on young people's career choices. He pointed out that, had the prize been around a century ago, Albert Einstein might have won it for relativity, his greatest contribution to physics. He won the Nobel prize instead,for the photoelectric effect, in 1921, after it was confirmed by experiment. Guth, whose own work describes why the universe is the way we see it today, said he was unsure what to do with the $3m prize money. "It's awfully hard to think about," he said. "It took me a while to get accustomed to thinking about the inflation of the universe, and it will take me a while to become accustomed to thinking about this." The winners Nima Arkani-Hamed, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. For original approaches to outstanding problems in particle physics, including the proposal of large extra dimensions, new theories for the Higgs boson, novel realisations of supersymmetry, theories for dark matter, and the exploration of new mathematical structures in gauge theory scattering amplitudes. Alan Guth, MIT. For the invention of inflationary cosmology, and for his contributions to the theory for the generation of cosmological density fluctuations arising from quantum fluctuations in the early universe, and for his ongoing work on the problem of defining probabilities in eternally inflating spacetimes. Alexei Kitaev, California Institute of Technology. For the theoretical idea of implementing robust quantum memories and fault-tolerant quantum computation using topological quantum phases with anyons and unpaired Majorana modes. Maxim Kontsevich, Institute of Advanced Scientific Studies near Paris. For numerous contributions that have taken the fruitful interaction between modern theoretical physics and mathematics to new heights, including the development of homological mirror symmetry, and the study of wall-crossing phenomena. Andrei Linde, Stanford University. For the development of inflationary cosmology, including the theory of new inflation, eternal chaotic inflation and the theory of inflationary multiverse, and for contributing to the development of vacuum stabilisation mechanisms in string theory. Juan Maldacena, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. For the gauge/gravity duality, relating gravitational physics in a spacetime and quantum field theory on the boundary of the spacetime. This correspondence demonstrates that black holes and quantum mechanics are compatible, resolving the black hole information paradox. It also provides a useful tool for the study of strongly coupled quantum systems, giving insights into a range of problems from high-temperature nuclear matter to high-temperature superconductors. Nathan Seiberg, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. For major contributions to our understanding of quantum field theory and string theory. His exact analysis of supersymmetric quantum field theories led to deep new insights about their dynamics, with fundamental applications in physics and mathematics. Ashoke Sen, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad. For uncovering striking evidence of strong-weak duality in certain supersymmetric string theories and gauge theories, opening the path to the realisation that all string theories are different limits of the same underlying theory. Edward Witten, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. For contributions to physics spanning topics such as new applications of topology to physics, non-perturbative duality symmetries, models of particle physics derived from string theory, dark matter detection, and the twistor-string approach to particle scattering amplitudes, as well as numerous applications of quantum field theory to mathematics. • This article was amended on 31 July 2012 to give the correct spelling of Maxim Kontsevich
Image caption The last week has seen a number of anti-Roma rallies across Bulgaria About 2,000 Bulgarians have marched in the centre of the capital, Sofia, in an anti-Roma protest. The demonstrators said they were against corruption and organised crime, which they linked to Bulgaria's Roma or gypsy ethnic minority. There have been protests and sporadic violence since the death a week ago of a youth hit by a car driven by relatives of a Roma clan boss. President Georgy Parvanov has called for "an end to the language of hatred". "We are marching against all parasite communities, against the mafia," a protester named Filip told Reuters news agency. "We stand against this government and the political elite, against the impunity and the corruption," said another protesters. 'Extreme language' The unrest prompted Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and President Parvanov to call a meeting of the national security council. Afterwards, Mr Parvanov called on the media and politicians to "put an end to the language of hatred pushed to the extreme", AFP news agency quoted him as saying. The rising tension comes ahead of presidential elections on 23 October. In Sofia, the far-right Ataka party's candidate, Volen Siderov, spoke to several hundred supporters outside the presidential palace. He called for the death penalty to be reinstated and for Roma "ghettos to be dismantled", AFP said. Some of the crowd wore shirts that read: "I don't want to live in a Gypsy state." The unrest began on 24 September after a van carrying family members of Kiril Rashkov - nicknamed "King Kiro" - ran over and killed a 19-year-old man in the southern village of Katunitsa. An angry crowd of about 2,000 people then gathered and attacked three houses owned by the Roma leader in the village, shouting anti-Roma slogans. Small but at times violent demonstrations by nationalist youth then spread to other towns over the week. The violence is thought to be the worst since 1997, when an economic crisis and hyperinflation brought Bulgarians onto the streets. The Roma make up around 5% of Bulgaria's population of 7.4m. The unrest highlights tensions in Bulgaria, the poorest country in the European Union, as it struggles to emerge from deep economic recession.
PHILADELPHIA -- Bill Cosby's criminal sexual-assault case appears to be headed toward an evidence hearing after a judge denied his latest effort to throw the charges out. In a ruling Tuesday, the judge who refused to dismiss the case earlier this month denied Cosby's appeal of that decision. Judge rejects Bill Cosby's immunity deal with former DA The 78-year-old TV star is accused of drugging and violating an ex-Temple University employee at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004 and could get 10 years in prison if convicted. The defense insists Cosby had a promise from a previous district attorney that he would never be charged over the 2004 encounter. Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill, though, found the evidence of such an agreement lacking after hearing from the ex-prosecutor and others at a two-day hearing. He said the issue doesn't warrant an immediate appeal that would delay the scheduled March 8 preliminary hearing. "An immediate appeal from these orders would not materially advance the ultimate termination of the matter," the judge wrote in a brief order. A spokesman for Cosby's lawyers said it was unclear if they would appeal to the state Superior Court. "Today's ruling was not a rejection of Mr. Cosby's appeal which is not within the jurisdiction of the Court of Common Pleas but instead will be filed in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania," a statement said. "Today's ruling denied our request for the lower court to amend its order denying Mr. Cosby's Habeas Petition to include specific language certifying the appeal." What's next in the Bill Cosby sexual assault case? Cosby's lawyers have argued that the charges stem from a political feud between former District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr., who had declined to arrest Cosby a decade ago, and Kevin Steele, who invoked the case as he campaigned against Castor last fall. Steele won the race for district attorney and filed charges against Cosby in December, days before the filing deadline expired. Dozens of women in recent years have come forward and accused Cosby of sexual impropriety spanning decades. Cosby, who played Dr. Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" from 1984 to 1992 and has been married for decades, has denied the women's accusations. The statute of limitations has expired in most of the cases against him. Cosby, whose legal residence is in western Massachusetts, remains free on $1 million bail.
Phil Jackson and Steve Kerr have more in common than the 1990s Chicago Bulls. (AP) The legal use of marijuana, whether it be medicinally or recreationally, is gaining steam in the NBA. First, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted last week to using legally prescribed marijuana during his recovery from a 2015 back surgery, questioning how a league could encourage prescription painkiller use for players healing from injury while listing marijuana among its banned substances. Scroll to continue with content Ad Now, New York Knicks president Phil Jackson has followed Kerr’s admission with tales of recreational marijuana use during his own recovery from back surgery as a player in 1969, suggesting the recent legalization of cannabis in several states will force the NBA to address a rule now in conflict with law. [Follow Ball Don’t Lie on social media: Twitter \| Instagram \| Facebook \| Tumblr] In an appearance on CBS Sports Network’s “We Need to Talk” on Tuesday, during which he touched on several subjects, including a non-apology for his controversial “posse” remarks on LeBron James, Jackson was asked about Kerr’s recent comments on marijuana. This was his response, in its entirety: Story continues “I don’t know about its medicinal ability. I know that when I had back surgery, the year I was off I was smoking marijuana during that period of time. I think it was a distraction for me as much as a pain reliever, but I never thought of it as ultimately a pain medication for that type of situation. I know for ocular things, stomach digestive issues and other things I think it is regarded quite highly. “We’re in a situation that’s in flux. We have states — Washington, D.C., Colorado — that have legalized marijuana. Those are going to raise issues. We also have a testing regiment that we go through in the NBA, so we’re kind of in conflict with what is going to be the law. I see that as a decision that’s — I don’t know if we can equate it to gay marriage or whatever else — but it’s a decision that’s going to be made by our population at some point. They’re going to come out and make that decision for us, I think, instead of legislators trying to make the decision. “I think we’ve tried to stop it in the NBA. I don’t think we’ve been able to stop it. I think it still goes on and is still a part of their culture in the NBA, and I think it’s something we either have to accommodate or we have to figure out another way to deal with it.” As others have noted, Jackson already discussed his 1960s and ’70s marijuana and LSD use in both his 1975 autobiography, “Maverick,” and 2001 biography, “Mindgames: Phil Jackson’s Long Strange Journey,” weighing perceived mind-altering benefits of such substances against the inherent dangers. Phil Jackson admitted to using marijuana while recovering from injury as a player in 1969. (Getty Images) Jackson did not elaborate on any potential personal marijuana use after the 1969-70 season, when he missed the entirety of New York’s championship campaign following spinal fusion surgery, but he did suggest marijuana was still prevalent among today’s players. In 1997, when Jackson and Kerr’s Chicago Bulls were in the midst of winning six titles, The New York Times famously reported roughly 60-70 percent of the league smoked marijuana, and that number may be higher now, if Jay Williams’ 75-80 percent estimate this past May is accurate. In other words, marijuana is not a new issue for the NBA. [Sign up for Yahoo Fantasy Basketball \| Mock Draft \| The Vertical \| Latest news] According to the 2011 collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and its players’ association, all players are subject to as many as six tests per year, randomly scheduled by a third-party entity — four during the season from October 1 to June 30 and two more in the offseason months between. Players cannot be suspended until a third violation of the marijuana policy, which includes court convictions for use or possession in addition to positive tests, at which point they face a five-game ban (10 for a fourth violation, 15 for a fifth, etc.). The NBA’s enforcement of its policy is widely considered lax, and Adam Silver suggested as much in an interview with GQ in 2014, when Chuck Klosterman asked the commissioner if Colorado’s legalization of pot would force the NBA to adjust: “It doesn’t force us to change our policy. Plenty of employers have rules against employees drinking, which is perfectly legal. This is a policy matter, and it’s our strong preference that our players do not consume marijuana. We believe it will affect their performance on the court. That said, marijuana testing is something that’s collectively bargained with the players’ association, and we adjust to the times. But we’re much more concerned about HGH testing and designer performance-enhancing drugs. Among our many priorities going forward, marijuana is not at the top of our list.” Still, two players have been slapped with drug suspensions as a result of marijuana use in the past three seasons, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Mitch McGary and Milwaukee Bucks big man Larry Sanders, both of whom are no longer in the league, and they offer interesting case studies in the debate over policy vs. productivity. Would Sanders, a rising star, still be in the league if he were allowed to use marijuana? And would McGary, a relative bust, still be in the league if he never used marijuana? The answers to those questions could shape the NBA’s marijuana policy moving forward. However, the league did not expect in mid-November to drastically alter its policy in the forthcoming 2016 CBA, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor. This despite eight teams (Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards) playing in cities with legalized recreational marijuana and an additional 12 (Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors) in states with legalized medical marijuana. That’s two-thirds of the NBA. With Kerr and Jackson now publicly addressing the subject, you wonder if both the NBA and its players’ association will take another look at it before the CBA’s expected final approval later this month. After all, if Kerr can admit to consuming edible marijuana in the same season he won NBA Coach of the Year honors, without repercussion from the league, it does seem hypocritical to hold players to a higher standard — to say nothing of a team doctor allegedly prescribing painkillers as an alternative to marijuana for a player who ultimately left the league over mental health issues. [Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Basketball contest now \| Free NBA Yahoo Cup entry] None of this is to say abolition of the marijuana policy is a universally held belief among NBA players and coaches. Between Kerr and Jackson raising the issue over the past week, Suns head coach Earl Watson and Houston Rockets player development coach John Lucas expressed their concerns about such a policy change, specifically for the message it might send to still-developing youth athletes. Those worries should also hold weight in the NBA conversation, even if Watson and Lucas do not have the championship resumes of Kerr and Jackson. We can debate the merits of arguments for or against marijuana — its addictiveness, effect on the brain, reputation as a gateway drug and relatively mild influence in relation to NBA-legal alcohol and prescription drugs, among other sources of contention — but the point here is that this debate has become increasingly difficult for the league to ignore. Jackson suggested there was a tipping point for the NBA once enough of the population voted in favor of legalized marijuana, and you have to wonder — now that two-thirds of the league’s teams play in cities that have passed some form of it into law and an estimated three-quarters of its players use the substance — whether we’ve surpassed that tipping point. Maybe they should put it up for a vote. – – – – – – – Ben Rohrbach is a contributor for Ball Don’t Lie and Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Riley MacDonald, the Yarmouth, N.S., teen who snapped a photo of her high school friends posing on a deck at the very moment it began to collapse, wants to set the record straight about the day's events after a flurry of criticism on Facebook. Riley MacDonald, 17, was at a friend's house on Hanf Road in Brazil Lake for Senior Skip Day 2015 on June 12. The majority of students at the party were Grade 12 students, including her best friend. But what should have been a day of celebration and relaxation ended with blood and tears in the afternoon. The memory keeps MacDonald awake at night. She said the day started off on a happy note. "There was no drama," she said. "Everyone was getting along and stuff. We were just sitting around in camp chairs in a circle, just talking and having a good time." How it happened About an hour into the party, one of the graduating students suggested they all pose on the deck for photos since their handmade posters were already taped to the deck's glass. MacDonald said she stood on the lawn, with another student's phone, and snapped two photos of the group of about 40 students in rapid succession. The homeowner's wife was also taking photos at the time. "I got one good picture, and I got the picture with the bend in the middle, like one second after," she said. The first of the two photos MacDonald took. This one was taken just a moment before the deck began to give way. (Riley MacDonald) In the second photo, the crucial moment was captured: surprised faces, wood splintering and shattering beneath those posing. MacDonald said by the time she lowered the phone, she was in shock. Her friends were sprawled on the ground, some crying out in pain. "I can't really tell you what I did immediately after, but I probably stood there for about a minute and then called my mom." MacDonald said her mother told her to calm down, hang up, and help as many people as she could. "In my head, one of my first thoughts was, 'Where's (my best friend) Alyssa?' But where she landed, she wasn't hurt," MacDonald said. "So, once she got up, she was like me. We were just trying to help people … running around frantically with water and paper towels for the blood and stuff." 'We're being bullied' MacDonald calls the collapse "a freak accident" in which alcohol was not a factor. About a dozen students were taken to hospital with cuts and bruises and one had a broken ankle. In the two weeks since the incident, MacDonald said she's had trouble sleeping. "I just kept hearing the crunch of it collapsing and I just kept seeing it over and over. And I'd wake up every hour through the night." On June 20, MacDonald's photo was posted to the Facebook page for EMS1, a paramedic news network based in San Francisco. The post was captioned, "Have you responded to a deck or balcony collapse? What are your lessons learned for other EMS professionals?" Since its posting, there have been 80 comments from multiple users, a large number of whom were critical of how the incident was handled and the common sense of those who were there that day. MacDonald said the responses have made her angry, and she wants to set the record straight. "[They] don't realize the damage they're doing to us. All over again. And like, we're being bullied. Everyone just needs to be thankful that everyone is alive today. And that all those students will walk across the stage, come graduation next week," she said. "I just want people to realize the true story of what happened. I want people to stop judging on what they think they know." MacDonald said she doesn't know how EMS1 found the photo. "They must have took it from a share off someone's wall. I never gave them permission to use the picture," she said.
Composite includes image by wesvandinter, E+, Getty Images, St. George News OPINION — Those who maintain that what happened in Bunkerville in April of 2014 was simply about Cliven Bundy’s cows and the federal Bureau of Land Management are getting a much needed reality check. It was a symptom of a much larger long-term problem involving government power being exercised without proper limits or accountability. When Judge Gloria Navarro declared a mistrial in the case against Cliven, Ammon and Ryan Bundy last week, virtually no one in the courtroom was shocked. Even the most openly hostile media representatives who have been covering the Bundys could see the writing on the wall. Read more: Mistrial announced in Bundy case The official narrative, which falsely depicted the defendants as dangerous, violent men who posed a deadly threat to government officers and the public in general, had been breaking up on the rocks of reality for some time. Federal indictments were revealed to be long on melodrama and short on substance and did not accurately reflect what happened in Bunkerville back in 2014. As more and more facts found their way to daylight, a very different picture began to emerge as to who were the aggressors and who were the victims in this case. The government’s case against the Bundy family members and Ryan Payne had already failed to persuade jurors in a number of previous cases. This wasn’t a matter of the defendants exploiting loopholes or deftly out-lawyering the prosecution. The juries weren’t stacked with Bundy supporters who could be counted on to oppose the government for ideological reasons. Jurors came to realize they simply could not trust that their government was telling them the truth. In explaining her reasons for declaring the mistrial, Navarro cited several key pieces of evidence that prosecutors willfully failed to turn over to the defense during the discovery phase of the trial. Navarro pointedly emphasized the “willful suppression” of evidence as she listed each one. This included information regarding an FBI surveillance camera posted outside the Bundy’s ranch, documents that identified BLM snipers posted outside the ranch eight days before the April 14 standoff. Also withheld was an FBI log with entries stating “snipers were inserted” and on standby outside the Bundy home. In addition, prosecutors willfully withheld at least four threat assessments that admitted the Bundys weren’t violent and that the BLM was “antagonizing” the family. Finally, the government suppressed an internal affairs document that admitted there was no documentation of any desert tortoises being injured by Bundy’s cattle grazing on the federal land. Over and over, federal prosecutors had accused the Bundys of deceiving those who rallied to their support in April of 2014, saying that they had falsely claimed they were being targeted by a militarized task force and in fear of their lives. Prosecutors openly mocked these assertions and the defendants’ efforts to compel the release of documents verifying the nature of the operation. Ironically, it was the government’s own witnesses who inadvertently spilled the beans and verified the existence of this exculpatory evidence while they were testifying. Once the first cracks began to appear in the prosecution’s case, an unstoppable torrent of previously hidden truths began to spill forth. Long story short, it was government agents, not the Bundys, who were the aggressors and who lawlessly sought to provoke violence. Truth is what turned the government’s case on its head. The jury was not going to convict them. Remember, it would only have taken a single juror refusing to convict to hang the jury and force a mistrial. In this latest trial, the vast majority of jurors were solidly on the side of the defendants. This became crystal clear after the defendants and their counsel had the opportunity to visit with the jurors after they were released from their duties. One African-American juror, immediately walked from the jury box, gently moved a person aside who was visiting with Ryan Bundy and wrapped Bundy up in a big hug. It’s telling that the people who are most upset about this trial ending in failure for the government are those who weren’t in the courtroom and who haven’t examined the evidence for themselves. Their hysterical outbursts are a poor substitute for reasoned observation. It’s understandable that people can become dug in ideologically and find it difficult to adjust their thinking upon encountering new truth. None of us wishes to be dragged kicking and screaming to the realization that that we were wrong. Still, it must be said. Far too many people have wrongly allowed the Bundy family and their supporters to be reduced to a one-dimensional headline. Will they continue to cling to official untruths? This doesn’t mean that everyone must become a supporter of the Bundys. However, now that we know that a patently false, self-serving narrative was put forth by government and parroted by the media, it does raise the question, how can we trust what they say? More importantly, how do we intend to hold unchecked and aggressive government agencies accountable? Bryan Hyde is an opinion columnist specializing in current events viewed through what he calls the lens of common sense. The opinions stated in this article are his and not representative of St. George News. Email: bryanh@stgnews.com Twitter: @youcancallmebry Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.
Every summer, normally tranquil fields across Britain suddenly crowd with visitors – some in eccentric garb, some smothered in mud, nearly all in varying states of merriment or disinhibition. Apart from exuberant dancing, ukulele-strumming, campfire-tending and twig-whittling all tend to be activities of choice. Throw in an ancient woodland clearing or stately home and you have that most quintessential of bucolic British experiences: the music festival. The festival calendar includes dozens of recent arrivals, like Festival Number 6, The Good Life Experience and Elderflower Fields, alongside established events such as Bestival, Latitude and Glastonbury. And the number is only increasing. Britain cannot claim the music festival as its own. It is, of course, a phenomenon that has expanded across the globe, not to mention beyond music – food, arts, crafts, philosophical talks and general communing with nature are as much a part of the new generation of festivals as live bands. At the same time, the festival’s roots go back a long way in Britain. Wild carousing is deeply embedded in the nation’s history as a way of letting off steam and inverting the traditional social structure, while the notion of bonding with fellow human beings after a winter’s isolation was integral to early gatherings. Could Brits be hard-wired by their heritage to be festival mad? Prehistoric parties Indeed, mass revelry goes back even further than we previously thought. In 2013, archaeologists from University College London discovered cattle teeth at Stonehenge, indicating that the famous prehistoric stone circle was the site of vast communal feasts as early as 250BC. The research suggests that up to one tenth of the entire British population – coming from as far as Scotland –gathered together there. As archaeology professor Mike Parker Pearson quips, it was “the only time in prehistory that the people of Britain were unified.” Other ancient festivals, too, were aimed at creating a sense of belonging. At Beltane, the May Day festival that originated in Scotland and Ireland, communities gathered to celebrate their proximity to nature – and to each other. But class, not just communalism, was a part of the story, too. Winter solstice, also known as Saturnalia, was especially famous for reversing social roles: men dressed as women and women as men. Masters waited on their slaves, who were temporarily freed. Taking on new identities with elaborate fancy dress remains a huge part of festival culture in Britain; at Bestival, it’s even in the motto (“dressing up to get down”). And so, in a sense, is the inversion of the social structure. Today, many land owners and aristocrats open up their estates (for a fee) to the general public, letting them run wild in a space normally off-limits. As the Church became dominant and sought to win over converts from the 4th Century on, many of these festivals, originally celebrated as part of the agricultural calendar, were incorporated into Christian celebrations. “June to September was a ‘merrie time’ full of revelry,” says Tom Hodgkinson, co-founder of the Idler Academy, which runs philosophical, life-skill and crafts courses at festivals around the country. “On feast days, you weren’t allowed to work, and there was a lot of drinking… all approved of by the Church.” The Reformation of the 16th Century put a dampener on festivities, thanks to crack-downs by Puritans who thought the feast days were too pagan. Revelry’s return But Saturnalia-style mayhem couldn’t be absent from Britain forever. Its 20th Century embodiment appeared in the 1970s and ‘80s with chaotic, usually free and largely LSD-fuelled gatherings. Among them were the Isle of Wight, Stonehenge and Glastonbury festivals, beloved by the hippie crowd and new-age travellers. Although the Isle of Wight festival and Glastonbury are still held annually, the Stonehenge festival ended badly in 1985 with the so-called Battle of the Beanfield: the police – who had obtained a high-court injunction – prevented a convoy of several hundred new age travellers from setting up the festival, leading to a violent confrontation. Lord of the Manor Peregrine St Germans knows this sense of anarchy first-hand: from 1981, the Earl hosted the Elephant Fayre festival each year at his Cornwall estate. Characterised by impromptu poetry readings by the likes of Heathcote Williams and other performance “happenings,” the Elephant Fayre was founded on “counter culture – fun and excess,” St Germans says. In one incident, he recalls, “a gang of ‘warriors’ dressed as Vikings, samurais, American Indians and gladiators, allowed people to fire real bows and real arrows at them from 50 or 60 yards. No casualties.” That “atmosphere of genial anarchy,” as his son Louis Eliot puts it, was all the more chaotic for its setting, Port Eliot – a 6,000-acre idyll complete with its own church, Iron Age fort, estuary, boat house and ancient woodland. Against that lush backdrop, Louis Eliot remembers musicians singing at campfires and the space rock group Hawkwind playing an impromptu show – not to mention baked goods “that could keep your imagination whirring” and people who “spent days caked in river mud.” In 1986, the anarchy became a little too much: the family closed the festival down following vandalism and hard-drug use. In the late 1980s, spontaneous hedonism re-emerged in a different vein with the birth of rave, dubbed the Second Summer of Love. Huge house music parties in empty warehouses and fields spread rapidly across Britain in an explosion of youth culture. At Castlemorton Free Festival in Worcestershire in 1992, around 30,000 people partied on the town common for an entire weekend. Soon after, the Criminal Justice Act of 1994 gave police the power to shut down events featuring music that was “characterised by the emission of a succession of repetitive beats” – a clause aimed squarely at Britain’s rave scene. In recent years, the British festival has become more sophisticated and mainstream, complete with corporate sponsorships, ‘glamping’ and champagne bars. Since 2003, Peregrine St Germans’ grand estate has been home to the fashionable Port Eliot Festival. With a cornucopia of events, from live comedy to fashion shows, the July event is a far cry from its earlier, grungier incarnation – and commands a correspondingly high entrance fee. That fee, of course, helps with the estate’s upkeep: increasingly, festivals provide a welcome income stream for the landed classes. If Downton Abbey were set in 2015, Lord Grantham would probably be hosting a festival to help keep the family afloat. Even more than that, though, opening their grand estates to the throngs is something that the landed gentry should be doing – at least according to Peregrine St Germans. Families like his, he says, have the key components of festivals: “the facilities, lovely grounds, park land, huge trees the size of a cathedral, rivers, beautiful gardens. I think that they should share it for a few days with others.” British festivals may be less wild affairs now than in the 1970s and ‘80s. But for their devotees, the essential elements are still there, just as they were decades or even centuries ago: communality, escape, freedom, nature, revelry. “Everybody on the site is on the same side,” says Port Eliot’s host. “It’s aimed at stimulating the brain all day and partying all night.” Or, as Hodgkinson puts it: “It’s our party spirit, our free spirit. It’s all about suspending normal rules for a few days.” This story is a part of BBC Britain – a new series focused on exploring this extraordinary island, one story at a time. Readers outside of the UK can see every BBC Britain story by heading to the Britain homepage; you also can see our latest stories by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
A man has been arrested after remains — reportedly including a severed head and foot — were tentatively identified as those of a Seattle-area mother of three, authorities said late Monday. Ingrid Lyne, 40, was last seen Friday night before going on a date to a Seattle Mariners game, Q13 Fox reported. She was reported missing the following morning after she failed to collect her three daughters from her ex-husband as scheduled. John Robert Charlton, 37, was arrested in connection with Lyne’s disapperance and booked into King County Jail for investigation of homicide. The Seattle Times reported that Charlton has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for misdemeanor assault in 1997 and misdemeanor battery in Idaho in 2009. Q13 Fox reported that Charlton was also arrested for felony theft in Montana in 2009. The Associated Press reported on a negligent driving arrest in Washington State in 1998 and a second-degree felony for aggravated robbery in Utah in 2006. "We used some forensic evidence dealing with telephone calls and cell towers and the usual investigative shoe leather, utilizing those we were led to a suspect early on," said Seattle Assistant Police Chief Robert Merner. The station, citing friends of Lyne, reported that she had met Charlton online in either February or March and the two had been dating since. It was not clear on which website the two had met. The King County Medical Examiner's Office will make the final determination of identity. However, the Seattle Times reported that Lyne's head was among the body parts found in a recycling bin in Seattle's Central District, enabling detectives to identify her. Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O'Toole said that investigators don't believe there are any other suspects in the case. Homicide detectives still searching for silver 2015 Toyota Highlander # AUW3230 (similar to pic). Call 911 if seen pic.twitter.com/i8fVnSNHQH — Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) April 12, 2016 Investigators also located Lyne's silver 2015 Toyota Highlander SUV, which had been reported stolen along with her disappearance. A statement said the vehicle had been found in downtown Seattle, but did not elaborate further. Investigators determined the remains, which were packaged in plastic bags, had been placed in the bin late Friday or early Saturday. A police spokesman said the bin would have been empty because recyclables were collected on the block on Fridays. "The purse, the telephone and everything was in [her] house," Lyne's neighbor Edward Franceschina told Q13 Fox. Franceschina told the Seattle Times that detectives had converged on the quiet middle-class neighborhood about 11 miles southeast of downtown with a mobile crime lab early Sunday morning. "I saw them doing their thing,” he said. “They came out with boxes and were here a couple of hours. I finally went to bed at 3 a.m. when they left." Seattle's Swedish Medical Center confirmed Lyne was an employee. Her children reportedly are staying with a family friend. Click for more from The Seattle Times. Click for more from Q13 Fox. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Soon we may get the first ever glimpse of the dark side of the sun. Well, no, there's no actual dark side of a luminous ball of burning gas, but there is an effective dark side, as in, the side of the sun we can't see at any given time. Scientists aren't content to get just half of the picture, so they've launched the STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatories) mission, a pair of NASA spacecraft that will orbit the sun simultaneously to provide a complete view of all sides of the star at once. "Then there will be no place to hide and we can see the entire sun for the first time," STEREO project scientist Michael Kaiser of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center told Wired.com. The perfect spherical view will come on Feb. 6, 2011. Right now the satellites, which were launched in October 2006, are about 90 degrees apart, which allows a picture of about 270 degrees of the sun — the fullest view yet. "The whole goal of all of this is to try to get a better handle to try to predict solar storms, which cause cell phone disturbances, and disruptions to communications and power." Kaiser said. "We'd like to be able to predict these things as far in advance as possible to give us a longer warning time." Solar storms are magnetic disruptions on the sun that release violent sprays of charged particles into space. These storms can produce magnificent displays of the Northern Lights. But some past storms have also cost airlines and satellite communications industries millions of dollars, and have led to large scale power blackouts (including one across the entire province of Quebec, Canada). Being able to reliably forecast these tempests in advance could make a huge difference in preventing disturbances on Earth. Predicting solar weather is also important for the future of manned spaceflight. If astronauts are exposed to the intense radiation from solar storms while traveling beyond the protective magnetic field of the Earth, they could suffer serious harm. Even astronauts close to home who venture out for a spacewalk during a storm are put in danger. "For future missions going to the moon and Mars, that's very important," Kaiser said. "Some of these solar storms can be very intense. If the astronauts were completely exposed to one of these storms the radiation could be high." The STEREO mission also aims to improve our basic scientific understanding of the dynamics within the sun, which could shed light on the workings of stars in general. See Also: Image: One of the first photos taken by STEREO of flares on the sun. Credit: NASA
Dwayne Roloson has quickly become the backbone of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Roloson made 38 saves for his fourth shutout in a month, Teddy Purcell scored two early first- period goals, and the Lightning beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 at the St. Pete Times Forum on Tuesday night in a matchup of the Eastern Conference's top two teams. Roloson made 38 saves for his fourth shutout in a month, Teddy Purcell scored two early first- period goals, and the Lightning beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 at the St. Pete Times Forum on Tuesday night in a matchup of the Eastern Conference's top two teams. "I think it's one of those things, you cherish the moment, but at the same time we've got to forget about it," Roloson said. "We've got another big game on Friday against Washington." Jonathan Toews Center - CHI GOALS: 18 \| ASST: 25 \| PTS: 43 SOG: 147 \| +/-: 9 Niklas Backstrom Goalie - MIN RECORD: 16-11-3 GAA: 2.43 \| SVP: 0.925 Avalanche at Blues (ppd.) All four of Roloson's shutouts have come in 11 games since the Lightning obtained the 41-year old from the New York Islanders in exchange for minor-league defenseman Ty Wishart on New Year's Day."I don't think it's a roll," Roloson said. "I just think that the team is playing great. I'm fortunate enough to be making the best of an opportunity."Tampa Bay went up 2-0 just 1:21 into the game on Purcell's first career two-goal game. Steven Stamkos added his NHL-leading 39th goal of the season, and Steve Downie also scored for the Lightning, who have a six-game winning streak. Tampa Bay, which has won all three games against the Flyers this season, trails the conference leaders by two points."You can't beat a team like that if you don't have everybody on the same page," Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher said.The Lightning have missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and haven't won a postseason series since winning the franchise's only Stanley Cup in 2004.Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled after giving up three goals on six shots during the first, and was replaced by Brian Boucher . Philadelphia lost for just the third time in the last 13 games."When you're down 2-0 on two shots, I think it surprised everybody," Philadelphia coach Peter Laviolette said.Purcell scored from the slot at 19 seconds off a give-and-go with Vincent Lecavalier . Just 62 seconds later, Simon Gagne 's shot went into the net off Purcell's leg. Purcell has 3 goals and 7 points in his past three games."I don't think we were out of sorts in the first," Flyers captain Mike Richards said. "I just thought they were very opportunistic. We gave them, probably, too many scoring chances. It's just one of those games, I guess."Roloson, coming off a 2-0 shutout of Toronto, stopped all 13 shots he faced in the opening 20 minutes. He also made four saves early in the third, including an in-close chance by James Van Riemsdyk "He's been our backbone back there," Purcell said.Downie made it 3-0 from at 14:24 of the first. Stamkos extended the Tampa Bay advantage to 4-0 with 11:09 left in the third.The Lightning have started a 12-game homestand with three straight wins, outscoring their opponents 13-1 over the stretch. Tyler Bozak and Colby Armstrong scored in the shootout as Toronto beat Florida at the Air Canada Centre. Jean-Sebastien Giguere allowed a goal to David Booth on a nice spin move to open the shootout, but then stopped Mike Santorelli and Chris Higgins . He added 30 saves in regulation. Phil Kessel took an elbowing penalty with 4:15 remaining, and 34 seconds later Cory Stillman tied the game at 3-3.Kessel had a breakaway in the final seconds but couldn't beat Scott Clemmensen , extending his goal drought to eight games."I thought he was buzzing," Leafs forward Clarke MacArthur said of Kessel. "He had a lot of shots, they just didn't go in for him." Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs, who won for the second time in eight games. Stephen Weiss and David Booth also scored in regulation for the Panthers, who have won just once in their last seven games."You're never happy with one point," Panthers coach Peter DeBoer said, "but it was probably a fair outcome."Grabovski put the Leafs up 3-2 at 6:16 of the second when he redirected Kaberle's point shot past Clemmensen on a power play. The goal came just 1:22 after a high-sticking penalty by Jay Rosehill allowed the Panthers to tie it 4:54. Keaton Ellerby made a pretty cross-ice pass from the point to Michael Frolik at the side of the goal, and he centered it in front for Booth to tap in.The Leafs led 2-1 after the first period.Versteeg opened the scoring at 7:20 with a clever goal. Standing behind the net, he picked up the rebound of a failed pass out front and banked the puck in off the backside of Clemmensen, who was unsure of where the puck had gone.The Panthers tied it at 18:06 when Weiss took a Chris Higgins pass on a 3-on-1 rush and beat Giguere low to the stick side.The Leafs reclaimed the lead just 23 seconds later when Clarke MacArthur dug the puck out of the corner and sent a pass to Kulemin, who wired a shot from the faceoff dot past Clemmensen's blocker.Leafs forward Mike Brown left the game in the second period and didn't return after taking a heavy hit from Ellerby along the boards. Jonathan Toews had a shorthanded goal and a pair of assists and Chicago started a grueling six-game, 12-day road trip by beating Columbus at Nationwide Arena. Patrick Kane added a goal and an assist, while Nick Leddy Dave Bolland and Marian Hossa also scored for Chicago, which plays 20 of its last 32 regular-season games on the road. Fernando Pisani and Brent Seabrook each had two assists as the Blackhawks overcame a 3-2 second-period deficit by scoring four consecutive goals."It was a tough start tonight. Everybody on both sides was trying to find their bearings again," said Seabrook, who was flipped upside down by R.J. Umberger by a highlight-reel check in the third period. "We came out hard and had a good second part of the second period and a great third. It was good to see Marty shut the door and really give us the opportunity to win." Samuel Pahlsson and Matt Calvert tallied for the Blue Jackets, who started the night just five points out of the final playoff spot in the West but in a tie for 13th place."That was an ugly game for sure," Jackets coach Scott Arniel said. "I'm sure (Blackhawks coach) Joel (Quenneville) would say the same on his side. There were lots of chances and it was pretty sloppy."Columbus scored twice in 42 seconds -- Brassard on a slick assist from Rick Nash and Pahlsson on a shot from the right wing through traffic -- for a 3-2 lead early in the second period. Following a timeout, the Blackhawks then took control.An instant after killing Stalberg's roughing penalty, they tied it when Stalberg joined a rush and benefited from Pisani's helper to notch his eighth.Kane crashed the net just as Toews stole the puck from Columbus' Chris Clark on the back boards, Toews sliding a centering pass that Kane converted for the go-ahead goal.The backbreaker came with 40 seconds left in the period when Toews won a battle for the puck near the offensive zone blue line with Columbus defenseman Fedor Tyutin and then skated past another defenseman, Grant Clitsome , who had overcommitted, before beating goaltender Steve Mason to make it 5-3."You don't expect to score four straight," Toews said. "You don't want to have to. But it always seems that we respond to those timeouts."Hossa's goal was a shorthanded empty-netter in the final minute.The first period ended prematurely when the lights in Nationwide dimmed for several minutes.The officials sent the teams to the dressing rooms with 39.6 seconds left in the first period after the arena lights dimmed slightly -- although not enough to hinder play.There was plenty of electricity on the ice before that.The Blue Jackets, who had trailed 2-0 in their last three games, got on the board first when Dorsett collected the puck off the back wall from Keith, then jammed the puck past Turco inside the near post for his third of the year.Chicago tied it at 9:10 when Leddy, called up on Monday from Rockford of the American Hockey League, took a pass from Jack Skille and scored on a floater that appeared to go in off the crossbar.The Blackhawks then had 1:46 with a two-man advantage. With 15 seconds left in the 5 on 3, Keith stepped into a rocket at the right dot and blistered the one-timer past Mason.With full power back on, the players returned from the intermission to play the final seconds of the first period, then switched ends for the second period. Rene Bourque scored the only goal in a shootout, and Calgary rallied to beat Nashville at Bridgestone Arena for its fifth straight victory.The Flames trailed 1-0 heading into the third period, but Matt Stajan and Cory Sarich scored to help Calgary force overtime.In the shootout, Bourque slipped the puck under Pekka Rinne 's leg to start. Alex Tanguay lost the puck, then Rinne stopped Olli Jokinen . But Miikka Kiprusoff stopped Martin Erat and Cody Franson "If you win, you might move up a slot," Flames captain Jarome Iginla said. "But there are so many teams that if you lose you're moving down two for sure because someone from that group is winning. Every game gets more important from here on out. It's going to be a heck of a race with so many teams that are within a few points of each other." David Legwand had a last chance to extend the shootout but couldn't beat Kiprusoff. Patric Hornqvist had a power-play goal for Nashville. Martin Erat also scored and Sergei Kostitsyn added two assists."We've got to hunker down when it's 1-0 and go from there and not let anything else happen after that," Legwand said.Calgary has gone past regulation six times in the past 11 games and improved to 7-4 in shootouts this season. More important, the Flames continue their rally in the Western Conference, having grabbed at least a point in 10 of their last 11 games."We just stayed the course, kept plugging away, kept working hard. We never did anything fancy, but we did a lot of things the right way," Calgary coach Brent Sutter said.It felt as if the Predators were playing for the shootout with a 6-2 record in them coming into the game. Rinne, the NHL's third star for January, got Nashville to the shootout by stopping four shots in overtime, with his best a stick save on Jokinen with 2:20 left. He also smothered a slap shot by Stajan 15 seconds later.The Predators now have lost three straight, picking up where they left off going into the All-Star weekend.They seemed in control most of the game. Erat scored his seventh from the slot, tipping in a nice pass from Kostitsyn from the left circle at 7:43 of the first past Kiprusoff's glove. The Predators wound up taking 10 of the next 12 shots.Kiprusoff also put Nashville on the power play at the end of the second period, swiping his glove across Predators center Nick Spaling 's face. But Nashville couldn't convert."At least we got one point tonight, but there comes a point where we've got to figure out how to lock things down," Preds captain Shea Weber said. "There are 31 games left, and if we're not going to find a way to get two points, we're going to be out of the playoffs."Stajan tied it up at 1-1 at 2:57 in the third with his fourth goal of the season with a slap shot off an assist from Tim Jackman Nashville took the lead back with a rare power-play goal. Hornqvist scored his 16th this season with a wrister from the slot off a pass from Shea Weber , beating Kiprusoff glove-side at 4:56 -- just 28 seconds after Jokinen went to the penalty box for tripping.It didn't last long as Sarich scored from the right circle at 9:04 to tie it up at 2-all."They've been consistent efforts," Sarich said of this streak. "That's the biggest thing. Giving ourselves a chance and not beating ourselves. We're staying in games. We've limited our mistakes from the start of the year, and that's been huge for our success." Niklas Backstrom somehow made a kick save with his right skate against Jack Johnson , one of three he made in the shootout, and Pierre-Marc Bouchard followed with the game-winner to lift Minnesota past Los Angeles at the Xcel Energy Center."He had me beat so I tried just to get something up there and got lucky," Backstrom said. "It hit my skate. You need those every now and then."The Kings were 5-0 this season in shootouts and Backstrom had lost eight straight shootouts before Tuesday night."From the bench, all I saw was open net," Wild coach Todd Richards said.Bouchard beat Jonathan Bernier with a nifty little backhand through the five-hole and Backstrom also stopped Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown to help the Wild get a much-needed two points in the airtight Western Conference.Bernier was even better than Backstrom during regulation and overtime, making several point-blank saves for the Kings, who had their three-game winning streak snapped in the opener of a 10-game road trip.Backstrom was rarely challenged during his third shutout of the season, but was superb in the shootout. He poke checked the puck off the stick of Kopitar to start the shootout and capped it off with a blocker save against Brown."I just tried to wait him out," Johnson said of his chance. "I tried to get him down and thought I had him waited out. He stuck his pad up and I hit him in the toe. I've got to tip my hat to him. He made a great save."Bernier earned his first shutout of the season and stopped Marty Havlat to start the shootout before Bouchard beat him."He made a nice move," said Bernier, who had 25 saves. "I don't know if that's what he wanted to do at first. ... Obviously I'd like to get that one back."Both teams looked rusty in their first game back from the six-day All-Star break.The lack of offense should come as no surprise for two teams who have struggled on that end of the ice all season. The Wild started the night tied for the second-fewest goals in the West while only four teams had scored fewer goals than Los Angeles.After a slow start to the season led to questions about Richards' job security, the Wild have moved back into the playoff hunt. They have won five of their last six games, and their latest victory over them 57 points for the season, one ahead of the Kings, and eighth place in the conference.The Kings were one of the more disappointing teams in the first half of the season, unable to capitalize on the momentum gained from their first trip to the playoffs since 2002. They tied a franchise record with 46 victories last season.Los Angeles lost 10 of 12 home games during a horrible skid that started at the end of December and dragged well into January before finally showing signs of steadying itself with a three-game winning streak going into the All-Star break.With the Grammy Awards and the NBA All-Star game scheduled for Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Kings will spend the next three weeks crisscrossing North America in a trip that could define their season."The most important thing, obviously, is to win, but you want to play good," coach Terry Murray said. "You want to give yourself every opportunity to win the game. I thought we did that." Dainius Zubrus scored on an attempted pass that deflected off Ottawa defenseman Chris Phillips with 5:43 to play, and New Jersey returned from the All-Star break with a victory against the struggling Sens at the Prudential Center.For NHL.com's full recap, click here Kyle Okposo scored his first two goals of the season and Kevin Poulin made 25 saves as New York beat Atlanta at Philips Arena.For NHL.com's full recap, click here A major storm in the Midwest forced the postponement of the Colorado-St. Louis match, which was scheduled to take place at the Scottrade Center. No makeup date has been set.For more details, click here
Major security alert over ‘heartbleed’ eavesdropping bug that could have infected TWO THIRDS of sites Experts urged server owners to upgrade to latest version of OpenSSL software Flaw allows hackers to eavesdrop on communications and steal encryption keys Believed over 66% of web sites could be affected - and experts say all web users will be at risk in some way Servers believed to be affected include those run by Twitter, Yahoo and Tumblr A major online security alert has been issued after experts found a bug in one of the web's most common security systems. Called the 'heartbleed' bug, it allows hackers to eavesdrop on supposedly secure communications. The vulnerability was found by Google researchers in the OpenSSL cryptographic library, which is believed to be used in some way by roughly two-thirds of all websites on the Internet and is part of the most common server software in use. The code was added on New Year's Eve in 2011 and no-one spotted the mistake until earlier this month. Experts say the bug could leave up to 66% of sites vulnerable to hackers if their encryption software is not updated. It compromises secret keys used to encrypt web traffic WHAT IS OPENSSL? OpenSSL is open-source software that is widely used to encrypt web communications. It is used to protect websites, instant messaging, email servers, virtual private networks and other communications. It is used in two of the most widely used Web servers, Apache and nginx. It is claimed heartbleed can reveal the contents of a server's memory, where the most sensitive of data is stored, including private data such as usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers. The flaw also allows an attacker can get copies of a server's digital keys, which can be used to impersonate servers or to decrypt communications from the past or potentially the future, too. The flaw was introduced in OpenSSL in December 2011, and was been 'in the wild' until yesterday, when a new version fixing the flaw was released. Experts have confirmed the flaw is real. 'We were able to scrape a Yahoo username & password via the Heartbleed bug,' tweeted Ronald Prins of security firm Fox-IT, showing a censored example. Developer Scott Galloway, 'Ok, ran my heartbleed script for 5 minutes, now have a list of 200 usernames and passwords for yahoo mail...TRIVIAL!' The problem was uncovered by a team of researchers from Google Security and Codenomicon. Research by analytics firm Netcraft says almost 500,000 websites could be affected. 'The serious overrun vulnerability in the OpenSSL cryptographic library affects around 17% of SSL web servers,' it says. Its research found Twitter, GitHub, Yahoo, Tumblr, Steam, Flickr, HypoVereinsbank, PostFinance, Regents Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and the anonymous search engine DuckDuckGo are all affected. The bug means hackers can eavesdrop and leave no trace in server logs. The flaw was introduced in OpenSSL in December 2011, and was 'in the wild' until Monday, when a new version fixing the flaw was released Researchers have even given the bug its own logo 'The heartbleed bug allows anyone on the internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software,' according to a website the researchers who found the flaw set up to explain their find. 'This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. 'This allows attackers to eavesdrop communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users.' The vulnerability has been dubbed the Heartbleed Bug because it was discovered 'in the OpenSSL's implementation of the TLS/DTLS (transport layer security protocols) heartbeat extension (RFC6520),' the team said. 'This bug has left large amount of private keys and other secrets exposed to the Internet," they warned. 'Considering the long exposure, ease of exploitation and attacks leaving no trace this exposure should be taken seriously.' HOW DANGEROUS IS IT? The Heartbleed bug allows anyone on the Internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to eavesdrop on communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users. Daniel Foster of hosting firm 34SP.com warned firms with eCommerce capabilities to be extra cautious. 'With potentially all web users affected by the recent ‘heartbleed’ security bug that has hit OpenSSL software, which is the software that protects credit card transactions - it is important that eCommerce businesses contact their web hosting providers to check that they have taken necessary actions to avoid their customers being affected by spying and eavesdropping,' he said.
Public Square’s big-ticket greening, updating and newfound popularity may shape the future of a 22-story office building bordering it that Optima Management Group has started to market for sale. The Miami Beach-based property owner has listed 55 Public Square for sale, potentially as a redevelopment property with CBRE, said David Browning, the real estate brokerage’s Cleveland managing director. Browning also confirmed prior reports that CBRE has a listing to sell the AECOM Building, 1300 East Ninth St. “Optima made a huge (financial) commitment to Cleveland,” Browning said. “Right now is probably a great time to bring some things to market. With 55 Public Square’s location and the renovation of the square, we’re very excited about being involved with it. We’ve had a lot of interest, both from the usual local suspects and capable local groups as well as regional and out-of-town developers.” If Optima succeeds in unloading the properties, it may be able to execute the classic play in real estate: buy when few are buying and sell when prices are climbing. However, changes in office building fundamentals due to the trend of office downsizing and slow office-job growth may make that difficult. Optima also will have to see how much a developer wants to pay for a building such as 55 Public Square that needs substantial repairs as well as the expense of converting it to residential use. AECOM Centre, which has some vacancy, will have to find an owner willing to work on the property and not just collect rent checks, always a bigger challenge in the Midwest than on the coasts. An affiliate of Optima paid $34 million for 55 Public Square in 2008. That is a big number to beat to essentially rebuild the property. Another Optima-linked firm paid $46.5 million for AECOM in 2010. Alec Pacella, managing partner of NAI Daus, said selling each building will take some hard negotiating. “Big picture, it’s a good time to sell. The national spotlight is on Cleveland with the Republican National Convention,” Pacella said. “It’s a good time for Optima to recycle some capital. 55 Public Square has a great location as an apartment conversion. AECOM also has some vacancy. It’s hard to get paid for vacant space. Sellers can get paid as much as possible for leased space, but getting paid for empty bricks and sticks means finding a different kind of value. Which building will be easier to sell? It’s hard to say.” Pacella pointed out Optima is not marketing its One Cleveland Centre office building. “That’s no surprise. It’s their best performing building,” he said. Continued ownership of One Cleveland and a big stake in the Westin Cleveland make it technically incorrect to say the low-profile, media-shy Florida investor is exiting Cleveland. Chaim Schochet, Optima’s Cleveland investment executive, did not return three calls about 55 Public Square and has left a total of seven calls unreturned this month. The 55 Public Square building, once the home of the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co., which now is part of FirstEnergy Corp of Akron, dates from 1958 and signaled what is regarded as the beginning of Cleveland’s modern office building era. It was the first multitenant office building erected with air conditioning in Cleveland. Its vintage also means that it may qualify for federal and state historic preservation tax credits to help finance renovation and conversion expenses.
This is the actual boarding pass I got from Delta. It's a nightmare. Note all the random alignments and spacing issues. Update on Sunday, January 3, 2010 at 1:40PM by on Sunday, January 3, 2010 at 1:40PM by Tyler Thompson Here is an Illustrator file template with some of the elements and text, the fonts most likely wont come across unless you have them installed ( Titling Gothic and Gotham Book ) but it should help speed up mocking things up. Update on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 6:51AM by on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 6:51AM by Tyler Thompson A great point was brought up by Samuel about the fact that boarding passes are printed with thermal printers. This would, in effect, ruin the colored designs, although you can print one other color besides black via thermal printers, most commonly red. Here is some more info on thermal printers. Update on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 7:07AM by on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 7:07AM by Tyler Thompson Here is a shot of a Virgin Airlines boarding pass. I would settle for an offset printed backside and a better thought out thermal printed front side. Update on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 10:38AM by on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 10:38AM by Tyler Thompson Matt Davey ( @mattdavey ) gives us our first foreign attempt. Apparently, foreign flights have huge ass barcodes. Nice and straight forward, thanks Matt. It's interesting to note that the foreign pass he shows has knocked out text on black and an image behind it. So either this isn't thermal printed or it is pre-printed then thermal printed. Update on Friday, January 8, 2010 at 9:11AM by on Friday, January 8, 2010 at 9:11AM by Tyler Thompson Yoni De Beule has compiled almost every point into this beautiful example. I think I would add the boarding time, but other than that, this looks great. Update on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 11:00AM by on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 11:00AM by Tyler Thompson Designer Designer Louie Manta gives us his attempt. Update on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:14AM by on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:14AM by Tyler Thompson JJ sent this shot of a current Air New Zealand boarding pass. Update on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:18AM by on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:18AM by Tyler Thompson Great redesign by JJ at Graphicology (Squarespace site!). He takes into account the printing restrictions and adds a human touch. This is a really, really interesting approach. Update on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:25AM by on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:25AM by Tyler Thompson From Brent Gentile. He puts emphasis on the phonetics of your name and the airport codes. I think the phonetics part is important given the rich diversity of most airport travelers. Update on Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 7:56AM by on Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 7:56AM by Tyler Thompson "Hi, I loved your blog about boarding passes, and here is my idea. You know, I think having a "vertical" orientation will give it a lot more clarity, like when you need to know quickly what a book is about, and you start reading from the top certain words. I tried to take the thermal printing into consideration when designing. " - Julian Montoya Update on Monday, January 18, 2010 at 8:55AM by on Monday, January 18, 2010 at 8:55AM by Tyler Thompson Wallet sized pass from Davin Yoon This all started on a recent flight aboard a Delta Airlines plane. I was heading back from New York where I had met up with fellow designer Dustin Curtis . If you are not aware of Dustin's take on American Airlines, go read this . Anyway, I was inspired by Dustin and his attitude towards shittily designed things, to say the least. I was bored so I started rummaging through my stuff trying to find something to read when I grabbed my boarding pass. So I stared at it for a while. Rubbed my eyes, then stared at it some more.It was like someone put on a blindfold, drank a fifth of whiskey, spun around 100 times, got kicked in the face by a mule (the person who designed this definitely has a mule living with them inside their house) and then just started puking numbers and letters onto the boarding pass at random (yes, I realize that a human didn't lay this out, if a human had, judging by the train-wreck of design, they would have surely used papyrus). There was nothing given size or color importance over anything else, it was a mess. So I took out my Moleskine and started sketching. I tried to remember my previous trip through John F. Kennedy Airport and when and why I needed to reference my boarding pass. It seemed like I first needed to know which flight I was on. I put the gate right next to this, but made the flight number first because gates tend to change quite often. Next came my seat which I always look at a few times while boarding the plane. After that I put the zone, which is how they board the airplane initially and always seemed like the biggest cluster-fuck of people not knowing what zone they were in or how to find it on their pass. I also did something with the time I think might help, when it was a P.M. time, it was white text on a black box and when it was A.M. it was black text on a white box. Below is what I initially came up with.After looking at my initial design for a while I really wanted to add some color. This would be a great way to help add some branding and give some instant visual recognition of which carrier you are on.Once I added some branding I thought this layout could work for basically every airline. Below is Jetblue. I haven't researched many other boarding passes, international boarding passes etc. So please feel free to sprinkle the comments with any knowledge, insight etc on the issue.Here is another design I came up with as well.If anyone has any ideas on how to make this better, please put together a design and email it to me here: t at squarespace dot com. If I get some interesting or good designs, I will update this post with them.
If creatures exist on planets with twin suns, they would have to be extremely adaptable. The most detailed look yet at the energy from stellar pairs shows there are more potentially habitable worlds in the galaxy than we thought. But the planets’ denizens must be able to adapt quickly to wild temperature shifts and unpredictable seasons. Most stars in the galaxy come in pairs or more. Until recently, astronomers assumed the regions around many of these binaries would be too gravitationally chaotic to host planets (see “Binary star apocalypse“). Now that view has changed. A handful of planets have been discovered orbiting two stars, including some that appear to be in the habitable zone, where liquid water can exist. Advertisement “This means we cannot dismiss binary stars as being inhospitable,” says William Welsh of San Diego State University. “That opens up a vast number of possibilities that were previously considered too hostile for life.” Early models assumed the brightest star in a binary pair was the only one that mattered for habitability, and no one modelled systems in which both stars were equally bright. “What we’ve done for the first time is say, ‘let’s take both stars into account and see what the habitable zone really is’,” says Stephen Kane of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. “It becomes much more complicated.” Kane and Caltech colleague Natalie Hinkel modelled a variety of binary systems and calculated the combined light contributions at every point in the stars’ vicinity. In some systems, they found distinctly lopsided habitable zones, especially when the stars were widely separated (see diagram). “It surprised me how asymmetric some of the habitable zones can be,” Kane says. “Some of them end up looking like peanuts.” Planets in other systems, including the first confirmed binary world, Kepler 16b, would move in and out of their habitable zones over the course of a year, possibly forcing cycles of freezing and thawing. “The climate is much wilder on these planets than on Earth,” says Welsh, who was not involved in the work. “Life would have to be able to cope with very large and rapid changes in temperature.” That creates challenges for land walkers, Kane says. “It would be very difficult to predict weather patterns, or when to plant your crops, or anything like that.” It’s less of an issue if the planet has oceans, says Frank Drake, one of the first researchers to search for extraterrestrial intelligence. It takes a greater energy flux to heat or cool water compared with air, so marine creatures would be protected from quick-change seasons. “The ocean is a wonderful, very cosy blankie for life,” Drake says. What about the most famous planet with two suns, Tatooine, of Star Wars fame? Kane says that the stars are so far apart they would create a lopsided habitable zone – and the planet wouldn’t be in it. “If one were to calculate the [habitable zone] boundaries for the Tatooine system based on film footage, there’s a very real possibility that the planetary system as depicted is unphysical,” Kane says. “This would not be a big surprise, since the film was produced far before any of this kind of research took place.” Journal reference: The Astrophysical Journal, doi.org/j36 Binary star apocalypse Not all two-star systems have stars close enough for one planet to orbit both. In some cases, the stars are so far apart that planets could orbit one star, while the other lurks hundreds of billions of kilometres away. You might think such worlds would be as serene as those around solo stars. But the second star could spell doom, says Nathan Kaib of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. In the outer reaches of our solar system, objects in the Oort cloud are nudged to and fro by galactic tides and the gravity of passing stars. This sends some of them, which we see as comets, careening into our neighbourhood on highly elongated orbits. In a series of simulations, Kaib and his colleagues showed that the same is probably true for widely separated binary stars. At some point, gravitational tweaks will almost inevitably send one star hurtling towards its partner – and the brief encounter would wreak havoc on any planets. In about half of the simulations, at least one planet ended up getting ejected from the star system. In 20 per cent of cases, the star lost all its planets (Nature, doi.org/j56). “You wind up with a naked star,” says Kaib. “It can be very devastating.”
The Upside Of Slower The insanity of the new MacBook making you angry M.G. Siegler Blocked Unblock Follow Following Mar 12, 2015 Two steps forward, one step back. In the history of Apple product iteration, we see this time and time again. The iMac gets insanely thin, but no optical drive. The iPad 3 gets a retina display, but is slightly heavier. The iPhone 6 gets extremely thin and maintains a great camera, but the bulge. Etc. The latest such trade-off was unveiled this week. The new MacBook is almost impossibly thin, but it only has one port, an older front-facing camera, and a slower processor. And so on. In quite a few peoples’ minds it seems to be one step forward and two steps back. Which is insane. This is the price of progress, people. Would I like a MacBook that is as thin as possible and weighs two pounds but is as powerful as a MacBook Pro? Of course. And we’ll get that in a few years. But it takes time. So we can either wait, or accept certain trade-offs now. Sadly, you still cannot have your cake and eat it too. The good news is that you don’t have to buy the new MacBook now if you don’t want to. Apple is not only still selling their MacBook Airs and Pros, but they upgraded them as well with some newer, faster internals. They’re even available now (versus a few weeks for the new MacBook); have at it! Me? I’ll be getting the new MacBook. Performance specs aside, it seems like the exact laptop I’ve been waiting for. Do I care about the one port? Not really. I mean, it’s always nice to have more, of course, but I’ll gladly make that trade for a machine this small and light. Do I care that the Intel Core M chip is likely to be slower than the Intel i5/i7 chips in my two-year old MacBook? Maybe a little, but not really. The vast majority of what I do on my machine is through a web browser. I can’t recall the last time I used a machine that wasn’t powerful enough to handle everything on the web (insert Adobe Flash joke here), but it was definitely more than two years ago. I’m sure I’ll be fine with this new machine. And I’m sure 99% of the rest of the public will be as well. Graphic designers? Maybe opt for the MacBook Pro. Video editors? Maybe get the Mac Pro. But you and they already know that. Still, we’re outraged for some reason. How dare there be a trade-off! What’s funny is that I’m wondering if there won’t be an actual upside to this trade-off beyond the usual iterative path to progress. By introducing a machine with Intel’s slower Core M chipset, might Apple also be moving us closer to a world where their own mobile chipset, the A(X) line, can step in? We’re clearly not there yet, or you have to believe Apple would have done it. But you’d be crazy to think Apple hasn’t been experimenting with running OS X on their own chips. Remember, years before Apple made the jump from PowerPC to Intel chips, they had OS X working on those chips. Undoubtedly, the same is true here. I’m no chip expert, but it sure feels like Apple is improving the A(X) chips faster than Intel is improving their own processors. Plus, the reliance on Intel is one of the few major dependencies Apple has left. When they can move everything fully in-house, we may see performance improve on the laptop end even faster. And a further convergence of MacBook and iPad. Of OS X and iOS. Unfortunately, for now, the trade off is a bit of speed, fewer ports, and a weaker camera. I’ll shed some tears for those of you up in arms about such things while staring into my glorious 12-inch retina display. Like this guy:
As Manchester United sell off another young talent in the form of Adnan Januzaj we take a look at 5 players that were tipped to be the next best thing to come out of the United system. But all they managed to do is fade into oblivion. 1. Nick Powell Powell joined United in 2012 from Crewe Alexandra for a fee of £6 million. While everyone thought that United had paid way too much for a youngster but the club had full faith in Powell’s talents and the youth system of Crewe. United were confident that they had bought a potential superstar who would dazzle the United midfield for years to come. He made his debut in September 2012 replacing the great Ryan Giggs. And within 10 minutes of his debut, the youngster scored a screamer of a goal from outside the box. But that was basically it for Powell. After that, the Englishman packed his suitcase and travelled all around England in various loan spells. But luck just refused to shine on him and everywhere he went, the now 23-year-old failed to make any sort of impact. Man Utd eventually sold off the player to Wigan Athletic in 2016, the same club against which he had made his debut. 2. Federico Macheda Not many players can boast of making a title deciding impact on their debut. But Macheda is one of those few players who can say that. In 2009 the Red Devils were trailing to Aston Villa and that is when Ferguson decided to throw Federico Macheda onto the pitch, a player that you would never have heard of unless you were a United faithful that is. While the whole world looked and possibly frowned at the manager’s decision, Ferguson knew exactly what he was doing. And as luck would have it, Macheda scored a brilliant goal in injury time helping United win the match 2-1. After that match, Macheda did manage to make a few starts for the team but failed to make any sort of impact. The Italian’s career graph started to dip from 2011 and he went on loan to as many as five clubs. And eventually in 2014 Man Utd released Macheda who then went on to join Cardiff City. 3. Chris Eagles Eagles is now 31 years old and plays for Port Vale in the fourth tier of English football. But at the turn of the millennium, he was one of the most promising youngsters in the whole of England. Eagles came to the United academy in 2000 from Watford, and Ferguson had really high hopes from this youngster. But like most of the players in this list, Eagles too failed to break into the first team and spent most of his time on loan spells. And United eventually sold him off to Burnley in 2008. 4. Bojan Djordjic The Serbian signed for United in 1999 and was undoubtedly one of the most gifted youngsters of that time. But he was more inclined towards pubs and parties rather than the training grounds. And this ultimately affected his development, forcing United to release him in 2005. Djordjic joined Rangers after being released by United and since then the Serbian has gone on to play for 8 different clubs. 5. Ravel Morrison Sir Alex Ferguson mentioned Morrison as the brightest 14-year-old he had ever seen at the club, better than even the likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. But the youngster was also the ‘saddest case’ during his managerial career at United. And when Morrison finally left for West Ham in 2012, everyone at Old Trafford thought the exact same thing, “How could someone so talented be so reckless with his future?” Morrison was not just talented but was better than Paul Pogba at one point of time. Yes, you heard that right. But unlike Pogba, the Englishman just refused to work hard. And his off-the-field actions did not help his career either. Morrison repeatedly kept getting into trouble with the authorities and finally United decided they had enough. Did we miss out on someone? Let us know.
0 SHARES Facebook Twitter Google Whatsapp Pinterest Print Mail Flipboard Jon Stewart managed to do something with his Rally to Restore Sanity that hasn’t been done in a long time. He confused the mainstream media to the point of a near collective nervous breakdown. The media couldn’t figure out what this rally was about, and it was only when Stewart explained it to them that they realized that it was about them. Here are CNN’s TJ Holmes and Kate Bolduan trying to describe the rally: Holmes introduced Bolduan by saying, “Washington D.C. is gearing up for… something right now, and asked what is this thing?” Bolduan set a tone by trying to put this into the political box, only to leave confused. She said, “It seems that the rally and the people attending here are a little harder to define than many of the other rallies that we’ve covered.” She tried to tie it to the 2010 election only to have attendees tell her that this isn’t about the election. A report on NBC’s Today show echoed the what is this thing question and called the rally and intersection of politics and entertainment: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Over at Fox News, they asked people if this was a political statement, people said no, and Fox continued to shade the rally as a pro-liberal pro-Obama event: Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com The media just didn’t get it. In fact, the whole point of the rally eluded them until Jon Stewart told them during his speech to close the event. Stewart explained that the media themselves were part of the point of the rally. Cable news’ approach is part of the problem, “But unfortunately one of our main tools in delineating the two broke. The country’s 24 hour political pundit perpetual panic conflictinator did not cause our problems but its existence makes solving them that much harder. The press can hold its magnifying up to our problems bringing them into focus, illuminating issues heretofore unseen or they can use that magnifying glass to light ants on fire and then perhaps host a week of shows on the sudden, unexpected dangerous flaming ant epidemic. ” He continued, “If we amplify everything we hear nothing. There are terrorists and racists and Stalinist and theocrats but those are titles that must be earned. You must have the resume. Not being able to distinguish between real racists and Tea Partiers or real bigots and Juan Williams and Rick Sanchez is an insult, not only to those people but to the racists themselves who have put in the exhausting effort it takes to hate. Just as the inability to distinguish terrorists from Muslims makes us less safe not more. The press is our immune system. If we overreact to everything we actually get sicker and perhaps eczema.” Television news was paralyzed and confused when they had to cover an event that did not fit into their polarized partisan model. The idea that a rally would be held that wasn’t about politics or supporting a particular candidate or party left them stunned. They were equally dumbfounded by the idea that hundreds of thousands of Americans would show up to an event that had no political motive. They couldn’t figure it. The corporate media didn’t expect anyone to catch on to their role as the dissemination system for partisan polarization. The media may not be to blame for the partisan divisions in our country, but they definitely help to spread and reinforce them by tilting their coverage towards conflict and sensationalism, while completely neglecting information and rational discussion. I think this rally was reflection of the extremist fatigue that most people feel. People want to feel good and like they can come together for something. On this one day regular people wanted to show that media may be broken, but America isn’t. The American people came calling today, and their message was loud and clear. They not only want their country back, but they want their sanity back as well. What the media could not figure out was that Jon Stewart had a message that was bigger than politics. His message was that America is fine. It is our media and hyper partisanship that is broken, and Stewart advocated for everyone to work together to solve our problems. The media won’t like it, but this rally was about how great America can be, and how much of a problem they have become. If you’re ready to read more from the unbossed and unbought Politicus team, sign up for our newsletter here! Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human:
ALEPPO, Syria — Skin diseases, in particular scabies and head lice, are raising concerns among residents and medical staff in the rebel-held part of Aleppo. Head lice, which first appeared in October in the al-Sukkari neighborhood, has now spread to most of the city’s neighborhoods, especially those close to the front lines. This prompted a team of activists from the National Campaign to Combat Epidemics in Aleppo to declare Dec. 17 that scabies and lice have reached “epidemic” proportions in the areas controlled by rebels. The team called on all health and relief agencies and other organizations to intervene to fight this “humanitarian catastrophe.” The campaign to fight these afflictions began around a month ago, but it has so far been limited to schools. Al-Monitor visited a school in the Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood where activists were examining students for scabies and lice and providing instructions on how to avoid them. While examining the hair of a student with lice, Samar Ayoubi, a campaign supervisor, told Al-Monitor, “Scabies and lice are quickly spreading, especially in schools. Two weeks ago, the rate of scabies was 35% and 25% for lice in this school. Today, it has reached 45% for both diseases even though we distributed medicine to the affected students.” Ayoub added, “We need a huge quantity of medicine to distribute to the residents to completely eliminate these diseases and prevent them from reappearing. The Red Crescent promised to provide the needed medicine after the medical storage provided by Medical Relief for Syria ran out.” On Dec. 3, the Red Crescent transported a shipment of medicines for combating scabies and lice through the Bustan al-Qasr crossing, which separates the areas controlled by rebels from those controlled by the regime. The shipment included 2,800 packets of medicine that were distributed to hospitals and medical centers in opposition-controlled areas. This shipment appears to be rather small, however, in light of the extent of the spread of scabies and lice in Aleppo. A Red Crescent volunteer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Al-Monitor, “4,000 bottles of benzyl benzoate lotion for scabies and body lice are going to enter through Bustan al-Qasr crossing.” The volunteer also said that the International Committee of the Red Cross is hoping to provide an estimated 35,000 bottles of medication, but “processing the shipment and getting authorizations might take a while.” The situation on al-Tom Street in al-Sukkari, where scabies first appeared, is horrific. Because the neighborhood lies near the Ramouseh and Sheikh Said fronts, it has been exposed to continuous shelling, which led to basic services being cut. There is no water and no electricity. The piles of rubble from bombings have become garbage dumps. The residents share one water well for drinking and washing. It is a breeding ground for skin diseases like scabies and lice. A resident of al-Tom Street carrying water to her home said, “I have a 10-year-old child, and so far he has not been affected by either scabies or lice. I shower him every day, but most of our neighbors have scabies, and this is why I do not allow him to play with the children here.” Staving off the skin diseases that have spread throughout her neighborhood will be an ongoing battle. The mother lamented, “No one cares about us. Medicine was distributed once, but there was not enough for all the patients. If water is not provided, and garbage is not taken care of, the diseases will appear again.”
I recently came to the realization that lately I hadn’t been doing much gaming at all, so I’ve decided to start going to the gaming shop on Sundays. This week, that coincided nicely with the Star Wars Destiny launch event. If I’m honest, I wasn’t particularly excited by the series of preview articles by Fantasy Flight Games. I think this is because of a mixture of ‘yet another Star Wars game’ and also that I’m still pissed about Warhammer 40,000 Conquest LCG being discontinued (I know I should stop moaning about it, but it was my favourite card game, and I’m still annoyed about FFG’s handling of the news regarding it’s demise). The first comments from most people looking at this game are regarding the dice. Just in case you haven’t read the preview article (or can’t be bothered to read this link): “Unlike many games, the dice in Star Wars: Destiny do not use stickers. Instead, the dice are plastic-injected like normal dice and rolled in a tumbler to add a fine, smooth polish to every die. The images on each side are then physically heat-pressed onto the dice, essentially printing the artwork directly onto the plastic. Finally, the die is covered in a scratch-resistant coating, allowing you to roll these dice without their quality deteriorating.” In short, they don’t have stickers and they’re excellent. I ended up enjoying this A LOT more than I thought that I was going to, so after I bought the Kylo Ren starter deck, I decided to pick up a second one for extra copies of the First Order Stormtrooper and Mind Probe (along with a load of booster packs). There was lots of deck-building going on during the event, as you can see in the pictures above and below. After finding the rules text for the cards from the set (courtesy of the very handy site, swdestinydb.com), I started coming up with lots of different team ideas. Basically, I was hooked! Once the shop had closed (and we’d bought as many packs as we could), a few of us went back to mine to continue playing. We lent each other some cards and dice so that we could get our teams closer to what we wanted them to be, as we’re all shameless optimizers (we also proxied a second die for any character that we wanted to try the two-dice version of). I also introduced the game to my house mate, who for a long while has left collectible games behind, but was also a Conquest LCG player and might be open to another game to sink his teeth into. He enjoyed SW Destiny, but it remains to be seen if he’s hooked like I am (not long until official release though!). So far I’ve only mentioned that I really like it, but I should tell you how it plays. The first game people will try and compare it to is Dice Masters, but I don’t think that is a good comparison. I’d be more inclined to compare is to Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn, as SW Destiny is a card game that also uses dice. I think the Ashes comparison is better, because as in that game, players take it in turns to do lots of little actions. The game sequence is very back and forth, meaning that short and long-term decisions are important (do you use up your high value ranged damage die now, or wait until you’ve activated another character/support who has a chance of modifying that ranged damage? However, if you leave that die in your pool, there is a chance that your opponent could remove it.). Customizing your deck of cards that go along with your characters also has plenty of scope for depth. If your team consists of different classes of character (represented by the different colours in game) then you have a wider variety of cards available, but sticking to one colour opens up other options (some cards reference how many of a particular colour upgrade you have in play, for instance). I’ve decided that I’m going to collect the Villains in SW Destiny, as a friend of mine is only interested in the Heroes, so we’re going to split a booster box upon release. I’ve got a few teams in mind already (one of them is definitely featuring Jango Fett, as he’s great!) and am very eager to get my hands on some more boosters! Cheers! Advertisements
It sucks being young, male, and single. Don’t think so? Go to the Interactive Singles Map of the United States and see how it looks for the 20 to 39 age group. Almost everywhere single men outnumber single women. And the real picture is worse. For one thing, the imbalance is greater among singles without children. This is not a trivial factor, since single mothers are “single” only in the sense of being available for sexual relations. They are still raising offspring from a previous relationship and many are not interested in having more children. Then there’s polygamy—or “polyamory,” to use the preferred term—where a minority of men controls sexual access to a larger number of women. If we compare the 1940-1949 and 1970-1979 cohorts of American adults, we find an increase in the number of median lifetime partners from 2.6 to 5.3 among women and from 6.7 to 8.8 among men (Liu et al., 2015). Because this figure is more variable for men than for women, young women are more likely to be sexually active than young men. This is crudely seen in infection rates for chlamydia—the most common sexually transmitted disease. Hispanic Americans still show the traditional pattern of greater sexual activity among men than among women, the rates being 7.24% of men and 4.42% of women. White Americans display the reverse: 1.38% of men and 2.52% of women (Miller et al., 2004). Finally, there’s a racial angle. This sex ratio is more skewed among White Americans than among African Americans, mainly because the latter have a lower sex ratio at birth and a higher death rate among young men. It’s hard to avoid concluding that a lot of young white men are shut out of the marriage market … or any kind of heterosexual relationship. This wife shortage was once thought to be temporary, being due to baby-boomer men getting divorced and marrying younger women from the smaller “baby bust” cohort. With time, they would get too old to compete with young men, and the problem should resolve itself. Today, the crest of the baby boom is entering the seventh decade of life, yet the update to the Interactive Singles Map shows no change to the gender imbalance. So what gives? It appears that demographers have focused too much on the baby-boomer effect and not enough on other factors that matter just as much and, more importantly, show no signs of going away. These factors can be summarized as follows. Re-entry of older men into the mate market We have a mate market where 20 to 50 year old men are competing for 20 to 40 year old women. That in itself is nothing new. But something else is. The baby boom eclipsed an equally important but longer-term trend: more and more men are living past the age of 40. With or without the baby boom, we’ll still see large numbers of older men getting divorced and marrying younger women. The cause isn’t just liberal divorce laws. It’s also the fact we have far more older guys out there as a proportion of the population. Sure, we will also see younger men pairing up with “cougars” but there are limits to that option, as noted in a New Zealand study: The male partner may want to partner up with someone younger or have children, which may not be possible with an older woman (for physical reasons or because she chooses not to have (more) children). The younger male partner may not want to become a step-father to existing children. Research has shown that childbearing can be the ultimate deal breaker in this kind of relationship. (Lawton and Callister, 2010) Persistence of the imbalanced sex ratio at birth About 105 males are born for every 100 females among people of European origin. This sex ratio used to decline to parity during childhood because of higher infantile mortality among boys. It then declined even farther in early adulthood because of war, industrial accidents, and other hazards. This isn’t the distant past. If you talk with women who came of age in the postwar era, they will tell you about their fears of remaining single past the age of thirty. At that age, very few single men were left to go around. Well, things have changed. The skewed sex ratio at birth is now persisting well into adulthood, thanks to modern medicine and the relative peace that has prevailed since 1945. Women begin to outnumber men only in the 35-39 age group in the United States and in the 40-44 age group in the United Kingdom. Equalization of male and female same-sex preference Historically, same-sex preference was more common among men than among women. This gender gap appears to be closing, according to a recent study: The percent distributions were quite similar for men and women; however, a higher percentage of men identified as gay (1.8%) compared with women who identified as gay/lesbian (1.4%), and a higher percentage of women identified as bisexual (0.9%) compared with men (0.4%). (CDCP, 2014, p. 5) Disparities in outmarriage At present, there are more White American women outmarrying than White American men, particularly in younger age groups. This disparity is mainly in marriages with African American men, there being no gender difference in marriages with Hispanic Americans and the reverse gender difference in marriages with Asian Americans (Jacobs and Labov, 2002; Passel et al., 2010). Overall, this factor further skews the ratio of young single men to young single women in the White American community. This disparity isn’t new. What is new is its extent, for both legal and common-law marriages. An idea may be gleaned from statistics on children born to White American women, specifically the proportion fathered by a non-White partner. For the U.S. as a whole the proportion in 2013 was between 11% and 20% (the uncertainty is due to 190,000 births for which the father’s race was not stated). By comparison, the proportion in 1990 was between 5% and 13% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013; see also Silviosilver, 2015). Whenever this issue comes up for discussion, there are often reassurances that the disparity will disappear in a post-racial world that has been cleansed of “White privilege.” I’m not so sure. The European female phenotype seems to be very popular, and this was so even when white folks were geopolitical weaklings. Today, the term “white slavery” is merely a synonym for prostitution, but it originally meant the enslavement of fair-skinned women for sale to clients in North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. At the height of this trade, between 1500 and 1650, over 10,000 Eastern Europeans were enslaved each year for export (Kolodziejczyk, 2006; Skirda, 2010). The overwhelming majority were young women and pre-pubertal boys who were valued for their physical appearance. And yet they were powerless. No, I don’t think this kind of preference will disappear as whites lose “privilege.” Exit strategies So more and more young men are being left on the shelf, particularly in White America. How do they cope? Mostly by turning to porn from Internet websites, videocassettes, or magazines. Love dolls are another option and may grow in popularity as they become more human-like, not only physically but also in their ability to talk and interact. Another option is outmarriage. In the past, this trend largely concerned older men marrying East Asian or Hispanic women, but we’re now seeing plenty of young men outmarrying via Internet dating sites. Despite the local supply of single women in the African American community, there is a much stronger tendency to look abroad, generally to women in Eastern Europe, South America, or East Asia. Then there’s gender reassignment, which means either entering the other side of the mate market or tapping into the lesbian market. It’s a viable strategy, all the more so because many white boys can be turned into hot trans women. I’m not saying that some young men actually think along those lines, but gender reassignment is functioning that way. Finally, there’s “game.” My attitude toward game is like my attitude toward gender reassignment. Both are attempts to push the envelope of phenotypic plasticity beyond its usual limits, and neither can fully achieve the desired result. A lot of boys aren’t wired for game, and there are good reasons why, just as there are good reasons why some people are born male. Male shyness isn’t a pathology. It’s an adaptation to a social environment that values monogamy and high paternal investment while stigmatizing sexual adventurism. Our war on male shyness reflects our perverse desire to create a society of Don Juans and single mothers. But if game works, why not? Whatever floats your boat. Conclusion Ideally, this gender imbalance should be dealt with at the societal level, but I see little chance of that happening in the near future. If anything, public policy decisions will probably worsen the current imbalance. Changes to public policy generally result from a long process that begins when people speak up and articulate their concerns, yet it’s unlikely that even this first step will be taken any time soon. Young single men prefer to remain silent and invent nonexistent girlfriends. They also tend to be marginal in the main areas of discourse creation, like print and online journalism, TV, film, and radio production, book writing, etc. Leaf through any magazine, and you’ll probably see more stuff about the problems of single women. So this imbalance will likely continue to be addressed at the individual level through individual strategies.
Conservative leaders are saying President-elect Donald Trump will be held to his campaign promises about immigration policy, according to The Hill. "This was, along with trade, the issue that allowed Donald Trump to mow down 16 other viable and talented and capable contenders in the primary process," Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, told The Hill. "Nobody can bring out, in rally after rally, Americans who lost loved ones because these immigration laws were not enforced … or Americans who lost jobs because of unfair labor displacement," and not follow through on his promises, he added. According to The Hill, organizations like FAIR, NumbersUSA and the Center for Immigration Studies, are calling on Trump to reject Rep. Michael McCaul as a candidate for Homeland Security secretary because they believe he would be too close to the Republican establishment to go along with their ideas for immigration reform. Stein and Mark Krikorian, executive director of the CIS, say McCaul has supported "weak" immigration proposals. Krikorian said those who support immigrants, the "anti-borders activists," have grown stronger under President Barack Obama's administration and the Homeland Security chief must push back. "There are going to be human chains around (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) offices. It's going to be that kind of violent opposition. And I hope whoever is DHS secretary won't go wobbly," he said. McCaul, a Texas Republican, is close with House Speaker Paul Ryan, The Hill notes, and one source close to Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump's attorney general nominee said, "You could choose an establishment person for any position but that one." Trump supporters believe Ryan, Vice President-elect Mike Pence and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, who are seen as allies politically, could exert too much influence over Trump on immigration issues. McCaul's spokeswoman Lizzie Litzow told The Hill he "stands staunchly against any form of amnesty" and he also wants to cut off funding to sanctuary cities. Trump's allies want Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach to lead Homeland Security because of his hard-line stance on immigration. Supporters say Kobach would work to limit legal as well as illegal immigration. Some churches across the U.S. said they would, if necessary, become sanctuaries for illegal immigrants, according to The Daily Beast. California lawmakers are looking ahead to Trump's potential deportation plans, introducing measures to protect undocumented immigrants, Fortune reported.
Image copyright Angélica Gonzalez Image caption The plants, pictured here by co-worker Angélica Gonzalez, underpin a whole ecosystem It is hard to imagine you could reconstruct a record of fog dating back thousands of years, but this is exactly what Chilean scientists have done. The low-lying cloud is seemingly so transient and intangible, and unlike rivers and glaciers it leaves no easy-to-read impressions on the landscape. And yet, a Santiago team has been able to trace the fog history of the Atacama Desert by studying Tillandsia plants. Their chemistry suggests strongly that this local fog has increased over time. It is a period covering the last 3,500 years. "I don't think there's any other place in the world where I've actually seen a record of fog, even spanning the last hundred years," said Claudio Latorre Hidalgo from the Catholic University of Chile. "What little we know about fog is from measurement instrumental data that we have, and from satellite data that only spans the last 20 years. "So, this is actually a unique opportunity to study the evolution of a fog ecosystem over the Late Holocene, and what are the major drivers and controls of the mechanisms that produce that fog in the long term - the very long term." The palaeoclimate expert was discussing his team's research here at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union - the world's largest annual gathering of Earth scientists. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Claudio Latorre Hidalgo: "The fog is the plants’ only source of water and nutrients" The Atacama is famous for its super-arid conditions; there are places where it has not rained for years. But life can eke out an existence if it can exploit the fog that rolls in off the Pacific. Tillandsia are a perfectly adapted opportunist. These wiry, grey plants have no roots. They clutch weakly at sand dunes, but arrange themselves at every spatial scale to maximise their capture of the fog. They derive everything they need from the damp air - not simply the must-have water, but also all the chemical nutrients required to underpin their biology. Dr Latorre Hidalgo and colleagues have dug deep into the dunes to uncover a multi-millennia succession of Tillandsia; and they have described a pronounced trend: the younger the plants, the more of the lighter type, or isotope, of nitrogen atom that they have incorporated into their tissues. Image copyright Claudio Latorre Hidalgo Image caption The structure of Tillandsia maximises fog capture – by growing in a mesh (Top-R) and using appendages on the leaves called trichomes (Bottom-R) to corral the water Analysis of modern fog suggests this lighter nitrogen is favoured, and so the observed trend in the Tillandsia would strongly indicate the fogs of the Atacama have increased over time… with some complications. "How the nitrogen gets into the fog is a much more complex question," said Dr Latorre Hidalgo. "I suspect a lot of that nitrogen is of marine origin. There is a huge oxygen-minimum zone off the coast of northern Chile, where there is a lot of denitrification going on. "So, there is a lot of molecular nitrogen going into the air and a lot of nitrous oxide as well. "We know there is both ammonia and nitrate in the fog. So, you get both organic and inorganic forms of nitrogen." Oxygen-minimum zones are mid-water regions in the ocean that are extremely low in oxygen abundance, in part because marine organisms are removing it very fast and also because the waters that move into the zone fail to replenish the oxygen as they themselves are depleted. This is usually cold, upwelling water. And, again, this fits the overall picture because cold coastal waters will produce more fog. "Our monthly fog collector data shows there is a significant trend with the coastal sea-surface temperatures and the fog. So, when you get El Niño events (and local surface waters warm), this warm water dissipates the thermal inversion that's holding in the low-lying cloud and this dissipates the fog. "We think that over the last three thousand years, the coastal waters have gotten much colder, much more productive and that's releasing nitrogen from this oxygen-minimum zone to fertilise the plants." And it is more than just the Tillandsia that are benefiting. The plants' success in trapping and using fog anchors a whole ecosystem that supports creatures as diverse as beetles, scorpions, spiders and even lizards. Image copyright Claudio Latorre Hidalgo Image caption The team has dug down through the dunes to find and analyse the ancient plants Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos
Morro Bay officials shut down business competitors of council members February 17, 2014 By JOSH FRIEDMAN (Editor’s note: This is the first in a series about allegations of abuse of power and selective enforcement of laws in Morro Bay. Several videos, showing police and planning staff interacting with people who have business interests in the city, are attached at the bottom of the story.) Morro Bay officials have targeted new start-ups in the city that would have competed with businesses operated by current and past city council members, several businessmen say. Morro Bay’s planning and permitting offices, city attorney’s office and the police department have taken part in the effort to restrict competition, the businessmen said. The Morro Bay Police Department set up a plan to shut down a proposed arts center in the old Morro Bay Sun Bulletin building, a department memo obtained by CalCoastNews shows. The arts center was the brainchild of Jim Davis and Rick Holliday. The two signed a master lease for the 8,000 square foot Sun Bulletin building at 1149 Market Avenue in May 2011. They planned to create a center for the arts, which would incorporate music, an art gallery, offices and some type of eatery. When they tried to submit their building permit and business license applications, city staff called them into an impromptu meeting with then-Planning Director Kathleen Wold. Wold refused to accept their applications and architectural plans and instead ordered them to construct a tavern or hotel at the Market Avenue building, Davis and Holliday said. “I remember distinctly her saying you can’t do music. You have to do a tavern or hotel,” Davis said. Wold then threw the plans down on a planning table and ordered the pair to meet with the city attorney and police chief, Davis and Holliday said. Davis and Holliday then met with Rob Schultz, who was Morro Bay’s city attorney, and then-Police Chief Tim Olivas. John Weiss, owner of Coast Electronics, who was present at the meeting, confirmed that the meeting occurred. Schultz also ordered Davis and Holliday to put in a bar or motel, the two men said. No options were allowed. “It felt intimidating,” Davis said. “The tone was harassment.” Schultz went so far as to warn them about going into competition with established business owners in Morro Bay, Holliday said. Schultz denied the allegations, calling them ridiculous. Holliday said a councilwoman, who owned a business across the street from the building, too, threatened him about going into competition. Carla’s Country Kitchen owner Carla Wixom, then known as Carla Borchard, sat on the city council from 2008 to 2012, when she unsuccessfully ran for mayor. Shortly after signing the lease, Holliday was eating breakfast in Wixom’s restaurant, he said. Holliday told Wixom that he and Davis were thinking of putting in offices, hosting bands and creating some type of eatery. “She said straight up that will never happen,” Holliday said. “She said you will never get a competing business there.” Wixom denies the conversation occurred, saying she never spoke with Holliday about his business plans. But, Holliday said she told him several times that he would never open a competing business and made jokes about him being unable to get permits and a business license. By the end of 2011, Holliday ended his lease, saying it was impossible to operate a business at the location. Davis continued his efforts to start up the arts center. In early 2012, he was joined by Los Osos Mexican Market owner Rey Diaz. Diaz moved into the downstairs, with Davis retaining the upstairs. Diaz planned to open a Mexican market in Morro Bay. His Los Osos location sells groceries and includes a grill, where customers eat Mexican food. On Jan. 14, 2012, Diaz arrived at the building to move in his belongings. Just after Diaz arrived, police officers did too, according to graphic artist Toby Schultz, who was working in the building at the time. The officers said they were responding to a report of an illegally parked car but proceeded to question Diaz about the business he was putting in the building, Schultz said. An officer then asked Diaz if he would be going into competition with Wixom. “‘So, you’d be in competition with Carla?’ That was exactly what he said,” Schultz recalled. After questioning Diaz, the officers walked over to Wixom and spoke with her for at least ten minutes, Schultz said. A second witness, who asked to remain anonymous because of fears of retaliation, said the officers spoke with Wixom for about 20 minutes following the interaction with Diaz. Before the police went to question Diaz, Wixom was pointing them in the direction of Diaz, the source said. Wixom said she does not recall the incident and that she would not have directed the officers to Diaz. She said, though, that she is close to police officers and talks to them frequently. Diaz would not comment on the incident. Diaz does not want to upset city officials, several sources said. Diaz is concerned that it might jeopardize his use of the building. The Morro Bay police log for the day shows that officers were responding to a “suspicious person incident.” City Attorney Anne Russell did not provide the names of either the person who was considered suspicious or the complainant when CalCoastNews requested the records under the California Public Records Act. Since then, Diaz had begun to construct the market and gained preliminary approval to open the business. He has not received permission from the city, though, to operate a grill. As Diaz flirted with opening the market, Davis continued to pursue his dream of hosting bands in the upstairs for private video production and small performances. Davis managed to host several bands in the building and even shot a music video there. City officials said he could only use the property for storage. On Oct. 31, 2013, the Morro Bay Police Department issued a memorandum planning a raid on Davis’ activities. In the memorandum, Police Commander Bryan Millard wrote that Davis and Holliday had been hosting parties with live bands and that a disturbance would likely take place that evening. Millard directed the officers who would respond to the party to obtain a signed noise complaint from a neighbor, issue a citation and call the city building inspector and fire marshal, who had volunteered to come out to the scene after hours. Although Holliday had been gone from the building for nearly two years, Davis hosted performances and had planned a Halloween party with a live band that night. Paula Radke, who lives in a nearby commercial building called the police to complain about the noise. Radke told CalCoastNews that she had been instructed by neighbors to make the call before the event began. Radke says she lives legally in the building, but city files show that she applied for, but never obtained a permit allowing residential use. Police officers Gene Stuart and Sue Gomes responded to the noise complaint and told her to sign a noise complaint, Radke said. Stuart and Gomes called building inspector Brian Cowen and waited outside the building for more than 20 minutes before approaching Davis, a video made the night of the raid showed. While waiting for Cowen to arrive, Stuart ordered the band’s drummer to continue playing music. “Go rock one more,” Stuart said on video. “Just do the song.” Stuart and Gomes later issued Davis a disturbing the peace violation, charging him with a misdemeanor. When Cowen arrived, Davis would not allow him to enter the building. Then, without inspecting the building, Cowen declared the entire 8,000 square foot structure unsafe and ordered everyone to leave, the video shows. “They essentially shut us down,” Davis said. “It’s a total violation of property rights and free enterprise.” Cowen said that the building tenant and party host had violated state codes. But Cowen did not cite the particular codes, the video shows. “Per state law, you can’t use this building for any use other than storage,” Cowen said to Davis on the video. “By having these people in the building, you are endangering them.” But Cowen refused to explain how he had made the determination that the building was unsafe. Cowen red-tagged the building. Red tagging requires the city to shut off the water, gas and electricity and bar the public from entrance. Cowen later posted a notice citing state building and fire codes. A few months later, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office dropped the disturbing the peace charge against Davis. Millard, though, said in an interview that his officers acted appropriately. “We do work with the planning department as a partner agency in enforcing the laws,” Millard said. The memo resulted from a meeting of the code enforcement committee, Millard said. The committee, which is comprised of representatives from different departments, including police and planning, meets to discuss code enforcement issues in the city, Millard said. Code enforcers do not act on behalf of council members, Millard said. “There is no direct action where a council member would talk to an officer and action would take place,” Millard said. Building owner Clark Kayler, a Sacramento-based woodworker, said having his building red tagged was like getting slapped with a scarlet letter. “They are allowed to just label a building unsafe,” Kayler said. Kayler said the city has selectively enforced legal codes against him since he purchased the property in 2009. Morro Bay planners have denied all business proposals for the Sun Bulletin building that occupy a cumulative total of more than 2,000 square feet. The city cited parking requirements as the primary reason for the occupancy restriction, even though the property includes an adjacent gravel lot. Additionally, city records show that businesses have occupied the entire building on multiple occasions, dating back to its construction in 1969. The original business, a marine supply manufacturer and retailer, even used the parking lot for business activities, according to Morro Bay resident and former store employee Eddie Sylvester. “When we were there, no one could park in the lot because we had it full of equipment,” Sylvester said. “The city uses parking against people when they want to.” Other businesses on the block have grandfathered status and have no parking requirements. Radke’s business relinquished its parking lot in a property sale and remained open. Still, about one half of the parking spaces on Market Avenue are unoccupied during business hours. Morro Bay has singled out his building, Kayler said. “The scrutiny is not there for some people, and the scrutiny on my property never ends,” Kayler said. Both Kayler and Morro Bay Councilman Noah Smukler, point to a 1986 city plan as evidence that the building owner has the right to make use of his property. The Beach Street Area Specific Plan calls for the protection of commercial activity in the area despite the existence of neighboring housing. “It clearly shows that building has a right to be utilized,” Smukler said. “We have a specific plan that was approved and the community has adopted.” The plan also called for the city to create parking stalls perpendicular to the sidewalk on Market Avenue to increase the amount of on-street parking. The city created the parking stalls on bordering Surf Street but never did so on Market Avenue. One resident in the adjacent neighborhood is Councilwoman Nancy Johnson. Johnson’s Morro Avenue house with an adjacent vacation rental looks down on Kayler’s building. Several individuals involved with the building allege that Johnson, also a political ally of Wixom’s, has frequently surveyed the property and rallied neighbors to oppose business activity there. “I heard Carla and Nancy were really active down there in trying to fight that,” Smukler said. Johnson said she never opposed businesses at the building and rather worked to lure them in. The building is currently vacant, with the exception, of containing some Mexican market equipment. No new tenants have arrived since Halloween night when the building was red tagged. Holliday and several associates have filed suppression of business and harassment claims against the city. Davis plans to do so as well, he said. Audio and videos of the Halloween night incident: Audio of Morro Bay Police officer Gene Stuart telling a man wanting to attend the Halloween party at the Sun Bulletin building that he gets a free pass to urinate in the street. Stuart does not want the man to tip off the building tenant that police are outside. Video of Morro Bay Police officer Gene Staurt explaining that he has been up 36 hours and knows something is going on, but he is not sure what that something is because of his lack of sleep. Morro Bay Police officer Gene Stuart says he is going to give a noise violation, but then orders the band to play one more song. Morro Bay building inspector Brian Cowen says Jim Davis is violating state code though he will not divulge what code is being violated. He then red tagged the building. Like CalCoastNews on Facebook and get updates on Josh Friedman’s Morro Bay series. MB Police Memo by CalCoastNews Loading...
Peer review isn’t a core subject of this blog. We leave that to the likes of Nature’s Peer-to-Peer, or even the Dilbert Blog. But it seems relevant to look at the peer review process for any clues about how retracted papers are making their way into press. We’re not here to defend peer review against its many critics. We have the same feelings about it that Churchill did about democracy, aka the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried. Of course, a good number of the retractions we write about are due to misconduct, and it’s not clear how peer review, no matter how good, would detect out-and-out fraud. Still, peer review is meant as a barrier between low-quality papers and publication, and it often comes up when critics ask questions such as, “How did that paper ever get through peer review?” With that in mind, a paper published last week in the Annals of Emergency Medicine caught our eye. Over 14 years, 84 editors at the journal rated close to 15,000 reviews by about 1,500 reviewers. Highlights of their findings: …92% of peer reviewers deteriorated during 14 years of study in the quality and usefulness of their reviews (as judged by editors at the time of decision), at rates unrelated to the length of their service (but moderately correlated with their mean quality score, with better-than average reviewers decreasing at about half the rate of those below average). Only 8% improved, and those by very small amount. How bad did they get? The reviewers were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 in which a change of 0.5 (10%) had been earlier shown to be “clinically” important to an editor. The average reviewer in our study would have taken 12.5 years to reach this threshold; only 3% of reviewers whose quality decreased would have reached it in less than 5 years, and even the worst would take 3.2 years. Another 35% of all reviewers would reach the threshold in 5 to 10 years, 28% in 10 to 15 years, 12% in 15 to 20 years, and 22% in 20 years or more. So the decline was slow. Still, the results, note the authors, were surprising: Such a negative overall trend is contrary to most editors’ and reviewers’ intuitive expectations and beliefs about reviewer skills and the benefits of experience. (You might ask, “So who peer-reviewed this paper?” A newer reviewer, one would hope.) Annals of Emergency Medicine is a reasonably high-tier journal, in the top 11% of Thomson Scientific impact factors in 2008. So what’s true for the journal may be true at other top-tier publications. What could account for this decline? The study’s authors say it might be the same sort of decline you generally see as people get older. This is well-documented in doctors, so why shouldn’t it be true of doctors — and others — who peer review? The authors go on: Other than the well-documented cognitive decline of humans as they age, there are other important possible causes of deterioration of performance that may play a role among scientific reviewers. Examples include premature closure of decisionmaking, less compliance with formal structural review requirements, and decay of knowledge base with time (ie, with aging more of the original knowledge base acquired in training becomes out of date). Most peer reviewers say their reviews have changed with experience, becoming shorter and focusing more on methods and larger issues; only 25% think they have improved. Decreased cognitive performance capability may not be the only or even chief explanation. Competing career activities and loss of motivation as tasks become too familiar may contribute as well, by decreasing the time and effort spent on the task. Some research has concluded that the decreased productivity of scientists as they age is due not to different attributes or access to resources but to “investment motivation.” This is another way of saying that competition for the reviewer’s time (which is usually uncompensated) increases with seniority, as they develop (more enticing) opportunities for additional peer review, research, administrative, and leadership responsibilities and rewards. However, from the standpoint of editors and authors (or patients), whether the cause of the decrease is decreasing intrinsic cognitive ability or diminished motivation and effort does not matter. The result is the same: a less rigorous review by which to judge articles. What can be done? The authors recommend “deliberate practice,” which involves assessing one’s skills, accurately identifying areas of relative weakness, performing specific exercises designed to improve and extend those weaker skills, and investing high levels of concentration and hundreds or thousands of hours in the process. A key component of deliberate practice is immediate feedback on one’s performance. There’s a problem: But acting on prompt feedback (to guide deliberate practice) would be almost impossible for peer reviewers, who typically get no feedback (and qualitative research reveals this is one of their chief complaints). In fact, a 2002 study in JAMA co-authored by Michael Callaham, the editor in chief of the Annals of Emergency Medicine and one of the authors of the new study, found that “Simple written feedback to reviewers seems to be an ineffective educational tool.” What about training? A 2008 study in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine found that short training courses didn’t have much effect on the errors peer reviewers failed to catch. That followed a 2004 study in the BMJ with similar results. And that’s consistent with what one journal editor who looked at the Annals of Emergency Medicine study told us about his own experience, too. That same editor suggested that another potential fix — continually recruiting less-experienced reviewers, at the top of their games — might not work either. Such reviewers, he said, often didn’t include any narratives or interpretations in their reviews, just lists of comments. Sounds like a good subject for the next Peer Review Congress, which should be held in 2013. In the meantime, please take our poll on one specific aspect of peer reviewing: Share this: Email Facebook Twitter
High-end, "fusion" Chinese food gets a bad rap around town. It makes sense. Angelenos can get the real thing for half of the price point -- just trek on over to the San Gabriel Valley for proof. There's a repertoire of high quality dishes there: tea-smoked duck that takes a grand seven days to make and finely pressed noodles soaked in a dark, earthy beef broth. These traditional dishes are great, but there are a handful of innovators out there rolling out unique riffs on traditional Chinese food items, and their wares are both respectable and overlooked. Here are our five favorite picks that can't be found at your typical mom-and-pop Chinese eatery: Sweet Flatbread with Vanilla Ice Cream from Pingtung Eat-In Market ($4.95) Pingtung is an Asian fusion joint on Melrose sporting dim sum, Taiwanese plates, and Japanese specials like sushi rolls and tonkotsu ramen. Skip straight to their dessert menu and order the sweet flatbread. The bread is essentially a laobing (ç??é¤?) -- rolled and layered unleavened bread that is fried to a crisp, and normally a savory dish. Pingtung tops theirs off with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprig of mint. Order to share. Crab and Uni Yang Chau Xiao-long Bao from Chi Lin ($15) The price on this dish will undoubtedly leave a dent in your pocket, but if there's a xiaolongbao that screams fine dining -- this is it. The bao is stuffed with crab and pork meat and topped with uni mousse, of all expensive things, and finely sliced pieces of ginger. On the side is a pink ginger vinaigrette in a pipette. No this isn't a lab experiment, but the eating process is admittedly a five-step process. How to eat this gem: Plop it on your spoon, top it off with a couple drops of pink vinegar, bite off a piece of the skin, suck the soup out, and enjoy the rest. The soup has a mild hint of sweetness to it, which is always an indicator of a xiaolongbao done right. Minced Lamb with Pickled Mustard Green Shao-Bing from Chi Lin ($17) Shaobings (ç??é¤?) served Taiwanese-style are traditionally large, baked flatbreads decorated with sesame and stuffed with thinly sliced flank steak, cilantro, and julienned scallions. It's the Chinese equivalent of a breakfast sandwich. In his version, Taiwanese chef Yujean Kang transforms this item into miniature hot pockets without compromising the classic crisp texture. It's not sandwich anymore -- it's a pocket and you stuff them yourself with Northern wok-fired minced lamb, garlic, and pickled mustard greens. Add chili sauce for an extra kick. Alcoholic Boba from Boba 7 ($8) Boba are dark, chewy tapioca balls used in tea-based drinks. It's a Taiwanese-born concoction with infinite amount of variations and flavorings, but few places spike it with liquor. Entrepreneur Elton Keung is making a niche for himself by doing just that. His bar is called Boba 7, a hidden "speakseasy" located in the back of Thai restaurant Soi 7 in downtown Los Angeles. The drink in question is the Bobagasm. It's similar to the Screaming Orgasm (a.k.a the White Russian) but there's a twist. The difference? Soju and boba. The Bobagasm is one of Boba 7's specialty drinks. It's topped with Kahlua and Irish cream-flavored milk, with brown sugar and honey boba on the bottom. You drink it with a boba straw and no, take-out orders are not allowed. Sea Urchin Buns from The Bazaar ($13) A list of unconventional dishes in Los Angeles wouldn't be complete without a mention of at least one of Bazaar's quirky offerings. These miniature buns are a modern and seafood-centric take on the gua bao (å?®å??). Gua baos are traditionally stuffed with fatty slices of pork, pickled vegetables, and cilantro. The Bazaar instead adds fresh uni and creamy slices of avocado. One bite into this fantastically creamy sandwich and you'll taste the subtle heat of the chili complemented with a slight hint of ginger. Aforementioned Restaurants: Pingtung Eat-In Market Chi Lin Boba 7 The Bazaar Want recipes and food news emailed directly to you? Sign up for the new Food newsletter here! View Unique Chinese Food in a larger map More Chinese Food: Asian-Inspired Pastries at Oh My Pan Bakery and Tea Beyond Fiery Spices at Chengdu Taste Small-Batch Chinese Noodles In L.A., Available Only A Few Hours A Day 4 Ways to Enjoy Stinky Tofu in Los Angeles Where To Get Faux Shark Fin in Los Angeles Roasted Ducks And Cantonese BBQ At Sam Woo Restaurateur George Yu Talks Cantonese Food and Sleep Deprivation
As the crucial state elections and the big general elections draw closer, the political parties are losing no opportunity to claim credit for what they have done and increasingly also for what they have not done. And, as this piece discusses, some are, bafflingly, refusing to take credit for what they have done. Anyone who follows the ruling party’s speeches and campaign, what stands out is that Right to Information (RTI), Food Security Bill and Right to Education Bill are among the three major accomplishments they are going to people with. But, as more and more people are now pointing out, all these bills are nothing but what the NDA government had already done and what the UPA has done is to merely give it a new nomenclature. Let us look at the RTI Act, which, in more ways than one has been a game changer. The act was enacted and assented in June 2005, when UPA had been in power for a year. But what was RTI really? It was nothing but the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2002 that was enacted by the NDA government. In fact, the aim of the act was the same as the RTI and, as this letter dated January 30, 2003, from the then secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) shows, the government had started moving towards promoting it. Other than calling it the “beginning of a new era in approach of government functioning where openness shall now be the rule and secrecy an exception”, the letter went on to ask all secretaries to “provide before hand the requisite infrastructure in the form of rules etc.” In fact, so serious was the NDA government about this act’s implementation that the letter from the DoPT said: “the provisions contained therein give the Act an over-riding effect in character. In keeping with this, we would suggest that an immediate review may be undertaken for all such Acts and Instruments administered by the Ministry and amendments made thereto, wherever necessary, so that the scheme is not subverted through the operation of conflicting provisions in these Acts/Instruments.” The letter then went on to say “suitable action may be taken on priority basis so that there is no cause for delay in brining the act into force”, before concluding: “As the entire infrastructure for bringing the Act into force has to be set up within the shortest possible time, I shall be grateful if the above aspects receive your personal attention.” This was January 2003. RTI came in 2005. If one were to analyse, bluntly put, it is nothing but a case of the UPA coming to power and sitting on it for a couple of years, give it a new name and then take credit for it. In fact, Aruna Roy and Arvind Kejriwal have, perhaps, worked harder to popularise and take it to the masses than any of the large political parties. And it is not just this. Even the Right to Education Bill, which is once again seen as a game changer, was actually conceived in 2003 as something called “Free & Compulsory Education for Children.” If you dig the net and the social media, there are plenty of other instances available where something that was thought through and started during NDA was appropriated by the UPA after a slight break by merely giving it a new name. Of course, when in Delhi, how can one forget about what is easily the most successful large project undertaken in the country after independence, the Delhi Metro? The current CM, Sheila Dikshit has appropriated the infrastructure as her baby. But the facts tell a different story. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was set up jointly by the government of India and government of Delhi in May, 1995, when the Delhi CM was Madan Lal Khurana. Total ground work and planning was done in the subsequent two-three years and construction started in 1998, just when Sheila Dikshit took over as the CM. So, if anything, the credit goes to now severely ailing Khurana and not the lady who has garnered all the accolades for the project. But all this brings one to the point. Why has the BJP, indeed the NDA, shied away from claiming credit for things which they have done? Doesn’t it seem strange that the ruling party goes to town claiming credit for every scheme considered a game changer in the country, while those who are actually responsible for it, protest meekly or give it a miss altogether. I am unable to understand this strange reticence on part of the principal opposition party that is hoping to make a comeback. In the minds of the young voters, and their number would be more than significant in the coming elections, RTI, RTE and Delhi Metro, among others are ALL the handiwork of the Congress and the UPA. Why wouldn’t the BJP tell them what the truth is? I fail to understand!
Do you hear horror stories of China attacking services you use or of 4Chan taking out services with their Low Orbit Ion Cannon? After hearing stories like that, do you think, “Wait. What?” or, “How does this even work?” or even, “Why can random people take down other people’s websites?” Then this is the article for you. I’m here to attempt to explain the world of denial-of-service attacks, and to offer some strategies for survival in this complicated Internet world. What is a DDoS? A DDoS is a Distributed Denial-of-Service attack. These attacks are happening constantly on the Internet, wars initiated by humans and played out by computers attacking other computers, hoping to make targeted computers inaccessible or overloaded. The Digital Attack Map, built collaboratively by Google Ideas and Arbor Networks, displays a snapshot of Internet attack activity at any one time. Particularly interesting is the gallery, which shows a bunch of exciting days on the Internet. One of my recent favorites is from April 16, 2014, described as, “Volumetric attacks targeting Poland with sustained levels of over 100 Gbps.” I haven’t taken the time to figure out why this attack happened (because often such things don’t make the news, nor does it matter), but it’s interesting to know that so much data is being thrown around. For reference, there are eight gigabits in a gigabyte, so one hundred gigabits per second is twelve and a half gigabytes of data. A 720p Blu-ray movie rip is approximately six and a quarter gigabytes in size (movies are often in the four- to ten-gigabyte range), so someone was pushing two entire movies every second to computers based in Poland. The Digital Attack Map actually has a fantastic Understanding DDoS page. It includes a few videos on how to use the site, what each part of the site means, and what DDoS is. The key point is that these attacks can come from any type of network connection. When I talk about defenses, this will be important. But first, let’s talk about the main types of attacks using the names that the Attack Map uses. TCP connection attacks The Transmission Control Protocol, commonly known as TCP, is the networking protocol of the Internet. It provides reliable, ordered and error-checked delivery of data in the form of packets (unlike UDP). However, TCP connections can be made by attackers to never close, and computers (such as load balancers, HTTP servers, and routers) have a limited number of connections they can keep open. So if someone can take and hold the connections your computer has available to connect to others, others will not be able to connect to you. Volumetric attacks A volumetric attack (relating to volume, or how much stuff a three-dimensional object can contain) is what it sounds like. Your network connection is like a pipe (joke) that can only transport a certain amount of data at once. Also, your computer can only process a finite amount of data at once. So if someone starts sending lots of bits to your computer, a couple of different things can happen. Either responses will start to slow down as your computer takes more and more time to process the large requests, or the network connection will slow down because the bandwidth between your server and the Internet is diminished by traffic congestion. Fragmentation attacks Remember how I said TCP “provides reliable, ordered and error-checked delivery of data”? Well, an attacker can purposely send bad data. Some examples are SYN Floods, PING Floods and Teardrop Attacks, among many others. These attacks look different depending on their implementation, but they follow the high-level idea of forcing the target computer to spend an abnormally large amount of time repairing incoming data. A metaphorical example is: Imagine if every time you ordered something on Amazon, instead of getting the actual thing, you got a disassembled Lego kit with no instructions that could possibly be assembled to create the thing you wanted. Application attacks Application attacks are interesting because they are hard to detect. They look like normal user traffic but target a specific part of an application to bring a server to its knees. For example, imagine a search engine called example.com that has a URL http://example.com/doallthework that, when visited, performs uncached lookups to the search engine’s database that are very CPU intensive. An attacker finds this and sends thousands of requests to this URL, which causes the servers to use up all of their CPU resources. Not all of these attacks are necessarily malicious. Some readers may remember the term “Slashdotted,” which referred to a situation when a website was featured on Slashdot and the traffic directed to the site took it offline. We still see this effect from time to time when sites unexpectedly get featured on sites like Hacker News or Reddit. Where is it all coming from? Now that you have a rough idea of what DDoS attacks are, the next questions are, “How do attackers get all of this processing power?” and, “Where does it all come from?” These are valid questions. Sadly, the answers to these questions are complicated, because there are many avenues that can provide attackers with large attack pools. Botnets Botnets could be a topic all their own, but in a high-level sense, a botnet is a bunch of computers (usually at least ten and sometimes up to hundreds of thousands). Some botnets have done a lot of damage on the Internet. Botnets can be created in many ways, but one of the most common ways is to have a virus infect a computer and then wait for a command. Infected computers connect to an IRC channel or some other control center, and when the person in charge says, “Go!” they start some sort of attack or action. It should be noted that it is illegal in the United States to infect computers without the owner’s consent. Many of these viruses exploit known security holes, so this is as good a time as any to remind you to update your passwords and keep your computer software patched. Windows users were historically the target of many virus exploits, but these days just about everyone is constantly targeted. I try to make sure all of my computers are up-to-date on the first day of every month, but you can also simply add automation to your system updates on many operating systems (tell your Mac to auto-install security updates, enable automatic apt-get updates, make sure Windows Auto-Updates are enabled, etc.). To recap, a botnet is a group of compromised computers that listen for commands and then respond by carrying out attacks or actions. Many botnets are created by scanning the Internet for computers that are vulnerable to known exploits and then infecting them with code to make them unknowing members of a botnet. DNS amplification and IP spoofing DNS amplification attacks are one way to make it look like you’re being attacked from one location when you’re really being attacked from another. Basically, the attacker sends a request to one or more DNS servers. This request has a false source address, so when the DNS servers respond, they respond to the target instead of to the attacker who originated the request. The target then sees a lot of traffic from the DNS servers but has no idea where the requests originated. Making matters worse, these responses are often quite large in comparison to the initial request, thanks to DNS recursion, which allows someone to ask DNS servers for information that the servers do not know. The servers will query other DNS servers to get that information and then return it. For a 64-byte request, you could get a 3876-byte response, for example. This type of attack is a form of IP spoofing. Similarly, last year we saw a string of NTP amplification attacks. NTP is the Network Time Protocol and is unauthenticated like DNS. It, too, can receive requests that cause the NTP server to send responses larger than the original request to computers that did not make the initial request. DNS and NTP are just two examples of IP spoofing. There is constant ongoing research by attackers to find new services that are susceptible to these types of attacks. The US CERT article linked earlier on DNS amplification has a lot of data on these types of attacks, but one key detail is particularly important: In 2000, the IETF proposed Best Current Practice 38. Titled, “Network Ingress Filtering: Defeating Denial of Service Attacks which employ IP Source Address Spoofing,” this proposal suggested that ISPs verify packets on their networks are actually coming from their stated origin (i.e., where they say they are coming from). In 2012 it was suggested that 80% of the Internet does this, which is fairly good news. This relatively high level of adherence to best practices goes a long way toward helping protect you without you having to do anything, but these sorts of attacks still happen, and you should remain aware of them. Many hosting providers and networks also implement egress filtering. Egress filtering is the opposite of ingress filtering. In egress filtering, routers examine traffic as it leaves the network. Checks are configured on a per network basis, but common checks are to verify that packets leaving the network have an IP belonging to that network and to make sure the traffic type is allowed (such as DNS, HTTP or SMTP). This filtering helps prevent traffic from going across networks that are unrelated to the request. Why should I care? Engineering is a never-ending problem of cost-benefit analysis. With no constraints, an engineering team can prepare for a large set of possibilities of failure given enough imagination, time and money. But in reality, every system has different reliability requirements. For example, my personal website does not need to be as reliable as gmail.com, which does not need to be as reliable as a plane’s fly-by-wire system. Imagine your site is down for an hour. Now a day. Now a week. Will this hurt your livelihood? Will it cost you money? Will people die? If yes, that’s a good thing to know, and you should be prepared to make investments to counteract bad outcomes. As the Digital Attack Map website mentions, your attackers can buy a lot of sustained attack power for $125. What protections are available? Protecting yourself from DDoS is complicated: As we have not created the Minority Report system to predict all of the possible attacks in the world, we have no idea who will become a target, when an attack will occur, or how large an attack will be. But even if you’re small, don’t have a lot of resources to invest, and have a history of angering people who tend to initiate cyber-attacks against people they disagree with (such as the US Government, the Chinese Government, religious extremists or “hacktivists”), there are still some things you can do to protect yourself. If you’re a source of free expression that a government or other group is trying to silence, you can apply for Google Ideas’ new Project Shield. If you are not, you can use one of many for-pay services from large companies that have extra bandwidth and large networks to absorb attacks. Akamai, Amazon, CloudFlare, Google and others all have products like this. Further reading and research I mentioned in the introduction that there are strategies for surviving these types of attacks. The last section of this article gave a taste of some of these, but I have only included a small sampling of the vast body of knowledge that exists about countering DDoS attacks and keeping a popular website online. If you would like to explore this topic further, I have included links below to help you get started.
I am a self-publisher and this is my manifesto. If you’re a reader, a simple lover of books, someone with no aspirations of ever writing or publishing, then there is a very good chance you’re unaware of the culture war that has been going on within the world of publishing for what feels like forever. The war is between the large publishing houses, primarily found in New York, and self-publishers (or independent publishers). For almost as long as the publishing industry has been a relevant cog in the entertainment machine, publishing houses have served the purpose of finding, publishing and, essentially delivering to the literary world the best authors they could find. But they didn’t do this alone. Literary agents—who not only represent authors, but also serve as gatekeepers for the large publishing houses—helped them. Most any writer who has ever aspired to get published has learned the hard way that finding a literary agent to represent you is harder than actually getting your manuscript accepted for publication by a large publishing house. And this is not by accident. As gatekeepers, the literary agents weed out the “bad” talent and wrangle in the “good” talent, making it easier for the large publishing houses to pick which handful of writers they’ll be publishing during any given year. Of course, getting a literary agent is no guarantee of getting published. They still have to try and sell your manuscript to a publishing house. There are plenty of authors who have secured literary agents, only to find out that the agent couldn’t sell their books. But if you are one of those rare authors who have cleared all the hurdles and have had your book published by a large publishing house, one of the first things you will learn is that you’re going to be on your own when it comes to promoting and marketing the book. Publishing houses have limited budgets for marketing their authors and first-time authors aren’t likely to get much support. Ironically, if your book doesn’t sell, then the publisher will be less likely to buy your next book. So, if you’re that first first-time author, you’re going to have to do some significant legwork—from creating a presence on the Internet to setting up readings and book signings—which is fine, especially if you’re serious about your writing and want to make a career of it. And while you’re putting in this work, it might occur to you that since you’re doing all the legwork yourself, what’s to stop you from publishing yourself. Up to now, the main thing stopping you was the stigma of self-publishing. By having agents, editors and publishers making it so hard to break into the publishing world, it creates the perception that only the very best authors get their work published. This perception has put a stigma on self-publishers, a stigma akin to taking your cousin to the prom. The impression is if you weren’t good enough to get published through a traditional publisher then you must not be a very good writer. And the publishing houses have benefited from this, because it means they haven’t had to compete with self-publishers. In the last couple of years, the publishing industry has been struggling. Truth be told, it’s always been tough to make money selling books when you consider Americans in general aren’t all that keen on reading. But in the face of a struggling economy, the publishing industry has been hurting more than usual. In their desperation to sell books (which, mind you, is a totally reasonable desperation) the major publishers have invested more and more money into selling personalities, rather than authors. This means when you walk into a bookstore, you’re more likely to see a book “written” by a reality TV star or a trendy politician. Even actors and recording artists are publishing novels. All of this is fine, except that, if you’re a major publishing house, you now have little-to-no money left to invest in first-time authors. Not to mention the fact that they’re a risky investment, unlike a celebrity who has name recognition and a built-in fan base. This all makes sense from a business standpoint, but what if you’re a writer who has dedicated years and years of your life to learning and honing your craft? Are you supposed to just accept that some contemporary pop star and their ghostwriter have a book published and you don’t? You can keep knocking on the door of the literary agents and the big publishing houses (heck, you can even try the small publishing houses), but they can’t afford to take a chance on you. The best option for you then is self-publishing. Except, there is that stigma about self-publishers that still hasn’t quite gone away. Only now there is progress being made in eradicating the stigma. A big part of the stigma being eliminated is technology. Now, more than ever, it is easier for an author to publish their work without having to go through a large publishing house. Especially with the growing market of e-books, self-published authors are seeing their books being sold side-by-side with traditionally published books. And if you’re a reader, chances are you’re not making any great distinctions between self-published books and traditionally published books; you’re just happy to find a book that entertained you while you were tanning by the pool or waiting for your doctor’s appointment. So if the readers aren’t holding onto this stigma, then where exactly is it coming from? Unfortunately, the answer is it’s coming from the writers themselves. But it’s not their fault. If you’re a writer who has been working at getting published for at least the last ten years or so (and for most writers, it’s much longer than that), then you’ve more than likely bought into the stigma. You’re a writer who, despite all the hard work you’ve put into your writing, feels like your work can only be validated by going through the traditional system of acquiring a literary agent and selling your book to a major publisher. You would just as soon let your brilliant work go unread on your hard drive (or your freezer, depending on how long you’ve been writing) before you self-published. You’ve dreamed of signing books in Barnes & Noble and doing readings at universities, giving interviews on morning talk shows and whisking around the country on national book tours. The stigma tells you that self-published authors don’t get to do these things. And, for the most part, it’s true. But neither do most traditionally published authors either. More and more quality authors are figuring this out and the world of independent publishing is benefiting from it. Just because the large New York publishing houses are publishing fewer and fewer quality authors doesn’t mean there are no quality authors out there. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. And just because these authors aren’t being published doesn’t mean they simply go away. Many of them are discovering that self-publication is a viable optional. The more quality writers who enter into the world of self-publishing, the more credible it becomes. Even J.K Rowling, author of the Harry Potter dynasty, has turned to self-publishing. Now why would she do that? There is not a publisher anywhere in the world who wouldn’t kill to have Rowling on their roster of authors. And that’s exactly the point. From a business standpoint, Rowling stands to earn more money by self-publishing, rather than sharing her literary fortune with a traditional publisher. Business-wise, this is true even for the relatively unknown self-publisher. Whatever advance you get from a traditional publisher, in all likelihood, is going to be the same amount of money you stand to earn on your own if you have a quality book and are willing to work hard to find and connect with readers, which is to say all the things you’d be doing anyway if you take your writing seriously. So if you’re a writer out there who is tired of being rejected, don’t fret. Just publish your work yourself. If you’re a large publishing house doing business as usual, good luck to you. You’re a business and you’re simply trying to stay viable. I can appreciate that. And if you are a writer or a publisher or anybody who is still holding onto or perpetuating the stigma of self-publishing, let it go. Release it from your grip and accept the dawning of a new era, a better one even. I am a publisher and this is my manifesto.
By Maher Nazeh and Saif Hameed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - More than half a million Iraqi children are estimated to be at work rather than at school as violence and displacement hurt the income of millions of families, according to the United Nations childrens' agency UNICEF. The number of children currently working, more than 575,000, has doubled since 1990, the year when Iraq attacked Kuwait, setting off a chain of events that led to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and the sectarian strife that continues to this day. Recommended Slideshows 4 Pictures PHOTOS: Singapore's treasures star in NY Botanical Garden's 2019 Orchid Show 4 Pictures 36 Pictures Oscars 2019: Red carpet looks and full list of winners 36 Pictures 36 Pictures All of these celebrities have had their nudes leaked 36 Pictures More picture galleries 16 Pictures These photos of Trump and Ivanka will make you deeply uncomfortable 16 Pictures 4 Pictures Inside Brooklyn's Teknopolis is tech that makes us more human 4 Pictures 4 Pictures Inside The Strand's Fight Against Being Named a New York City Landmark 4 Pictures "I used to go to school and work here for half a day with a low salary,'' 12 year-old Ali Hussien Khudhair, who works the angle grinder in a blacksmith's shop in Baghdad, said. ``I quit school and started working full time here and he (the owner) gives me full wages," he told Reuters TV. UNICEF said since the beginning of 2014, almost 10 percent of Iraqi children – more than 1.5 million – have been forced to flee their homes because of violence. In 2014, the Islamic State group took control of large areas in northern and western Iraq. Nearly one in five schools is closed due to conflict and almost 3.5 million children of school-age are missing out on an education, UNICEF said in a report on June 30. Related Articles Test your sex IQ Omar Sy: The 'Intouchable' man Omar Sy: An unlikely friendship In total, at least 3.6 million children in Iraq are at risk of death, serious injury, sexual violence, abduction and recruitment into armed groups, an increase of 1.3 million since the past 18 months, according to UNICEF. "I wish to go back to school and play with my friends,'' Khudhair said. ``I would be glad to go back and learn to read and write; I will be ashamed to have to say that I can't read when I grow up." About 4.7 million Iraqi children need humanitarian aid, while many families now face deteriorating conditions following military operations against Islamic State, according to UNICEF. "I'm working and learning the craft, it's better than school. What rights do graduates have? They are selling water on streets," 14 year-old Karrar Jaffar, who works in a carmechanic's shop, said. "Thegovernment does nothing. It's better for me to learn a craft," he said, his hands smeared with brake fluid. (Reporting by Saif Hameed. Editing by Jane Merriman)
IPR Details Nokia Corporation's Statement about IPR related to RFC 6386 Submitted: March 21, 2013 under the rules in RFC 3979 as updated by RFC 4879 Note: Updates to IPR disclosures must only be made by authorized representatives of the original submitters. Updates will automatically be forwarded to the current Patent Holder's Contact and to the Submitter of the original IPR disclosure. I. Patent Holder/Applicant ("Patent Holder") Holder legal name Nokia Corporation II. Patent Holder's Contact for Licence Application Holder contact name Kalle Moilanen Holder contact email kalle.moilanen@nokia.com Holder contact info T: +358 50 366 2022 III. Contact Information for the IETF Participant Whose Personal Belief Triggered this Disclosure Name Markus Isomäki Email markus.isomaki@nokia.com Other info T: +358 50 522 5984 IV. IETF Document or Other Contribution to Which this IPR Disclosure Relates RFC: RFC6386 ("VP8 Data Format and Decoding Guide") V. Disclosure of Patent Information i.e., patents or patent applications required to be disclosed by RFC 3979 as updated by RFC 4879 A. For granted patents or published pending patent applications, please provide the following information: Patent, Serial, Publication, Registration, or Application/File number(s) Country:DE:Filing date:22.05.1998, Filing number:98660050.0, Pub.number:0884911, Grant number:69825220 Country:FR:Filing date:22.05.1998, Filing number:98660050.0, Pub.number:0884911, Grant number:0884911 Country:GB:Filing date:22.05.1998, Filing number:98660050.0, Pub.number:0884911, Grant number:0884911 Country:NL:Filing date:22.05.1998, Filing number:98660050.0, Pub.number:0884911, Grant number:0884911 Country:US:Filing date:09.06.1998, Filing number:09/094177, Pub.number:NA, Grant number:6504873 Country:CN:Filing date:10.08.2000, Filing number:00814037.5, Pub.number:1378750, Grant number:ZL00814037.5 Country:DE:Filing date:10.08.2000, Filing number:00957359.3, Pub.number:1206881, Grant number:60015566.8 Country:FI:Filing date:10.08.2000, Filing number:00957359.3, Pub.number:1206881, Grant number:1206881 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Filing number:01902443.9, Pub.number:1249132, Grant number:1249132 Country:JP:Filing date:20.04.2012, Filing number:2012-096255, Pub.number:2012-170122, Grant number:NA Country:BR:Filing date:08.05.2001, Filing number:PI0110627.9, Pub.number:0110627, Grant number:NA Country:CA:Filing date:08.05.2001, Filing number:2408364, Pub.number:NA, Grant number:2408364 Country:CN:Filing date:08.05.2001, Filing number:01812464.X, Pub.number:1457606, Grant number:01812464.X Country:EE:Filing date:08.05.2001, Filing number:P200200627, Pub.number:P200200627, Grant number:5487 Country:EP:Filing date:08.05.2001, Filing number:01931769.2, Pub.number:1282982, Grant number:NA Country:HU:Filing date:08.05.2001, Filing number:P0302617, Pub.number:P0302617, Grant number:NA Country:JP:Filing date:08.05.2001, Filing number:2001-583055, Pub.number:2003-533142, Grant number:4369090 Country:KR:Filing date:08.05.2001, Filing number:2002-7014937, Pub.number:2003-11325, Grant number:772576 Country:MX:Filing 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Does this disclosure relate to an unpublished pending patent application?: Has patent pending No VI. Licensing Declaration The Patent Holder states that its position with respect to licensing any patent claims contained in the patent(s) or patent application(s) disclosed above that would necessarily be infringed by implementation of the technology required by the relevant IETF specification ("Necessary Patent Claims"), for the purpose of implementing such specification, is as follows(select one licensing declaration option only): Licensing Unwilling to Commit to the Provisions of a), b), or c) Above Licensing information, comments, notes, or URL for further information (No information submitted) Note: The individual submitting this template represents and warrants that he or she is authorized by the Patent Holder to agree to the above-selected licensing declaration. VII. Contact Information of Submitter of this Form Submitter name Kalle Moilanen Submitter email kalle.moilanen@nokia.com Only those sections of the relevant entry form where the submitter provided information are displayed.
Zia Rana January 25, 2012 The Kangaroos declared their first innings at 604 runs for the loss of seven wickets and the visitors were reeling at 61 after losing two key wickets. The second day’s play came to an end on January 25, 2012 at Adelaide Oval where the fourth and final Test is being staged. Earlier Australia started the day at 335 for the loss of three wickets in 90 overs, Ponting was unbeaten on 137 and Clarke was playing at 140 and they had shared a partnership of 249 runs for the fourth wicket. The duo started the day from where they left on the first day and the runs were accumulated easily with occasional boundaries. Clarke achieved his 150 with style by dispatching a four on the third ball of the 93rd over and Ponting followed him in the same manner three overs later. The game was geared up by the two batsmen and the Indian bowling attack proved ordinary. Clarke celebrated his double century on the fourth ball of the 114th over by earning a four through extra cover few overs before lunch. He tried to accelerate the innings but was clean bowled by Umesh Yadav on the third ball of the 121st over just after the break. The dashing Captain contributed 386 runs for the fourth wicket as he went back to the pavilion at the total of 470 runs. Ponting accomplished his sixth double ton on the third ball of the 123rd over while securing a four off a pull on the square leg boundary. He added 50 runs for the fifth wicket with Michael Hussey who was run out at 25 runs. The 37-year-old, ex-Captain lost his wicket after thrashing 221 runs once he was caught by Sachin Tendulkar at deep midwicket off Zaheer Khan. Australia declared their first innings at 604 as they had lost seven wickets, Brad Haddin and Ryan Harris were unbeaten on 42 and 35 runs respectively. Ravichandran Ashwin was the highest wicket taker with three, Zaheer held two victims and Yadav claimed one wicket as well. India opened their first innings with style as Gautam Ghambhir dispatched the first ball for a four and gathered eight runs with Virender Sehwag in the initial over. Sehwag got a life at five runs when he was dropped at midwicket by Ed Cowan on the fifth ball of the second over bowled by Ben Hilfenhaus. He could not utilise the chance and was caught and bowled by Peter Siddle on the first ball of the sixth over at 18 runs. The first wicket fell at 26 runs and their worries were multiplied when Hilfenhaus uprooted the stumps of the wall of their batting, Rahul Dravid just after six runs were added in the total. Gautam Ghambhir and Sachin Tendulkar saw the day off as India managed 61 runs without losing any further wicket at stumps, they were batting at 30 and 12 runs respectively. They are still 543 runs away from the first innings total of Australia, the pitch is helpful for the batting and requires determination from the batsmen. They can respond well with proper application and Tendulkar has an upright chance to clinch his 100th hundred.
This industrial loft belongs to a co-owner of VM Central & Olive Studio Rupert Smith. Its design is a sum of the owner’s golden rules in creating a visual narrative. First of all, he started with a black and white frame and then built and layered from there. Rupert started with a monochromatic canvas and layers textures, decor and design features from different time periods. The second design rule that the owner swears by is maximizing available light. The loft’s airy double volume with large glass windows meant already an abundance of natural light, accentuated further with use of glass vessels, reflective surfaces and glossy finishes. It’s especially important because the shades of décor are rather dark, so light is necessary to keep its look not so moody. Rupert loves industrial elements, so he included lots of them making industrial theme a part of this loft. He didn’t want a soulless, run-of-the-mill modern, cold space, and a proliferation of greenery means the industrial space is anything but sterile, whilst the taxidermy birds and skulls hint at Rupert’s ‘Touch of Gothic’ style. Rupert also added a lot of greenery to the loft, so he didn’t miss a garden at all. The furniture you can see in this loft is a mix of modern and shabby chic chosen by the owner himself. Antique tables and vintage chests of drawers neighbor with modern leather chairs and black manyly stools. And with such an eye for detail, Rupert has ever-changing vignettes and displays. The loft has a strong character and personality, this is definitely a home of a creative person. This loft reminds to me of a Victorian or steampunk space done in calm shades, with lots of unique details: the longer you look at them, the more details you see. Source: elledecoration
Throw back your head and let out a long celebratory birthday howl for Nikai! Welcome to the terrific twos, kiddo! The Wolf Conservation Center‘s youngest Ambassador has been an inspiration from his adorable start. Within a month of joining the WCC family the little beast huffed, puffed, and hiccuped his way into the hearts and minds of a global audience. His viral video “Wolf Pup Hiccups” almost broke the internet! Today the stunning ambassador continues to awe and help open the door to understanding wolves by forging a connection between the public and his wild kin. Although he remains a “ladies man,” having yet to completely outgrow his uneasiness around men, his trepidation is natural and his behavior offers WCC guests a glimpse of how elusive wolves naturally are. Physically Nikai is no longer the baby of the family; he has become equal in stature to older siblings Alawa and Zephyr. He does, however, remain the “child” within the family hierarchy. Zephyr is the self-appointed leader of the family – expressing his status with erect posture and tail carried high. Most of the time Nikai exhibits his lower position through submissive/puppy-like behavior. With lowered tail and posture, he acknowledges his role and rank in the family order. He is often pawing, tucking his tail, and licking the muzzles of his siblings – some of the natural submissive gestures expressed by less dominant wolves. However, during the winter months Nikai did test Zephyr. He incessantly egged on his older brother until the two had it out while Alawa wisely steered clear of the mayhem. Thankfully it took only a few bumps and scratches to return peace and order to the pack with Zephyr at the helm once again. So a new chapter opens for our Ambassador trio. And what an honor to watch the family transition into such powerful players in the fight to preserve wolves’ rightful place in the environment. Help support the Wolf Conservation Center‘s efforts to protect and preserve wolf populations in North America by adopting the birthday boy! We offer several adoption levels. No matter what the level, each adoption kit includes an 8×10 wolf photo, wolf biography, adoption certificate and a subscription to our newsletter. Learn more. Happy Birthday, Nikai!
425 SHARES Facebook Twitter Sign up and we notify you about new features and Add-Ons A new style of con is spreading across South Korea and it could cost you thousands of dollars. Korean con artists carefully select a vehicle to run out in front of and pretend to get injured by the supposed collision with the car. They make a scene, the police arrive, and it usually becomes the con artists word against the drivers. Con artists target specific individuals who appear to be new drivers, those who drive as their job, those violating a traffic law such as speeding or failing to pay attention to the road, truck drivers, or ladies under the presumption the police will perceive as inferior drivers. The more experienced scammers work in groups so that the person pretending to be hit by the car has witnesses that confirm their story. This forces individuals into a position where they pay the fraudster to prevent further legal action. Many con artists have extorted thousands of dollars from unsuspecting drivers who usually want to avoid getting the police or courts involved. “Police estimate one con group they arrested in Cheongju made 541.45 million won from using this scamming technique 81 times. That is nearly 6.7 million won scammed from each victim” Police estimate one con group they arrested in Cheongju made 541.45 million won from using this scamming technique 81 times. That is nearly 6.7 million won scammed from each victim. Another scammer in Chungcheong Province made 18.6 million won($17,200) by extorting from 16 victims. A more sophisticated group rented a car as a prop for this con and managed to extort 30 million won and repeat this scam 7 times before police caught them. There are many more cases where the police have caught fraudsters such as these. Dash-cam footage obtained by the Korea Observer from the public domain demonstrates men aggressively jumping onto the bonnet of a slowly moving car and smashing the windscreen with their hand before rolling off the bonnet and yelling as if they had been run into. Other footage from YouTube clearly shows some lazy scammers who lack the enthusiasm to make a substantial effort. Several dash-cam clips show Korean scammers running toward a stationary car. They then lay on the bonnet or on the ground in front of the vehicle. When the scammer tries to argue that they were hit, the driver often points at their dash-cam and the offender runs away. One fellow who tried this scam was not so lucky. He can be seen to pretend to fall in front of a Korean lady driving a small car. She then accidentally drives over the top of him. He can be heard screaming in agony while she slowly continues driving in disbelief that a speed bump had somehow got under her car. Those engaging in this scam face up to seven years imprisonment or a 15 million won fine. It is essential that any expat driving in Korea have a dash-cam to avoid being unfairly sued for hitting pedestrians.
If you're all too familiar with the unbelievable pain of cluster headaches, then you know... 1. It's the worst kind of headache. All sufferers of cluster headaches—and their doctors and loved ones—agree: The pain is brutal. This unique syndrome is so intense that in the throes of an attack, you might bang their head against the wall or even pull your hair out. The attacks are usually focused on one side of the head, and the pain is often a piercing sensation in the eye or temple, which is why some people refer to them as "ice-pick headaches." The attacks can occur daily (or even multiple times a day) for a few weeks or months; about 1.4 million Americans suffer from them, according to the American Headache Society. 2. Certain times of day suck more than others. These headaches can occur like clockwork, literally: Some people experience them within a couple of hours of falling asleep, while others might only experience attacks in the mornings, afternoons, or evenings. For some, the pain can kick in at a frighteningly specific time of day, say at 2:30 pm every day. The headaches can also be seasonal, with the spring or fall signaling the onset of attacks. 3. You need a doctor who 100% gets it. David Jakle/Getty Images Although medical professionals once doubted the severity of cluster headaches, most appreciate just how painful and frustrating these maddening attacks can be. Good doctors will work patiently with you to determine the right combination of drugs and behaviors that can limit attacks or ease the severity of the pain. (Doesn't sound like your doc? Here are 10 more signs it's time to dump your doctor .) MORE: 7 Weird Headache Triggers 4. You don't know what desperation is until you're looking for a treatment. Living with cluster headaches means being on a continual search for respite. The laundry list of options you'll try is endless—in part because of the frustratingly vague origin of the head pain. 5. There's nothing like the sweet relief of oxygen. One of the most effective treatments is pure oxygen, which is why many people with cluster headaches keep tanks around the house. According to the Mayo Clinic, inhaling 100% oxygen at a minimum rate of 12 liters a minute can head off an attack. A self-administered shot of a triptan drug such as Imitrex can also help; this class of drugs have been effective for migraines in general, and many people with cluster headaches benefit as well. 6. Home can feel like a prison. Image Source/Dave Smith/Getty Images When you're in the midst of a cluster, even leaving the house can be terrifying. You may not have the treatment you need with you should a headache come on, and the pain is so intense there's no way to mask what you're going through. Many sufferers complain of feeling almost agoraphobic. 7. You'll never stop hoping for a cure. When the headaches keep reoccurring, you may turn to surgery to block nerve signals, implants that can stimulate certain centers in the brain, and even psychedelic drugs (a report in the journal Neurology suggested some patients' headaches cleared up after trying psilocybin mushrooms). Researchers continue to pursue possible cures and new treatments, which you can track at the National Headache Foundation, American Headache Society, and at support group-oriented sites such as ouch-us.org and clusterheadaches.com. MORE: The 10 Most Painful Conditions
13 SHARES Share Tweet HILLARY UNIVERSITY. BILL CLINTON SCORED $16.46 MILLION FROM FOR-PROFIT COLLEGE. Woops. Hillary bashes Trump for Trump University as she and her husband are guilty of the same thing. Breitbart broke the news that in 2015, Bill had to quickly (and quietly) resign from his post as honorary chancellor of Laureate Education, a for-profit college company, which has been involved in its own controversy in the past. Bill’s abrupt departure was due to Laureates funneling of $16.46 million over five years, all the while Hillary’s State Dept. threw at least $55 million to a group run by Laureate’s founder and chairman, Douglas Becker, a man not surprisingly connected to the Clinton Global Initiative. Smells fishy to me. But wait, there’s more! Who else is a major financial backer to Laureate Education? None other than billionaire George Soros. You know, the guy who also helped back Ted Cruz. The same guy that Glenn Beck had for years trashed, but when George was backing his man Cruz, Beck said nothing. But I digress. The Washington Post reports, “Laureate has stirred controversy throughout Latin America, where it derives two-thirds of its revenue.” Over the course of Bill’s tenure, Laureate spent over $200 million a year on over the top marketing, such as internet banners, telemarketing, and billboard ads to lure poverty stricken students to enroll to the for-profit school. Classy! Remember folks. Those in glass houses should not throw stones. Yet Hillary and team seem to be throwing all the stones they can possibly get their hands on. Hillary University is nothing more than a scam. How can she possibly point fingers at Donald Trump? It’s simple. She’s a politician. You know. A career liar. This is the same Hillary who has been surrounded by controversy her entire political career. Yet somehow, she’s the likely favorite in the Democratic race. It’s time to wake up. It’s time to elect someone who’s in it for us. The U.S.A. Someone who will, Make America Great Again. Continue the conversation. Follow us on twitter : @trumpwallnow
The hero phone. (Apple Daily) You know what they say: Never bring a sickle to a gunfight. But if you do make sure you have an enormous phone in your front pocket. Let us explain. The phone’s owner and another man began arguing in a restaurant and stepped outside to fight, Apple Daily reported (via Shanghaiist). Armed with only a sickle (yes, a sickle), the victim proved no match for his gun-wielding aggressor and was promptly shot down. The fallen man was carted to the hospital by friends. Medical staff and police discovered that because the shooter was using a “modified” and less powerful gun, and because the bullet first hit the victim’s shielding hand, the sturdy Samsung Galaxy Mega phablet — which is Samsung’s largest phone, featuring a 6.3-inch screen —in his chest pocket had stopped the bullet cold. Not a bad feature, Samsung: life-saving phone, no third-party app necessary. Maybe they should have called it the Samsung Galaxy Shield. iPhone fans, however, might say that this is yet another copycat job by the makers of the Galaxy line. For example: In 2012, a man in the Netherlands told De Telegraaf (via Tuaw) that he was spared a bullet to the heart while driving thanks to the chest-pocket placement of his iPhone. Of course, full credit couldn’t be given to the phone in this instance, either, since the bullet broke through the man’s windshield first. Even Windows Phone and BlackBerry, the little brothers of the smartphone field, have had their heroic moments. A Nokia Lumia 520 this year saved a Brazilian military soldier from being shot in the rear, and a BlackBerry Curve in 2010 blocked an accidental shot from injuring a woman in Ohio. All of this goes to show that it doesn’t matter how out of date or uncool your phone or your weapon (a sickle? really??) might be: Bringing it along to a gunfight is never going to be a bad idea. Also not a bad idea: Avoid all gunfights. Peace. Have questions, comments, or just want to tell me something funny? Email me at danbean@yahoo-inc.com.
Delaware Forest Service to send help to Rocky Mountains In response to Rocky Mountain wildfires the Delaware Forest Service is sending help in the form of a 20-person wildfire crew. The crew will join four others from the east coast heading west to help crews in Colorado. In response to increased wildfire activity, the National Interagency Fire Center upped its National Preparedness Level to 3 on a 5-point scale on June 28. The crew being sent is a mix of volunteers and public agency personnel trained in woodland firefighting. A representative of the Delaware Forest Service tells 47 ABC it means a lot for The First State to be able assist in this time of need. "My hat goes off to the volunteers who take time away from their families and their jobs to help the Delaware Forest Service put a crew together and head to various parts of the country," said Kyle Hoyd, assistant state forester. The firefighters are scheduled to fly to Grand Junction, Colorado on Sunday to pre-position for a pending assignment. Their bus will leave from Smyrna Saturday at 1 p.m. for Harrisburg.
A smorgasbord of goodness Quiches are one of our favorite make-ahead meals. Not only are they easy to throw together, but you can add just about anything into them, making a smorgasbord of goodness. You can make them with any random fixings you might have leftover in your fridge (ham from Easter or turkey from Thanksgiving!), or if you’re fancy, you can combine the perfect concoction of ingredients to mimic some of your favorite dishes. Which is exactly what we did here with this dangerously good Reuben Quiche. What’s in our Reuben? Traditional Reuben sandwiches are made with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing, served on rye bread. Ever wondered where the Reuben Sandwich came from? You can read about its creation here. We love stories like these!
World of Warcraft will be reaching a significant milestone with their 10 year anniversary this November. To think that 10 years ago we were just figuring out how to play the class you randomly chose and exploring Azeroth. The game has evolved greatly since those early days and has seen four expansions with a fifth on the way. At it’s peak WoW maintained 12 million subscribers, but has seen a steady decline since 2011 and now only has a mere 6.8 million subscribers. That’s nearly half of the players leaving, but still leaves it as one of the most played games in the world. Well, for those that still love to play WoW or have been looking for something fun to happen, Blizzard is going to tap into your nostalgia by bringing back a bit of the past. For a limited time only, Blizzard will run a new Battleground in the spirit of Tarran Mill and Southshore wars from the past and add a 40-man Raid Finder version of Molten Core for max level players. Oh and they are going to light some Corgis on fire… Hmmm? Alright, they aren’t actually setting Corgis on fire. Instead, just by logging in for the event, you will receive your very own Molten Corgi. Anyone who logs in during the 10-year anniversary event will also be able to claim a feisty, fiery new pet: the Molten Corgi! Just think of the corgi-parade potential when you and your friends summon these wee waddling balls of fire for a walk. Tarren Mill vs. Southshore: The Rematch In the early days of WoW, there were a few places where the Horde and Alliance would clash. One of those places was in a mid level zone where a Horde town (Tarren Mill) and an Alliance town (Southshore) were close together and had quests for both factions in the area. This was also a contested zone on PvP servers which meant just being in the zone allows the opposite faction to attack you. Do to the proximity of the two towns, and a reasonable amount of hate towards the opposite faction, players would grieve low levels players and cause an all out war between factions in the area. This was before the implementation of Battlegrounds and was a good source of PvP if you craved to fight the Horde or Alliance. Blizzard is going to attempt to recreate that with their new Battleground Tarren Mill vs. Southshore: The Rematch. If you engaged in PvP early on in WoW, you might have fond memories of—and perhaps a few scars from—the endless tug-of-war between Horde and Alliance players at Tarren Mill and Southshore. To recapture that feeling, we’ll be opening a Team Deathmatch–style Battleground based on that timeless struggle. However, unlike the old days of Tarren Mill vs. Southshore, there will be a clearly defined victor, so you’ll need to work as a team or face crushing defeat. One of things not mentioned about the new Battleground was how many people would be able to play it? Luckily, Holinka took to Twitter to answer that question. 100 v 100 is an amazing number and should bring back some of the feel of PvP 10 years ago with multiple 40 man raids battling it out near Tarren Mill. Holinka also noted that the old Honor System will be in affect and allow players to level up to higher ranks and be worth more points. Just so you know, you need to kill A LOT of people to make it to Grand Marshal or High Warlord…trust me…I know. As players earn honorable kills, they level up through the original honor system. The higher rank you are, the more points you're worth. — Holinka (@holinka) August 6, 2014 Molten Core Gets Boosted Molten Core was the first true raiding instance in WoW and for some it is either a fond memory or a nightmare from long ago. Molten Core was a 40-man instance that introduced new boss mechanics (living bombs, curses that need to be cleansed, spatial awareness, etc.), attunement, Tier 1 gear, and rep grinding to unlock the final boss. Guilds would spend weeks upon weeks farming the instance to gear up 40 people to even have a chance at taking down Ragnaros. They had to craft and farm fire resist gear and plan out fire resist buffs so that players could even stand in his presence. The raid also depended on the majority of the 40 people not fucking up so that the entire raid wouldn’t wipe on a boss and reclear trash. To commemorate that struggle, Blizzard is introducing a 40-man Raid Finder version of Molten Core for max level players. Molten Core provided many WoW players with their first taste of WoW raiding. For the anniversary celebration, max-level players will be able to participate in a special 40-player Raid Finder version to relive the experience of hunting down Ragnaros and his minions within his fiery lair. Downing the Firelord will earn you an Achievement and a special Core Hound mount reward (fireproof leg armor not included). Once you defeat the new and improved Molten Core, you’ll receive and outrageously large Corehound mount for your troubles along with an achievement. But remember that this is for a limited time only, so come November by ready to take on the Firelord so you can claim your prize. Sources: MMO-Champion, Curse, Blizzard
“It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Mike Pence’s,” said Paul D. Ryan, the speaker of the House from Wisconsin. “We’re very good friends. I have very high regard for him. I hope that he picks a good movement conservative. Clearly, Mike is one of those.” The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, said picking Mr. Pence would be a “good move by Donald Trump.” Mr. McConnell, who has sharply rebuked Mr. Trump in recent weeks for his indiscipline on the campaign trail, said he would “look forward to enthusiastically supporting the ticket.” To Democrats, Mr. Pence cuts an unimposing profile, and party officials said Thursday they considered him unlikely to transform Mr. Trump’s deeply unpopular public image. On the contrary, his archconservative social views could help motivate liberal voters and young people to turn out for Hillary Clinton in the fall. At the same time, Democrats have looked with some dismay at Mr. Trump’s tenacity in the Midwest, and at his unusual popularity with white men. Mr. Pence could reinforce Mr. Trump’s strengths in both areas. The Senate minority leader Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, indicated that the focus of the fall campaign would be Mr. Trump himself. “It’s not going to help him that much, no matter who he picks,” Mr. Reid said. For Mr. Trump, selecting Mr. Pence would be a sharp departure from habit, and the surest sign yet that he intends to submit to at least some standard political pressures in the general election. Mr. Pence’s public audition for the No. 2 spot, when he appeared with Mr. Trump on Tuesday at a rally in Westfield, Ind., went well. Standing ramrod straight, Mr. Pence offered five and a half minutes of high-energy remarks, frequently turning his fire to Hillary Clinton in an apparent attempt to demonstrate that he could be an attack dog against her.
Twenty-one percent of the American electorate are one-issue voters who will only pull the lever for a candidate who sees abortion in the same way they do. I am among them. I believe that a fetus is a human being with all the rights that I possess (well, I can vote and they can’t). It follows that abortion is murder and, therefore, by far the greatest moral failing of our times. It’s not the only moral failing, of course. I do not want to diminish the grave importance of eliminating racial discrimination or supporting environmental stewardship or any other important issue. But 700,000 murders every year, performed by doctors at the behest of parents, overwhelms any other moral or political consideration on the ballot each November. Yale University has long been a hotbed of the pro-choice movement. Griswold v. Connecticut, the case that eventually undid Connecticut’s contraception laws (and laid the groundwork for direct assaults on abortion bans) centered around a Planned Parenthood clinic right here in New Haven. Nowadays, Yale Law School hosts the likes of Reva Siegel, a paragon among pro-choice legal scholars. So I knew what I was getting into when I enrolled in the Reproductive Rights and Justice Seminar at Yale Law School, a whole semester dedicated to just this issue, surrounded by pro-choice students, reading pro-choice arguments. I knew I would be spending hours each week reading pro-choice apologia and listening to justifications for abortion. The Value of Listening to Your Opposites Most of my conservative friends asked me why I would put myself through it. To be honest, I did it in part because they asked me why. It does not take a keen political mind to notice that conservatives and liberals have stopped talking to each other. Our Facebook feeds keep us in comfortable echo chambers and, instead of reading what the other side thinks, we read what our side thinks about what the other side thinks. But in politics, none of our opponents are as evil as we believe them to be. Pro-choice advocates do not hate babies. Something, however, motivates them to believe as they do. There is some value or set of values behind their votes; something that leads millions of men and women to condone (or at least ignore) the destruction of human life. Do I have any common ground with these people? Well, if I did, it would come out in this seminar. And it did. In a small room with a professor and about a dozen students, I was the only male. I was the only conservative. I did not allow my personal views to make it into the discussion very often. I was not attempting to be some sleeper agent, nor did I pretend to be a fiery pro-choice advocate. I was there to listen. Besides, standing up every 15 minutes to shout, “But it’s a baby!” would not have served either the professor’s purposes or my own. The professor was knowledgeable and inviting, the consummate leader of a seminar. She often presented both sides of the argument. She pressed the students to consider their own logical conclusions and forced us to confront our own assumptions. My classmates, too, were impressive. Where I half-expected lazy thinking, I found precise logic and nuance. Where I expected coldness, I found warmth and concern for children and women and families. This is what I learned. 1. Pro-Choice Advocates Notice When Opponents Compromise During a discussion, one of the students called out, “We all know that anti-abortion laws are about controlling women’s sexuality.” The women around the table responded with affirming nods and “mm-hmms.” I was flabbergasted. I had heard this line before, but assumed that only the crassest political hacks could believe it. I have no interest in anyone’s sex life. But here was a room full of smart women who all thought otherwise. The student went on. “That’s why rape and incest exceptions exist. Those are the situations where the woman has no choice.” I let that sink in. It is true. Those are instances where we say the mother did not give consent. That is where pro-life advocates fold the quickest. If the fetus is a child, why are we willing to give up its life because the mother was not a willing party to its creation? To an outsider, it would appear plain that pro-life advocates who are willing to make these exceptions only care about the life of the fetus if the mother chooses to have sex. What we really care about is not the created being, but the fornication. What answer can we give? If we say we are only willing to grant these exceptions as a matter of political compromise, then we admit there are good reasons to value the mother’s trauma over the baby’s life. Because many of us draw the line here—at consensual sex—we say essentially that the mother’s promiscuity determines whether we will stand to protect the child. That is not a good look. If we say that we do not want to force an unwilling woman to go through the stress, anxiety, and danger of childbirth without having some choice in the matter, then are we really holding the fetus’s life always as valuable as anyone else’s? Or, as one student said in class, “What is so popular about the emotional stress from rape and incest? What is special about those situations as opposed to the stresses of poverty or abandonment?” 2. Pro-Choice Advocates Care About Women It is not just a ploy. One of the readings in class was a testimony by Norma McCorvey, the one-time plaintiff in Roe v. Wade turned pro-life activist. Parts of McCorvey’s testimony touched on the moral lie of abortion, the great subterfuge that surrounds the euphemistic language about “terminating pregnancies” and “products of conception.” Those parts hardly registered with the class. McCorvey also talked about how her lawyers treated her. She claimed that when the case was finally decided, she heard about it through the newspapers, not from her attorneys. Several women in the class were appalled. If true, instead of serving this woman, her lawyers were using her as a pawn in their own cause. My classmates were upset about this even though it was a cause they deeply believed in. Time and again their concern turned towards the disadvantaged. They viewed every law from the prism of the most vulnerable. If the government is not going to fund medical procedure X, then how are women in prison going to get it if they need it? If Catholic hospitals can opt out of procedure Y, must minority women in the Southwest drive four hours away to see a doctor? Their concern is not just a proxy for crass political calculation. For example, we learned that surrogacy contracts often require the surrogate to have an abortion if the donor couple no longer wants the child. This might happen because of a divorce or because a disease has been detected in the fetus. Some students were disgusted by this, but not because of the cheap value it puts on the fetus’s life. Instead, they saw these contracts as interfering with the woman’s freedom: “I’m concerned about the surrogate who is made to have an abortion she doesn’t want.” (Thankfully, such clauses have never been upheld in court, but the pressure they must put on women is immense.) But there was a line that cannot be crossed. The class read various testimonies and statistics about women who regret their abortions and wanted to speak out against it. “Isn’t this feminist?” the professor asked. This is, after all, women speaking up for themselves. But the reception was mixed. One student replied that, “You have to look at content and how it affects other women.” This was essentially code for saying: I will only support you when you agree with me. Another lamented that, “One difficulty with dismantling the patriarchy is that women and men perpetuate it.” That is, if you speak out against what these women see as the true cause of their sex, then your own personal womanhood will not save you. 3. Some Pro-Choice Advocates Are Really Afraid of Pregnancy These are women who have the world ahead of them. For earthly success, it is hard to do much better than a slot at Yale Law School. Potential is a hard thing to measure, but one of Yale Law School’s alumna came within a few thousand votes of the presidency just last November. You can’t blame these women for dreaming big. Everything in our culture tells these women that the worst thing you can do with a sex drive is repress it. A pregnancy can really change that. Sure, many women juggle the stresses of raising a child and the brutal grind of elite success in America. But that doesn’t make it sound any easier. After one set of assignments, a student came into class and announced, “These readings terrified me. I never want to get pregnant.” Yes, we have answers to this fear that make sense to us. They sound like, “Then wait until you are married.” As someone who got married young and comes home to a small army of children every day, I think this is pretty great advice. But these women grew up with a different mindset. They prize their sexual autonomy as an important element of their identity and one of the great pleasures of life. Frankly, who can blame them? Everything in our culture tells these women that the worst thing you can do with a sex drive is repress it. So when they are faced with the specter of Roe v. Wade being overturned, consider the scenarios that go through their head. “What if I get pregnant? What if I get raped? What about my friend who is barely making it as it is? What if she gets pregnant?” For more than 40 years now, our society has offered them an out: abortion. This is not an easy out or a simple decision, but it does mean that if everything goes against a woman’s plan for her future, she can reset the clock. We—I—want to get rid of that safety valve. They see that as an attack, and that makes sense. The political climate is more turbulent today than it has been in some time, so it is foolish to make predictions. But there is a good chance Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is one of us. If the pro-life movement finds itself poised to make significant gains in the near future, we must keep in mind the real trepidation that our countrywomen feel. It is not enough to simply dismiss them. 4. Pro-Choice Advocates Have Their Doubts These pro-choice women are not a monolith. Although they are united, there are a thousand lines of disagreement within the pro-choice camp. It even starts with the name. Some think “pro-choice” is not inclusive enough and represents a movement concerned primarily with the troubles of rich, white women. Many prefer “reproductive justice.” Abortion supporters found themselves arguing against higher safety and sanitation requirements. That is an awkward position to be in. The differences of opinion don’t stop at the name. One student expressed doubt about whether there was a “fundamental constitutional right to abortion” at all. She thought it was good public policy to allow abortions, but she was not sure the Constitution was the right source of authority. Another student felt that the pro-choice movement was more radical than she wanted it to be. Live Action videos force Planned Parenthood to defend the practice of harvesting a fetus’s organs. This was a step further than a woman’s right to control her own body. And abortionist Kermit Gosnell’s parade of horrors in Pennsylvania give the pro-life crowd an avenue to restrict abortion further: medical standards. As a result of these attacks, abortion supporters found themselves arguing against higher safety and sanitation requirements. That is an awkward position to be in, and the women in my class know it. “The pro-choice movement has been pushed into extreme positions all the time.” These “all or nothing” positions continually push any real moral choices out of the picture. When they think about it dispassionately, maybe abortion is a weightier decision than its advocates proclaim. When the professor pushed hard on the distinction between “fetus” and “baby,” many admitted the demarcation was unclear. “Where do we draw the line? Cutting the umbilical cord?” But this uncertainty was not enough to break any of them. Without a clear moral truth to cling to, the students fell back on something solid: bodily integrity. Nobody has a right to tell them what to do with their own bodies. Bodily integrity was the fortress that stopped the doubts from getting too strong. For some time now, the pro-life movement has tried to push on that moral murkiness. We talk about heartbeats and pain and fetal development. At some point, we need a stronger answer to the pro-choice fallback position. We need to make an argument that bodily integrity is not absolute. We do want to make women undergo childbirth even when they do not want to. We have to be able to address our assault on bodily integrity in a way that appeals to people who do not share our views about sexual morality or the beginning of life. Until we help them get past the mental and emotional hurdle of bodily integrity, they will not be able to directly confront the moral consequences of abortion. It is the tower to which they run. 5. The 2016 Election Terrified Them We had class the day after Donald Trump won the election for president of the United States. I was two minutes late that day (there was a lot of emotion in the hallways at Yale). When I walked in, it was just like a funeral. Faces downcast. Worry in every expression. This was supposed to be a day of triumph—their triumph. The first woman president. Many of these women had put in countless hours over the past year and a half to make President Hillary Clinton a reality. They had reservations at their favorite restaurants to celebrate what was supposed to be their day. But now? They didn’t have a plan for this. “I was so sure we were going to win that I did not even look at Trump’s list of Supreme Court nominees.” If this election does turn out to be a victory for pro-life America, we need to be ready for the counterattack. What had happened? Nobody had a good answer. Some of them were in no mood to give Trump’s voters the benefit of the doubt. “I think this election was about women in power.” That is, Trump was elected because of sexism. Others directed their anger more broadly. “I feel betrayed by . . . [Sanders supporters] who voted for Trump or stayed home.” What happens if Trump gets two nominations to the Supreme Court? Three? Trump may or may not care about abortion issues, but people around him certainly do. They were in shock, but this shock will not last long. Before class was over, these smart, resilient women were looking for a way forward. They were searching their souls for a way to pick up the pieces. They had a lot of ideas. “How do we separate the pro-life voter from the Rust Belt voter?” “Now is the time to expand the movement.” “We need to stop just talking about ‘choice’ and find common ground with more people.” “Maybe we should turn away from the courts for a while and look to make in-roads in the culture.” All across America, pro-choice advocates are having these discussions. If this election does turn out to be a victory for pro-life America, we need to be ready for the counterattack. It will come, and, if the plan comes from the creative and capable women I met last semester, it’s going to be a good one. But if they can find opportunities in this turbulent and polarized political climate, so can we. If we want to win some of these women over, if we want to keep picking at their doubts and building on shared values, I suggest we start by listening to them.
A not subtle protest from Greece, where Angela Merkel is visiting for 6 hours. Posted by @valiafeg via @pdimitrakos. @valiafeg The AP captures another dramatic shot of the same men. AP According to images, the Nazi flag was later burned. Of course, Merkel got the Hitler treatment as well. AP Not surprisingly things are getting a bit rough. Via @felix85 showing some mayhem breaking out in Syntagma Square. All of this contrasts to the polite public face put forward by Angela Merkel and Greek PM Antonis Samaras, who will give a press conference later today. AP SEE ALSO: Second Greek found dead after emergence of 'The Lagarde List' > Watch more about world affairs below: Please enable Javascript to watch this video // OO.ready(function() { OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer', 'V5bGEzNjp8jFNHOIjoaROYNFH381RONb'); }); //
The Twist Anuj Mathur Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jan 7, 2016 The steak was succulent. The chicken juicy. The entire meal had a certain…character to it. He tucked into the dinner with an unusual abandon. She finally spoke when he’d finished licking his fingers. “You like it?” “Like it? It’s magical! Where did you find such a genius of a chef?” “Oh, he’s good, no doubt. But the magic here lies in the ingredients and also,” she hesitated before adding, “the meticulousness with which they were sourced.” * “Stop!” My companion smashed his fist on the counter, spilling some of his beer in the process. “I’m not going to listen to any more of this tripe. I can see the twist coming a mile away. She served him a human being, didn’t she?” I smirked in that annoying way which always got on people’s nerves. “No, she didn’t. How predictable would that be? And who said anything about there being a twist anyway?” I said with as much sincerity as I could summon. “Fine. Continue then,” he said. “Where was I now…oh right…the source.” * “Where do you source your food from?” he asked. “We grow it ourselves,” she replied. “What’s your secret?” he asked as he not-so-discreetly mopped the remaining juices off the plate with his fingers. “Our farm animals are on a very special diet. So are our vegetables. We don’t use ordinary feed or fertiliser.” * “She grinds humans up into the fertiliser and the feed, doesn’t she? Is that it? It’s even lamer than I thought!” “Why are you being so morbid? And I do agree — that would have been very lame. Now, if you don’t have any more ‘theories’, shall I continue?” He nodded. A cold, steely determination had crept into his eyes. I smirked again. * “I’d love to meet and compliment the chef in person. This was the best meal I’ve ever had in my life,” he said. “Of course. I’ll summon him immediately,” she made a couple of gestures at the server. A few seconds later, a voice coughed behind him. He looked up to see a tall slender man in a chef’s hat standing over him. “Well, that was quick,” he said. “Meet The Count, our head chef. He has apprenticed under a lot of culinary masters and is now a man who possesses the sum of their skills. He’s absolutely lapped up their talents, so to speak,” she said. The Count smiled at him. He smiled back. The Count’s teeth glinted. * “Vampire!” “This, sir, isn’t chic-lit!” I said with as much indignation as I could muster. * “What’s your secret?” He asked. “Would you believe, cauldrons? I always cook in cauldrons. And I like to sing with the other chefs while I do it,” The Count replied. “That’s…interesting.” He said. “Surely, there must be something else?” He probed further. He knew that The Count was hiding something. The Count hesitated for a bit, then leaned into his ear and whispered. * “Warlock?!” “Nope.” * “Salt. Lots of it,” The Count said. “And a shitload of MSG,” he added with a wink. *** “You’re horrible at spotting the twist,” I said. And then I ate him. Telling that story always gives me the munchies.
Across the world, blue-collar voters ally themselves with the political right – even when it appears to be against their own interests. Is this because such parties often serve up a broader, more satisfying moral menu than the left? Why on Earth would a working-class person ever vote for a conservative candidate? This question has obsessed the American left since Ronald Reagan first captured the votes of so many union members, farmers, urban Catholics and other relatively powerless people – the so-called "Reagan Democrats". Isn't the Republican party the party of big business? Don't the Democrats stand up for the little guy, and try to redistribute the wealth downwards? Many commentators on the left have embraced some version of the duping hypothesis: the Republican party dupes people into voting against their economic interests by triggering outrage on cultural issues. "Vote for us and we'll protect the American flag!" say the Republicans. "We'll make English the official language of the United States! And most importantly, we'll prevent gay people from threatening your marriage when they … marry! Along the way we'll cut taxes on the rich, cut benefits for the poor, and allow industries to dump their waste into your drinking water, but never mind that. Only we can protect you from gay, Spanish-speaking flag-burners!" One of the most robust findings in social psychology is that people find ways to believe whatever they want to believe. And the left really want to believe the duping hypothesis. It absolves them from blame and protects them from the need to look in the mirror or figure out what they stand for in the 21st century. Here's a more painful but ultimately constructive diagnosis, from the point of view of moral psychology: politics at the national level is more like religion than it is like shopping. It's more about a moral vision that unifies a nation and calls it to greatness than it is about self-interest or specific policies. In most countries, the right tends to see that more clearly than the left. In America the Republicans did the hard work of drafting their moral vision in the 1970s, and Ronald Reagan was their eloquent spokesman. Patriotism, social order, strong families, personal responsibility (not government safety nets) and free enterprise. Those are values, not government programmes. The Democrats, in contrast, have tried to win voters' hearts by promising to protect or expand programmes for elderly people, young people, students, poor people and the middle class. Vote for us and we'll use government to take care of everyone! But most Americans don't want to live in a nation based primarily on caring. That's what families are for. One reason the left has such difficulty forging a lasting connection with voters is that the right has a built-in advantage – conservatives have a broader moral palate than the liberals (as we call leftists in the US). Think about it this way: our tongues have taste buds that are responsive to five classes of chemicals, which we perceive as sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and savoury. Sweetness is generally the most appealing of the five tastes, but when it comes to a serious meal, most people want more than that. In the same way, you can think of the moral mind as being like a tongue that is sensitive to a variety of moral flavours. In my research with colleagues at YourMorals.org, we have identified six moral concerns as the best candidates for being the innate "taste buds" of the moral sense: care/harm, fairness/cheating, liberty/oppression, loyalty/betrayal, authority/subversion, and sanctity/degradation. Across many kinds of surveys, in the UK as well as in the USA, we find that people who self-identify as being on the left score higher on questions about care/harm. For example, how much would someone have to pay you to kick a dog in the head? Nobody wants to do this, but liberals say they would require more money than conservatives to cause harm to an innocent creature. But on matters relating to group loyalty, respect for authority and sanctity (treating things as sacred and untouchable, not only in the context of religion), it sometimes seems that liberals lack the moral taste buds, or at least, their moral "cuisine" makes less use of them. For example, according to our data, if you want to hire someone to criticise your nation on a radio show in another nation (loyalty), give the finger to his boss (authority), or sign a piece of paper stating one's willingness to sell his soul (sanctity), you can save a lot of money by posting a sign: "Conservatives need not apply." In America, it is these three moral foundations that underlie most of the "cultural" issues that, according to duping theorists, are used to distract voters from their self-interest. But are voters really voting against their self-interest when they vote for candidates who share their values? Loyalty, respect for authority and some degree of sanctification create a more binding social order that places some limits on individualism and egoism. As marriage rates plummet, and globalisation and rising diversity erodes the sense of common heritage within each nation, a lot of voters in many western nations find themselves hungering for conservative moral cuisine. Despite being in the wake of a financial crisis that – if the duping theorists were correct – should have buried the cultural issues and pulled most voters to the left, we are finding in America and many European nations a stronger shift to the right. When people fear the collapse of their society, they want order and national greatness, not a more nurturing government. Even on the two moral taste buds that both sides claim – fairness and liberty – the right can often outcook the left. The left typically thinks of equality as being central to fairness, and leftists are extremely sensitive about gross inequalities of outcome – particularly when they correspond along racial or ethnic lines. But the broader meaning of fairness is really proportionality – are people getting rewarded in proportion to the work they put into a common project? Equality of outcomes is only seen as fair by most people in the special case in which everyone has made equal contributions. The conservative media (such as the Daily Mail, or Fox News in the US) is much more sensitive to the presence of slackers and benefit cheats. They are very effective at stirring up outrage at the government for condoning cheating. Similarly for liberty. Americans and Britons all love liberty, yet when liberty and care conflict, the left is more likely to choose care. This is the crux of the US's monumental battle over Obama's healthcare plan. Can the federal government compel some people to buy a product (health insurance) in order to make a plan work that extends care to 30 million other people? The derogatory term "nanny state" is rarely used against the right (pastygate being perhaps an exception). Conservatives are more cautious about infringing on individual liberties (eg of gun owners in the US and small businessmen) in order to protect vulnerable populations (such as children, animals and immigrants). In sum, the left has a tendency to place caring for the weak, sick and vulnerable above all other moral concerns. It is admirable and necessary that some political party stands up for victims of injustice, racism or bad luck. But in focusing so much on the needy, the left often fails to address – and sometimes violates – other moral needs, hopes and concerns. When working-class people vote conservative, as most do in the US, they are not voting against their self-interest; they are voting for their moral interest. They are voting for the party that serves to them a more satisfying moral cuisine. The left in the UK and USA should think hard about their recipe for success in the 21st century. Jonathan Haidt is a professor of psychology at New York University's Stern School of Business. He is the author of The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion. To take the survey described in this essay, visit www.yourmorals.org/express_welcome_sacredness.php
What Every Young Chef Should Know 1. Sharpen your knife skills! 2. Know Your Basics 3. Research the Greats! 4. You're not going to be Sous Chef in 2 years (Don't be mediocre). 5. The sound of the ticket machine will scare you! 6. You don't get days off 7. Learn to clean, clean, clean 8. Vegetarians are people too! and making good Vegetarian dishes is a skill! 9. No one will be around on your days off 10. Everyone will suddenly expect you to cook on your days off 11. Learn to cook at least 3 pastries well 12. Static rolls down hill 13. Working for a 2 star Level Michelin Restaurant is Hell 14. Walk-ins are great 15. The Dishwasher is the most valuable player on your team 16. Something is always going wrong 17. Don't worry about awards 18. Travel 19. Focus on where you work, not what you make..sort of 20. Learn from everybody and teach everybody Have you just decided to become a Cook? Are you starting culinary school?There are a lot of lists of what young cooks should know or how cooks should act. I just wanted to put in my two cents. Below is a list of some useful advice and warnings that will help make you realize that Kitchen life ain't easy, but it can be worth it. I can't guarantee you will go work at the best restaurants. Nevertheless, if you can heed my advice, I am sure you will make good food!Look, you are coming out of Culinary school thinking you are the top of your knife game. Well, that is until someone asks you to chop 3- 9th pans of shallots perfectly without going over them. Suddenly, you realize you suck. Your shallots look horrible, you have no idea how to sharpen your knife and you're in a world of hurt. You think about buying a new knife, or maybe just quitting. If you don't work for a place like that makes you feel like you are bad at your job, quit. Not because it is stressful or belittling. I mean, work at a place where the skill level is so high, you feel like you don't belong. Go to a place that cares about those little details, because that is how you will build your foundation! Also, make sure you have a good knife I know, you want to open the next WD-50 , or work there. Forget that, don't worry about it yet. First, learn how to cook a steak.Hey! no, don't put it in a f******* bag and then temperature controlled bath. Look, that works great once you really get what you are doing. However, until you get an understanding of heat, cooking, time, etc. Don't cheat your way out of doing some basic things. It will make you a better cook, it will help you get what the heck you are actually doing.Learn how to cook a steak, blanch a vegetable, break down a salmon and bake a souffle.The future is awesome and there are some really cool modern restaurants. If you really want to get a good understanding of how the food industry has really come so far so fast. Look up the greats. Who taught Gordan Ramsey(Watch the video below). Who taught Marco Pier White? Who? Who is Escoffier . The more you know the stronger your base. The more you can really think outside the box! How do you do it? Read some good cook books and bibliographies! Passion is awesome, ambition is great. Just make sure you are being realistic. If you are offered Sous Chef two years into your tenure, check where you are working. More than likely you are not that great, your restaurant is just mediocre or maybe just a mom and pop shop. Focus on learning for as long as possible. As soon as you are a Sous Chef, you have to be a manager and your technical skills will stop growing. You will have a limited repertoire to lean on for new menu ideas. Don't worry about title, just spend time learning!I have worked so many nights and had so many dreams with the sound of this machine running for hours. One of my chefs would let the ticket machine run until it hit the bottom of the floor. Then he would stack them all up and start calling out the orders. Yeah, and it kept running as he was calling.From 6 PM - 8 PM it won't stop!Are you coming from a corporate environment, and thinking becoming a cook is a good idea? Well, if you want to work in fine dining, forget days off. People want to go out for Valentines day, Mother's Day, etc. Someone has to be awake to make their omelets, their steaks, their molten chocolate cakes. Yup, that is right, that is you!If you don't mind a little bit of sexism, message me and ask me about the analogy my French Chef once used about cooks and cleaning. All jokes aside, you are going to spend at least 40% of your time cleaning and 10% of your time complaining about how messy the other crew left your station. My recommendation here, learn to be part of the solution not the problem! Just fix it.Let's be honest. It is really easy to make meat taste good..Season, sear, serve. Yes, some preparations take longer, like braised pork belly or short rib. In the end, meat is easy. Now trying to please a vegetarian, that is another story. They have had all the afterthought dishes. They have had your butternut squash risotto, your seasonal pasta, your beet salads and guess what, they are tired of it. Jeff Bezos has a great line. He says, delight a customer. So do it. Delight a vegetarian. Have you ever thought about smoking vegetables? It adds another level of flavor that sometimes is better than meat. One of my culinary instructors worked for a place called Carmelita and he made a Smoked French Onion Soup! Brilliant and easy! So do it, wow a vegetarian, think outside the Risotto?Most fine dining kitchens close Monday and Tuesday. Why, well because most people want to eat out closer to the weekend. When everyone else is going to work on Monday, you might still be in bed. Don't think that means you get to lie around on your Monday. You put in a 55 hour last week. That never allowed you to do chores, or errands. Get moving, you got a lot to get done before you start the next week.You know, its funny. Most people don't come up to a carpenter and ask if he will be over for their party and when he arrives, expect him to build them a new bed frame. At least, not without paying him. Well, not so with cooks. Everyone seems to get the idea that if you cook at work, you can cook at their parties. Why, well, can't really explain the exact reason for this paradox.One day you are going to walk into a kitchen where no one wants to do pastries. Yeah, it has happened to me. That is awesome. First, make sure you are solid on a few desserts, make sure you understand how to properly contrast textures, flavors, etc. Show them you got the goods to do it! Then, you will suddenly have a free window to create your own dishes. Maybe the Chef doesn't even want to think about it. Awesome, that opens up a great learning experience, take it!The kitchen is not for people with soft under bellies. There are many reasons for the corny quote "If you can't take the heat". Chefs and cooks love to give each other shit. It is just part of the game. So don't be hurt and don't take things personally.Alright, I have never worked at one. However, working at any restaurant that is on the edge of winning an award is high pressure. It is not to say that having the award doesn't come with its own stresses. There just seems to be more anticipation when trying to win an award. Maybe take a moment and watch Gorden Ramsey as he tried to win his third Michelin star.When it is 90 degrees outside, or after a 5 hour rush sitting in front of 450 degree ovens. Walking into a giant walk in feels amazing! You can have private conversations, cool off, or simply stress out a little bit. However, make sure there isn't a window in your door. I have once watched a Sous Chef walk in and punch a box of produce after a stressful rush.You think I am lying. Just wait until he or she doesn't show up. See how fun the rest of your night is when you're out of pans, spoons, and plates. Yeah, things aren't so funny anymore. So respect your dishwasher and realize they are working their butts off to make you look good.Something is always going wrong in a kitchen. Produce hasn't come in on time, the morning crew didn't finish all the prep, the nigh crew left a mess, and there is a fire in the walk in. Alright, the last one never happened. Nevertheless, my point of advice here is "Cooks come with problems, Chefs bring solutions.I remember one day asking a Chef who I had worked at with at several different restaurants when he thought he would win an award. I was young and naive, but he gave me amazing advice. He said "Ben, let's cook good food first, if we do that, awards will come".Some say that the James Beard Awards are slightly political anyway (e.g. Anthony Bourdain).If you are lucky enough to be well off, or have rich parents do what I couldn't do. Heck, even if you can't afford it, figure it out. Go to Noma El Cellar De Can Rocc a, and Mugaritz . Learn some real techniques. You can only learn so much from your local restaurants. Get out there, be uncomfortable, work for free. It sucks, but if you want to be the best, you have to be with the best.You should find a balance between a good kitchen and a fair paycheck. Above I said, work for free. If you are offered the opportunity to work at the top 10 restaurants in the world for free, I would say do it. If you have 2 years experience and could work at a Jame Beard Award winning restaurant for free. I would have questions. You can only work for free so long. Make sure you take a fair assessment of your skill set.Never stop learning, from anybody and everything. When I worked at the Herbfarm. Chef Chris Weber could tell you about every bit of produce we got in. Whether it be the local saffron we got in from the NW coast or the ducks we got from the foie farm. He would know everything about the people involved and the process they follow.Looking back, I still want to be a cook. I love cooking and so I get why people want to do it. It is funny, being in the tech industry, I have come across so many people ready to switch careers. Suddenly they want to become chefs. It is funny to me because I have made the opposite switch. So part of me wants to tell them No, but of course there is a part of me that wants to encourage young chefs. Go and be the best chefs, cooks and pastry chefs you can!Tags Things Young Cooks should know,
Published: Wednesday, September 21, 2016 @ 3:35 PM Updated: Wednesday, September 21, 2016 @ 5:27 PM The deadly drug carfentanil, known for being a large animal tranquilizer, has been identified in a local drug possession case, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. The Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab on Tuesday identified the drug originally thought to be heroin, according to Kenneth M. Betz, director of the coroner’s office. “This drug has been linked to several overdose deaths,” Betz said in a release. The coroner’s office is now testing a number of recent death cases where carfentanil is suspected. Carfentanil is an analog of fentanyl, a schedule II drug, which has been used at an alarming rate in the Dayton region, Betz said. Carfentanil often resembles powder cocaine or heroin, but has also been seen in counterfeit pharmaceutical preparations and spray, according to a media release. In the first six months of 2016, the rate of fentanyl cases has exceeded that of the entire span of 2015. “Anyone who handles these drugs could unknowingly risk toxic exposure through inhalation or absorption,” Betz said. Side effects of fentanyl analogs include itching, nausea, disorientation, sedation, serious respiratory depression and cardiac arrest. DOWNLOAD OUR MOBILE APPS FOR LATEST NEWS
Elliot Quest was an excellent 2D platformer from last year that took lots of inspiration from Kid Icarus and Zelda games. It received an 8/10 here, with minor pacing and technical issues being the only things that really hold it back from perfection. Last year, the game's creator mentioned that a 3DS port was being considered, and it seems that work on it is progressing smoothly, if a bit slowly. Thomas O'Connor of PlayEveryWare recently took part in an interview with Nintendo Everything to discuss the process of coding and porting the game over to Wii U. Later on, the port to 3DS was discussed; here's what O'Connor had to say about 3DS-exclusive features: We're still exploring this, both how to best implement the 3D features, and what other changes would be appropriate in this update to the game. We'll be working closely with Ansimuz Games on this, just as we did with the Miiverse Journal and GamePad integration on the Wii U, as the content of the game is his. In terms of when gamers can expect to see this on their 3DS, it seems that the game will be available sometime late this year: Things are pretty busy for us, but we're trying to clear out the rest of our schedules so that we can get the 3DS, PS4 and Xbox One releases of Elliot Quest out this year. Right now it's looking like late fall is possible. What do you think? Would you like to play this game on your 3DS? What did you think of Elliot Quest? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Documentary Reveals The 'Dirty Tricks' Of One Of Trump's Closest Political Advisers Morgan Pehme co-directed the new Netflix documentary, Get Me Roger Stone, about the political operative who spent three decades trying to convince Donald Trump to run for president. DAVE DAVIES, HOST: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Dave Davies, in for Terry Gross. Over the past year, many Americans have learned about a longtime adviser to Donald Trump named Roger Stone, but political insiders have known about Stone for decades. A colorful operative known for provocative statements, Stone has worked on countless campaigns and has been repeatedly accused of disinformation and dirty tricks, many of which he happily owns up to. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Stone said he had communicated with Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, which released hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta. Stone has been called to testify before the Senate intelligence committee, which is looking into Russian interference in the election. He's also just been named in an invasion of privacy lawsuit filed by two Democratic donors and a DNC staff member who say they were harmed by information released in the hacked emails. Our guest today, Morgan Pehme, co-directed a documentary about Stone with Daniel DiMauro and Dylan Bank. They spent five years making the film, "Get Me Roger Stone," which is available on Netflix. Morgan Pehme has worked as a filmmaker and a journalist and is now executive director of Effective New York, a watchdog group that focuses on state government in New York. Well, Morgan Pehme, welcome to FRESH AIR. I thought we'd begin with a clip that's very early in the film. And it's kind of in two parts. One, we hear Roger Stone introducing himself in an interview that you did, and then there's a little bit of archival video from years earlier when he's kind of talking about what he does. So let's listen - Roger Stone. (SOUNDBITE OF DOCUMENTARY, "GET ME ROGER STONE") ROGER STONE: My name is Roger Stone, and I'm an agent provocateur. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) STONE: Stone's rules are things that I have learned in life that I seek to pass on to others who may want to be in the same business that I'm in or actually any business because they're fully applicable. So for example, a Stone's rule - it is better to be infamous than never be famous at all - Stone's rule. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) STONE: One man's dirty trick is another man's political, civic action. Everything I do, everything I've ever done has been legal. But politics ain't beanbag, and losers don't legislate. DAVIES: And that is the plain-spoken Roger Stone from the new film "Get Me Roger Stone" co-directed by our guest, Morgan Pehme. You know, this guy has been known to insiders as a bad boy of American politics for decades. One of the most amazing stories to me is he says his first use of disinformation in a political campaign came in grade school. Share that one with us. MORGAN PEHME: Yeah, so Roger, when he was in grade school, was involved in a mock election in his school in Connecticut. And it was between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy for the presidency. Though Roger had always been kind of inclined toward the Republican Party, his parents were Catholic, and he thought that John F. Kennedy had much better hair than Richard Nixon. So he was inclined to support JFK. And his idea to throw the race to JFK was to stand at the end of the cafeteria line and tell every child that walked past that Richard Nixon had intended to extend the school day to - the school week to Saturdays. And so in a landslide, JFK won the election, and Roger said that this was the first time that he had ever used disinformation. And of course he's never practiced it since then. DAVIES: (Laughter) He found he had a gift. He reads Barry Goldwater's book - what is it? - "Conscience Of A Conservative"... PEHME: That's right. DAVIES: ...And embraces conservative ideology. And then, like, I guess when he's 19 or so, he's in college, and he ends up getting involved with Richard Nixon's re-election campaign in 1972, the one that led to the Watergate break-in and the scandal that ended Nixon's presidency - Nixon known for the - you know, as among the biggest dirty trickster in American political history. What role did Roger Stone play in the Nixon campaign? PEHME: One of the things that's so extraordinary about Roger is that he is a true political prodigy. And I don't think there are that many of them in our politics. He was already involved in political campaigns when he was in his early teens. By the time he was in high school, he was electing grown men to office in New York and in Connecticut, and then they would call him in his dorm room when he was a freshman, and he would inform them how to vote on key issues. Right from the outset, he had both had a gift for politics and a taste for power. And so when he joined the Nixon campaign at 19 years old, he wasn't coming in as some ruddy-faced intern. He was already respected by the people who saw that he had a gift inside of CREEP, which is the acronym for the president's re-election campaign. DAVIES: Committee to Re-Elect the President, right - CREEP. PEHME: That's correct, yes. I admit I guess they didn't embrace that acronym. But it has gone down in history as the acronym. Roger was not exactly a piker in the campaign, but he was still just a lower-level, dirty trickster. They sent him on some missions to undermine some of Nixon's opponents. And because he had engaged in these lower-level, dirty tricks, he ended up becoming the youngest person called before the Watergate grand jury. And he was discussed in the testimony during the grand jury. And Roger says that, you know, he was pretty much just a low-level henchman. But afterwards, he was really branded with the infamy of having been involved in Watergate. And rather than try to run away from it, he embraced it, and he kind of - this gave him street cred so that he could move up in the party. And he used it as a springboard later on to become elected president of the National Young Republicans, which was really his first major stepping stone into the highest rungs of Republican politics. DAVIES: So Roger Stone is a bit player in Richard Nixon's re-election campaign and in the dirty tricks that accompanied it - didn't have a personal relationship with Nixon. That did come later. Tell us about that. PEHME: What's so fascinating about Roger was that he was drawn to Nixon after Nixon had left his office in disgrace, when he was - when Nixon was radioactive to the nation and a pariah. But Roger saw in Nixon a potential mentor. And he sought Nixon out. And at this point in Roger's career, he had already played an integral role in Ronald Reagan's election. And so he ended up being a conduit between the Reagan White House and Nixon. Nixon was very eager to give advice to Reagan. Reagan understood Nixon's genius and was willing to receive these missives that were brought back and forth by Roger. And Roger also set up off-the-record dinners with Nixon and key members of the media. One of Roger's gifts is cultivating the press. And so he would set up these meetings at Nixon's home in New Jersey that reporters could hear Nixon's opinions on the issues of the day. And Nixon, in turn, could kind of slip his view into the news cycle. DAVIES: So Roger Stone - before he helped in Reagan's campaign in 1980, he ran and was elected chairman of the Young Republicans - the national chairman of the Young Republicans, right? PEHME: That's correct. He really wanted to change the Republican Party into the party that it ended up becoming, which was one that was far more conservative, that was influenced by Goldwater principles, not this Eisenhower earnestness and a more moderate Rockefeller side. But he wanted to make it into the hard-line conservatives. His current wife says that when she first met Roger, he looked to her like a Nazi Hitler Youth and that he was this true believer in absolute conservative right-wing principles. And Roger even calls it his Aryan phase. And so Roger wanted to graft his worldview onto the Young Republicans. There was dissension among the Young Republicans between the two factions - the more moderate one and Roger's conservative one. But interestingly enough, his campaign manager was Paul Manafort, who would obviously go on to be campaign chairman for Donald Trump and would become Roger's very close business partner and lifelong associate. And Manafort and Stone were able to take over the party and to drive their agenda through the National Young Republicans. And they ended up using Young Republicans as a vehicle to change the trajectory of the Republican Party for the grown-ups as well. DAVIES: Yeah, and it was fascinating to learn that Stone and Paul Manafort's ties go back that far. How did they know each other? PEHME: They met in Connecticut through Young Republicans. And they instantly recognized in each other their mutual genius. And they found the kind of the best and the best of their generation, among them Lee Atwater, who would end up becoming the person who made George H.W. Bush the president and Charlie Black, as well. DAVIES: Morgan Pehme's new film "Get Me Roger Stone" is available on Netflix. We'll continue our conversation after a short break. This is FRESH AIR. (SOUNDBITE OF MATT ULERY'S "GAVE PROOF") DAVIES: This is FRESH AIR. And we're speaking with filmmaker Morgan Pehme. He co-directed a new documentary about the political consultant and adviser to Donald Trump, Roger Stone. It's called "Get Me Roger Stone." And it's available on Netflix. So Stone is a regional director for Reagan's successful election campaign in 1980. He's a really, you know, relatively important figure at this point. And after Reagan's election, he forms a lobbying firm with Paul Manafort and Charlie Black. It's - what is it - Black, Stone and Manafort? Black, Manafort and Stone, right? PEHME: Black, Manafort and Stone, that's correct. DAVIES: What did they do? What kind of lobbying did they do? PEHME: Well... DAVIES: Describe their approach, yeah. PEHME: Initially the firm was Black, Manafort, Stone and Atwater, until Lee Atwater left the firm to work with H.W. Bush. But what was so unique about Black, Manafort and Stone was twofold. First, they were the first campaign consultants who decided that after they elected somebody, they would turn around and profit off of the successful candidates by lobbying them. Prior to Black, Manafort and Stone having this breakthrough of sorts, it was considered distasteful in Washington to be on both sides of the fence. But Black, Manafort and Stone thought that was naive, and they decided to make the utmost of it. And they had a great person to do that in the form of Ronald Reagan, who they had just gotten into the White House. And so they immediately profited from the Reagan administration. The other thing that was unique about Black, Manafort and Stone was later on, they brought in a Democrat, a top Democratic strategist named Peter Kelly. And they became the first bipartisan firm in Washington on K Street, which enabled them to triangulate every campaign and every issue from every direction. So they would profit both from the Democratic perspective and from the Republican side. And so they were great innovators in making money on K Street. And now, those practices are so commonplace that we - it's hard to imagine a time when everyone wasn't doing it. But Black, Manafort and Stone were the trailblazers in this transformation of lobbying. And we argue in our film that this was integral to the degradation of our politics and the cynicism that pervades Washington that is so distasteful to the American public. DAVIES: Yeah, it's quaint to think that there was a time when political operatives, who helped people get elected, didn't trade on that access and those relationships to make money from special interest. It was two separate things back then. There were lobbyists, and there were political operatives. PEHME: That's right. And certainly, the lobbying business hadn't exploded the way that it is now - just a multibillion dollar industry. And - but Black, Manafort and Stone, they really saw what were the weaknesses in this system. They saw how to exploit it. Earlier on, Charlie Black and Roger and - had gotten to really know each other by understanding a shortcoming of the campaign finance law. In the wake of the 1976 U.S. Supreme Court decision Buckley v. Valeo, they understood that this opened the door for the creation of what we now know as super PACs, that you could contribute an unlimited amount of money to candidates as long as you didn't do so directly through the campaign, that you did it through an independent expenditure. And this opened up the floodgates for the tsunami of money in our politics. And so they - along with Terry Dolan, who was the head of this organization that was this first vehicle for independent expenditures called NCPAC, the National Conservative Political Action Committee, this - they really understood what were the vulnerabilities in our system. And they took advantage of them to maximum effect. DAVIES: So this lobbying firm that they form, Black, Manafort and Stone, what kind of clients did they have? PEHME: They - Black, Manafort and Stone had among the largest corporations in the country, people like Rupert Murdoch. They also were particularly well-known as the so-called Torturers' Lobby because they were willing to take on clients like a slew of third-world dictators - Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines, Jonas Savimbi in Angola, Mobutu Sese Seko in the Republic of the Congo. And they felt perfectly at ease taking on these clients because these dictators were all ostensibly fighting Communists and in line with the Republican, Reagan agenda of the time. And Charlie Black says in our film that if you want to give criticism to Congress that funded these dictators and the wars that they were waging, that they will take that criticism at Black, Manafort and Stone. But they were really doing something that was viewed - they viewed as patriotic at the time. And they are unabashed in having worked for these people with absolutely horrible human rights records. DAVIES: So how did Roger Stone meet Donald Trump? PEHME: Roger was introduced to Donald Trump through Roy Cohn, who was something of a mentor both to Stone and to Trump. Roy Cohn was an absolute... DAVIES: Roy Cohn is a whole story in and of himself. Maybe you should... PEHME: Certainly, I... DAVIES: Some of our listeners know the name and others won't. Tell us about Roy Cohn. PEHME: He was an absolutely despicable, infamous lawyer-fixer based in New York City who was - first came to prominence being involved in the McCarthy hearings, where he drove the red-baiting agenda to attack people who were allegedly Communists. And Roy Cohn was as tough as they came - absolutely, perhaps, gave rise to Stone's roles. He was a person who annihilated anyone who stood in his path and was willing to do anything to succeed, both for himself and for his clients. And he was really drawn to Trump. There's an incredible bit of archive in our film back in the '80s where Cohn says that Donald Trump is as close to a genius as anyone in this country. And he saw in Trump, immediately, the possibilities of Trump's career, the trajectory that he could possibly have. And he also saw in Roger a kindred soul, a mentee, and a person who could take Trump by the hand and guide him. And as - and that's why he connected them. And Roger instantly was drawn to Trump. They formed a fast friendship, a fast business connection. And Roger became Trump's lobbyist in Washington, in New York, and started working on his political - on his business affairs. At the same time, though, he saw a real political possibility in Trump. And as early as 1987, he was already pushing Trump to run for the presidency. DAVIES: Yeah, this is a fascinating piece of history in light of the events of the past two years. And I thought we'd listen to a clip here where Roger Stone is explaining kind of why he thinks Trump could be an effective politician. (SOUNDBITE OF DOCUMENTARY, "GET ME ROGER STONE") STONE: Fifteen seasons of "The Apprentice" not only makes him a smooth television performer, but think of the way he looked in that show - high-backed chair, perfectly lit, great makeup, great hair, decisive, making decisions, running the show. He looks presidential. Do you think voters, non-sophisticates, make a difference between entertainment and politics? Politics is show business for ugly people. DAVIES: So that is Roger Stone explaining why he thinks Trump would be an effective presidential candidate and a little bit about his own view of politics. It's from the film "Get Me Roger Stone," which is co-directed by our guest, Morgan Pehme. It is available on Netflix. He talks about wanting to - looking for a horse to back in politics, Roger Stone does, and describes Trump as a great piece of political horse flesh. Is it just Trump's kind of innate abilities to communicate, or is there some political ideology or approach that he is connecting with too? PEHME: Over the five and a half years that Dan DiMauro, Dylan Bank - my co-directors and I - followed Roger, he would always tell us about how Trump should run for the presidency and how Trump could succeed. And we thought that was ludicrous. And the idea was - that Roger always said was - that Trump had the celebrity, that he could break through to a wide audience and that he could circumvent the media and have this megaphone to talk directly to the people, that Trump had cultivated the outsider image, that he could come in and he could shake up Washington, and that he had the businessman acumen that would give him the credential to come in and shake up what has become a dysfunctional system. Roger articulated this back in 1987. And he subsequently laid the groundwork, through his deeds and misdeeds, for that to come to fruition. And so Roger, to his enormous credit, you know, went through 29 years or 28 years of people berating him and telling him how absolutely ridiculous it was that Trump could ever be the president. And ultimately, of course, Roger was completely vindicated. DAVIES: Morgan Pehme co-directed the film "Get Me Roger Stone", which is available on Netflix. After a break, he'll tell us about the personal scandal that derailed Stone's career and why he's been called to testify before the Senate intelligence committee. Also, Justin Chang reviews the new film "The War For The Planet Of The Apes." I'm Dave Davies. And this is FRESH AIR. (SOUNDBITE OF DAVE MCKENNA, JAKE HANNA AND SCOTT HAMILTON'S "SWINGING AT THE COPPER RAIL") DAVIES: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Dave Davies in for Terry Gross. We're speaking with Morgan Pehme, who co-directed a documentary about Roger Stone, the colorful political operative who's been accused of disinformation and dirty tricks for decades. The film "Get Me Roger Stone" is available on Netflix. Stone's a longtime adviser to Donald Trump and first tried to get him to run for president in the 1988 election. In 1988, Trump flirts with running for president, decides not to. And Roger Stone, you know, has a career as a - I guess as sort of a somewhat conventional political consultant. He works for various campaigns. He was chairman of Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter's effort at a presidential bid in 1995 and '96 ends up with the Republican candidate Bob Dole's presidential campaign in 1996. That was, you know, Bill Clinton running for re-election. And then something terrible happened to his career. Tell us about this. PEHME: So Roger was a true Washington insider. He had been integral in Jack Kemp's campaign. He had tried to make Arlen Specter the president. And then he finds himself working for Bob Dole, who a close associate of Roger's says there couldn't have been a candidate that he would be less enthusiastic about running for the presidency. And again, Roger always wanted to have his hooks in whoever was the Republican nominee, so he ends up a national chairman of Dole's campaign. And shortly after the Dole campaign launches, the National Enquirer comes out with a story unmasking Roger and his wife as swingers. They were placing ads in swinger magazines looking for - particularly for - and this is a direct quote - "well-hung men to join them" and other couples. And they specifically noted that they didn't want any fatties. And this is, you know, a great scandal. Roger is forced to resign from the Dole campaign. This forces Roger out of the mainstream of the Republican Party and has huge ripple effects both for Roger and subsequently for the country. But Roger also may have been dirty tricked in this scandal being unveiled through the National Enquirer because just a few weeks earlier, Dick Morris, who was a political consultant for the Clinton campaign, has his own sex scandal around toe sucking from prostitutes. And it seems less coincidental that Roger may have been unmasked as a swinger in retaliation for the Morris scandal and maybe to smooth that over, at least for there to be a tit-for-tat in the media so that both scandals would be left to the side. DAVIES: He has a tattoo on his back. Tell us about this. PEHME: Between Roger's shoulder blades he has a giant tattoo of Richard Nixon's face. And Roger gives different reasons for having this tattoo. Sometimes he says it's just to infuriate liberals, but what he says in our film is that Nixon for him represents resiliency, that Nixon again and again was knocked down in his career and yet he would rise from the ashes and be stronger than ever before. Roger sees this as his own story, that Roger - just like because of the swinger scandal, that a lot of people, that would have been the end of their career. Roger's been knocked down many times, but he always gets up from the mat and he keeps fighting. And that's one of the characteristics that Roger most prizes in himself. DAVIES: In the film, you pay a visit to Stone's home in Florida. And I thought we'd just hear a little bit of Stone introducing you to his Florida home. (SOUNDBITE OF DOCUMENTARY, "GET ME ROGER STONE") STONE: Florida is a great place to live. It's a sunny place for shady people. Welcome to Casa del Stone. This is where I live with my wife, three cats and three dogs and my 91-year-old mother. Tough as nails. If you ever saw "The Sopranos" and you're familiar with Tony's mother, that's my mother. These guys are liberal filmmakers. They cannot be trusted. Come here, Sam. Sammy is - he's not well. He's been losing weight. We've been taking him back and forth to the vet. Come here, baby. Give me a kiss. Give me a kiss. No kiss? No kiss? This is the designated smoking area, kind of a contemplative garden. PEHME: What do you contemplate out here, Roger? STONE: Political strategy and destroying my enemies. DAVIES: And that is Roger Stone from the documentary "Get Me Roger Stone," co-directed by our guest, Morgan Pehme. Well, a lot of Roger Stone in that clip. You know, one of the journalists in the film says he tries not to spend too much time around Stone because he's so charming, and he doesn't want to be charmed by him. Did you find him charming? PEHME: You know, my co-directors, Dan and Dylan, and I, we very much enjoyed spending time with Roger. He is extremely well-read. He's thoughtful. He is a great raconteur. And when you see him with this family, he's rather delightful. His wife is a lovely person. He has a great relationship with his daughter and his grandchildren. But, you know, of course, that never blinded us to who Roger is and how his deeds have shaped our country in our opinion, you know, much for the worse. And - but, you know, one of the great experiences that we had over this five and a half years of making this film is that Dan and Dylan and I were compelled to spend a lot of time with people whose worldview was anathema to our own. And I think that's very valuable, something that's lacking in - for most of us that, you know, whether if we're Democrats, we look at Republicans like they're on another planet and vice versa. But because we spent so much time with people on the absolute opposite side of the spectrum, it compelled us to see them more as people. And we wanted to show that Roger is not just this mustache-twirling villain, despicable person that, you know, people love to berate him on Twitter. And certainly, he writes things on Twitter that are utterly deserving of people's ire. But if you got to know Roger, he's not the person who is easy to hate in just a very personal or intimate setting. DAVIES: Well, you know, in the clip we just heard, he's kidding with his mother about these liberal filmmakers. And then he's kissing his little dog. And then he says he's contemplating destroying his enemies. It's all there. The other thing that's striking about the interviews that you have with him are his clothes and his personal style. You want to just give us a taste of that? PEHME: Yes. Roger dresses with what he calls sprezzatura. And he is - he's an incredible aficionado of fashion. His closet is endless suit after suit after suit. He's got a wall of ties. You know, Roger is a bodybuilding pot smoking dandy swinger, which is one of the reasons why we want to make a movie about him in the first place because we felt that even people who weren't interested in politics would be interested in watching a movie about this incredibly unique and eccentric character. Some people say that Roger dresses like a Batman villain. And Roger uses his wardrobe to stand out. He says in our film that you have to be outrageous to get noticed. He uses that to great effect. And his over-the-top style makes sure that in any room all eyes go directly to Roger. DAVIES: Yeah. There's one scene where you're interviewing him. It looks like it's on a rooftop. And he's wearing this three-piece suit, this gorgeous coat draped over shoulders and pulls out a huge cigar, lights it up and then pontificates. It's quite a picture. I read that he threatened harm to you if he didn't like how the film came out. I don't know if this was true. It was good-natured. Tell us the story. PEHME: Many times, Roger would say to us that he hoped that the movie would end with a montage of all the times he threatened to kill me and Dan and Dylan if he didn't like how the film turned out. We didn't end up going that creative direction, but there were certainly ample material that we could have cut together something like that. And we think that he made these threats only half-jokingly. We were certainly aware of the fact that Roger has a long track record of destroying people that he doesn't like and that he could turn his venom on us. But at the same time, he used it to endear himself in a bizarre way to us. And we're relieved that we are all still on the planet and Roger hasn't gone through with his threats. And he has told journalists that he thinks our movie is both a masterpiece and a triumph. We're not sure exactly what to make of that, but we are relieved that we can come home to our families. DAVIES: Morgan Pehme's new film "Get Me Roger Stone" is available on Netflix. We'll continue our conversation in just a moment. This is FRESH AIR. (SOUNDBITE OF RATATAT'S "TACOBEL CANNON") DAVIES: This is FRESH AIR, and we're speaking with filmmaker Morgan Pehme. He co-directed a new documentary about the political consultant and adviser to Donald Trump, Roger Stone. It's called "Get Me Roger Stone," and it's available on Netflix. When you started speaking to Roger Stone years ago, he was kind of a marginal figure in American politics, known to insiders. And then this long-held dream that Donald Trump would wage a credible presidential campaign happens. What do we know of Stone's role in getting the Trump for president campaign going? PEHME: Well, we thought that Roger's life would be a unique lens to give a retrospective look at the last 40 years of Republican politics and how the party had changed and metastasized into the form that it is now. But Roger was always pushing this idea of running for the presidency. He really tried in 2012 to get Trump to run. And Trump came very close, according to Roger. But after the '12 cycle, Trump thought about it more and more. And then Roger led a three-man team with Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and one of Stone's own proteges, Sam Nunberg, that laid the groundwork for the Trump campaign. And that was an operation that went for about a year and a half before Trump formally announced his campaign. It had a lot to do with cultivating the Tea Party across the country, getting Trump to have more of a national presence with the grassroots. And it was, you know, this kind of shadowy, exploratory committee that Roger led. And so from day one, Roger was at the helm of the Trump campaign. And once it formally announced, he continued to be kind of the chief strategist for the campaign. DAVIES: So he - Trump launches his campaign, and Stone is there as an adviser in some respect. And then at some point in the summer, he departs from a campaign. What happened? PEHME: Well, Roger claims that he quit the campaign. Trump claims that he fired him. You know, it's unclear what happened. Neither Trump, nor Roger have a great track record of truth-telling. So it's hard to discern what actually transpired. What I think it was was a clashing of egos. And when Trump was - even though Trump had surged to the top of the polls, a lot of the limelight was on Roger. I remember that Dan and Dylan and I had seen the cover story about Trump in Newsweek. And when we opened up the story, there was just Roger's name everywhere. And we were like, wow, Roger's going to get fired because nobody could take the limelight from Trump. You know, it had to be the Trump show. And it was too much the Roger show. And shortly after that article came out, Roger was in some way ousted from the campaign. But because he was formally ousted from the campaign, that didn't mean that he didn't continue to have extraordinary influence with Trump. What's so amazing about Trump is what a small nucleus of advisers he has, that although he's had this multinational humongous corporation for years, he really just has a small orbit of advisers. And Roger is one of the people that Trump trusts the most. And Roger, you know - of all the people that we met who knew Trump over the years, only Roger and Paul Manafort would call Trump Donald as opposed to Mr. Trump. And that spoke to the intimacy of their relationship. And so, you know, Trump knows that Roger will always give him an unvarnished opinion. Roger is an avid memo writer. And he writes these memos to Trump in, I think, in big font, in bullet points. He keeps them to one page. He knows how to communicate with Trump in vocabulary and in a message that Trump will understand and take to heart. And so I believe that Roger is and will always be indispensable to Donald Trump. DAVIES: So what did Stone do for the Trump campaign? Do we know? PEHME: We don't know exactly what Roger did with the campaign, but we do know that he gets his - a firm foothold back in it when Paul Manafort takes over as the campaign chairman from Corey Lewandowski. Obviously, Paul Manafort is one of Roger's oldest friends, one of his oldest associates. And as he says with glee in our movie when Manafort takes the reins - a journalist who knows Roger well says that Roger's back in the saddle. And so Roger certainly had very important influence in the campaign throughout when we were with him at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Roger was very much the belle of the ball. And so for the rest of the campaign, Roger is clearly influencing the course, but to what degree he's, you know, making day-to-day decisions is unclear. But what is absolutely manifest is that Roger's opinion is valued and that he is having input in how things are unfolding. DAVIES: OK, now Roger Stone is of interest to investigators who are looking into the connections between the Trump campaign and Russian nationals. He's scheduled to testify, I believe, before the Senate intelligence committee. What do we know about what Stone did or said he did or may have done with respect to things like leaked emails regarding the Democratic National Committee? PEHME: Well, my co-directors and I know that Roger was trying to get in touch with Julian Assange from WikiLeaks. But we can't say for certain that he ever connected with him. And there's a lot - have been said that Roger prognosticated things to come through his tweets, that he said that Podesta - John Podesta from the Clinton campaign - his time would soon be in the barrel. And then, subsequently, Podesta's emails were released. But Roger also put out a lot of tweets that were proven to be erroneous. So, you know, it's unclear to what degree Roger was just putting out stuff and seeing what would stick so that he could subsequently claim credit for foresight, or whether he really had advanced knowledge, through Assange or any other party, of how there was going to be meddling in the election. DAVIES: Why did you want to make this film? PEHME: You know, when Dan, and Dylan and I first found out about Roger Stone, we thought that his life was an extraordinary lens to talk about how our politics has transformed since Watergate and that we could trace the degradation of our politics through Roger's deeds and misdeeds. And Roger is such an incredibly colorful, over-the-top character that we felt that he could draw in people who weren't even interested in politics to hear a story that was enormously important in understanding our politics. That's what got us on the trail with Roger, but we never would have expected that it would end with Roger at the apex of his extraordinary life and career, having completed his 29-year-old - what seemed like a quixotic quest to elect Donald Trump to the presidency. DAVIES: There's an amazing moment in the film where, at the Republican convention, as Donald Trump finishes his speech, Roger Stone is in one of the booths and he is standing, giving the Nixon salute. Just connecting the thread. PEHME: Yeah, Roger loves to give the Nixon victory fingers. He does so at most of his political appearances. I'm not sure for, you know, younger generations, whether that even has any resonance anymore. But it's kind of Roger giving the finger to everybody who associates the Nixon fingers with what is the darkest and most embarrassing chapter of American politics. Roger embraces that and is only too happy to continue to use that iconography to his own effect. DAVIES: Well, Morgan Pehme, it's been interesting. Thanks so much for speaking with us. PEHME: Thank you so much, Dave. DAVIES: Morgan Pehme co-directed the film "Get Me Roger Stone" with Dylan Bank and Daniel DiMauro. It's available on Netflix. Coming up, Justin Chang reviews the new film "The War For The Planet Of The Apes." This is FRESH AIR. (SOUNDBITE OF CHRIS MCGREGOR'S BROTHERHOOD OF BREATH'S "ANDROMEDA") Copyright © 2017 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
It is estimated that between 5% and 28% of any general population hears voices that other people do not.1 Definition Hearing voices is an auditory hallucination that may or may not be associated with a mental health problem. It is the most common type of hallucination in people with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.2 However, a large number of otherwise healthy individuals have also reported hearing voices.3 Symptoms It is difficult to describe what it is like to hear voices, particularly if you’ve never heard voices yourself. People have described them as the voice of someone standing right next to them, or as voices that are thought-like. Some persons have reported experiencing a combination of both.4 The voices heard can be critical, complementary or neutral. They may give you commands that are potentially harmful. They may even engage you in conversation.5 You may think you have never experienced this, but are you sure? You may have had the experience of hearing someone call your name only to find that there is no one there. Indeed, research shows that, especially for recently bereaved people, it is not uncommon to hear the voice of someone who isn’t actually there speaking to you, or who may even be dead.6 It's also common for people to hear voices as if they are thoughts entering their mind from somewhere outside themselves. This is not the same as a suddenly inspired idea, which people usually recognise as coming from themselves. These thoughts are not their own and would seem to come from outside their own consciousness, like telepathy. A good example of this is the experience of recalling a rhyme or tune, which you find yourself repeating unconsciously under your breath and which keeps going through your head again and again. You can even find yourself humming it. You never took a decision to start thinking of it and it’s difficult to stop thinking about it. The difference between the tune in your head and a 'voice thought' that appears as words in your mind is that the voice may go on to speak coherently to you and even engage you in conversation. You yourself are not responsible for it and you have no idea what this voice is going to say next. For some voice hearers, the voices might be present all day and prevent them from doing things in their daily lives, while others may find ways of living with these voices. People who hear voices may not feel able to talk about them and may become isolated and withdrawn as a result. Prevalence Most people have had at least one experience of hearing a voice when there was no one around them. One study found that only around 25% of persons who hear voices also have a psychotic disorder.7 While children below the age of 12 have reported hearing voices, in 75% of cases, the voices stopped by the age of 13.8 Where the voices persist through to adolescence and adulthood, it usually is the case that there is an underlying mental health issue. Causes Until recently voices were regarded as a symptom of a mental illness and not talked about because of fear of stigma. Hearing voices is still considered by psychiatry as an auditory hallucination and as a symptom of conditions such as schizophrenic disorders, manic depression and psychosis. Traumatic life experiences (e.g. sexual abuse, neglect, loss of a parent) are considered to be among the most significant triggers of auditory hallucinations, particularly among children. As many as 70% of participants in one study reported that hearing voices started following a traumatic or significant emotional event.9 Treatments The orthodox treatment is with major tranquillisers. These do not get rid of the voices. In the past, mental health professionals were taught not to let voice hearers talk about their voices as this was thought to be colluding with the person’s delusions and not helpful. Most often professionals sought to distract the voice hearer from their voices. Research has shown that many people hear voices, and some cope well with their voices, without psychiatric intervention. It has also been found that many people who hear voices regard them as a positive part of their lives.10 There are several other avenues that have helped others and may help you: Talk to other voice hearers This gives you the opportunity to share experiences and to learn from one another. You can join or set up a self-help groups, such as those established by the Hearing Voices Network throughout the UK. Discuss your voices this helps you learn to recognise their games and tricks, as well as their good aspects, and to identify patterns that are specific to given situations. This can help you to be better prepared for future onset of voices. Voice hearers may think they are alone in hearing voices. This can lead to feelings of shame or the fear of going mad. Anxiety often leads to the avoidance of situations that might trigger the voices, stopping people leading a full and rewarding life. Anxiety severely restricts freedom of movement, and strategies of avoidance often seem to exacerbate the problem. Seek explanations to account for your voices Understanding where the voices come from and why, and what triggers them can be helpful in developing a coping strategy. Unless some meaning is attributed to the voices, it is difficult to establish a relationship with them in order to feel more in control. Approaches that discourage voice hearers from seeking mastery of the voices tend to yield the least positive results. Accept that the voices belong to you This is the essential first step in the process of developing your own point of view and taking responsibility for yourself. This is one of the most important and difficult steps to take. Understand that your voices may be expressing what you are feeling or thinking For instance, aggression or fear about an event or relationship. It is the feelings that are important here, not the voices. When the voices express such views, it can be valuable to discuss the messages with someone you trust. When you hear voices that are malicious it is difficult to accept the existence of a positive, helpful dimension to the experience. Contact with other voice hearers can lead to the discovery that positive voices exist, and the realisation that these can be detected, as a result of acceptance of your negative feelings. Imposing a structure on the relationship with the voices helps minimise feelings of powerlessness. It is valuable to see that you can set your own limits and restrain the voices from excessive intrusion on your life. Learn about potential medicines by sharing experiences Talking to other voice hearers can help you to get to know what medicines others are using, how useful these are, and what their side effects may be. It is important, for example, to know whether a particular medicine is helpful in reducing the hearing of voices or easing anxiety and confusion. Share knowledge about voices with families and friends can be helpful If family and friends can accept the voices they can be more supportive. This can make voice hearers’ lives easier, improving their confidence in social situations. Understand that voice hearing can positively impact on personal growth – for some voice hearers, learning to adjust to their experiences has contributed to their personal growth. Personal growth can be defined as recognising what you need in order to live a fulfilled life, and knowing how to achieve these ends. Though it is important to communicate, make sure to protect yourself Communicating about voices has its disadvantages. Voice hearers can feel very vulnerable; some voice hearers find great difficulty in opening up about their experiences, although it can be easier with other voice hearers. Another drawback is that the voices may become temporarily more acute when you start talking about them. All in all, though, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Empower yourself Finally, it is most important to recognise the wide variety of individual situations and circumstances. The best advice is to try to increase the voice hearer’s influence over their voices, rather than intensify their powerlessness. Practical advice for family, friends and mental health workers To assist voice hearers, mental health professionals need to find out which frames of reference and coping strategies seem to be the most useful to the voice hearer. By doing so voice hearers can be supported more effectively in their attempts to deal with their experiences. Self-determination and self-knowledge are the key. Accept the voice hearer’s experience of the voices. The voices are often felt as more intense and real than sensory perceptions. Understand the different languages used by the voice hearer to describe and account for their experiences, as well as the language spoken by the voices themselves. There is often a world of symbols and feelings involved. Help the individual to communicate with the voices. This may involve differentiating between good and bad voices and accepting the voice hearer’s own negative emotions. This acceptance may make a crucial contribution to the promotion of self-esteem. Encourage the voice hearer to meet other people with similar experiences and to read about hearing voices, in order to help overcome isolation and taboo. When to seek help If you are hearing voices and they are causing concern, talk with your GP who will refer you to a Psychiatrist if necessary.
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. Archived Decisions, Notices and Orders (DNOs) remain in effect except to the extent they are amended or reversed by the Commission, a court, or the government. The text of archived information has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Changes to DNOs are published as “dashes” to the original DNO number. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats by contacting us . available in alternative format upon request, and may also be examined in PDF format or in HTML at the following Internet site: Call for comments on the proposed addition of Al Jazeera English to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis, Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC, 7 May 2009 approves the request to add Al Jazeera English to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis and amends the lists of eligible satellite services accordingly. The revised lists are available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca under "Broadcasting Sector" and are available in hard copy on request. As to AJE’s potential contribution to a diversity of editorial viewpoints in the Canadian broadcasting system, the Commission notes the substantial support for the addition of the service and the many positive comments received as to the quality of the service. The Commission further considers that the willingness expressed by the management of AJE to consult with Canadian Jewish organizations in the year following the launch of AJE in Canada concerning its programming is an indication of its commitment to provide balanced coverage and a variety of points of view. With regard to submissions that AJE’s reporting is unbalanced, the Commission notes that, in two of the four clips described above, Israeli officials were given the opportunity to present their points of view on AJE. More generally, the Commission notes that balanced reporting would require a service to offer different points of view over a reasonable period of time, rather than having to present every point of view within one report or one program.Hence, evidence of six reports (i.e., the four clips plus the two reports cited by HRC) that were aired between October 2007 and May 2009 is insufficient to permit the Commission to conclude that AJE’s reporting as a whole is unbalanced. HRC’s argument that AJE did not comply with Canadian journalistic standards and practices, and that the Commission should therefore implement the same strict provisions for the distribution of AJE as were implemented for AJA,the Commission notes that the conditions imposed with respect to the distribution of AJA were warranted by incidents of abusive comment aired on AJA, as substantiated on the record of the proceeding to consider the distribution of the service in Canada. Having considered the record of the proceeding, the Commission is satisfied that AJE should be authorized for distribution in Canada. The Commission notes that, while some parties raised concerns about the possible broadcast of abusive comment on the service, these allegations were not substantiated by evidence such as transcripts or tapes, as mentioned in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation. Accordingly, there is nothing on the record of the current proceeding to lead the Commission to conclude that there is a serious risk that abusive comment will be broadcast on AJE. The Commission notes, however, that it has the power to remove AJE or any other non-Canadian service from the digital lists if, after an appropriate process, it is found to have broadcast abusive comment. In Broadcasting Notice of Consultation, the Commission referred to this more open-entry approach, reiterating that it considers such an approach to be consistent with the objective of ensuring a diversity of editorial points of view in the Canadian broadcasting system. The Commission stated that parties wishing to submit that AJE should not be authorized for distribution in Canada should provide detailed support for their position. absent clear evidence, as determined by the Commission, that a non-Canadian news service would violate Canadian regulations, such as those regarding abusive comment, the Commission will be predisposed to authorize non-Canadian news services for distribution in Canada. ECGL stated that the reporter was misquoted in the second example provided by HRC. In its comment HRC stated that the report referred to prisoners as "widely respected fighters against the occupation." ECGL argued that the report actually said that the men were "widely respected as fighters against the occupation." It is ECGL’s view that the omission of the word as distorted the meaning of the report, since the reporter described the men as respected among the Palestinians, which was essential to understanding why Palestinians were so upset over the men’s deaths. ECGL stated that AJE’s Code of Ethics, which includes journalistic values of honesty, fairness, balance, independence and credibility, was taken very seriously by AJE’s reporters and management. ECGL also argued that AJE’s willingness to meet with members of the Canadian Jewish community demonstrates AJE’s good faith and the importance it places on communication. In reply, ECGL argued that the public process provided no evidence that the programming of AJE would violate any Canadian regulations and that, since the Commission has already announced its predisposition to authorize non-Canadian news services, AJE should be added to the digital lists. ECGL also stated that the wide support received from many Canadians indicates that AJE would bring a valued new perspective to the Canadian broadcasting system. ECGL also confirmed that AJE had agreed to consult with representatives of the leading Jewish community organizations at least twice in the year following the launch of AJE in Canada. HRC argued that, on different occasions in the past, AJE’s reporting has proven to be unfair, inaccurate and unbalanced. HRC provided two examples of AJE reports that it felt did not comply with Canadian journalistic standards and practices. The first is an AJE report aired on CBC Newsworld on 6 January 2009 concerning complaints from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations that some of their workers on the Gaza strip were being wounded and killed. During the report, the AJE correspondent stated that United Nations workers had "obviously been targeted" by the Israelis. HRC noted that, after a complaint from HRC, the CBC’s ombudsman noted that this AJE report "did not meet the standards of accuracy and fairness within the CBC’s Journalistic Standards and Practices." 1 The Commission received a large number of comments addressing the request to add AJE to the digital lists. Over 2600 parties filed comments in support of the request, approximately 40 parties filed comments in opposition, and 7 offered general comments. It added that such support might consist, for example, of transcripts or tapes of actual programs aired on AJE, along with details as to the date or dates on which they aired. The Commission issued Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2009-254 , calling for comments on the proposed addition of AJE. Consistent with the new approach for non-Canadian news services set out in Broadcasting Public Notice, the Commission asked parties submitting that AJE should not be authorized for distribution in Canada as it would violate Canadians regulations to provide detailed support for their position. In Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100 , the Commission reaffirmed its overall approach to authorizing non-Canadian English- or French-language services. However, in regard to non-Canadian news services, the Commission determined that a more open-entry approach would be consistent with the importance that it places on a diversity of editorial points of view. Accordingly, the Commission stated that, "absent clear evidence, as determined by the Commission, that a non-Canadian news service would violate Canadian regulations, such as those regarding abusive comment, the Commission will be predisposed to authorize non-Canadian news services for distribution in Canada." The Commission set out its general approach to the addition of English- and French-language non-Canadian services in Public Notice 2000-173 . This approach generally precludes the addition of new non-Canadian satellite services if the Commission determines them to be either totally or partially competitive with Canadian specialty or pay television services. ECGL described the service as a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week English-language international news service. It is currently available in over 100 countries and via the Internet. The Commission received a request dated 27 February 2009 from Ethnic Channels Group Limited (ECGL) for the addition of Al Jazeera English (AJE), a non-Canadian, English-language satellite service originating in Qatar, to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis (the digital lists). AJE is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week English-language international news service currently available in over 100 countries and via the Internet. The Commission notes the substantial support for the addition of AJE to the digital lists and considers that AJE will expand the diversity of editorial points of view in the Canadian broadcasting system. Further, despite concerns expressed by certain parties, there is nothing on the record of the current proceeding that leads the Commission to conclude that AJE would violate Canadian regulations, such as those regarding abusive comment. The Commission approves a request to add Al Jazeera English (AJE) to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis and amends the lists of eligible satellite services accordingly. The revised lists are available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca under "Broadcasting Sector." Dissenting opinion by Commissioner Marc Patrone In approving the addition of the Arabic-language news and public affairs service Al Jazeera to the list of eligible satellite services in Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-51 , the Commission imposed ‘monitoring’ conditions considered onerous enough that broadcasting distribution undertakings have, to this day, declined to distribute the service. Some who intervened in that proceeding produced numerous examples of hateful language aired on Al Jazeera. Those references remain part of the record of that proceeding. Based in part on that evidence, the Commission justified its decision to impose strict conditions on the Arabic-language service in the following paragraph: In the Commission’s view, the objective of its abusive comment regulation justifies limiting the right to freedom of expression. The harms flowing from abusive comment threaten the values of equality and multiculturalism, values enshrined in Canadian broadcasting policy objectives and in sections 15 and 27 of the Charter. Given the original stark appraisal of Al Jazeera Arabic (AJA) in 2004, one might have expected this most recent application by the same network’s English-language service would have been subject to the most rigorous examination possible—one which included a reconsideration of the entire network’s journalism policies. Regretfully, this hasn’t been the case. While some of the interveners argued that the Commission should consider AJA’s broadcasting record, my colleagues, consistent with the Commission’s usual approach, chose not to do so. The consequence of this decision, in my opinion, is that it did not allow for the kind of comprehensive investigation of Al Jazeera’s entire record that I believe was warranted. Normally I would consider an approach of considering foreign services independently of any other regardless of common ownership to be a sound one. The merits of one service may differ greatly from another owned by the same group or entity. But in my view, issues fundamental to Canadian values, in this case the potential use of our broadcast system to spread ethnic or religious hatred, are too important to submit strictly to current regulatory convention. If, as I believe is the case, the approach adopted by my colleagues leaves us vulnerable to " 4 then such an approach fails harms flowing from abusive comment (which) threaten the values of equality and multiculturalism,"then such an approach fails the regulator in terms of its capacity to consider broader questions in play. I believe that’s the case in this particular decision, hence my decision to offer this dissenting opinion. Even if one were to consider the English-language service independently, there has been evidence presented of editorial ‘biases’ that would not be tolerated for long were they produced by a domestic broadcaster. One intervener, Honest Reporting Canada, pointed out that Al Jazeera English’s (AJE’s) reporting was, on different occasions, unbalanced, unfair, and inaccurate. In one AJE story aired on CBC, an AJE correspondent stated that United Nations (UN) workers had ‘obviously been targeted’ by Israelis. A subsequent investigation by the CBC Ombudsman found the story "did not meet the standards of accuracy and fairness within the CBC’s Journalistic Standards and Practices"—a fairly damning indictment which did little to sway the Commission’s decision in this case. Al Jazeera’s Canadian promoters Ethnic Channels Group Limited (ECGL) disagreed with the CBC’s finding saying the statement in question about UN workers was "verifiable, accurate, fair and reasonable." I would ask that if it was ‘verifiable’, than why include the word ‘obviously’ in the reporter’s copy? If it was a ‘fact’ that UN workers had been ‘targeted by Israelis’ then why not simply report it as a ‘fact’? I would suggest that the reason it was not reported as a fact was because the reporter was either unable or unwilling to attribute the information to any ‘verifiable’ or ‘official’ source. What was ‘obvious’ to the reporter was clearly just an interpretation on his/her part, hence the need to bolster the observation that Israel targeted UN workers by using the word ‘obviously.’ To whom was this obvious? I would suggest the reporter was simply expressing a firmly held opinion. Under certain circumstances, (e.g. live hits) ‘opinions’ or ‘impressions’ expressed by reporters are fine provided he/she makes clear it’s an ‘opinion’ or ‘impression’ and not a fact that should be deemed ‘obvious’ to anyone. Despite this finding by the CBC Ombudsman, the Commission found this was not a compelling enough reason to dismiss the application or even to approve it subject to the distribution conditions set out for AJA in Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-51 . Perhaps it wasn’t. I would argue, however, that in order to get a truer picture of whether the service has chronic issues of editorial bias, a much more thorough monitoring of it is necessary than what has been done up to now. ECGL stated that AJE’s exemplary track record was evidence that the service would not convey anti-Semitic content and that the Qatari government would not interfere with the content of the service. They went on to state that AJE and AJA were distinct services and submitted that it would be inappropriate to consider AJA’s broadcast record in order to assess the request to add AJE to the list, even if they share a common owner. That the applicant is urging the regulator to treat AJE’s ‘exemplary’ track record differently from that AJA is, to my way of thinking, an admission that there are underlying ‘bias’ issues with the Arabic service. Why else would they insist that the English-language service not be ‘tarred with the same brush’? And is ECGL really in a position to insist the Qatari government will maintain a ‘hands off policy’ as it applies to the English-language service? In the absence of any enforceable powers to ‘regulate’ a foreign service, exactly what tools are at our disposal that might ensure ‘fair’ treatment? Yes, we can process ‘complaints’ after the fact but note the arguments made on this point in paragraph 75 of Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-51 The Commission is not persuaded that these mechanisms are either currently available or, that if they are, they would be effective to deal with abusive comment that may be broadcast on Al Jazeera. First, the Commission notes that the prohibition on abusive comment contained in section 8(1)(b) of the Regulations applies only to programming that a distribution undertaking originates and, therefore, would not apply to the Al Jazeera service. Second, membership in the CBSC is not open to non-Canadian broadcasters. Third, the Commission is doubtful that hate and defamation laws would be effective to deal with Al Jazeera programming distributed in Canada. Finally, delisting would be disruptive to subscribers and is too blunt an instrument to be relied upon as the primary method to deal with concerns about a potentially small portion of the programming. I find the whole view of ECGL that a ‘linguistic firewall’ exists between the two services unrealistic to say the least. The sharing of resources, be they ‘video’ story ideas, tips, scripts, ‘live hits’ or otherwise, between services operated by one ownership group is standard operating practice wherever I’ve worked and I imagine they are no different at Al Jazeera. 2008-100 The antecedent to the decision to approve the AJE application can be found in Broadcasting Public Noticewherein the Commission determined that a more or less ‘open-entry approach’ should be applied in authorizing non-Canadian English- or French-language news services. In recommending AJE for approval, the Commission has reasoned that it is not reasonable to expect non-Canadian services to adhere to Canadian broadcasting codes of conduct governing journalistic practices. The Commission further reasoned that there was nothing on the record of the proceeding that would lead it to conclude that there was a serious risk that abusive comments will be broadcast on AJE, thereby implying that there may be some risk that AJE will broadcast abusive comments. It considered that such a risk is worth taking given the possible contributions that the said service might make to the Canadian broadcasting system in the form of increased diversity. I respectfully disagree that any such ‘risk’ is worth taking. And while it is true that Canada cannot expect other countries to adhere to our standards of journalistic objectivity, I would argue it is incumbent on this country, through its regulator, to do what it can to encourage other jurisdictions to adopt such standards themselves rather than to lower our standards to accommodate foreign services. What we are in effect saying with this decision is that since it’s impractical to demand that others adopt our high standards, we will tolerate journalistic bias by others that we would not tolerate from services originating here. This will only create a journalistic double standard in our news offerings that undermines our capacity to demand storytelling excellence from our domestic services thereby cheapening our overall broadcasting system. It’s also a missed opportunity to send a message internationally about levels of journalistic standards and codes that we consider important enough to demand from all news broadcasters who wish to operate in this country. Adding diversity is necessary, but not at any price. It is worthy of note that foreign broadcasters are not required to become members of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council. Perhaps it would be helpful if they were required to do so. All this said, I’ve no doubt that Al Jazeera has many fine and capable journalists who would take great exception to the idea that their standards are not up to the level of Canada’s regulator. They no doubt take great pride in the work they do and are perfectly justified in doing so. I make no argument with their capabilities per se. I take exception rather to the rationale inherent in our decision—the suggestion that we should accept less in the way of journalistic ‘ethics’ in exchange for more diversity. A further area of concern with the decision taken by my colleagues relates to ownership issues. More specifically, my concern relates to the fact that the issue of ownership did not form any part of my colleagues’ deliberations. However, this concern is by no means restricted to the application forming the basis of this decision. In weighing the merits of all foreign services, the regulator should be particularly sensitive to ‘state-owned’ or ‘state-financed’ services originating from nations with radically different attitudes towards freedom of speech and democracy in general. Let’s not ignore the fact there are broadcasters financed by heads of state who have very strong views on controversial international issues. Such broadcast entities may have extreme views and thus be prone to paying lip service to issues of editorial fairness and ethical portrayals of groups by selectively applying them only where they feel they absolutely have to, not as a guiding principle. Such attitudes should render these services, regardless of language, anathema to Canada’s broadcast system. By not including any consideration of ownership as a criterion for entry by foreign services, the ‘open door’ policy introduced with Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100 In processing the application of this English-language news service, I would suggest it should have taken place within the framework of a reconsideration of the conditions placed on the Arabic-language one. Canada’s regulator could re-examine Al Jazeera’s record as a ‘whole’ network since 2004. Any abuses in Arabic should be considered a stain on the record of the English-language service and vice versa. Again, the issue of ‘abusive comment’ is important enough to warrant an exception in the way foreign services are considered for entry here in Canada. If, on further examination of both the Arabic- and English-language services, the CRTC were to find that only one of the two services met standards related to such matters, then both should be rejected on principle. Such a decision may have little impact in terms of affecting editorial policies in a foreign service but the message would nonetheless be clear. If on the other hand, the Arabic-language service were deemed to have ‘cleaned up its act’ since the 2004 decision, then perhaps both services could be approved without issue. With this decision, we’re saying in effect that the English-language service can be trusted while the Arabic-language one can only be broadcast subject to 24/7 surveillance by the distributor in order to ensure it remains free of abusive comment. This differentiated treatment of the two services by the Commission could be challenged by some as discriminatory on linguistic grounds. In summing up, I would impress upon my Commission colleagues that Canada has, through the judicious application of its internal regulatory policies, a responsibility beyond its own borders. It has the opportunity to be a global conscience on issues of freedom of speech and fair and equitable portrayals of all groups and persons. While this decision faithfully executes the regulatory regime under which we currently operate, it fails on the bigger question of adopting an ethical position on issues which we can and should be playing a leadership role. It’s understandable that our approach up to now has tended to be entirely insular from a regulatory standpoint. But given how small the world has become thanks to digital satellite technology and live wall-to-wall news coverage, we may no longer have the luxury of treating all our decisions in complete isolation of what’s going on around us especially given the current volatile international dynamic within which Canada is intrinsically part.
BELCHERTOWN - A Massachusetts State Police trooper has been suspended and is scheduled to be arraigned next week on charges of assaulting a Belchertown police officer in connection with a probe of an automobile accident involving the trooper's wife. Trooper Sean Dennehy, who is assigned to the state police's Springfield barracks, has been charged with assaulting Belchertown detective John Raymer and is scheduled to be arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court. The criminal charges, which include witness intimidation and disturbing the peace, prompted the state police to suspend Dennehy, 46, without pay, and to open their own investigation, the agency confirmed Friday. Dennehy faces a maximum 10-year sentence in state prison if convicted of the witness intimidation charge. District Court records indicate that Dennehy created a disturbance at McCarthy's Pub in Belchertown by yelling and swearing at Raymer, who was having dinner with his children. Dennehy's wife, Tamara Dennehy, who teaches in the Belchertown public schools, is listed as an "involved party" on the town's police log during the McCarthy's Pub incident on Feb. 6. She is not charged with any crime in this matter, but the witness intimidation allegation against her husband is related to Raymer's criminal investigation of her related to a motor vehicle crash on St. Patrick's Day in March, 2015. That court case remains open. A state police spokesman said Dennehy was suspended without pay four days after the Feb. 6 incident, in which he allegedly assaulted Raymer inside McCarthy's Pub, which is located at 5 East Walnut St. near the town common. "Trooper Dennehy was ordered suspended without pay on Feb 10. We have opened an internal affairs investigation into his alleged actions," state police spokesman Dave Procopio wrote in an email on Friday. "We will monitor the criminal court proceedings," Procopio said. "Trooper Dennehy's duty status will be reassessed upon conclusion of the criminal case and of the internal investigation, and the results of both of those processes will be considered in determining his any future duty status." Belchertown police officer Valerie Austin wrote in the criminal complaint against the suspended state trooper that: "Unprovoked, Sean Dennehy approached John Raymer and his two young children in McCarthy's Pub. Sean Dennehy became angered and very loud, swearing and cussing about a past incident." The past incident involves Dennehy's wife, Tamara Dennehy, 45, who last year was charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash. According to court records, the car she was driving collided with parked vehicle, totaling it, in the parking lot of the Belchertown VFW post at 41 Pelham Road on March 22. She allegedly drove away without informing the other vehicle's owner of the crash, court records state. That matter was initially investigated by Belchertown police officer Michael Roney, but an illness resulted in Raymer being assigned the case. The Feb. 8 complaint against Sean Dennehy alleges that "Mr. Dennehy assaulted Raymer when he stood over him and pointed his finger at him and stated 'you're a fking asshole, f* you.'" "Raymer stated he feared Dennehy was going to physically assault him," it says. There is no indication in the report that Dennehy touched Raymer, and no battery charges were filed. Neither Dennehy nor Raymer were on duty at the time of the incident. The Belchertown police log shows Raymer called 911 the evening of Feb. 6, at 7:38 p.m., to report "a disorderly patron." The intimidation of a witness charge pending against Sean Dennehy is alluded to in the criminal complaint. "Mr. Raymer has a pending case against Tamara Dennehy, the wife of Sean Dennehy," Austin's criminal complaint states. Tamara Dennehy's lawyer, Ralph W. Sargent of Worcester, filed a motion to dismiss the case on Sept. 24, 2015. Judge John M. Payne Jr. denied the motion, writing in a Nov. 3 decision: "Detective Raymer undertook an investigation and arranged to have Ms. Dennehy appear at the BPD (Belchertown Police Department) on April 3, 2015. Apparently Ms. Dennehy did not appear and the citation was issued." In a footnote to his motion to dismiss, Sargent wrote: "Officer Raymer's report fails to mention (that) ... the defendant's husband Sean, a trooper with the Massachusetts State Police, called the Belchertown police and reported his wife had been involved in an accident at the VFW but had left the area. Second, the defendant herself filled out a statement the next day on a Belchertown Police Department voluntary statement form acknowledging she had been involved in an accident at the VFW." Court records show that Raymer filed a criminal complaint against Tamara Dennehy on April 6 for the March 22 incident at the VFW. On May 20, a clerk-magistrate found probable cause to proceed with the case; she was ordered to appear for arraignment on July 1. One charge against her was dismissed at the request of the district attorney. She is on probation until June involving the other charge - in which she paid a $100 fine and was ordered to enroll in a driver safety class, court records show. Her husband was also at the VFW during the March incident, court records and police reports show, and video footage from the tavern's security system was used as evidence. "I first observed Mr. Dennehy on this video feed walk down a short hallway and enter the female bathroom. Mrs. Dennehy came into view a short time later. It was immediately apparent she was having difficulties walking and keeping her balance," Raymer's narrative for the Belchertown Police Department reads. Later, according to Raymer's narrative, the video shows that she "enters her vehicle and is backing towards the main entrance and impacting the parked vehicle (and) Mr. Dennehy can be seen just outside the main door smoking a cigarette. He also watches as Mrs. Dennehy crashes her vehicle and drives away. At one point I could observe Mr. Dennehy putting his hands in the air." Raymer's narrative states that the vehicle Tamara Dennehy was driving "sped up causing the vehicle to strike a parked vehicle pushing that vehicle into another parked vehicle." Tamara Dennehy allegedly "then ... drove around the rear of the VFW and exited onto Pelham Road," according to Raymer's report, which also alleges that she "never stopped to identify herself to the owners of the vehicles damaged." Sean Dennehy's arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Feb. 29.
In a recent essay in New York Magazine, Molly Fischer wrote that David Foster Wallace has become a hero of “bros,” which “drives some women to treat “loves DFW” as synonymous with “is one of those motherfuckers.” She recounts an anecdote that Jason Segel (who plays Wallace in the film The End of the Tour) has told to interviewers in his press appearances: He’d been preparing for the role by reading Wallace’s work, and he was picking up Infinite Jest at a bookstore. He put the book on the counter and the woman at the register rolled her eyes. “Infinite Jest,” he remembers her saying. “Every guy I’ve ever dated has an unread copy on his bookshelf.” Fischer makes the important distinction here that the kind of men she’s talking about haven’t actually read Infinite Jest. Neither, it seems, has Fischer. In her essay she quotes from Adelle Waldman’s The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. and Heidi Julavits’ The Folded Clock, but never from Infinite Jest. I’m not here to discount Fischer’s point. In fact, I mostly agree with her, that Wallace has become, for a lot of young men, a kind of marker of intellectual ability and hipness. Wallace was a genius who wore bandanas, who treasured his “regular guyness” and spoke with a Midwestern drawl. His sentences, though complexly periodic and usually grammatically perfect (Wallace grew up as a “SNOOT,” as his parents were similarly intellectual), contained countless colloquialisms (most famously his use of “And but so…” to begin sentences), making it seem like Wallace was brilliant but also just a dude, thinking about shit. This is an irresistible figure to aspire to, especially for young men like me. Growing up in Ohio, intellectual dexterity wasn’t exactly the most popular trait one could possess, so flagrant displays of it were kept to a minimum. But to read Wallace—with his seemingly impossible array of knowledge—is to discover a voice that somehow communicates radiant intelligence and “regular guyness.” His writing suggests that you can be smart without being pretentious, academic but still commonsensical, and, just as important, endlessly loquacious (or the written version of it) and still be an introverted neurotic. Article continues after advertisement Since Wallace’s suicide in 2008, this version of him has lead a lot of people to embrace this image without doing the work of reading his books. Or, at least, this is what everyone seems to suggest. In fact, it is kind of a joke in the literary world. There is a tweet I’ve seen (posted by numerous accounts) featuring a dancing stick-figure person (made out of punctuation) with the words “I’ve actually read Infinite Jest.” To have even read the thing has become brag-worthy. A few years before Wallace died, in a fiction workshop, my professor remarked, in response to a question as to who Wallace was, “He’s the guy who wrote that book that no one’s actually read.” I couldn’t believe he said that. No one’s read it? Really? Is this really true? Has Infinite Jest become the kind of that people own but haven’t read? Is it like War and Peace or The Recognitions or Gravity’s Rainbow or Middlemarch or The Magic Mountain or The Man Without Qualities? And is the reason no one’s read IJ (or any of these books) is that it’s long? It’s 1,079 pages. Yes, those pages are positively stuffed full of prose, and the endnotes section is in an even smaller font, but still, is this really what’s keeping people from its pages? I suspect not. People regularly gobble up thousands of pages of, say, George R.R. Martin (total length of the Game of Thrones books, so far: 4,352) or J.K. Rowling (the US editions of the Harry Potter books, in total, also come to over 4,000 pages). Some may say that David Foster Wallace’s prose is much harder to read than Martin’s or Rowling’s, but Wallace is not nearly as inaccessible as Pynchon in Gravity’s Rainbow or Gaddis in The Recognitions. In fact, Infinite Jest is relatively easy to read. Anyone who says IJ is “too difficult,” hasn’t really tried it. (Now, of course, if someone tries to read it and doesn’t like it, that’s something entirely different.) So why has Infinite Jest, supposedly such an influential novel, become a paper weight, a talking point, a bench-mark of high- and low-brow intellectuality? Why has no one (or, more accurately, why does everyone think that no one) has actually read the thing? For one thing, I think his death has contributed to this reputation, because it made him famous outside the reaches of the literary community. And much like other figures in small circles whose fame stretches beyond their own world—like Serena Williams in tennis or Tony Hawk in skateboarding—he has become representative of things that really have nothing to do with him at all. He now typifies for people “the young, tortured, brooding intellectual,” a hip guy who’s also way smarter than you are. The fact that Infinite Jest sits there like a brick, filled with long paragraphs and tiny text, only adds to this. A person can, then, glom onto Wallace’s reputation without having read a word of his writing. Because, let’s be real, anyone claiming to love David Foster Wallace who hasn’t read Infinite Jest isn’t really a literary type, are they? I know, of course, that there are people who prefer Wallace’s nonfiction, but those people would be the first to say that (in fact, this has become its own hip assertion). Article continues after advertisement The irony, of course, is that Infinite Jest centers around a film that’s so engrossing that anyone who sees it literally can’t stop watching it. The film, also called Infinite Jest, represents the inevitable conclusion to our entertainment equation: TV and film so mesmerizing that we never do anything else; entertainment taking over our lives. That Infinite Jest has become a book that no one reads, and that everyone is now talking about Infinite Jest because of a movie—that’s irony Wallace could appreciate. But what bothers me isn’t that Infinite Jest isn’t read more widely, but that because of The End of the Tour, everyone’s talking about Wallace and his image and what he represents and what he would have wanted and what his fans suggest about contemporary literature… but so many of these little think-pieces leave out the actual work at the center of both Wallace’s career and the movie itself. I have no idea what Wallace would have thought of The End of the Tour (though it’s not hard to think he’d loathe it), but what I do know is that no one is benefiting from continuing to talk about Wallace as if he were only an image and not a person who tried to put what was in his mind to paper. The more we talk about Wallace without talking about his work—which, of course, is the whole reason we’re here, talking about him—the more we aid in this false image of him as bro-lord. His fiction is thoughtful and daring and adventurous and sad and fun and difficult and complex—let’s not reduce this work, or its author, down to something reductive, small, tiny, the opposite of infinite.
Thank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs! For unlimited access to the best local, national, and international news and much more, try an All Access Digital subscription: We hope you have enjoyed your trial! To continue reading, we recommend our Read Now Pay Later membership. Simply add a form of payment and pay only 27¢ per article. Introductory pricing schedule for 12 month: $0.99/month plus tax for first 3 months, $5.99/month for months 4 - 6, $10.99/month for months 7 - 9, $13.99/month for months 10 - 12. Standard All Access Digital rate of $16.99/month begins after first year. Introductory pricing schedule for 12 month: $0.99/month plus tax for first 3 months, $5.99/month for months 4 - 6, $10.99/month for months 7 - 9, $13.99/month for months 10 - 12. Standard All Access Digital rate of $16.99/month begins after first year. Introductory pricing schedule for 12 month: $0.99/month plus tax for first 3 months, $5.99/month for months 4 - 6, $10.99/month for months 7 - 9, $13.99/month for months 10 - 12. Standard All Access Digital rate of $16.99/month begins after first year. Introductory pricing schedule for 12 month: $0.99/month plus tax for first 3 months, $5.99/month for months 4 - 6, $10.99/month for months 7 - 9, $13.99/month for months 10 - 12. Standard All Access Digital rate of $16.99/month begins after first year. Thank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs! For unlimited access to the best local, national, and international news and much more, try an All Access Digital subscription: We hope you have enjoyed your trial! To continue reading, we recommend our Read Now Pay Later membership. Simply add a form of payment and pay only 27¢ per article. Thank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs! For unlimited access to the best local, national, and international news and much more, try an All Access Digital subscription: We hope you have enjoyed your trial! To continue reading, we recommend our Read Now Pay Later membership. Simply add a form of payment and pay only 27¢ per article. This funding deal has been held up for three years due to a dispute between Selinger and Katz over what each level of government would be expected to pay. Ottawa will be asked to fund the remaining $150 million for the project, which would also include widening of the Pembina Highway underpass at Jubilee Avenue, a new land drain east of the intersection and new bike-and-pedestrian access through the area. Premier Greg Selinger and Mayor Sam Katz say each level of government has agreed to spend up to $225 million toward the extension of Winnipeg's first dedicated bus corridor from Jubilee Avenue to the University of Manitoba's Fort Garry campus. The city and province have reached a deal to complete the Southwest Transitway by 2019 as part of a $600-million plan that also includes other Fort Garry infrastructure improvements. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/11/2013 (1925 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/11/2013 (1925 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The city and province have reached a deal to complete the Southwest Transitway by 2019 as part of a $600-million plan that also includes other Fort Garry infrastructure improvements. Premier Greg Selinger and Mayor Sam Katz say each level of government has agreed to spend up to $225 million toward the extension of Winnipeg's first dedicated bus corridor from Jubilee Avenue to the University of Manitoba's Fort Garry campus. Ottawa will be asked to fund the remaining $150 million for the project, which would also include widening of the Pembina Highway underpass at Jubilee Avenue, a new land drain east of the intersection and new bike-and-pedestrian access through the area. This funding deal has been held up for three years due to a dispute between Selinger and Katz over what each level of government would be expected to pay. Selinger said today all that's important is a denouement, noting "everyone likes drama." The first phase of the Southwest Transitway opened in 2012 at a cost of $138 million. It runs 3.6 kilometres from Queen Elizabeth Way near The Forks to Jubilee Avenue near Pembina Highway. The seven-kilometre second phase is slated to continue west over Pembina Highway and along Parker Avenue to a Manitoba Hydro corridor in Fort Garry, then jog south back to Pembina Highway and follow the CN Letellier line to the vicinity of the University of Manitoba's Fort Garry campus. Both Winnipeg Transit and the university are leaning toward completing the busway by entering along Markham Road through the soon-to-be-redeveloped Southwood land. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz, MLA Kevin Chief and Premier Greg Selinger announce funding to extend Rapid Transit into Southwest Winnipeg at the Osborne Street Station Tuesday morning. A new bus station and staging ground for buses may be built near Investors Group Field, Winnipeg Transit director Dave Wardrop said. The university also hopes to build a commercial hub near the football stadium. The city plans to place a funding application for the project before Ottawa by Dec. 1, Katz said. The money would come from the P3 Canada Fund, but the transitway would be publicly owned and operated. The city expects to hear back from Ottawa by June. Construction could begin in 2016, Wardrop said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the day’s breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every morning. At Pembina and Jubilee alone, that work would entail the realignment of a rail bridge, the addition of a northbound lane on Pembina Highway, the construction of busway bridge over the intersection and the addition of a bike and pedestrian lane below it. Design work for the project is underway and is already funded. St. James-Brooklands Coun. Scott Fielding said if all three levels of government have $600 million to spend in infrastructure, there are other projects that should take priority. Fielding, who is considering a mayoral run in 2014, said he would prefer to see Chief Peguis Trail extended west from Main Street to McPhillips Street, Kenaston Boulevard widened or William Clement Parkway extended south to Wilkes Avenue, all of which could be accomplished for less than $600 million. "People have talked about completing the ring road in Winnipeg for 35 years and for whatever reason, we haven’t done it," Fielding said in an interview. "If you are going to invest this kind of money, you should invest in existing road systems all over the City of Winnipeg, that all citizens could benefit from." Fielding also said $600 million could fix up 600 local streets. He called the transitway a good project that nonetheless should not be a priority.
Images of Paul Newman are staples of the men’s style sites and one of my favorties is a photograph of the actor straddling a dirt bike wearing trim white denim and slip on boots. I’d assumed the image was taken off-duty some weekend on Newman’s central California compound, but as channel surfing recently taught me, it’s actually a publicity still from the 1971 film Sometimes A Great Notion. A film my fall wardrobe and I are now using as our official mood board for Fall 2011. The film’s plot revolves around an Oregon logging family facing ruin in the wake of a bitter union strike, but the finer points of the narrative faded deep into the background as I focused intently on the rugged (cars and) costuming. Wardrobe Department basics included workshirts and sweatshirts in 70s sublime shades of celery green, and cuffed or cropped denim in dirty cream and cornflower blue. Accessories included lambskin gloves, woolen night caps, amber lensed shades (and ultra-tough trucks). Pretty much the only item from the foresting-chic film that I wouldn’t swing my ax at this fall (without a drastic career change first) are the logging dudes’ enameled hard-hats. (But what hats they are!) Otherwise, every other piece Paul and his tree-chopping co-stars stomp around in are the perfect fit and in the ill-est tints to be taking into one’s wardrobe about now. Catch the flick on cable if you can, or stream it through Starz over on Netflix. Most importantly, direct tweet me immediately if you can think of a source for faded celery-colored sweatshirts. Indexed Under: Accessories, Fashion, Film, Sources of Inspiration
A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the sovereign exercises authority in accordance with a written or unwritten constitution. Constitutional monarchy differs from absolute monarchy (in which a monarch holds absolute power) in that constitutional monarchs are bound to exercise their powers and authorities within the limits prescribed within an established legal framework. Constitutional monarchies range from countries such as Morocco, where the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign, to countries such as Japan and Sweden where the monarch retains no formal authorities. Constitutional monarchy may refer to a system in which the monarch acts as a non-party political head of state under the constitution, whether written or unwritten. While most monarchs may hold formal authority and the government may legally operate in the monarch's name, in the form typical in Europe the monarch no longer personally sets public policy or chooses political leaders. Political scientist Vernon Bogdanor, paraphrasing Thomas Macaulay, has defined a constitutional monarch as "A sovereign who reigns but does not rule". In addition to acting as a visible symbol of national unity, a constitutional monarch may hold formal powers such as dissolving parliament or giving royal assent to legislation. However, the exercise of such powers is largely strictly in accordance with either written constitutional principles or unwritten constitutional conventions, rather than any personal political preference imposed by the sovereign. In The English Constitution, British political theorist Walter Bagehot identified three main political rights which a constitutional monarch may freely exercise: the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn. Many constitutional monarchies still retain significant authorities or political influence however, such as through certain reserve powers, and may also play an important political role. The United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms are all constitutional monarchies in the Westminster system of constitutional governance. Two constitutional monarchies – Malaysia and Cambodia – are elective monarchies, wherein the ruler is periodically selected by a small electoral college. History [ edit ] The oldest constitutional monarchy dating back to ancient times was that of the Hittites. They were an ancient Anatolian people that lived during the Bronze Age whose king or queen had to share their authority with an assembly, called the Panku, which was the equivalent to a modern-day deliberative assembly or a legislature. Members of the Panku came from scattered noble families who worked as representatives of their subjects in an adjutant or subaltern federal-type landscape.[4] The most recent country to move from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy was Bhutan, between 2007 and 2008 (see Politics of Bhutan, Constitution of Bhutan and Bhutanese democracy). Constitutional and absolute monarchy [ edit ] England and the United Kingdom [ edit ] In the Kingdom of England, the Glorious Revolution of 1688 led to a constitutional monarchy restricted by laws such as the Bill of Rights 1689 and the Act of Settlement 1701, although limits on the power of the monarch ("a limited monarchy") are much older than that (see Magna Carta). At the same time, in Scotland, the Convention of Estates enacted the Claim of Right Act 1689, which placed similar limits on the Scottish monarchy. Although Queen Anne was the last monarch to veto an Act of Parliament when, on 11 March, 1708, she blocked the Scottish Militia Bill, Hanoverian monarchs continued to selectively dictate government policies. For instance King George III constantly blocked Catholic Emancipation, eventually precipitating the resignation of William Pitt the Younger as prime minister in 1801.[6] The sovereign's influence on the choice of prime minister gradually declined over this period, King William IV being the last monarch to dismiss a prime minister, when in 1834 he removed Lord Melbourne as a result of Melbourne's choice of Lord John Russell as Leader of the House of Commons.[7][8] Queen Victoria was the last monarch to exercise real personal power, but this diminished over the course of her reign. In 1839, she became the last sovereign to keep a prime minister in power against the will of Parliament when the Bedchamber crisis resulted in the retention of Lord Melbourne's administration.[9] By the end of her reign, however, she could do nothing to block the unacceptable (to her) premierships of William Gladstone, although she still exercised power in appointments to the Cabinet, for example in 1886 preventing Gladstone's choice of Hugh Childers as War Secretary in favor of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman.[10] Today, the role of the British monarch is by convention effectively ceremonial. Instead, the British Parliament and the Government – chiefly in the office of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom – exercise their powers under "Royal (or Crown) Prerogative": on behalf of the monarch and through powers still formally possessed by the Monarch. No person may accept significant public office without swearing an oath of allegiance to the Queen. With few exceptions, the monarch is bound by constitutional convention to act on the advice of the Government. Continental Europe [ edit ] Constitutional monarchy originated in continental Europe, with Poland developing the first constitution for a monarchy with the Constitution of May 3, 1791; it was the third constitution in the world just after the first republican Constitution of the United States. Constitutional monarchy also occurred briefly in the early years of the French Revolution, but much more widely afterwards. Napoleon Bonaparte is considered the first monarch proclaiming himself as an embodiment of the nation, rather than as a divinely-appointed ruler; this interpretation of monarchy is germane to continental constitutional monarchies. German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, in his work Elements of the Philosophy of Right (1820), gave the concept a philosophical justification that concurred with evolving contemporary political theory and the Protestant Christian view of natural law. Hegel's forecast of a constitutional monarch with very limited powers whose function is to embody the national character and provide constitutional continuity in times of emergency was reflected in the development of constitutional monarchies in Europe and Japan. Modern constitutional monarchy [ edit ] As originally conceived, a constitutional monarch was head of the executive branch and quite a powerful figure even though his or her power was limited by the constitution and the elected parliament. Some of the framers of the U.S. Constitution may have envisioned the president as an elected constitutional monarch, as the term was then understood, following Montesquieu's account of the separation of powers. The present-day concept of a constitutional monarchy developed in the United Kingdom, where the democratically elected parliaments, and their leader, the prime minister, exercise power, with the monarchs having ceded power and remaining as a titular position. In many cases the monarchs, while still at the very top of the political and social hierarchy, were given the status of "servants of the people" to reflect the new, egalitarian position. In the course of France's July Monarchy, Louis-Philippe I was styled "King of the French" rather than "King of France." Following the Unification of Germany, Otto von Bismarck rejected the British model. In the constitutional monarchy established under the Constitution of the German Empire which Bismarck inspired, the Kaiser retained considerable actual executive power, while the Imperial Chancellor needed no parliamentary vote of confidence and ruled solely by the imperial mandate. However this model of constitutional monarchy was discredited and abolished following Germany's defeat in the First World War. Later, Fascist Italy could also be considered a constitutional monarchy, in that there was a king as the titular head of state while actual power was held by Benito Mussolini under a constitution. This eventually discredited the Italian monarchy and led to its abolition in 1946. After the Second World War, surviving European monarchies almost invariably adopted some variant of the constitutional monarchy model originally developed in Britain. Nowadays a parliamentary democracy that is a constitutional monarchy is considered to differ from one that is a republic only in detail rather than in substance. In both cases, the titular head of state—monarch or president—serves the traditional role of embodying and representing the nation, while the government is carried on by a cabinet composed predominantly of elected Members of Parliament. However, three important factors distinguish monarchies such as the United Kingdom from systems where greater power might otherwise rest with Parliament. These are: the Royal Prerogative under which the monarch may exercise power under certain very limited circumstances; Sovereign Immunity under which the monarch may do no wrong under the law because the responsible government is instead deemed accountable; and the monarch may not be subject to the same taxation or property use restrictions as most citizens. Other privileges may be nominal or ceremonial (e.g., where the executive, judiciary, police or armed forces act on the authority of or owe allegiance to the Crown). Today slightly more than a quarter of constitutional monarchies are Western European countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein and Sweden. However, the two most populous constitutional monarchies in the world are in Asia: Japan and Thailand. In these countries the prime minister holds the day-to-day powers of governance, while the monarch retains residual (but not always insignificant) powers. The powers of the monarch differ between countries. In Denmark and in Belgium, for example, the Monarch formally appoints a representative to preside over the creation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election, while in Norway the King chairs special meetings of the cabinet. In nearly all cases, the monarch is still the nominal chief executive, but is bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet. Only a few monarchies (most notably Japan and Sweden) have amended their constitutions so that the monarch is no longer even the nominal chief executive. There are sixteen constitutional monarchies under Queen Elizabeth II, which are known as Commonwealth realms. Unlike some of their continental European counterparts, the Monarch and her Governors-General in the Commonwealth realms hold significant "reserve" or "prerogative" powers, to be wielded in times of extreme emergency or constitutional crises, usually to uphold parliamentary government. An instance of a Governor-General exercising such power occurred during the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, when the Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, was dismissed by the Governor-General. The Australian senate had threatened to block the Government's budget by refusing to pass the necessary appropriation bills. On November 11, 1975, Whitlam intended to call a half-Senate election in an attempt to break the deadlock. When he sought the Governor-General's approval of the election, the Governor-General instead dismissed him as Prime Minister, and shortly thereafter installed leader of the opposition Malcolm Fraser in his place. Acting quickly before all parliamentarians became aware of the change of government, Fraser and his allies secured passage of the appropriation bills, and the Governor-General dissolved Parliament for a double dissolution election. Fraser and his government were returned with a massive majority. This led to much speculation among Whitlam's supporters as to whether this use of the Governor-General's reserve powers was appropriate, and whether Australia should become a republic. Among supporters of constitutional monarchy, however, the experience confirmed the value of the monarchy as a source of checks and balances against elected politicians who might seek powers in excess of those conferred by the constitution, and ultimately as a safeguard against dictatorship. In Thailand's constitutional monarchy, the monarch is recognized as the Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, Upholder of the Buddhist Religion, and Defender of the Faith. The immediate former King, Bhumibol Adulyadej, was the longest-reigning monarch in the world and in all of Thailand's history, before passing away on 13 October 2016.[18] Bhumibol reigned through several political changes in the Thai government. He played an influential role in each incident, often acting as mediator between disputing political opponents. (See Bhumibol's role in Thai Politics.) Among the powers retained by the Thai monarch under the constitution, lèse majesté protects the image of the monarch and enables him to play a role in politics. It carries strict criminal penalties for violators. Generally, the Thai people were reverent of Bhumibol. Much of his social influence arose from this reverence and from the socio-economic improvement efforts undertaken by the royal family. In the United Kingdom, a frequent debate centers on when it is appropriate for a British monarch to act. When a monarch does act, political controversy can often ensue, partially because the neutrality of the crown is seen to be compromised in favor of a partisan goal, while some political scientists champion the idea of an "interventionist monarch" as a check against possible illegal action by politicians. For instance, the monarch of the United Kingdom can theoretically exercise an absolute veto over legislation by withholding royal assent. However, no monarch has done so since 1708, and it is widely believed that this and many of the monarch's other political powers are lapsed powers. There are currently 43 monarchies worldwide. List of current constitutional monarchies [ edit ] Former constitutional monarchies [ edit ] Unique constitutional monarchies [ edit ] See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] Citations [ edit ] Sources [ edit ] Further reading [ edit ]
'Rocknest' in the Gale Crater, Mars Photo taken by the Curiosity rover on its 52nd Martian day, or sol, corresponding with September 28, 2012, on Earth. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS You watched it land, trundle around a bit, and attack innocent rocks. Now you can learn a lot more about the science NASA's Curiosity rover has been beaming back to Earth. Today, teams of scientists from all around the world are publishing six papers about their analyses of some of the first samples scooped up by Curiosity's scientific instruments. The studies tried to determine how friendly Mars would be to any future human visitors. They also looked for clues to Mars' geological history. It turns out the Martian soil has a bit of water that people might extract with heating, as well as small amounts of a toxic chemical that explorers will have to watch out for. Here we've highlighted our favorite findings, along with links to all of the papers, in case there's anything you're into that we've missed. Bon voyage, Curiosity. In the hot seat One of the first things Curiosity did on the red planet was scoop up some stuff from a patch of sand and dust called Rocknest. (Scientists thought it looked like a little nest for rocks, deputy director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Laurie Leshin, told the Science podcast.) The rover then examined its Martian soil sample using its ChemCam, CheMin and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instruments. In one of its analyses, Curiosity heated a sample of soil, about half the size of a baby aspirin, to about 835 degrees Celsius (about 1,535 degrees Fahrenheit). At that temperature, the minerals in the soil break down and release volatile gases. A team of international scientists found water vapor, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and oxygen in the sample, in that order of abundance. Curiosity at the Sand Shadow Site in Mars' Gale Crater NASA So a good amount of the sample—about 1.5 percent to 3 percent by weight—was water. "To me, that's interesting because of the good resource for potential human explorers," Leshin says. "Two percent water means that if you had, say, a square foot of this—or, a cubic foot, sorry—of this soil and heated it up, you could get about two pints of water out of it." Earth's dirt has about 10 times as much water as Mars'. One recurring theme from this and other soil analyses: Curiosity and its predecessors, including Pathfinder, Spirit and Opportunity, all pretty much found the same soil composition in different Martian locations. This suggests that water-containing soil is available everywhere on Mars. It could also mean some process on Mars is mixing its dirt evenly across its surface, or that the composition of the planet's crust is similar everywhere. (See the original paper) Killer dirt The other gases from the heating analysis told scientists about what minerals appeared in Martian soil. There was some bad news for any future Mars visitors. The oxygen was released with chlorine gas, which indicates a small fraction of the soil contains perchlorate, which is toxic if ingested. "It's good to know now that it's there," Leshin says, "so we can plan for when humans go to Mars and there's dust everywhere. How are we going to deal with that issue?" (See the original paper) No organics Curiosity did not find any so-called organic compounds, a name that doesn't necessarily mean the compounds come from living sources. Instead, organic compounds contain elements, including carbon, that scientists consider to be the building blocks of life. Such compounds may be important to future Mars explorers. The surface of Mars is exposed to a lot of radiation and other harsh conditions, Leshin says, so scientists are still holding out hope that the planet has organic compounds tucked away deeper underground. Curiosity is equipped with a drill to find out. An unusual rock The Rock Called Jake_M NASA/JPL-Caltech On its 43rd Mars-day, or sol, after landing, Curiosity ran into a pyramid-shaped rock that is unlike any other Martian rock humans have ever found. Scientists named the rock Jake Matijevic, after Curiosity's former lead surface operations systems engineer, who died in 2012. An analysis found Jake_M's proportions of minerals is different from other Martian rocks. However, the rock does look a lot mugearites on Earth, which are a rare type of rock that appear on ocean islands and in continental rifts (Glamorous). Jake_M is so similar to Earthly mugearites, the research team wrote in their paper that if they'd found Jake_M on Earth, they wouldn't know it came from Mars. Mugearites—and Jake_M—are igneous rocks, which means they formed from magma. (Other missions have found other igneous rocks on Mars, but not mugearite-like ones.) The team used Jake_M's chemistry to hypothesize how it could have formed. It would have required either a high amount of water in the magma, or high pressure, or both. That's evidence that there may be some water under Mars' crust. (See the original paper) More dirt on Mars Eager for more? Here's a paper about the two different types of soils that Curiosity's x-ray and laser instruments found in Rocknest. One was a fine-grained type that other rovers have found in other locations, too. The second was a coarser-grained type that seems more local to Rocknest. This paper characterizes the soils in Rocknest, examining dirt both with and without a crystalline structure. The non-crystalline stuff is similar to the soil in… Hawaii. This paper examines a patch of sand near Rocknest, on the lee side of some obstruction to the Martian wind. Where is Curiosity now? The little rover that could is still in the Gale Crater, moving as fast as it can toward Mount Sharp. Mount Sharp has geologic layers that may tell scientists more about Mars' history. The mountain may also contain organic compounds. There are five planned rest stops along the way, during which Curiosity will take samples and perform more science. The rover recently passed Waypoint 1.
The recent presidential campaign saw a plethora of open letters directed at Donald Trump, at least two of which were authored and signed by neoconservative foreign policy “experts” denouncing him for challenging their most cherished notions. Now it’s my turn to write an open letter, albeit coming from the opposite direction. Dear President Trump: Unlike what you might expect from a writer for a web site like Antiwar.com, I’ve given you a pretty fair shake. I have to admit that, at first, I just didn’t get it, but I’m honest enough to admit when I’m wrong. As you began to lay out your platform, I took notice – and, in the face of a lot of skepticism from my readers and even from some of my colleagues, I started to cheer you on. Not that I cheered every pronouncement – but when you started criticizing the conduct of American foreign policy under the Bush administration, and not just the Obama regime, I was quite impressed. The turning point, for me, was when you got up at that South Carolina GOP presidential debate and said: “I want to tell you. They lied. They said there were weapons of mass destruction, there were none. And they knew there were none. There were no weapons of mass destruction.” You stood there amidst a storm of booing and said “Go ahead and boo” because you knew you were speaking truth to power – and you knew the American people were listening and nodding in agreement. As for me, I wasn’t just nodding – I was cheering. After all, I spent the entire run up to the war saying precisely that, and for the first time a major political figure – and a Republican at that! — was saying it too. For the GOP frontrunner to defy decorum, take a big risk, and tell the Republican donor class and the Bush-bots the brutal unadorned truth to their faces – that took courage. It took independence of mind. In that moment, you won my respect – and my undying gratitude. Your willingness to swim against the tide, to question what “everybody knows,” was demonstrated once again when, in response to the widespread allegations that the Russians hacked the Democratic National Committee, you said “We have no idea who did it” – even as the Obama administration joined in the chorus. Because the truth is that we don’t’ know – and the “intelligence” cited by Washington is always politically self-serving. Now I’m hoping you’ll exercise the same independent judgment in resisting the siren calls in the media to let your worst critics into your administration. Many of those in the GOP national security Establishment who were saying before the election that you are “unfit” to be President are now singing “Kumbaya” and trying to slither into the councils of state. Please reject them! These snakes in the grass will rear up and bite you in the ass at the first opportunity – don’t give them that chance. Here’s what you said in your foreign policy speech: “I will also look for talented experts with new approaches, and practical ideas, rather than surrounding myself with those who have perfect résumés but very little to brag about except responsibility for a long history of failed policies and continued losses at war.” The neoconservatives who lied us into war and who are the very globalists you’ve been attacking all along have no place in your administration – and I mean by that John Bolton, Stephen Hadley, Zalmay Khalilzad, Kelly Ayotte (who viciously insulted you), Mike Rogers, Frances Townsend (who called you “fundamentally dishonest”), and any number of others trying to crawl in through the cracks. Some of these people openly denounced you: others advocate policies that are the exact opposite of your “America First” less-interventionist approach. None of them should be given the time of day. The American people didn’t vote for a globalist – they voted for you. Kick these internationalists to the curb, and to heck with “can’t we all just get along”! During the campaign, you pledged to make NATO members start ponying up their fair share of the costs – and said that this alliance, forged in the midst of the cold war, was “obsolete.” You even said you would consider withdrawing the US from NATO if the other members didn’t shape up. Now the head of NATO is warning you not to do it – yes, that’s what the headlines say, he warning you! Isn’t it time to warn him that he and his fellow deadbeats are mooching ingrates whose time is pretty much up? Why in the heck are tens of thousands of American troops still protecting these European moochers from a nonexistent threat while our own country is falling to pieces and we’re $20 trillion in debt? Never mind making these deadbeats pay up – let’s just get the hell out of NATO, which is truly obsolete as you rightly said. You also told us that rich nations like Japan and South Korea – which are eating our lunch in the realm of international trade – are perfectly capable of defending themselves, and that it’s time they did so. Yet we hear that you’ve already contacted the leaders of these countries and assured them that the gravy train is still running. What’s up with that? Oh yes, we’re watching your every move very closely. The widespread myth that your supporters will let you get away with anything is – like most memes spread by the mainstream media – totally false. And we care about foreign policy – because, contrary to the myth that voters don’t care about this subject, we realize that it’s very closely aligned with domestic policy. Because when you’re a global empire, the distinction between foreign policy and domestic policy breaks down – as you well understand. But, hey, I’m not just watch-dogging you – I’m heartened by your apparent decision to stop funding and supporting the Syrian Islamist terrorists Hillary told us are really “moderates.” We have no business trying to bring about “regime change” in Syria, or anywhere else, and the farther we stay away from that hellhole the better. I’m also very much encouraged by reports that you have no intention of ripping up the Iran deal. That’s exactly what you said during the campaign, but the media – particularly Fox News – wasn’t listening apparently. We don’t need another war in the Middle East: indeed, it’s the last thing we need. In closing, I just want to thank you for doing what I’ve long wanted someone to do, and that is revive and renew that good old slogan of “America First.” When you made this your campaign theme, the elite media had a conniption: that’s because they’re committed internationalists who understand neither the history of that phrase nor its continued relevance to the situation we face today. Your election to the presidency is a watershed moment, a sea change that many of us have been hoping for, and working for, lo these many years. And while I didn’t and don’t agree with each and every one of your policy proposals, it’s in the realm of foreign policy that I believe your platform merits support. Now my hope is that you’ll stick to it, in spite of the tremendous opposition you’ll face from the leadership of both parties. And again, I want to urge you – because policy is personnel – to keep the neoconservatives, who are your worst enemies, out of your government. The success of your administration – and your place in history – depends on it. An Important Note to My Readers: Yes, we’re starting our Winter Fundraising campaign, and right after this, uh, exciting election. How’s that for a sense of timing?! Look: do I really have to tell you how important Antiwar.com is at this crucial juncture in American history? Of course I don’t. The American people just rejected a candidate who was basically threatening World War III with Russia. But the defeat of Hillary Rodham Clinton doesn’t mean our battle is over. Indeed, it has hardly begun. The neocons are trying to slither back into positions of power – this in spire of their attempted sabotage of the Trump campaign. We can’t let that happen. Antiwar.com is committed to mobilizing our readers and supporters against this imminent betrayal of our hopes and dreams – but we can’t do it without your help. The War Party has unlimited resources – and we have just you. Yes, you – our readers and supporters, who have sustained us for over twenty years. But you can bet we aren’t taking your support for granted. That’s why we’re working 24/7 to bring you the best, the most up-to-date coverage and the kind of incisive commentary you can find nowhere else. So please – help us make this fundraising campaign a short one! Make your tax-deductible contribution today. NOTES IN THE MARGIN You can check out my Twitter feed by going here. But please note that my tweets are sometimes deliberately provocative, often made in jest, and largely consist of me thinking out loud. I’ve written a couple of books, which you might want to peruse. Here is the link for buying the second edition of my 1993 book, Reclaiming the American Right: The Lost Legacy of the Conservative Movement, with an Introduction by Prof. George W. Carey, a Foreword by Patrick J. Buchanan, and critical essays by Scott Richert and David Gordon (ISI Books, 2008). You can buy An Enemy of the State: The Life of Murray N. Rothbard (Prometheus Books, 2000), my biography of the great libertarian thinker, here. Read more by Justin Raimondo
ROME (Reuters) - Millions of Italians cannot afford to heat their homes properly or eat meat as their country is racked by recession and soaring unemployment, said a report which found the number of people considered seriously deprived had doubled in the past two years. A homeless man sleeps in front of Saint Peter's Square in Rome March 7, 2013. REUTERS/Max Rossi The findings from national statistics institute ISTAT underline the scale of the challenge faced by the new coalition government of Enrico Letta, which has vowed to stimulate growth and tackle a youth jobless rate of almost 40 percent. A recession that has lasted almost two years has taken a heavy toll on ordinary Italians who are increasingly digging into their savings, ISTAT said in its annual report. Italy has the highest level in Europe of young people who are neither in education nor employment, at 23.9 percent, the study showed. In Italy’s impoverished south, one in three people aged 15-29 fell into this group. The number of people living in families considered to be seriously deprived has doubled in the past two years to 8.6 million, or about 14 percent of the population, ISTAT said. Families who meet more than four of nine poverty indicators are considered seriously deprived. These include not being able to heat their home adequately, which affected one in five people in 2012 according to the report, twice as many as in 2010. The percentage of people in families who could not afford to eat a protein-based meal such as meat every two days rose to 16.6 percent in 2012 from 12.4 the previous year and 6.7 percent in 2010. More than 50 percent were unable to afford one week of holiday away from home last year, ISTAT said, with the figure rising to 69 percent in the south. About 14.9 million people, or a quarter of Italy’s 61 million population, are living in families that meet three of more of ISTAT’s poverty indicators. Just 57.6 percent of young people who graduated within the last three years are in employment, well below a European average of 77.2 percent, the data showed. Italians’ purchasing power fell by 4.8 percent last year, an “exceptionally steep” decline caused largely by aggressive tax hikes aimed at strengthening public finances, following four years of smaller falls, ISTAT said. A traditionally high savings rate in Italy has dwindled steadily and is now far below those of France and Germany, with the situation becoming particularly acute in the poor south, the report said.
In the span of a few hours, two former LA Galaxy keepers have moved on. This morning Jon Kempin was traded to Columbus for a fourth round pick (90th overall) in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft. The Galaxy then chose to pass on a listless Waiver Draft in which only two selections were made. Here’s my #waiverdraft recap for those who blinked and missed it: Colorado picked Kip Colvey, Montreal picked Clement Diop. Everyone else: pic.twitter.com/kn1Z5H2EBJ — Britt (@_BrittJo) December 13, 2017 Unfortunately, one of those picks was Senegalese national goalkeeper Clement Diop, a native French speaker who should feel at home in Montreal. Despite showing glimpses of quality, the acrobatic shot-stopper never managed to find the consistency required to warrant extended playing time, suffering a decline in form this past season. You have to feel for Jon Kempin, who did a decent job in limited minutes, pitching two shutouts in seven starts and becoming just the fifth keeper in league history to save multiple PKs in the process. Currently LA do not have a single goalkeeper on the first team roster, with the potential to land several options in the upcoming Re-Entry Draft (Including Brian Rowe). Good luck Jon and Clement!
An image from the game that everyone but me seems to be really into. For the first 48 hours of obsessive pokémon-hunting, I tried to cultivate an aura of magnanimous chill. If my fiance planned to play the game through every meal and conversation, the least I could do was feign some level of polite interest. The offending Target Staryu. You can tell I’m over it. I was tested, I’ll admit, when I returned home from work to see our energetic beagle mix passed out on the kitchen floor. (“We were out a long time,” Jason admitted. “I think maybe Pokémon ruined walks for her.”) The chill faltered again when, on a weekend trip to Target, Jason yelled, “CAIT, WATCH OUT!” as a Staryu floated past my swiveling head. (“I thought I was about to run into someone,” I hissed. “Don’t do that in public.”) But the last straw, the very last one, came as we drove down 16th Street on Saturday, making good time in the light morning traffic. “Babe, can you” — Jason said, jerking the wheel suddenly — “can you just, real quick, I need you to — can you catch this Doduo for me?” [What the heck is Pokémon Go? An explainer] The Pokémon Go craze is sweeping across America. See how the game works, why everyone's so crazy about it, and all the stories that have come from it, from the game's positive impact on depression victims to armed robberies. (Jhaan Elker/The Washington Post) Pokémon Go is, by all accounts, the single most important digital phenomenon of 2016. I hate it. I hate it with the futile, frustrated passion of anyone who hates an approaching trend and knows, without a doubt, that it will swamp them. I hate the glitchiness of the game, the server crashes and GPS errors that plagued my brief hours with it. I hate the reheated, commercial nostalgia of the whole Pokémon shtick. I hate the lack of mission, the nonexistent narrative, the intended aimlessness of the game: “What is the point?” I demanded, to Jason, who offered only “to catch them all.” Lame. But most of all, I hate the self-declared singularity that Pokémon Go and its maker, Niantic, are wearing like a laurel wreath: This game, unlike all other games, encourages players to get out in the world, to meet other people, to do and see “real” things. Sure, my fiance chatted up some neighborhood kid when they battled in the Gym on the edge of our street. But don’t tell me that Pokémon Go is “aspirational” or gets players “off the beaten path” when we’re wandering through Safeway, him 20 feet behind me, because he thought he saw a Sandshrew in Aisle 3. The primary gimmick of Pokémon Go — and the game’s main “innovation,” although that overstates things — is this illusion of augmented reality, the idea that places and characters from the Poké-world are mapped onto our world, virtually. Opening the game invites you into a fantastical alternate universe, where magical creatures stalk your commute and futuristic spires dot your daily landscape. You need only look at your phone, constantly, to partake. [What happens when Pokémon Go turns your house into a Gym] Experiencing the world this way is, it turns out, rather more exciting than experiencing it as it is. Players report taking long walks, detouring into places they previously hadn’t. The New Statesman praised Pokémon for getting children outside in an age when they can often be found indoors. Some bars and coffee shops, fortuitously located near PokéStops and Gyms, have enjoyed a recent uptick in traffic. Several of my friends have even ventured out to these new Poké-hubs and ended up chatting with new Poké-acquaintances. This is all well and good, of course, but the hype glosses over something that gives me pause: With an app such as Pokémon Go, we’ve essentially gamified such basic pursuits as going outside, talking to strangers and visiting national monuments. These are activities we’ve long undertaken on their own merits. But everything must be digitally augmented now; no value is inherent. The same could be said of the sorts of “engagement” trumpeted by the makers of Pokémon Go. If you’ve ventured to a local PokéStop, you know that — counter the pitch — most players aren’t making friends or appreciating the vista anew: They’re squinting into their screens, ignoring each other, hoping to sight that rare Pikachu. [Tell us: Where has Pokémon Go taken you?] In many cases, that concentration would appear to come at the expense of all other types of social awareness. Pokémon Go players have blundered into embassies, police stations, graveyards — even oncoming traffic. And many of the bar- and restaurant-owners who’ve spotted more people around haven’t actually spotted more interaction. Some players just loiter on the sidewalk, pounding on their touch screens, not even bothering to stop in. One local bar-owner told my colleague Fritz Hahn that he recognizes he’s near a PokéStop but isn’t sure whether the game is driving customers. His bar is crowded with people ignoring each other for their phones, sure — but these days, he said, that’s the usual. Given all this, it seems unfair, even disingenuous, to pretend that playing Pokémon Go is somehow socially superior to binge-playing Xbox in your bedroom. At least in that scenario, the fantasy’s tied to a place; it can’t continuously overshadow the physical objects (and vexed fiances) around you. Plus, you actually interact with other players in, say, popular role-playing games. That’s more than I can say for all the suits in Franklin Square, surreptitiously Poké-hunting on their lunch breaks. To be clear, AR is a fascinating and deeply cool technology. I suspect that it will result in fascinating, very cool things, from enhanced visions of the distant past to cutting-edge medical techniques to immersive games that engage us in far more than lukewarm childhood fantasies. The best AR will, we hope, enhance our understanding of our real-life environments, making visible — as the Atlantic’s Ian Bogost wrote — “previously unseen” possibilities. Pokémon Go does little more than distract from the physical environments it entices us into: The only thing “augmented” here is the bottom line of Niantic and Nintendo. After the Doduo incident, Jason and I endured a stinted 20 minutes or so of silence, in which he put on Spotify and cleared his throat a few times. Finally, he asked whether I’d stop being mad if he promised not to play Pokémon Go while he drives. “No,” I said. “I’ll stop being mad if you stop playing Pokémon, period.” He’s still playing; I’m still mad. And so — deadlocked — we persist. Liked that? Try these!
Eric Klenofsky has had a busy 2016: a summer stint with New York Red Bulls U-23s in PDL; the end of a successful college career at Monmouth University; a call-up (declined, for now) from Antigua and Barbuda's national team. The 22-year-old goalkeeper's next step seemed clear: he finished the year with an invite to the 2017 MLS Combine (and therefore the MLS SuperDraft) and as the top-ranked college senior in the NCAA rankings issued by goalkeeping-scouting site Everybody Soccer. "[Monmouth Soccer] and everyone that embodies it put me in a position to get to this point in my life, and I couldn’t be more appreciative." pic.twitter.com/EzOKxSeC6r — Monmouth Soccer (@MonmouthSoccer) December 15, 2016 The biggest question about Klenofsky's future seemed mostly to be whether the Red Bulls would even have the chance (with a relatively lowly set of draft picks) to consider adding him to a squad that could use another goalkeeper. Not so fast, RBNY. Not so fast, MLS. Everton has noticed the young 'keeper's talent and jumped ahead of the queue of Klenofsky-curious North American teams: Klenofsky is on trial with the Premier League club for the next week or so. From an undisclosed location in Liverpool, on the eve of the first day of his audition with Everton, Klenofsky took a moment to fill Once A Metro in on his latest career development: This all came about while I was playing for RBNY U-23s, actually. I guess someone saw me play with them, reached out to me and connected me with a coach within Everton - and we went from there. The Staten-Island-born-New-Jersey-bred 'keeper is far from home (and from RBNY U-23s), but enjoying the experience and the chance to broaden both his professional and personal horizons: This is my first time in Europe: kind of intimidating in a way. But I love traveling, especially for football, and I couldn't be happier to be in such a historic city like Liverpool. Of course, the journey doesn't really start until he's got gloves on his hands and a net behind him. Klenofsky is not yet a professional player, but he has the same ambition as any pro: get out there and play. Obviously, this is a big opportunity and I'm extremely blessed to be in this situation, but I'm just excited to get into training and prove myself. Proving himself starts on December 16.
A rundown of some of the International Women's Day events (all times local): 9 a.m. - Poland Women across Poland are staging rallies and marches to demand protection against violence, equal rights and respect. Hollywood actress Jessica Chastain took part in a protest walk across the street in downtown Warsaw. She was in the city for a gala screening of her latest movie "The Zookeeper's Wife.'' Hundreds of women also gathered in front of the offices of the head of the ruling conservative party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is Poland's most powerful politician. The government promotes Catholic values and is trying to ban abortion. The women demanded "flowers, respect, rights.'' They were later to march through Warsaw. Protests were also held in dozens of other cities in Poland. ___ 8:45 a.m. - Spain About 200 people gathered Wednesday in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol to mark International Women's Day and support a group of women who, a day earlier, ended a hunger strike to demand politicians' action against domestic violence. Rights organizations had called for women to dress in black outfits and stop working, studying, consuming or taking care of others in order to show what would happen if women disappeared, a worldwide initiative launched under the slogan "Not One Woman Less.'' Activist Gloria Vazquez represents Velaluz Association, whose members decided Tuesday to end a 26-day hunger strike after receiving enough assurances from lawmakers and officials to address their demands, which include better protection for victims of domestic violence. In 2016, 44 women died in Spain in the hands of their partners or former partners. At least 16 women have been murdered so far in 2017. ___ 8:30 a.m. - Philippines In Manila, Philippines, hundreds of activists from left-wing women's groups protested Wednesday at the U.S. Embassy, where they burned a mock U.S. flag with President Donald Trump's image, before joining a bigger rally outside the presidential palace. In both rallies, they demanded an end to the presence of visiting U.S. troops and a crackdown against illegal drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte that has left thousands of drug suspects dead. The protesters hit a huge paper mask made in the likeness of Duterte as they ranted against an array of issues, including a lack of jobs, poverty, violence against women and the approval on Tuesday by the House of Representatives of a bill to re-impose the death penalty for drug offenses. ___ 8 a.m. - Russia Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has approved a five-year national action plan supporting women's interests. The signing came on International Women's Day on Wednesday. Valentina Matvienko, who as speaker of the upper house of parliament is one of Russia's most prominent female politicians, calls the strategy a ``gift to all the women of Russia.'' The plan sets out broad terms for improving women's health, their economic opportunities and their involvement in the country's politics. Meanwhile, Russian news reports say seven women have been arrested after a demonstration on Moscow's Red Square marking International Women's Day. The independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta said those arrested included four activists, two of the newspaper's reporters and a photographer. ___ 7:30 a.m. - Germany Germany airline Lufthansa says six all-female crews are flying in support of International Women's Day and to try and drum up interest in the industry among more women. Lufthansa said 12 female pilots on Wednesday are flying passengers from Frankfurt, Munich, Duesseldorf, Zurich, Vienna and Brussels to Berlin. Only six percent of the pilots in the Lufthansa Group currently are women, but Lufthansa's working to increase that number. Around 80 percent of cabin staff are female. ___ 7:10 a.m. - Sweden Sweden's women's football team marked International Women's Day by replacing the names on the back of their jersey's with tweets from Swedish women ``who have struggled to gain ground in their respective field.'' The team that grabbed silver at the 2016 Olympics on Wednesday wore the blue and yellow soccer jerseys with tweets by leading Swedes _ including feminist Gudrun Schyman, singer Zara Larsson and rapper Silvana Imam _ instead of the players' names at a Algarve Cup 2017 tournament in Portugal. Swedish Football Association spokesman Niklas Bodell said the initiative ``is first and foremost about showing the power in togetherness.'' He said ``the initiative (hash)InYourName is meant to live on.'' ___ 7 a.m. - USA President Donald Trump is taking note of Wednesday's U.N.-designated International Women's Day, and asking his Twitter followers to join him in "honoring the critical role of women'' in the United States and around the world. Trump tweets that he has "tremendous respect for women and the many roles they serve that are vital to the fabric of our society and our economy.'' Organizers of the massive women's march in Washington the day after Trump's inauguration are urging women to take the day off and not spend money as a way of demonstrating their economic strength and impact on American society. "A Day Without a Woman'' marks organizers' first major action since the nationwide marches on Jan. 21 that drew millions of participants in protest against misogyny, inequality and oppression. ___ 6:45 a.m. - Finland Finland - the first country in the world to grant women political rights - will later this year create a $160,000 (150,000-euro) International Gender Equality Prize that will be given to "a dedicated defender and builder of equality.'' Prime Minister Juha Sipila says the award, given every other year, is the first of its kind in the world. Sipila announced it Wednesday to coincide with celebrations of Finland's 100 years of independence and the International Women's Day. Finnish women were the first in Europe to win voting rights in 1906. The Nordic nation of 5.5 million is a strong advocate for women's rights and is seen one of the most egalitarian societies in the world along with its Scandinavian neighbors. ___ 6:15 a.m. - Cyprus The leaders of Cyprus' Christian and Muslim faithful are pledging to work with authorities and help end violence against women and girls on the ethnically divided island. The heads of Cyprus' Muslim, Orthodox, Armenian and Maronite Christian communities, issued a first-ever joint statement on International Women's Day Wednesday to condemn violence targeting women and girls. Stating that Christianity and Islam condemn violence against women, the leaders said it is their religious duty to stand united against it. They also rejected the "misuse of religion to vindicate'' violence against women and girls. They expressed concern that violence continues to be "one of the most pervasive manifestations of discrimination'' against women in Cyprus. Researchers said almost one in three women have experienced some form of violence since the age of 15. ___ 5:40 a.m. - Japan Some 200 women gathered for a march to mark International Women's Day in Tokyo, protesting against low wages, long hours and other obstacles that make their lives difficult. Participants, many of them members of women's groups and labor unions, chanted ``It's hard to be a woman, and our patience is running out!'' and held up placards and banners saying ``Let's change our future!'' Japan lags behind most other industrial countries in women's participation and advancement in business, academics and politics. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ``womenomics'' policy aims to put more women to work to counter a chronically low birth rate and shrinking workforce, but a business culture in which long hours are routine makes it more difficult for women to get ahead. ___ 4:50 a.m. The president of the European Parliament has used the occasion of International Women's Day to promise that a Polish lawmaker will be punished for the crude, sexist comments he made last week. EU parliament President Antonio Tajani said that he intends to bring a ``swift conclusion'' to the probe into the remarks of Janusz Korwin-Mikke at the legislature and promised ``a penalty commensurate with the gravity of the offence.'' Korwin-Mikke, a radical right-winger who leads a marginal party, said during a debate on the pay gap between men and women: ``Of course women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent. They must earn less, that's all.'' He could face sanctions such as a reprimand, a fine or a temporary suspension. ___ 4:40 a.m. Denmark's minister for gender equality, Karen Ellemann, is focusing on paternity leave on International Women's Day, saying equality between the sexes ``also means equal opportunities to be a parent.'' Ellemann spoke Wednesday when visiting Danish companies ``to learn more about what makes fathers choose as they do.'' According to official figures, Danish men in 2014 took on average 29.5 days' paternity leave, or 11 days more than they did in 2003. In Denmark, parents have the right to a total of 52 weeks' leave with maternity subsistence allowance. The mother is entitled to four weeks' maternity leave prior to giving birth and 14 weeks after; the father is entitled to two weeks' leave after the birth; and the remaining time can be divided according to individual wishes. ___ 4:30 a.m. Scores of women working in the childcare industry in Australia have walked off the job early on International Women's Day to protest what they deem inadequate pay rates. The United Voice union, which represents the workers, said more than 1,000 staffers at childcare centers in every state and territory in Australia stopped working at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesday to call attention to wage disparities felt throughout an industry where the vast majority of workers are women. ``3:20 represents the time that Australian women ostensibly start working for free in comparison to men if you take into account the gender pay gap,'' said Helen Gibbons, the union's assistant national secretary. ``We know that this has traditionally been seen as women's work,'' Gibbons said. ``It's 2017 and this is not OK to continue. The people who work in this sector demand equal pay.'' ___ 2 a.m. Organizers of January's Women's March have called for women to take the day off and encouraged them not to spend money to show their economic strength and impact on American society. ``A Day Without a Woman'' on Wednesday is the first major action by organizers since the nationwide marches held the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration that drew millions of women into the streets in protest against misogyny, inequality and oppression. Though it is unclear how many women could participate, thousands across the country have signaled their support and interest online and to employers. The event coincides with the U.N.-designated International Women's Day, and organizers say they want to ``stand with women around the globe'' who supported their efforts Jan. 21 with similar protests in cities around the world. AP-WF-03-08-17 1423GMT
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- As San Jose Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli sits down in his chair, it's clear he hasn't quite settled into his new digs at Avaya Stadium. The pictures adorning the wall and desk in his office belong to the previous occupant, Dave Kaval. While remaining the Quakes' team president, Kaval has moved up the 880 freeway to Oakland, where he's taken on the same role with the Oakland A's of Major League Baseball. The state of Fioranelli's office -- which he's occupied a little over a month -- is an apt metaphor for the Quakes' current condition. Change is in the air. It has to be, as San Jose has failed to make the playoffs in each of the past four years, two of which came under the stewardship of manager Dominic Kinnear. The barren spell has put considerable pressure on Kinnear, whose résumé contains two MLS Cups and two other MLS Cup final appearances with the Houston Dynamo. There was also a Supporters' Shield that was won with an earlier incarnation of the Quakes back in 2005, but the clock is ticking for him, and he knows it. Rare are the managers who have been given another year after missing the postseason in the first two. There have been instances when that patience has paid off, such as in 2008, when Sigi Schmid led the Columbus Crew to an MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield double after missing the playoffs the previous two years. But the odds of Kinnear surviving a third season outside the playoff places seem long indeed. "I feel pressure, mostly from myself; I'm very competitive," Kinnear said from the media room at Avaya Stadium. "The first year coming in here, we wanted to improve the team, which I think we did. The second year we took a step backwards, which for me was a huge disappointment. "Defensively, we were strong. The team spirit and that aspect was wonderful. But on the other side of it, there's run of play, there's dead-ball situations, there's taking advantage of mistakes. We were on the bottom end of that in all three. I know the stats." Fioranelli has a background in analytics, forged from his time in the sporting direction unit of Serie A side AS Roma. It's one that will see him rely heavily on technology and, in particular, video analysis, but he realizes that a methodology combined with a human investment in what he calls a "redirection of the scouting effort" needs to be put in place first. Since Fioranelli was hired, five new players have been signed from foreign clubs, with two others added via the draft and homegrown player pipelines. He has high hopes for forwards Danny Hoesen and Marco Urena, as well as wide midfielder Jahmir Hyka. Fioranelli points out that all of the new players have a common thread: All are under 30 and can play multiple positions. And he insists this is just the beginning. "We have a strong feeling of where we are and where we want to be," Fioranelli said. "I see we have more versatility in attack, which is one of the key points we wanted to address. I think on defense we have also another exciting signing with Florian Jungwirth. "I feel like we're heading in the right direction. What I like very much during preseason is that the head is in the right place, so I'm confident, though not overly confident. There will be bumps down the road. I'm also aware there is a lot of work to be done." Fioranelli later added: "One thing that I think we will realize over the course of the season is that these are players that wanted to come here. I don't want to make comparisons to the past, but I know certain players that have been here, and that was something I really cared about. So they know why they're here, and we know why they're here as well." That takes time. Fioranelli senses the impatience of the Quakes' fan base but is committed to taking a practical approach to solving the club's problems. He is on record as saying that the kind of designated player signing that would create some buzz won't happen until this summer, at the earliest. San Jose Earthquakes supporters are growing impatient, but GM Jesse Fioranelli says they will have to wait for a DP signing. "Certainly, we don't want to arrive in June or July and do last-minute deals," he said. "We have already started in understanding what our needs could be, and I think that the first two months of the season are going to give us further certainty in terms of the exact profile of the player we are looking for. The summer is going to give us the opportunity to attack the market and attack the league for a critical three, four months in which we will want to have that extra push. But now we have created a foundation, and that's what I really wanted." It is the first step in what San Jose hopes will be a reversal of its on-field fortunes. Off the field, there is plenty to admire about the Quakes. Avaya Stadium, a venue that seemed like it would never be built, came online in 2015, providing the team with the kind of financial foundation needed to compete with the rest of the league. But on the field, this is a side that in recent years has lost its way. Since the "Goonies" campaign of 2012, one that saw San Jose win the Supporters' Shield, the team has missed the MLS playoffs four seasons running. With the possible exception of 2013, there has been the sense that San Jose finished about as expected, a stinging indictment of the talent level. That run ultimately cost former GM John Doyle his job last summer and set the stage for Fioranelli's hiring. San Jose Earthquakes coach Dominic Kinnear feels the pressure mounting after the 'huge disappointment' of last campaign. Kinnear has heard the "boring" tag that has been thrown at the team by Kaval himself, as well as the questions about his coaching acumen. But the reality remains that coaching can do only so much to overcome a lack of production, especially in the DP range. It is in this area that San Jose has fallen well short. Nigeria-born Switzerland international forward Innocent didn't recover from the knee injury he sustained in 2015. Matias Perez Garcia never caught fire, no matter how he was deployed, and after being in and out of the lineup in 2016, he was eventually shipped to Orlando. Simon Dawkins' return to San Jose last season didn't see him match the heights he reached in 2012. (Mainstay Chris Wondolowski didn't qualify as a DP last year.) It is in this area that Fioranelli will need to have an impact, but for now, Kinnear will need to make do with targeted-allocation-money players like Hyka who have been acquired. It seems a stretch to think that it will be enough in a Western Conference where the teams always seem to get better. For now, both manager and GM are saying all the right things in terms of working together, though it's the early days. Both acknowledge that they are getting to know each other. When asked whether Kinnear was on the proverbial hot seat, Fioranelli said, "Hot seat or no hot seat, I can tell you that we are heading into the season with confidence and with trust. That's all that I care about. For me, it's obvious, we're all measured by our results. I am, the players are, everyone is. But one thing I can tell you is that I'm not thinking about any hypotheticals or possibilities six months, one year down the road. What I'm thinking about is going into this season with our heads up high, working together, everybody engaged, whether it's a young American or an old Latino-American or a European." As for Kinnear, he's optimistic about the team that has been put together. Of course, he has little choice, but he has his reasons. "We're more well-rounded. I think we'll have better attacking options from out wide," he said. "I really like the Hyka guy. I think he's going to be a good player for us, he's a bit direct, a bit crafty. I think he'll compliment Simon Dawkins, Shea Salinas and Tommy Thompson very well. I think the forwards, having a new attitude with Chris Wondolowski, Urena and Hoesen, it will be a more determined group." In order to reach the postseason, it will need to be that and more. Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @JeffreyCarlisle.
Frisco City Officials Blow $160,000 on Cowboys Suite FRISCO TX – The next time you tune in to a Dallas Cowboys home game, you should know that there is a group of bureaucrats from Frisco sipping on fine wine in a taxpayer funded suite at AT&T Stadium. In late September, the Frisco Economic Development Corporation (FEDC), a subsidiary of the Frisco City Council, unanimously approved a $160,000 expenditure to purchase eight single game licenses for the use of a stadium suite in Arlington, Texas. The deal included 18 admission tickets, 5 parking passes, and a $1,500 food and drink allowance per game. According to meeting minutes, FEDC leadership was very pleased to have inked such a colossal waste of money. “Director Porter said excellent job on the part of the FEDC staff and Director Prince said it was a job well done. Director Porter made the motion to approve the ratification of eight single event AT&T Stadium Suite License Agreements with Cowboys Stadium, L.P. Director prince seconded the motion and it was approved by unanimous vote” The FEDC recieves .05% of all sales tax collected by the city for their mission of expanding the city’s property tax base by “creating” quality job opportunities for Frisco residents. We all know government doesn’t actually create anything, but by their logic, distorting market conditions by providing tax incentives and grants to private businesses to lure them within city limits is “creating” jobs. Nonetheless, the suite purchase is being spun as a necessary tool for recruiting business to Frisco. The suite will allow government bureaucrats a place to talk off the record with private business owners and CEOs about all the “incentives,” aka corporate welfare, that Frisco has to offer, all while watching a dismal Cowboys squad lose game after game this season. Documents obtained from the FEDC claim the purpose of the suite is to “promote business attraction for the City of Frisco.” The AT&T Stadium Suite will be used to promote business attraction from the City of Frisco. Decisions pertaining to use of the AT&T Stadium Suite and distribution of tickets for the 8 games, requires the authorization of the FEDC President and/or Vice President. The FEDC President and/or Vice President will determine who will be issued invitations to be guests in the AT&T Stadium Suite based on priority business attraction/projects. Assuming the underlying purpose of the suite is to provide a social setting conducive to talking with prospective tenants, I thought it would be a worthwhile exercise to find out if the game attendees actually included prospective tenants. A public records request revealed that the majority of the attendee list included FEDC staff and their spouses, Frisco City Council members and their spouses, County Commissioners and their spouses and business leaders that have already moved their business to Frisco. Even one lucky UNT professor and her husband received an invite for being associated with a recent deal inked by the University of North Texas to open a satellite campus in Frisco. Attendees labeled “prospect” were certainly in the minority. Frisco EDC Cowboys Suite Attendance Roster The very fact that governments need their own “economic development” organizations to attract business within their city is an admission that the institution of government does nothing but stand up barriers to trade in the first place. So to counteract their own economic drag, the central planners decide which businesses are best for their own market and remove government barriers for the businesses of their choosing. Sadly, this model is in conflict with basic economics and free market principals. If the inhabitants of a particular geographic region have a demand for a particular product or service, then entrepreneurs will fill the voids in the market and move their businesses to where the demand is greatest. The idea that we need a panel of bureaucrats to grease the palms of business leaders in order for business to happen is a recipe for waste, fraud, and abuse at the expense of the taxpayer. The Forest Park Medical Center at Frisco is one of latest black eyes for the FEDC as the high end hospital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection just 3 years after opening their doors. Court papers describe the hospital as “a luxury medical care facility” with features “such as a lobby water feature, soothing scents in the HVAC system, meals cooked to order by an on-site chef, green views from every room, calming colors and low lighting to increase relaxation, and softened textures. “It is currently minimally staffed for an average daily census of 1-3 inpatients per day and up to 200 outpatients per month, but has a fully staffed maximum capacity of 54 inpatients per day and 1,000 outpatients per month.” With the federal government’s intervention into the healthcare market and their massive take over of the insurance industry, it’s not surprising to see a hospital instantly fail. But the question remains, why are the taxpayers subsidizing such risk? Why are governments involved in private enterprise at all? Whatever the motivation, Frisco City officials are not scared of shoveling hoards of taxpayer dollars into the pockets of Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones. This past August, the Frisco City Council voted to approve the final price tag for the new Cowboys headquarters and practice facility currently under construction in Frisco. The council approved the maximum price tag of $252.5 million for the “publicly owned” facility, an entanglement of public and private funds, $90 million of which is being funded by the City and Frisco Independent School District. The Frisco ISD maintains that Frisco schools will benefit from using the stadium for football games and band competitions. Which is ironic since Frisco High Schools all have their own football fields and occasionally use the Major League soccer stadium just down the street for showcase games. But Frisco ISD superintendent, Jeremy Lyon has been working overtime to spin the “investment” as one big opportunity for the students of Frisco. “There’s been an increased interest in continuing to explore … opportunities for students,” he said. New ideas continue to come up as the project evolves and businesses join in. “Every single one of those conversations continues to have a pretty solid component of talking about student opportunities for internships and for ways to get students involved in the programming that goes along with [it], whether it’s the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders operation or the broadcast media side of things,” Lyon said. A school district, who’s job is to educate kids, spends millions dollars on a football field for the Dallas Cowboys and the selling point is internships in the Cowboy Cheerleader operation. If citizens aren’t outraged over such a venture, then it’s no surprise the city continues down its path of reckless abandonment. While spending $160,000 on a Cowboys suite is egregious, wasteful, and offensive to the average, hard-working citizen of Frisco, it’s truly just a drop in the bucket for one of the fastest growing cities in America. Frisco is enjoying one of the most prosperous times it will ever see. Tax receipts are growing every year as the Dallas-Fort Worth area accepts an organic migration of business and people who are fleeing states with impossible business climates. However, being bound by their own geographic borders, Frisco will eventually run out of land for which to build new houses and office buildings and their tax base will eventually plateau. Hopefully citizens of Frisco and beyond will realize that politicians tinkering with the economy is a disastrous proposition before it’s too late, if it isn’t already. *Note: no evidence suggests that the FEDC bureaucrats drink wine while using their suite
The Islanders opened with four straight wins for just the third time in franchise history, and that momentum to begin their last season at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum — despite their first loss, at Pittsburgh on Saturday — made Brett Yormark happy. Yormark, the chief executive of the Nets and Barclays Center, the Islanders’ new home starting next fall, could not ask for better timing to embark on an extensive marketing plan to attract new fans in Brooklyn. On Monday, Barclays Center will begin a “Brooklyn Scores” campaign through direct mail, social media, cable television commercials and print advertising to persuade potential fans in the city’s most populous borough to try live hockey next season. About 20,000 direct mailers — 75 percent in Brooklyn, with the rest in Manhattan and Queens — will be sent out periodically over the next four months, with an emphasis on season-ticket sales. This campaign is not specifically aimed at fans in Nassau and Suffolk counties, but Yormark was careful to acknowledge that Long Island fans, who have supported the Islanders since 1972, would not be lost in the move.
Every Friday, the Friday Five will rank something in the world of college football -- anything and everything from the logical to the illogical. This week, we rank five running backs who could sneak into Heisman contention. There's been a bit of a shift in the college football landscape. Since moving from the 1900s to the current century, quarterbacks had dominated the sport, and particularly the Heisman Trophy. From 2000 to 2014, there were 15 different Heisman winners, and only two of them were running backs. Reggie Bush won the award in 2005 (and has since been stripped of it over some nonsense), and Mark Ingram won it in 2009. Then last season began, and it was the year of the running back. LSU's Leonard Fournette was the early favorite, but he made way for Alabama's Derrick Henry down the stretch. Finishing behind Henry was Stanford's Christian McCaffery, and further down the ballot we found Fournette, Florida State's Dalvin Cook, Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott, and even Navy's Keenan Reynolds, who was a quarterback in name, but mostly a running back in trade thanks to Navy's option offense. As the 2016 season begins, Henry, Elliott and Reynolds may be gone, but McCaffery, Cook and Fournette all return, and all three are early season favorites for the Heisman, as many believe that Clemson's Deshaun Watson is the only quarterback in the country that truly serves as a threat in the preseason Heisman race. But others will emerge. They always do. While quarterbacks will always garner Heisman hype, for this week's Friday Five, I have decided to look for five other running backs who could make waves in the Heisman race this year. After all, not many people knew who Christian McCaffery was heading into last season, and he nearly won the award. I can see a few guys who have the talent to do it this season, even if they aren't receiving much attention right now. Unfortunately, unfair as it may be, the fact is that you probably have to play for Power Five school to win the Heisman, no matter your position. The last player to win the award from outside what is now a Power Five school is BYU quarterback Ty Detmer, and he did it in 1990. So it's been a while. This eliminates a lot of good running backs from the conversation, though I'll make sure to namecheck my favorite G5 running backs at the end of the post. The Heisman voters may not see you, but I do. Anyway, let's start our actual rankings in the Pacific Northwest. There are plenty of questions surrounding Oregon heading into the 2016 season, as there are plenty of people who believe this is a program on a downward trend, and are skeptical about another season with an FCS grad transfer at quarterback. Then there's the defense, which wasn't good last year, and now has a new defensive coordinator and a new scheme courtesy of Brady Hoke. One thing I'm sure of, though, is that if the Ducks rely on Royce Freeman, plenty of good things can still happen for this team. Freeman has rushed for 3,201 yards and 35 touchdowns in his first two seasons. He's big enough to run between the tackles, and fast enough to run away from defenders in the open field. Should Oregon compete for a Pac-12 title and a College Football Playoff berth, Freeman will likely be a big reason why, and that will put him in the Heisman conversation. Royce Freeman is out to make his case as one of the Pac-12's elite backs. USATSI There's a lot of preseason hype surrounding Tennessee this season, and Jalen Hurd is a major reason why. Hurd got off to a bit of a slow start to the 2015 season once the Volunteers entered conference play. After rushing for 109 yards against Oklahoma, he went over the century mark against Florida as well, finishing with 102 yards, but that total was due more to volume than anything else. Then, over Tennessee's next five conference games he averaged "only" 82.6 yards per game, but finished the season strong. In three games against Missouri, Vanderbilt and Northwestern (Mizzou and Vandy didn't have good seasons, but it sure wasn't the fault of their defenses, and Northwestern had one of the best defenses in the country) he averaged 133.7 yards per game. Should he continue with that kind of production in 2016, and improve his touchdown total -- he had 12 last year -- he'll garner more attention nationally. Jalen Hurd is a major reason Tennessee is getting national attention early. USATSI 3. Ronald Jones, USC Jones found himself in a tandem last season, and he'll likely continue to split carries with Justin Davis this year, though I'm not sure that should be the case. In my mind, Jones has a much higher ceiling than Davis, and he ended up finishing the season leading the Trojans in rushing despite the fact he averaged only 10.9 carries per game. He made them count, though, finishing with 987 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 6.45 yards per carry. Jones deserves more carries in 2016, and if he gets them, he's going to put up very nice numbers and more than a few highlight reel runs. Combine that with the pedigree of being a USC running back, and he'll get the attention of voters. Ronald Jones deserves more carries and attention. USATSI I love Elijah Hood. He's the type of player I see who doesn't get a ton of attention nationally as a college player, but I believe could really shine on the next level. In other words, at this time next year, when you're getting ready for your fantasy drafts, as the rest of your league reaches a bit early on guys like Fournette and Cook, you should sit back and grab Hood later and then reap the rewards. Hood rushed for 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, averaging 6.68 yards per carry. This year, he'll be the featured player in North Carolina's up-tempo attack, and could easily improve on those numbers, even as his role expands. If he does, and North Carolina is once again competing for an ACC title, people better take notice. Though, again, if they don't, he'll be a great fantasy sleeper for you next summer. Elijah Hood could be one of the top backs in the country. USATSI When Chubb went down last season in Georgia's game against Tennessee, it broke my heart. Not just because the injury was gruesome to behold -- just thinking about it still sends shivers down my spine -- but because Chubb is just so damn good, and while you never want to see anybody hurt, you especially don't want to see guys with such incredible talent go down. And Chubb is talented, man. So, so very talented. Before the injury, Chubb had averaged 149 yards and 1.4 touchdowns per game through five games, and that includes a 146 yards and a 7.3 yards per carry performance against Alabama. If you extrapolate those numbers across a 13-game season, Chubb finishes 2015 with 1,937 yards and 18 touchdowns. In other words, if he doesn't get hurt, he's probably a Heisman finalist last year. Considering Georgia is likely to be starting a freshman quarterback in 2016, the Bulldogs will be leaning on Chubb to help shoulder the offensive load. If he stays healthy -- please stay healthy -- he's going to end up in New York come December. Honorable Mention: Saquon Barkley, Penn State; Corey Clement, Wisconsin; Wayne Gallman, Clemson: Samaje Perine, Oklahoma: Bo Scarbrough, Alabama Group of Five Studs: Matt Breida, Georgia Southern; Kareem Hunt, Toledo; Marlon Mack, USF; Elijah McGuire, UL Lafayette; Jeremy McNichols, Boise State; Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State; Ito Smith, Southern Miss
10 years ago Stevens has conceded defeat. (CNN) - Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has conceded defeat to Democratic challenger Mark Begich in the Alaska Senate race. Stevens, 85, was the longest serving Republican senator in the chamber's history. “Given the number of ballots that remain to be counted, it is apparent the election has been decided and Mayor Begich has been elected," Stevens said in a statement. “My family and I wish to thank the thousands of Alaskans who stood by us and who supported my re-election. It was a tough fight that would not have been possible without the help of so many Alaskans – people who I am honored to call my friends. I will always remember their thoughts, prayers, and encouragement." Full statement after the jump “Given the number of ballots that remain to be counted, it is apparent the election has been decided and Mayor Begich has been elected. “My family and I wish to thank the thousands of Alaskans who stood by us and who supported my re-election. It was a tough fight that would not have been possible without the help of so many Alaskans – people who I am honored to call my friends. I will always remember their thoughts, prayers, and encouragement. “I am proud of the campaign we ran and regret that the outcome was not what we had hoped for. I am deeply grateful to Alaskans for allowing me to serve them for 40 years in the U.S. Senate. It has been the greatest honor of my life to work with Alaskans of all political persuasions to make this state that we all love a better place. “I wish Mayor Begich and his family well. My staff and I stand willing to help him prepare for his new position.”
Rapper Scarface stars in upcoming Vice Sports/Callaway film. Credit: Callaway Golf Company Who says hip-hop and golf don't mix? Callaway thinks they can, which is why the golf equipment maker is coming out with a new documentary featuring rapper Scarface. The 10-minute film by Vice Sports -- which will debut online in September -- is an example of how Callaway is using content on unexpected channels to lure players to a game that is suffering from an image that it is not millennial friendly. Golf's woes were laid bare when marketing powerhouse Nike recently announced it was exiting the golf equipment business. That followed news earlier this year that Adidas was looking for buyers for its TaylorMade golf brand. Also, retailer Golfsmith is considering filing for bankruptcy, according to published reports. "In any sport, you've got to get young participation to drive long-term growth," Brian Yarbrough, an analyst at Edward Jones & Co., recently told Bloomberg News. "You've got to have a crop of younger people coming in at 20-, 25-years old who will play the game 20, 40 years. You are not seeing enough of that." It is against this backdrop that Callaway is striking content deals aimed at making golf a little more cool and a little less country club. The Vice film will feature Brad Jordan, aka Scarface, getting fit for golf clubs and other equipment at Callaway's Southern California headquarters and using it on the golf course. The former Geto Boys member is apparently an avid golfer. "He plays 300 rounds of golf a year, which is a crazy number," said Harry Arnett, senior VP-marketing and brand management for Callaway. Golf and hip hop "typically wouldn't go together," Mr. Arnett conceded. But "Scarface really shows that golf is really a sport that transcends demography and transcends what your normal expectations would be." Callaway's Red Bull series Credit: Callaway Golf Company Shattering golf's stuffy stereotype is also behind Callaway's partnership with Red Bull Media House, the content arm of the energy drink brand known for its extreme sports positioning. The deal includes an upcoming video series called "Distance Lab" that will feature renowned golf instructor Hank Haney teaching Red Bull athletes, including wakeboarder Steel Lafferty; BMX rider Corey Bohan; and skateboarder Alex Midler. "It has the Red Bull storytelling aesthetic and tone. But we think it will be a cool thing for people to see these conflicting worlds coming together in a different way to look at golf performance," Mr. Arnett said. "These are athletes that you typically aren't used to seeing in a golf context, even though they are avid golfers." The three-episode series will run on Red Bull's channels as well as on Callaway TV, a channel the marketer launched earlier this year for Apple TV and Roku. The channel is home to "Callaway Live," a weekly interview show about golf hosted by Mr. Arnett. The show has included appearances by celebrities such as pop star Adam Levine and business leaders like former Yum Brands Chairman-CEO David Novak. Callaway is also active on teen-friendly Snapchat. Content has included a video of Ben Roethlisberger hitting golf shots at Heinz Field during the week of the U.S. Open. The initiatives are aimed at "creating an avenue for a new audience to think about Callaway," Mr. Arnett said. The preconceived notions people have about the game of golf "were definitely preconceived notions that people had about Callaway," he added, meaning that it is for rich men. "There is an affluency to the game that definitely is attractive and has been a foundation to our business," he added. But "we are extending ourselves to a newer, broader audience," he added, like people who are "looking for that next passion point activity. And we think golf can be that." Golf interest surged in the mid-1990s thanks to the power of Nike-endorser Tiger Woods, leading to an all-time high of 2.4 million beginners taking up the game in 2000, according to the National Golf Foundation. Total participation reached a peak of 30.6 million in 2003, Bloomberg reported, citing figures from the foundation. But in 2015 participation fell to 24.1 million from 24.7 million the two previous years, according to the foundation's latest report. There was a silver lining: The number of beginners reached 2.2 million -- slightly off the Woods-era peak -- and the biggest group of beginners was millennials, the report stated. Nike announced its golf exit on Aug. 3. While the marketer is getting out of the equipment business -- including clubs, balls and bags -- the company is "committed to being the undisputed leader in golf footwear and apparel," according to a statement. Nike's golf division posted $706 million in revenue for fiscal 2016, which was its worst year since 2011, according to ESPN. Callaway's "hard goods" market share -- which includes clubs, balls but not apparel or shoes -- was 22.4% in the second quarter, up a full percentage point from a year earlier, the company reported. While Callaway could benefit from Nike's equipment exit, Mr. Arnett lowered expectations. Nike's equipment business "represented a pretty small market share percentage, so the direct sales opportunity is probably not one that is so direct to us," he said. But it "definitely is an opportunity for us to continue to expand as the equipment industry contracts somewhat."
From Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, St Thomas’ Hospital, King’s College, London School of Medicine, London, United Kingdom (JBR, AMV, DP, AN, GLS, and TDS); the Center of Human Development and Aging, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ (JPG, MK, XL, and AA); and the Department of Chemical Pathology, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom (RS). Age was negatively correlated with LTL (r = −0.40, P < 0.0001). Serum vitamin D concentrations were positively associated with LTL (r = 0.07, P = 0.0010), and this relation persisted after adjustment for age (r = 0.09, P < 0.0001) and other covariates (age, season of vitamin D measurement, menopausal status, use of hormone replacement therapy, and physical activity; P for trend across tertiles = 0.003). The difference in LTL between the highest and lowest tertiles of vitamin D was 107 base pairs (P = 0.0009), which is equivalent to 5.0 y of telomeric aging. This difference was further accentuated by increased concentrations of C-reactive protein, which is a measure of systemic inflammation. The objective of the study was to examine whether vitamin D concentrations would attenuate the rate of telomere attrition in leukocytes, such that higher vitamin D concentrations would be associated with longer LTL. As humans age, both LTL and vitamin D concentrations decrease ( 17 , 38 ), whereas inflammatory mediators increase ( 39 , 40 ). In addition, CRP, a marker of systemic inflammation, displays an inverse relation with vitamin D concentrations ( 17 , 18 ) and LTL ( 24 ). Given that vitamin D displays antiinflammatory properties, we hypothesized that it may attenuate the rate of LTL attrition. To this end, we examined the associations between LTL and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and CRP in a population-based cohort of women across a wide age spectrum. Telomeres are the ends of chromosomes and undergo attrition with each replication ( 19 , 20 ), a process that is accelerated by oxidative stress ( 21 , 22 ). What is more, leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is relatively short in persons with chronic inflammation, because the inflammatory response entails an increase in leukocyte turnover. Consistent with this proposition, both vascular diseases ( 23 – 28 ) and autoimmune diseases such as lupus ( 29 ) and arthritis ( 30 , 31 ) have been associated with shorter LTL. Furthermore, cigarette smoking and obesity, which provoke a proinflammatory milieu, are both a source of oxidative stress ( 32 , 33 ) and are associated with shortened LTL ( 34 , 35 ). In fact, several studies have documented associations of indexes of oxidative stress and inflammation with LTL ( 24 , 27 , 36 ). Recently, a randomized case-control analysis showed that shortened LTL was an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease, and the magnitude of risk attributed to shortened LTL was similar to that for conventional risk factors ( 37 ). Thus, shortened LTL seems to be a marker of aging-related diseases and conditions associated with an increased burden of oxidative stress and inflammation. Yet, little is known about the environmental factors, other than obesity and smoking, that may affect LTL. Subsets of leukocytes have receptors for the active form of vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 ; 11 – 13 ) that support the direct effect of vitamin D on these cells ( 14 – 16 ), which explains, in part, the connections between vitamin D and autoimmune disease. Furthermore, an inverse relation has been shown between vitamin D concentrations and C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, in both healthy subjects and patients with rheumatoid arthritis and frailty ( 17 , 18 ). The inhibitory effect of vitamin D on the inflammatory response also points to a potential link between this vitamin and telomere dynamics (length and attrition rate) in leukocytes. Mounting evidence suggests that, in addition to its well-described roles in skin, bone, and muscle physiology ( 2 ), the hormone vitamin D acts as an inhibitor of the inflammatory response through several pathways ( 1 ). Decreased vitamin D concentrations have been associated with an increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes ( 3 – 6 ). Vitamin D administration has been shown to prevent the initiation and to attenuate the severity of immune-mediated diseases, including type 1 diabetes ( 7 , 8 ) and an animal model for multiple sclerosis ( 9 ). In addition, a recent open-label trial showed that vitamin D decreased rheumatoid arthritis disease activity ( 10 ). The normality of the variables was assessed, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D, CRP, and leptin concentrations were subsequently natural log–transformed. The relation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and age-adjusted LTL was assessed by using a scatter plot with a fitted regression line. A Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated between 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, LTL, age-adjusted LTL, and CRP concentrations. The relation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and LTL was further assessed by using standard linear regression techniques, after control for multiple covariates. These covariates included age, body mass index, fasting insulin and serum leptin concentrations, smoking status, CRP, physical activity level, season of 25-hydroxyvitamin D measurement, menopausal status, and use of hormone replacement therapy. Model selection was carried out by using the Bayesian Information Criterion, by which the potential confounders were analyzed by assessing the top 10 models as generated by the Bayesian Information Criterion and by including the variables that predicted LTL. If a variable had no effect on the relation between LTL and vitamin D, then the variable was removed from the model; however, if a variable altered the relation between LTL and vitamin D, that variable was included in the final model. The resultant linear regression residual plots were checked for violations of linear relations. A quadratic term was computed for age and was included in the regression analysis to further test for nonlinearity. This quadratic term did not affect the relation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and LTL, nor did it predict LTL, and it was thus discarded from further analysis. To further assess the relation between multiply adjusted LTL and 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, the study population was divided into tertiles of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and the average LTL for each tertile and nonparametric test for trend across tertiles was calculated. This analysis was also repeated after the study population was divided into quintiles of 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations. Because vitamin D influences inflammation and LTL is reduced by increased levels of systemic inflammation, we divided the study population into those subjects with a CRP concentration ≥2.0 or <2.0 mg/L, which is regarded as the lower limit for clinically detectable inflammation ( 46 ). Moreover, some authors ( 47 ) have suggested that a CRP concentration ≥10.0 or <10.0 mg/L more appropriately defines inflammation, and we therefore repeated our analysis by using this alternate threshold. A statistical interaction term between CRP and 25-hydroxyvitamin D was computed but was not statistically significant in linear regression models and was therefore not included in subsequent analyses. The difference in multiply adjusted LTL between current users of vitamin D supplements and nonusers was then calculated by using a 2-tailed Student’s t test. Because of the nonindependence of twins, we controlled for familial aggregation by treating twin-pairs as clusters of information by using the robust regression cluster option in STATA software (version 9.2; Stata Corp, College Station, TX). All analyses were carried out with the use of STATA/SE software (version 9.2; Stata Corp). LTL was derived from the mean of the terminal restriction fragment length by using the Southern blot method on DNA extracted from peripheral leukocytes, as described elsewhere ( 26 ). Each DNA sample was resolved in duplicate (on different gels). If the difference between the duplicates was >5%, a third measurement was performed, and the mean of the 2 results <5% apart was taken. This occurred in <5% of the samples. The CV of the terminal restriction fragment length assay in the present study was 1.5%. The Center of Human Development and Aging at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey conducted the terminal restriction fragment length assays and was blinded to the identity of the subjects. Fasting serum insulin and glucose concentrations were measured by using methods described previously ( 45 ). Fasting serum insulin concentrations were assayed by using a chemiluminescent Immulite kit (Diagnostics Products Corp, Los Angeles, CA). Serum leptin concentrations were measured after the subjects had fasted overnight by using a radioimmunoassay (Linco Research, St Louis, MO). 25-Hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were measured by using a radioimmunoassay kit (DiaSorin Inc, Stillwater, MN). This assay has a detection limit of 4 nmol/L, and the analytic CV of the method is 9.1% at 22 nmol/L. Serum CRP concentrations were measured by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The lower limit of detection of this assay is 0.15 mg/L, and the assay has a CV of 8.7% at 0.5 mg/L. Body mass index, physical activity, smoking, serum insulin, CRP, and leptin concentrations were considered to be potential confounders according to previous studies that showed a relation between these variables and LTL ( 34 , 42 ). Physical activity was recorded as inactive, light, moderate, or heavy exercise during leisure time. This previously validated measure of activity correlated well with an in-depth measure of physical activity in the Dunbar Health Survey ( 43 ). Decreased physical activity was recently shown to be associated with shorter telomere length ( 44 ). Those subjects that reported current daily cigarette smoking were classified as daily smokers. To assess the relation between vitamin D supplementation and LTL, subjects were asked if they used vitamin D supplements. We studied women from the TwinsUK cohort (see www.twinsuk.ac.uk ), an ongoing adult twin registry examining several age-related phenotypes, which include osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, and visual, endocrine, and cardiovascular diseases. The twins involved in the present study were previously shown to represent the general population of the United Kingdom ( 41 ). The present study was approved by the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital Ethics Committee and conformed with the Helsinki Declaration. Participants provided written informed consent. Vitamin D supplement information was available on a subset of the study population (n = 700). Vitamin D supplement users had longer LTLs, despite adjustment for age, season of vitamin D measurement, menopausal status, use of hormone replacement therapy, and physical activity, than did nonusers. Mean adjusted LTL in subjects who did not use vitamin D supplements was 6.95 kb, whereas that of current users of vitamin D supplements was 7.06 kb; however, this difference was not statistically significant (P for 2-tailed Student’s t test = 0.06). We also stratified the study population by level of systemic inflammation by using a CRP concentration of 2.0 mg/L to designate the minimal inflammation status that may have clinical relevance ( 46 ). We observed that, within each tertile of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, LTLs were longer in those with lower serum CRP concentrations (adjusted for age and level of physical activity; P for trend = 0.001) than in subjects with higher CRP concentrations ( ). When assessing the most extreme groups, the difference in LTL between those with the lowest 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and highest CRP concentrations and those with the highest 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and lowest CRP concentrations was 164.6 base pairs, which was equivalent to 7.6 y of telomeric aging (P = 0.0003 for difference in mean LTL between groups). To assess the sensitivity of the chosen CRP cutoff, we changed the CRP threshold to 10.0 mg/L. This did not change the relation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and multiply adjusted LTL once stratified by CRP (P for nonparametric trend = 0.001). In addition, for each tertile of 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, those with higher CRP had shorter LTL (results not shown). The statistical interaction term between CRP and 25-hydroxyvitamin D was not significant. The covariates adjusted for in the regression model after consideration of the Bayesian Information Criterion were age, season of vitamin D measurement, menopausal status, use of hormone replacement therapy, and physical activity. We divided the study population by tertiles of 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and observed that increasing tertiles of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were associated with increased multiply adjusted LTL [P for nonparametric trend = 0.003; mean LTL in lowest tertile of 25-hydroxyvitamin D = 6.97 (95% CI: 6.93, 7.01), mean LTL in middle tertile of 25-hydroxyvitamin D = 7.02 (95% CI: 6.98, 7.07), mean LTL in highest tertile of 25-hydroxyvitamin D = 7.08 (95% CI: 7.03, 7.12)]. The multiply adjusted difference in LTL between the highest and lowest tertile of 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations was 107.1 base pairs (P for difference between means = 0.0009), which was equivalent to 5.0 y of telomeric aging. The study population was also divided by quintiles of 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations to investigate whether this approach altered the results. In the analysis by quintiles of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the relation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and multiply adjusted LTL (adjusted for the same variables) did not change (P for nonparametric trend = 0.007). Furthermore, LTL increased with each increasing quintile of vitamin D. Age was negatively correlated with LTL (Pearson’s correlation coefficient: −0.40; P < 0.0001), with an extrapolated annual rate of decrease of 21.5 base pairs/y. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were positively correlated with LTL, and this relation was strengthened after LTL was adjusted for age ( ). CRP concentrations were negatively associated with age-adjusted LTL (Pearson’s correlation coefficient: −0.05; P = 0.0009) and with 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations (Pearson’s correlation coefficient: −0.05; P = 0.0016). We identified a total of 2160 women with data on both 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and LTL ( ). The mean age of the sample was 49.4 y (range: 18–80 y). Most of the subjects were nonsmokers, and approximately one-half of the sample reported moderate or heavy physical activity. DISCUSSION In the large population of women in the present study, higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were associated with longer LTL. Moreover, in every tertile of vitamin D, LTL was shorter in individuals with higher CRP concentrations. The difference in multiply adjusted LTL between the highest and lowest serum vitamin D tertiles was similar in magnitude to the difference in LTL associated with 5 y of chronologic age. Although these associations do not prove causality, they do suggest that vitamin D may play an important role in the modulation of LTL, which is related to aging and age-related diseases. Previous studies indicated that shortened LTL is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (37), and our results suggest that vitamin D, which is easily modifiable through supplementation, may possibly attenuate LTL degradation. Vitamin D supplement users were also found to have longer LTLs than did nonusers, which provides support for this hypothesis. The reduction in total sample size by 1460 subjects in this subset analysis of vitamin supplement use possibly explains why this difference was only of borderline significance. However, direct measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations is likely a better proxy for vitamin D status that is the use of supplements alone. There are several mechanisms that may explain the association between LTL and vitamin D concentrations. Vitamin D decreases the mediators of systemic inflammation, such as interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-α (48), and, confirming this, in our study population, vitamin D concentrations were negatively correlated with levels of CRP. Vitamin D receptors are ubiquitously expressed in T and B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and monocytes (49, 50), and through the down-regulation of cytokines and other proinflammatory factors, vitamin D exerts profound antiinflammatory and antiproliferative actions, which would affect the turnover rate of leukocytes (1). It follows that vitamin D would attenuate the rate of LTL attrition. Inflammation and oxidative stress are key determinants in the biology of aging (51), and LTL dynamics appear to chronicle the accruing burden of these variables (52). The present study further supports the concept that LTL may serve as a cumulative index of an individual’s lifelong burden of oxidative stress and inflammation (52). Some of the factors that heighten oxidative stress and inflammation are genetic, but others are clearly environmental in nature, and a few may be easily modifiable. For instance, cigarette smoking (34, 35), obesity (34), and sedentary lifestyle (44) are associated with shortened LTL. Whereas these lifestyle habits may be difficult to change, vitamin D concentrations are easily modifiable through nutritional supplementation or sunshine exposure. We note the limitation of the cross-sectional approach of studying LTL, which may represent cumulative lifetime exposure to oxidative stress and inflammatory burden. In contrast, serum vitamin D concentrations represent the status of the vitamin at a certain time point. Therefore, longitudinal studies with multiple time points would provide a much more coherent account of the effect of different variables, including vitamin D, on leukocyte telomere dynamics. For example, longitudinal studies indicate that insulin resistance explains 28% (53) of the variation in leukocyte telomere attrition, whereas cross-sectional studies of this relation show that insulin resistance explains only 2.5% of the variation in LTL (27). The reason for this is that LTL is highly variable at birth (54) and is as variable afterward. Thus, cross-sectional studies of LTL may not always capture reliably the effect of a given factor on LTL attrition rate. On the basis of these considerations, our findings suggest that the effect of vitamin D on leukocyte telomere attrition may not be at all trivial. We also note that the observations afforded by twin pairs in our cohort are not necessarily independent, and we have thus controlled for nonindependence by using robust statistical methods. Furthermore, our twin cohort was shown to be similar to the general population of the United Kingdom (41). Finally, our results are cross-sectional and therefore may only suggest causality. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that a longer LTL is associated with increased serum vitamin D concentrations in women. Although both LTL and serum vitamin D concentrations decrease with age and are thus possible markers of aging in general, we have shown that the positive association between LTL and vitamin D concentrations is independent of age and many other covariates. Vitamin D exerts immunomodulatory effects that may attenuate LTL attrition rate. Longitudinal studies or randomized controlled trials of supplementation exploring the effect of vitamin D on LTL will be necessary to unequivocally establish the relation between vitamin D and leukocyte telomere dynamics; but for the moment, our data suggest another potential benefit of vitamin D—on the aging process and age-related disease.
Just three years removed from his second consecutive All-Star appearance, former Indians' closer Chris Perez has retired from baseball, according to the International League transactions page. Perez was most recently pitching with the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk. Perez saved 124 games while posting a 3.33 ERA in five seasons in Cleveland after being acquired from the Cardinals in exchange for Mark DeRosa in 2009. He saw major-league time with the Cardinals (2008-2009), Indians (2009-2013) and Dodgers (2014) in a seven-year major-league career, posting a lifetime 3.51 ERA and saving 133 games in 393 relief appearances. Perez rose to prominence during his time in Cleveland, when he posted a 1.71 ERA in 63 games in 2012 before posting ERAs of 3.32 and 3.59 in his All-Star seasons of 2011 and 2012. He saw time in Triple-A with the Brewers' and Orioles' organizations this season but struggled and will ultimately step away from baseball.
Angry Wisconsinites file to recall ideological governor! In October paperwork was filed with the Government Accountability Board to gather signatures to recall Governor Scott Walker after just one year in office. The honeymoon ended abruptly when the newly elected governor began pushing controversial policies that attacked hard-working Wisconsin citizens. Push-back began when Senate Democrats left the state in February to prevent a budget vote that also stripped public union rights. It was swift and has been growing ever since. Wisconsin became the battleground for the middle-class. As momentum builds, the chance of recall becomes more imminent. If the recent recall elections and the current polls are any indication then, yes, the Governor will be forced to step down after one year of disservice. The process begins on November 15th when citizens in huge numbers will begin to gather signatures to initiate the recall. They will have 60 days to get 540 thousand registered Wisconsin voter's signatures to put Governor Walker on the ballot; 60 days to work their magic. And the magic is there! More than 200 thousand individuals have already signed up to go out and get the required signatures. With this kind of enthusiasm, it should be easy. In Ohio, the group fighting to repeal SB5 -- the bill that strips collective bargaining rights -- collected nearly four times the 231 thousand signatures required to get Issue 2 on the ballot. They collected over 1.3 million. Over 915,000 were certified. The effort in Ohio, like the push in Wisconsin against Governor Walker, is a referendum against Governor Kasich's right-wing agenda which pits hard-working Americans against corporations and neo-conservatives. The transfer of wealth from the middle-class to the uber-rich. Millions of dollars are pouring into Ohio to defeat Issue 2, most of it from fake citizen organizations like Americans for Prosperity and Crossroads, and billionaires like the Kochs and the DeVos family, who consider hard-working Americans disposable. When the Democrats were successful recalling two of the state Senators from Republican districts in Wisconsin on August 9th, the recall of the controversial governor gained more momentum and moved closer to reality. Jessica King and Jennifer Shilling defeated Republicans Randy Hopper and Dan Kapanke to move the Democrats closer to retaking the majority in the Senate, and incumbent Democrats retained all three seats in the three attempts to recall Democratic Senators. That momentum has grown and could lead to more than a milion signatures -- twice what is needed. To defeat this populist discontent, millions will be spent by the same groups working against SB 5 to defeat the recall. Media campaigns will be launched fraught with lies and misinformation to deceive the voters. This is, yet again, a pivotal point for democracy. It's important to the people of Wisconsin -- important to the nation. Wisconsin cannot afford to live under a Republican plutocratic rule, nor can the people of Ohio. The momentum that began in Wisconsin just nine short months ago must continue in Ohio, Arizona, Michigan, Florida, and other states experiencing the destructiveness of the right-wing ideology. Governor Walker is the poster boy for the recall and repeal movement. Citizens of these co-oped states have discovered that they were lied to during the 2010 campaign. The support for Governors and legislators they elected, expecting fiscal changes and jobs, evaporated as soon as the ideologues' took office. The momentum must continue. First, repeal SB5 -- Issue 2 is being voted on in Ohio on November 8th -- then recall Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin, then take back the country from the ideological grip of the tunnel-visioned neo-cons in the 2012 election. The Recall Walker Momentum is real and his time has come.
The Elements of Style is a prescriptive American English writing style guide in numerous editions. The original was composed by William Strunk Jr. in 1918, and published by Harcourt in 1920, comprising eight "elementary rules of usage", ten "elementary principles of composition", "a few matters of form", a list of 49 "words and expressions commonly misused", and a list of 57 "words often misspelled". E. B. White greatly enlarged and revised the book for publication by Macmillan in 1959. That was the first edition of the so-called "Strunk & White", which Time named in 2011 as one of the 100 best and most influential books written in English since 1923.[2] History [ edit ] Cornell University English professor William Strunk Jr. wrote The Elements of Style in 1918 and privately published it in 1919, for use at the university. (Harcourt republished it in 52-page format in 1920.)[1] He and editor Edward A. Tenney later revised it for publication as The Elements and Practice of Composition (1935). In 1957 the style guide reached the attention of E.B. White at The New Yorker. White had studied writing under Strunk in 1919 but had since forgotten "the little book" that he described as a "forty-three-page summation of the case for cleanliness, accuracy, and brevity in the use of English". Weeks later, White wrote a feature story about Strunk's devotion to lucid English prose.[3] Macmillan and Company subsequently commissioned White to revise The Elements for a 1959 edition (Strunk had died in 1946). White's expansion and modernization of Strunk and Tenney's 1935 revised edition yielded the writing style manual informally known as "Strunk & White", the first edition of which sold about two million copies in 1959. More than ten million copies of three editions were later sold.[4] Mark Garvey relates the history of the book in Stylized: A Slightly Obsessive History of Strunk & White's The Elements of Style (2009).[5] Maira Kalman, who provided the illustrations for The Elements of Style Illustrated (2005, see below), asked Nico Muhly to compose a cantata based on the book. It was performed at the New York Public Library in October 2005.[6][7][8] Content [ edit ] In The Elements of Style (1918), William Strunk concentrated on specific questions of usage—and the cultivation of good writing—with the recommendation "Make every word tell"; hence the 17th principle of composition is the simple instruction: "Omit needless words." The book frames this within a triplet credited to an influential lecturer: Omit needless words Use active voice Use parallel construction on concepts that are parallel [9] The 1959 edition features White's expansions of preliminary sections, the "Introduction" essay (derived from his magazine feature story about Prof. Strunk), and the concluding chapter, "An Approach to Style", a broader, prescriptive guide to writing in English. He also produced the second (1972) and third (1979) editions of The Elements of Style, by which time the book's length had extended to 85 pages. The third edition of The Elements of Style (1979) features 54 points: a list of common word-usage errors; 11 rules of punctuation and grammar; 11 principles of writing; 11 matters of form; and, in Chapter V, 21 reminders for better style. The final reminder, the 21st, "Prefer the standard to the offbeat", is thematically integral to the subject of The Elements of Style, yet does stand as a discrete essay about writing lucid prose.[3] To write well, White advises writers to have the proper mind-set, that they write to please themselves, and that they aim for "one moment of felicity", a phrase by Robert Louis Stevenson.[10] Thus Strunk's 1918 recommendation: Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that he make every word tell. "Elementary Principles of Composition", The Elements of Style[11] Strunk Jr. no longer has a comma in his name in the 1979 and later editions, due to the modernized style recommendation about punctuating such names. The fourth edition of The Elements of Style (2000), published 54 years after Strunk's death, omits his stylistic advice about masculine pronouns: "unless the antecedent is or must be feminine".[12] In its place, the following sentence has been added: "Currently, however, many writers find the use of the generic he or his to rename indefinite antecedents limiting or offensive." Further, the re-titled entry "They. He or She", in Chapter IV: Misused Words and Expressions, advises the writer to avoid an "unintentional emphasis on the masculine".[13][14] Components new to the fourth edition include a foreword by Roger Angell, stepson of E. B. White, an afterword by the American cultural commentator Charles Osgood, a glossary, and an index. Five years later, the fourth edition text was re-published as The Elements of Style Illustrated (2005), with illustrations by the designer Maira Kalman. This edition excludes the afterword by Charles Osgood and restores the first edition chapter on spelling. Reception [ edit ] The Elements of Style was listed as one of the 100 best and most influential books written in English since 1923 by Time in its 2011 list.[2] Upon its release, Charles Poor, writing for The New York Times, called it "a splendid trophy for all who are interested in reading and writing."[15] American poet Dorothy Parker has, regarding the book, said: If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second-greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first-greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.[16] Criticism of Strunk & White has largely focused on claims that it has a prescriptivist nature, or that it has become a general anachronism in the face of modern English usage. In criticizing The Elements of Style, Geoffrey Pullum, professor of linguistics at the University of Edinburgh, and co-author of The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (2002), said that: The book's toxic mix of purism, atavism, and personal eccentricity is not underpinned by a proper grounding in English grammar. It is often so misguided that the authors appear not to notice their own egregious flouting of its own rules ... It's sad. Several generations of college students learned their grammar from the uninformed bossiness of Strunk and White, and the result is a nation of educated people who know they feel vaguely anxious and insecure whenever they write however or than me or was or which, but can't tell you why.[17] Pullum has argued, for example, that the authors misunderstood what constitutes the passive voice, and he criticized their proscription of established and unproblematic English usages, such as the split infinitive and the use of which in a restrictive relative clause.[17] On Language Log, a blog about language written by linguists, he further criticized The Elements of Style for promoting linguistic prescriptivism and hypercorrection among Anglophones, and called it "the book that ate America's brain".[18] The Boston Globe's review described The Elements of Style Illustrated (2005), with illustrations by Maira Kalman, as an "aging zombie of a book ... a hodgepodge, its now-antiquated pet peeves jostling for space with 1970s taboos and 1990s computer advice".[19] On the other hand, in On Writing (2000, p. 11), Stephen King writes: "There is little or no detectable bullshit in that book. (Of course, it's short; at eighty-five pages it's much shorter than this one.) I'll tell you right now that every aspiring writer should read The Elements of Style. Rule 17 in the chapter titled Principles of Composition is 'Omit needless words.' I will try to do that here." In 2011, Tim Skern remarked ( perhaps equivocally) The Elements of Style "remains the best book available on writing good English".[20] [] In 2013, Nevile Gwynne reproduced The Elements of Style in his work, Gwynne's Grammar. Britt Peterson of the Boston Globe wrote that it was a "curious addition".[21] In 2016, the Open Syllabus Project [22] lists The Elements of Style as the most frequently assigned text in US academic syllabi, based on an analysis of 933,635 texts appearing in over 1 million syllabi.[23] Editions [ edit ] Elements of Style. Composed in 1918 and privately printed in 1919. 43 pages. OCLC 6589433. Composed in 1918 and privately printed in 1919. 43 pages. OCLC 6589433. The Elements of Style. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Howe, 1920. 52-page publication of the original.[1] (Because the text of Strunk's original is now in the public domain and freely available on the Internet, publishers can and do reprint it in book form.) Strunk & Edward A. Tenney The Elements and Practice of Composition. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1935. Despite the new title, an expansion of (The) Elements of Style; 60 pages plus 47 "practice leaves". OCLC 781988921 Strunk & White See also [ edit ] Several books were titled paying homage to Strunk's, for example:
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Rachel Marshall, 42, had sex with the schoolboy in the car and then threatened him when he got a new girlfriend (Picture: Andrew Pierce/View Finder Pictures) A ‘model’ mother who had weekly sex sessions with a schoolboy then threatened him when he ended their relationship has been jailed. Rachel Marshall, 42, showered the teen with gifts, including money, aftershave and even an iPhone 6. But when he started a relationship with a girl his own age, she threatened both of them and even pretended she was pregnant with his child, Caernarfon Crown Court heard. Marshall plead guilty to four counts of sexual activity with a child between October 2014 and February 2015 and was jailed for 40 months. The court heard how she sent the pair a fake baby scan and a pregnancy magazine and text the girl saying: ‘You are both f***ing dead.’ Prosecutor Simon Rogers said Marshall had started sending ‘flirtatious’ messages to the boy and eventually asked if he would like to go for a drive. Advertisement Advertisement She picked him up near his home and they went to a car park on the Sychnant Pass, near Conwy, where Marshall spoke about difficulties in her marriage. Marshall plead guilty to four counts of sexual activity with a child and was jailed for 40 months at Caernarfon Crown Court (Picture: Google maps) The defendant then kissed the youngster and her behaviour escalated. The pair had sex almost weekly including at Marshall’s home but the meetings were normally in her car. Mr Rogers said: ‘His confidence in the situation began to deteriorate. The defendant became aware of this. ‘Her behaviour began to freak him out. She wouldn’t leave him alone. She was continually messaging him. ‘She would send naked photographs of herself to him and began contacting his friends.’ The barrister added that when the boy formed a relationship with a girl his own age, Marshall started claiming that he had made her pregnant. Mr Rogers said it was ‘a deeply unpleasant course of harassment against the complainant and his girlfriend. It was done to manipulate him to continue the relationship with her.’ Following rumours at school, police went to the youngster’s home and he burst into tears. He said Marshall’s behaviour had a ‘profound’ effect. Judge Heywood said Marshall was of previous good character and a mother and wife who had a succession of good jobs. Advertisement Advertisement He said what happened had a ‘disastrous’ effect on the boy who had threatened suicide. He told Marshall: ‘You knew this young man’s age and took advantage of the situation for your own desires.’ Defence barrister Sion at Mihangel said: ‘She is deeply sorry for what has taken place. She has lost her job, her husband and family.’ Marshall has since become pregnant and the baby will be born in a prison environment and could stay with her in jail for up to 18 months, the court heard. Marshall must register as a sex offender and a sexual harm prevention order was made to protect the boy from her.
After 25 years of decidedly unawesome back and forth, the third Bill & Ted adventure has officially been confirmed. According to Alex ‘Bill’ Winter – who starred alongside Keanu Reeves in the original two movies – the film is now in pre-production, with a script, director, and studio all set to go. “We've been working on it for, like six years,” he confirmed to Forbes this month. “We're knee-deep in the script, it's been written by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon, who wrote the first two, they are fantastic writers, and the script is great... We're just trying to nail down a start date.” Winter also stressed that Keanu was obviously on board, because, in his own words, “how the fuck would they make it if he wasn’t on board?” “People always ask if Keanu’s doing it and I’m like, ‘No, I’m making a Bill movie’,” he joked. “Of course he’s in it. I can’t make a Bill & Ted movie without Keanu.” The film is apparently set to start shooting at either the end of this year or the beginning of next – which means it may be a while before we actually see the finished result. In the meantime, you can console yourself with Keanu’s new book about (actual) shadows, which is apparently available to buy now.
next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 An Egyptian prosecutor says prominent activist Ahmed Douma has been arrested and immediately referred to trial for allegedly insulting the country's president in comments he made on TV. There are a myriad of complaints against journalists and TV personalities, including satirist Bassem Youssef, for insulting Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. At least two journalists faced trials while others are still questioned. But Douma is the first activist to be quickly referred to trial while in custody. Prosecutor Mohammed el-Taneekhi said Thursday that Douma's trial will begin on Sunday. He was arrested Tuesday after a Muslim Brotherhood member complained that Douma called Morsi a "killer" and a "criminal," and blamed him for a violent security crackdown on protesters in the coastal city of Port Said that left 40 people dead.
Dogecoin Digibytes Einsteinium FedoraCoin Mintcoin Reddcoin Quark Worldcoin Vertcoin Karmacoin Earthcoin TrollCoin HTMLCoin Donationcoin “By ‘Payment Method’ we mean any method that allows a user to complete a transaction in a game that is on Facebook.com or Mobile Web, including, without limitation, by exchanging monetary value for virtual currency or virtual goods, whether directly at the time of purchase or via any previous transaction such as the user’s earlier purchase of a prepaid gift card or electronic code.” “For crypto-currencies to jump the divide between geeky underground technology and mainstream financial instrument, there needs to be greater awareness, easier access, and more utility based applications. At least in concept, Facebook tipping apps would seem to check all three boxes.” Some analyses of Dogecoin tippers’ generosity caused a stir this week, but there’s no need for an argument. Dogecoin users now potentially have access to 1.25 billion-plus people on Facebook with whom they can share the wealth.Alejandro Caballero, developer of both the Doge Tipping App and the Multicoin Tipping App announced on Reddit on Thursday that Facebook had approved both.Facebook users who join those respective groups can now send money along the world’s largest social network. Coins supported include:“[T]ipping through the apps work from Facebook Groups, but once you joined one of them, you can send tips to every person existing in Facebook, from your friends list or not [...] and we add groups on request,” Caballero wrote. “This way of working is the reason the apps where approved, because they promote social interaction without messing with user's preferences or security.”This news comes just more than a week after QuickCoin announced it had launched an app for BTC transfers on Facebook.Facebook’s terms of service explicitly state that payments on the network must go through Facebook Payments; all other payment methods are prohibited:That said, Facebook appears OK with an altcoin tipping app. And as Michael Carney over at PandoDaily says, this could be big:
on their own terms, things would fall apart. Entire segments of the corporate porn and entertainment industries would crumble because it would no longer be taboo (and therefore thrilling) to see girls “going wild.” Society would have to rethink its indulgence of ”boys will be boys” behavior, if “girls could be girls,” too. Homophobia would lose some of its grip , because it would no longer be a scary, vulnerable thing to be “like a girl.” No wonder it’s easier to just tell women to “be careful” and create safe-ride programs. But there are costs to asking women to police our own safety, beyond the basic and profound unfairness of the thing. The first is pleasure. Because I gotta tell you: Indulging your wild side can be pretty fun. That’s why we do it. For the ecstasy of merging our bodies with the sweaty, throbbing crowd on the dance floor. For the thrill of meeting someone’s eye for the first time and indulging our desire to find out right now what their skin feels like. … Sure, there are plenty of ways drinking and/or sexing can be bad for you - any pleasure can be manipulated or abused for any number of reasons. But there’s nothing inherently wrong with either, and when you force women to choose safety over pleasure in ways men never have to (and when you shame them for choosing “wrong”), you teach women that their pleasure is not as important as men’s. And that’s a slippery slope we all need to stop sliding down. -In Defense of Going Wild by Jaclyn Friedman
SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq (Reuters) - Kurdish protesters, angered by years of austerity and unpaid public sector salaries, set fire to the offices of political parties near the city of Sulaimaniyah on Monday, demanding that Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) quit. A Kurdish protester throughs stone during a rally against the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES Social media footage showed a building belonging to the ruling Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) on fire and a spokesman for its coalition partner in government, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), told Reuters an office belonging to them was also set ablaze by protesters. Two other party offices were torched, local media reported. Reuters was able to independently verify only those fires at the KDP and PUK offices, but Iraqi state television reported that the offices of several Kurdish political parties had been set on fire, without naming the parties. Tension has been high in the region since the central government in Baghdad imposed tough measures when the KRG unilaterally held an independence referendum on Sept. 25 and Kurds voted overwhelmingly to secede. The move, in defiance of Baghdad, also alarmed neighbouring Turkey and Iran who have their own Kurdish minorities. At least 3,000 Kurdish demonstrators had gathered in Sulaimaniyah for the protests on Monday against the KRG. Men and women carried signs in Kurdish, Arabic, and English telling the executive and legislative branches of the KRG that they wanted them gone, holding up red cards to further make their point. “Stop 26 years of robbery and wrong decisions,” one read. Teachers, hospital workers and other public sector employees demanded the regional government pay their wages. Some said they had not been paid in more than three years. “These protests are different from earlier ones because the Kurdish public are not asking the government for something, they are asking the executive and legislature to leave,” said protester Kameran Gulpi. In the decade following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Kurdistan insulated itself against violence plaguing the rest of the country and enjoyed an economic boom fuelled by rising Iraqi oil revenues, of which the region received a share. The bubble began to deflate in early 2014 when the Baghdad central government slashed funds to the KRG after it built its own oil pipeline to Turkey in pursuit of economic independence. After the September referendum, the Iraqi government responded by seizing Kurdish-held Kirkuk and other territory disputed between the Kurds and the central government. It also banned direct flights to Kurdistan and demanded control over border crossings.
U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team head coach Richie Williams named a 20-player roster for the four-team Panama U-17 International Tournament from Oct. 1-5. The USA will face Costa Rica on Wednesday, Oct. 1, followed by Canada on Oct. 3 and host Panama on Oct. 5, with all games played at Estadio Maracaná in Panama City. The U-17s most recently played in the Nordic Open Cup Tournament in Denmark and the third Copa Mexico in Mexico City, with the two events overlapping each other from late July to early August. The USA took sixth place in the Nordic Open Cup and earned fourth place at the Copa Mexico. In international competition, Haji Wright and Christian Pulisic lead this group with 11 goals apiece this year. Six of Pulisic’s goals came during the Copa Mexico. Wright is the top goal scorer for the U-17s dating back to last year with a combined 17 goals over this stretch in 17 games. The goalkeeping duo of William Pulisic (6-3-0) and Kevin Silva (5-0-1) has handled the majority of international play in 2014. Silva leads the team with three shutouts and a 0.87 goals against average. The USA roster includes 15 players who are in the midst of their fall semester in the U-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida. Fourteen players have current ties to the Development Academy. The U.S. U-17 MNT is 12-5-1 in international competition and 13-5-5 overall in 2014. U.S. U-17 MNT Roster: GOALKEEPERS (2): William Pulisic (Richmond Strikers; Mechanicsville, Va.), Kevin Silva (PDA; Bethlehem, Pa.) DEFENDERS (7): Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls Academy; Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Hugo Arellano (LA Galaxy Academy; Norwalk, Calif.), Daniel Barbir (West Bromwich Albion; Allentown, Pa.), Tanner Dieterich (Real Salt Lake AZ; Nashville, Tenn.), John Nelson (Internationals; Medina, Ohio), Matthew Olosunde (New York Red Bulls Academy; Trenton, N.J.), Alexis Velela (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.) MIDFIELDERS (5): Eric Calvillo (Real So Cal; Palmdale, Calif.), Luca de la Torre (Fulham; San Diego, Calif.), Keegan Kelly (Baltimore Celtic; Baltimore, Md.), Thomas McCabe (Players Development Academy; South Orange, N.J.), Christian Pulisic (PA Classics; Hershey, Pa.) FORWARDS (6): Pierre Da Silva (New York Soccer Club; Port Chester, N.Y.), McKinze Gaines (Lonestar SC; Austin, Texas), Josh Perez (Unattached; La Habra, Calif.), Elijah Rice (Chicago Magic PSG; Highland Park, Ill.), Haji Wright (Unattached; Los Angeles, Calif.), Alejandro Zendejas (FC Dallas Academy; El Paso, Texas)
Your inner nerd will find paradise here. That’s right, we are talking about the pilgrimage, the holy trail every nerd needs to walk – the San Diego Comic Con. And if, like us, this year was another hit-and-miss; fret not! Here is a look at other Comic Cons you can probably head to with Pickyourtrail – London Film and Comic Con Held since 2004, this convention has had a legacy of hosting actors from Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Star Trek and Star Wars. This year hosts guests the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Natalie Dormer, Kevin Smith, Emily Kinney. For all you move nerds, unfortunately, this convention is just 6 days away. Benedict watch another year, then! Olympia London: July 28 – 30 Asia Pop Comic Convention Also known as Comic Con Manila or APCC, it features a variety of international brand of comics, music, animation and films falling under the category of pop culture. Stage shows are often held here. SMX Convention Center, Manila: August 25 – 27 Reserve your attendance here Read more: How to get your favourite comic character’s homeland! Oz Comic Convention Beginning in the year 2012, Australia got its very own comic con – running currently in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide. This year you can look at visiting the comic con at Brisbane: September 23 – 24 Sydney: September 30 – October 1 Reserve your attendance here More: Heading over this year is Aquaman, also Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones, Jason Mamoa. Russia Comic Con Inaugurated in 2014, this convention celebrates films, serials, computer and board games, entertaining literature, comics, anime and manga. Here is a glimpse at what the Russian Comic Moscow: September 28 – October 1 Here’s at a look at what the Con has in store for you ~ Reserve your attendance here New York Comic Con Yes, Big Apple gets its very own comic con! Started in 2006, this one is dedicated to comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, and movies! New York: October 5 – 8 Reserve your attendance here More: Guess who is headed this way all the way from Westeros? That’s right – Lena Headey, who plays Cersei Lannister in the HBO series Game of Thrones! Comic Con Experience Begun in Brazil in the year 2014, it caters to fans of comics, TV series, video games, movies, literature and more. To be held December this year, there is plenty of time to plan this out. São Paulo: December 7 – 10 Reserve your attendance here. All you nerds excited? Well get going and plan your next Comic Convention rendezvous with us. We service music nerds, too. Tomorrowland? Sunburn? Burning Man? State your wish, we will grant it!
(CNN) A top al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula leader -- who a few years ago was in a U.S. detention facility -- was among five killed in an airstrike in Yemen, the terror group said, showing the organization is vulnerable even as Yemen appears close to civil war. Ibrahim al-Rubaish died Monday night in what AQAP's media wing, Al-Malahem Media, called a "crusader airstrike." The Al-Malahem Media obituary characterized al-Rubaish as a religious scholar and combat commander. A Yemeni Defense Ministry official and two Yemeni national security officials not authorized to speak on record confirmed that al-Rubaish had been killed, but could not specify how he died. Al-Rubaish was once held by the U.S. government at its detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In fact, he was among a number of detainees who sued the administration of then-President George W. Bush to challenge the legality of their confinement in Gitmo. He was eventually released as part of Saudi Arabia's program for rehabilitating jihadist terrorists, a program that U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama, characterized as "a failure." In December 2009, Sessions listed al-Rubaish among those on the virtual " 'Who's Who' of al Qaeda terrorists on the Arabian peninsula ... who have either graduated or escaped from the program en route to terrorist acts." JUST WATCHED Al Qaeda in Yemen exploiting civil war Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Al Qaeda in Yemen exploiting civil war 02:13 The United States has been active in Yemen, working closely with governments there to go after AQAP leaders like al-Rubaish. While it was not immediately clear how he died, drone strikes have killed many other members of the terrorist group. Yemen, however, has been in disarray since Houthi rebels began asserting themselves last year. The Shiite minority group even managed to take over the capital of Sanaa and, in January, force out Yemeni President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi -- who had been a close U.S. ally in its anti-terror fight. Hadi still claims he is Yemen's legitimate leader, and he is working with a Saudi-led military coalition to target Houthis and supporters of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Obama Orders Development Of Supercomputer To Rival China's 'Milky Way' Enlarge this image toggle caption Kyodo/Landov Kyodo/Landov President Obama has ordered the development of a supercomputer that is some 20 times faster than the world's current record-holder and is expected to go online by 2025. A machine developed by China's National University of Defense Technology and housed in Guangzhou, called Tianhe-2 (Milky Way-2), is thought to currently be the fastest supercomputer in existence — variously reported as doing either 34 or 55 petaflops (1 petaflop is equivalent to 1 quadrillion floating-point operations per second). The executive order, issued by Obama on Wednesday, would set up a body known as the National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI) to research and build what is hoped to become the first machine to hit 1 exaflop, equivalent to 1,000 petaflops. The White House says in a blog post that the new initiative "will draw on the strengths of departments and agencies to move the Federal government into a position that sharpens, develops, and streamlines a wide range of new 21st century applications. It is designed to advance core technologies to solve difficult computational problems and foster increased use of the new capabilities in the public and private sectors." Industry Tap, an engineering and trade publication, says a so-called "exascale" computer could be used to solve "some of today's great challenges, like more accurately modeling the Himalaya watershed, understanding how hurricanes form, determining how genes work on the molecular level and understanding how brain synapses work, [all of which] will require vastly more computing power than is currently available." But Industry Tap notes that such a machine would require 200 megawatts of power (compared with 3 megawatts for the current-generation machines). That means "a power plant would be required to run it." The president's executive order is just the latest salvo in something of an international supercomputer arms race that has broken out in recent years, with the U.S. (IBM, Cray), China and Japan (Fujitsu) trading places in the Top 500 list of fastest machines. The first machine to do a full petaflop, the IBM Roadrunner, was unveiled in 2009 and was shut down as "obsolete" just five years later. Earlier this year, the U.S. government banned Intel from selling its lightning-fast Xeon Phi chip to China. The Xeon was used to construct Tianhe-2, and China reportedly wanted to use the chips to upgrade it to 100 petaflops. A 100-petaflop machine is being developed in the U.S. and is expected to be ready by 2017, and a 300-petaflop machine could "possibly" be ready in the same year, according to Computer World.
Since December 2015, Nemory Studios has been working hard on a new app called Face10 with the goal of the app being to replace the native BlackBerry 10 Facebook app , which let's be honest, has seen better days as it hasn't been updated since June 2015. Now, after a few months in the BlackBerry Beta Zone being tested, Face10 has arrived in BlackBerry World. Standard Features Update Status, Post/Upload Photos and Videos Checkin, Share a Link/Post, Respond to Events Filter NewsFeeds and Comments, View Page Insights View Groups, Pages, Events, Family, Mutual Friends View Friend Requests, Messages, Newsfeed, Mutual Friends View Followers, Following, Liked Pages View Games, FriendLists, Birthdays, Likers View Books, Visitors Posts, Friends View Users, Albums, Photos, Videos View Group Files and Docs, Members Find Friends, Search for Users, Pages, Events, Groups, Places Send and Accept Friend Requests, Invite Friends to an Event View Activity Log, Create an Album Pro Features Send Stickers View Replies of a Comment Reply to a Comment Download Videos and Photos Stable Headless Service Hub Integration Hub Notifications Multiple Accounts Support Customize Color Schemes Dark Theme App Security Lock Password Create Home Screen Shortcuts for easy and fast access Share a Video/Photo from Gallery As you can tell from looking at the list, Face10 is packed with features some of which the native BlackBerry 10 Facebook app will never support. You'll also note there are standard features and pro features listed. That's because while Face10 comes with a free 2-day trial with all features enabled, it reverts to the standard features once the trial is up. In order to access everything Face10 offers, it requires an in-app purchase of $2.99. When it comes to supported devices, no one was left out. Face10 has been optimized for all BlackBerry 10 smartphones running 10.3 and up. Take a look through our gallery at some of the screenshots or skip to download link to give Face10 a try. We'll have a closer look at the app up in a few days. Sidenote: There appears to be some issue with BlackBerry World right now, if you can't get Face10 or any other app downloaded, just try again until you can.
ATLANTA (AP) — Two nurses lost their licenses after a television station persuaded courts to unseal a video secretly recorded by the family of a man who died in their care. The video shows the World War II veteran repeatedly calling for help, saying he can’t breathe. It also shows the nurses failing to take life-saving measures and laughing as they try to start an oxygen machine. The family of 89-year-old James Dempsey of Woodstock, Georgia, sued the Northeast Atlanta Health and Rehabilitation Center in 2014. Dempsey’s family declined to comment, citing a settlement with the nursing home, the station said. A statement from the center says care has improved since then, under different leadership. But WXIA-TV said the nurses didn’t surrender their licenses until this September, after it sent The Georgia Board of Nursing a link to the video the nursing home fought three years to keep secret. The nurses included a nursing supervisor who told attorneys that, when she learned Dempsey had stopped breathing, she rushed to his room and took over CPR, keeping it up until paramedics arrived. The video shows that nobody was doing CPR when she arrived, and she did not start immediately. After being shown the video, she told the attorneys it was an honest mistake, based on her normal actions, the station reported. WXIA said records showed continued problems, including $813,000 in Medicare fines since 2015. It said the nursing home got a good inspection report in May, but still has Medicare’s lowest score, a one-star rating.
The ShadowBrokers is the hacker crew stolen the arsenal of the NSA-Linked Equation Group is offering for sale the stolen NSA Windows Hacking Tools. The ShadowBrokers is the hacker crew that leaked a portion of the arsenal of the NSA-Linked Equation Group, a precious archive containing hacking tools and exploits. At the end of October, the hackers leaked a fresh dump containing a list of servers that were hacked by the NSA-linked group known as Equation Group. The Equation group compromised these targets using the hacking tools codenamed as INTONATION and PITCHIMPAIR. The ShadowBrokers provided the links to two distinct PGP-encrypted archives, the first one offered for free as a proof of the hack (its passphrase was ‘auctioned’), for the second one the group requested 1 million BTC . The first archive was containing roughly 300MBs of data, including firewall exploits, hacking tools, and scripts with cryptonyms like BANANAUSURPER, BLATSTING, and BUZZDIRECTION. The security researchers Mustafa Al-Bassam published an interesting post that lists all the exploits, implants, and tools for hacking firewalls (“Firewall Operations”) included in the dump. The Equation Group ‘s hackers targeted products made by Cisco, Fortigate, Juniper, TOPSEC, and Watchguard. The majority of files are at least three years old, meanwhile, the newest timestamp dating to October 2013. Early October, TheShadowBrokers complained that no one seems to be bidding on their precious archive, an alleged member of the hacker group expressed his dissent on the lack of interest in ponying up bitcoins to release the full NSA data dump. Earlier December 2016, the group announced the launch of a crowdfunding campaign for the stolen arsenal because its auction received offers for less than two bitcoins. We met Shadow Brokers last time in December 2016, when they changed the model of sale offering the NSA’s hacking arsenal for direct sale on an underground website. The hacking group is back and now it is selling another package of hacking tools, “Equation Group Windows Warez.” The new archive includes a collection of Windows exploits and tools to evade detection of antivirus solutions.
This is a tremendous song with exceptional singing by Bob Dylan, one of the lost masterpieces that will finally come out with good (better) sound! It sounds as if it was intended as a parody, of sorts, but turns into something all together different. This is great gospel music. Clinton Heylin wrote in the Telegraph, “…this seven-minute testifying spiritual seems to be largely improvised, and wholly inspired.” Sign on the Cross is actually one of Bob Dylan’s very best performances. This seven minute gospel gem is perfect, from Garth Hudson’s swirling church organ down to Bob’s inspired (and probably) drunken preachings. I have listened to the song over and over, and marvelled at the thought of this song not getting an official release! That is, until now. I am eagerly awaiting my box-set and hoping for a miracle sound wise, like we got on the last Bootleg release (vol.10) Bob Dylan – Sign on the cross: “This one sounds pretty straightforward at first, as Dylan leads the Band through some timeworn gospel changes. Robbie Robertson ekes out gorgeous guitar lines worthy of Curtis Mayfield and Garth Hudson’s organ swells at all the right moments, coaxing a truly remarkable vocal from their leader. Things take a turn for the weird, however, around 4:25, when Dylan slips into an off-the-cuff spoken monologue, coming off as a country-fried preacher who may have been dipping into his moonshine supply. What began as pure holiness starts sounding just a little bit creepy. “ – pitchfork Sign on the cross: Now, I try, oh for so awf’ly long And I just try to be And now, oh it’s a gold mine But it’s so fine Yes, but I know in my head That we’re all so misled And it’s that ol’ sign on the cross That worries me Now, when I was just a bawlin’ child I saw what I wanted to be And it’s all for the sake Of that picture I should see But I was lost on the moon As I heard that front door slam And that old sign on the cross Still worries me Well, it’s that old sign on the cross Well, it’s that old key to the kingdom Well, it’s that old sign on the cross Like you used to be But, when I hold my head so high As I see my ol’ friends go by And it’s still that sign on the cross That worries me Well, it seem to be the sign on the cross. Ev’ry day, ev’ry night, see the sign on the cross just layin’ up on top of the hill. Yes, we thought it might have disappeared long ago, but I’m here to tell you, friends, that I’m afraid it’s lyin’ there still. Yes, just a little time is all you need, you might say, but I don’t know ’bout that any more, because the bird is here and you might want to enter it, but, of course, the door might be closed. But I just would like to tell you one time, if I don’t see you again, that the thing is, that the sign on the cross is the thing you might need the most. Yes, the sign on the cross Is just a sign on the cross Well, there is some on every chisel And there is some in the championship, too Oh, when your, when your days are numbered And your nights are long You might think you’re weak But I mean to say you’re strong Yes you are, if that sign on the cross If it begins to worry you Well, that’s all right because sing a song And all your troubles will pass right on through – Hallgeir Please share: Facebook Twitter Pinterest More Print Email LinkedIn Pocket Reddit Tumblr
Roth 401k and Roth IRA Retirement Plans Conversion Limits and Rules [Updated] With approval of the Small Business Jobs Act, 401(k) plan participants are now permitted to convert their traditional employee sponsored retirement accounts over into Roth 401(k)s. The change will give many people the ability to better plan for retirement by mitigating tax impacts and leverage benefits currently available via Roth and Traditional IRA plans. Traditional 401(k) plans allow employees to deposit pre-tax dollars (plus employer match) into their accounts and pay taxes after they withdraw the funds at retirement. Whereas, Roth 401(k) holders fund their accounts on post-tax basis but withdraw their contributions tax-free at retirement. In both cases, any investment growth on contributed funds within the retirement account comes free of taxes. Like Roth IRAs, the Roth 401(k) option is best for people who expect to pay higher taxes in the future; since they don’t have to pay taxes on money they withdraw from a Roth 401(k) at retirement. It is still unclear if employer matches for a Roth 401(k) plan will be taxable or not (the IRS is still to rule on this). Further, to invest in a Roth 401(k) your employer’s retirement savings plan must offer a Roth 401(k) option. Currently only a third of employers offer plans with Roth 401(k)s, but this number is expected to rapidly grow with most employers expected to offer a Roth 401(k) option by the middle of next year. Contribution Limits: In 2012 Roth 401(k) plans allow you to contribute up to $17,000 if you’re under age 50, and $22,500 if age 50 or over. This limit applies to all your 401(k) plans, no matter if it’s a Roth or a Traditional 401(k) plan, or a combination of both. So you can’t save $17,000 in a traditional 401(k) and another $17,000 in a Roth 401(k) plan. Other restrictions within your plan may also prevent you from rolling over portions of your 401(k) before certain age or time limits. E.g. traditional 401(k)’s are subject to required minimum distributions (RMD) when you reach age 70.5 years, meaning you need to withdraw a minimum amount each year. Like Roth IRAs, Roth 401k accounts aren’t subject to the RMD. If you are interested in a conversion, you’ll need to talk to your employer’s payroll or benefits department about whether your plan will allow for the 401(k) to Roth 401(k) rollovers and what additional restrictions might apply. The table below provides a summary and comparison of the 401(k) plan options and those of a traditional IRA for your reference. It contains 2010 contribution limits, which are lower than the 2012 limits mentioned above. Roth 401(k) plans are expected to become more popular with employees and also the government who hope to raise short-term tax revenue. I encourage you to subscribe (free) via Email or RSS to get the latest Roth 401(k) updates. ____________ [August 2010] 401k Rollover and Conversion To Roth Accounts May Soon be Permitted There has been a lot of news recently on the ability of people to convert their traditional IRA accounts to Roth IRA accounts following legislation that removed income limits caps. But under current law, there is no ability for an investor in an employer-sponsored 401(k) account to make such a conversion to a Roth accounts within the same plan. Now, there are reports that the Senate is going to propose rules that overturn this law and allow certain employees to roll over amounts from their 401k retirement plans to a Roth-type savings account. The provision is part of a package of small business and savings incentives and could be tabled later this week. The new provision would allow the roll-over of amounts in a 401(k) retirement plan of otherwise permissible distributions, to a Roth-type account in the same plan. It would help employees who are 59 1/2 years old or older, and who want to keep their savings in their current retirement plan but would like to convert it to a Roth-type account for tax savings/minimization during retirement. Participants in a tax-deferred 401(k) are allowed to take distributions beginning at age 59 1/2, but need to pay taxes on distributions taken. Under a Roth IRA plan, taxes are paid on monies when contributed but all gains and principal are tax free on withdrawal. Details of the Senate small business bill have not yet been released, but a draft copy of the bill was obtained by Dow Jones Newswires. The tax provisions of the bill were negotiated in a bipartisan fashion between Sens. Max Baucus (D., Mont.) and Charles Grassley (R., Iowa), the chairman and ranking Republican respectively on the Senate Finance Committee. The Roth roll-over provision would raise $5.1 billion to help pay for roughly $12 billion in tax incentives aimed at spurring small business growth. The Roth provision is scored as a revenue gainer in the 10-year budget window, because people taking advantage of the conversion will owe taxes on tax-deferred amounts that had been accumulating in their 401(k) plans.
Climbers make their way to the summit of Mount Everest, in the Khumbu region of the Nepal Himalayas, in May 2013. An avalanche swept down a climbing route on Mount Everest early Friday, killing at least 12 Nepalese guides and leaving three missing in the deadliest disaster on the world's highest peak. ( Adrian Ballinger / AP/Alpenglow Expeditions file photo ) Nepalese mountaineer Dawa Tashi Sherpa, survivor of an avalanche on Mount Everest, lies in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Grandi International Hospital in Kathmandu on Friday. At least 12 Nepalese guides preparing routes up Mount Everest for commercial climbers were killed by an avalanche in the most deadly mountaineering accident ever on the world's highest peak, officials and rescuers say. ( PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP/Getty Images ) KATMANDU, NEPAL—An avalanche swept down a climbing route on Mount Everest early Friday, killing at least 12 Nepalese guides and leaving three missing in the deadliest disaster on the world’s highest peak. The Sherpa guides had gone early in the morning to fix ropes for other climbers when the avalanche hit just them below Camp 2 at about 6:30 a.m., Nepal Tourism Ministry official Krishna Lamsal said, from the base camp where he is monitoring rescue efforts. Rescue workers pulled out 12 bodies from under mounds of snow and ice and were searching for the three missing guides, Lamsal said. Article Continued Below Two Sherpas who were injured were taken by helicopter to hospitals in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. Hundreds of climbers, their guides and support crews have gathered at the base camp to prepare for attempts to scale the 8,850-metre mountain early next month when weather conditions become favourable. They have been setting up camps at higher altitudes and guides have been fixing routes and ropes on the slopes above. As soon as the avalanche hit, rescuers and fellow climbers rushed to help. Ang Tshering of the Nepal Mountaineering Association said the area where the avalanche hit is nicknamed the “popcorn field” and is just below Camp 2 at 6,400 metres. Earlier this year, Nepal announced several steps to better manage the heavy flow of climbers and speed up rescue operations. The steps included the dispatch of officials and security personnel to the base camp at 5,300 metres (17,380 feet), where they will stay throughout the spring climbing season that ends in May. More than 4,000 climbers have scaled the summit since 1953, when it was first conquered by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. Hundreds have died attempting to reach the peak. The worst recorded disaster on Everest had been a snowstorm on May 11, 1996, that caused the deaths of eight climbers. Six Nepalese guides were killed in an avalanche in 1970. Read more about:
Back in 2013, Google and NASA went halvsies on a D-Wave X2 computing system. The D-Wave is supposedly the world's first functional quantum computer, though experts both within and without the company have never been able to conclusively prove that the machine actually taps into the quantum realm to produce its calculations. That is, until now. Google's announcement Wednesday centers on "quantum annealing", a technique that determines the global minimum for a given function when presented with a set of potential solutions. In English, it figures out the best (ie most efficient) overall course of action to complete a task when given a set number of options. Scientists have been working on quantum annealers for a while now, though the two primary techniques, "simulated annealing" and "quantum monte carlo" are both just simulated systems running on conventional hardware. The D-Wave system, on the other hand, is hard-coded to run the quantum annealing algorithm on its quantum array. The company recently tested the new QA algorithm in a proof-of-concept trial against conventional systems running the simulated annealing and monte carlo methods. The results are more than impressive. As you can see from the graph above, Google's method beat out the other two quite handily, solving a function with 1000 binary variables up to 100 million times faster. Google qualified these results as "intriguing and very encouraging" in its announcement, though the company has a long way to go before this research is ready for the consumer market. But once it is, hoo boy, get ready for a technological revolution. With it, AI researchers may be able to develop smarter, more responsive computer learning systems, NASA could use it to simulate rocket launches (or entire space missions) -- heck even the mundane material sciences could get a boost from this technology.

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